Michael J. DeCarlo, senior vice president of financial services at Insight Capital Solutions, approaches mentoring by focusing on both capability and confidence. He takes time to understand each person’s strengths and career aspirations before providing ongoing coaching, honest feedback and increasing responsibility, believing leaders are developed through direct, on-the-job experience.

“The most fulfilling part of being a mentor is seeing someone grow in confidence and achieve goals they once thought were out of reach,” DeCarlo says.

Nearing retirement, DeCarlo was asked to build his own succession plan and recruited a colleague from the funding team with no prior sales experience to learn alongside him. She went on to become Rookie of the Year, a three-time President’s Club recipient and a trusted partner who now runs much of his business as a trusted partner.