Part 1: Understand what drives your stakeholders

Before you present a proposal, get to the root of what your stakeholders care about. What metrics are they measured on? What are their biggest challenges? What’s keeping them up at night?

This leads us to Step 1:

Step 1: Diagnose before you prescribe

“You've got to understand the different groups and what will be valuable for them. Looking at the data that you have, talking to people, getting a pulse check on what their priorities might be, talking to the employees themselves, talking to leaders in those areas, talking to HR business partners. I can't stress enough how much value you get from deeply understanding the people you're trying to serve.” - Christine Silva, Talent Advisor, former leader at RBC, Catalyst, Shopify

Start with stakeholder discovery. Interview department heads, HR business partners, and potential executive sponsors to get a clear view of:

• What they’re measured on
• What’s top of mind for their teams
• How they define success

Here’s a quick walkthrough of what priorities common executive personas might care about most:

Chief Executive Officer: Business growth, culture, leadership pipeline, retention of top talent, long-term strategic alignment

Chief Financial Officer: Cost control, ROI, headcount and budget efficiency, reducing turnover-related costs

Chief People Officer: Employee engagement, DEI outcomes, internal mobility, culture and values, talent development and succession planning, retention of high-potential employees

Head of Operations: Productivity and efficiency, onboarding speed and effectiveness, process optimization, knowledge transfer across teams, workforce agility

VP of Engineering: Tech talent retention, upskilling and reskilling, innovation, team productivity

VP of Marketing: Brand reputation, cross-functional collaboration, creative innovation, employee advocacy and storytelling

Head of Product: Product innovation, cross-functional collaboration, rapid skill development, customer-centric thinking, team adaptability

VP of Customer Service: Customer satisfaction (e.g. CSAT, NPS), customer retention, frontline enablement and training, time-to-resolution and productivity, consistency of service

Sales Leader: Revenue growth, quota attainment, ramp speed for new hires, sales enablement and training, retention of top sales performers

Step 2: Listen to employees, too

You’re building a program for your people, so let their voices guide you. Use engagement surveys, pulse checks, and focus groups to surface needs, sentiment, and appetite for mentorship. 

What are they struggling with? Where do they see opportunity? Their input can illuminate gaps and guide program design.

Step 3: Clarify your own personal goals, but don’t lead with them

As an HR, L&D, or talent leader, you probably care about things like leadership readiness, DEI, retention, and engagement. Of course these are important, but they won’t carry weight unless you link them directly to stakeholder priorities.

Take a step back and reframe your objectives through the lens of business impact. For example:

• Retention supports cost-efficiency and continuity.
• Engagement supports productivity and performance.
• Diversity, inclusion, and belonging supports employee loyalty, business innovation, and customer alignment.

Aligning your goals to broader business concerns helps you shift the conversation from “HR initiative” to “strategic advantage.”

📌 READ MORE: Effective Mentorship Programs Start with Strong Goals. Here's How.

Part 2: Build a business case that sells itself

​​Now that you’ve identified what matters to your stakeholders, it’s time to put together a business case that speaks directly to those priorities. This step is about crafting the core of your pitch — not delivering it yet, but assembling the insights, metrics, and narratives that will make your proposal impossible to ignore.

You’re building the foundation for buy-in: translating HR goals into business outcomes, forecasting impact, and preparing to address skepticism with confidence.

Step 4: Align your mentorship program goals to stakeholder priorities and business objectives

“When I think about designing talent programs, I absolutely have my own objectives too as an HR practitioner. But to sell others on it, you need to describe the value from their perspective. When I talk to all different stakeholders, I put the bottom line for them on top and talk about the program from their vantage point.” -Christine Silva, Talent Advisor, former leader at RBC, Catalyst, Shopify

Reframe your program’s goals in the language of the business. If your CFO cares about cost savings, highlight reduced turnover. If your COO is focused on operational efficiency, show how mentorship builds productivity through faster onboarding and knowledge transfer. Draw clear connections between mentoring, ROI, and measurable outcomes. 

