What True Mentorship Really Is — and Why Most Organizations Get It Wrong

Most organizations say they want mentorship.

But what they usually create is something very different: advice, evaluation, and performance management.

None of that transforms a person.

In this episode of The Eye of Power, we explore the deeper meaning of mentorship — the kind that changes identity, unlocks fulfillment, and allows people to grow into who they are capable of becoming.

We explore the difference between:

• Advice vs Mentorship
• Guidance vs Witnessing
• Performance support vs Human development

And we examine why mentorship is so rare, even in organizations filled with good people and strong intentions.

Tom also shares a personal reflection on what it was like to grow without mentorship, and how that shaped his understanding of leadership, resilience, and the long journey of becoming.

This conversation is for:

• Leaders who feel like they are carrying too much alone
• Executives and founders who support others more than they are supported
• HR and People Operations professionals trying to build cultures of growth
• Mentors, coaches, and managers who want to help others develop authentically
• Anyone who has felt that their potential is larger than their reflection

You’ll learn:

• Why mentorship is an act of belief, not instruction
• The three defining abilities of a true mentor
• How to recognize “unsupported growth” in yourself and your organization
• How to reconnect with your own becoming
• How to offer support in a way that strengthens identity rather than dependence

Toward the end of the episode, Tom guides listeners through a quiet reflective exercise taken from the Mentorship Self-Reflection Guide, a simple tool designed to help you see where you may be growing alone — and where companioned growth could make all the difference.

Key Topics & Search Keywords

Mentorship, Leadership Development, Authentic Leadership, Personal Growth, Executive Coaching, Organizational Culture, Fulfillment, Human Development, Emotional Intelligence, Self-Reflection, Resilient Leadership, Transformational Leadership, Coaching Skills, People Development, Leadership Mindset, Becoming, Workplace Culture, Relational Leadership, Leadership Presence, Identity and Growth

If this episode resonates with you, and you recognize something of your own journey in it, you are invited to reach out for a human conversation, with no pressure or expectation.

You don’t have to walk the long road alone.

Connect with Tom on LinkedIn and request the Mentorship Self-Reflection Guide.