A new generation is stepping into the workforce under pressure and under-observed.

In this reflection, I share an early career memory that shaped how I think about mentorship, and why it matters more than ever in today’s disconnected workplace. Leadership isn’t just what you know. It’s how you show up when someone knocks. 

Commencement. 

We’re in the season of caps, gowns, and commencement speeches, when thousands of new grads step into the workforce with hopes and nerves in equal measure. 
 
It’s one of the most exciting and most stressful transitions of their lives. 
On top of that, the job market is shaky, expectations are shifting, and these new professionals are navigating AI dos and don’ts, hybrid work, unclear career paths, and benefit plans for the first time, all while simply trying to prove they belong. 
 
It’s overwhelming, and it’s only the beginning. 
 
And if there’s one thing I learned early in my career, it’s this: 
High pressure reveals a lot, but so does how you treat the people under it. 
 
Fresh out of college with a communications degree, I found myself deep in the world of Investor Relations. I was writing earnings releases, joining analyst calls, and translating financial reports for a Fortune 500 company. I was barely confident in my storytelling skills and completely overcome by anything in a spreadsheet. 
 
During quarter-end, which is DEFCON 1 for anyone near the earnings process, I found myself knocking on the door of Doug Miller, our Controller. The pressure on him was immense. He could’ve dismissed me. He could’ve barked. 
 
But he didn’t. He paused. Listened. Helped. 
 
Doug was no-nonsense and all business. But between the stress were moments of humor and quiet reassurance. I knocked on his door often over 20 earnings seasons. He taught me the mechanics of financials, but more importantly, he modeled patience, generosity, and respect. 
 
He didn’t gatekeep knowledge. He opened the door. 
And it got me thinking... 
 
Today, those doors are harder to knock on. Slack pings, Teams chats, and email threads have replaced the casual ask. Many early-career professionals are left to interpret tone, urgency, or silence without the benefit of context. 
 
Are they misreading our stress in an uncertain market as disapproval of their performance? 
Are they floating in corporate waters without someone to help them steer? 
 
Even if you're back five days a week, chances are you’re working alongside colleagues with three to five years of experience who’ve never had the kind of real-time mentorship that in-person work can provide. Now they’re expected to guide the next wave of talent. That’s a population that needs our approach more than ever. 
 
As this new generation steps forward, let’s meet them with the kind of leadership we wish we’d had. Or, if we were lucky, the kind we’ll never forget.