Does Mentorship Still matter?

Is AI going to kill your job? 🤷‍♂️ AI can’t replace the magic that happens between two people.

“Learn from trends, but design clothes that still flatter the body.”
— My mother, a fashion designer

I think of that every time I see another “10 ways to get AI to help you [fill in the blank].”

I’m excited to have a powerful assistant (who’s not MS Clippy 📎). But the time we save by using AI for grunt work is the time we can use to reconnect and regain what we have lost::

• the tradition of passing knowledge from one generation to the next
• the art of storytelling that helps others do better
• the wisdom of history that keeps us from repeating the same mistakes over and over again

Why Mentorship Still Matters

There’s no work relationship more sacred than mentorship. It’s not advice-giving or casual check-ins.

Mentorship is an ongoing, purpose-driven relationship where an experienced human supports another’s growth by sharing wisdom, asking tough questions, offering perspective, and creating space for learning.

Structured mentorship builds confidence, clarity, and skill over time for the mentee. And it works both ways, and mentors get a ton of value back. Mentors get to unpack and sharpen what they know. Their brains actively work to make their experience more shareable and more relevant to their mentees’ current work.

If AI is making us dumber, mentorship does the opposite. It activates hearts and minds and makes both people more resilient to whatever comes next 🤖.

The Core Ingredients of Mentorship

Mentorship takes work. It begins with a promise—and delivers on that promise through rhythm and intention.

Here are three essential elements:

• Consistency
  By agreeing to a set of scheduled sessions, both people can make sure they stay connected and keep the topics relevant. “Let’s grab coffee again soon” isn’t where it’s at.
• Relevance
  Mentorships must be practical so that the stories and questions directly help the mentee tackle what’s on their plate  *right now*. Defined topics help both humans stay on track and keep the conversations useful.
• Intentionality
  Real mentorship is designed, agreed upon, and purpose-driven. If you haven’t set expectations and structure, you don’t have a mentorship. Without intentionality, you just had a great chat but that’s not mentorship.

A Practical Tool to Help You Start

I created a Monthly Mentorship Template. I designed it based on my coaching and leadership work. It’s simple, adaptable, and designed for human mentorship.

It’s simple, adaptable, and designed for real human mentorship.

Inside the template:

• A monthly rhythm with async check-ins (you can change the frequency to what works best for both of you)
• Skill “pillars” to focus growth: As examples I have shown UX, UI, Design Systems, Product Thinking, Research + AI, and Communication
• Deep-dive questions that prompt reflection
• A format that’s flexible enough for both async work and structured ‘live’ sessions

Use it with someone you’re mentoring—and let me know how it goes. No one knows what’s coming next, but I know this for sure: Mentorship gives back more than you’d expect. 💕

I’d love to continue this conversation with you. Add me on Substack, and let’s navigate this chaotic career landscape together. If you are trying to figure out what’s next for your career, or need help understanding and working on your leadership skills, hit me up!