AHA! The Power of Insight in Mentoring
- Catherine Hodgson
- Jun 5
- 4 min read
One of the most exhilarating experiences you can have as a mentor is witnessing your mentee experience an insight. These moments—when someone suddenly sees a situation in a new light—are often the most powerful and transformative in any mentoring relationship.
“Insight occurs when people recognise relationships or make associations between an object and an action that can help them solve new problems”. Britannica
An insight is therefore a shift in perspective: a deeper understanding, a breakthrough, a new way of thinking. It’s as if a veil has been lifted, revealing a new path forward. Once seen, it cannot be unseen.
As a mentor, you may notice this moment in your mentee through widened eyes, a sudden “Aha!” or a burst of energy and clarity. Whether large or small, each insight has the potential to shift behaviour, unlock creativity, and foster growth.
What Happens in the Brain During Insight?
Neuroscience shows that our brains operate on well-trodden neural pathways—habits of thought we revisit frequently. When someone experiences an insight, a new neural connection is made between regions that haven’t linked up before. If this becomes a repeated way of thinking, those connections strengthen, eventually becoming the new “normal.” Insight, then, is not just a metaphor—it’s a rewiring of the brain.
Why Help Mentees Generate Their Own Insights?
You may wonder: why not just share your knowledge or advice with your mentee? Isn't that what mentoring is for?
Here’s why insight matters more than advice:
Ownership: When the mentee generates their own insight, they own it. It’s theirs.
Relevance: They understand the complexities of their issue better than anyone else.
Sustainability: Self-generated solutions are more likely to stick and be acted upon.
Engagement: Giving advice too soon can shut down their thinking. The goal is to keep their thinking alive and evolving.
How to Facilitate Insight: A Mentor’s Guide
When your mentee comes to you with a dilemma, your role is to listen, reflect, and ask questions that spark new thinking. Use the following framework to guide your conversations:
1. WHAT? – Understand the Current Reality
Start by helping your mentee explore and articulate the issue.
Questions to ask:
What have you been avoiding thinking about?
What’s keeping you awake at night?
What thinking have you done so far?
How long have you been grappling with this?
2. SO WHAT? – Explore the Implications
Help them understand why the issue matters and what’s at stake.
Questions to ask:
Why does this matter to you?
How is this affecting your work, health, relationships, or wellbeing?
What’s at risk if nothing changes?
3. DESIRED OUTCOME – Clarify What They Want
Ensure you’re both clear on what the mentee hopes to achieve from the session or situation.
Questions to ask:
Where do you want to be?
What’s your desired outcome?
What will success look like by the end of this conversation?
What’s your vision for this area?
This provides direction for the conversation and helps both of you measure progress.
4. NEW WHAT? – Harness Insight and Explore Possibilities
When you notice a shift in energy or awareness—lean into it. Insights often trigger a burst of new ideas and creative thinking.
Questions to ask:
I noticed a shift—can you tell me what just happened?
Has any of your thinking changed?
Would you like to explore ways to move this new idea forward?
What are some possible paths forward?
What else could you do?
What has worked for you in the past?
What could you do differently this time?
Use this energized moment to brainstorm freely. Make a list of ideas together. Summarize periodically to help clarify thinking.
Tip: This is a great moment to ask, “Would it be helpful if I shared a few ideas as well?”—always seek permission before giving advice.
5. NOW WHAT? – Turn Insight into Action
Insights must be followed by action to create meaningful change. Use the momentum to help your mentee build a clear plan.
Questions to ask:
What specific steps will you commit to?
If there were no limitations, what would you do?
What other actions can you take?
When will you take these steps?
What could hold you back?
How will you stay accountable?
Who can support you?
Ask them to rate their commitment (1–10). If the number is below 8, explore what’s holding them back and how to increase motivation. Prioritize actions to prevent overwhelm, and assign target dates.
Final step: Ask your mentee to summarize their action plan. This reinforces ownership and accountability.
How to Become a More Insightful Mentor
Here are three simple ways to deepen your mentoring practice:
Ask more thought-provoking questions. Go beyond surface-level advice.
Look beyond the obvious. Help your mentee challenge assumptions and uncover new possibilities.
Reframe the problem. A different angle can reveal a radically different solution.
In Summary
Insight is the spark that ignites lasting change. As a mentor, your greatest gift is not in the answers you provide, but in the questions you ask and the space you create for your mentee to think differently. When you help someone unlock a new perspective, you empower them to lead their own growth.
Let insight be your compass.
Article by Catherine Hodgson
Catherine Hodgson is the co-founder and CEO of The Hodgson Group in South Africa and SHIFT Mentoring. Hodgson joined YPO (Young Presidents’ Organization) in 2009 and served as Global Mentoring Chair for 5 years, rolling out the YPO Mentoring program to chapters around the world, developing mentoring material and launching Mentoring Masterclasses. She believes passionately in lifelong learning and has been on a personal journey of lifelong learning in the mentoring and coaching fields. She is a YPO Mentoring Facilitator, Certified Coach and Certified in Conversational Intelligence. She is author of “The Mentoring Roadmap – the ultimate guide for mentors and mentees”. Married with two daughters, she lives in Cape Town, South Africa and part of the year in Europe.
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