How To Give Back To Your Cause: Tips for Becoming a Successful Mentor

Last Updated on August 21, 2025

Give back to your cause; learn tips for becoming a successful mentor, and help others make a difference.

Deb leans back into the soft couch, stretches out her legs, and sips her coffee as Jill talks through an idea she has to change the way banks are monitored for unfair lending practices. Surprised to find herself guiding a new activist, she realizes she has gotten as much out of the mentoring relationship as Jill.

If you are a new activist like Jill, go to my post on finding a mentor to help you build your skills and make the change you want in the world. A mentor will:

• prepare you for the work
• talk through your ideas
• answer your questions
• introduce you to others who can help you
• suggest training or other resources for your development
• help you learn the informal and subtle cultural norms

This kind of personal guidance means you are more likely to be impactful and to stay longer in the cause.

For the rest of you, put yourself on the comfy couch in Deb’s place. A new activist asks for your help.

Me? A Mentor?

Stay open to the possibility of helping others, even though you may wonder what you have to offer. The first step in becoming a successful mentor is to recognize what you have to offer.

Deb’s first reaction to Jill’s request for help was to discount her abilities. She is still learning about her cause, so how could she help others?  Reflecting on her skills helped Deb realize that she has many areas where she can be a resource.

Don’t listen to your inner critic about why you shouldn’t be a mentor. Perhaps you haven’t thought of yourself as a resource, but you may have precisely the right information for someone new to a cause.

Tips for Becoming a Successful Mentor

As with anything important, do your groundwork. My tips for becoming a successful mentor? Ask yourself these important questions.

What’s in it for me?

When I was researching activism, I learned that effective activists are clear about what motivates them, and they make sure that is part of their activism. Being motivated means they are more effective and stay longer in the work.

Take time to understand what factors will motivate you as a mentor. Step 3: What’s in it for you?

To get inspired, watch this short video from Mentoring.org: “Because You Mentored Me.

Do I have the right skills?

Probably, but it depends. The skills you need will vary with what the activist needs. One step in the process is to have a discussion and make sure there is a match. But, in general, here are some of the skills and knowledge a good mentor brings:

• Skills in the cause. Your go-to skills in your activism work.
• Knowledge of the cause. Perhaps you know who does what and how things work in the cause.
• Listening. Being able to attend and encourage discussion.
• Giving feedback. Providing guidance the activist can put to use.
• Encouragement. Being able to empower an activist to use their skills in new areas.
• Creativity. Help the activist explore their options.
• Cultural Competence. Understand different perspectives, approaches, and backgrounds.

How do I find an activist to mentor?

If you want to be a mentor, tell people. As you go about your day, be open to opportunities to help other activists. Also, do not limit your search to people within your cause. If you have specific skills, consider mentoring someone outside your cause. You may gain inspiration and ideas from helping them.

If someone contacts you, that’s great. Respond to requests for help. Be open to the possibility of mentoring.

Tips for Becoming a Successful Mentor: Getting the Relationship Started

Don’t say yes immediately. Establish a relationship first before you jump in.

Can you help this person? Answering that question involves understanding your interests and skills and asking the activist to do the same. You can find resources to assess your skills in my post What are your gifts?

Jill needed help from someone with a background in banking and she knew Deb, who was in the same exercise class, had years of experience in the industry. Jill took time to understand other areas that might need development, too.

Deb decided to inventory what she could offer Jill. Her skills and knowledge were more extensive than she realized. For example, Deb is the go-to person for analyzing data in her office, a skill that can help Jill in her activism work.

After a period of getting to know each other, you’ll recognize whether this is the right match. You may not be the right mentor, but perhaps help them find the person who can assist them in reaching their goals.

In the first meeting

Your first meeting is the time to set the stage for the mentoring. Make sure to talk about:

• your expectations about the mentoring relationship,
• the mentee’s needs and action plans for development,
• commitment levels to the relationship, and
• when the mentoring will end. Most mentoring relationships come to an end when the activist can no longer gain value from the mentor.

Regular meetings

Successful mentoring requires a thorough investment of thought, energy and time. Make your time with your mentee meaningful.

Talk about goals and what matters to each of you.

Ask questions such as:

• How can I help?
• What is your next step?
• Do you have ideas for how to develop your skills?
• What training opportunities might help you?
• What connections have you made with others?

For Deb and Jill, their regular meetings are fun and inspiring. They laugh a lot but mostly take turns listening intently and learning from one another.

Giving feedback

Sometimes the best gift you can give an activist is feedback. Within the trust of the mentoring relationship, you have a unique opportunity to help develop the activist. Since she knows you are there to help, she can be more open about accepting where she can improve. As her mentor, think of yourself as her biggest fan. Help her set goals and give her feedback that leads to improved performance.

How to know if you are making an impact 

Giving feedback to your mentee will help her develop, but take it one step further and make sure she is comfortable giving you feedback. Ask her if she is getting feedback that works for her. After all, the relationship is a two-way street, and with feedback flowing both ways, both of you will grow.

I hope these tips for becoming a successful mentor help you develop other activists and enjoy great satisfaction.

Over time, Jill went from mentee to colleague and Deb started mentoring Jamal, who wants to improve opportunities for affordable housing. Deb’s relationship with Jamal is different than with Jill, but she feels the same satisfaction as she helps him develop.

Don’t dither on this: the one thing almost every mentor eventually winds up saying is that they feel they got more out of the relationship than the person they were “helping” – Hillary Rettig, author of The Lifelong Activist

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