Reverse Mentoring: What I Learned From Younger Generations

By Elisa Obillo, CPA

After more than 20 years in public accounting, I’ve had the opportunity to work with professionals from multiple generations — each bringing different perspectives, communication styles, and expectations into the workplace. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that some of the most meaningful professional growth does not always come from formal leadership training or traditional mentoring relationships. Sometimes, it comes from simply being willing to listen to younger generations.

As an immigrant and an Asian female leader in public accounting, adaptability has always been a major part of my journey. My family and I started building our lives in the United States long before diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) became formal workplace initiatives. At the time, there were fewer structured conversations about inclusion, belonging or generational differences. We simply learned how to navigate a completely different world while trying to balance our cultural upbringing with the expectations of life and work in America.

That transition was not easy.

Growing up in the Philippines, I was raised in a culture that deeply respected hierarchy, authority and seniority. Younger individuals were generally expected to listen more than speak, especially around elders and leaders. Early in my career, I carried much of that mindset with me into the workplace. Success often meant working hard quietly, observing senior professionals, adapting without complaint, and proving yourself through persistence.

At the same time, I was building my career while raising two young children in a new country. During the day, I was learning how to navigate corporate America and public accounting. At home, my husband and I were doing our best to raise our two young children based on the values, experiences and upbringing we carried with us from back home.

Looking back now, I realize that some of my earliest experiences with reverse mentoring actually started at home.

Today, my children are young adults, and in many ways, they have become some of my greatest teachers.

Learning From the Younger Generation

Like many parents, I initially believed that my role was to guide, teach and prepare my children for the future. What I did not fully expect was how much I would eventually learn from them.

Over the years, my children have taught me about technology, communication styles, mental health awareness, work-life balance, and even how younger generations view leadership and success differently.

One area that particularly changed my perspective was mental health.

Growing up in the Philippines, mental illness was rarely discussed and often not even recognized. We came from a culture where survival, resilience, and perseverance were prioritized above everything else. If someone felt anxious, overwhelmed or depressed, they were often encouraged to simply move on because there were viewed to be more important problems in life.

When I first came to America, I honestly struggled to fully understand the conversations around mental health. Part of me initially viewed it through the lens of my upbringing. I sometimes thought people here were simply more entitled or had experienced greater comfort in life compared to where I came from, where many families constantly operated in survival mode.

But over time, as my children became young adults, they slowly helped me understand that there was another side to these conversations that I had never fully appreciated before.

They helped me realize that acknowledging mental health struggles is not weakness. It is self-awareness.

They taught me that burnout, anxiety, stress and emotional exhaustion are real experiences that can affect anyone regardless of background, success or work ethic. More importantly, they showed me that talking openly about these challenges does not make people less resilient — sometimes it actually helps people become healthier, more productive, and more emotionally present.

That realization significantly changed how I viewed younger generations both at home and in the workplace.

For example, there have been times when my children challenged my tendency to prioritize work above everything else. They would openly discuss burnout, boundaries and the importance of mental well-being — topics that were rarely discussed openly when I was younger or earlier in my career.

At first, it was difficult for me to fully embrace that perspective because it was very different from how I was raised. In my upbringing, perseverance often meant continuing forward regardless of stress or exhaustion. But over time, I began to appreciate that younger generations are helping normalize conversations that many professionals previously avoided.

I also learned from them how much confidence and trust can grow when younger voices feel heard.

There were moments at home when my children would explain new technologies, social trends or perspectives that I initially did not fully understand. Instead of dismissing their viewpoints, I intentionally started listening more carefully and asking more questions. Over time, I noticed how much more engaged and confident they became simply because they felt their opinions mattered.

That realization stayed with me and eventually influenced how I approached leadership in the workplace.

Reverse Mentoring in Public Accounting

Public accounting firms today often include professionals from four different generations working together at the same time. While that diversity can create challenges, it also creates tremendous opportunities for learning.

Early in my career, success often meant long hours, learning primarily through observation, and quietly adapting to whatever environment you were placed in. Today’s younger professionals often value more transparency, real-time feedback, flexibility, and a stronger sense of purpose and balance. While these differences can sometimes create tension, I’ve learned to view them less as barriers and more as opportunities for growth and understanding if we are willing to listen and adapt.

Younger professionals today often bring strengths that firms genuinely need:

• Comfort with emerging technologies and AI tools.
• Greater adaptability to digital collaboration.
• Stronger awareness of mental health and work-life balance.
• Different perspectives on communication and leadership.
• New ideas around efficiency and innovation.

At the same time, more experienced professionals bring institutional knowledge, technical expertise, professional judgment and client relationship experience that can only be developed over time.

