Anna Lesko on How Being a Mentee Made Her a Better Mentor

How joining as a mentee to improve mentoring skills led to unexpected insights about worthiness, common ground, and the power of diverse perspectives within gaming.

The best mentors are those who first humble themselves to learn. Anna Lesko, Director of Hotel Operations for Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races, entered the Global Gaming Women mentorship program with an unusual goal: to become a mentee so she could become a better mentor. What she discovered was far more valuable than technique—it was a new understanding of her own worth and the universal challenges that connect us across different sectors of the gaming industry.

A Reverse Approach to Mentorship

While most people join mentorship programs to advance their own careers, Anna had a different motivation. Despite having mentored others before, she felt uncertain about her impact and effectiveness.

"I signed up to be a mentee only, with my main goal to become a better mentor," Anna explains. "I've been a mentor before, but I was always a little unsure of what I should do or how I could positively impact the people I mentored. So I wanted to get some practice working with different mentors to be able to provide a better experience for people that I mentor in the future."

This reverse-engineering approach to mentorship development represents a refreshing level of self-awareness and commitment to continuous improvement that sets exceptional leaders apart.

Finding Common Ground Across Gaming Sectors

One of Anna's most significant discoveries came through exposure to different areas within the gaming industry. As someone rooted in casino-hotel operations, she was paired with mentors from HR and slot development—seemingly different worlds within the same industry.

"I really enjoyed talking to people in different fields and finding the common ground we share," she reflects. "It was great to share stories and see the common challenges we all face. And then it was great to hear their different approaches to solving common challenges."

This cross-pollination of ideas within the gaming ecosystem proved invaluable. Anna experienced multiple "aha moments" when she realized how solutions from other gaming sectors could translate directly to her hotel operations world.

"I don't remember the specifics, but I remember thinking 'oh yeah, I could use that approach in my world too'," she says, highlighting how innovation often comes from connecting dots across different but related fields.

The Power of Follow-Through

When asked about the qualities that made the biggest impact, Anna's answer was refreshingly practical: follow-through.

"Being committed to the time we had together," she emphasizes. In a world full of networking events and surface-level connections, the simple act of showing up consistently and honoring commitments created the foundation for meaningful exchange.

This insight speaks to a fundamental truth about effective mentorship: technique matters less than genuine commitment and respect for the relationship.

Overcoming the Worthiness Challenge

Perhaps Anna's most profound transformation was internal. The program helped her overcome a common but rarely discussed barrier to effective mentoring: imposter syndrome.

"I think my biggest challenge was that I didn't feel worthy of being a mentor to somebody—like I didn't have anything valuable to share," Anna admits. "So speaking to people who have common experiences made me feel better about myself and what I can contribute to a mentor/mentee relationship moving forward."

This revelation highlights how mentorship programs benefit not just through knowledge transfer, but by helping experienced professionals recognize and value their own expertise. Sometimes we need to see our challenges reflected in others' experiences to understand that our solutions and perspectives do indeed have value.

Strategic Networking: The Foundation for Growth

Anna's approach to professional development centered on something many overlooked: intentional relationship building. Her top recommendation wasn't a book or tool, but rather to "develop a network of people that you can go to for help, provide help to, or just have to talk to."

This philosophy underpinned her entire mentorship experience and speaks to a mature understanding of how careers truly advance—through genuine relationships and mutual support rather than individual achievement alone.

Her Advice: Come with Purpose

Anna's guidance for future participants was both encouraging and practical: "I think it's a great opportunity to meet and learn from people who may work in different parts of the gaming industry. My advice, though, is to go into it with a goal or a reason—not just to do it. Have a goal and then be willing to put work in on your end as well to make the relationship successful."

This counsel reflected her own intentional approach and emphasized the collaborative nature of effective mentorship. Success required active participation from both sides, with clear objectives guiding the journey.

The Ripple Effect of Humble Leadership

Anna's story demonstrated that the most impactful leaders are often those who remain students. By choosing to learn how to mentor better, she not only improved her own capabilities but also gained insights that would benefit countless future mentees.

Her experience showed how the gaming industry's diverse sectors—from hotel operations to slot development to HR—share more common ground than might be apparent. When professionals from these different areas connected with purpose and follow-through, innovation and growth naturally followed.

More importantly, Anna's journey illustrated how mentorship programs could help experienced professionals overcome the worthiness barriers that prevented them from sharing their valuable expertise. Sometimes the most transformational aspect of mentorship wasn't learning new skills—it was recognizing the value of what you already knew.