Why You Need More Than One Mentor
No one person can hold the blueprint for your entire journey—and they’re not supposed to.
The Myth of the One Perfect Mentor
Most of us grow up believing in the idea of one mentor—the wise, experienced guide who helps us unlock the next level of our career. But in real life, growth rarely happens through a single relationship.
Our goals are layered. Our identities are complex. Our careers aren’t linear.
And that’s exactly why we need more than one mentor—especially as women navigating leadership, ambition, and life outside of work. Having a constellation of mentors allows you to gain perspective, protect your integrity, and avoid relying on just one lens to make pivotal decisions.
Here are four powerful benefits of cultivating multiple mentors—both in your workplace and beyond it.
1. You Get Access to Multiple Lenses for Decision-Making
Every mentor brings their own worldview, experiences, and blind spots. One may be a seasoned executive who helps you think through political dynamics. Another may be a peer-mentor who sees you clearly and reminds you of your growth. A third may not work in your industry at all—but still offers clarity on values, boundaries, or purpose.
By intentionally seeking mentors with different vantage points, you:
Make better, more thoughtful decisions
Avoid over-relying on one voice
Learn how to think through tradeoffs, not just react to advice
2. You Avoid Gossip-Laced Advice Loops
When you only turn to one person—especially someone inside your organization—for advice, there’s a higher risk that conversations can drift into venting, triangulation, or gossip.
Multiple mentors create healthy separation:
You get input from those with no political stake in your environment
You reduce the temptation to overshare out of frustration
You avoid reinforcing groupthink or bias disguised as “guidance”
Mentorship should sharpen your thinking—not spiral into rehearsed complaints. External mentors, in particular, help you keep conversations focused on insight, not office drama.
3. You Build Resilience Across Different Seasons of Your Career
One of the risks of having only one mentor is outgrowing the relationship—or needing support they can’t offer. That doesn’t make them less valuable. It just means your context has changed.
Having multiple mentors gives you support through different professional “seasons”:
A former manager might help you navigate people dynamics
A community elder might help you navigate identity, purpose, or burnout
A creative peer might offer insights that reignite your curiosity or imagination
The key here isn’t hierarchy. It’s intentionality. Choose mentors who can speak to where you are and who you’re becoming.
4. You Strengthen Your Identity Outside of Work
Your career matters—but it’s not the whole story. Mentors who aren’t tethered to your job title or organization often help you see your life in fuller context.
This is especially important when:
You’re feeling stuck or underutilized
You’re questioning your long-term direction
You need to zoom out and reconnect with the “why” behind your ambition
Mentors outside of work often challenge you to protect your energy, cultivate self-worth beyond performance, and explore dreams or talents that don’t always show up on your resume.
They help you lead your life, not just your team.
Recommended Reading
Find Your People by Jennie Allen ★
A faith-forward, research-informed guide to building community and trusted relationships.The Long Game by Dorie Clark ★
On long-term thinking, mentorship, and cultivating a network rooted in intention—not transaction.Tribes by Seth Godin ★
A look at leadership through community-building and trust.
Before You Go
If your mentorship conversations have started to feel unproductive—or if you’ve realized you’re relying too heavily on a single voice—it may be time to recalibrate your circle of influence.
Take the Burnout Alignment Quiz to see how aligned your current relationships, roles, and routines really are.
References
Higgins, M. C., & Kram, K. E. (2001). Reconceptualizing mentoring at work: A developmental network perspective. Academy of Management Review, 26(2), 264–288.
Allen, T. D., & Eby, L. T. (2007). The Blackwell Handbook of Mentoring. Blackwell Publishing.
Clutterbuck, D. (2005). Everyone Needs a Mentor: Fostering Talent in Your Organisation. CIPD Publishing.
Dorie Clark. (2021). The Long Game: How to Be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World. Harvard Business Review Press.
Godin, S. (2008). Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us. Portfolio.
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