It’s National Mentoring Day. Let’s talk about what good mentoring actually looks like
Every strong leader has had that one conversation that changed everything.
I'm talking about the one that helped them see themselves more clearly and reminded them that leadership isn’t about having all the answers. For me, that’s what good mentoring has always been about. Not titles or status. Not polished advice. But authenticity. Providing a safe space so that you can ask the right questions. Which is why I call myself a (certified) professional nosey parker. The kind that creates a space where leaders can be honest about what they don’t know, not just what they do.
When I first started mentoring, I thought it was about sharing what I’d learned. But over time, I realised that mentoring done well is less about guidance and more about growth. It’s about helping someone think differently, act decisively, and build confidence from within. The beauty of being a mentor is: your confidence has always been there. Even if you don't see it. A good mentor sees it, and can bring it out at the right time without scaring you off.
Why traditional mentoring no longer works
Too often, mentoring becomes transactional, a quick exchange of advice, introductions, or opportunities. It looks helpful on the surface, but it misses the deeper purpose. Real mentoring isn’t a checklist of favours or a shortcut to influence. It’s a relationship built on trust, reflection, and accountability.
In the past, mentoring often followed a top-down model. A senior figure spoke, and the mentee listened. But leadership has changed, and so has mentoring.
Good mentoring today moves in both directions. Some of the most powerful mentors I’ve met are emerging or younger leaders who bring new perspectives on digital transformation, AI, inclusion, and modern leadership. They remind us that experience is valuable, but it isn’t the only form of wisdom.
Reverse ageism is real, and it limits growth. When we assume mentoring only flows one way, we lose opportunities to learn from voices that see the world differently. Great mentoring, at any age, comes from curiosity, not seniority.
The best mentoring relationships are built on honesty, curiosity, and a shared commitment to growth. They allow both people to show up as they are, without the need to perform. That authenticity is what makes progress sustainable.
Good mentors don’t just share their experience; they share their perspective, their mistakes, and sometimes even their doubts. Because real growth comes from seeing that leadership isn’t about perfection. It’s about learning how to navigate uncertainty with confidence. It is also about challenging them so that they can accelerate their growth.
How real mentoring builds board-ready confidence
In my work with senior executives, founders, and emerging leaders, I’ve seen how authentic mentoring can transform potential into board-ready confidence. It starts with clarity, understanding not just where you want to go, but why.
I think of one senior leader who came to me, uncertain about her next step after years in the corporate world. Through our mentoring, she gained the clarity and confidence to reposition her career, eventually securing her first NED role and tripling her income in the process.
Or the finance executive from a FTSE100 company who had spent years behind spreadsheets, quietly leading teams. After months of mentoring, he reconnected with his purpose and launched his own business, a move that reignited his career and reshaped how he saw leadership itself.
Then there are the founders and scale-up leaders I’ve mentored who have stepped into advisory boards, transitioned industries, or expanded their influence across borders.
In every case, the shift didn’t start with strategy. It started with self-awareness.
Board readiness isn’t defined by status or experience. It’s built on resilience, alignment, and the ability to lead with integrity. A mentor’s role is to help you uncover that, not to shape you into someone else, but to bring out the best of who you already are. They help you see things that you have limited yourself to and help you open up to new challenges and opportunities.
What the best mentors actually do
The best mentors share a few common traits:
Empathy: They listen without judgment and meet people where they are.
Challenge: They ask questions that make you pause and think differently.
Perspective: They balance experience with openness to what’s new.
Integrity: They don’t need to impress; they aim to empower.
Connection: They open doors, but let you walk through them yourself.
The worst mentors mistake access for impact. They offer introductions instead of insight. But mentoring that lasts doesn’t hinge on favours, it hinges on trust.
Real world impact of good mentoring
I’ve watched mentees grow from managers to confident board contributors. I’ve seen them lead teams through uncertainty, secure global opportunities, and sit at tables they once felt unqualified to enter.
What stays with me most are the moments of honesty, when a mentee says, “I don’t think I’m ready,” and through conversation, realises they’ve been ready all along.
Mentoring doesn’t create leaders. It reminds them of who they are.
What mentoring means for the future of leadership
As leadership evolves in a more hybrid and AI-driven world, mentoring will continue to anchor us in what’s real. Technology might help us learn faster, but it can’t replace the authenticity that comes from human connection.
At The L Factor, mentoring isn’t about hierarchy. It’s about partnership, guiding leaders to grow with clarity, lead with confidence, and stay authentic, even when the world around them keeps changing.
Because leadership isn’t built in isolation. It’s built in conversation.
What’s the goal you’d chase if you had the audacity to start?
If mentoring is something you’ve been considering, I’d love to help you explore it further.
Get in touch to book a complimentary Leadership Clarity Session. It’s a space to reflect on where you are, where you want to go, and what might be standing in the way.