For most of us, when we picture a mentor, our minds go to an older, wiser colleague or friend who has decades more experience. However, I’ve found that some of my most valuable mentors have been peer mentors.

There are far too many to list, so here’s a selection:

The picture above shows a subset of a group we affectionately call “Table Peeps.” Creatively named, these are the folks with whom I shared a table during my doctoral program. We have all reached out to one another for questions about dissertations and class, but more than that, we’ve connected on things like managing through a family member’s major illness, resolving conflict with a challenging coworker, negotiating salary for a new job, or even holding each other accountable for staying healthy. There hasn’t been a week that has gone by since I met these folks that I haven’t spoken with one of them.
A colleague of mine used to work at the same Fortune 500 company as I did. While we didn’t know each other then, there is something special about having worked at the same place — we use the same language, remember the same cultural norms, and refer to company practices that we would like to mimic in our current organization. Also, it turns out that while she and I didn’t know one another, we actually DID have friends in common. Small world. Whenever I’m feeling like I need a little corporate fix in academia, this person’s my gal. Plus, her superpower is making others feel like a million bucks. That’s someone I like to have by my side.
My time at the Kellogg School of Management was truly life-changing, and a large part of that is due to the people. I could gush about many of them, but in this context there is one classmate that stands out. I turned to him years ago when I was in a period of career transition. We both worked at Bain & Company (albeit at different offices), so he understood the type of work I liked and what I was capable of. He also knew he could be direct and push my thinking. More than giving me advice, he gave me tasks to complete and deadlines for completion. He put meetings on my calendar and played “devil’s advocate” when I needed it. He didn’t know what the right career answer was for me, but he did know how to help me find it. I will never forget his generosity.

Again, there are so many more I could list here, but hopefully this gives you an idea of what mentorship can look like. It’s not scary (all the time) and doesn’t have to look incredibly formal (all the time). Thank you to my peers who have inspired my path. I appreciate you and am always here if/when you need me.