Upward maintenance tactics in supervisory mentoring and nonmentoring relationships

Predicted the use of upward maintenance tactics by subordinates (1) receiving formal mentoring from their supervisors, (2) receiving informal mentoring from their supervisors, (3) receiving mentoring from other sources, and (4) not receiving mentoring from any source. Data collected from 259 managerial and technical professional employees (median age 30–34 yrs) suggest that informally mentored subordinates use a distinctive pattern of upward maintenance tactics with their supervisors. Few differences among formal supervisory proteges, nonsupervisory proteges, and nonproteges emerged.