Mentoring Through
Generational & Digital
Differences
NLADA Litigation & Directors
Conference 2010
•Kathleen Brockel & Rachel Medina
Today’s Discussion
► Mentoring & Reverse Mentoring
► Generational Considerations
► Digital Differences
► Setting up a Reverse Mentoring System
Who is LSNTAP and why are we
interested in mentoring?
What is LSNTAP?
► LSNTAP helps legal services law firms, attorneys, and
advocates improve the lives of the most vulnerable
people and groups in their communities through the
use of technology.
► It is our belief that technology greatly increases the
capacity of a non-profit law firm to help more people
obtain equal access to justice.
What services does LSNTAP offer?
► Training, recommendations, and counsel on
technology resources related to service delivery.
► A national perspective on the use and application of
technology as tools for improving service delivery
and expanding client capacity.
What services does LSNTAP offer?
(con’t.)
► A progressive approach to advocacy, education, and
training on technology issues affecting the legal aid
community.
► Facilitates the exchange of information among legal
services attorneys, advocates and staff to advance
issues of technology and professional development
opportunities.
Opportunities for Attorneys and Advocates
►
Roundtable Discussions
►
Legal Aid Tech Library
►
Case Management Ratings
►
LSTech List
►
GIS Mapping
►
Web Conferencing
►
Online Project Management
►
Customized Training
►
DLAW Template
►
Real-time Collaborations
►
Poverty Law Surveys
►
Office Suite Tools
►
Web 2.0 Tools
►
Conference Presentations
►
Desktop Utilities
►
Consulting Assistance
►
Web-based Trainings
►
LSNTAP.org
►
Help Desk
►
Mobile Web Sites
Today’s Discussion
► Mentoring & Reverse Mentoring
► Generational Considerations
► Digital Differences
► Setting up a Reverse Mentoring System
What is reverse mentoring?
Reverse mentoring
• is a process by which a person seeks out an "expert" who has
less job experience than he/she does, but who holds a wealth
of knowledge/skill on a topic that is continually changing and
growing.
Mutual mentoring
Mutual mentoring (reciprocal mentoring)
• occurs when each person brings to the table knowledge to
teach and a different topic to learn, and they agree to
exchange mentor and mentee roles as appropriate. This is a
two-way process in which each party gives and gains.
How did reverse mentoring start?
► 10 years ago at General Electric
600
Executives
CEO Jack
Welch
Younger
Mentors
Learn
About the
Internet!
Time Warner
College
Students
Senior
Execs
Program extended
from four pilot cities
to larger groups of
executives throughLearn About Web 2.0 &
Technologies Affecting Media out the company.
Deloitte & Touche
► Started reverse mentoring program in 2001
► Started with Outlook and managing email
► Now extended to offices across the country
Wharton Business School
Matches executive MBAs with junior mentors who
demonstrated an excellent grasp of technology.
“Executives are beginning
to realize that knowledge
isn’t a one-way street. It’s
in everyone’s best interest
to share expertise,” points
Jerry Wind, director of the
Wharton program.
Face-to-Face
E-Mail
Skype
Proctor & Gamble
“It’s a situation where the old ‘fogies’ in an
organization realize that by the time you are in
your forties and fifties, you are not in touch with
the future the same way the young twentysomethings are.”
Today’s Discussion
► Mentoring & Reverse Mentoring
► Generational Considerations
► Digital Differences
► Setting up a Reverse Mentoring System
4 - 5 generations in the workplace
► Traditionalists, born prior to 1946
► Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964
► Gen X, born between 1965 and 1976
► Millennials, born between 1977 and 1997
► Gen 2020, born after 1997
4 Generations
► Traditionalists born 1925-1942
► Butter Toffee
► Baby Boomers born 1943-1962
► Smarties
► Generation X born 1963-1978
► Jawbusters
► Generation Y/Millennials born 1979-1998 ► Lollipops
(under age 30 today)
What is a generation?
