How can you build a professional relationship with someone less experienced?

"In my opinion, being a role model makes it easier to be listened to by others. How you present yourself is crucial in influencing others, especially when there is an experience gap. As a mentor or coach, you can help bridge this gap through care, active listening, delegation, and motivation. These are key factors in transforming others."

As the saying goes, "Rome was not built in a day". It is therefore important to genuinely share with others less experienced in our spaces how we gained the insights that we have. Engaging in such candid conversations empowers them to share their challenging areas with us. Effective listening is key, as it allows the mentor /more experienced person to not only listen, but identify cues from the mentees stories and past endeavours that can be tapped into for stretch goals. I certainly agree that age, their level or role shouldn't be used to form any negative perceptions. Someone may be young but may have gotten a lot of valuable exposure due to their career path.

Actively listening and asking questions are two crucial skills if your goal is to show genuine interest. Here are 3 good ice-breaker questions you might want to try: - "Can you tell me about a project or accomplishment that you are proud of?" - "How do you stay updated and informed within your industry or field?" - "In your opinion, what are the most exciting or promising trends in your field right now?" And then of course the other half is the art of actively listening ;)

Also value their opinion. Although they are inexperienced, they can give you great insides to topicsy because they are looking at it from different perspectives and help you form new conclusions and form new ideas.

From what I've experienced on this subject, respecting the experience of others that is different from yours is the key idea for a good start. Genuinely demonstrating interest in the other person's experience opens up the opportunity to exchange unexpected experiences and perspectives on the world that are different from what you are used to.

You can always learn from a person, even if they're less experienced. I find that it is these people who bring in new perspectives. My tipp: encourage them to ask a lot of questions, avoid instructing them.

Building a professional relationship with someone less experienced involves mentoring, active listening, and providing constructive feedback. Share your knowledge, offer guidance, and create a supportive environment to help them grow.

It is simple. Be there for them on a daily basis - accessible and in tune with their needs so that they feel valued and supported.

You have to still listen. Mentor & listen. The challenge is to preach it. But to live it & teach & inspire & STILL GROW. Go be bold. Hold the door open & partner with those around you. Thanks - Sheila

The fastest way to help someone get to where you are or where you have been before, is to tell, teach and lead the person through the ways. The person will be privileged not to repeat your mistakes.

I observed my colleagues who worked on a community outreach project to raise mental health awareness among youths. They actively work with and sought inputs from our younger (and “less experienced”) interns. Recognizing their enthusiasm and tech-savvy skills, they empower the interns to lead the digital outreach efforts by proposing concept and shooting the TikTok content. Using youth lingo and leveraging on trending moves, their innovative social media strategies not only engaged the youth community (one video even went viral) but also successfully grew mental health literacy and awareness of resources!

Push them to share their ideas - and to dare dissent with our views! This is not only fostering their independent thinking, but also gaining you an open-minded feedback which, as a leader, you'll rarely receive.

New hires who may not know how things work within your organisation can be a great source of information about what might need to change. It’s easy over time for process and cultures to become ingrained so that you don’t notice what’s wrong with them. When someone new and inexperienced joins, give them specific permission to point out what’s wrong can help them feel valued and also give you an invaluable insight into your organisation.

One of my former bosses was (and is) the epitome of the “lifelong learner”. 15 years older than me, he’d held a global corporate role for a blue-chip FMCG company before founding a consulting firm, in which I worked 2005-2008. We met up a couple of weeks ago for the first time several years. His comment to me: “Simon, you were so helpful to me by getting me to think more deeply about using personal stories in my communication…”

When you eat with someone, the relationship changes. Lunch, brunch, breakfast meeting or dinner. Somehow it changes and personalises the dynamic. If there’s a place you know well, with an atmosphere you enjoy and respect, take ‘em there to celebrate! I know of one professional speaker whose entire new business strategy centred on meeting people for lunch on Fridays. Every Friday. By getting proactive on something like that, it’s extraordinary how rapidly your network can widen and deepen…

For me it is important to show yourself. Just not talk business all the way long. Share your opinions, thoughts and even fears. And then listen. Listen to the opinions, thoughts and fears of the other ones. Do not hurry to find conclusions and results. But find together a description of the problem oder Medea you are talking about. Get really in contact. Even when you agree to disagree it is a form of contact that helps to build trust in you. Trust is a gift and the result of good contact!!

Facilitation is a Very Key skill, which can be scaled & applied in every sphere of life. I think , it is important to spend time and listen carefully to the young people & then exchange of experiences related to the scenarios , which can bring closer and connect people

Everyone needs to start somewhere. Give them the opportunity to learn and grow. Give them the tools and help needed from the technical sense. Provide ongoing honest feedback so that they know what to improve. As they build their experience they also build their confidence.

To my understanding, the most important perception to nurture that you meet as two people (with different background, experiences, ages, ...) - but this boils down to individuals. And so, you are (in a work relationship) responsible to foster them and their professional and personal growth, but outside of the work relationship (let's say, at lunch/at a company excursion/when meeting at a sports club), you're just two equals. Be humble, and convey that your (potential) higher experience does not showcase more value or importance.

Honoring their voice, highlight their genius and encouraging them both personally and professionally. Be vulnerable and transparent about all walks of your facilitation journey, the good, bad and ugly of your experience.

Be aware of your countertransference. The inexperienced colleague may trigger reactions that are personal to you. Analyze that in your own mind and extrapolate that to what may be there roadblocks and help them overcome them.

This involves offering guidance, support, and opportunities for growth. Encourage an open dialogue, providing mentorship and advice while creating an approachable environment where they feel comfortable seeking help. Collaborate on projects to facilitate shared learning experiences and actively listen to their perspectives. Show respect for their contributions, celebrate their achievements, and offer opportunities aligned with their development goals. Share your experiences and insights to guide their professional journey, all while upholding professionalism and integrity in your interactions. It's about nurturing their potential and fostering a supportive environment for their growth.