"It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts." – John Wooden
This is a two-part question. You will need a pencil, a single piece of paper and a timer. Part 1) In 20 seconds, list all of the white things you can think of. (Go ahead, do it now – I’ll wait.)
Surprisingly, most people can record just as many items on the second list -- even though the universe from which they can select is decidedly smaller. Some people, in fact, find the second part of the question easier to answer.
Now can this be? How can people get just as many – or more – ideas from a smaller sample? Aren’t we always encouraged to cast a wide net?
Casting a wide net is, of course, often the most appropriate strategy. This is especially true if time isn’t an issue (as it was in this exercise) because a wider net will usually yield a higher number and quality of ideas. But not always.
The key to understanding this paradox resides in understanding the issue of concreteness -- which is defined here as focusing a person’s attention on a specific task.
This paradox is appropriate when considering the idea of a mentor. Over time most of us have come to think of mentors as individuals possessing more knowledge and experience than ourselves. We naturally, therefore, seek out mentors with these attributes.
To unlearn, though, I encourage you to seek out a reverse mentor – a person younger or more inexperienced than yourself. For starters, such individuals are likely to possess some knowledge you don’t. More important, in today’s in era of accelerating change, it is not always the quantity or quality of knowledge that is most important but rather a fresh perspective on existing knowledge or, alternatively, a unique view of the leading edge of new knowledge.
By shedding uncommon insights on what may be coming next for your industry or industry and exposing you to those areas where an inability or unwillingness to unlearn might keep you from seeing the same things, a reverse mentor can be just as valuable as an “experienced” mentor.
Like thinking of white things in the refrigerator, the life experiences of reverse mentors may be more limited but by helping spot overlooked opportunities or identifying future threats to your business they can help make sure you don’t want to end up with egg (white) on your face or crying over spilled milk.
Homework Assignment #6: Identity at least two potential reverse mentors – one within your field of expertise or industry and one outside – who are significantly younger than yourself. Meet quarterly with these individuals.
