When I was first asked to mentor a junior project manager, I figured my job was to give them the playbook. 📜 The step-by-step guide to how I did things. I thought my experience meant I had the answers they needed. But I was looking at it all wrong. Mentoring isn't about creating a clone. I learned that my role wasn't to provide a map, but to help them build their own compass. 🧭 Many junior PMs are still figuring out what project management even means for their careers. Some are even "accidental project managers" who landed in the role without a clear path. Handing them my map is useless if they don't know their own destination. The real shift happened when I stopped seeing myself as just a teacher and more as a guide. My most rewarding mentoring experiences, both in my formal roles and my volunteer work, haven't come from giving answers. They've come from asking questions. It turns out, being a mentor is a great opportunity for you to learn, too. 💡 You get a different insight into challenges and are exposed to new ways of solving problems. It's a powerful reminder that every day is a learning opportunity. My job isn't to prevent them from making mistakes. It's to help them learn from the ones they inevitably will make, just like I did. Here’s what I’ve learned works best: 👇 • Start with their goals, not yours. 🎯 Before you share your wisdom, help them clarify what they want to achieve. Help them identify their own strengths and weaknesses. • Be an intellectual guide, not just a manager. Point them to resources, help them understand the informal networks in the organization, and serve as a confidential sounding board for their ideas and concerns. • Share your failures. 🙌 Talking about the projects that went sideways is often more instructive than talking about the easy wins. It shows that failure is an opportunity for growth. • Ask more than you tell. ❓ Simple questions like, "Have you thought about this?" or "What do you think the next step is?" build their confidence and problem-solving skills more than any directive you could give. If you could give your younger self one piece of advice about mentorship, what would it be? 🤔