We’ve all heard the common saying that some people come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. In life, much like academics, we grow, evolve, and move through different phases. One intriguing aspect of personal development is how we manage and adjust our interactions with mentors, advisors, and sponsors on our board of directors. For this episode, hosts Andy, John, and Tanner discuss the idea of when and how to graduate a mentor from your personal board of directors.
Recognizing the Signs
- Venting Loop: Allows you to vent, but doesn’t necessarily tell you when they disagree or challenge you to be solution-oriented.
- Status Quo Bias: Doesn’t often challenge you to go outside of your box
- Yes-Man: Someone who always tells you what you want to hear.
- Filtered Reality: Doesn’t often give you honest feedback or wants to tell you the honest truth
Graduating a Mentor
- Sometimes requires physical space, like moving to a new location or moving on to a new chapter in your life.
- You don’t necessarily have to tell them you are graduating them.
Active Engagement is Key
- Both parties must engage actively in the mentor-mentee relationship to make it effective.
- Setting clear expectations and communicating openly about what is needed can be very helpful.
- Be flexible and allow roles to shift naturally over time.
- Find the experts you need who will help you identify blind spots.
- Be on the lookout for the “disagreeable giver,” which is a colleague who has your best interests in mind, but is naturally inclined to challenge your perspective.
Take-Home Points:
- It may be time to graduate someone from your board of directors if they are no longer challenging you and keeping you honest.
- Mentorship, like any relationship, requires nurturing and adaptation.
- Make it a point to reassess your board of directors regularly to make sure it aligns with your current goals
- Find a balance between mentorship and sponsorship.
Post by Patricia Capone, DO PGY- 4
Looking For More?
Check out this article: https://hbr.org/2026/01/hb-are-your-trusted-advisors-holding-you-back
Check out this episode: Episode 37: #Mentorship
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