--- title: "Three Crucial Strategies for Effective Mentoring" id: "49663" type: "post" slug: "three-crucial-strategies-for-effective-mentoring" published_at: "2020-03-19T23:08:15+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-17T03:11:07+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2020/03/19/three-crucial-strategies-for-effective-mentoring/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2020/03/19/three-crucial-strategies-for-effective-mentoring.md" excerpt: "Does your mentorship program need a reboot? Three strategies to consider." taxonomy_category: - "Career Development" taxonomy_post_tag: - "Aspiring Leader" - "AssociationsNow" - "Career Development" - "Leadership" - "mentoring" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Director" - "Manager" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Three Crucial Strategies for Effective Mentoring A strong mentoring program can lead to better employee engagement and retention. And it’s not just a pie-in-the-sky perk: [71 percent of Fortune 500 companies (opens in a new tab)](https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/workplace-loyalties-change-but-the-value-of-mentoring-doesnt/) offer mentoring programs to their employees. “Especially if you’re located in a major tech hub, mentorship as a perk is the new La Croix—except that it’s a lot more meaningful and effective in breaking silos and building a productive workforce,” said Charu Sharma, the founder and CEO of the artificial intelligence-based mentoring app NextPlay.ai, [in a column for Inc. (opens in a new tab)](https://www.inc.com/charu-sharma/how-to-build-a-mentorship-program-that-actually-works.html) Mentoring may matter even more for young women. A recent study by the University of California, Berkeley Haas School of Business found that women [gained more social capital (opens in a new tab)](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/26/smarter-living/why-mentoring-matters-how-to-get-started.html) from affiliation with a high-status mentor than their male counterparts did. Nevertheless, [a 2016 survey (opens in a new tab)](https://www.roberthalf.com/blog/the-future-of-work/benefits-of-having-a-mentor) by the staffing firm Accountemps found that while 33 percent of men had mentors, only 18 percent of women did. To make the most of your company’s program, consider the following three strategies. **Invest the time.**Experts say it’s vital that a mentor commits to a mentee’s success. “When you give advice and mentorship, the key is to follow up and see if your mentee completed the tasks and assignments and to hold them accountable to the goals that they are setting to achieve their own growth,” Juli Smith, president of The Smith Consulting Group LLC, said in [an article for ZipRecuiter (opens in a new tab)](https://www.ziprecruiter.com/blog/mentor/) . **Evolve.**[Michigan Medicine (opens in a new tab)](https://www.med.umich.edu/) doctors Vineet Chopra, Justin B. Dimick, and Sanjay Saint, writing in the *[Harvard Business Review (opens in a new tab)](https://hbr.org/2020/03/making-mentorship-a-team-effort)*, say mentees need three types of mentoring teams over time: the launch team at the beginning of a mentee’s career, a cruise team to ensure progress continues, and a boost team to help prevent the mentee’s career from plateauing. **Be real.**The last thing anyone wants is to waste time. Focus on authenticity and connection. “Sadly, many team-building exercises don’t work that well because the teams feel as though they’re just going through the paces,” according to the [Forbes Coaches Council (opens in a new tab)](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2020/02/20/14-critical-components-of-successful-team-building-activities/#6af31305114d) . “There’s not enough engagement to actually create a connection.” (ferrantraite/E+) [Jeff Hsin](https://associationsnow.com/author/jeff-hsin/) [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/jeff-hsin/) Tags: [#Aspiring Leader](https://associationsnow.com/tag/aspiring-leader/) [#Career Development](https://associationsnow.com/tag/career-development/) [#Leadership](https://associationsnow.com/tag/leadership/) [#mentoring](https://associationsnow.com/tag/mentoring/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoASAE’s The ExchangeApril 24, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/04/24/asaes-the-exchange/) - [VideoThe Adaptive Leader: Integrating Values and Strategy to Thrive Under New LeadershipDecember 15, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/12/15/the-adaptive-leader-integrating-values-and-strategy-to-thrive-under-new-leadership/) - [VideoTerin Bates, MBA, CAE, CX-PRO, Shares Her Experience at the 2026 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 18, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/08/18/terin-bates-mba-cae-cx-pro-shares-her-experience-at-the-2026-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) - [VideoChristine Diedrich Shares Her CAE JourneyApril 25, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/04/25/christine-diedrich-shares-her-cae-journey/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2020%2F03%2F19%2Fthree-crucial-strategies-for-effective-mentoring%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !