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In this episode of Promoted with Denise Harris, I had the pleasure of speaking with Lisa Fain, CEO of the Center for Mentoring Excellence and a global authority on mentoring and developmental networks. Lisa has built her career around helping organizations foster connection, inclusion, and growth, drawing on her background as an attorney, corporate leader, and advocate for diversity and inclusion in the workplace. She is also the co-author of Bridging Differences for Better Mentoring and The Mentor’s Guide, 3rd Edition, and her recent TEDx talk, Want to Make a Bigger Impact? Build Better Connections, has inspired many to rethink how relationships drive success.
Our conversation explored Lisa’s personal journey into mentorship and the inspiration she found in connecting diversity and inclusion work with the transformational power of mentoring. She explained how strong developmental relationships, both formal and informal, create accountability, bridge differences, and ultimately transform not only careers but also workplace culture. Lisa emphasized that mentorship is never one-size-fits-all; it can take many shapes, from peer and cross-functional relationships to reverse mentoring, and it always thrives when built with intentionality.
A key theme we discussed was the distinction between mentorship and sponsorship. While mentorship is a reciprocal, co-created learning relationship that builds psychological safety, sponsorship is about advocacy. Sponsors are champions who open doors and recommend you for opportunities when you’re not in the room. Lisa stressed that women, and particularly women of color, benefit from having both, as each plays a crucial role in advancement. She also underscored that it’s never too late to find a mentor, whether you’re just entering the workforce or leading at the highest levels, because mentoring is fundamentally about learning, growth, and possibility.
We also touched on her favorite books, including Tara Mohr’s Playing Big, which helped shape her own leadership journey. Our conversation was a powerful reminder that mentorship and connection are not just career accelerators, they are transformative forces that help us show up more fully, lead with authenticity, and create more inclusive workplaces.
If you want to learn how to build better connections and unlock new possibilities in your career, this episode is for you.
Additional Links & Resources:
Lisa’s TedX: How intentional connections can boost your career
Book | Bridging Differences for Better Mentoring, by Lisa Fain & Lois Zachary
Book | The Art of Possibility, by Rosamund & Benjamin Zander
Book | Playing Big, by Tara Mohr
Book | Finding Your Own North Star, by Martha Beck
Connect with Lisa:
LinkedIn | Center for Mentoring Excellence
Website | Center for Mentoring
Instagram | lzfain
Connect with Denise:
Website | Denise Harris Leadership
LinkedIn | Denise Harris Leadership
