In 2023, Gallup shared research about the effectiveness of workplace mentorship programs. According to a survey of more than 8,000 employees, Gallup found that those with mentors or sponsors were twice as likely to be engaged compared to those without that kind of support. Additionally, nearly all employees with mentors said they were more likely to recommend their organization as a great place to work.
Mentorship boosts employee engagement because it gives people a clear sense of growth and belonging. Having a colleague who’s invested in their success can make work feel more meaningful. According to more than 1,000 employees surveyed by my company, Seismic, 96% of Millennials and Gen-Z employees said having access to skills development is important to them. In fact, a significant percentage of both groups said they’d consider looking for a new job if their current employer didn’t offer upskilling opportunities.
This is why it’s particularly valuable when C-suite executives serve as mentors, as they can expose their mentees to the kind of strategic thinking that’s expected of senior leaders. By direct involvement in workplace mentorship programs, members of the C-suite can help strengthen today’s workforce and build the next generation of leaders who will carry the business forward and drive behavior change.
The Lessons I’ve Learned About Mentorship
Something I discovered early in my career at IBM is that a mentor-mentee relationship should be reciprocal. It’s more than a mentee being able to seek guidance, advice or insights. It’s also an opportunity for them to give back. By sharing their perspective and experiences, mentees can help their mentors grow and become even more effective as a leader.
For example, at the start of our sessions, my mentor at IBM would ask about my views on our business systems and whether they were supporting or inhibiting value creation. He also actively sought visibility into how his leadership and direction played out in the market. I thought this was an incredibly humble and vulnerable approach to mentoring, and it showed me how great leaders take proactive steps to learn by listening.
In my time at Ernst & Young, I learned that what matters most in mentorship is finding people in roles that interest you or whose traits and approach resonate with you. It was the 1990s, and the internet was starting to move library systems into the digital world—an emerging area called document management. I was fascinated by the possibilities, so I sought mentorship from leaders within the Center for Business Knowledge. I had no idea that exploring this niche would place me at the forefront of the internet revolution, ultimately laying the foundation for where I am today with Seismic.
How To Be An Effective Mentor As A C-Suite Member
For executive leaders interested in becoming a mentor, here are some key steps to take.
Include all employees.
Coaching and mentoring can have a positive influence on organizational culture, and I believe it must be cultivated at every level in an organization. It’s very important, if not essential, for executives to spend dedicated time with employees—especially junior staff—outside the daily grind. I recommend holding one-on-one meetings, which can vary in cadence from monthly to quarterly, to discuss current challenges, career and life goals, personal updates and recent successes.
Be mutually advantageous.
To make mentorship mutually beneficial, senior leaders should be intentional about how they show up in the relationship. That starts with asking thoughtful questions that go beyond job performance to determine what motivates the mentee, what skills they want to build, where they feel stuck and how they define long-term success. I’ve found value in asking mentees what they want to learn during the year, what obstacles they see ahead and what feedback they wish leaders heard more often.
Mentors can get more out of the relationship by listening for patterns, pressure points and emerging ideas that may not surface in executive-level meetings. When mentors treat these conversations as a chance to learn, not just advise, they gain sharper insight into the business and the next generation of leadership, while helping mentees feel seen, supported and challenged.
Plan ahead.
It’s critical that mentoring partners are prepared to make the most of the limited time they spend together. Publishing an agenda or list of topics and desired outcomes a few days ahead of the meeting ensures alignment on goals and provides space for both voices to be heard. As new, last-minute topics of discussion may come up from the mentee, the executive should plan for an allotted amount of time at the end to discuss anything additional not included in the original agenda, including space to give, receive and discuss constructive feedback.
Technology’s Key Role In Successful Mentorship
To make the best use of everyone’s time, mentorship meetings should leverage various technologies. For many job seekers, supportive internal systems and development opportunities are a priority. These systems, like enablement technology or an AI-powered mentor-mentee matching program, bring mentorship to the next level by adding flexibility, multimodal learning, relevance and personalization to training and development.
To identify what tech solution will work best, first diagnose the current state of your organization’s existing mentorship program. Find out what the friction points are by soliciting employee feedback or analyzing performance results. Then, when selecting a solution, keep what needs to change at the forefront of your decision making.
Junior employees are truly the bedrock of any company’s talent pipeline because they bring fresh perspectives, ambition and long-term growth potential. By mentoring this portion of the workforce, the C-suite can inspire future leaders, reinforce company values and bridge generational perspectives.
The future of mentorship and coaching is a system that surrounds each mentor and mentee with intelligent, personalized support. When senior leaders take the time to mentor, it shows junior talent that they’re not just part of the workforce; they’re part of the future.