►Defined by the similar formative
influences–
►social,
►cultural,
►political,
►economic
►– that existed as the individuals of
particular birth cohorts were growing up.
Bookend Generations
Boomers
1946- 1964
Gen X
Gen Y
1979 – 1994
More in common
with Gen Y
More in common
with Boomers
(than Xers)
Values (work life
balance,
sabbaticals,
“giving back”)
Values (work life
balance,
sabbaticals,
“giving back”)
Double the size of
Gen X
Y’s
86%
important
that their
work has
positive
impact on
the world
84% very
ambitious
78%
comfortable
working
with
diversity of
people
48%
networking
with friends
important
Top 5 things Millennials/Y’s
want to learn in the workplace
Technical skills in area
of expertise
Self management and
personal productivity
Leadership
Industry or functional
knowledge
Creativity and
innovation strategies
Boomers
45% project working
after age 65
71% report elder
care
responsibilities
87% work
flexibility
important
47% see
themselves as
being in the middle
of their careers
55% members of
external volunteer
networks
Rewards at least as important as compensation
Gen Y
Boomers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
1. High quality colleagues
2. Intellectually stimulating
workplace
3. Autonomy regarding work
tasks
4. Flexible work arrangements
5. Access to new
experiences/challenges
6. Giving back to the world
through work
7. Company/boss recognition
High quality colleagues
Flexible work arrangements
Prospects for advancement
Company/boss recognition
Steady
advancement/promotion
6. Access to new
experiences/challenges
Today’s Discussion
► Mentoring & Reverse Mentoring
► Generational Considerations
► Digital Differences
► Setting up a Reverse Mentoring System
Generational Digital Differences
Digital Natives
Digital Settlers
Digital Immigrants
Digital Natives
46% use phone primarily to make and receive calls, and
39% use phone primarily to send and receive text
messages
72% can text blindfolded! (using keyboard)
28% browse the web on their phone
38% somewhat agree, 19% strongly agree (57%) having
a cell phone as improved the quality of their life
Digital Natives vs. Digital Immigrants
Are you a….
• Probably born
prior to
Internet boom
• Fast and eager
learner
• Intimidated at
first with
technology
• Once you learn
a technology
you are at
ease.
Trident
Immigrant
• Born closely
prior to or post
Internet
availability (‘92)
• Most of your
life, you’ve had
easy access to
computers
• Not intimidated
by digital world
• Quick to adapt
to new
technologies
Big Red
Settler
Native
Orbit
• You feel a little
left behind in
the digital
world
• Fear about
using
technologies
• Prefer to do
things the way
you are most
familiar with
• You can
eventually
adapt
Generation/Digital Assessment
►
Do you have your own web page? (1 point)
►
Have you made a web page for someone else? (2 points)
►
Do you IM your friends? (1 point)
►
Do you text your friends? (2 points)
►
Do you watch videos on YouTube? (1 point)
►
Do you remix video files from the Internet? (2 points)
►
Have you paid for and downloaded music from the Internet? (1
point)
►
Do you know where to download free (illegal) music from the
Internet? (2 points)
Generation/Digital Assessment
►
Do you blog for professional reasons? (1 point)
►
Do you blog as a way to keep an online diary? (2 points)
►
Have you visited MySpace at least five times? (1 point)
►
Do you communicate with friends on Facebook? (2 points)
►
Do you use email to communicate with your parents? (1 point)
►
Did you text to communicate with your parents? (2 points)
►
Do you take photos with your phone? (1 point)
►
Do you share your photos from your phone with your friends? (2
points)
Answers to the Quiz
►0 - 1point – Baby Boomer
►2-6 points – Generation Jones
►6- 12 points – Generation X
►12 or over – Generation Y
► How many guessed their profile “correctly”?
► Is the media use quiz valid?
► For those that answered “no” –
►
Did you overestimate or underestimate your
generational/digital competence?
►
What made the quiz invalid?
► What are the generations in your office?
► How would you classify your program and staff
positions? (Who are the natives? Immigrants? settlers?)
