Cheryl, Scott, Phyllis—these names carry profound meaning in my professional journey. They belong to role models who poured their wisdom, guidance, and encouragement into me at pivotal moments, showing me what it truly means to be a mentor.
Cheryl shared her experience of building something from the ground up, instilling in me the courage to take calculated risks and embrace the unknown.
Scott taught me to speak with confidence, set firm boundaries, and advocate for myself, an invaluable skill when navigating life’s challenges.
Phyllis showed me the importance of cultivating meaningful and strategic professional relationships, which opened the doors to many new opportunities.
When I started Atrium, I was figuring things out as I went, but their expertise and willingness to share the lessons they learned the hard way gave me the confidence to envision something much bigger for myself and Atrium.
Now, nearly thirty years into leading my own company, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing countless careers flourish and leaders emerge. Time and again, one consistent thread has been woven through these stories, as with mine: the power of mentorship.
It’s more than just guidance—it’s a gift of possibility, a relationship that transforms not only the mentee but the mentor, as well.
What It Means to Be a Mentor
Mentors inspire—they ignite passion, energize careers, and teach in ways that transcend formal instruction. Their actions and guidance shape how others see possibilities, making learning an organic, almost osmotic process.
But mentorship is more than inspirational; it’s aspirational. It’s about embodying the qualities, achievements, and values we want to emulate, helping us to establish clear vision of where we might go in our own professional journeys.
These interactions should go beyond sharing knowledge, they should involve articulating the thought processes behind actions, guiding others with clarity, and leading with empathy. A great mentor steps into another person’s shoes, maintaining open and detailed communication to ensure understanding.
This involves anticipating the questions newer professionals might not yet know to ask, addressing everything from the smallest nuances to broader concepts.
Despite the obvious benefits, only about 40% of employees in the U.S. report having a mentor.
What’s often overlooked is that mentorship isn’t a one-way street. It's not driven primarily by the mentor. This is the key difference between mentors and sponsors. It’s a truly symbiotic relationship—a dynamic of mutual growth that defies traditional hierarchies.
Mentors often gain fresh perspectives from their mentees that challenge the status quo. These interactions don’t just sharpen a leader’s thinking, they reinforce their confidence and deepen their commitment to leadership. In this way, mentorship becomes a robust exchange of ideas and energy that uplifts everyone involved.
Qualities of Exceptional Mentees
In my experience, successful mentorships result from not only a strong mentor but also a mentee committed to growth and excellence.
Exceptional mentees stand out by their eagerness to grow and willingness to push past their comfort zone. They aim to be better than they were yesterday, thriving on progress and inspiring those around them in the process. Specifically, they embody the following qualities:
- Crave challenges and embrace opportunities to stretch their limits.
- Drawn to intellect, rigor, and environments that push them to excel.
- Demonstrate a deep investment in their careers and personal growth.
- Highly receptive to feedback and use it as a tool for improvement.
- Actively seek to learn, develop, and enhance their skills.
- Energize the mentorship dynamic through their drive and curiosity.
Mentorship’s Many Forms
Mentorship isn’t reserved for those just starting out in their careers. It’s a guiding force for anyone at a crossroads such as changing careers, stepping into elevated roles, or simply striving to grow in a new dimension of their professional life.
For early talent, building strong relationships with experienced professionals is pivotal. These relationships can shape entire career trajectories, often determining success through exposure to leaders willing to invest their time and expertise.
I’ve seen this play out in Atrium’s Talent Solutions Cohort. Designed for people with less than three years of professional experience, this program pairs extensive on-the-job training in sales and recruiting with guidance that nurtures future leaders.
Once they complete the cohort, these team members embark on their careers with the confidence of knowing their colleagues and leaders are deeply committed to their success.
Mentorship isn’t limited to a top-down dynamic either. Reverse mentorship offers a forward-thinking approach where seasoned leaders seek insights from newer talent, benefiting from their fresh perspectives and innovative ideas.
