Am I in charge? An examination of mentor perception of power from the Indian context with a global perspective

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of college-age mentors in a school-based mentoring (SBM) program with the aim of understanding mentor perceptions of “power.” Design/methodology/approach Seventeen mentors, comprising both undergraduate (9) and graduate (8) students, participated in this exploratory qualitative study. One-on-one semi-structured interviews and Focus Groups served as the primary methods of data collection. The modified Grounded Theory approach guided the data analysis process. Mentor narratives were scrutinized within the Indian context while also considering a global perspective. Findings Three major role execution styles emerged from examining mentor behavior: leadership, coaching and companionship. These charted the trajectory of equitability, revealing two major aspects of mentor perception: (1) within a tightly monitored and firmly structured program in a collectivist context, mentors believed they had the power to promote equitability in their dyads and (2) raising awareness about inequity is not sufficient to activate equitability, but additionally, an open mindset is essential for making conscious efforts to disrupt hierarchy. Research limitations/implications The findings hold significant implications for higher education institutions and program creators in advocating school–college partnerships using SBM to promote equitable program structures and to develop a socially responsible next generation of leaders. Originality/value The study modestly fills critical gaps in the literature related to the understanding of power dynamics in mentoring relationships and understanding mentorship from mentors’ views. Future research could explore how college-age mentors perceive their own social capital.