Emotional Intelligence and Trust in Formal Mentoring Programs

This study examined the roles of mentors’ and protégés’ emotional intelligence and protégés’ trust in the mentors in formal mentoring relationships. Using reports from both mentors and protégés in 147 formal mentoring dyads, results of partial least squares analysis indicated that mentors’ emotional intelligence directly and indirectly related to mentoring provided through protégés’ trust in the mentors, whereas protégés’ emotional intelligence was only indirectly associated with the mentoring provided through their trust in the mentors. A complementary interaction effect of mentors’ and protégés’ emotional intelligence on protégés’ trust in the mentors was also found. Finally, mentoring provided was positively associated with protégés’ willingness to mentor others in the future. Implications regarding mentor— protégé matching and development for effective formal mentoring programs and future theory development are discussed.