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The org chart isn’t what it used to be. As hierarchies flatten and teams are stretched thin, the traditional mentorship model (where wisdom flows from senior to junior) is shifting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maybe you find yourself as the most senior person in your function, surrounded by brilliant colleagues who work in completely different disciplines. Or maybe you’re managing a team while still figuring out your own career trajectory. The old playbook of “find a mentor who’s two levels above you” doesn’t apply when there are only three levels total.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We spoke with three product professionals navigating these workplace realities to gain a deeper understanding of what mentorship looks like today. From their perspective, mentorship isn’t disappearing. It just takes a little creativity to find these days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Their stories show that finding mentorship requires intention and a willingness to look beyond your immediate team. And those who crack the code on developing in a community with a mentor, despite flat, resource-constrained environments, see higher job satisfaction and better retention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re lucky enough to have a manager with expertise in your discipline, managers can<\/em> be a great source of mentorship, but according to Brittany Lang, UX Research Manager and proud mentor, growing talent can be an overlooked aspect of management. \u201c\u200aI think a lot of times there’s just not a lot of energy put into growing people,\u201d says Brittany. \u201cIt’s extra effort, but it’s important if you wanna keep people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n