| Not just a niche application
While it’s tempting to think of reverse mentoring as a
niche application, Linda Phillips-Jones, principal consultant
at The Mentoring Group, says that it can provide benefits in many
areas
and industries. Instead of viewing it strictly as a way for
younger workers to keep their older counterparts informed on technology
and trends, she believes that reverse mentoring is a tool
for opening
the channels of communication and knowledge sharing within
an enterprise. “When it’s done right, both parties can
benefit. The mentor gains insights into how a leader in the organization
thinks while also forging a relationship that can lead to a promotion
or other professional gains. The recipient learns new skills and
competencies that boost job performance.”
That’s certainly the case at Euro RSCG Life. Flaum, who became
enamored to the idea after reading Jack Welch’s book, Jack:
Straight from the Gut (Warner Books, 2001), took the idea to heart. “I
identified with some of the same issues about understanding technology
and staying in touch with current trends,” he says. When Flaum
looked up and down his own organization, he realized that he wasn’t
the only one who could benefit from reverse mentoring. So, the 65-year-old
established a program that requires more than two dozen of the company’s
executives to find mentors and spend an hour or two a week learning
how to use a PDA or understand Gen X thinking.
It works both ways
Flaum chose two mentors to amp up his expertise. One of them,
Jonathon Bloom, a copy writer, jumped at the opportunity. “Having
a direct line of communication with the CEO is invaluable. There’s
an opportunity to walk away with insights and wisdom that could
otherwise take years to obtain.” The other mentor, Ryan
Perkins, an account supervisor, felt equally enthusiastic. “The
experience has helped me gain a great deal of confidence in meetings
and when I’m dealing with people.” Both understand,
however, that it’s up to Flaum to choose the agenda and
lead the discussion during the reverse mentoring sessions.
Recent sessions have focused on Flaum learning how to use digital
music players and download MP3 files as well as discussions about
who each person considers a great leader and why. Occasionally,
Bloom and Perkins will take the CEO to a hot restaurant or show
him PDA tricks or Web sites that appeal to a younger audience. Says
Flaum: “The sessions are extraordinarily valuable. They’ve
made me a better leader and more in touch with today’s workplace.
It ’s something that I look forward to every week.”
Back to school
At the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School
of Business, a reverse mentoring program is helping senior
corporate executives gain computer and Internet skills. The
school has connected about 60 executives with mentors—MBA
candidates and undergraduate students who have demonstrated
an outstanding grasp for technology. Each reverse mentoring
pair spends time face-to-face but also exchanges knowledge
via e-mail and the phone. “Executives are beginning
to realize that it is in everyone’s best interest to
share expertise,” says Jerry Wind, director of the
Wharton Fellows Program and founder of the two-year-old reverse
mentoring program.
Make no mistake, business in the digital age requires more than
a pulse and a briefcase. The Mentoring Group’s Phillips-Jones
likes to think that reverse mentoring is part of the natural evolution
of learning. Eventually, she hopes, the distinctions about who mentors
whom will fall and organizations will look at a variety of ways
to exchange knowledge. That could include traditional top-down mentoring,
peer-to-peer mentoring and reverse mentoring. “Mentoring has
relevance to people in all professions and walks of life,” she
says. “Reverse mentoring is simply an offshoot of a philosophy
that ’s about thinking and acting in an innovative way.”
Five Ways to Make Reverse Mentoring Pay
Setting up a successful reverse mentoring program requires a good
deal of effort and planning. Without a solid foundation,
it’s
likely to encounter more than a few bumps and participants
are likely to receive plenty of mental bruises. Here’s how
you can achieve success.
Develop a structured program
Some organizations assign mentoring
pairs, others let participants find others they
feel comfortable with. Either way, it’s important
to develop a set of goals, objectives and ground
rules, says Linda Phillips-Jones, principal consultant
at The Mentoring Group.
Make the program a priority
It’s important that
participants understand the importance of a program
and the organization mandates a specific block of
time that participants spend with each other. That
way, harried employees who may feel overwhelmed by
their regular work schedule won’t wind up skipping
sessions.
Screen mentors
Not all young people are knowledgeable
enough about technology and the Internet to mentor,
states Matt M. Starcevich, CEO of the Center for
Coaching and Mentoring in Bartlesville Okalahoma.
Likewise, being young doesn’t automatically
make a person an authority on what’s “cool.” Finally,
it’s important to screen potential mentors
and make sure that they have the patience and temperament
to work with senior executives.
Provide training
Both the mentor and the student
should receive some training. “The mentor
must learn what’s important and how to show
patience and the student has to check his or her
ego at the door,” says Wind. Indeed, the
last thing a senior executive needs is to feel
that some hotshot is making him or her look dumb.
On the other hand, a junior executive doesn’t
want to feel bullied.
Solicit feedback and make changes as needed.
Like any program, reverse mentoring
can require tweaking. By surveying participants,
it’s possible to identify strengths and weaknesses,
and make the adjustments necessary to achieve success.
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Reproduced with permission © 2003 Samuel Greengard. To enquire,
please email sam@greengard.com
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