'With a little help from my academic friend': Mentoring change agents

Abstract

The article examines a relationship between an academic mentor and a change agent charged with managing a complex project of change. Using a narrative framework based on a social constructionist perspective, a reflective infrastructure was created allowing a flow of data from change agent to mentor and feedback to the change agent as he attempted to carry out his activities. The article examines a number of activities from various change projects showing how data was captured by telling stories and reflection was facilitated by use of narrative and argumentation analysis. The article argues for greater focus on the process of mentoring and making meaning, rather than normative models of roles and competencies. In addition, participants in mentoring relationships need to reflect on their 'responsive ways of going on'.