The friendship function

The friendship function is the mutual closeness and human bond between mentor and mentee. Mentoring is not a purely professional relationship; over time a genuine friendship can grow between two people. This closeness makes the relationship both warmer and more sustainable; the mentee sees their mentor not only as an authority but also as a friend. The friendship function carries the human face of mentoring. What remains at the end of the process is often less a mentoring than a friendship.