Life is full of surprises—just ask any certified public accountant (CPA). In our profession, we’re often asked to adapt quickly, scramble to meet deadlines, and manage expectations, all while honoring our family needs and other personal commitments. In my experience, those challenges are an ever-present opportunity to learn from the people around me.
Oftentimes, I’ve finished a project or a conversation with someone and thought, “Where did that idea come from? When did I learn that?” The answer is often due to great mentors, many of whom I never truly appreciated or considered mentors at the time.
I’ve learned mentorship goes far beyond a formal program. It’s more than structured check-ins, lunch meetings, and goalsetting touchpoints. It’s about being there for someone else even when they didn’t know they needed you.
I’ve come to view mentorship as a long-term investment in others, rooted in helping someone with no intent of my own personal gain. Relationships are based on how we show up for one another, regardless of title—how we approach each interaction, how we respond in moments big and small, and how we make daily decisions that affect others.
I’ve also found that it doesn’t take much to be a mentor for someone else. We have the power to change, impact, and influence others in ways we may never know or fully see. In fact, you may already be a mentor and not even know it simply because of how you chose to show up for someone in their time of need.
As a young CPA still learning from those around me while also aspiring to support others, I’ve learned that the biggest impact often comes from simple, consistent actions. For me, focusing on these four areas has made all the difference in my support of others:
This simple rubric requires no expertise, just a willingness to do simple everyday actions with intent, care, and compassion. I challenge you to reflect and think about how these actions can be applied to your professional relationships and what tweaks you can make to them that are most authentic and attainable to you.
As I get older and progress in my career, I realize how fortunate I am to be surrounded by so many people I can learn from—all I need to do is look. The simplicity in that idea aligns with a Greek proverb: “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.”
When you look deeper, you start to see there are trees all around you, planted by others—some specifically for you, some meant for others, but all are welcome to bask in the shade. Therefore, the challenge for each of us is simple: notice the shade we’ve been given, be grateful for those who planted it, and then choose—through small, consistent acts—to plant something for someone else.
