Why Real Mentorship Is Not About Prefabricated Paths—It's About Networks and Timing

Michael Lewis’s journey from unsure trainee to successful bond salesman was marked by serendipity and real mentorship—not from preset programs, but through organic, sometimes accidental, relationships. A chance encounter at a fundraiser introduces him to a senior director’s wife, leading not just to a job offer but to ongoing connections and sponsorship in the firm. The people who ultimately guided him didn’t fit a mold—sometimes they were managers looking for a protégé, sometimes just colleagues lending advice or a break from the chaos.

Looking back, Lewis realized that transformative mentorship wasn’t bureaucratic or showy; it relied on mutual value, shared risks, and, very often, being in the right place at the right time. The most helpful allies were those who didn’t proclaim their role, but who quietly shaped opportunities and offered guidance. In retrospect, these 'jungle guides' helped not just by providing information, but by offering access to vital networks and a sense of safety in alien environments.

Organizational psychology confirms that true mentorship typically arises informally through shared tasks, honest conversations, and practical exchanges. The keys: curiosity, collaboration, and openness to the chance paths that unpredictable networks can create.

Pause and make a short list of people near you—across clubs, years, or roles—whose guidance or experience connects with skills or knowledge you wish you had. Reach out to one or two by offering a favor or honest thanks, or by asking a practical question about their journey (not just their rank). Stay attuned to the possibility that your biggest break could come through a side conversation, a shared commitment, or an unexpected act of support. Keep your routines loose enough to welcome the lucky mentor, and remember—sometimes the guide you need isn’t the most obvious one.