When it comes to learning and development in the workplace, we often take a top-down approach. The same goes for mentorship. And for many reasons, it makes sense. There’s a saying that experience is the best teacher, and senior managers and leaders often have years of experience that enable them to pass down valuable insights to junior employees.

But transferring knowledge and upskilling your team through mentorship isn’t one-directional. When it comes to leadership, mentors often stand to gain just as much from a mentorship experience as mentees. And those learnings can play a critical role in strengthening leadership performance and driving key business outcomes. 

In this article, we explore the two-way value of mentorship and some key lessons that mentors can take away from their mentees.

The two-way learning experience of mentorship 

In a traditional mentoring relationship, the mentor is typically senior to the mentee. The logic is that a mentor is able to leverage their experience and insights to guide the mentee through their own career path.

But in reality, the best mentoring relationships are a two-way street (or a multi-way street if we’re talking about group mentoring). Sure, mentors have a wealth of knowledge that they can pass on to their mentees, but it’s also a unique opportunity for mentors to learn from those at a different stage in their career journey, gain new perspectives, and become better leaders. 

If a mentoring relationship is a one-sided dialogue, it still might benefit the mentee, but it can lead to a dynamic that feels more like a lecture rather than a partnership. And when mentees sense that their mentor isn’t also eager to participate, listen, and gain something from their relationship, it can hugely diminish the outcomes. 

When mentorship is treated as a mutually beneficial exchange of ideas and knowledge, it becomes a more rewarding experience for everyone involved.

“Just as much as the mentor may have experiences that they can share from their own history that are useful, we often find that the mentee also does, too. They're just different sets of experiences, especially when it comes to mentor -mentee relationships who might have come from different generations.” - Catherine Brown, Director, Leadership Programs, Netflix & Founder, Taybridge Leadership

How mentors benefit from the mentoring relationship

While leadership mentoring (pairing two leaders) and reverse mentoring (pairing a senior leader mentee with a junior employee mentor) offer unique benefits, traditional mentoring relationships also provide inherent value to the leader/mentor, regardless of the structure. The act of mentoring itself fosters valuable skills and perspectives that enhance leadership capabilities and drive personal growth.

Leaders absolutely should reap the benefits of mentoring even when reverse mentoring or leadership mentoring isn’t the main focus. 

There are many benefits to being a mentor, including:

1. Improved leadership skills
2. Opportunities for personal growth and reflection
3. Increased job satisfaction and purpose
4. Expanded networks
5. Improved soft skills, such as empathy and communication
6. Better career prospects and mobility

But for mentors to experience the benefits, they need to be open to development. When they approach mentoring with an open mind and a willingness to learn, they’re more likely to develop authentic relationships with their mentees and reap the rewards.

“This has to be seen as much as a leadership development opportunity for the mentor, as it is for the mentee. Otherwise, it feels like charity. It feels like you're adding on an element to your role without actually being developed yourself. [...] This is as much a part of your own growth as anyone else.” -Jarvis Sam, Former DEI Officer at Nike

➡️ READ MORE: The 10 Management Skills that Distinguish Effective Managers (and How to Develop Them)

10 leadership lessons gained from mentoring 

While not all mentors are organizational leaders, there’s an inherent leadership that comes with taking on the role of a mentor. Mentors are responsible for sharing their knowledge and insights to lead their mentees through growth and development—making it the perfect opportunity to hone their leadership skills. 

Here are some leadership lessons mentors can learn from mentoring relationships:

1. Level-up resume-enhancing leadership skills

We know that some of the most important skills can be difficult to teach. Mentorship opportunities give mentors the opportunity to put their leadership skills to practice. And while mentorship isn’t exactly management or leadership, the skills that make effective leaders can often be developed simply by taking on the role of a mentor.

Mentors get the hands-on opportunity to practice providing regular feedback and coaching their mentees—strengthening essential leadership skills for both current and emerging leaders. These are very real experiences that can be used to strengthen resumes and help mentors reach the next stage in their own professional development. 

2. Collaborate and gain fresh perspectives on company challenges 

We’ve all experienced the rut that comes with working on something for an extended period of time. The same thing happens with leaders in an organization. Over time, it can be tricky to look at things from a different perspective.

By connecting with employees at different levels within the organization, it makes it possible to see company challenges from a fresh vantage point. This not only opens the eyes of leaders to different challenges and opportunities within the company, but it can ignite a new sense of innovation, creativity, and collaboration that drives effective business solutions. 

By listening to mentees share their perspectives on challenges, mentors might uncover areas of opportunity or improvement that can elevate team performance. Or, they might uncover insights they’ve found themselves relatively detached from. 

