by Rik Nemanick, PhD

Creating opportunities for inverted or “reverse” mentoring does a lot to help more senior leaders reconnect with younger employees. On the one hand, it helps bridge the divide between generations, helping the more senior employees better understand the perspective and worldview of the younger ones. The organization’s hierarchy can impede honest dialogue about how perspectives differ. Inverted mentoring can create a space outside the hierarchy for both to explore their differences (as well as their similarities). On the other hand, a well-designed program will partner two people from across silos, building a bridge that helps both parties better understand the others’ organization. Especially in larger, global organizations, these connections foster more communication and create opportunities for collaboration. In mentoring programs I facilitate, this cross-silo connection is often the greatest benefit the senior employees report emerging from the program.

Trust building starts with getting to know each other and getting comfortable to get ahead of the potential stumbling blocks I describe in this article. I encourage pairs in my mentoring programs to devote at least one entire meeting early in the partnership to getting to know each other fully. When mentors and protégés make this investment, it pays dividends in increased trust and more open dialogue. Because of the inverted power dynamic in reverse mentoring, it is especially important for the senior employee to be mindful of psychological safety for the junior employee. Many senior employees aren’t accustomed to having their worldview challenged by younger employees and might have a snap reaction or judgment that causes discord in the relationship. To truly learn from the junior mentor, the senior protégé needs to adopt a curious mindset and ask questions to understand.

To create a supportive framework, organizations should teach the employees how to engage in a mentoring partnership. Merely putting two people together and telling them that one is to mentor the other gives very little guidance of what they should actually do. Teach them about the roles mentors and protégés play, how to build trust, and how to set goals for their individual experiences. Instead of ignoring the inverted power dynamics, talk about them and help participants learn what to do when they encounter challenges. In addition, be explicit about the goals of the program. If participants know why they are in the mentoring partnership, it gives them guidance of what they can do with it.

While many inverted mentoring programs are well-intentioned, they are often challenging to sustain beyond a couple of meetings. Time for mentoring always competes with the participants’ day jobs; they need a reason to keep meeting. Instead, I recommend organizations create more traditional mentoring programs and add an explicit “reverse” mentoring component to the program. Have the senior mentor set learning goals to complement the junior protégé’s goals. In addition, give the participants opportunities to get together and compare experiences. I find that mentors and protégés learn a lot about how they can get the most out of a mentoring experience by listening to what others in the program are doing. For instance, a mentor in one of my programs reported visiting her protégé’s location and shadowing the protégé for a day. While she gained a lot from that experience, other mentors decided to do the same thing. Exchanging ideas among participants can elevate the entire program.

To comment on this article or to learn more about mentoring, contact Rik Nemanick at rik@nemanick.com. If you are looking for more to read about mentoring, you may want to pick up a copy of my book, The Mentor’s Way, on Amazon.