Why Mentoring Matters More Than Ever

“An adviser offers domain expertise to assist with quite specific decision-making. A coach helps you build your tactical leadership skills*. And a mentor—the most rare of the three—helps you make the best decisions for you and helps you to become a better person in the context of your work – Chip Conley, Wisdom at Work – the Making of the Modern Elder (2018)

In a world that’s increasingly complex, fast-paced, and uncertain, the ability to grow others has become one of the most vital leadership skills. Although mentoring has been with us for millennia and is a beautiful way of transmitting knowledge and wisdom, many leaders still see it as something you can do simply because you have experience.

However, as Chip Conley alludes to above, it is not nearly as simple or easy as many think. His experience mentoring the CEO and leadership team at Airbnb is a powerful example of what it takes to become a mentor—or “Modern Elder”. Mentoring is about more than guidance; it’s about growth, reflection, and the courage to support others as they step into new challenges.

Now, more than ever, the capacity of both leaders and organisations to nurture and skilfully wield this capability is not just a nice-to-have—it’s a strategic imperative.

Since 2017, we’ve been privileged to help global organisations here in Switzerland set up and run mentoring programmes that do more than just match people—they create communities of learning and support. Through these programmes, mentors learn to listen deeply, ask powerful questions, and create the kind of space where young and emerging leaders can truly thrive. It’s about being present, being curious, and being willing to grow alongside those we support. Over time, these programmes evolve into deeply developmental journeys—not only for the mentees, but also for the mentors, who continually find new ways to stretch and grow in service of their mentees’ transformation. This ultimately has a significant and positive impact on the mentors themselves, as well as the teams they lead and interact with.

This month, as we prepare for our Mentor Amplifying Talent workshop on Friday 10 October, part of our Leadership Conversation series, we invite you to explore what mentoring is really about—and how you can become significantly more skilful at supporting others on their journey (more info: see below or click here>>>).

* At CfC, as you know, the coaching we teach and offer goes well beyond this definition offered by Chip.