Empowering Growth: The Impact of Mentorship at Cintas
Today is International Mentoring Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about the global impact of mentoring and promoting a worldwide understanding of the mentoring movement.
At Cintas, mentoring is a crucial component of our corporate development strategy. We are committed to enriching and expanding the professional lives of our employee-partners.
Anyone at Cintas, regardless of job title, tenure, or career aspirations, can take advantage of mentoring opportunities. Mentor-mentee relationships are established to support the mentee's professional goals, and great care is taken when creating these relationships.
We spoke with several Cintas mentors who shared their perspectives on being a mentor, the benefits of these relationships, and other important aspects of mentorship. Check out their insights below:
Kate Roettgers, Group Vice President of the Central Group at Cintas
Can you share your journey to becoming a mentor?
I have been fortunate to have many influential mentors throughout my career. I have leaned into mentoring relationships to gain valuable insights and access to leaders I admire and aspire to emulate. These mentors have challenged me to lean into uncomfortable and difficult assignments to expand my skills, build my confidence, and unlock my full potential, which I couldn’t see originally on my own. They have also provided coaching and direction as I have navigated challenging situations, difficult decisions and career advancement opportunities. The benefits I have gained through mentoring relationships inspired me to become a mentor so that I can give back those same benefits to our employee-partners, as well as build value and develop talent for our organization.
What do you believe are the most important qualities of a good mentor?
A good mentor's most important qualities are emotional intelligence, active listening skills, empathy and compassion to create relatability, and interpersonal skills, which are knowing how and when to inspire and motivate personal and professional growth. Combining those traits with the willingness to devote time, effort and energy to employee-partner development is a winning combination for a successful and impactful mentor.
Can you describe a particularly memorable or rewarding experience you've had as a mentor?
The most rewarding experiences for me as a mentor are three-fold: (1) identifying and exemplifying unique strengths and skillsets, (2) building advocacy and (3) career advancement.
One of my favorite mentoring exercises is identifying skillsets where employee-partners are uniquely exceptional and then working alongside them to exemplify those strengths and articulate their impact compellingly. This exercise assists employee-partners in developing an elevator pitch to communicate their individualized brand and impact.
Developing a strategic approach to building advocacy is one of the most critical components of a mentoring relationship. It is rewarding to assist a mentee in identifying the most impactful WHO to build advocacy with and HOW to strategically build advocacy in a way that matches their personality and will create the best influence in their career.
The most fulfilling part of being a mentor is experiencing an employee-partner’s career advancement opportunities coming to fruition. Some of the most rewarding moments in my career are observing an employee-partner achieving their professional goals – selling a significant deal, achieving the highest level of recognition, earning a promotion, and gaining a title they have sought after their whole career. But the most memorable part of this experience is seeing how it ultimately allows them to achieve their personal goals – a sense of pride, expand their family, purchase their dream home, pursue their favorite hobby, take the trip of a lifetime, give back to their favorite cause, retire earlier than planned – watching employee-partners live the life they have dreamed of is inspiring and incredibly rewarding!
What do you think are the long-term benefits of mentorship for both mentors and mentees?
The long-term benefits of mentorship include:
- Creating a culture where employee-partner development is at the forefront of our strategy
- Continually investing in skillset development and personal and professional growth of our employee-partners
- Inspiring an open-door mindset of executive/employee-partner interaction
- Building long-term, mutually beneficial relationships throughout the organization
- Commitment to talent development that allows us to achieve our principal objective of exceeding our customers’ expectations and maximizing the long-term value of Cintas for its shareholders and working employee-partners
What advice would you give to someone considering becoming a mentor or wanting to be a mentee?
I emphatically encourage our employee-partners to take the initiative to establish strategic, long-lasting mentoring relationships. However, mentorships will not provide benefits without proper prioritization, time investment, and strategic plans. Simply asking someone to be a mentor and scheduling a recurring meeting with no substance or strategic plan will not produce the desired benefits. When establishing a mentoring relationship, be strategic upfront to confirm the mutual benefits of the partnership, outline structured objectives for each interaction, define the next steps in each meeting, and create a plan to achieve desired outcomes. While there are certainly benefits to structured and unstructured mentorships, a deliberate and strategic approach to mentorship will produce the most beneficial and meaningful partnerships.
Craig Jackson, Director of Supplier Diversity at Cintas
What do you believe are the most important qualities of a good mentor?
Like most relationships, one of the most important qualities is being a good listener. I believe that a good mentor is a sounding board for their mentees. Through active listening, a mentor can help guide the mentee through every situation that they face.
How has mentoring impacted your own personal and professional growth?
