Share. Learn.

Grow. Mentor.
A How-to Guide From the
AICPA Women’s Initiatives
Executive Committee

1 | How-to Guide: Share. Learn. Grow. Mentor.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Mentor vs. Coach vs. Sponsor . . . . . . . . . 2

Why Start a Mentoring Program? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Key First Steps: Timing, Preparation and

Accountability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Roles and Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Establishing the Relationship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Conclusion: Let the Mentoring Begin! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
A: Mentoring Agreement Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
B: Six-Month Review Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
C: 12-Month Review Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

How-to Guide: Share. Learn. Grow. Mentor. | 1

Introduction
The information in this how-to guide will help in setting up and launching a
mentoring program. It is also useful for the individual who wishes to identify
and establish a relationship with a mentor.

Mentor vs. Coach vs. Sponsor

Mentor: “Talks with you”

• A mentoring relationship can exist between two people or within a

group for the purpose of career development or navigating the
workplace, or a particular issue

• Often, the relationship is mutually beneficial and non-evaluative, with

all parties learning in a purposeful way through sharing knowledge and
experiences

• Mentors can be inside or outside of the mentee’s organization

Coach: “Talks to you”

• A coaching relationship often is instructional, and sometimes

evaluative, with a particular focus, such as developing skills or training
someone on a discreet task or series of tasks

• A coach is most likely a part of the same organization as the person or

group being coached

Sponsor: “Talks about you”

• In a sponsoring relationship, the sponsor has positively evaluated

the protégé and intentionally helps him/her gain visibility for particular
assignments, promotions or positions, usually in a career or
opportunity-related situation

• A sponsor is almost always a part of the protégé’s organization,

because by definition, the sponsor uses his/her organizational
influence for the protégé’s benefit

Mentoring is best defined by comparing and contrasting it with coaching and

sponsorship; all three arrangements can be incredibly helpful contributors to
career development.

2 | How-to Guide: Share. Learn. Grow. Mentor.

Why Start a Mentoring Program?

Mentors are a powerful force for developing employees and the organization.
A mentor’s role can vary from helping new hires feel welcome to building staff
loyalty and increasing employee retention. Sharing knowledge and expertise is
vital to building a connected, communicative workplace — and mentoring can
help accounting firms of all sizes do just that. In essence, an organization can
empower its staff via the learning and growth opportunities mentoring provides.

Mentoring is also important to career achievement. A mentor can help establish

a career plan, offer insight and advice about potential challenges, and serve
as a sounding board for ideas and career-related decisions. In fact, Catalyst,
a not-for-profit organization helping women succeed in business, reports that
lack of mentoring is a barrier to advancement.

You’ll find that establishing a mentoring program can be relatively easy — and
more than worth the time spent in terms of employee satisfaction and retention,
and your organization’s success.

Forms of Mentoring
• One-on-one in a peer-to-peer or senior-to-junior relationship

• Network or group

• Short-term and issue-focused or more long-term in nature

This guide focuses on one-on-one mentoring, but you should select the form that
suits your needs.

How-to Guide: Share. Learn. Grow. Mentor. | 3

 Key First Steps
Timing, Preparation and Accountability

When should employees be introduced to your mentoring program?

Some organizations immediately provide mentors to new staff members,
while others use a mentoring program to encourage select, high-potential
individuals at various career milestones.

Whatever the timing, mentoring programs tell your staff that their careers are
important to the organization — and their success helps your firm succeed.

When you’re ready to start a mentoring program, it’s important to:

• Be clear about objectives and expected outcomes

• Get buy-in from management

• Explain and market the benefits of the mentoring program

• Determine how mentors and mentees will be matched: One-on-one?

Group?

• Establish a timeframe for periodic review (suggested: at six months

and one year)

Depending on your objectives, accountability for meeting them could be

really critical to the program’s success. Of course, each of these tasks
involves research and preparation, as well as support from colleagues and
management. This how-to guide will assist you as you launch your mentoring
program (there are ready-to-use forms and checklists, too).

4 | How-to Guide: Share. Learn. Grow. Mentor.

