Kaye and Jacobson (1996) found important lessons that emerged from mentoring. They said that “mentors demonstrate, explain and model, some share and facilitate and some never forge relationships of value” (p. 44). 

There are five building blocks to mentoring according to Kaye and Jacobson (1996):

(1) Intentional Learning
(2) Failure and Success
(3) Storytelling
(4) Mature Development
(5) A Joint Venture

Mentoring relationships are ”dynamic, reciprocal, personal relationships in which a more experienced person acts a guide, role model, teacher and sponsor of a less experienced person” (Johnson and Ridley, 2008, ix).

Good mentoring relationships are built on “value, connection, direction, privacy and confidentiality, trust, caring, protégé should not be dependent on mentor, equal partnership, goal setting and fun & humor” (Inzer & Crawford, 2005, p. 34).

References:

Inzer, L.D. & Crawford, C.B. (2005). A review of formal and informal mentoring: processes, problems and design. Journal of Leadership Education, 4 (1), 31-50.

Kaye, B. & Jacobson, B. (1996, August). Reframing mentoring. Training & Development, 44-47.

Johnson, W.B. & Ridley, C.R. (2008). The elements of mentoring. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.