Learning Up, Down, and Sideways
Reading time: ~5 minutes
Over the past few years, I’ve mentored people who were older and more experienced than me, and in some cases, far more technically advanced in their fields. Oddly enough, those relationships taught me something important about modern day mentorship, which is that it’s no longer hierarchical, but contextual. Someone decades into their career may understand the technical depth of a field better than I ever will, but they may be navigating the Canadian job market for the first time, shifting into a new field from a completely different background, or just looking for a sounding board with a fresher lens. I’ve come to learn that what I offer is not “more experience”, but rather relevance, and in return, I get perspective I wouldn’t find on my own. These two-way relationships have become some of the most valuable learning exchanges I’ve had.
Why Mentorship?
If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the last few years, it’s that nobody grows in a straight line. Careers will stall, swerve, or accelerate depending on who you talk to, what you’re exposed to, and the opportunities you take (or don’t take!) Mentorship is one of the simplest ways to tilt that curve in your favour.
Mentorship is also one of the most powerful tools we have to build a resilient community. It’s not charity, but rather a mutual investment. The term legacy is often used to describe what you leave behind, but in this case, legacy from mentorship is the people who you lift up while you’re here.
Through Vision2Reality, I’ve had the opportunity to mentor and oversee 150+ practicum students and volunteers over the last four years. Some of my mentees were seasoned professionals navigating the Canadian context for the first time. Some were experts in deeply technical fields who needed help translating their knowledge into frameworks that felt accessible and culturally relevant. I also mentored several emerging professionals, who were younger and came with perspectives I didn’t have. Across all these experiences, what I offered wasn’t necessarily more “experience,” but different, relevant experience. In return, I gained a lot of perspective and insight into worlds, industries, backgrounds, cultures, and mindsets I wouldn’t have explored on my own. These exchanges were a two-way street, and that’s the kind of mentorship I want to normalize, because that’s what modern mentorship looks like: less about hierarchy, more about generosity, relevance, and shared purpose. When you mentor someone, you sharpen your own thinking, because to guide someone else, you have to clarify your own values, articulate your “why”, and reflect on your journey.
A defining moment for my path of mentorship happened early on when I had just first started. I was mentoring a younger professional who saw things quite differently than I did, and often posed questions that I wasn’t expecting or knew the answer to. At the time, I left the session feeling embarrassed, and second guessing just what I had to bring to the table. Nonetheless, I continued on my mentorship journey, and over time, I realized that not having all the answers was part of the journey, and growth happens when you put your heads together to tackle the unknown.
That mindset ended up paying off later when I mentored someone much more senior than me. Instead of shying away from the opportunity, I leaned into the same approach I’d learned from my younger mentee. I asked questions without overthinking, suggested ideas from a new perspective, and focused on clarity rather than pretending I had all the answers. It surprised both of us how quickly the conversation shifted from rigid questions and answers to two people solving a problem together. That’s when I learned the second most important lesson about mentorship, which is that the cycle works both ways: you learn something from one relationship, and it quietly makes you better in the next.
How to get Started, Starting with Hour One
The concept of mentorship is often overcomplicated, where people think there is a need for a set cadence, tailored framework, worksheets, a facilitator, and more. In reality, the best mentoring moments happen in simple conversations over coffee, in passing, or during a random check-in. Here’s a small list of tips I’ve accumulated over the years:
Start small. One hour is plenty. One question, one story, one conversation. That alone can change someone’s future.
Don’t wait to “feel ready.” If you’ve learned something the hard way, someone out there needs that lesson.
Look everywhere for learning: up, down, sideways. Everyone sees the world differently.
Stay curious, even when you’re the one giving advice. By keeping an open mind, you keep mentorship from feeling one-directional.
If you’re ready to take the first step but don’t know where to start, sign up for the 2025 OneUp Movement led by Vision2Reality Foundation! The OneUp Movement is built on the understanding that knowledge, experience, and helping hands are lasting legacies that can be passed on. We call on business owners, professionals, leaders, and community members to dedicate just one hour to mentoring, guiding, teaching, or helping others in their community. Our mission is to mobilize people across Canada to actively contribute to the betterment of their communities through the gift of time. By harnessing the collective power of individuals donating just one hour each, we create positive and lasting impact through various forms of support. Join 200+ supporters making a difference, one hour at a time!
Sign up here!
Takeaways
You have something to learn from everyone, from those more senior to those more junior. Keeping a growth mindset opens more avenues for continuous learning.
You have something to impart with everyone, as your experiences are unique and what makes you, you. Your stories of your trials and hardships can and will inspire others who are on a similar journey.
You won’t have all the answers, but two heads are better than one, and tackling the problem together puts the focus on solving the unknown.
What About You?
Have you ever mentored someone more "senior" than you, or been mentored by someone younger or less experienced? What did you learn from that relationship, and how did it open your eyes to modern day mentorship?
Additional Resources
The Leader Who Had No Title: A Modern Fable on Real Success in Business and in Life by Robin Sharma - Learn how to work with an influence people regardless of your position - check it out on Indigo!
Looking for a mentor? Join the Vision2Reality Foundation community today, and join the waitlist for our free Tri-Mentorship Program now!
Until next time,
Ryan
