Bias is a complex issue that can be difficult to detect because it often operates unconsciously. However, it's important to address because it can lead to a lack of diversity and inclusion in the workplace of any organization. One tool that’s gained traction in recent years is reverse mentoring. We'll explore the benefits of reverse mentoring and its relevance to today's workforce.
Reverse mentoring is a process in which junior employees mentor senior employees. This approach has gained popularity because it helps reduce generational prejudice and promotes inclusion and diversity. When leaders, the C-suite, management teams, and professionals embrace it, it creates an atmosphere of trust and cooperation that boosts junior employee retention, increases engagement, and helps senior management develop new skill sets. As a result, many companies have made reverse mentoring a part of their leadership development.
The relevance of reverse mentoring in today's workforce is paramount. We tend to do things the same way with the same people for years, even though innovative ideas are needed. Little diversity can also lead to unconscious bias regarding age, gender, background, experience, and education. Additionally, there may be a preconception that it's the job of senior employees to feed the juniors on their teams with experience and expertise to help them grow. Reverse mentoring can help overcome these preconceptions and biases.
The idea to institute reverse mentoring at Forzes stemmed from an event during the third COVID-19 lockdown. Forzes launched an online networking event on anti-fragility: Dancing With Dragons. One of the founding partners, participating from home, noticed that the studio setting was male-only. After seeking feedback from three D&I executives from other companies, it was clear there was no D&I on any counts, neither background, education, nor gender. This realization led the D&I manager of Randstad to suggest reverse mentoring. At Randstad, senior leaders must be reverse mentored by trainees or other recent hires.
This insight was so inspirational to the founding partner of Forzes that he decided to dive deep into reverse mentoring by calling Jonge Honden, an organizational development consulting firm where all employed are at most thirty. The call led to a meeting with a junior consultant, who became his reverse mentor on age-related bias shortly after.
We will discuss seven guidelines for reverse mentoring in more depth during ATD ICE 2023, but here's one essential tip: have a crucial question or issue as a focal point for the mentoring. In the session, we'll also cover a three-stage approach to reverse mentoring. Stage one is pre-mentoring, when setting the stage is vital for reverse mentoring to succeed. Often, mentoring is restricted to the second execution stage only, and thus we don’t form a conductive initial context and skip deep introspection and reflection after the mentoring sessions conclude.
In conclusion, reverse mentoring is highly valuable. As we navigate the rapidly evolving workplace, we must explore new and innovative ways to create environments that promote diversity and inclusion. Reverse mentoring is just one tool in our toolbox but can significantly affect workplace culture. By embracing reverse mentoring, we can foster a culture of mutual learning and development where everyone has a voice and all perspectives are valued—a significant step forward in creating a more diverse and inclusive workplace.
For more insights and initial guidelines for effectively implementating reverse mentoring, check out our session at the ATD International Conference & Exposition 2023 in San Diego.
