How mentors and leaders improve skills in mentoring

Mentoring is not just about supporting the mentee – it is also one of the most natural and effective forms of leader development. Participation in a mentoring program allows mentors to improve key leadership competencies: listening, communication, empathy and relationship-building skills.

Mentoring develops – including mentors and leaders.

Mentiway’s findings confirm what mentors often emphasize in interviews: mentoring is a two-way process. Mentors gain new perspectives, relationships and awareness of their own competence.

It’s a development that happens naturally – in conversation, in relationship, in daily practice. Through interaction with the mentee, mentors confront their ways of doing things with a new point of view, and learn flexibility, empathy and trust-building – qualities crucial for an effective leader. Data from the Survey of Mentiway 2025 mentoring program participants shows that mentors most often point to the following benefits of participating in mentoring programs:

• 1️⃣ Broaden and learn another perspective
• 2️⃣ Increased self-awareness and insight
• 3️⃣ Establish new relationships and friendships
• 4️⃣ Development of effective communication skills
• 5️⃣ Increase in self-confidence

This shows that mentoring develops not only “soft” competencies, but also self-awareness, which is the foundation of effective leadership. See also the full Mentiway report: Mentoring Participant Survey 2025.

Biggest development – communication and listening.

Mentiway’s survey analysis shows that mentors see the greatest improvement precisely in the areas of active listening and questioning. These are two skills that are the foundation of effective mentoring and modern leadership. Mentor leaders learn to have conversations based on curiosity and partnership – instead of providing ready answers, they help the mentee discover solutions on their own.

Interestingly, many of them admit that these competencies quickly translate into their daily work as well. Listening carefully to the team, asking questions instead of giving orders, or creating a space for exchanging opinions are all elements that strengthen the culture of cooperation and engagement in organizations. Mentoring thus becomes not only a development process, but also a practical training in communication, empathy and trust-based leadership.

It also proves that well-designed mentoring programs have the potential to go far beyond the mentoring relationship itself – they can make a real difference in the way leaders communicate, motivate and support their people.

Mentoring as a tool for developing leaders

In a growing number of organizations, mentoring is being treated as part of leader development – not just in terms of knowledge, but more importantly in terms of attitude. Mentors learn to manage trust, develop people through questions rather than ready answers, and build relationships based on authenticity.
It is these skills that distinguish leaders who inspire from those who merely manage.

Mentoring allows leaders to stop for a moment in the daily grind and look at the development of others – and their own – from a broader perspective. It teaches conscious communication, openness to diverse viewpoints and humility towards other people’s experiences. In practice, it also means a better understanding of teams, greater empathy in decisions and a more mature approach to motivation. Thus, for many organizations, mentoring is becoming not only a development tool, but also a work culture – one that reinforces accountability, collaboration and authentic leadership.

Mentoring training – where to start to improve a mentor?

If you are just starting out in mentoring or want to consciously develop in this role – it is worthwhile to take advantage of workshops and training. A well-designed training program helps:

• Understand the essence of the mentoring process,
• Learn to conduct development talks,
• learn about tools to support pair matching and program evaluation,
• better prepare for the role of mentor or mentoring program coordinator.

Read more about it in our article: Where to learn about mentoring – Mentiway trainings and workshops.

Mentiway – we support the development of mentors, leaders and organizations.

At Mentiway, we believe that effective mentoring connects people and data – relationships and structure. Our platform helps mentoring program organizers and leaders match pairs, monitor progress and analyze outcomes. This makes mentoring measurable, effective and accessible – regardless of the scale of the program..

With each new project and each edition of competitions such as Super M, mentoring in Europe is becoming more and more professional. Mentiway actively supports this development on a daily basis – both technologically and substantively.

FAQ – mentoring through the eyes of mentors.

Does mentoring develop only the mentee?
No – mentoring is a process in which both parties learn and grow. Mentees gain new insights, reflections and skills.

What skills do mentors develop the most?
Mentiway’s research shows that the biggest increase is in asking questions and active listening – competencies that are the foundation of effective mentoring.

Can you measure the development of mentors?
Yes. With Mentiway’s self-assessment surveys, you can observe how their skills and attitudes change over the course of the program.

How does Mentiway support mentors in their development?
Through analytical tools, educational materials and program structure, mentors can consciously plan and develop their competencies.

Why invest in mentoring programs?
Because they support not only the development of the mentee, but also the development of mentors and entire organizations. Data from Mentiway shows that a well-designed mentoring program benefits both sides of the relationship.