The Barbell Guide to Mentorship — Why Every Leader Needs a Reverse Mentor #351

Most leaders have mentors. But are they missing the other side of the barbell?

In this episode of the SuperCreativity Podcast, James Taylor introduces a simple but powerful concept that could transform how you approach mentorship, leadership, and innovation.

You'll discover:

• Why traditional mentorship alone isn’t enough in today’s fast-changing world

• The surprising power of reverse mentorship

• A 30-minute challenge that can shift your thinking and unlock new creative insights

Whether you're a CEO, team leader, or emerging professional, this episode will show you how to balance your barbell—and why doing so could lead to your next breakthrough.

Listen now and start rethinking how you learn, lead, and grow.

#Mentorship #ReverseMentoring #Leadership #Innovation #JamesTaylor #SuperCreativity #CreativeThinking #GrowthMindset #FutureOfWork

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Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction: From Dubai Keynote to Mentorship Insight
01:30 – The Barbell Metaphor for Balanced Mentoring
03:00 – Traditional Mentors: Wisdom from Experience
04:25 – The Power of Reverse Mentors
06:40 – How Younger Minds Can Challenge and Inspire You
08:20 – The Reverse Mentor Challenge: Try This Today
10:15 – Final Reflection: Balancing Both Sides of the Barbell
11:30 – Call to Action: What Insight Will You Discover?

Episode Transcript

(00:09):
Last month, I had the incredible opportunity to deliver a keynote in Dubai for DoTech, acompany at the forefront of hyperscale data centers, cybersecurity, IoT, and cloud
services.
And as I spoke to the leaders there about the future of innovation, one concept thatreally resonated with some of them was the power of mentorship, not just as a way to

(00:32):
develop talent, but as a driver of creative thinking and problem solving in organizations.
And today,
I want to share that idea with you.
It's something I call the barbell guide to creative mentoring.
And could be something that can change the way that you think about mentorship forever.
So let's talk about these two sides of the barbell.
If you ever lifted a barbell in a gym, you'll know that to create balance, you need tohave weight on both sides.

(00:58):
And that is exactly how I think about mentorship.
Most leaders understand the value of having a mentor, perhaps someone that's older, moreexperienced, someone who's
been where they are now and can offer guidance when they face these kind career definingdecisions.
This mentor acts like a sounding board, helping them navigate challenges with the wisdomonly experience can provide.

(01:21):
They've been in the trenches, they've made the mistakes and they can help you avoid thepitfalls.
But here's where many leaders stop.
They focus only on having that one mentor who's ahead of them and they forget the otherside of the barbell.
And that's where it gets really interesting.
This is why you need what we sometimes call a reverse mentor.

(01:45):
Confucius once said, respect those that are younger than yourself.
And I think he was onto something.
If you really want to supercharge your creativity and stay ahead of the curve, you alsoneed to have a mentee, but not just any mentee.
You need someone younger or less experienced than you.
Someone who sees the world through fresh eyes, isn't tied down by

(02:08):
how things have always been done.
At first, it may feel like you're mentoring them, passing on your knowledge, guiding themin their career.
But here's the secret.
In the process, they start mentoring you.
Their questions, sometimes naive, sometimes surprising, can challenge your assumptions,expose your blind spots, and help you see opportunities that you might have otherwise

(02:31):
missed.
They bring fresh perspectives, energy, ideas that can shake up your thinking.
in the best possible way.
I personally experienced this time and time again.
Some of the best insights I've gained in my career have come not from the seasonedexperts, but those who are just starting out in their careers.
Their curiosity, their willingness to question the way things are, helped me stay sharp,helped me stay innovative and curious.

(02:58):
So here's the reverse mentor challenge for you.
This is what I'd like you to try.
Identify someone younger or less experienced in your industry or your organization.
This could be a junior colleague, a recent graduate, or even someone outside of your usualnetwork.
Set up a 30 minute conversation, but instead of you giving advice, flip it the other wayaround.

(03:19):
Ask them about what their thoughts are on your industry, how they see the future, whatthey think could be done differently.
Capture at least one insight from that conversation that shifts your perspective.
And I promise you, there will be at least one.
So the question I leave you with today is this, are you balancing your barbell?

(03:40):
Do you have a mentor who can offer guidance from experience?
And do you have a mentee who challenges your thinking and helps you see the world in awhole new way?
Great leaders and great creative thinkers do both because when you have weight on bothsides of the barbell, that's when you find balance and that's when real innovation can

(04:01):
happen.
If you take on this challenge, I'd love to hear about it.
Drop me a message on LinkedIn or tag me on social media with your biggest insight.
Let's build a more creative, innovative world together.
Until next time, keep learning, keep creating, and keep pushing the boundaries of what'spossible.
Thanks for watching.