The Mentoring Triangle
How it can build stronger leaders and better businesses
Guest editorial by Robert G. Zed

If I’ve learned one thing in business, it’s that relationships are the foundation of success. No strategy, innovation or deal is more impactful than the people behind it. And when it comes to leadership, mentoring is the most powerful way to build, sustain and grow meaningful relationships.

In an era dominated by technology, automation and rapid change, we risk losing the power of human connection that has sustained leaders for centuries. Leadership is not about titles or authority—it’s about influence, guidance and the ability to help others navigate the road ahead and make an impact on our society. Leadership is about making an impact on those who follow and mentorship provides the opportunity to strengthen these relationships.

Over the past four decades, I have spent more time cultivating mentoring relationships than I have negotiating contracts or financing deals. Mentorship isn’t just a nice idea, nor is it an add-on to a task list or something reserved for formal leadership programs. Rather, it is a valuable practice to be integrated into the day-to-day ops of any organization. It’s a fundamental responsibility of every leader, and when done right, the results are transformational.

A Framework for Lifelong Growth

True mentorship is a continuously evolving process, and the most successful leaders recognize that they need more than just a mentor; they need a mentorship ecosystem. Most think of mentorship in the traditional sense as a one-way street—a wise, experienced leader passing down knowledge to a younger, less experienced individual. While this kind of guidance is valuable, it’s only part of the equation. Throughout my career, I have enjoyed multiple mentoring relationships with a broad range of experiences, each with a critical lesson that shaped my leadership style. In practical terms, mentorship occurs in all walks of life from trade apprenticeships to healthcare, education and of course, business.

Regardless of the discipline, I view mentorship through the lens of “The Mentorship Triangle”. This simple model demonstrates that mentoring is a three-way process working in three directions: up, down and laterally. When one considers the roles and intersections of people in any walk of life, it becomes readily apparent why this triple aim process can enhance any relationship.

There are three key roles in this model:

1. The Mentor: an experienced guide who provides wisdom, perspective, and long-term vision.
2. The Mentee: a learner who actively seeks growth, asks questions and absorbs knowledge.
3. The Peer: an often-overlooked but essential role offering insights, collaboration and shared learning between individuals on a similar journey.

Each of us plays all three roles at different stages of our careers, and understanding this dynamic is critical.

Why the Mentoring Triangle Works in Leadership

The Mentoring Triangle acknowledges a fundamental truth: leadership is not linear. We learn, we teach and we grow, all at the same time and without a requirement for defined hierarchies.

• As a Mentee, you gain access to hard-earned knowledge, avoid common pitfalls and accelerate professional growth. Gaining real value in this role requires effort and honesty (if you’re simply looking to gain lessons learned from industry vets, you’re better off listening to a podcast). To achieve the three directions of mentorship, a mentee must ask questions and provide insight from their distinct lens. When the relationship is well executed, mentors can learn from mentees just as much as the inverse.
• As a Mentor, you reinforce your own knowledge, refine your leadership and followership skills, and experience the fulfillment that comes with shaping the next generation of leaders. Great mentors don’t just give advice and talk about relatable experiences; they challenge, inspire and empower others to find their own path.
• As a Peer Mentor, you create a culture of shared learning, fostering accountability, problem-solving and real-time support delivered in a peer-to-peer setting. Some of the best insights come from those walking the same path as you, facing the same struggles and overcoming similar challenges.

This dynamic creates a self-sustaining leadership system, where knowledge flows in all directions, ensuring that mentorship relationships are never static.

The Cost of Not Mentoring

For organizations that neglect mentorship, the consequences are clear: high turnover, disengaged employees, stagnant leadership and a lack of innovation. Without mentorship, people struggle to grow, teams lack direction, people stop following and companies lose their best talent.

