{"id":52533,"date":"2022-07-05T15:05:55","date_gmt":"2022-07-05T14:05:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.inclusiveemployers.co.uk\/?page_id=52533"},"modified":"2024-10-11T13:04:10","modified_gmt":"2024-10-11T12:04:10","slug":"what-is-reverse-mentoring","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.inclusiveemployers.co.uk\/services\/training\/inclusion-and-diversity-topics\/what-is-reverse-mentoring\/","title":{"rendered":"What is reverse mentoring? Everything you need to know"},"content":{"rendered":"
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What is reverse mentoring?<\/h2>\n

Reverse mentoring provides your staff with the opportunity to have powerful inclusion conversations across pay grades. Unlike standard mentoring programmes, in a reverse mentoring programme senior leaders are the mentees and non-leadership staff are the mentors. <\/p>\n

The non-leadership staff are drawn from groups who are under-represented in leadership in your organisation: Black colleagues, women, disabled colleagues, etc. If you\u2019re looking to empower leadership to role model inclusion, develop under-represented talent, and create an inclusive culture, reverse mentoring can help.<\/p>\n

Reverse mentoring programmes support mentees and mentors to grow, develop and exchange knowledge and expertise. These programmes build future leaders and empower your leadership teams to become champions of inclusion.<\/p>\n

Inclusive Employers reverse mentoring programmes supports you through every step of the way: recruiting and matching your cohort; delivering expert training and ongoing support for your mentors and mentees; and supporting you to evaluate the programme.  <\/p>\n

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How did reverse mentoring begin?<\/h2>\n

The former CEO of General Electric, Jack Welch<\/a>, is credited with inventing the concept of reverse mentoring.<\/p>\n

He recognised that new, younger staff knew much more about emerging technology, so he paired them with senior staff to \u2018mentor\u2019 their senior colleagues.<\/p>\n

Reverse (sometimes referred to as reciprocal) mentoring then entered the wider workplace with an inclusion lens<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We often see reverse mentoring taking place with a race focus, but I have seen it work its magic between all different sorts of pairings. The key is that the power dynamic of senior to junior is flipped. In the reverse mentoring programme, the senior staff are the mentees \u2013 they are there to learn, not to advise.<\/p>\n

For instance, if an organisation\u2019s executive team is mostly white men who are middle class, the mentors might be Black or from a working class background<\/a>, a different generation<\/a> or sexuality or gender. The key is that the mentor, the more junior person, takes the lead.<\/p>\n

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How does reverse mentoring work?<\/h2>\n

Reverse mentoring takes place over a finite time period, usually six months. During this six-month period, the mentors and mentee pairs meet regularly to have their mentoring sessions.<\/p>\n

What is covered in these sessions can vary, but what we suggest at Inclusive Employers<\/a> is that the first session is spent getting to know one another and agreeing a goal for the sessions. The mentor then uses this to shape the sessions.<\/p>\n

During the \u2018getting to know you\u2019 phase it\u2019s common for the reverse mentor to explain to the mentee how they experience the world, and the structural and individual barriers they face. <\/p>\n

This vulnerability is incredibly powerful, but it must take place in a confidential and safe environment and must never be obligatory for the mentor to share.<\/p>\n

Over time the mentor and mentee sessions become reciprocal, a learning collaboration between mentor and mentee. At the end of a good reverse mentoring relationship both parties should feel that they\u2019ve learnt and grown as a result.<\/p>\n

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Click here to explore our top tips on reverse mentoring<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The benefits of reverse mentoring<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The relationship between mentor and mentee is so often transformative. Something special happens when two people take time to have genuine, human conversations.<\/p>\n

Reverse mentoring has both individual and organisational benefits. Individuals feel more confident, build cross-organisational relationships, challenge their own perspective of the world and develop inclusive behaviours<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For the organisation reverse mentoring builds a cohort of engaged senior champions and role models, and emerging diverse talent.<\/p>\n

Our reverse mentoring programme will benefit any workplace that wants to make inclusion an everyday reality. We have designed it to enable you to recruit, train and empower mentors and mentees who will advocate for inclusion across your organisation. <\/p>\n

Our programme is designed to support the mentors to actively lead the mentoring sessions, and for senior colleagues to adopt a learning mindset to get the best out of the opportunity. Our optional knowledge sessions give the whole cohort a chance to upskill together around key inclusion topics.<\/p>\n

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Inclusive Employers reverse mentoring programme<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Our reverse mentoring programme will be planned to fit your intended outcomes. We will work with you to design a programme that will suit your organisation. <\/p>\n

An example of the structure of a reverse mentoring programme, delivered by our expert inclusion consultants is shared below:<\/p>\n