Reverse mentoring creates an opportunity for both sides to learn from one another. Research and professional publications increasingly describe reverse mentoring as a tool for bridging generational gaps, strengthening communication, improving leadership adaptability, and building more inclusive workplace cultures.^1,2

In my own experience leading teams, I have been trying to create opportunities for younger professionals to openly share how they prefer to receive feedback, what keeps them engaged and motivated, how they leverage technology to work more efficiently, and their perspectives on leadership and workplace culture.

Some of these conversations have genuinely changed how I lead.

For example, earlier in my career, feedback was often provided formally during scheduled performance reviews. Many younger professionals today, however, value more immediate and transparent communication. As a result, I’ve become more intentional about providing real-time feedback, quicker recognition, and more direct communication throughout engagements.

I have also learned a great deal from younger team members regarding technology and efficiency. There have been instances where staff introduced tools, shortcuts, or collaboration methods that significantly improved workflow efficiency. Rather than viewing those moments as a challenge to authority, I began viewing them as opportunities to learn.

That shift in mindset is an important part of reverse mentoring.

Why Reverse Mentoring Matters Now

The accounting profession is evolving rapidly.

Many recent publications on reverse mentoring emphasize that organizations are no longer viewing mentoring as a one-way, top-down process. Instead, firms are recognizing the value of reciprocal learning, where experienced professionals and younger employees both contribute unique perspectives and skills.² Other leadership publications have highlighted how reverse mentoring helps organizations better understand generational differences related to communication, technology, work-life balance, and employee engagement.⁴

This shift is especially relevant not only in public accounting, but across many professions where multiple generations work together as teams. Organizations today continue to navigate hybrid work environments, rapid advances in AI and technology, leadership succession, and ongoing challenges around employee engagement, communication and talent retention.

Technology, AI, hybrid work environments, changing employee expectations and talent retention challenges are reshaping how firms operate. At the same time, many organizations continue to struggle with bridging generational gaps within teams.

As noted in several leadership and workplace studies, reverse mentoring has also become increasingly associated with emotional intelligence, psychological safety, adaptability and inclusive leadership practices.^3,5

For many experienced professionals, especially those raised in cultures that strongly value hierarchy and seniority, learning from younger generations may initially feel uncomfortable. It requires open-mindedness, humility, and the willingness to recognize that younger generations are growing up in an entirely different world from the one many of us experienced.

What younger professionals experience today — from technology and social pressures to workplace expectations and mental health conversations — is vastly different from when many of us were growing up and starting our careers. Instead of resisting those differences, leaders can choose to better understand them.

One important lesson I’ve learned is that reverse mentoring does not necessarily require a formalized workplace program. While structured initiatives can certainly help, meaningful reverse mentoring often happens naturally through everyday conversations, team interactions, engagement debriefs, and simply creating an environment where younger professionals feel comfortable sharing their perspectives.

Sometimes, the most valuable step is not creating another formal process, but fostering a workplace culture where leaders remain teachable, curious, and willing to learn from younger generations.

How to Make Reverse Mentoring Work

One important lesson I’ve learned is that reverse mentoring does not necessarily require a highly formal program.

While some organizations implement structured mentorship initiatives, meaningful reverse mentoring can also happen through everyday interactions when leaders intentionally create environments where younger professionals feel comfortable sharing ideas.

The goal is not to eliminate hierarchy or professional standards. Instead, it is about creating a culture where learning flows in both directions.

In my experience, several practices make reverse mentoring more effective:

• Lead with humility and curiosity.
• Create psychological safety.
• Keep conversations informal and consistent.
• Turn feedback into action.

Looking Ahead

As public accounting and the world of CPAs continue to evolve, technical expertise alone will not determine long-term success. The firms that thrive will be those that build cultures where multiple generations can learn from one another, adapt together and collaborate effectively.

Reverse mentoring offers a practical and human-centered way to strengthen communication, improve engagement, and build more inclusive workplaces — one conversation at a time.

References

1. Jordan, J., & Sorell, M. Why reverse mentoring works and how to do it right. Harvard Business Review. Oct. 3, 2019.
2. Murphy, T. Mentorship is not a one-way street. Harvard Business Review. Dec. 13, 2021.
3. Nemanick, R. Are you ready to mentor a more senior colleague? Harvard Business Review. Aug. 15, 2023.
4. Parker, J. Reverse-mentoring programs depend on finding the right match. Harvard Business Review. Nov. 18, 2019.
5. Vistage Staff. How reverse mentorship enhances leadership strength. Vistage Research Center. Sept. 24, 2025.