“Our VPs were increasing and enhancing their communication skills [...] They were nurturing; they were coming in prepared. They were understanding how to create space for all the voices in the room, which we needed to strengthen an executive end. But when we looked at collaboration, that was where we started to see people solve problems outside their silos. Not because we stuck them in a room and said, here's a business case to solve. It wasn't conversations related to our business. It was just getting to know each other. And through that, we saw cross functional collaboration. To solve business problems, you have to enable people. You can't expect they're going to do this on their own..” - Tiffany Smye, Senior Director, Talent, Learning & Development, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment

3. Embrace new technologies

Thanks to the rapid changes over the last decade, technology is one of the areas where we see the biggest discrepancy between different generations in the workplace. Younger employees tend to be more tech-savvy embracing the newest technologies and tools, like AI or social media. 

Speaking with junior employees can help you to better understand the impact of technology on communication, skill development, and consumer behavior. Learning more about younger employees’ technology habits may unlock opportunities to improve your workflows or even approach larger business goals. 

“The mentorship program is a great way to instill the growth mindset in an organic, natural kind of connection between employees and also get insight into what the next generations of leaders are looking to accomplish, as well as some of the trends that are impacting their day to day lives, which is going to ultimately impact your business.” - Lillian Misheal, Director, Human Resources, Business Partner, CI Financial

4. Heighten self awareness

As humans, we’re often not great at taking our own advice or looking at our own experiences objectively—even if we know better.

Mentors help their mentees reflect on their experiences by sharing honest experiences and asking thought-provoking questions that help unlock their potential. But that kind of self-reflection can be difficult to achieve without someone prompting you to do so. 

Mentoring acts like a mirror, reflecting back your leadership style, strengths, and areas for growth. By having those conversations out loud, it forces mentors to think about their own experiences and how they can adjust their approach and improve their own day-to-day.

“Don't underestimate the importance of a mentor for being willing to be open and vulnerable. This isn't somebody who has all the right answers all the time. It's somebody who has a growth mindset and has been learning along the way from their successes and their failures, their missteps, their experiments.” - Catherine Brown, Director, Leadership Programs, Netflix & Founder, Taybridge Leadership

5. Practice empathy and emotional intelligence 

Empathy is essential to effective leadership. It allows leaders to better navigate team dynamics and lead with understanding.

By stepping into the role of mentor, leaders can better understand the experiences and challenges of those they work with and how to lead with empathy. 

Employees often have mentors at pivotal—and potentially vulnerable—points in their careers, such as preparing for a promotion or navigating a career change. It creates a unique opportunity for leaders to practice providing constructive feedback with a level of empathy and emotional intelligence that’s also supportive.

“People have often asked me what’s the most important leadership skill. In the last few years, my answer has become fairly consistent, which is empathy. What can I do to truly understand the experience of the person I'm sitting across from and talking to?” - Catherine Brown, Director, Leadership Programs at Netflix & Founder, Taybridge Leadership

 6. Reinforce patience and adaptability 

No mentor-mentee relationship is the same. This means there’s no one tried-and-true formula for being an effective mentor. And it can take time to build the rapport needed to be a trusted mentor. The same goes for leadership. 

Mentors need to be able to adapt their approach and practice patience in the process, which is an invaluable skill in any leadership role.

This is especially crucial during organizational change, where mentors must demonstrate these qualities by actively listening to concerns, providing reassurance and stability, and promoting a growth mindset. 

“One of the things I find that's helpful is to remind ourselves as leaders that we actually don't need to have all of the answers. In fact, when it comes to leading really truly complex challenges, we can't, because there isn't a right answer.” - Catherine Brown, Director, Leadership Programs, Netflix & Founder, Taybridge Leadership

7. Spot and nurture potential 

Mentoring is one of the best ways to unlock employee potential. And while organizations can do their best to identify high-potential talent, it’s often mentors and leaders that can uncover hidden talent.

Mentors work closely with their mentees to help develop their skills and identify career paths. It gives them a front-row seat to the key competencies, interests, and potential of their mentees. 

In order to best support them, mentors become experts at spotting and nurturing potential, a skill that translates directly to building strong teams and fostering growth within an organization.

“It went from mentorship in smaller pockets across the company to a business-centered, application-based program that focused on creating visibility and career development opportunities for both mentees and mentors.” - Crystal Neill, DEI, Global Development Sr Program Manager at Nike

8. Revisit and strengthen networks

While mentors often leverage their connections to benefit their mentees, the process naturally enhances their own network in valuable ways.

