Reciprocal Learning: Renaming Reverse Mentoring and Developing an Approach

​In the previous blog post, we renamed and redefined reverse mentoring as reciprocal learning. The old model of mentoring—whether flipped or not—doesn’t capture what’s truly happening when senior leaders and millennials come together to share their experiences and expertise. For this post, we dive a bit deeper and discuss benefits for both the mentee and mentor, share some guidelines and discussion topics, and touch on how to measure success. 

Reciprocal Learning Benefits
Reciprocal learning creates an environment where learning is a two-way street. When seasoned executives (mentees) are paired with younger employees (mentors) to develop business or digital/technological acumen and promote diversity and inclusion, both grow through the process. The relationship goes beyond traditional mentoring by paving the way for an exchange of learning where a wealth of existing experience is present on both sides.
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This exchange can drive organizational progress and reap significant benefits:

• Enhance creativity and fresh ideas through more diverse teams  
• Reflect customer base  
• Attract and recruit top talent
• Empower and develop current and emerging leaders  
• Close knowledge and skill gaps for mentor and mentee  
• Tailored, one-on-one education for both mentor and mentee
• Build and reinforce generational, racial, and gender-inclusive culture 

Executives	Younger Professionals
Key Messaging: Communicate goals, benefits, and specifically what they’ll gain. Senior executives may require reframing to understand that reciprocal learning isn’t about being outdated or too old for the job. Nor is it a one-way, mentor relationship where they impart all the knowledge.	​Key Messaging: Communicate goals, benefits, and specifically what they’ll gain. Younger professionals may express feelings of intimidation and insecurity when being paired with a senior executive. Offer support such as role-playing to diminish anxiety and build confidence.

Executives' Benefits	Younger Professionals' Benefits
Tap younger professionals’ digital, technological, and cultural experience.	Tap senior professionals’ experience to develop business acumen such as strategic and critical thinking skills.
Increase diversity awareness; explore language and social norms shifts. The opportunity to recognize and discuss generational differences and apply that knowledge to business goals and customer retention.	Develop communication skills, including listening and language specific to the business.
Improve leadership skills.	Enhance interpersonal skills.
Generate ideas about organizational policies, and examine how those might be perceived similarly or differently by others; is the messaging delivering the intended result?	Empower young professionals to share knowledge with the organization.
Share learning with other senior executives.	Recognize the synergy across areas and departments; prevent silos.
Build network and contacts.	Tap young professionals’ network and contact opportunities.

Guidelines
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) recommends reverse-mentorship guidelines that apply to reciprocal learning.[1]

• Define expectations clearly:
  • ­ Calendar regular one-on-one meetings monthly for one hour
  • ­ Establish commitments from both parties
  • ­ Pair senior and young professionals who are not in the same management chain
  • ­ Summarize and track meeting notes to follow progress and impact  
• Establish and commit to mutual respect and understanding:
  • ­ Build trust through honest discussions
  • ­ Remain open-minded
  • ­ Overcome differences through communication and be willing to tackle tough conversations; don’t fear conflict—use it
• Reiterate learning opportunities, as needed:  
  • Commit to the process; it’s a long-term mentorship—results are not necessarily immediate
  • Remember that this is an evolving relationship
  • Recognize and discuss what does and does not work; pair is encouraged to create their own style that works for them

Recommended Discussion Starters
Below is a list of discussion starters SHRM shared.[2] We’ve expanded and added to the list.

• Diversity and inclusivity:­   Barriers experienced and/or noticed including subtle behaviors
  • ­   Workplace discourse
  • ­   What does diversity and inclusion look like?
  • ­   What, if any, improvements might the company want to consider and implement?
• What does it mean to ‘have an impact’ in the workplace? How does that impact motivation?
• What’s new:
  • ­   In the world?
  • ­   In the company?
• Culture and world of work:
  • ­   How have things shifted in the past 5, 10, 15 years?
  • ­   What shifts might occur in the next 5, 10, 15 years?
  • ­   What are your expectations about work today? How do these expectations align with reality?
• Views on:
  
  • Work/life balance
    
  • Privacy
• How to build:
  • ­   Trust
  • ­   Empathy
  • ­   Emotional intelligence
  • ­   Digital and social media skills
• Social channels and presence:
  • ­   What are the current trends?
  • ­   How does tech influence our experiences?
  • ­   What are the positive and negative repercussions of a digital world?
• Retention and career progression:
  • ­   What are your career expectations?
  • ­   What would encourage you to stay? Leave?

Success Measures
When the opportunity exists for learning to take place, leaders want to see the data and results. Reciprocal learning is a part of an overall learning and development strategy and framework. Drawing from either the Kirkpatrick Model or a blended approach using the Kirkpatrick/Phillips Model to evaluate training efforts applies here as with other training initiatives.
Consider:[3]

• Results
  • ­   What are the intended outcomes?
  • ­   How are these outcomes linked to business goals and key performance indicators?
• Behavior
  • ­   What behaviors do you want to see demonstrated?
  • ­   How will you measure these behaviors?
  • ­   What role will managers play in helping to reinforce and evaluate?
• Learning
  • ­   What do senior executives need to learn and adopt?
  • ­   What do younger professionals need to learn and adopt?
• Reaction
  • ­   How are you capturing satisfaction levels?
  • ­   Satisfaction directly correlates to engagement. In your level 1 analysis, are you asking about engagement and intended application?

Next Steps
Give it a try. Consider designing and implementing a pilot program on a small-scale basis for six months. This not only provides critical data, but it also creates buzz and grows program champions that may be leveraged during a full-scale implementation. 

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References

[1] Gubbi, P., Hubbard, S., & Smith, R. (2017, February 16). How to Create a Successful Reverse Mentoring Program to Promote Gender Diversity. Retrieved February 04, 2018, from https://blog.shrm.org/blog/how-to-create-a-successful-reverse-mentoring-program-to-promote-gender-dive

​[2] Gubbi, 2017.

[3] Barton, S. (2016, July 19). How to use the Kirkpatrick Model for Measuring Modern Mentoring. Retrieved February 04, 2018, from https://chronus.com/blog/use-kirkpatrick-model-measure-modern-mentoring​