Research from the Association of Business Mentors (ABM) in the UK shows that mentoring supports managers in developing both personally and professionally. Over 70% of leaders reported improved well-being, time management, and decision-making. Furthermore, two-thirds of managers who received mentoring saw a positive impact on business performance. This approach is well embedded in the U.S., where 97.5% of Fortune 500 companies have mentoring programmes in place (Hamilton, 2025).
A Business Mentor is someone who shares their experiences, knowledge, and insights with a mentee. While traditional models assume a senior-junior dynamic, the Harvard Business Review emphasizes that mentorship is best understood as any relationship in which one person learns from another's experience, with most value being derived from a long-term peer-to-peer relationship, involving two or more people. The ABM even identifies tech experts in their 20s as valuable mentors due to their specialist skills.
With Arvoki, leaders are encouraged to form mentoring relationships with their peers. We bring together experienced professionals who have something to give and something to receive. This is why we focus on building diverse cohorts within a shared context (such as similarly sized businesses).
When the right connection and trust are present, mentorship becomes a space for emotional support and timely, relevant feedback, helping leaders grow personally and professionally. For this to happen, however, leaders must be:
- Willing to leave their ego at the door
- Ready to share knowledge
- Open to continuous learning
- Open to challenge and being challenged
- Comfortable engaging with diverse personalities (Hamilton, 2025)
This is why both onboarding and facilitation are critical for success.
At Arvoki, we provide a comprehensive onboarding process to set clear expectations and establish the mindset needed for mutual learning. It ensures participants understand their role in the cohort and are ready to contribute meaningfully. Ongoing facilitation then supports the development of trust, fosters open dialogue, and helps maintain momentum over time.
Mentorship is not about hierarchy but connection. And when designed well, it is one of the most effective tools for helping leaders grow.
References:
Hamilton, J. (2025, January 30). Businesses offering mentorship will support new wave of leaders. The Times. https://www.thetimes.com/business-money/entrepreneurs/article/businesses-offering-mentorship-will-support-new-wave-of-leaders-pjwsqhl6g
MIT Sloan Management Review Editors. (2022, February 25). Effective coaching, mentoring, and sponsorship in the virtual office. MIT Sloan Management Review. https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/effective-coaching-mentoring-and-sponsorship-in-the-virtual-office/
Omadeke, J. (2021, October 20). What's the difference between a mentor and a sponsor? Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2021/10/whats-the-difference-between-a-mentor-and-a-sponsor
First published on LinkedIn on May 14, 2025
