“Experience is just being one step ahead.”
Many HR leaders tell me their mentoring programmes feel stuck: too focused on senior–junior pairings, too dependent on a few “expert” mentors, and not flexible enough to meet growing demand.
But mentoring doesn’t have to come only from the top. Some of the most powerful growth happens when nobody in the room is “the most senior.”
When I talk with HR leaders, here’s what I usually find:
They focus on the most well-known model—senior to junior**.** A seasoned person paired with someone at a lower level of seniority. Participants are often selected using standard differentiators like age and organizational level.
This works. In fact, during the first year we at MentorLab Group focus on creating a strong structure that supports both mentors and mentees, aligns the programme with international standards like the ISMCP of EMCC Global, and builds a group of highly trained, EQA Certified Mentors. The impact is visible: participation rates rise, feedback from both mentors and mentees improves, and the programme gains credibility across the business.
But then comes the second year. Thanks to the success of the programme, more and more people want to join. Suddenly, the “traditional” model is not enough. Senior managers start asking for the chance to experience being mentees, while younger employees are eager to step into mentoring roles themselves. This shift creates both a challenge and an opportunity: how do you scale mentoring while keeping it meaningful?
I remember a manager who shared that during our practice labs, he learned so much from being mentored by a peer that he started questioning his old assumption: mentoring is only beneficial when the mentor is much more senior than the mentee.
That moment is exactly why I find myself proposing peer mentoring more and more, as a powerful complement to the traditional senior–junior model.
Why peer mentoring?
Because it shifts the narrative. It creates space for managers of similar age and seniority—but with different expertise—to come together and learn with and from each other.
Peer mentoring is not about “just chatting.” It’s about:
- Sharing experiences as people, not positions.
- Practicing communication skills in a safe environment.
- Creating a sense of community that goes beyond the job.
- Receiving and giving feedback in equal measure.
- Building networks across functions.
⠀
In peer mentoring, there is no “not senior enough.” Everyone brings value.
Everyone is one step ahead in something, and one step behind in something else. That balance is what makes the learning so powerful.
What makes it effective?
Like any mentoring approach, peer mentoring works best when it has structure and intentionality. It’s not just colleagues exchanging stories over coffee. It’s about creating partnerships where both sides commit to growth, curiosity, and accountability.
When structured and done well, peer mentoring strengthens not only the individuals involved but also the wider culture of the organization. It shifts the mindset: learning is not a one-way street but a shared responsibility.
And maybe that’s the real lesson:
We don’t need to wait to be “senior enough” to mentor. We just need to find an area where we have expertise that could be a gift to others.
So let me ask you: how is your mentoring programme evolving beyond the traditional senior–junior model?
If your mentoring programme is at this turning point, I’d be happy to share examples of how organizations are evolving beyond the traditional model.
