How to Mentor Someone
A good mentor does not hand someone a map. They help the person see further than they could on their own.
To mentor someone well, start by learning their goals, meet regularly, ask more questions than you answer, share your experience including mistakes, give honest feedback, open doors to people and opportunities, and celebrate their progress. Good mentoring is about helping the other person grow into their own potential, not making them a copy of you.
I tell audiences to talk with people who have already done what they want to achieve. The other side of that advice is just as important: when someone asks you, say yes. Mentoring is one of the most direct ways to help someone else become more.
For the bigger picture, read Human Potential: A Complete Guide.
Seven habits of good mentors
- Learn their goals. Theirs, not yours.
- Meet regularly. Consistency builds trust.
- Ask more than you tell. Help them think.
- Share mistakes too. Not just wins.
- Be honest. Kind and direct.
- Open doors. People and opportunities.
- Celebrate progress. Out loud.
Start with their goals
The first conversation should be mostly listening. What do they want? Where do they want to be in a few years? What is getting in the way? Mentoring works when it serves their goals, not when it turns them into a copy of you.
Ask more than you tell
It is tempting to give answers. Good mentors ask questions that help the other person think: what options do you see? What would you do if you were not afraid? What did you learn from that? See Coaching Questions for Managers.
Share your mistakes
Hearing that someone they admire also struggled makes the path feel possible. Share the hard parts of your story, not just the highlights.
Open doors
One of the most valuable things a mentor can do is introduce someone to people and opportunities they could not reach on their own. A single introduction can change a career.
Celebrate progress
Notice and name their growth. People often see themselves through how others see them, and a mentor’s belief can change what someone is willing to try. See The Words You Forget, Your People Remember.
Helping others grow is part of You Are Capable of More: Leadership. See also How to Help Someone Reach Their Potential.
Good mentors help people see further. Learn their goals, meet regularly, ask more than you tell, share your mistakes, give honest feedback, open doors and celebrate their progress.
Frequently asked questions
How do you mentor someone?
What makes a good mentor?
How often should a mentor meet with a mentee?
What is the difference between mentoring and managing?
You Are Capable of More
A No-Excuses Guide to Becoming Your Best Self. The bestselling book behind Chris’s keynotes and the 2026 Paris Book Festival winner in the How-To category. Many teams hand a copy to every seller at their kickoff.
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Chris Sund speaks on this in You Are Capable of More: Leadership, for conferences, leadership teams and company meetings.
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