Remember, we all can learn from each other. Reverse coaching is a relatively new idea in the coaching world where a younger junior manager works with an older senior manager in a reverse coaching scenario. Many younger managers share their anxieties that in the contemporary technologically driven world senior managers don’t understand the younger generations, don’t communicate with them and don’t think like them. Perhaps one of the biggest benefits of reverse coaching is the opportunity for learning for both the parties.

Senior managers and their junior coaches benefit in a variety of ways.

1. A chance to have an official in-depth and open relationship with each other.
2. Good opportunity to develop confidence and open their eyes to the challenges that come as they move up the managerial ladder to more senior level.
3. A way to gain a better perspective of the motivators and demotivators of both the generations.
4. For senior managers a chance to learn new technological skills and their benefits: for example, using social networks, tweeting, blogging as part of their communication process.
5. A way to show a genuine interest in listening to, involving and operating a top-down and bottom-up organisation. 

For the organisation it’s an opening to build greater loyalty and improve morale due to the feeling of being listened to and communicated with. Also it’s an opportunity for cost-efficiency, as it is creating two-way learning channels encouraging managers who have different knowledge levels and experience to learn from each other.

As with any new idea there are, of course, limitations, challenges and hurdlers to be aware of. However, if open minded people who are willing to work together in a committed and non-judgmental way, to challenge one another, to explore ideas and ways of working and to genuinely learn from each other, you will find that reverse coaching will be accepted more readily.