Consider the findings of Gallup’s 2024 study on employee engagement:

• 70% of employees say they are disengaged at work. Why? A lack of mentorship, cultural engagement and growth opportunities.
• Organizations with strong mentoring cultures experience 20% higher employee retention and 46% higher leader development rates.
• Leaders who actively mentor others report higher career satisfaction, better decision-making skills, and greater professional influence.

Without mentorship, we force people to learn through trial and error—a costly, inefficient way to develop leaders. With mentorship, we accelerate learning, reduce mistakes and create a pipeline of confident, capable individuals ready to take on bigger challenges. The latter also instills confidence in the process and perpetuates a culture of effective mentorship.

Taking Action

Understanding the Mentoring Triangle is one thing—applying it is another. If you want to build a culture of mentorship in your organization, here are three actionable steps you can take today:

1. Encourage your team members to seek out a mentor with intentionality.
   No matter where people are in their career, they need mentors. But mentorship isn’t about finding someone to spoon-feed advice—it’s about seeking wisdom, knowledge and experience from those who have been where you want to go.
   Action: Create a mentorship ecosystem. Help people to identify someone they admire and encourage them to ask for guidance on a specific challenge. Coach them to be direct. Create an environment where, instead of simply asking to be mentored, they say: “I’m navigating a specific challenge, would you be willing to share your perspective?” Great mentors don’t just appear—they must be actively sought.
2. Create a mentorship culture.
   Set the tone from the top. Give back and share what you know. If you have experience, you have something valuable to offer. Many professionals hesitate to mentor because they feel they’re not “seasoned” enough. But remember this: someone out there is navigating challenges you’ve already overcome.
   Action: Look for an opportunity to guide someone just a few steps behind you. It could be a junior colleague, an industry peer, or a student entering the workforce. Your insights could be the catalyst that changes their career. Take this one step further and challenge your senior team to follow your lead to create a culture of mentorship.
3. Build a peer community.
   One of the most underutilized forms of mentorship is peer mentoring—learning alongside colleagues, friends and business partners. Some of the best insights I’ve ever received didn’t come from those above me but from those walking beside me.
   Action: Create peer mentoring groups at your workplace. Have team members set up regular check-ins with a small group of trusted colleagues where they discuss challenges, share ideas, and hold each other accountable.

Final Thoughts: The Ripple Effect of Mentorship

Mentorship is not a one-time event; it’s a lifelong commitment. The most outstanding leaders I’ve met are those who never stop learning, teaching, giving and building relationships.

The Mentorship Triangle is a simple but powerful framework that ensures growth never stops. You create a ripple effect when you seek mentors, guide others, and engage with peers. One that extends beyond yourself and impacts entire organizations, industries, and communities.

Whether you are an owner, a CEO, an entrepreneur, an emerging leader or a committed employee, find your space in the Mentoring Triangle and begin.

• Find a mentor.
• Become a mentor.
• Build a culture of peer mentorship.

At the end of the day, leadership isn’t about how much you know—it’s about how much you give. You can’t be a leader without followers. And when we invest in people, everything else—growth, success, and impact—falls into place.

As you read the latest edition of Atlantic Business Magazine, featuring the Top 50 CEOs in Atlantic Canada, I have a challenge for you: Who will you help to earn a future spot on that prestigious list?

---

Robert G. Zed MHA, FACHE, ICD.D
Chairman & CEO, Triangle Strategies
Chair, Brightlight Health
Adjunct Professor/Executive in Residence, Dalhousie University
Feedback: [email protected]

Notes:

1. Gallup. (2024). Employee engagement sinks to a 10-year low. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/654911/employee-engagement-sinks-year-low.aspx
2. Association for Talent Development. (2017). Mentoring matters: Developing talent with formal mentoring programs. https://www.td.org/research-reports/mentoring-matters-developing-talent-with-formal-mentoring-programs
3. Forbes Human Resources Council. (2020, February 28). Why great leaders make great mentors. Forbes.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2020/02/28/why-great-leaders-make-great-mentors

---

• For more Web Exclusives, click here.