Debunking the Myth: Why Reverse Mentoring May Not Be the Silver Bullet We Think

27 Nov

"Reverse mentoring" is something organisations are throwing around as a way to engage younger talent and to pass on skills between a multi generational workforce.

But what does it actually mean?

According to Techopedia, it's "an initiative in which older executives are paired with and mentored by younger employees on topics such as technology, social media and current trends."

I've heard a lot of talk recently about why organisations and especially emerging talent programs should be creating and investing in reverse mentoring programs.

And ... I disagree.

No, not with reverse mentoring, but needing to implement another program to deliver this.

I believe a good / robust mentoring program should inherently do this as part of the program design.

A quality mentoring program should be focusing on fostering the connection between mentor and mentee and with some well-placed learning experiences, followed up with conversation starters the reverse mentoring happens inherently.

This means saving time and money, whilst still getting the benefits of reverse mentoring, just like one of our recent mentors:

"I’ve really enjoyed learning from my mentee and getting to see how this generation thinks. It's prompted me to really reflect and look at where I need to change myself and my skills to partner with them.
I’m now thinking more about how I can provide another opinion or perspective and making the relationship a win- win for both of us."

👥 Your Thoughts?:

What's your take on reverse mentoring?

Have you found success in a separate program or do you build it into your current mentoring program?