I was in Victoria yesterday with a group of education leaders talking about leadership capability — and a side conversation popped up that I had to bring here.

One of the leaders mentioned how hard it’s been to attract mentors to their new program, even though people are informally mentoring all the time. And honestly, I get it — the word “mentoring” comes with a lot of baggage.

Just like Michael Bungay Stanier says about “coaching,” people have preconceived ideas about what a mentor should be: someone wise, polished, and ready to pour hours of time into shaping another person’s career. No wonder people hesitate to sign up.

Here’s what I shared with them (and what I believe):

• 💡 Avoid the word “mentoring.
• ⏰ Ditch the one-hour meeting model. Micro-moments matter more — 20-minute chats, asynchronous voice notes, or quick message exchanges can be more valuable.
• 🎧 Use voice notes. That’s actually how Leanne on Demand was born — I started voice-note coaching people around the world, and it completely changed how I think about connection.
• 🧠 Let mentees drive the process. They should initiate, schedule, and set the agenda. Mentors just show up and share their experiences.
• 🤝 Encourage “friendtoring.” Jenny Blake’s phrase sums it up perfectly — peer-to-peer wisdom exchanges that don’t feel hierarchical.

At the end of the day, people want to help and give back — they just don’t want another recurring meeting in their diary. Rebrand mentoring as something more fluid, flexible, and fun, and you’ll see engagement rise.

Thanks for listening, and I’ll speak to you tomorrow.

Sign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame.

Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.com

P.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help:

1. Watch My Speaker Reel: Let's energise your next event.
2. Get My Book: Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint. 

Let's connect on all the channels:

Leanne Hughes on LinkedIn

Leanne Hughes on Instagram

Visit my website: leannehughes.com

Email me: [email protected]

Would you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.