Learning from Co-Leading the Mentorship Pilot
We think we know what mentorship is - until we actually try to build it.
After the MPOD/MOD 50th Anniversary gathering, helping launch the initiative sounded straightforward: gather names, review interests, make thoughtful matches, and let meaningful conversations unfold.
Except it turned out to be far more human and complicated than either of us expected.
We manually reviewed every mentor/mentee entry submitted through a Google Form and matched eight pairs. It was strangely strenuous, yet delightful, and occasionally hilarious. We found ourselves staring at names, LinkedIn profiles, hopes, dreams, needs and wondering: Would these two humans actually resonate with each other? At some point the process felt like hosting a dinner party and designing seating arrangements for strangers.
After four months we sent out a short survey with anticipation and some unease: Did the pairs connect? Was the experience meaningful at all? We were thrilled when feedback started coming in - some very encouraging, when the pair truly liked each other and continued conversation after initial contact; and others grounding, reminding us that good mentorship asks for something more than networking, general Q&A, or "Career advice over Zoom"; it demands clarity of purpose, mutual investment, chemistry, and accountability.
One of the most encouraging surprises was discovering that we had more mentors than mentees in the first round. That alone says something meaningful about this community. People genuinely wanted to step forward and support one another.This initiative is still evolving, and we would love more people to help co-shape what it becomes. If you are curious, we invite you to participate - as a mentor, a mentee, or simply as someone interested in imagining what a developmental community can look like in practice. We are building the bridge while walking on it, and so far, that has turned out to be part of the fun.
To become a Mentor/Mentee click here
Kate Sawyer (MPOD 20) and Mimi Wang (MPOD 17)