Roles and Responsibilities
Mentor

A mentor motivates his or her mentee to do their best work and make
decisions that will bring career and personal happiness. A mentor asks
thought-provoking questions, identifies political relationships, assimilates
the mentee into the corporate culture and assists them in developing
short- and long-term goals.

The mentor benefits from this relationship in the form of personal satisfaction,
thanks to being able to give back to the organization; a legacy of knowledge,
insight and experience; and enhanced visibility and prestige. The mentor
also gains new perspective and insight from the mentee’s viewpoints and
experiences.

A mentor should have …

• Contextual experience related to the mentee

• More experience than the mentee

• A desire to help the mentee as well as the organization

• Ability to help the mentee set and attain goals

A mentor should provide …

• Vision, insight and encouragement

• A safe environment for taking risks

• Agreed-upon commitment of time

How-to Guide: Share. Learn. Grow. Mentor. | 5

 Mentee

A mentee seeks constructive feedback as well as encouragement, has a strong

commitment to professional growth and the ambition to succeed. In recognition
of the time and effort a mentor must put into establishing a relationship and
providing support, a mentee is willing to take the initiative to ask questions, seek
learning opportunities and listen to constructive feedback.

The mentee benefits from this relationship via personalized education, training
and counsel; increased visibility and opportunities for advancement in the
organization; and a greater awareness of career and personal capabilities and
possibilities.

A mentee should have …

• Desire to learn, grow and succeed

• Awareness of personal responsibility and goals

• Ability to listen and follow through with directions

A mentee should be willing to …

• Assess his or her individual needs

• Take initiative in skill and career development

• Participate in the mentoring relationship

• Develop and utilize the skills of professionalism

6 | How-to Guide: Share. Learn. Grow. Mentor.

Establishing the Relationship
Mentor

Before the mentor’s first one-on-one meeting with the mentee, it’s important
to consider intentions and expectations for the relationship.

To prepare for the first meeting, a mentor should …

• Summarize goals and expectations for the mentoring partnership

• List two to three topics to discuss with the mentee

• Consider the logistics of monthly meetings

Then, a mentor should interview his or her mentee.

Questions might include …

• Tell me about your background and experience.

• What gives you the most satisfaction? Frustration?

• How do you like to spend your free time?

• Who do you admire the most or find the most interesting? Why?

• How do you use your skills on the job?

• Which skills do you want to develop? How can I help?

• What attracted you to this program?

• How often would you like to connect?

• Six months from now, how would you like to have grown as a result of this
mentoring relationship?

• What one thing can I do to ensure a positive experience for you?

• What should I expect from you?

How-to Guide: Share. Learn. Grow. Mentor. | 7

 Mentee

Often, mentees must take the initiative in seeking out a mentor by signing up
for a formal program at work or identifying a mentor through networking efforts.

Looking for a Mentor

When networking, a potential protégé should …

• Consider goals and expectations for the mentoring partnership

• Be specific and reciprocal when making connections, asking for or offering

assistance, etc.

• Consider the logistics and frequency of meetings

• Reach out to people inside and outside the organization

• Prepare talking points for introductory phone calls

The First Meeting — and Beyond

Questions for the first meeting with a potential mentor might include ...

• Have you had past successes in mentoring individuals?

• I’m seeking [specify] skills for my professional development. Can you

help me attain them?

• What expectations do you generally have of the people you mentor?

• How much time can you offer?

• How can I plan for our first meeting?

Tips for Finding a Mentor

• Choose someone you respect • Conduct an exploratory interview
and admire before making a commitment

• Do not let geographical • Clarify expectations regarding

boundaries limit your choice; roles, goals, time, confidentiality, etc.
video conference or phone
mentoring can be just as • Choose someone other than the
effective boss to whom you directly report

8 | How-to Guide: Share. Learn. Grow. Mentor.

The informational interview should result in the following
outcomes:

• A decision. Do you want to enter into a mentoring partnership with

this person?

• An answer. Does this person have the knowledge to help you define
your goals and turn them into reality?

Tips for Successful Mentoring

• Establish boundaries and • Maintain records of activities
maintain professional behavior and career growth

• Don’t stereotype, generalize, • Keep supervisors informed

or assume your mentor or
mentee will not understand your • M eet regularly, but be flexible
perspective

Conclusion
Let the Mentoring Begin!

