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Three Things Amelia Ransom Said About Mentoring That I’m Still Thinking About

by | Sep 23, 2026 | Advice for Leaders, Alignment, Facilitating Learning, Group Mentoring, Growth and Development, Mentoring Questions, Mentoring Relationships, Mindset, Supporting Mentors and Mentees

I recently joined Amelia Ransom on her DEI AF podcast for a conversation about mentoring, sponsorship, learning, AI, and what it really takes to grow.

Amelia has a gift for putting big ideas into memorable language. Three things she said during our conversation have stayed with me.

1. “Don’t be a learning thief.”

I loved Amelia’s phrase “learning thief.”

It describes what happens when mentors enter a relationship assuming all the learning is supposed to flow in one direction: I’m the experienced person. I’m here to teach you.

My take: Great mentoring is reciprocal.

A mentor may bring experience, context, and perspective, but the mentee brings knowledge, experiences, and ways of seeing the world the mentor doesn’t have.

Come to mentoring prepared to contribute—but also prepared to learn.

Otherwise, you may be leaving half the value of the relationship on the table.

2. “What do you need to know to be true about me to advocate for me when I’m not in the room?”

Amelia shared a question she asked her COO:

“What do you need to know to be true about me to advocate for me when I’m not in the room?”

That is such a powerful sponsorship question.

It moves beyond, What should I work on? or even What do you think of me? It asks a senior leader to name what they would need to know, observe, or believe before putting their own credibility behind you.

Amelia then talked about taking that information back to her mentor and working on those things—if they rang true for her.

My take: This is exactly why no single developmental relationship can do everything.

A sponsor can advocate for you.  They can tell you what they would need to see in order to advocate for you.

A mentor can help you reflect on that feedback, decide what is relevant, build the capability, and think through how to demonstrate it authentically.

Different people play different roles in our growth.

That is the power of a learning ecosystem: not relying on one person to provide everything you need, but intentionally building a network of relationships that provide different kinds of perspective, challenge, support, and access.

3. “AI can transfer knowledge, but it can’t give you nuance.”

Later in our conversation, Amelia offered a series of observations about AI that stopped me in my tracks:

“I’m not afraid of AI. I’m afraid of us.”

“AI can tell you what it said, but not what it is saying.”

And:

“AI can transfer knowledge, but it can’t give you nuance.”

My take:

There is no shortcut to human connection.

AI can give us information. It can transfer knowledge. It can summarize, synthesize, and help us see patterns.

But nuance lives in relationship.

It lives in the trust that makes it possible to say the thing that is hard to say – or as Amelia puts it “to say the quiet things out loud.”

That kind of learning requires human connection.

There is no shortcut to it.

This is why I don’t believe AI makes developmental relationships less important.

It makes them more important.

AI scales information.

Relationships scale wisdom.

As access to knowledge becomes easier, our ability to interpret it, question it, contextualize it, and exercise sound judgment becomes even more valuable.

And we develop those capacities with—and through—other people.

The thread connecting all these observations is this:

Don’t just receive learning. Participate in it.

Take charge of your own learning.  Be willing to learn from the people you mentor. Ask what others need to know to advocate for you.   Be both mentor and mentee, sponsor and protégé. Build a network of relationships that helps you reflect, stretch, interpret, and act.

Growth isn’t simply about accumulating more information.

It is about becoming better at making meaning from it—and surrounding yourself with the people who help you do that.

That is what a true learning ecosystem makes possible.

You can watch my full conversation with Amelia Ransom on DEI AF here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0V1vSmNKOf8

For more information and resources, visit:  www.centerformentoring.com or www.lisazfain.com

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Ikigai and Moai Principles Offer a Transformative Mentoring Approach

by | Jan 19, 2024 | Advice for Leaders, Facilitating Learning, Group Mentoring, Growth and Development, Making Mentoring Work For You, Mentoring Communication, Mentoring Relationships

Written by: Angela McGuire | January 2024

Over the past year I have had the privilege of participating in the genesis of a Blues Zones city in the southeastern region of the United States. Blue Zones employs evidence-based solutions to help people live better and longer by making healthier choices easier where people live, work, learn, and play (www.BlueZones.com). Ikigai and Moai are two of the tenets intertwined in the Blue Zones model for living a healthier life.  Though these concepts aren’t specific to mentoring, exploring their relevance to mentoring relationships unveils a unique synergy that fosters personal growth and connection.

Ikigai, often described as the intersection of what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for, serves as a compass for individuals seeking purpose. When applied to mentoring, it becomes a guiding principle for both mentors and mentees, encouraging them to align their passions, skills, and contributions within the mentoring dynamic. Mentors, driven by their Ikigai, can provide more meaningful guidance. By identifying their own purpose and values, mentors can inspire and be a guide to their mentees as they explore their own unique intersections. This alignment facilitates a deeper connection and a more authentic mentoring experience. For mentees, understanding their Ikigai helps them set clear goals and expectations. It empowers them to actively seek mentors whose experiences and values resonate with their own Ikigai. This intentional approach contributes to a mentoring relationship that goes beyond skill development, nurturing personal and professional fulfillment.