Project the impact on key KPIs like:

• Retention and cost savings: Employees in mentoring programs are 49% less likely to leave, saving an average of $3,000 per employee annually (Forbes). What could these numbers look like at your organization?
  

• Leadership readiness: Mentorship prepares high-potential talent to step into future roles.
  
  
• Engagement and mobility: Mentorship fosters deeper development conversations and helps employees grow within the organization.

📌 READ MORE: 20 Proven Benefits of Mentoring for Employees, HR Objectives, and Your Business

Step 5: Back it up with proof

Arm your pitch with a mix of data and narrative. For example: 

Mentoring benchmark statistics: 

100% of Fortune 50, 96% of Fortune 100, 90% Fortune 250, and 84% of Fortune 500companies offer mentoring programs (Forbes).

Mentoring financial impact: 

Companies with mentoring programs see profits 18% above average; those without see 45% lower (Forbes).

Internal mentorship pilot program metrics: 

If you’ve already run a pilot or limited rollout, now is the time to bring those results forward. 

Highlight participant feedback, engagement rates, or behavior change, such as increases in skills development or connection to colleagues. Even qualitative insights (e.g., quotes from participants or managers) can reinforce the value of the program when paired with early metrics. 

Mentoring case studies: 

Share real examples of how mentorship moved the needle. 

For example, we’ve seen that employees who participate in mentorship programs managed through 10KC mentorship software are 60% more likely to make internal moves, 86% report feeling more connected to colleagues and valued, 84% develop skills that help them succeed in their role, and they’re 30% more likely to stay with their organization.

Across industries, 10KC customers are using mentorship to drive measurable impact on retention, engagement, leadership development, collaboration, culture, and more. Here are just a few examples:

• Spring Health scaled their mentorship program from 42 team members to over 600 participants with 10KC and cut attrition among diverse talent in half, reducing it from 32% to 15%.

“I think the common denominator themes I’ve heard are…’I was new to Spring Health or new to management or had concerns about my bandwidth. And so, I was hesitant to join the program as a mentor, but I'm so glad I did because I was able to flex my management skills in a safe space.’ Also – ‘As a new hire, I was able to form an amazing relationship and feel like I'm giving back as a new employee at the company.’ Or, ‘Hey I thought my bandwidth would be a concern, but in reality, this was something that was very energizing and I actually have the bandwidth.’ It’s 2 hours a month. That's not that much if you really think about it, but it can really pay back in dividends! - Michelle Rojas, Associate Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Spring Health.

• PwC facilitated over 20,000 connections and hosted 170+ group events with 10KC to foster a connected culture in a hybrid environment. The result? A 78% adoption rate, 96% favorable program feedback, and 91% of connections made across cross-functional teams,  helping break down proximity and network barriers for underrepresented talent while advancing collaboration and knowledge sharing.

"The platform has really brought to life our broader vision and mission of meaningful connections at scale. The Office Hours feature allows our staff to collaborate and have discussions to share the wealth of knowledge across this organization. Whether it’s examining hot topics or using the survey feature to get feedback on various initiatives - it’s really augmented employee engagement and people connections.”- Sarah Blanchard, Director, Consulting, PwC

• Ascend Canada launched a mentorship program focused on cultivating leadership potential with 10KC. 92% of mentors reported developing critical leadership skills through the experience.

"We believe that mentorship is a two-way street—both mentors and mentees grow through the exchange of knowledge, perspectives, and experiences. The success of our Emerging Leaders program showcases how investing in mentorship not only supports the professional development of our mentees but also empowers our mentors to enhance their leadership skills, build confidence, and create meaningful connections. This program is a testament to the power of shared learning and community building.” - Andrew Kwong, Executive Vice President and Board Member, Ascend Canada

Step 6: Present a clear proposal 

Don’t make them work to say “yes.” Bring a fully packaged recommendation that includes:

• Program overview: Provide a high-level summary of what the mentorship program is, who it’s for, and what it aims to achieve. Include key details like format (1:1 mentoring, group mentoring, or peer mentoring), target audience (e.g., early talent, new managers), and duration.
  
