Keeping the Plan Alive: Following Through for Real Growth

We’ve all seen it happen—someone creates a thoughtful development plan filled with goals, steps, and deadlines… only to tuck it away and forget about it. A month later, they’re stuck, unsure of what’s next, and feeling like nothing has changed.

That’s why mentoring isn’t just about creating a great plan—it’s about keeping that plan alive. The real value of a development plan comes from what happens after it’s written.

Here’s how you can turn well-intentioned plans into real, steady progress.

Revisit, Reflect, and Refocus

A plan is a living tool, not a one-time task. To help your mentee make the most of it, build regular check-ins into your mentoring routine. These don’t need to be formal or time-consuming—but they should be intentional.

Whether you meet weekly or monthly, take time to ask:

• “How’s this goal progressing?”

• “Is anything getting in the way?”

• “Have your priorities shifted at all?”

Life and work change quickly. Revisiting goals helps your mentee adjust their plans as needed, without feeling like they’ve failed. This gives your mentee a rhythm of progress—something to look forward to and build on, week by week.

Real Example: One mentee I worked with was feeling discouraged because she hadn’t completed the “big goal” on her plan. But when we looked closer, she’d actually hit five smaller wins that were part of the process. That reflection gave her the motivation to keep going.

Help Them Course-Correct—Not Quit

Sometimes a goal that once felt clear starts to feel overwhelming or irrelevant. Instead of dropping it completely, talk about how it can evolve.

Ask:

• “What part of this still feels important to you?”

• “Is there a new way to approach it?”

• “What would success look like now?”

This keeps the momentum going, even if the destination changes. It also teaches your mentee that flexibility is a strength—not a sign of giving up.

Use Tools That Keep Progress Visible

Sometimes people don’t follow through simply because they lose track. Out of sight, out of mind. You don’t need a fancy dashboard to keep things on track. That’s why simple tools—like development worksheets, checklists, or shared progress logs—can help.

You can use:

• A shared Google Doc to track steps and updates

• A printed plan taped to their desk

• A digital calendar reminder for key milestones

At each session, you can add notes on:

• What’s been accomplished

• What’s still in progress We’ll talk about mentoring mid-level leaders through the “messy middle”—that tricky stage where confidence dips and next steps aren’t always clear. You’ll learn how to guide them through uncertainty and help them see new possibilities for growth.

• Any barriers or insights that came up

• Next steps they want to try

This running record gives your mentee a sense of progress they can actually see—and reflect on.

It doesn’t need to be fancy—it just needs to be visible. When the plan stays in front of them, the goal stays top of mind.

Mentor Tip: Include a “What I’ve Learned” column in your plan. It gives the mentee a space to reflect and track personal insights as they go.

Celebrate the Journey, Not Just the Destination

New professionals often underestimate their own progress. They focus on what’s left to do, not what they’ve already done. . If you only celebrate once they’re fully completed, your mentee may feel discouraged during the in-between phases.

Your job? Remind them of their wins. Make it a habit to pause and notice what’s working:

• Did they lead their first meeting? Celebrate.

• Did they ask for feedback for the first time? Celebrate.

• Did they revise their goal based on a new insight? Celebrate

• Did they have a tough conversation they were dreading? Mark it as progress.

• Did they ask for feedback—even if it didn’t go perfectly? That’s growth.

When you highlight these moments, you build their confidence and remind them they’re moving forward—even when it doesn’t feel like it.

Each of these steps moves them forward—and deserves recognition.

Try saying:

• “That took courage.

• “You’re showing real growth.

• “Look how far you’ve come already.”

These words of affirmation help your mentee see their progress—and believe in their own potential.

Adjust When Needed (Because Life Happens)

Sometimes the plan will need to change. Maybe a project shifts, a role evolves, or personal challenges pop up. That’s okay.

Instead of treating the plan like a contract, treat it like a compass. It should guide your mentee—not trap them.

When things change, help them reflect:

• “Is this still the right goal for now?”

• “What’s changed that we need to respond to?”

• “What support would help you keep going?”

Mentoring is a partnership. Being flexible shows your mentee that progress doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to be active.

Real Talk: One Mentee's Turning Point

One of my mentees was working on becoming more visible in meetings. Her goal was to share at least one idea during each team call. The first few weeks, she forgot. Or lost her nerve. Or said something small and dismissed it as “not a real contribution.”

But we kept talking about it. She journaled after each meeting, noting what she wanted to say and why she held back. Over time, she started speaking up more. She noticed people nodding along. Her ideas began to spark conversation.

Six months later, she was leading those same team meetings. Not because we set a perfect plan—but because we stuck with the plan, adjusted it as needed, and kept it alive.

Final Thought

Helping a mentee set a goal is just the beginning. Keeping that plan alive takes patience, check-ins, and honest conversation.

A development plan is more than a checklist—it’s a story in motion. When you help your mentee return to it regularly, reflect on their experiences, and adjust as they grow, you keep that story alive.

The reward? You help them build not just skills—but the mindset to stick with something and see it through. You give them the tools to keep moving forward, even when progress feels slow.

And when that happens, mentoring shifts from being a moment… to becoming momentum.

In our next post, we’ll talk about mentoring mid-level leaders through the “messy middle”—that tricky stage where confidence dips and next steps aren’t always clear. You’ll learn how to guide them through uncertainty and help them unlock their next level of growth.