Moai is a Japanese term for social support groups which emphasizes the importance of community and shared experiences. In mentoring relationships, Moai principles encourage the formation of supportive networks around the mentor-mentee relationship. This collective support system amplifies the impact of mentoring, providing diverse perspectives and shared wisdom. The research of mentoring scholars like Kathy Kram and Belle Rose Ragins shows the power of developmental networks such as these on mentee growth. Kram and Ragins (2007) encourage those in mentoring relationships to not only take part in developmental networks but to strengthen their value through mutual learning and fostering more connections. Mentors and mentees can engage in group discussions, collaborative projects, and shared learning experiences. This not only enriches the mentoring process but also creates a supportive network that extends beyond individual pairings. By intertwining Ikigai and Moai dynamics in mentoring, a collective sense of purpose emerges. Mentoring relationships go beyond individual journeys but also contribute to a broader community with shared values and goals. This interconnectedness enhances the overall impact, creating a ripple effect of positive influence.

In mentoring relationships, the incorporation of Ikigai and Moai principles offers a transformative approach. Mentors and mentees, driven by their unique purpose, find enhanced meaning and fulfillment in their journey together. As the mentoring landscape evolves, embracing these Japanese concepts can pave the way for more purposeful and connected relationships.

Ragins, B. R. and Kram, K. (2007). The Handbook of Mentoring at Work. Sage Publications, Inc.

Mentorship and the importance of Story.

by | May 10, 2019 | Advice for Leaders, Mentoring Relationships, Supporting Mentors and Mentees

Mentorship and the Importance of Story. By: Sarah Haggard

I’ve always been a storyteller. Stories entertain. They make us laugh. They make us cry. They remind us of our humanness, and leave us feeling raw and inspired all at once. They are the keepers of ancient wisdom, our legacy, and cultures all around the world. Stories hold tremendous power. We’ve all walked out of a movie hiding tears of sorrow at a story well told. Binged a Netflix series or finished a good book, and mourned it’s end. Our souls deeply moved, called into action.

So what does storytelling have to do with mentorship?

The origin of the word mentor comes from one of the great stories ever told, Odysseys. Mentor was Odysseys “wise and trusted advisor.” Today, mentors are in more demand than ever. We all want a sage advisor to turn to when the going gets tough. The challenge is, wisdom isn’t gained in the classroom nor in the boardroom; the places we most often look to for mentorship. Wisdom is gained from lived experiences, which are best told through stories.

Our age and years’ experience isn’t the sole indicator of wisdom either.

Some of us have lived a few lives over by the time we reach our twenties. While others are lucky enough to life a life of ease, privilege and stability. The truth is we’re only expert in our own life experiences, knowledge comes and goes. I lost my Mom at age 27. I mentor women in their 40s, 50s and 60s dealing with the loss of a parent because I understand grief, having lived through it. Developing the ability to narrate our life experiences using story is key to being able to mentor, or be a “wise and trusted advisor” for others.

So what can you do to become a wise and trusted advisor for someone else? The first step is to know your story. Here are five ways you can get started today.

1. Make a lifeline chart, plotting out the high and low moments in your life.

2. Make a list of common themes that emerge from that timeline.

3. Write your story, highlighting those key themes, in less than 1,000 words.

4. Practice telling your story.

5. Sign up to become a mentor, sharing your story and passion for mentoring others from your lived experiences.

In a world where mentors are in more demand than supply, getting to know your story is the greatest gift you can give someone else. It is also where you’ll find your greatest passion and purpose.

Sarah Haggard is the CEO and Founder of Tribute, a modern mentorship app for the workplace that connects employees together for mentorship through shared life experiences and stories. When not working, Sarah enjoys reading, writing, mentoring college students and spending time on her houseboat with friends and family in Seattle, WA.

Mainstream Mentoring: From Bain & Co. to National Geographic, Companies Create Connections

by | Feb 21, 2019 | Uncategorized

illustration for American City Business Journals by Andrea Levy

Bizwomen Mentoring Monday is February 25th. Support and learn from businesswomen in your community while creating meaningful career connections.

Caitlin Mullen, Bizwomen contributor’s article highlights the ins and outs of “From Bain & Company to National Geographic Society, companies make mentoring connections”. Read the full article here.

Our own Lisa Fain took part and was quoted as saying….

The reasons companies create mentoring programs vary — to improve diversity, to build a bench of potential leaders, and to retain staffers. Though most won’t divulge what they spend on their programs, all agree on their importance. The thousands of employees who participate engage with accomplished colleagues, and many accelerate their career progress through the connections they create. Being able to keep and motivate employees is crucial and “the structured mentoring relationship is really a vehicle to do that.”

3 Ways to Identify Cultural Differences on a Global Team

by | Jun 30, 2018 | Facilitating Learning, Growth and Development, Mentoring Relationships

By: Art Markman June 15, 2018 (Harvard Business Review)

In almost any business these days, you are guaranteed to interact with people whose cultural background is quite different from your own. In a global organization, you may have colleagues that come from a different country. You may partner with organizations whose employees come from another part of the country. There may also be cultural differences between you and some of the customers and clients you serve.