Way Beyond

Mentoring

True mentoring is not about reaching a predefined destination, but about discovering new horizons together

Why

In human history, the relationship between master and apprentice has been a fundamental catalyst for wisdom and progress.

In the current scenario of organizational development, the ancient art of mentoring is gaining new relevance, intertwining with the emerging needs of modern organizations.

What we leverage

Evolution

Converts tacit knowledge into concrete practices

  • Cultivating an environment that favors growth
  • Sustainability of relations
  • Organic integration of new practices

Reciprocity

Creates genuine connections beyond hierarchies

  • Mentor and mentee as co-creators
  • Learning as an upward spiral
  • Vulnerability as a gateway to authenticity

Vitality

Transforms individual experience into collective wisdom

  • Organized and intentional meetings
  • Spaces for silence, reflection and learning
  • Dynamic balance between action and contemplation

True mentoring is a dynamic process, a unique development relationship that takes place outside the traditional hierarchical line, creating a unique space for learning and growth that strengthens organizations by empowering them:

What for

In business practice, mentoring is based on a philosophy of dynamic exchange where accumulated wisdom serves as a catalyst for new possibilities

Two modalities, different needs

We give organizations the flexibility to choose the most appropriate depth and support, guaranteeing quality, rigour and a positive, lasting impact.

Core

4-6 weeks

Turnkey solution, structured and tested, which allows for agile and effective implementation in 4-6 weeks. Main objectives: to establish effective mentoring relationships, develop key skills and create a solid foundation for personal and organizational development.

Features

  • Agile and effective implementation
  • Tried and tested structure
  • Fundamental training for mentors
  • Structured follow-up
  • Evaluating results
  • Complete program documentation

Preparation

Week 1

  • Initial diagnosis
  • Definition of criteria
  • Aligning expectations

Training

Weeks 2-3

  • Mentor Sessions (16h)
  • Mentoring Session (4h)
  • Practical tools

Implementation

Weeks 4-5

  • Beginning of mentor-mentee relationships
  • Structured follow-up
  • Ongoing support

Results

Week 6

  • Impact assessment
  • Final report
  • Future recommendations

Pro

6-8 months

Personalized transformational program that provides an end-to-end experience over 6-8 months, developing a mentoring culture aligned with organizational values. It includes in-depth research, co-construction of the program and continuous expert follow-up.

Features

  • In-depth investigation
  • Co-construction of the program
  • Advanced mentor training
  • Dedicated digital platform
  • Community of practice
  • Continuous specialized support

Research

Month 1

  • Focus Groups for diagnosis and needs analysis

Co-construction

Month 2

  • Collaborative design
  • Prototyping the program
  • Methodological manual

Training

Months 3-4

  • Mentor Sessions (6)
  • Mentored Sessions (2)
  • Transformational practices

Development

Months 5-7

  • Community of Practice
  • Regular reviews
  • Program adjustments

Transformation

Month 8

  • Impact assessment
  • Sustainability plan
  • Evolution of the program

Advantages

Mentoring brings measurable benefits to both the organization and the individuals

  • Developing an environment where sharing knowledge and growth are fundamental values

  • Strengthening interdepartmental connections and creating natural communication channels

  • Greater employee commitment and involvement through structured development opportunities

  • Developing leadership skills through authentic and meaningful relationships

At the organizational level

  • Faster acquisition of skills through structured and experiential learning

  • Increased involvement and satisfaction through meaningful relationship development

  • Ability to lead your own professional growth path with structured support

On an individual level

84%
of the most successful companies consider mentoring to be essential

This number reflects a growing awareness of the strategic value of mentoring as an organizational development tool.

Source: Mentoring Impact Report 2025 by Mentor Cliq

97%
of participants report an enriching experience

Satisfaction demonstrates the transformative impact of mentoring relationships on professional and personal development.

Source: Guider Mentoring Statistics

89%
of those mentored become mentors later

This virtuous cycle creates a sustainable culture of knowledge development and sharing in the organization.

