1. Trust and Mentoring Effectiveness: The Roles of Equal Opportunity Climate and Organizational Commitment Felicia O. Mokuolu, M.S. University of Oklahoma Kizzy M. Parks, Ph.D. K. Parks Consulting, Inc. DEOMI 1

2. Overview Examine the differences between formal and informal mentoring programs Discuss equal opportunity (EO) climate and organizational commitment in relation to trust and mentoring effectiveness Summarize key findings Provide recommendations for organizations 2

3. Background Current discourse on informal versus formal mentoring programs Equal opportunity climate: Individuals’ beliefs of the extent to which discrimination and harassment are likely to arise, based on demographic characteristics Organizational commitment: The extent of an individual’s acceptance and internalization of an organization’s values and goals (Chao, 2009; Dirks, 2000; Dansby & Landis, 1991; Jans, 1989; Porter et al., 1979) 3

4. Background Trust: The expectation of the dependability of the actions or words of individuals in a group, characterized by the willingness to be vulnerable to group members It is plausible that trust could be facilitated by positive EO climate, potentially leading to organizational commitment in workgroups (Chao, 2009; Dirks, 2000; Allen, Eby & Lentz, 2006; Dansby & Landis, 1991) 4

5. Current Study No known research has examined the moderating role of equal opportunity climate in the relationship between trust and mentoring effectiveness, especially in the military The current study aims to fill this void Military personnel operate in scenarios with high financial cost and dire consequences associated with mission failure, or inadequate execution of job related responsibilities (Dirks, 2000; Allen, Eby & Lentz, 2006; Dansby & Landis, 1991) 5

6. Hypotheses H1: Associations between trust and mentoring effectiveness will be moderated by equal opportunity climate H2: organizational commitment will moderate the relationship between trust and mentoring effectiveness 6

7. Method Participants ◦ 740 military personnel from both the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security Procedure ◦ Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI) Organizational Climate Survey (DEOCS) Analyses ◦ Moderated regression ◦ Control variables: Age, race, gender, military rank and branch 7

8. Key Findings Equal opportunity climate moderated the relationship between trust and mentoring effectiveness Organizational commitment did not emerge as a moderator in the relationship between trust a mentoring effectiveness 8

9. Recommendations Longitudinal research to establish causal relationships between organizational-level forces and mentoring effectiveness would be beneficial A culture that supports a positive EO climate, and adheres to fair procedures should be encouraged Additional research should explore the nexus between trust and organizational commitment in relation to mentoring effectiveness 9

10. References Allen, T. D., Eby, L. T., & Lentz, E. (2006). Mentorship behaviors and mentorship quality associated with formal mentoring programs: closing the gap between research and practice. Journal of Applied Psychology, 91(3), 567-578. Chao, G. T. (2009). Formal mentoring: Lessons learned from past practice. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 40(3), 314-320. Dansby, M. R., & Landis, D. (1991). Measuring equal opportunity in the military environment. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 15, 389-405. Dirks, K. T. (1999). The effects of interpersonal trust on work group performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 84, 445-455. Dirks, K. T. (2000). Trust in leadership and team performance: Evidence from NCAA basketball. Journal of Applied Psychology, 85(6), 567-578. Dirks, K. T., & Ferrin, D. L. (2001). The role of trust in organizational settings. Organizational Science, 12(4), 450-467. Jans, N. A. (1989). Organizational commitment, career factors, and career/life stage. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 10(3), 247-266. Porter, L. W., Steers, R. M., Mowday, R. T., Boulian P.V. (1979). Organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and turnover around psychiatric technicians. Journal of Applied Psychology, 59, 603- 609. Walsh, B. M., Matthews, R. A., Tuller, M. D., Kizzy M. Parks, K. M., & McDonald, D. P. (Under review). A Multilevel Model of the Effects of Equal Opportunity Climate on Job Satisfaction in the Military. 10

11. Questions Contact Information Felicia O. Mokuolu, M.S. E-mail: fmokuolu@ou.edu & Kizzy M. Parks, Ph.D. E-mail: kparks@kparksconsulting.com 11