These relationships help leaders stay inspired by exposing them to new ways of thinking, emerging trends, and creative problem-solving approaches. When leaders approach reverse mentorship with humility and openness, it becomes a mutually enriching experience from which innovation, adaptability, and renewed enthusiasm for their work can spring.
Cross-functional mentorships further broaden the benefits by bringing together people from different areas of the organization, breaking down departmental silos. These relationships encourage participants to explore diverse perspectives, gain insight into how other functions operate, and identify opportunities for partnership across teams.
By exposing colleagues to different ways of thinking and working, these relationships deepen understanding of the business as a whole and promote innovation, creating a more cohesive and unified work environment.
Peer mentorship—colleagues supporting each other through knowledge-sharing and advice—can be impactful. Whether you’re transitioning into an entirely new field or advancing into leadership, a guiding hand from a peer can be the compass that helps you navigate unfamiliar terrain.
At this stage of my career, my greatest mentors are my closest friends. In fact, I have a dear friend whom I see as a peer mentor, and I believe she would say the same about me. Beyond our personal bond, we truly energize one another when it comes to our businesses. We invigorate each other in ways that make both our professional journeys richer.
These types of relationships encourage collaboration and continuous improvement of our performance, reminding us that “it takes a village,” as they say.
The Art of Mentorship
Effective mentorship evolves through distinct stages, each contributing to growth and independence. Initially, it begins with connection and guidance, where the mentor leads by example, offering constructive feedback and steady encouragement.
As the relationship deepens, the mentor empowers the mentee by providing access to broader networks and helping them understand their role within a larger team.
The pivotal moment comes when the mentor chooses the right time to step back, allowing the mentee to take ownership of their journey.
Finally, mentorship reaches its fullest potential when the mentee gains autonomy and excels without reliance on their mentor. Perhaps the most critical and often overlooked stage of mentorship is this last one.
The Next Level
The true reward lies in those transformative "lightbulb moments" when growth becomes visible. Whether it’s a mentee refining a process, presenting a fresh idea, or stepping confidently into new responsibilities, these milestones signal that they are reaching the next level.
For me, one of those pivotal moments came early in my career, inspired by a mentor’s guidance and belief in forging your own path. I applied for a role that seemed like a stretch at the time, but her encouragement gave me the confidence to persist. That experience opened the door to an incredible opportunity, one that became the foundation for Atrium and shaped so much of what I’ve built since.
Throughout my career, I've witnessed these moments in so many ways. I've seen incredible people take the lessons they’ve learned and build their own businesses, from niche recruiting firms to bakeries. But it can also take on quieter forms like when I watch someone I’ve mentored lead a presentation and tell a story with clarity and conviction.
The business of mentorship
No matter the type of structure, these relationships have been shown to improve competency, retention, and productivity, with 80%+ of mentors and mentees agreeing that each of these areas is positively influenced by mentorship.
The same improvement applies to profitability. Research shows that companies with mentoring initiatives report profits 18% higher than average during economic downturns. In contrast, companies without such programs experience profits 45% lower than the average.
This trend is particularly evident among top-performing organizations: 100% of U.S. Fortune 50 companies have established mentoring programs. In addition, the median profits of Fortune 500 companies with mentoring programs are more than twice as high as those of companies without such initiatives.
This striking difference underscores mentorship's tangible impact on business success, from improving employee retention and engagement to leadership development and innovation.
Shaping the Future
Mentors do more than train, advise, guide, and support—they shape futures through actions that go beyond these simple verbs. Across every season of a career, mentorship is about building relationships and creating organic opportunities for learning and connection within the flow of work.
These relationships leave a lasting legacy that shapes people and a broader culture of achievement. By investing in mentorship, we empower the individuals who benefit from guidance and the organizations that rely on their talent and innovation.
What’s Next?
Keep up with all the latest insights from CHROs and leading voices in HR by subscribing to the People Managing People newsletter. You’ll get all the latest trends, insights and expert advice straight to your inbox.