Starting a new job can feel like being thrown into the deep end without a life vest. Without someone to guide them, many employees flounder. In fact, 56% of employees report having no structured onboarding process (G2, 2024), which means a lot of people feel lost from day one. Mentoring is more than a feel-good practice, it has serious results. Mentees are 5x more likely to be promoted and 20% more likely to stay with their employer (PushFar, 2024).
A strong mentor helps new hires avoid rookie mistakes, build their confidence, and find their groove faster. With steady guidance, you’re not only building a relationship but also setting up a foundation for growth that keeps people engaged and motivated.
1. Goal Clarity: Show Them What Success Looks Like
One of the most powerful ways to help mentees stay focused and motivated is by setting goals that feel personal and meaningful to them. 70% of employees report higher motivation at work when their manager understands their goals (SHRM, 2023). When mentees feel like someone genuinely “gets” where they want to go, they’re far more likely to invest themselves in the work, stick around, and aim for growth.
Ways to Define Success Together:
- Ask Real Questions: Skip the generic “What are your goals?” Instead, go for questions that reveal their ambitions and values, like “What’s something you want to be known for here?” or “What excites you most about this role?” These questions dig deeper and help you uncover what they want to get out of the experience.
- Hold Quarterly Career Check-Ins: The yearly review is not enough. By scheduling quick, quarterly check-ins focused on career goals, you keep their vision clear and ensure you’re on the same page. These sessions can even serve as a chance to troubleshoot challenges and refine their path. Mentees who frequently discuss their goals with mentors are 25% more likely to achieve them (McCarthy Mentoring, 2023).
- Create a Roadmap Together: Sit down with your mentee and sketch out a 3, 6, or 12-month roadmap based on their goals. This gives them a clear sense of where they’re headed and helps you track progress.
- Align Goals with Company Vision: Tie their personal goals to broader team or company objectives. If they can see how their goals contribute to the bigger picture, it’ll give them even more motivation to pursue them.
Action Step: Next time you meet with your mentee, ask a goal-oriented question that digs beneath the surface. You might uncover motivations and dreams you’d never expect.
2. Build Confidence Through Small Wins
While big-picture goals are essential, short-term wins help keep mentees motivated in the present. Small, achievable goals can build a real sense of progress and confidence that makes a huge difference. Mentees who set and reach small goals report 40% higher confidence (PushFar, 2024).
Creating Momentum with Short-Term Goals:
- Focus on Relevant Skills: Tie short-term goals to specific skills they can use right away. If they’re working on improving their presentation skills, set a goal to lead a small team meeting or present a project update. These quick wins can serve as confidence boosters, helping them feel like they’re progressing with each goal.
- Track the Wins: Use a shared Google Doc, a Trello board, or even a simple spreadsheet to track their achievements. This isn’t just for show, tracking wins has been shown to boost engagement for 75% of employees (Soocial, 2024). It’s a concrete reminder of how far they’ve come and can keep them motivated for the next challenge.
- Break Down Big Goals: Help them take big objectives and break them into manageable steps. For example, if their goal is to “improve public speaking,” start with smaller goals like “lead a team discussion” or “present at a team meeting” before aiming for a larger audience.
- Celebrate Each Milestone: When they reach a short-term goal, take a moment to recognize it. Whether it’s a quick congratulatory message or a coffee break together, small celebrations keep the momentum going.
- Encourage Reflection on Small Wins: After they reach a short-term goal, ask them what they learned or how they feel it contributed to their growth. This helps them connect the dots and see each small success as part of a bigger journey.
Action Step: Set a small, achievable goal with your mentee this week. When they complete it, celebrate the win and remind them of their progress.
3. Help Them Recognize Their Strengths
Most people are too close to their own work to see what they’re naturally good at, so it’s powerful when someone else points it out. Helping mentees recognize and lean into their strengths doesn’t just build confidence—it makes them more engaged and resilient. Employees who regularly use their strengths are 6x more engaged and 15% less likely to burn out (MentorcliQ, 2024).
