The Power of Real Mentorship: Building Leaders Who Build Leaders

Most organizations don’t have a talent problem. They have a mentorship problem. They promote people. They train them. They hand off tasks and checklists. But they don’t actually build people.

I’ve spent my career in two worlds that live and breathe mentorship: law enforcement and business leadership. And what I’ve learned is this: your team’s performance doesn’t depend on what’s in the manual. It depends on what’s modeled, explained, and transferred over time.

Real leadership isn’t about standing on a stage with a slide deck. It’s about standing shoulder-to-shoulder with someone, showing them the why, and helping them grow into their own version of a leader.

That’s what inspired me to create The MENTORSHIP Model: a simple, six-part framework for how to actually develop people, not just manage them. Though there is definite overlap, each phase builds on the last, and when you get them right, you don’t just grow a team - you grow leaders who build more leaders.

1. Connection

Every mentorship starts with connection.

Not a corporate program or a chart on the wall, a real relationship. Sometimes it happens naturally, like a veteran noticing a rookie struggling and stepping in. Other times, it’s assigned. Either way, mentorship starts when one person looks at another and says, “I’ve got you.”

Before you can guide anyone, they have to trust you. That’s true whether you’re on a wrestling mat, in a patrol car, or in a boardroom. There should be some serious modeling of behavior leading to the creation of the mentee looking up to the mentor. Connection is the foundation everything else stands on.

2. Education

Once that trust is there, the next step is education. You must explain exactly what is going on and what their roles and responsibilities will be. 

Here’s how I teach it: Whole-Part-Whole.

Start with the big picture: the mission, the why, the impact. Then zoom in on the details: the parts they’re responsible for and the skills they will be using. Finally, zoom back out so they can see how their part fits into the whole again.

I’ve used this same method on the wrestling mat, in police training, and in CPA firm onboarding. It’s the fastest way to help people connect their role to the mission. Because when people understand the “why,” they stop just checking boxes and start taking ownership.

3. Alignment

People burn out when they think their job is just about pulling levers, but when they see how their actions connect to a bigger vision, everything changes.  Everyone wants their job to have some level of impact and purpose. 

Your role as a mentor is to translate mechanics into meaning. You’re not just teaching someone to “run the numbers.” You’re helping them understand how their work impacts clients, teams, and real people’s lives.

When your mentee gets that, when they feel it, they stop showing up for a paycheck and start showing up with purpose.

4. Guide and Support: The “Fly on the Wall” Phase

There comes a time when the mentee needs to start doing. This is where theory meets reality.

In policing, I called this the fly on the wall method. I’d first go out and show them exactly how it was done, start to finish on a variety of calls.  I would tell them what was going through my head, explain the law, case law and policy that applied and package up their understanding with a ribbon on it as best I could. They now have working examples of what successful work looks like. Next, they would start being handed action components and more pieces of the work, but I was always there to save them or step in if things went wrong.  Then, I would hang back and let them completely handle it, and I was resolved to just giving out pointers and coaching the finer things.  Lastly, Over time, they were turned lose completely and my feedback was kept on reserve for when they knew they needed me and could reach out any time they thought they were stuck. They started as the observing fly, then the roles changed until I became the fly on the wall just before training was complete. 

In business, it’s the same thing. Start close. Correct often. Then back off as they gain competence.

The key: support doesn’t mean doing it for them. Ask questions. Shape their thinking. Let them get their reps in. Growth comes from struggle, not shortcuts. Remember to not be a crutch. 

5. Empower and Enable

Once they’ve got the skills, the context, and the confidence - it’s time to hand them the reins.

Empowerment starts with belief. People need to know you trust them. Then, give them what they need to succeed: tools, access, authority, and encouragement.  You cannot withhold or hog all the good resources and expect your people to flourish. 

Leaders eat last. If your team is waiting on you for logins, approvals, or decisions, better equipment that’s not empowerment… That’s a bottleneck.

When I was training officers, this was the place I would challenge their abilities with harder training scenarios or more complex investigations to handle. In firms, this looks like letting a team member take point on a client project. You’re still there, but in the background. Watching. Guiding. Letting them own it.  Or giving them more responsibility with better or different pay incentives, and skill development opportunities. 

6. Recycle: Build Leaders Who Build Leaders

The final step is where mentorship becomes multiplication.

You’ve invested in someone. They’ve grown. Now it’s time for them to do the same for someone else.

Say it out loud. Commission them:
“Now it’s your turn to mentor someone else. Do it with humility, with service, and with the same investment I gave you.”

Create metrics about how many and how often they are taking conscious mentorship actions. 

That’s how culture compounds. One leader mentors three, five or ten. Each of those ten mentors ten more. Before long, you don’t just have a team, you have a movement.

Why Mentorship Matters More Than Ever

We’re living in a leadership drought.

Businesses keep throwing money at recruiting when they should be doubling down on developing the people they already have. Mentorship is how you build loyalty, sharpen skills, and multiply leadership capacity without chaos.

It’s not optional. If you lead, you mentor. Period.

And when you do it right, it outlives you. I’ve seen it firsthand in the field, in firms, and in every team I’ve led. The real measure of leadership isn’t what happens when you’re in charge. It’s what happens because you were.

So here’s my challenge:
Be the leader who builds leaders.
Be the mentor who multiplies impact.
Build something that lasts long after you’re gone.

Watch this space

My upcoming eBook, The MENTORSHIP Model, takes this framework to the next level. It’s packed with real-world stories, practical tools, and step-by-step strategies you can use to build stronger teams, multiply leadership, and create a culture that lasts.

It’s not theory, it’s leadership that compounds. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, if you want a head start, check out the eBooks I’ve already written, each one is designed to help you grow as a leader and build a better business.