The Edge June/July/August 2026

pilot group so you can iron out any kinks that arise. Start with five to 10 pairs within your organization and gather their feedback on how to improve the program first. It’s a good idea to offer training for both your mentors and mentees, as chances are your younger employees will be unfamiliar with how to pro vide constructive feedback to leadership, and managers may struggle with active listening and not becoming defensive. Both parties need to know how to build trust and rapport with one another. Conduct regular check-ins throughout the program to en sure participants are meeting as scheduled and tangible benefits are being experienced. Without buy-in from the leadership team, reverse mentorships can quickly wither away when mentees repeatedly cancel meetings. When you decide the pro gram is ready to be launched to the broader organization, communicate its purpose clearly to the entire team. A reverse mentorship doesn’t mean mentees are unable to share their wisdom with their younger mentors. In many cas es, these relationships are mu tually beneficial and encourage younger employees to continue in their leadership journey. As insights are uncovered, integrating them into the business as a whole will boost employee engagement and cre ate a feedback loop that keeps leadership connected to the next generation and the latest innovations. TE

will meet, the overall duration of the program, and the discussion topics. For example, BNY Mellon’s program runs for seven months, and pairings are expected to meet at least six times. Mentees are asked what they would like to learn more about, and then matched with mentors who have relevant knowledge or experience in those areas. The mentor and mentee share their communication styles, set shared expectations and learning goals. BNY Mellon has a resource hub that includes conversation starters, monthly agendas, and a topic list to guide conversations. At the end of the program, they have a panel of mentors and mentees who share stories and insights from the experience. When it comes to selecting your mentor and mentee pairs, it’s critical to thoughtfully select individuals who have mutual areas of interest. However, you should also seek to strategically pair individuals with diverse outlooks, such as varied cultural backgrounds or distinct person ality types. Look for mentors who are rising stars within your organiza tion who are comfortable shar ing feedback upward. With your mentees, identify senior leaders who are open to learning and discuss potential pairings with them in case there are any con flicts of interest. TIPS FOR SUCCESS Before rolling out a company wide reverse mentoring program, start small with a  KEY TAKEAWAYS ■ Reverse mentorships allow younger employees to

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staff, and field teams while offering insight into how company messaging is actually received. ■ Clear goals, intentional pairings, defined timelines, and guided conversations are essential for delivering measurable outcomes.

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