Reverse Mentoring

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Our deepest desire is to find someone who will inspire us to reach our full potential." Mentors fulfill this need, and in our careers and lives, some of us have been fortunate to receive guidance from skilled colleagues and leaders.

At Hexagon R&D India , we believe in the power and potential of the new generation to shape Hexagon's R&D Center India's direction. By engaging the strengths of both experienced and fresh minds - the two generations, we can create an unstoppable force of awesomeness.

To unleash this force, we launched GEngage, our Reverse Mentoring program, a unique initiative that flips the traditional mentoring dynamic. ?In this program, the new generation becomes mentors, bringing fresh ideas, digital fluency, and vast knowledge.

In its first season, our top leadership has been part of the pilot program. Various topics and outcomes; and this engagement have certainly helped re-evaluate established thought processes and fearlessly challenge the status quo, igniting innovation.

This volunteer-led initiative was program managed by a Reverse Mentoring Council comprising Sreedhar Babu Gummadi , Praveena Aravapalli & myself. ?Self-nomination from early-stage career professionals, followed by a two-stage Intent & Approach Discovery Workshop led us to discover our 7 young mentors.

To support the selected mentors, there were detailed orientation sessions. It helped outline the program details, responsibilities for each stakeholder, and some tools for mentors to use for their mentoring dialogues.

Abraham Harold Maslow, the creator of ubiquitous quoted Maslow's hierarchy of needs said that in any given moment we have two options: to step forward into growth or to step back into safety. ?

Our leaders enthusiastically embraced fresh perspectives and insights from this dynamic set of young mentors. Together, they explored various facets such as?leadership, diversity, communication, social media,?and industry trends that have yielded innovative ideas crucial for our organization's ability to stay agile in today's ever-changing business environment.

It has been a deeply satisfying experience as a close audience to this whole journey. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this incredible journey. And all geared up for the next season with the next line of leaders and young mentors.

Here's to embracing diversity, fostering collaboration, and creating a workplace where innovation knows no bounds!