Reverse Mentoring: Removing Barriers and Building Belonging in the Workplace

by Patrice Gordon

“You can’t help but be excited about what the future will look like, if all businesses embrace Patrice’s passion for reverse mentorship; her passion for a world in which all businesses are 100 percent diverse, inclusive, and equitable shines through on every page.”
--From the Foreword by Holly Branson, Chief Purpose and Vision Officer of Virgin Group
 
Most organizations today strive for goals such as employee diversity, inclusive leadership, and younger and fresher ideas. But how do we get there?
 
In her trailblazing Reverse Mentorship program, world-renowned executive coach and personal development advocate Patrice Gordon creates a safe and engaging culture by having senior leaders learn from junior employees. While typical mentoring programs arrange for a senior manager to teach the more junior employee, Reverse Mentoring is the it’s all about a leader leaning into their vulnerability, forming a relationship with an underrepresented employee, and amplifying the voice of marginalized people within the company.

Reverse Mentoring offers various tips to make reverse mentorship work. Gordon explores the power of uncomfortable and awkward moments becoming key points of transformation when people have to pause, reflect and assess their past behaviors and current assumptions which are at odds with the topic at hand. She ultimately reveals how bringing more humanity into our organizations allows us to see one another and ourselves in a radically new light.

Genres: Nonfiction, Business, Labor

224 pages, Hardcover

Published November 1, 2022

Reviews

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had heard of reverse mentoring in terms of mentoring across generation gaps, but this was the first time I've read about it being used for DEI purposes. It's a great application.

The author does a good job explaining the nuts and bolts of the reverse mentoring process and takes into account the perspectives of the organization, human resources, the mentor, and mentee. This book would provide sufficient guidance to begin a program. The author also use examples from her own culture (UK) as well the US to increase reach and improve perspective.

Unfortunately, the book doesn't always scale well to small businesses, education, government, or nonprofit environments, which have special/differing considerations than large, multinational corporations. This is a common flaw with many DEI business books.

I was pleased by the different types of diversity acknowledged by the author, including sexual orientation and gender identity, instead focusing purely on race and gender. As more LGBTQ people are "out" in the workplace, it's reassuring to see our inclusion in an area (reverse mentoring/DEI) where we have a lot to offer.

Overall, would highly recommend, especially for people looking for humanistic ways to improve workplace DEI. I hope to be able to mentor in such program myself someday, if possible. Very pleased with this read.

(Would consider purchasing in the future.)

[cat]

Still thinking about how to articulate what I felt was hard and problematic about this - something about the expectation of folks who are most marginalized (and least resourced) having to bear the burden of educating and making the white, cis, male leaders of their companies understand their lived experience of oppression feels so yucky and I also heard clearly the value that the mentors and the mentees shared in the book. Sitting with this one.

[Emily Saeugling · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is most applicable to someone developing a reverse mentorship program. Did have some good takeaways I’ll use as a participant in this type of program. Worth the listen but if you’re short on time pick the chapters that are most relevant to you.

[Allison]

Clear and concise advice on how and why to set up a reverse mentoring program, but with fewer anecdotes than I hoped for.

[Sara Goldenberg · Rating 1 out of 5]

Got by mistake. Didn't enjoy.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting concept but doubtful of the power dynamic shift required to execute.

[Paula LyMz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reverse Mentoring is a new management classic covering the topics of mentorship and DEI. It will assist you to start a new program in the workplace or just inspire you to do it for your own professional career.

Thanks to HachetteGo and #Goodreadsgiveaways for the beautiful copy.