Reinventing Mentorship: From Traditional One-on-One Mentoring to Self-Mentoring

In an era where traditional mentoring faces challenges such as limited mentor availability, time constraints, and high implementation costs, self-mentoring emerges as a sustainable and empowering alternative for professional development. This concept paper introduces self-mentoring as a self-directed approach that enables individuals to take control of their learning and career progression. Drawing on its origins in healthcare and academia, the paper highlights the adaptability of self-mentoring principles—self-reflection, goal-setting, resource utilization, and continuous reflection—for diverse professional contexts. The proposed framework offers a cyclical process encompassing self-assessment, goal-setting, action planning, and reflection, promoting a flexible, scalable, and inclusive model for continuous development. While self-mentoring empowers employees with autonomy and independence, it also requires high levels of self-discipline and organizational support. The paper concludes with recommendations for integrating self-mentoring into organizational development strategies and identifies avenues for future research to enhance its applicability across various industries. This model holds promise for fostering lifelong learning, resilience, and proactive career management in today’s dynamic work environments.