Mentorship Isn't a Checkbox

How Corporate Culture Stripped Mentorship of Its Meaning—and Why It’s Time to Take It Back

Reclaiming a Human-Centered Practice in a Buzzword-Obsessed World

In today’s world of corporate jargon and performance reviews, one word keeps showing up in places it doesn’t belong:
Mentorship.

And not the kind that changes lives.

I’m talking about the kind that’s squeezed into slide decks, onboarding plans, and leadership programs as a box to check:

“Assign mentors.”
“Launch a mentorship initiative.”
“Track mentorship engagement metrics.”

All of these are designed to boost workplace productivity. Employees are extrinsically motivated to have a mentor and get a mentor.
You’ve seen it. I’ve seen it.

But let me say this without hesitation:
That is not mentorship.