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Why Mentorship Is Dead & 3 Things You Can Do About It

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Do you know what’s harder than starting a successful business? Starting one alone. There’s going to come a point where you feel like you need a helping hand. Someone who guides your journey, pushes you forward, and shows you the shortcut to the success you desperately crave.

You need to find a mentor. At least that’s what people tell you. Mentors have wisdom that could save you years of time and effort, they have experience that could accelerate the growth of your business, and they have status that represents everything you want to achieve.

But here’s the harsh truth. If you put all your faith in a single person you’re in for a nasty shock.

Here are 3 reasons why mentors are overrated and what you should do instead:

1. Mentorship is a crutch

We imitate successful people because we want to be like them. And that makes perfect sense. After all, if we think, act and conduct ourselves like they do – we will be successful too, right?

It’s more complicated than that. Your mentor represents everything you want to achieve for yourself. But the truth is they couldn’t be more different to you if they tried. They’re established, you’re starting out. They’re experienced, you’re learning. They’re accomplished, you’ve still got something to prove.

But while these differences aren’t necessarily a bad thing, you can become over reliant on your mentor’s ability to bridge the gap between where you are right now  and where you want to be tomorrow. And if this happens, it’s easy to feel like you’re living in someone’s shadow.

Take your mentor off their pedestal. They don’t always have the answers to your problems, and that’s okay because they’re human just like you. You don’t need someone to hold your hand every step of the way. Sometimes you need to walk your path alone.

“No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.” – Buddha

2. Mentorship is out-dated

Finding success in the working world used to be a linear process. You’d start when you were young, devote decades of your life to a single company, and if you were smart, hard working and lucky you’d eventually end up at the top.

That’s why the concept of mentorship made perfect sense. The path to success was predictable, and it wasn’t difficult to find experienced people who had already reached the end.

They offered you a crystal ball that let you anticipate challenges, capitalise on opportunities and act on insights that might never have occurred to you in the first place. Mentorship was the rocket fuel that propelled you to the end of your journey faster than you could’ve ever done alone.

Unfortunately for you, the working world isn’t straightforward anymore. In fact, people are expected to completely change their careers 5 to 7 times during their working lives. The linear path of yesteryear has been replaced by a winding road with many twists and turns, and this constant change of direction is making it impossible for mentors to keep up.

Sure, they’ll be able to guide you during certain phases. But there will come a point where the territory you’re walking in is just as unfamiliar to them as it is to you – and when that happens their advice will no longer be useful.

Stop placing all your faith in one person. You’re just going to end up disappointed. Instead look for inspiration from everyone around you. Try to understand your current situation and seek direction from people who can help you get to where you want to be in 5 years time.

3. Mentorship can be dubious

Mentorship comes in many forms – some more suspicious than others. Yes, there will always be generous people who’ll go out of their way to help you for free, but they are few and far between.

The truth is mentorship is often just a thinly disguised façade for expensive business coaching. It doesn’t stem from a sincere desire to help you or your business (despite what they keep telling you). And it probably won’t get you the results you so desperately want to achieve. In reality, this type of “mentorship” is designed to do one thing – make your mentors rich through consultation sessions and membership fees.

That’s not ideal. In fact, you can quickly start to feel exploited when the money you make is being used to line the pockets of glorified motivational speakers, rather than fuelling the trajectory of the business you are working so hard to grow.

Learning new skills is important. And to learn effectively you need great teachers. But don’t fall into the trap of confusing sleazy business coaches with idealistic, Yoda-like clichés who are willing to bend over backwards to ensure that you succeed. If you do, you’re in serious danger of being manipulated.

It’s time to move forward. Achieving success involves determination, vision and sacrifice. It’s a long, winding road – and sometimes it can get a little lonely. That’s why it’s tempting to reach for every helping hand that comes your way, but sometimes the true test of your commitment lies in knowing which hands to turn away.

Times have changed, and it’s high time that mentorship changes too. Realise when it’s time to work alone, understand when people truly have your best interests at heart, and learn to attract people who help achieve your short-term goals so that you can consistently build towards your overarching vision.

“The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves.” – Steven Spielberg

Do you think mentorship is dead? Please leave your thoughts and opinions in the comment box below!
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Success Advice

Why One-Size-Fits-All Leadership Will Always Fail (and What Works Instead)

The surprising truth about leadership styles that can make or break your team’s success.

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Why one-size-fits-all leadership doesn’t work
Image Credit: Midjourney

Leadership has always been as much about people as it is about performance. Ken Blanchard, in his influential book, “The One Minute Manager”, put it simply: different strokes for different folks. (more…)

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What Every New CEO Must Do in Their First 100 Days (or Risk Failure)

Your first 100 days as CEO could define your entire legacy, here’s how to make every move count

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When Tim Cook took over from Steve Jobs at Apple, the world watched with bated breath. Jobs wasn’t just a CEO; he was a visionary, an icon, and a legend of innovative leadership. (more…)

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Entrepreneurs

The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025

Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

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Bridging the gap between employees and employers
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In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”

While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.

Why This Gap Exists

Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.

What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.

Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap

Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.

1. Practice Mutual Empathy

Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.

2. Maintain Professional Boundaries

Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.

3. Follow the Golden Rule

Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.

4. Avoid Micromanagement

Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.

5. Empower Employees to Grow

Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.

6. Communicate in All Directions

Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.

7. Overcome Insecurities

Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.

8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship

True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.

9. Eliminate Favoritism

Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.

10. Recognize Efforts Promptly

Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.

11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews

When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.

12. Provide Leadership Development

Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.

13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles

Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.

The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role

Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:

  • Build diverse talent pipelines

  • Embrace flexible work models

  • Design compelling career paths

  • Simplify HR processes

  • Redefine the value HR brings

The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.

Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff

When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.

Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.

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Entrepreneurs

What Makes an Entrepreneurial Leader? Traits of the World’s Best Innovators

Inside the mindset of entrepreneurial leaders who transform risk, passion, and vision into world-changing results.

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