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Give to gain: the leadership investment with the highest returns

Mentorship can change the trajectory of another’s career

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    • When you give your time, network and hard-won perspective to someone at a critical juncture in their career or life, what you receive is a multiplier, says the writer.
    • When you give your time, network and hard-won perspective to someone at a critical juncture in their career or life, what you receive is a multiplier, says the writer. PHOTO: BT FILE

    Chong Ee Rong

    Published Mon, Mar 9, 2026 · 06:17 PM

    GIVE to gain – this year’s International Women’s Day theme is far more profound than a campaign slogan.

    It is the most honest definition of mentorship I have encountered in over two decades of leading and building organisations and – perhaps most meaningfully – watching people grow into the leaders they did not yet know they could become.

    Over the years, what I have learnt, unequivocally, is that the returns on mentorship are not linear. They compound. And the case for giving generously, early and consistently is a strategic one.

    Women in businessLeadershipBusiness management

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