Reverse mentoring flips the traditional dynamic by having a more junior participant take on the mentor role, sharing their perspective, skills, and lived experience with a more senior colleague. This article explains what it is, how to approach it, and what to discuss.

What is reverse mentoring?

In a reverse mentoring relationship, the more junior participant takes on the mentor role, offering guidance, perspective, and insights to the more senior participant. Rather than experience flowing one way, from senior to junior, reverse mentoring creates a two-way exchange where both people learn from each other's different vantage points.

It's particularly valuable for exploring topics where lived experience, generational perspective, or proximity to emerging trends matters more than seniority, things like technology adoption, diversity and inclusion, and sustainability.

What topics work well for reverse mentoring?

The three most effective topic areas for reverse mentoring conversations are outlined below, along with suggested discussion angles and a sample agenda for each.

Topic 1: Generational differences

Generational perspectives shape how people approach work, communication, leadership, and the future. This topic creates space to share those differences openly, and to build greater collaboration and empathy across generations.

Discussion angles to consider:

• Communication styles — how different generations prefer to communicate, and how those preferences have evolved. What does effective intergenerational communication look like for you both?
• Work values and expectations — attitudes toward work-life balance, career progression, the gig economy, and job stability. Where do your expectations align, and where do they differ?
• Technology and AI — how each of you uses and thinks about technology, including AI tools, in your day-to-day work. This is a particularly rich area for reverse mentoring, with junior participants often having hands-on experience with tools their senior partners are still exploring.

Topic 2: Diversity, equity and inclusion

Reverse mentoring gives both participants a chance to reflect on lived experience and explore differences with honesty and curiosity. Understanding how background, identity, and environment shape someone's experience at work creates genuine empathy and belonging.

Discussion angles to consider:

• Unconscious bias — exploring how bias can affect decision-making and workplace interactions, and how to recognise it in yourself.
• Inclusive leadership — what does it look like in practice? What behaviours make people feel valued and heard, and which ones don't?
• Global and cultural perspectives — if you've had different cultural or international experiences, share them. Diverse backgrounds bring different insights into markets, collaboration styles, and priorities.

Topic 3: Environment, sustainability and wellbeing

Younger generations often bring strong interest and awareness around sustainability and environmental issues. This topic bridges environmental thinking with workplace wellbeing, both of which are increasingly important to how organisations operate and how people experience work.

Discussion angles to consider:

• Sustainability practices — what are you each doing personally or professionally to reduce environmental impact? What does sustainable business look like in your view?
• Mental health and wellbeing — discuss stress management, work-life integration, and how your organisation supports (or could better support) mental health.
• Climate anxiety — for many people, especially younger workers, concern about climate change is a genuine stressor. Discussing it openly can be both validating and constructive.

How do I get started with reverse mentoring?

1. Agree on a topic — choose one of the three areas above, or identify another topic where your perspectives are likely to differ in a productive way.
2. Schedule a meeting in your loop — navigate to your 1:1 loop, click the + icon, and schedule a meeting. Fill in the topic, meeting type, date and time. Calendar, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams integrations may be available depending on your programme.
3. Come prepared — the junior participant taking the mentor role should lead the conversation, but both people benefit from thinking about the topic beforehand.
4. Share your experience — after your session, respond to your post-meeting survey and the Mentoring Quality Survey on your dashboard. Letting your Program Coordinator know how it went helps them understand the value of the programme.