Reverse Mentoring

Ever wondered what happens when we flip traditional corporate hierarchies, allowing the young to mentor the old? This episode zeroes in on reverse mentoring, showcasing its power to drive innovation and foster understanding across generations. Patrice Gordon, a pioneer at Virgin Atlantic and author of the book “Reverse Mentoring: Removing Barriers and Building Belonging in the Workplace.”

Patrice explains how embracing uncomfortable moments and challenging our assumptions can lead to growth for both people and organizations. She also shares advice for setting up and running reserve mentoring programs and strategies for bringing more humanity into our organizations. Tune in to discover how you can harness the potential of reverse mentoring to not only enhance leadership but also create a more inclusive, dynamic workplace.

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Episode Highlights

• Explore reverse mentoring's role in driving innovation and understanding between generations.
• Gain insights from Patrice Gordon on fostering inclusive leadership and authentic self-expression at work.
• Learn strategies from Virgin Atlantic's reverse mentoring for cultivating an inclusive culture.
• Steps to implement effective reverse mentoring programs for organizational change.
• Tackle misconceptions and challenges in reverse mentoring and DEI for better outcomes.
• The role of trust in reverse mentoring success and how to assess and build it.
• Criteria for selecting the right participants for pilot mentoring programs.
• Establishing psychological safety for impactful mentorship relationships.
• Enhancing workplace communication and connection through reverse mentoring.
• Keeping reverse mentoring programs alive and impactful with leadership commitment.

 

Patrice’s view on the greatest unmet wellbeing need at work today 

“I think it's about connection. So post-pandemic, like, you know, you've got better up service talks about like people who don't feel connected at work, people who would rather not be connected with the people at work, and people who really want to be connected with people at work.