Source: Guider Mentoring Statistics

30%
more mentoring programs in organizations since the pandemic

The need for meaningful connections and continuous development is driving the growing adoption of mentoring.

Source: "State of Mentoring 2023-2025" study

Our mentoring programs make organizations more capable of...

... recognize and retain internal talentwith less turnover of valuable staff.

... contribute to positive and lasting adjustments in the organizational culture, creating favorable contexts for development.

... establish rich and genuine spaces for conversation, where ideas and insights can flow beyond formal hierarchical structures.

... facilitate the transfer of knowledge and wisdom between different generations, preserving valuable learning.

... substantially increase the speed and effectiveness of the acculturation of newcomers, making their integration faster and more successful.

Critical Success Factors

Strategic Alignment and Commitment

Central to the success of any mentoring program are clarity of purpose and objectives, integration with the organization's strategy and a real commitment from the leadership.

We consider it essential to have a thoughtful and intentional mentor-mentee matching system, a flexible structure with well-defined processes, the existence of a platform or tools to support the program, where mentoring relationships are established outside the direct hierarchical line, with the guarantee of confidentiality to build and maintain trust.

Structure and Process

Through proper training of mentors and mentees, with clear roles and responsibilities for each party and a focus on the mentee's autonomy and protagonism, the two-way nature of learning is recognized and better results are achieved. This removes one of the factors that so often causes mentoring programs to fail: the belief that being a mentor doesn't require any preparation.

Training and Development

A system of regular feedback, evaluation of the impact on the organization and continuous monitoring of the program ensures that the benefits are extracted for all dimensions involved.

Feedback and evaluation

Challenges in Implementing
Mentoring Programs

How Way Beyond helps overcome major obstacles

Our experience of more than 7 years developing more than a dozen mentoring programs in partnership with companies from different sectors and sizes confirms that we grow more when we grow together: through meaningful connections we expand our capacity for self-knowledge and enhance development and transformation, both at an individual and organizational level.

  • We work closely with the leadership to ensure strategic alignment and ongoing support for the program.

  • We have implemented a robust feedback and evaluation system to measure the impact and demonstrate the positive effects.

  • We promote a culture of continuous learning, emphasizing the unique benefits of mentoring for personal and professional development.

Mentor training

Adequate preparation of mentors is a critical factor in the success of a mentoring program

01

Role clarity

Clear definition of the responsibilities and limits of the mentoring role, distinguishing it from other development practices.

Understanding when and how to intervene, differences between mentoring, coaching and other approaches, and setting expectations and ethical boundaries.

02

Capacity building

Development of specific mentoring skills, techniques and mentality, including active listening, feedback and reflection facilitation.

Active listening and questioning techniques, methods for offering constructive feedback and strategies for promoting reflection and learning.

03

Supervised Practice

Structured opportunities to practice acquired skills, with ongoing feedback and support.

Experience in real mentoring situations, immediate feedback on the application of techniques and case analysis and group discussion.

04

Continuous monitoring

Supervision and support throughout the program, ensuring the quality and effectiveness of mentoring relationships.

Regular supervision meetings, ongoing support resources and materials, and a community of practice for sharing experiences.

Testimonials

Successful partnerships that transform organizations through mentoring.

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Santander Portugal 1 of 4

Maria Tavares Leal

Head of People & Culture

Santander Portugal

MentorS was a mentoring program tailored to Santander, which aimed to promote professional development relationships based on sharing experiences, open dialogue and building trust.

The program included a robust training component for mentors, through six sessions that covered everything from the fundamentals of mentoring to practical follow-up strategies, and was supported by a personalized digital manual that served as a practical guide for mentors and mentees.

A distinctive aspect of the program was its focus on creating meaningful and mutually enriching relationships, where both mentors and mentees were encouraged to actively contribute to the development process. This approach made it possible not only to facilitate the integration and development of employees, but also to strengthen knowledge networks within the organization.

The MentorS program implemented at Santander, in partnership with Way Beyond, was key to training and preparing our mentors to support the development and retention of talent within the organization.

