Meet My Reverse Mentor

I am under the influence of a millennial. Before you jump to a quick conclusion and question my judgment, let me tell you about the three traits representative of millennials that Jen, my mentor, and friend brings to our relationship.

Being under the influence of a millennial I see things with fresh eyes because of her unrelenting curiosity. She loves to ask what I am waiting for and why I hold back on my dreams. Her attitude is to take a leap of faith. My reaction is fear. Jen nudges me along to overcome my fears and live into my vision. As I sort out my fears, doubts, and worries I am gaining confidence and letting go of the mythical tales of my past.

I recall my sister saying, “You don’t understand until you do.”

Letting go is not forgetting. It is turning memories inside-out to find the hidden lessons. It is in honoring my past that I am learning to move on. I imagine myself reaching out to touch my mom’s hand or looking into my brother’s eyes. I try to see their actions as gifts to help me understand why things happened as they did.

Millennials see different perspectives on career and personal goals and Jen demands the same from me. Her expectations influenced me to claim myself as a ‘Millennial in a Baby Boomer’s Body’ as my TikTok handle. To get me to act on my ideas, she questions me about my true commitment to building my next career. I am continually amazed with the interesting perspectives that come up in these conversations.

Finding new insights is like searching for a missing item in a junk drawer. I am sure you can relate to the frustration we feel while looking for a lost item. Consider the amount of energy you waste only to discover the item in plain sight. The same thing happens when I change perspectives. Recently, I surfaced my inner courage and began to step out of my comfort zone.

Because collaboration and connection are more important to millennials over the solo focus of individual work, they know how to do the following well: 1) Thrive in both virtual and in-person work environments by using technology and social media to energize collaborative efforts and person-to-person connections. 2) Create a lasting impact through the stories and experiences by capturing and sharing videos and photos.

As a self-conscious baby boomer, I squirm each time Jen suggests I share my ideas by recording another TikTok or hosting a live-stream event. These days I seem to be getting more use out of my makeshift home recording studio as Jen cajoles and encourages me. I am continuing to learn, grow, and change beyond getting in front of a camera, which is the real beauty of working with a reverse mentor.

There you have it…I am fortunate to be under the influence of a millennial. Reviving my youthful exuberance from my entrepreneurial days is a great boost to my confidence, health, and well-being. The benefits for Jen as the mentor are noteworthy. She has mastered the art of reverse mentoring through practical learning experiences by taking advantage of the three traits representative of millennials.

In summary, the traits are…

• …unrelenting curiosity,
• …different perspectives,
• …collaboration and connection.

The next time you are in search of a mentor, consider a reverse mentor to change things up. You will feel energized by the awaiting surprises and insights.

Watch for the release of my podcast: “UNDER THE INFLUENCE…” focusing on Human Potential topics later this year.

Check-out my professional TikTok channel: https://www.tiktok.com/@humanpotentialtiktok?lang=en