People often think the more experience or seniority you gain, the less there is to learn. But new or junior team members can offer valuable skills and knowledge, as well as fresh perspectives that you may never have considered. So why not tap into them? Reverse mentoring encourages senior employees to form professional partnerships with new or junior colleagues. Traditionally, a mentor is expected to be someone more experienced than their mentee, but reverse mentoring recognizes that there are skill gaps on both sides and still much that can be learned from new or younger team members if only they were given the opportunity to share their ideas. Partnerships like this provide several other benefits, too. They can, for example, promote diversity, encourage cross-generational collaboration, and increase retention of new members of the team. So, if reverse mentoring sounds like something you might benefit from, let's explore how you can do it. First, identify good potential partners. Think about what you want to learn from your mentor, and who in your organization is best placed to offer this kind of information. In particular, consider people who have different backgrounds and who can offer interesting perspectives, skills, and knowledge. Set clear goals about what you want to achieve from the partnership. Do you, for example, want to tap into their knowledge of an industry they've previously worked in, gain a more hands-on perspective of a new software system that's recently been introduced, or learn more about new tech or apps that might benefit the organization? Also, think about how regularly you want to meet. Will your mentoring partnership have a specific end date or will it be ongoing? It can be challenging to communicate with someone who has vastly different skills and experience from you. So, consider how they prefer to communicate. Some people prefer to meet face-to-face while others are happy to meet virtually or use informal channels like instant messaging. Be open to what you hear as well. Your mentor needs to feel confident that they can share their opinions with you freely, without fear of recrimination and regardless of any power imbalance. So, try to reserve judgment, listen actively, and really take on board what you are hearing even if it's negative or unexpected. Finally, measure your progress. Check in regularly with each other to make sure you're both happy with the direction things are going. You might find that your discussions lead to unexpected ideas or even revelations you've never considered before. Also, explain to your mentor what you're going to do with the knowledge they've shared. Will their ideas shape a new product that's currently being developed, for example? Or will you use their feedback to improve current processes? The best reverse mentoring partnerships are built on mutual respect and trust. Not only can such relationships help new or younger employees feel listened to, but they can also be a rich source of inspiration, innovation, and creativity. So why not try it today? Who in your organization would make a good reverse mentor? © 2023 Mind Tools Ltd.