As I understand it, January is also Mentoring Month in the professional world. Excellent. We are all familiar with Mentoring, however, many have not heard of Reverse-Mentoring programs. These programs place (often) younger or less experienced staff members as mentors to more senior or experienced colleagues in non-job-related areas. It often results in some level of skill transfer across different areas of interests or subjects that benefit both parties.
See, the reality is that most people in any organization possess skill sets that are outside of their actual job lane; some practice “professional hobbies” or some other unrelated job…regardless of age and experience in the organization. Imagine if you had a CEO or senior- level supervisor being mentored by someone thirty years younger…about a subject totally unrelated to his or her professional subject matter.
Again, suppose a CEO is being mentored by someone in the mail room who was a professional photographer on the side. If the two were somehow able to connect (as in a Reverse-Mentoring program) they would likely share tips, secrets, knowledge, and their “other” network to help each other improve and advance in that field of mutual interest. The C-Suiter could share insights on the business, promotion tips and how to advance.
It doesn’t matter what your profession is, or whether this is done formally or informally. Finding people to connect within the community to help each other learn more about a subject they are interested in is a great way for everyone to grow, even if ’'s well, in reverse.
Here are a few benefits of Reverse-Mentoring Programs:
Creativity Infusion
Talent Attraction of Younger Potential Employees
Work Staff Empowerment
Leadership Development
Skills Transfer
Increased Production
Increased Employee Engagement
Professional Development
Enhanced Communication
New Levels of Camaraderie
Cultural Transformation
Mentorship Skills Development
Networking Opportunities
Employee Morale
Better Decision-Making
Cross-Generational Understanding
Knowledge Exchange
Technology Proficiency
Employee Retention
The benefits and “X” factors an organization gets from a Reverse-Mentoring program are amazing. Increased skills, joy, laughter, content knowledge, tips, tricks, networks, and more. Let me know if I can support your efforts with getting your program started in 2024.
Much love and all my best,
Dave
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