Reverse
mentoring (the pairing of a young upstart as mentor with a seasoned
manager/professional as mentee) has emerged as a beneficial professional
partnership given the advances in technology and the rise of a younger and more
diversified workforce. As the concept
and practice is not a new one, the merits of this type of mentoring partnership
can have very real benefits for both the younger mentor and the more seasoned
mentee.
Reverse
mentoring also gives both partners a variety of new perspectives on how
management views the younger employee and how the new upstart regards their
manager and the organization. By knowing what issues impact the various levels
throughout the organization, all professionals are better equipped to modify
current practices and embrace new ways of doing business.
The
following are tips to get the most out of a reverse mentoring partnership:
Open eyes,
ears and ideas! Make sure to leave any age stereotypes at the door and think of
your new relationship as a means to better understand each other’s generation,
culture, values and skills. This can
have a direct — and fortuitous — impact on how you do business in the future.
Target a
skill. Is
advancing technology something that you want to become proficient in? Or is balancing career and home something you
struggle with? The better idea you have of what you want to
master, the better equipped you are to ask the right questions and learn the
new skills.
Respect and value differences. Although there may be many generational and cultural differences, much can be gained from a different view and perspective. For example, a seasoned employee might have a broader view of where the organization is going, while the twenty-something’s might see a new path or opportunity. Respect and value differences and be willing to shift roles frequently.
Practice
patience. As the more seasoned mentoring partner can be
easily frustrated with technology (and sometimes use it on a limited basis),
the younger counterpart may not have fully grasped the nuances of the
organization’s structure, mission, or direction. Keep in mind that this is a two-way learning
experience and that both of you have much to gain from the lessons learned from
one another.
Ask for
advice and solicit feedback. Put aside
your organizational position and status and compile a list of things that you
really want to know about each other’s generation, experience, skills and
progression. These are the drivers of
building a successful reverse mentoring relationship.
Reverse
mentoring, although not new, is a great developmental activity for those who
want to learn and be stretched — and isn’t that what mentoring is all about?
This article was published in The Training Connection, Inc.'s September 2015 Newsletter.
© 2015, The Training Connection, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
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