► Has this diversity caused challenges related to
technology change … how have those been addressed in
your office?
ED’s:
Staff
Attorneys
70 White Males
668 White Males
26 White Females
1279 White Females
10 Black Males
61 Black Males
10 Black Females
250 Black Females
5 Hispanic Males
107 Hispanic Males
6 Hispanic Females
218 Hispanic Females
2 N.A. Males
5 N.A. Males
3 N.A. Females
24 N.A. Females
2 AsianPac Males
36 AsianPac Males
1 AsianPac Female
113 AsianPac Females
Today’s Discussion
► Mentoring & Reverse Mentoring
► Generational Considerations
► Digital Differences
► Setting up a Reverse Mentoring System
Reverse Mentoring Systems in Legal Aid?
What programs have “regular”
mentoring systems?
Used for what goal/purpose?
Has anyone been involved with a
reverse mentoring program?
Why is one-on-one assistance crucial?
1. It is needed when obtaining the knowledge is
relevant to immediate work at hand.
2. A higher degree of learning is likely to take
place when the material is relevant.
3. People will set up their own informal
networks or mentoring scenarios if you
don’t.
10 Steps to Set Up the Mentoring Program
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Define The Purpose
Ensure Leadership Engagement
Opt in only
Advise Mentors To Be Patient With Mentees
Training for Mentors
Support for Mentors
Training for Mentees
Create a Solid and Specific Program
Appropriate Pairing
Have Fun!
Mentoring Cycle
Preparation
Closure
Establish
agreements
Enabling
Goals & Purpose
Examples for reverse mentoring:
► Learn how to complete a HotDocs form and edit it.
► Learn to handle Live Chat responses on client website.
► Learn court’s electronic filing system.
► Others?
Mutual Mentoring Goals
Y mentors Boomer
on project
management
software
Boomer mentors Y
on foreclosure
litigation strategy
More Formal = Agreement or Contract
Goals of the
relationship
what mentee wants to learn.
Ground rules
how often and in what manner
communications and meetings will occur.
Boundaries on the
relationship
What is to be treated as
confidential information
what topics or issues are not to be dealt
with.
Pairing
“ ‘As a researcher, I can tell you that how you
best match people is probably the issue
where we know the least about,’ says Tammy
Allen, a professor of psychology, University of
South Florida and co-author of Designing
Workplace Mentoring Programs: An EvidenceBased Approach."
Pairing Suggestions:
Have mentors & mentees complete information
sheets on what they hope to offer & obtain.
Use a committee to pair people
Offer mentors & mentees several partner options
and have them choose.
Once paired, enable opportunity for mentor &
mentee to get together informally.
Set up a check-up (“it’s nothing personal”).
Factors Contributing to Successful Mentoring
Partnership
Clear and respectful communication
Openness
Trust
Genuine interest
Risk-taking and managing fear of failure
Clear and realistic goals and priorities
Focus
Commitment
Feedback
Support for Mentors & Mentees
► How about a support group to discuss difficulties
mentors are experiencing?
► What tech tools could assist the process?
► What are reasonable progress expectations?
Training for Mentors and Mentees
► Discuss generational differences & assumptions.
► Discuss methods for mentor teaching the mentee.
► Discuss methods for mentee to communicate to
mentor.
Resources – Learning Styles
► Learning Style Self-Assessments:
►
http://bit.ly/G0tiD -- This quiz sorts out learners who prefer
written, oral or hands-on learning
►
http://bit.ly/RgZFW -- Sorts preferred styles into visual,
auditory and Tactile/Kinsethetic
Evaluating
Ask participants
how their
experiences
went.
Look at
measureable
improvement.
Look at job
satisfaction
levels,
productivity, etc.
Will you try a reverse mentoring
or mutual mentoring program?
THANK YOU
Visit www.lsntap.org for slides!
Kathleen Brockel
kathleen@lsntap.org
Rachel Medina
rachel@lsntap.org