Date: Monday, October 5, 2026
Hello! I’m Maureen Bailey, MSc, MA, the Director of Research & Evaluation at Action for Healthy Kids. If you had asked me early in my management career who was responsible for the mentoring relationship, I would have had a simple answer: the manager. Years later, I’ve learned it’s not that straightforward. Some of the best advice, toughest feedback, and most valuable lessons I’ve received have come from the people on my own team.
When I first became a manager, I viewed mentorship primarily as helping others grow. I focused on providing guidance, sharing lessons from my own experiences, and helping team members navigate challenges. While those responsibilities remain important, I’ve learned that mentorship is most successful when it feels like a partnership rather than a hierarchy.
Every person on a team brings unique expertise, perspectives, and experiences. Over the years, members of my team have introduced me to new approaches, challenged my assumptions, and offered insights that have made me a better evaluator and leader. The most effective mentoring relationships are not built around one person having all the answers. They’re built around curiosity, openness, and a willingness to learn from one another.
For mentorship to be truly reciprocal, trust must come first.
I believe that strong teams are centered around trust and psychological safety. People are much more likely to ask questions, share ideas, admit mistakes, and take professional risks when they know they are supported. Trust also makes feedback more meaningful because it is understood as an investment in growth rather than criticism.
My management approach is heavily influenced by the principles of Radical Candor, which encourages leaders to care personally while challenging directly. Rather than avoiding difficult conversations, I strive to provide honest, actionable feedback while demonstrating genuine care for each person’s development. Just as importantly, I want my team to feel comfortable giving me feedback. Some of the best improvements I’ve made as a manager have come from listening to the people I supervise.
One of the things I enjoy most about management is helping team members pursue their professional development goals. Whether that means strengthening technical skills, leading a project, presenting findings, or exploring new areas of evaluation, I see part of my role as creating opportunities for growth.
What I’ve learned, however, is that growth is rarely one-sided. As team members develop new skills and perspectives, the entire team benefits. I benefit too. Their questions push me to think differently. Their ideas improve our work. Their feedback helps me become a more effective leader.
The longer I’ve managed people, the more convinced I become that mentorship is not something a manager gives to others. It’s something that develops through mutual trust, honest feedback, and shared learning. The best mentoring relationships leave everyone stronger.
And sometimes, if you’re paying attention, you’ll discover that the person you thought you were mentoring has been mentoring you, too.
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