No professional in any industry made it to where they are fully by themselves. That’s not to question or deny their integrity, their resilience, and their ability to overcome the challenges their life and career put in front of them—far from it. It is only to recognize that the greatest individuals in every field have all benefitted from relationships with peers, friends, and especially mentors that have undeniably shaped their professional philosophy, leadership style, and career. Of these relationships, the mentor-mentee relationship is likely the most important and influential, as it bridges old wisdom with new potential to create ambitious artists, leaders, and professionals that will push the world onward to new heights.
Few understand the true value of teachers more than Priya Morioka. A successful general manager, marketer, and executive, Morioka has built businesses across consumer goods, food service, and—perhaps most importantly—communiations. Born in India and raised in an immigrant community, Morioka saw the importance of language on a first-hand basis every day in the form of cultural and language barriers that often kept people away from life-changing opportunities. She saw an opportunity to accelerate immigrant worker and community success by bridging the language gap through culturally competent language and cross-cultural services, and Co-Founded Global Language Connections (GLC) to teach people how to do just that.
With a company dedicated to teaching and mentoring others in how to navigate cultural differences, interpret other languages, and bring disparate communities together, it’s not at all surprising that Priya Morioka has a long history with mentorship herself. Mentors identified her strengths and guided her through the early stages of her career with insights that would eventually lead to the founding of Global Language Connections. Learning how to identify these things, listen with humility, and guide the decision-making process properly are all lessons Morioka passes down to her own mentees today.
“I focus on affirming that identity and culture are not barriers but strengths,” Morioka explains. “Many young professionals, especially from immigrant or underrepresented communities, hesitate to bring their full selves to the table. I encourage them to see those experiences as an asset in business, because they expand perspective and empathy. My mentoring is about pairing practical business discipline with cultural fluency—teaching how to deliver results while honoring identity.”
Establishing Trust and Building Relationships
All relationships are built on a foundation of trust, but the mentor-mentee relationship doubles down on that from both directions. The teacher must be able to trust that their wisdom and experience will be respected and listened to, while the student must be able to trust that their own goals and style won’t be consumed by the teacher’s, and that questions will be answered thoughtfully. It is a relationship that is predicated on mutual vulnerability, as that is the only way to foster true growth and learning. That requires trust.
In building these relationships, Priya Morioka starts simple: trust begins with consistency. Commitments are honored, she shows up to meetings when she says she will, she listens without judgement, holds people accountable—and expects the same will be extended toward her. However, there is much room for nuance; cultural differences will necessarily require different communication styles from person to person. A response that may feel like direct feedback in one relationship may be taken as harsh criticism in another. Morioka adjusts her tone and communication style with respect to the individual, which shows respect and strengthens the relationship in the long term.
Morioka’s mentorship style trends to the holistic, which stands in sharp contrast to the more corporate styles often seen in the modern business world. She isn’t interested in merely helping the other person navigate corporate hierarchies and building influence, she wants to mentor the “whole person.” Everything from career goals, to family, to personal wellness and values is on the table, with the goal of helping people imagine and build new and better systems, not just succeed within existing ones. This style influences the kinds of students and talent she looks for, both in potential team members and mentees.
“I see incredible drive, adaptability, and resourcefulness,” Morioka explains. “Many immigrant professionals have learned to navigate two worlds at once, which gives them unique problem-solving skills. I nurture that by connecting them to networks they may not have access to, offering real-world opportunities to stretch their skills, and reminding them that leadership is not about fitting a mold but bringing their authentic perspective forward.”
A Lifetime of Learning
Morioka is a mentor for many, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t still regularly speak with mentors of her own; part of the value of a healthy mentor-mentee relationship is in its long-term duration and mutually beneficial nature. When she’s entering a new field or is looking for a new mentor or advisor, Priya Morioka is looking first and foremost for integrity, but beyond that she’s looking for people who can combine business acumen with compassion. She learned long ago that performance cannot be separated from the people behind it, and expects that to be understood by future mentors as well. In high-growth settings, she values advisors that are decisive without being rigid, the kind of people that can ask hard questions without losing sight of the end goal.
“I stay open to learning in every interaction,” Morioka explains. “I still seek out mentors—sometimes younger leaders who bring new perspectives on technology or social change. And as a mentor, I find that teaching forces me to stay sharp and self-reflective. Growth comes from being both teacher and student, sometimes in the same conversation.”
Mentorship has been a long-term source of fulfillment for Morioka, both as a mentor and a mentee. When she faces setbacks, she recalls mentors who shared their own stories of failure and resilience to remind herself that challenges are opportunities for refinement, not definition. It helps her lead teams with empathy, especially in cross-cultural contexts where resilience may look different from setting to setting. As a mentor, she takes great pleasure in watching someone take steps and leaps they had never before believed they could.
“I’ve watched mentees launch businesses, earn promotions, and step onto boards they once thought were out of reach,” Morioka recalls. “In nonprofit spaces, it’s even more profound—mentorship can ripple beyond one individual to impact whole communities.”
