What do you do if you're a servant leader wanting to mentor and guide younger professionals in late career?

One thing I found helpful when mentoring younger professionals late in my career was to switch up my mindset. I avoid the "sage on the stage" routine. My role isn't to lecture or preach. Instead, I practice active listening and ask open-ended questions. This flips the dynamic. They get to explore their own challenges and goals, and I become a guide, helping them navigate their own journey. Sometimes, that means sharing my hard-won lessons. Other times, it means stepping back and letting them make their own (sometimes glorious) mistakes. There's something incredibly fulfilling about watching someone with fresh eyes tackle the workplace with their own drive and enthusiasm. It reminds me of why I fell in love with my own work.

I encourage young professionals to hit the pause button and truly consider their experiences. What worked? What could have gone better? Where do they see genuine passion aligning with their work? This isn't about dwelling on setbacks; it's about mining those moments for the gems of knowledge they hold. Think of it like panning for gold. It's messy, but the payoff is incredible! When young professionals learn to reflect, they start to see their own unique path forward. They uncover aspirations they didn't even know they had. I get such a kick out of seeing that lightbulb go off – the moment they realize they're in the driver's seat of their own career!

Integrity and ethics – I see them as more than some abstract corporate catchphrases. They're the foundation of good leadership and good business. I've walked the line, made some tough calls where the "right" path wasn't sparkling clear. But instead of hiding those experiences, I get vulnerable with those I mentor. We all struggle. Owning that, and the choices I made, shows them that sticking to your values – even when facing pressure – doesn't make you weak, it makes you a real leader. I love seeing the lightbulb moment when someone I'm guiding realizes that ethical behavior isn't just about avoiding trouble, it's the key to building trust. You earn reputations slowly, and lose them in an instant.

Decide to empower the younger professionals you're investing into by encouraging them to 1) Define their goals (and the WHY motivating them) 2) Delineate (write) the specific actions they will be required to take to execute on the goals they defined. 3) Ask you to hold them accountable to reporting, candidly, the progress they have made- monthly, not in achieving the ultimate goal(s), but in doing the things they defined must be done to achieve.