Author’s Note: This article launches the first installment of a multipart series exploring the power of mentorship in shaping modern leadership. Inspired by a recent Fearless survey in which 86% of respondents reported that a mentor directly supported their career advancement, I set out to understand why mentorship remains one of the most overlooked yet transformative forces in professional growth. What emerges reinforces that the journey to becoming an effective leader is rarely traveled alone.

When I started out on Wall Street many years ago, I didn’t have a formal mentor. No one did. There were no structured programs, assigned sponsors or leadership development frameworks. What I did have were two colleagues who quietly shaped the trajectory of my early career.

Stephanie, a sharp, successful young woman down the hall, had worked at the firm about 10 years; she possessed a natural gift for developing relationships with leaders, peers and clients. Peter, the guy in the office next door, carried the calm confidence of someone who had weathered several market cycles at different companies. They were both older, more experienced and thriving. We had different territories and different ways of doing things, but they shared something invaluable: their time, their insights and their belief that I could succeed.

Our “mentorship” wasn’t scheduled. It happened in elevators, during coffee runs or walking to the conference room. I’d ask questions and they answered generously. They shared what worked for them, how to navigate challenging clients and how to recover from setbacks. Their presence made an immeasurable difference during a period when I was learning to trust my abilities and build confidence while working with clients and peers much older than I was.

Looking back, that informal guidance was some of my first real leadership training. And research today confirms what I sensed instinctively then; mentorship is one of the most powerful accelerators of leadership potential.

Why mentorship matters for tomorrow’s leaders

As my experience illustrates, leadership doesn’t grow in isolation. It grows through feedback, exposure and trusted guidance. Increasingly, leadership in today’s world requires adaptability, emotional intelligence and strategic thinking, skills that traditional training alone rarely develops. Mentorship bridges that early confidence gap by offering real-world context, role modeling and a safe space to learn.

Research supports the power of mentorship on performance and career success. The “Women in Tech Mentorship Statistics 2025: The Power of Mentorship: Advancing Careers and Building Stronger Organizations,” report by womentech sites an International Coach Federation statistic that 70% of people with mentors report improved performance and stronger leadership skills. A recent Gallup poll, “Mentors and Sponsors Make the Difference,” reported that 75% of employees who are involved in informal mentorship programs and 97% of employees involved in formal mentorship and sponsorship programs believe their company provides a clear plan for their career development. And, 86% of CEOs surveyed by Vistage in 2020 agreed that mentoring made a difference in their career accomplishments. 

What mentors teach that training can’t

The best mentors strengthen capabilities that are nearly impossible to teach in a classroom:

• Navigating ambiguity.
• Influencing through relationships, not authority.
• Growing emotional intelligence and self-awareness.
• Thinking strategically rather than reactively.
• Building resilience when setbacks hit.

All of these are essential qualities for modern leadership. Mentorship accelerates every one of them.

The new leadership curriculum

Training teaches you what to do. Mentorship teaches you who to become and the evidence around the effect of mentorship is clear. In the Harvard Business Review article, “A Better Approach to Mentorship,” author Christopher “CJ” Gross, says “75% of executives credit their success to mentors and recent research shows that 90% of employees with a career mentor are happy at work.” Furthermore, Gross asserts that “bridge mentoring” is critical for those from underrepresented or socially marginalized groups, as it helps them to “get the guidance, behind-the-scenes information and support they need.” Without knowing it, that is what Stephanie and Peter did for me.

Stephanie and Peter didn’t just influence my early years; they shaped how I lead, how I coach others and how I show up for people finding their own footing. Their impact is a reminder that leadership is not a solo pursuit but a shared journey, one strengthened by those who invest in our growth long before we see our own potential. 

I turned to leaders to ask them to share a mentor who played a meaningful role in their growth, and what they learned from that experience.

Kelly Hannan, chief executive officer, Ellipsis 

Mentors have shaped every stage of my personal and professional growth, and I’ve been fortunate to learn from several extraordinary ones. The most influential share three traits: They believe in both who I am and who I can become, they offer direct feedback that fuels growth and they invest in real relationships.

One of those mentors is Tammy Rogers of Become More Group. Early on, she observed me playing small in certain situations at work. She told me that I was powerful and to step into my strength with no apologies. Her words hit hard. I had been holding back — avoiding necessary decisions and difficult truths out of fear it might damage relationships. With her encouragement, I faced those moments with clarity and kindness.

That shift allowed me to step into my full leadership, show up more authentically and ultimately deepen the relationships I was worried about protecting.

Maria Morgan, chief administrative officer and vice president of administration, Broadlawns Medical Center

My father is almost 89 years old, and he is the calmest person I’ve ever known. He built what still holds status as the largest minority-owned law firm in Kansas City. Since I was a child, no matter the challenges he faced, he always remained calm and treated people well. I never observed him allowing his emotions to take over; he always faced each challenge with a careful, thoughtful and fact-based approach. When I practiced with him, I watched this approach produce balanced smart decisions, resulting in significant growth. As children, when we’d ask permission to go somewhere, he would sit us down and ask us to evaluate the pros and cons of the situation. We just wanted a yes or no!

My father’s calm, thoughtful ways have had a profound effect on me. As an adult, when faced with challenges, I work to regulate my emotions. I try to self-evaluate first, to see what I may need to change, then proceed thoughtfully with a well thought out plan.

Naomi Myers, SVP, chief administrative officer, The Mutual Group

I’ve been fortunate to have many great mentors throughout my career, but one who had a profound impact on my personal and professional growth was Monica, a leader I worked with for many years. Monica had an extraordinary ability to understand who you were, what you hoped to accomplish, and how to connect you with the right people and opportunities to get there. One of the most valuable lessons I learned then was you sometimes need to rethink what “opportunity” is. We used to joke that there are opportunities, and then there are “opportunities,” the kind you say with air quotes. I learned that growth doesn’t always look as you expect. Sometimes the most meaningful development comes disguised as extra work, an assignment few would choose, or even a connection you don’t realize yet you need. A great mentor helps you see the potential in all of it. 

Brianne Sanchez, owner, Brianne Sanchez Collaborative Services

Discovering the power of peer mentorship transformed my understanding of who could offer guidance and what knowledge-sharing can look like. Interviewing accomplished young professionals for my first journalism job, I felt like everyone could point to a specific senior leader who “took them under their wing.” So much messaging encourages “YPs” to “find a mentor,” and I was worried I missed out. I moved here fresh from college, with virtually no connections. Although I’ve had excellent editors and supervisors, I wished for a sage to guide me. Then, during graduate school for my MPA, I began meeting with folks who held similar roles in local nonprofits. Together, we cofounded a local chapter of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network (which recently rebranded to Bridge DSM). That experience of strategic network building taught me how much we can learn when we surround ourselves with people working to move a shared vision forward.

Ida H. Wood, director of sales, Mid-America, Paylocity 

My longtime mentor and favorite dance professor, Josie Metal-Corbin, has been a constant source of motivation and guidance. She shaped so much of the forward momentum in my life, and I’m grateful for the chance to honor her with the recognition she truly deserves. Josie Metal-Corbin didn’t just mentor me; she recognized strength in me long before I knew how to recognize it in myself. She taught me that confidence is more than skin deep; it grows from the quiet moments when you choose fortitude and self-belief even when no one is watching. Josie also showed me what it means to be deliberate with your words, how speaking with thoughtful integrity is one of the most powerful forms of leadership. (Editor’s note: Ida’s contribution was inspired by this article about her family’s journey to the United States.)

Next in the series – The mentorship paradox: Why most employees never get one (and how to fix that)