Return to the glossary index

Reverse mentoring is an informal or structured process in which younger members of an organization introduce their superiors, including senior executives, to new digital technologies. Originally focused on introducing senior managers to internet use in the 2000s, reverse mentoring has now expanded to offer expertise in social media and specialized mobile applications. In marketing terms, its objectives include raising awareness among decision-makers about the strategic implications of new practices, fostering their buy-in for investments in these areas, facilitating upward and downward communication, and promoting the use of the tools and techniques discussed. For example, reverse mentoring can be useful in familiarizing executives and sales managers with professional social networks such as LinkedIn, if they have not yet acquired the proficiency deemed essential for their professional effectiveness.

Return to the glossary index