Mentoring a Stranger

To know me is to either love me or hate me. I’m the type of person who will see you walking improperly and walk over to tell you to stand tall, showing you how to make an impact when you step inside a space. It’s not about correction for correction’s sake; it’s about wanting people to step fully into who they are. And sometimes, that starts with something as small as posture.

When I think about mentoring, it’s often less about formal guidance and more about those moments where we pass wisdom to one another in unexpected ways. How do you see mentorship? Yesterday I met a young woman who looked like she was drowning in self-doubt. She wasn’t even aware of it, but her shoulders slouched, her steps were quick and uncertain, and her gaze rarely met the eyes of those around her. I didn’t know her, but I could see in her what I once saw in myself. That was all the invitation I needed to gently step in and offer a word, a gesture, a nudge in the right direction.

For those who know me, yeah, the gently stepping in seems like a stretch, right? Here’s what truly happened. I watched and listened to her as she paced back and forth on the corridor for over 15 minutes. I couldn’t take it anymore so I went outside and beckoned to her for a minute of her time. At first she was surprised, but she was willing. We spoke about what she was doing and what I heard her saying. It was a great encounter.

So yes, mentoring a stranger feels different from mentoring someone you know. When it’s someone familiar, you know their story, their strengths, and their struggles. You have context. But with a stranger, all you have is a moment. A brief chance to share something that, hopefully, sticks with them. So you choose your words carefully. You aim for encouragement, not critique. You hope that your brief interaction plants a seed that they’ll germinate in the near future.

The truth is, we never know the battles someone else is fighting or the dreams they’re holding close to their chest. We don’t know if that one piece of advice or that one moment of encouragement will be the spark they need to keep going. Sometimes, that’s all mentoring is—showing up at the right moment, offering a steadying hand, a word of affirmation, or a reminder of their potential. Or in my case, having some kickass women in my life I can pick up the phone and say, ‘do you have or know of any vacancies?, I have a real sweetheart standing beside me who needs some your assistance.’

I don’t know about you, but I think there’s something beautiful in that. It gives rise to a beautiful story. Mentorship doesn’t have to be a formal relationship, bound by time and obligation. Sometimes, it’s simply seeing someone for who they can be and giving them a little push in that direction.

It’s about reminding a stranger that they can stand tall, step forward with purpose, and own the spaces they walk into. And who knows? Maybe one day they’ll pass that same wisdom on to someone else, turning those little moments of connection into a quiet, continuous ripple.