YOUNG PEOPLE BECOME MENTORS

Reverse Mentoring for Retaining the young talents

Executive Coaching and Mentoring is the most important tool that helps organisation to develop the best talents. Mentoring means experienced and competent senior employees guide and enable the younger employees in the organization. Reverse Mentoring is that Younger employees mentor the senior employees. How can they mentor more experienced people? Is it Possible? Yes, it is possible. The talented young employees can mentor in new age technology, social media and latest trends in their respective functional area. 

‘How do I connect with the younger generation?’ “How do I attract and retain younger talent? These are the two frequent questions managers ask. This can be answered by Reverse Mentoring says Jennifer Jordan, Ph.D., is a social psychologist and Professor of Leadership and Organizational Behavior at IMD. The followings are the essential points that you can remember while applying reverse mentoring in your organization:

1.    Right Talent: Identify the right young talent for reverse mentoring is the first step. They need self-confidence, competency and right knowledge to mentor the senior employees. You can read their aptitude, attitude and the interest to mentor the senior employees. In few cases, the young mentor may have competency but not interested to do mentoring. The senior leaders or HR Leaders can influence them or encourage them to do this initiative. 

2.    Set Process: Establish clear set of Process for the Reverse Mentoring. What is the purpose? What is the objective? What is the end to end Process? What is the duration? What are the expected results? The mentor and mentee require self-commitment and also personal interest to do this process. 

 3.    Guide: Top line senior leaders must handhold the young mentors from the back end. May be they can mentor them in terms of how to reach out the senior people. This is to remove the fear or anxiety what young employees have before or while mentoring. The required technical training and softskills training programs can be given to such young mentors in order to become competent mentors and gain confidence.

 4.    Retain: This can reduce the communication and relationship gap between the senior and junior employees within the organization. It can enhance the Rapport Building with Younger Employees.

 5.    Behaviour: The famous management guru peter drucker says “Culture eats Strategy for breakfast in the organization”. It is so true. What kind of expected behavior changes can happen for the future? Young mentors can help in a better way because they are the future. 

If you require any help in executive coaching or mentoring or any learning programs for people development, please feel free to contact us, faith@fymc.co.in