The "secret sauce" of mentoring is the mentor gets as much (or more) out of the relationship as the mentee. For example, one of my mentees is a former Management Trainee (MT) who is enthusiastic about Cintas and our culture; it's infectious! For me, the mentoring relationship is a way to ensure that Cintas' culture continues to remain strong and vibrant.
How do you approach building trust and rapport with your mentees?
I spend a lot of our early conversations talking about our personal lives. I think people are more apt to share if they feel like the mentor cares about them personally. Later, we get into the career development aspect, but first, I want them to see me. I want them to know that I care about them as a person AND a Cintas employee-partner.
Why is it important Cintas has a mentorship program?
I think mentoring as a formal program is vital to Cintas' growth. Mentoring helps develop more productive employee-partners. Our goal to double the size of the company won't come from doubling the size of the people in the organization. It will come from helping existing employee-partners improve their current jobs and inspiring them to be and do more.
What advice would you give to someone considering becoming a mentor or wanting to be a mentee?
DO IT. Be bold and jump in with both feet! The company needs you and the employee-partners need you!
Jennifer Mueller, Vice President of Human Resources at Cintas
Did you have a mentor who helped you in your personal and professional growth?
Having a mentor has been a cornerstone of my professional development throughout my career. I built a trusting relationship with someone in a higher-level position early in my HR journey. This mentor offered valuable advice, was a role model, and helped me network across the organization. Through this relationship, I gained confidence and enhanced my technical and professional skills, especially in leadership. This experience inspired me to become a mentor myself.
How do you approach building trust and rapport with your mentees?
In my mentoring relationships, I prioritize the mentee’s goals and preferences. I encourage them to determine how they want to collaborate, what areas they want to focus on, and where they seek guidance. Building a foundation of trust is essential to any successful mentoring relationship. This requires both parties to be vulnerable and authentic; without these elements, the relationship risks remaining superficial.
One area I frequently work on with mentees is overcoming negative self-talk, mastering their mindset, and stepping out of their own way. A mentor in a higher-level position can offer unique insights, allowing the mentee to learn from their experiences. Mentors also provide networking opportunities and guidance on navigating a matrix organization, securing project buy-in, preparing impactful presentations, and addressing complex business challenges. These interactions help mentees grow professionally and develop the skills needed to excel in their roles.
Why is it important that Cintas has a mentorship program?
Having a structured mentorship program is crucial for Cintas. It ensures we develop the right talent for the right opportunities, support our growth, and achieve our company’s goals.
What advice would you give to someone considering becoming a mentor or wanting to be a mentee?
I strongly encourage others to become mentors. Mentoring is deeply rewarding, provides a sense of purpose, and helps cultivate the next generation of organizational leaders. I highly recommend finding a mentor for those who don’t currently have one. A mentor can significantly enhance your personal and professional growth.
Af Nasser, Vice President of Distribution and Production Planning at Cintas
Can you share your journey to becoming a mentor?
My journey to becoming a mentor began with my own experiences as a mentee. Early in my career, I learned from individuals who guided me through challenges, celebrated my growth, and encouraged me to dream bigger. That inspiration sparked a desire to pay it forward. I saw mentorship as a way to share knowledge and empower others to unlock their full potential.
What do you believe are the most important qualities of a good mentor?
A good mentor is empathetic, a great listener, and genuinely invested in the growth of their mentee. Patience and adaptability are equally important because every mentee is unique. Being able to offer guidance without judgment and creating a safe space for open dialogue is key to building a lasting mentor-mentee relationship.
Can you describe a particularly memorable or rewarding experience you’ve had as a mentor?
One of the most rewarding experiences was helping a mentee navigate a major career promotion milestone. They were uncertain about their next steps, but I saw their confidence grow through consistent conversations. When they landed their dream role, I was happy to see that I could be a part of that success. Their courage and hard work truly inspired me.
Why is it important Cintas has a mentorship program?
Cintas thrives on collaboration, leadership development, and empowering its employee-partners to excel. A mentorship program strengthens these values by fostering deeper connections across teams, helping associates navigate their career paths, and ensuring that knowledge and expertise are shared. It’s an investment in our people and, ultimately, in our company’s future.
What advice would you give to someone considering becoming a mentor or wanting to be a mentee?
For potential mentors: don’t wait until you feel “perfect” to start—you have more to offer than you realize.
For potential mentees: seek someone whose values align with yours and be open to constructive feedback. Success as a mentee starts with taking full accountability for your growth and outcomes. When you own your situation, you put yourself in control, whereas blaming others leaves you powerless and at the mercy of external factors. Accountability empowers you to take action and create opportunities instead of waiting for them.
You need to deliver bold, impactful results to truly make your mark. Focus on exceeding expectations and consistently delivering value and differentiation—this level of excellence is what gets noticed and builds credibility over time.
Mentorship is a two-way journey; the willingness to grow makes all the difference.