Sometimes the tools you need to improve employee skills are right within your own company. Experienced employees have long mentored new or younger employees, but businesses, educational institutions, and medical facilities are seeing the wisdom of reverse-mentoring. Newer hires often bring with them fresh views and updated technological skills which can be shared with other employees. Without a reverse- mentoring structure in place, this sharing of knowledge and ideas may not take place. Occasionally, the best mentoring partners are in distant locations. In this instance, e-mentoring through internet capabilities is the solution.
Many Fortune 500 companies have successfully utilized various mentoring practices. General Electric, under the direction of Jack Welch, received recognition for reverse mentoring in the area of digital skill building. Other businesses with published success include Deloitte & Touche LLP, The Hartford Financial Services Group, Euro RSCG Life, Procter & Gamble Co., and HOK. Results from their experiences show that successful mentoring, reverse mentoring, and e-mentoring include key elements.
- Company or institution sanctioned support
- Mentors are selected for their ability to teach as well as their technical skills
- Mentors and mentorees need a willingness to share (knowledge is power)
- Clear goals of what knowledge or skills areas will be addressed
- Scheduled times for partners to meet
- An atmosphere of trust and respect
- Training in how to be mentoring partners
- Ability to change the process as needed
The following links provide additional information about mentoring practices and contacts in Illinois and elsewhere.
Illinois New Teacher Collaborative http://intc.ed.uiuc.edu/index.html 
website.
Mentors Peer Resources list of organizations, institutions, and companies utilizing mentoring http://www.mentors.ca/mentorprograms.html practices.
Reverse mentoring results /reversementoringresults.htm provided by The Center for Coaching and Mentoring.
American Management Association http://www.amanet.org/online_library/bestofMO/lead/02_DevLeadStrategy.cfm article on developing business leaders through mentoring and reverse mentoring.
AARP http:www.aarpmagazine.org/lifestyle/Articles/a2003-09-17-mentoring.html .
Galt Global Review http:/www.galtglobalreview.com/education/learning_in_reverse_2.html reverse mentoring practices.