  
• Success metrics and KPIs: Detail how you’ll measure success. Think both short-term (engagement, participation) and long-term (retention, internal mobility, promotion rates). Align these top business objectives wherever possible.
  
  
• Timeline and delivery model: Outline when the program will launch, how long it will run, and the key milestones (e.g., matching period, midpoint check-in, wrap-up). Clarify how the program will be delivered (program leads, internally managed, tech-enabled).
  
  
• Required budget and resources: Be clear about what you need to make it happen. Include budget for tools, staffing (if applicable), and program support. If you’re proposing software, include pricing options and explain the value of automation and scalability.
  
  
• Anticipated business outcomes: Summarize the high-level business impact. This should tie directly to stakeholder priorities (e.g., reducing attrition by X%, improving ramp time, increasing engagement scores, and more).

Step 7: Preempt objections with solutions

Every great proposal anticipates friction. Address common concerns proactively:

“It will take too much time.”
Mentoring engagements average just 1 hour/month — while boosting enablement and productivity.

“Managers are already stretched.”

Exactly, and that’s one of the strongest arguments for mentorship. It actually helps relieve the pressure by distributing development across the organization. Instead of placing the full burden on managers to grow their teams, mentorship empowers peers and senior leaders to share that responsibility.

With the right structure, mentoring can only take  about two hours a month — and no one’s expected to build the experience from scratch. Participants get discussion guides, program support, and clear goals so they can simply show up and contribute.

There’s also flexibility. Group mentoring, peer mentoring, or even dedicated programs designed for manager effectiveness can make development more scalable and inclusive, without putting more on their plates.

Gartner reports that 75% of HR leaders say managers are overwhelmed, and 70% say current leadership development programs aren’t preparing them for the future. Mentorship helps close that gap. It’s not just a tool for their teams. It’s a powerful, supportive development opportunity for managers themselves.

“We can’t resource a full team.”

Mentorship platforms like 10KC streamline program administration without adding headcount.

Part 3: Secure buy-in and budget

It’s time to be a deal-closer. Bring your insights and proposal to the right rooms, armed with tailored messaging for each stakeholder. 

Step 8: Meet 1:1 before presenting broadly to build individual champions

Customize decks by stakeholder and build individual champions before going to the full exec team. Tailor your message to each stakeholder. For example: 

• CFO: Focus on cost-efficiency and retention savings
  
  
• COO: Emphasize onboarding speed and cross-team collaboration
  
  
• CMO: Highlight mentorship as a tool for collaboration and inclusion
  

Step 9: Evaluate mentorship software and make a recommendation 

Don’t just pitch the “what.” Show them the “how.” 

Evaluating and recommending a mentorship platform like 10KC as part of your business case shows you’re serious about execution. With software, you can scale efficiently, track impact, and reduce administrative burden — making buy-in easier across the board.

📌READ MORE: Investing in Mentorship Software: The Business Case for Your Organization

Remember: You’re not just getting buy-in. You’re offering a solution. 

Getting executive support for mentorship isn’t a favor. It’s a strategic investment in your people and your business. When you frame your pitch around their goals, support it with compelling evidence, and show a clear path to implementation, you’re not asking for approval. You’re offering a solution to pressing business challenges.

10KC is here to help you make that solution real.

We partner with HR, L&D, and Talent leaders to build, scale, and measure high-impact mentorship and talent development programs. Through guided cohort-based pathways, peer learning, and automated management, our platform makes it easy to connect talent across the entire employee lifecycle for meaningful development.

​​With flexible formats, smart-matching, and built-in reporting, 10KC helps you prove and streamline impact while delivering an experience employees love. Whether you’re looking to boost retention, increase mobility, or build leadership capacity, we provide the tools and support to make talent development a scalable, strategic advantage.