Successful individuals receive endless mentorship requests. Instead of helping everyone or no one, they should focus their limited time on 'multipliers'—people whose position or potential allows them to influence and develop many others. This strategy scales a leader's wisdom and impact.

Goldcast's founders actively connected their marketing leader with an experienced CMO and sponsored the engagement. This demonstrates a powerful, tangible investment in professional development that accelerates a leader's growth in navigating executive and board-level challenges.

A mentor isn't someone who provides step-by-step instructions. The most powerful learning comes from finding someone you admire and closely observing their every move, how they speak, and how they behave in the face of obstacles, rather than seeking direct guidance.

While acknowledging the benefit of having mentors, Herb Wagner has found that the process of being a mentor is even more educational. Teaching and guiding others forces a deeper understanding of one's own principles and provides fresh perspectives from the next generation, offering greater personal and professional growth.

Orlando Bravo argues valuable mentorship isn't found in occasional calls. It's cultivated through daily work with colleagues who have direct context on your challenges. Proximity allows for the deep, nuanced guidance that scheduled, low-context conversations cannot provide.

A former manager urged Walmart PM Sanjita Raj to leave a role where she knew the products "too well" and was doing "bare minimum innovations." This pivotal moment taught her that comfort is a sign of stagnating learning, a dangerous state for any ambitious product professional.

Career challenges faced by professional women are not random but fall into seven recurring patterns or "power gaps." These include not recognizing accomplishments, isolating from support, and acquiescing to mistreatment. Identifying which gaps are present allows for targeted, effective action.

Busy, successful people mentor others because they find joy in watching that person grow. Mentees must show they are applying the advice and getting results. This demonstrates a return on the mentor's time and emotional investment, ensuring their continued engagement.

Research shows women often have more mentors than men, but men have significantly more sponsors. Mentors offer advice, while sponsors use their influence to advocate and create opportunities. This distinction is critical for advancement, as sponsorship provides access to roles that mentorship alone cannot.