One of the ways TomorrowToday has helped senior leaders to make a real connect with the young people in their teams is to suggest a concept of reverse mentoring.
‘Reverse mentoring’ is simple – you ask young people in your team to mentor the older people. What would younger people know that older people need to know? It’s normally around technology. We ask young people to get together with older people in their organisations for an hour, once a month, and teach them technology. This could be social media, whatsapp, how to record and edit a video on your phone or tips and tricks on how to get better use out of your smartphone.
It really is an excuse to get young and old people together. Why does reverse mentoring work? It engages young people, it goes them a platform that they know they’re an expert in. It connects young and old people in an organisation. A lot more happens than just technology training of course: conversations, business insights and improved relationships.
We don’t know of any company that has implemented this idea that hasn’t thought of it as one of the best ideas they’ve used. Do Reverse Mentoring! Try it in your team and then roll it out in your company. It doesn’t have to be a formal, in depth, organised structured program.
It can simply be something that you just start to implement. You won’t regret it!
Reverse Mentoring
