top of page

Books & Papers

Mutual Mentoring: Reducing the Divide

Jane Ball

A corporate mutual mentoring program had failed. Jane Ball redesigned it for BP's trading unit, pairing across boundaries, making leaders apply rather than volunteer. One junior mentor watched senior interest disappear when she mentioned being recently married.

Members of the Academy can read the full annotation and access the source material. 

BP's Integrated Supply and Trading unit was fragmenting under pressure. A corporate Diversity & Inclusion mutual mentoring program had failed after six months. Jane Ball redesigned it with key changes: leadership had to apply rather than volunteer, answer challenging questions ('Choose a colleague you trust and ask them what your blind spots are'), and nominate junior mentors, avoiding volunteers with 'an axe to grind.' Pairs crossed at least two boundaries (organisational and social/cultural) and worked outside reporting lines to avoid conflicts of confidentiality or accusations of favouritism. One junior mentor described watching senior leaders' interest disappear when she mentioned being recently married. Ball reflects that safety wasn't a prerequisite for the process; 'rather the process creates safety as people engage.' The structure enabled conversations that organisational norms restricted without requiring constant facilitator presence. Conference discussion focused on how hierarchical organisations can create space for open dialogue across boundaries.

You've been reading one of the Library's openly available resources. Academy members can explore the full collection — and support this work.

ACCESS RESOURCE →

format

Books & Papers

Topics

Dialogue in organisations and systemsLeadership and decision-making

Access

Members only

bottom of page