Here are a few examples: 

Reignite dormant connections: When connecting mentees with someone in their network, mentors rekindle old relationships. These renewed connections can be invaluable for both personal and professional growth for the mentor. 

Expand your circle of influence: By gaining insight into a mentee's network and team, mentors gain access to an even wider range of perspectives and expertise. This expanded circle can be a source of fresh ideas and potential collaborations.

Strengthen leadership through connection: Strong leadership thrives on connection and understanding. Building relationships with employees at all levels fosters trust, respect, and a shared sense of purpose. This deeper connection enhances mentors’ ability to lead effectively and inspire those around them.

“The program for CI Financial is going to be a matching of senior executives with up and coming talent and leadership across the organization. We have a goal of matching people with people they wouldn't normally work with.” - Sarah Schroeder, Head of HR Business Partners Canada, CI Financial

9. Become a better mentee

When individuals step into the role of a mentor, they gain valuable insights into the dynamics of a successful mentoring relationship and subsequently are better at being mentored themselves.

This "outside-in" perspective can make mentors more receptive to feedback, more proactive in seeking guidance, and ultimately, more successful in their own development journey.  

“What I've learned through mentoring is that you are giving as much as you are receiving.” - Mark Beckles, Vice-President, Social Impact and Innovation at RBC

10. Reignite passion

When done right, mentorship is inherently rewarding. There should be a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction that comes with helping support someone in their own career journey. This can translate into a renewed sense of engagement in a leader’s own work.

By guiding others, mentors rediscover their own expertise and accomplishments, leading to renewed confidence, increased job satisfaction, and enhanced performance.

“My experience working with senior leaders is quite often we see a pattern where the more senior a leader gets in their career and the more tenured they are in their experience, ironically, the harder it is to find other individuals to connect with. […] It's not as easy to reach out and find other peers and create meaningful connection. And one of the things that I think 10KC programs do really well is they break down that barrier to entry. They make it super easy and match people based on very specific criteria. So the burden is not on me as the learner or as the leader to go and find my mentor or find my mentee and seek them out.” - Catherine Brown, Director, Leadership Programs, Netflix & Founder, Taybridge Leadership

The impact of mentoring on leadership development and business performance

There’s a reason that organizations spend billions of dollars every year investing in leadership development: it makes an impact.

While there’s tremendous value in traditional forms of leadership training, it’s often the lessons leaders learn in their day-to-day, including as mentors, that help them grow and evolve in their roles—and boost business performance. 

Here are a few ways the leadership lessons gained through mentoring can directly impact organizational outcomes:

Enhance team performance and productivity 

Leaders who prioritize mentorship and personal growth tend to foster a culture of learning and development. This approach leads to employees who are more engaged and motivated because they feel appreciated and supported. 

This directly translates to better team dynamics, communication, and collaboration, ultimately boosting overall productivity and efficiency.

➡️ READ MORE: Manager Development Strategies That Lead to High-Performing Teams

Reduce employee turnover and attract top talent

With career development continuing to be a top priority for employees, organizations that prioritize mentorship and career growth tend to attract and retain top talent. And with over half of employees leaving their jobs due to ineffective managers, taking on the role of mentor can help more leaders lead more effectively. 

And of course, leaders who are motivated and are actively given opportunities to elevate their own skills are more likely to stay at your organization and eventually be promoted—which can improve bench strength and reduce costly employee turnover in leadership and management roles. 

Strengthen company culture and values

Leaders who believe in the value of mentorship and continuous learning are often able to foster a positive and supportive company culture. 

They also gain the skills to become more empathetic and effective leaders within the organization. It helps them trust and build rapport with their teams, increasing the communication, collaboration, and transparency needed to move the needle on key business outcomes.

How to facilitate mutually beneficial mentoring sessions 

When mentors and mentees are able to make the most out of their mentoring relationship, it boosts the value of mentorship for your employees and your organization. A strategic mentorship program that prioritizes learning for all participants—not just mentees—can help ensure tangible benefits.

A few ways to facilitate mutually beneficial mentoring sessions include:

• Creating effective mentor-mentee matches based on seniority level, role, high-potential status, and skills to facilitate learning outcomes.
• Utilizing content curriculums and conversation guides that ensure every conversation generates value for mentors and mentees alike.
• Offering a variety of learning experiences beyond just 1:1 matches, including group learning sessions and networking opportunities. 
• Developing personalized pathways designed to accelerate skills that drive business outcomes, such as Leadership Development.
• Staying on top of conversations and measuring the impact of mentorship on business-critical metrics with real-time data dashboards.