Building Mentorship Systems That Create Stronger Leaders With Deneen Spaniol

In This Episode A successful mentorship program isn't built by simply matching two people. It starts by identifying a problem and designing a system that helps people solve it together. In this episode, Adi Klevit interviews Deneen Spaniol, Founder and Chief Growth Strategist of Off the Block, about the systems behind effective mentorship and leadership development. Deneen shares lessons from her 35-year corporate career in logistics and supply chain, where she experienced highly process-driven environments and eventually became deeply involved in developing leadership and mentorship initiatives. Adi and Deneen explore why mentorship programs need a defined purpose before they need participants. Deneen explains her approach of starting with the problem an organization wants to solve, identifying topics that address it, and then creating cohorts where participants can safely share experiences and learn from one another. Rather than relying exclusively on a traditional senior-to-junior mentor model, peer mentorship creates opportunities for people across functions and levels to contribute knowledge and normalize shared challenges. The conversation also turns to the internal barriers that can prevent talented entrepreneurs and leaders from reaching their potential. Deneen shares her personal experience with imposter syndrome and discusses topics such as finding your voice and escaping the "likability trap." Ultimately, mentorship works best when it is intentional and structured. By creating the right process, organizations can turn individual experiences into shared learning that strengthens confidence, leadership, and long-term growth.