Reverse Mentoring - 3 Things That Your Subordinates can Teach You

Are you ready to pick up a thing or two from your subordinates? Crush that 'I am Superior' ego.

In today's knowledge-based economy, some forward-looking organizations are increasing their focus on strategic superiority when creating a workplace that promotes "learning up." However, their number is still negligible, as learning still mostly flows downhill, hardly uphill.

In the nearing decade, successful organizations are projected to bring the knowledge-based economy to its full potential by ensuring learning flows up, down, and laterally, too. How are you placed with regard to this emerging trend of corporate learning? Are you ready to pick up a thing or two from your subordinates?

The following are the 3 essential things that you can easily learn from your juniors.

Out-of-the-box ideas top this list, as young professionals try to bring new perspectives to the traditional ways of doing things. Make sure that their new ideas don’t get crushed under the ego of superiors.

Energy is contagious. Equip your mature understanding with the energy of your junior, it will definitely form a winning combination for organizational success.

Last but not the least, it makes great sense for you to take the opinions of young guns about cutting-edge technologies. Since they tend to stay abreast of the latest technologies, their tech-related suggestions and advice will ensure good decision making.

Remember, the approach—Since you work for me, I can't learn from you—will soon be a passé. Gear up for the new normal in corporate learning.