Mentors are a pillar in the commercial real estate industry. Young professionals lean on senior executives to navigate the business, foster contacts and develop a personal brand—all of which are essential to finding success in an industry with performance-based compensation. We talked to both emerging leaders and experienced veterans to get an inside look at the mentor-mentee relationship.

The Most Common Questions from Mentees

Mentors help guide rising stars on issues both big and small. Theresa Fesinstine, director of people and culture at Sage, says that mentees most commonly ask her how to speak to C-suite executives to make internal connections and grow within a firm. "I've certainly experienced this in previous organizations as a young professional where questioning or challenging an executive on a position or with a different perspective just wasn't done," Fesinstine says.

She encourages her protégés to breathe and remember that those senior executives are human, and she also advises that they practice in advance to release any pent-up nerves. "I remind them that regardless of their level of years of experience, they have a unique and valuable perspective to share, even if it is disagreeing with someone in a leadership role," she adds. In terms of practicing, she recommends using that time to work through potential problems, not to sound robotic. "Prior to sitting down for a meeting where you think your nerves might surface, role-play what you are going to say, not to the point where it sounds unnatural, but to the point where you can speak directly and confidently," she explains.