By Amanda Brummitt, FACHE

At some point in every healthcare leader’s career, the question comes up: Should I find a mentor? The better question may be How do I make a mentoring relationship truly meaningful?

Mentorship is not about having someone hand you answers or open doors on demand. At its best, it is about growth, trust, perspective, and learning how to think differently as a leader.

How to Find the Right Mentor

If you are thinking about entering a mentoring relationship, start by identifying someone who holds a role you would like to have someday or whose leadership style you admire. Look for alignment in values, not just titles.

Then, build a relationship before you ask for anything.

That can look like engaging with their content on LinkedIn, attending their speaking engagements, supporting causes or nonprofits they care about, or simply showing up consistently in professional spaces where they are present. Give before you ask.

And if approaching someone directly feels intimidating or impractical, ACHE’s Mentorship Program offers a structured, thoughtful way to be matched with a mentor who is committed to the process. There is real value in a program designed to support both sides of the relationship.

The Benefits of Being a Mentee

For the mentee, a strong mentoring relationship offers several powerful benefits:

• Accelerated growth through perspective you cannot get on your own
• Candid, honest feedback in a safe space
• A sounding board for ideas, challenges, and decisions
• Exposure to connections and networks you may not yet have access to

Just as importantly, mentorship helps normalize uncertainty. It reminds you that even the leaders you admire had moments of doubt, missteps, and learning curves.

How to Make the Most of Professional Relationships

Engagement matters. One of the fastest ways to weaken a professional relationship is to only reach out when you need a job or a favor.

Stay connected when you do not need anything. Check in. Volunteer. Serve on committees. Give back to the profession. Over time, this builds a robust, authentic community. When you eventually do need support, advice, or advocacy, you will not be starting from scratch.

Mentorship thrives in the context of ongoing engagement, not transactional interactions.

How Mentoring Shaped My Own Leadership

I never had a formal mentor, but I had several informal mentors who profoundly shaped the leader I became.

Doug Welch, a hospital CEO and my boss at my first hospital, taught me that it was okay to take risks and fail. He never told me how to solve problems. Instead, he workshopped them with me, offered feedback, and then made me decide. His only requirement was that if something did not work, I had to come back prepared to share what I learned and what I would do differently. That expectation built confidence, accountability, and decision-making skills that still serve me today.

Britt Berrett taught me that people matter. During an interim project at a market-leading hospital, I watched him walk the halls and know people by name. Not just surgeons, but environmental services staff, support teams, and frontline employees. He knew their stories and genuinely cared. When my project ended, he sent a handwritten note to my home thanking me. Years later, at ACHE Chicago, I waved across a crowded room with no expectation he would remember me. He waved back, waved me over, and welcomed me into his circle. Maya Angelou said people may forget what you said, but not how you made them feel. Britt showed me what that looks like in practice.

Dr. Norm Rice taught me the power of unequivocal trust. We worked in a dyad leadership model running a large medical practice, navigating complex politics internally and externally. As a young female executive serving a male physician board, his trust mattered deeply. He treated me as an equal, expected me to act like one, and always had my back. That trust was empowering. It made me more strategic and taught me to extend the same confidence and support to others in my own leadership roles.

Why ACHE’s Mentorship Program Matters

I was incredibly lucky to have these three leaders land in my path.  Not everyone finds mentors organically. ACHE’s Mentorship Program creates space for intentional, structured relationships that can shape careers and leadership trajectories. For those considering applying as a mentee, it is an opportunity to learn from experienced leaders who are invested in developing the next generation.

Applications are being accepted through the end of March. Whether your goal is growth, clarity, confidence, or connection, mentorship can be one of the most impactful investments you make in your career.

The right mentor will not give you all the answers, but they will help you learn how to find them.