This program proved to be an excellent initiative, highly valued by the participants, to standardize and raise the performance of our mentors. Way Beyond provided us with the necessary tools and support to distinguish mentoring from other practices and approaches, enabling our mentors to play their role as ambassadors of our culture more effectively.

We are very pleased with the results and the positive impact it has had on improving our Mentoring Program.

Inês Zenha

Human Resources Director

PLMJ

PLMJ's mentoring program was designed to support evaluation processes and career progression and was implemented through face-to-face and online sessions with partners and mentees in Lisbon and Porto.

The program included structured training and personalized support, adapted to the specific reality of this law firm.

A distinctive feature of this program was its integration with the appraisal cycle, reinforcing a culture of continuous feedback and making the mentor/mentee relationship a key element in professional development. The program evolved to incorporate a special focus on developing constructive feedback skills, responding to specific needs identified among lawyers.

The partnership between PLMJ and Way Beyond for the implementation of our mentoring program has been a transformative experience for our lawyers.

The strategic approach and continuous support of the Way Beyond team, from the diagnostic moments and working sessions, to the implementation and training of our mentors and mentees, have been fundamental to the success of the program.

With the implementation of the mentoring program at PLMJ, we have seen a significant increase in satisfaction and involvement in the mentoring relationship: mentors feel more prepared and confident to guide their mentees, and mentees appreciate the value of the guidance they receive for their professional development.

In addition, the continuous practice of constructive feedback has improved internal communication and strengthened daily working relationships, promoting a culture of continuous development and feedback.

Teresa Manso

Communications Director

DHL Portugal

DHL's mentoring program was developed in close collaboration with the company's management team, who took on the role of mentors. The program was designed after an initial phase of diagnosis and alignment with the managers of the various areas, and was implemented through specific training workshops for this group.

The topics covered were carefully selected to meet the needs identified, including leadership, communication, team management and interdepartmental networking.

A distinctive feature of the programme was its focus on managing conflicts and adverse situations, as well as optimizing the management of participants' schedules, responding to specific challenges in the organization.

My experience with the training and support offered by Way Beyond in setting up the internal mentoring process was extremely positive. The initial training covered relevant and practical content, essential for our development.

We had the privilege of having João Sevilhano as our facilitator, a highly qualified and inspiring person who demonstrated an exemplary commitment to the evolution of our team of mentors, providing valuable guidance and constructive feedback both during the training and in the supervision sessions.

As well as strengthening my skills, this experience has also significantly increased my confidence in supporting the development of others. I would recommend Way Beyond to any organization looking to implement an effective mentoring process.

Catarina João Morgado

PwC Academy Director

PwC Portugal

See the full case study

Following the work done with PwC Partners in 2016-2017, we were challenged in 2018 to develop a mentoring program that began with a kick-off session for 30 mentors, followed by a two-day training session.

The project included the design of a manual of good practices adapted to PwC's reality, intervention with the mentors and the development of the program's processes, including the definition of the internal communication flow.

The program also included supervision sessions with the team of mentors to discuss best practices, difficulties and practical cases.

In 2018/19, PwC launched a pilot mentoring program for the firm's seniors. Created on a voluntary basis, the process began the previous year by asking the target audience who they would like to have as a mentor among the management team.

The main objectives of the program are, on the one hand, to strengthen the support provided to senior managers at a stage in their careers when they are beginning to acquire team management responsibilities and are considering (or not) progressing to the level of manager and, on the other hand, to strengthen our managers' feedback, active listening and knowledge of the firm.

To help us with the implementation, we relied on the tireless support of Way Beyond, which worked with us to design the program, prepare support material, train and accompany our mentors. For those who don't know him, João Sevilhano is undoubtedly a benchmark for his ability to make us think and find the right analogy at the right time.

At the moment we are still measuring the impact, but we know informally that bonds have been created between mentors and mentees, which are in line with the values we believe in at PwC. We can only thank Way Beyond for their support throughout this journey.

Mentoring is much more

sharing experiences

Let's go elevate mentoring in your organization?