Reverse mentoring at work: Fostering cross‐generational learning and developing millennial leaders

Abstract

Reverse mentoring is an innovative way to encourage learning and facilitate cross‐generational relationships. It involves the pairing of a younger, junior employee acting as mentor to share expertise with an older, senior colleague as mentee. The purpose is knowledge sharing, with the mentee focused on learning from the mentor's updated subject or technological expertise and generational perspective. In addition, there is an emphasis on the leadership development of the mentors. Reverse mentoring is situated in the mentoring literature as an alternative form of mentoring, with unique characteristics and support functions exchanged that distinguish it from other developmental relationships. A model is developed that focuses on key variables to consider and how reverse mentoring may benefit individuals and organizations. Generational differences are also presented, and the ways in which reverse mentoring capitalizes on millennial capabilities and preferences are highlighted throughout. Finally, theoretical and practical contributions are discussed, including essential components for creating a reverse mentoring program. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Mentoring Expectations and Experiences of Prospective and Cooperating Teachers during Practice Teaching

“…In addition to mentoring practices of the expert to novice, studies have also reported on reverse mentoring practices as well (e.g. Greengard, 2002;Allen & Eby, 2003;Allen, 2007).Reverse mentoring is considered as a way of encouraging professional learning in workplace and facilitating cross-generational relationship (Murphy, 2012). In reverse mentoring practices the novice shares their expertise with a senior colleague focusing on an updated subject or technological expertise (Murphy, 2012).…”

“…Greengard, 2002;Allen & Eby, 2003;Allen, 2007).Reverse mentoring is considered as a way of encouraging professional learning in workplace and facilitating cross-generational relationship (Murphy, 2012). In reverse mentoring practices the novice shares their expertise with a senior colleague focusing on an updated subject or technological expertise (Murphy, 2012). The data revealed that EFL PTs also acted as reverse mentors during practice teaching and shared their updated skills in materials development with the CTs.…”

Exploring Millennial Leadership Development: An Evidence Assessment of Information Communication Technology and Reverse Mentoring Competencies

“…Kubiatko (2013), Marcinkus Murphy (2012, and Venkatesh, Croteau, & Rabah's (2014) research offer a more contemporary assessment of the relationship between competency and innovation. Examining workplace skills and competencies through the lens of Schumpeter's (1939) economic framework, Prahalad & Hamel's (1990) competencies of a firm, and Day et al's (2014) practices underpin a review to understand how innovation can influence the process of developing leaders.…”

“…Likewise, Chaudhuri & Ghosh (2012) claim that the firms most effective in managing their multigenerational workforce may realize a competitive edge when reverse mentoring is used as a social exchange tool (p. 70). With reverse mentoring capitalizing on millennial capabilities, it follows that enhancing individual networks, increasing power, and encouraging knowledge sharing supports millennial leadership development (Chaudhuri & Ghosh, 2012;Marcinkus Murphy, 2012). Exposing the mentee to multi-generational perspectives helps to build capacity through learning and leader development.…”

Affective Commitment to Organizations: A Comparison Study of Reverse Mentoring Versus Traditional Mentoring Among Millennials

“…There is a higher rate of turnover among employees of the millennial generation (Schwabel, 2013;United States Census Bureau, 2014). Moreover, the baby boomer generation retires at a pace of 10.000 per day (United States Census Bureau, 2015) and organizations struggle to retain millennials (Murphy, 2012, Schwabel, 2013. The need to mentor and develop millennials to counteract is higher than for normal (Cahill & Sedrak, 2012).…”