Episode 03 - Be The Mentor Who Mattered with Colleen Stanley
Be The Mentor Who Mattered
What if the true secret to success in sales and leadership isn’t about being the best—it’s about being there for someone else?
In this episode of The Influence Gap, Bernadette McClelland sits down with the #1 global sales guru of 2024, Colleen Stanley, to uncover the real power behind mentorship. Drawing from her farm-town roots and her groundbreaking book Be the Mentor Who Mattered, Colleen Stanley shares how small acts of guidance, risk-taking, and paying attention can turn ordinary leaders and professionals into transformational figures.
Key highlights include:
- A raw exploration of how personal tragedy shaped Colleen Stanley’s mentorship mindset
- Why informal, “in-the-moment” mentor moments are more powerful than formal programs
- How technology and self-absorption threaten human connection and what to do about it
- Practical advice for leaders and aspiring mentors to foster genuine trust, resilience, and culture
- Why everyone—regardless of titles or fame—has the ability to create lasting influence
If you’re ready to learn how ordinary actions can have extraordinary impact, this is the influence conversation you can’t afford to miss.
Connect with Colleen Stanley Website LinkedIn Colleen’s latest book: Be the Mentor Who Mattered: Make a Difference. Be the Difference
Key Takeaways
- Small, in-the-moment mentor moments often matter more than formal mentoring programs.
- Anyone can be a mentor who matters, regardless of title or profile.
- Self-awareness and emotional intelligence are the foundation of trusted leadership.
- Remote work and technology are eroding human connection, so leaders need to rebuild it on purpose.
- Asking good questions is one of the simplest ways to change someone’s direction.
Show Overview
00:01 – Welcome & Setting the Stage
01:23 – Colleen Stanley’s Global Recognition
02:46 – Small-Town Upbringing & Early Mentor Moments
05:51 – The Farming Metaphor & Mentorship
06:30 – The Origin Story of “Be the Mentor Who Mattered”
09:11 – Personal Loss and Community Support
12:04 – Flipping the Script: Finding a Mentee
13:34 – Emotional Intelligence & Self-Awareness for Leaders
15:26 – Everyone Has Value: Everyday Mentor Moments
17:48 – The Power of Asking Good Questions
21:17 – Real-world Mentor Moments Changing Lives
23:19 – Community Loss in Remote Work Era
25:01 – The Invisible Cost of Lack of Mentorship
27:17 – Trust, Stress, and the Human Side of Leadership
29:06 – Technology as the Elephant in the Room
31:26 – Presence, Multitasking, and True Teamwork
33:28 – What the Best Mentor-Leaders Do Differently
35:55 – Tough Love, Standards, and Multiplying Leadership
37:18 – Creating Cultures of Mentorship & Influence
39:55 – Rapid Fire: Mentorship, Connection, and Trust
40:08 – Where to Find Colleen Stanley & Her Work