Strategies to Highlight Strengths:
- Use Strength Assessments: Introduce tools like Clifton StrengthsFinder, which 89% of Fortune 500 companies use (PushFar, 2024). This assessment gives you both concrete language and a clear framework for discussing strengths.
- Point Out Strengths in Action: You don’t have to wait until a formal review to recognize strengths. When you see them finding creative solutions or showing empathy in a challenging conversation, mention it on the spot. These small acknowledgments can have a big impact, as mentees may not even realize these strengths themselves.
- Encourage Strength-Building Projects: Once you identify a strength, suggest projects that let them use it. If they’re a natural problem-solver, ask them to troubleshoot a recurring issue in the team.
- Check In on Their Strengths: Strengths evolve, so check in regularly to see if new strengths are emerging or if existing ones need more nurturing.
Action Step: Notice a strength your mentee shows naturally and call it out next time you see it in action. A small mention can boost their confidence and help them see what makes them unique.
4. Normalize Setbacks to Build Resilience
Resilience isn’t just a buzzword—it’s one of the most important skills for a successful career. People who embrace a growth mindset are 34% more likely to feel resilient when facing setbacks (McCarthy Mentoring, 2023). Part of effective mentoring is helping your mentee see challenges as growth opportunities, not obstacles.
Fostering Resilience:
- Get Real About Your Own Failures: Share stories about times you struggled or made mistakes, what you learned, and how it shaped your career. When mentees see that failure is part of the process, it makes setbacks less intimidating and more of a learning moment.
- Reframe Challenges as Learning Opportunities: Instead of focusing on what went wrong, encourage your mentee to view setbacks as lessons. Ask questions like “What would you do differently next time?” or “What new skill did you gain from this experience?”
- Teach Them to Take Small Risks: Resilience grows when people stretch outside their comfort zones. Encourage your mentee to try new approaches or take on a small risk, like leading a meeting or proposing a new idea.
Action Step: Encourage your mentee to take on a new task or project that stretches them a bit. Afterward, talk with them about what they learned, both from the wins and the mistakes.
5. Make Feedback a Two-Way Conversation
Consistent, constructive feedback isn’t just for the mentee’s benefit; it strengthens the entire relationship. Employees who receive regular feedback are 89% more engaged than those who don’t (Soocial, 2024). But feedback is even more effective when it’s a two-way street.
How to Foster Open Feedback:
- Be Specific: Drop the “Good job!” and go for feedback that helps them build on their strengths. If your mentee navigates a tough conversation well, say something like, “I appreciated how you stayed calm and solution-focused with that client. What strategy did you use to keep cool?” Detailed feedback makes it easier for them to grow.
- Make It Mutual: Feedback isn’t just for them, ask for some in return. Let your mentee share how you’re helping (or not helping) their progress. Mentees who feel comfortable sharing feedback with their mentors report 25% higher rapport and 18% more confidence (McCarthy Mentoring, 2023).
- Encourage Reflection on Feedback: After giving feedback, encourage them to think about it and come back with any questions or thoughts. This can lead to a deeper understanding and dialogue.
- Create an Open Environment: Let them know that constructive criticism is a two-way street, and you’re open to suggestions on how to be a better mentor.
Action Step: Next time you offer feedback, ask for some back. You’ll likely learn a lot, and it makes the mentoring relationship feel more genuine and balanced.
Final Thoughts: Make It Real
Mentorship isn’t just about onboarding new hires—it’s about building trust, nurturing growth, and creating a culture where people feel valued. Done right, mentoring can boost employee retention by 72% and increase profitability by up to 24% (Deloitte, 2022). But this only happens when mentoring goes beyond a checklist and becomes a meaningful exchange.
Here’s your challenge: Show up for your mentee in one authentic way this week. Set a meaningful goal with them, share a story of your own setbacks, or give them a confidence boost by recognizing their strengths. These small but genuine acts are what make mentoring powerful, both for you and for them.
