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Most accounting firms don’t have a skills problem. What they actually have is a leadership pipeline problem. As partners retire and client demands evolve, many firms are left scrambling to fill gaps with staff who haven’t had the chance to grow into bigger roles. Mentorship offers a clear, practical way to build leadership capacity from within. When done intentionally, excellent mentorship helps teams move faster, delegate smarter, and lead with confidence.
Younger professionals entering the field aren’t just looking for jobs; they’re also looking for growth. According to Deloitte’s 2025 Gen Z and Millennial Survey, purpose, mentorship, and development rank high on their list of priorities. In firms where those are missing, turnover climbs and morale dips.
Mentorship helps fill those gaps when it's baked into daily operations, not left to chance.
Here’s what it can do for your firm:
Like what was stated above, a strong mentorship program doesn’t rely on chance conversations or occasional lunches. Instead, it should be a system with purpose, designed to build leadership capacity through everyday practice.
Here’s how to build a program that actually works, and where it fits into daily operations:
Start with intentional pairing:
Match people based on career goals and current skill gaps. For example, if a junior team member wants to lead client calls, pair them with someone who regularly runs reviews, not just whoever’s available.
Set clear goals:
Mentorship should lead somewhere. Is the mentee preparing for a promotion? Improving time review accuracy? Define 1-2 goals they can work toward over 3-6 months.
Keep check-ins regular and focused:
Even 30-minute monthly sessions can make a difference, especially when they center on real scenarios like managing a review cycle or handling a tough client call.
Encourage two-way learning:
Mentors can learn from mentees, too, especially around new tech, client platforms, or workflow shortcuts. Make space for mutual growth.
With structure and relevance, mentorship becomes more than just a program; it becomes a core part of how your firm builds its next leaders.
How then, as leaders, can we contribute to establishing such a system? It starts with treating mentorship as part of the job, not an extra task. When firm leaders actively support and model mentorship, it becomes a standard for everyone.
Set the tone:
Mentorship should be a leadership priority. For example, include mentorship progress in team meetings or firm-wide updates. Let your staff hear you talk about who you're mentoring and what they’re working on.
Lead by example:
Partners and senior staff should each take on at least one mentee. That could mean walking a staff member through client file reviews or coaching someone through their first audit planning meeting.
Make space, even during busy times:
During peak periods, mentorship can take a backseat, unless you make space for it. Short, purposeful sessions tied to real client work (like reviewing risk flags or debriefing after an engagement) keep momentum going. These are precious nuggets of time that can produce some long-lasting impact.
Reward and recognize effort:
Publicly acknowledge both mentors and mentees. Feature them in internal newsletters or Slack shoutouts. You could even tie mentorship to performance reviews, showing that leadership development matters just as much as billables!
Always keep this in mind: when leaders normalize mentorship in their own day-to-day, it sends a clear message: developing people is part of how this firm succeeds and how we prepare for what’s next.
Mentorship delivers results you can measure across the firm. Junior staff sharpen their skills quicker when paired with someone who can walk them through client files, review comments, or prep workpapers. Promotion candidates become easier to identify and better prepared to step into new roles. Team collaboration improves as relationships grow beyond task-based interactions. Over time, the firm builds a strong leadership bench, shaped by shared values and hands-on experience. These are outcomes that support both daily operations and long-term stability.
Strong firms grow from the inside out. Building leaders doesn’t happen overnight, but the work starts with one conversation, one mentor, one clear next step. Take time this quarter to review how your team supports mentorship then act on it. Who in your firm are you helping step into leadership? For tools that support smarter, faster collaboration, visit Client Hub.