By its very nature, mentoring is rewarding and valuable for the mentor
and mentee as well as their employers. The sharing of knowledge,
expertise and insight helps to create more motivated and accomplished
businesspeople.

We hope you’ll find the information in this how-to guide helpful in setting
up and launching a mentoring program. And remember, while creating
a mentoring program does require planning and some initial effort, your
organization will reap the rewards for years to come.

How-to Guide: Share. Learn. Grow. Mentor. | 9

 Appendix A

Mentoring Agreement Form

Mentor name (print)
Mentee name (print)

We are voluntarily entering into a mentoring partnership, which we expect

to benefit the mentor, mentee and (name of organization)

We want this to be a productive and rewarding experience, with most of our

time spent in collaborative development activities. To minimize the possibility
of confusion, we have agreed to the following:

Confidentiality

Duration of the mentoring partnership

Frequency of the meetings

Approximate amount of time to be invested by the mentor

Specific role of the mentor

Estimated ending date of partnership

Objectives and additional points

We have discussed the mentoring experience as a further developmental

opportunity and its relationship to the policies of (name of organization).

We have created a detailed individual development plan, to be maintained

by the mentee.

We agree to a no-fault conclusion of this partnership if, for any reason,

it seems appropriate.

Mentor signature Date

Mentee signature Date

This form is an agreement between the mentor and the mentee. It may be added to your
performance appraisal.

10 | How-to Guide: Share. Learn. Grow. Mentor.

Appendix B

Six-Month Review Form Date:

Mentor name (print)

Mentee name (print)

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 indicating “strongly agree” and 1 indicating “strongly

disagree,” please indicate your degree of satisfaction with the following aspects
of your mentoring relationship.

Description Rating 1–5

1 2 3 4 5
Mentoring partnership is working well

1 2 3 4 5
Meetings have been held regularly and on schedule

1 2 3 4 5
Appropriate amount of time has been devoted to program

Personal and professional development issues have been 1 2 3 4 5

established

1 2 3 4 5
Clear goals and objectives have been set

1 2 3 4 5
Trust and confidentiality have been established

1 2 3 4 5
Mentor/mentee listens well and is responsive

1 2 3 4 5
Progress has been observed in areas chosen for development

Barriers encountered during mentoring process have been 1 2 3 4 5

resolved

Topics to be discussed over the next six months have been 1 2 3 4 5

defined

1 2 3 4 5
Program is meeting expectations

1 2 3 4 5
Mentoring relationship should continue

Additional comments:

How-to Guide: Share. Learn. Grow. Mentor. | 11

 Appendix C

12-Month Review Form Date:

Mentor name (print)

Mentee name (print)

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 indicating “strongly agree” and 1 indicating “strongly

disagree,” please indicate your degree of satisfaction with the following aspects
of your mentoring relationship.

Description Rating 1–5

1 2 3 4 5
Program met my expectations

1 2 3 4 5
Developmental goals and objectives were accomplished

1 2 3 4 5
Meetings were held regularly throughout the year

1 2 3 4 5
Topics defined for discussion were covered during the program

1 2 3 4 5
Allowed to devote the time necessary to the program

1 2 3 4 5
Learned a great deal from mentor/protégé

Mentoring will continue on an informal basis at official end 1 2 3 4 5

of program

1 2 3 4 5
Program should be utilized by colleagues

1 2 3 4 5
Program was worthwhile

Additional comments:

12 | How-to Guide: Share. Learn. Grow. Mentor.

The AICPA, through its Women’s Initiatives Executive
Committee, is dedicated to maximizing the talent of
its members by providing resources like this guide.
For more information on career development initiatives
and resources, visit aicpa.org/PCPS/WI

Have questions or suggestions? Email us at womensinitiatives@aicpa.org.

This publication may be freely reproduced and distributed for intra-firm and client service purposes,
provided that the reproduced material is not in any way offered for sale or profit.

© 2015 American Institute of CPAs. All rights reserved. 18607-386

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