Virgin's re-thinking mentorship, you should too.

February 12, 2020

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Virgin Atlantic recently introduced a reverse mentoring programme, which is quite different from typical mentorship programs where the mentor is older than the mentee. By definition, reverse mentorship is when older executives are paired with and mentored by younger employees.

Reverse mentoring is not a new concept. It was popularized by Jack Welch, former CEO, General Electric (GE) back in 1999 when he did a pilot project where 500 senior and junior employees were paired up. Jack hoped the junior employees would teach their senior colleagues about technological tools and advancements.

In Virgin’s instance, the young mentors in the programme bring a unique viewpoint on issues such as ability, race and gender which encourages inclusivity of the underrepresented in the organisation.

Which issue are good at but feel like people are not familiar with and would like to mentor them on?

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Comments

Alice | September 12, 2020 10:03

Good idea. This will help address the challenges that come with generation gaps at the work place.

LILIAN | February 27, 2020 14:51

I think this a great idea and should be embraced across organisations with large age gaps. It reminded me of a Harvard Business Review Article about "The 40-year-old intern" and later a TEDx talk by Carol Fishman Cohen about returnships-a form of internship that helps adults who have taken a break from their careers (e.g. due to illness, child care) to get back into the workplace.(Here's the TEDx talk https://bit.ly/32vrm77 ) It inspired the 2015 movie " The Intern" starring Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway-definitely worth the watch and feeds in seamlessly with the reverse mentorship topic.

Rawlings | February 19, 2020 08:02

Good

Gedion | February 17, 2020 10:46

intriguing . I love the implementation.

Mathew | February 16, 2020 15:42

Great idea 11

Harrison | February 16, 2020 13:32

Good work Boss,the world is moving with innovations

Tom | February 16, 2020 09:52

Great idea

Makumbi | February 15, 2020 02:45

Certainly it improves on the link between old and new generations.

Camillus | February 14, 2020 21:34

Great vision!

JACINTA | February 14, 2020 11:46

Good idea

Eric | February 14, 2020 10:20

Am fully behind Virgin's way of doing things in a rapidly changing world

nsereko | February 14, 2020 03:58

It's really awesome!

Lebohang | February 13, 2020 19:50

A very good idea

FAITH | February 13, 2020 17:44

Good idea

Asiku | February 13, 2020 17:29

Good

Jacinta | February 13, 2020 17:14

Good work

Lugobe | February 13, 2020 16:52

Good

MARY | February 13, 2020 16:07

great idea

Felix | February 13, 2020 15:03

Good devment

Michael | February 13, 2020 14:48

Excellent thought waiting for it to roll out

JILL | February 13, 2020 13:58

A very fresh approach to learning and improving the workplace dynamics and attitude.

Lena | February 13, 2020 13:31

Great idea

Susan | February 13, 2020 12:51

Good idea

Dullah | February 15, 2020 13:47

Superb

Ntirish | February 13, 2020 12:50

Great

ELAYU | February 13, 2020 12:49

Good

Allan | February 13, 2020 10:14

very encouraging as it gives the young ones ground to showcase their abilities and potential that's leading to inclusiveness in a vital project.

Jerry | February 13, 2020 10:11

I'm very much sure this is a good idea. It's easy to interract with someone younger than you are. It feels free too.

Beatrice | February 13, 2020 10:03

This is quite interesting since the younger one its about time they also learn some values from the older ones on how to use human intelligence on tackling some issues which don't need technology to tackle, things like patience, resilience self control etc while the younger ones will teach the older ones technology, and this will help them to co-exist. Good initiative i love this.

ABDIRAHMAN ABDULLAHI | February 13, 2020 09:46

Great idea

ABDIRAHMAN ABDULLAHI | February 13, 2020 09:45

Really it is a great idea

Janeth | February 13, 2020 09:41

Wow! Its great to give the young employees an such an opportunity as it enlightens their ability and unlock their potentials. People are gifted differently. Good work!

Bersher (Mark | February 13, 2020 09:20

Well thought

Monica | February 13, 2020 09:19

I like the idea

harrison nganga | February 13, 2020 08:55

Passing the button.

HASSAN | February 13, 2020 08:49

Wow looks so good

MUSIIMENTA | February 13, 2020 08:39

Wow hope this will bring transformation to this generation

Evans | February 13, 2020 08:03

Its a very good idea

Anguzu | February 13, 2020 07:13

Very good for mentor

kimwomi | February 13, 2020 07:12

Good approach, how do we go about it?

BEATRICE | February 13, 2020 07:06

Good idea .

Annah | February 13, 2020 06:53

Wow

Musiimenta | February 13, 2020 06:12

I like this

Hellen | February 13, 2020 06:10

Good idea

REGAN MWANGUHYA | February 13, 2020 06:05

That's great Let's think about the new borns

Moses | February 13, 2020 06:03

Selfesteem issues and peer influence is killing our future

Namwano | February 13, 2020 06:01

Extremely wonderful! This helps have an equal sense of ownership through out the organisation, from the juniors to the senior team. The sense of ownership from experience is the biggest motivator in anything you will ever do.

Joseph | February 13, 2020 13:22

solid point

Josephine | February 13, 2020 05:59

This is so good as we live in dynamic technology and advanced curriculum. The young mentors need to implement new techniques while mentoring the olds

Evelyn | February 13, 2020 05:59

Very interesting how I wish I could learn the dynamics and apply them to my church community

Michael | February 13, 2020 05:53

This is wonderful. Most young people may lack the financial muscle, and the influence but they have much knowledge.

john | February 13, 2020 05:45

I think is important to do so since there is a group of young people with alot of knowledge

Richard James kimari | February 13, 2020 05:31

Good idea

IMALINGAT | February 13, 2020 05:24

How ,When,Where,

IMALINGAT | February 13, 2020 05:24

Good idea

kyambadde | February 13, 2020 04:55

Thats really superb and astonishing thank you fuzu because its mind blowing

charles | February 13, 2020 04:54

This is good as it will bring perception change in ways the experienced and older employees or executives have difficulties dealing with the young and techsavvy executives. In addition the young executives may find the older executives to be slow and non responsive to the changing. They start wondering how they have been surviving for all this long. In a nutshell this kind of mentorship will erase these misunderstandings and make adoption of the best recommendations from either side of the team members. Charles Kinyua

Sussy | February 13, 2020 03:25

Good work mentee