When a Senior Engineer Becomes the CEO's Sounding Board

When Matt, a Senior Structural Engineer in our UK team, began mentoring John, our CEO, it sparked a series of honest, thought-provoking conversations - ranging from workplace inclusion to leadership vulnerability and communication styles.

The idea is simple: create space for open, honest dialogue between people at different stages in their careers. But what unfolded was far more than a structured mentoring programme. It became a trusted exchange of insight, experience, and challenge - where each conversation deepened mutual understanding.

Here, Matt and John reflect on what they learned from each other, and why reverse mentoring just might be the most human form of leadership development.

Matt, tell us more about how you felt entering into this mentoring partnership with John?

Naturally, it was surreal at first. You don’t expect to be sitting across from the CEO talking about how the workplace can better support all Kent people - especially early in your career.

But John was incredibly open and made it feel natural from the start. He was receptive, curious, and genuinely wanted to understand. We talked a lot about how communication can impact inclusion - particularly when people come from different backgrounds and think in different ways.

We spoke about how things like pronoun visibility or the language we use in our signatures can make a difference to people’s comfort and safety at work.

It was refreshing to have someone in a senior role really want to explore those differences, rather than gloss over them.

John, what prompted you to take part in reverse mentoring. And what have you taken away from these conversations?

When I first heard about the programme, I knew I had to do it. As leaders, we talk about listening, but how often do we really make time to hear from voices we wouldn’t otherwise encounter? I have special thanks to Karen Blanc for setting up the programme and matching me up with Matt to start this new partnership, which I now consider a friendship.

I think what Matt gave me was clarity. On a few occasions I was looking for someone to back up my instincts - but instead of firing me up, he grounded me. He helped me see things more pragmatically. That’s one of the most valuable things about this kind of mentoring.

It’s also given me a clearer sense of how our messages and decisions land with people in very different roles from mine. It’s easy to assume we know what people think, but speaking to different people reminds you to test those assumptions.

Matt, how has this experience influenced how you see your place at Kent?

It’s made me feel seen. It’s easy to feel like a small cog in a big machine when you’re in a large organisation, but being heard by someone like John and seeing him take my ideas seriously - it’s validating.

It also showed me that Kent genuinely values inclusion. It isn’t a tick-box exercise. It’s real. And it made me feel like I could actually shape the culture here, not just be part of it.

You’ve both mentioned that it didn’t feel like a typical mentoring setup. Why is that?

Matt: I expected it to be more formal. I had this whole list of talking points prepared for the first meeting. But from the first chat, it was just a really open conversation. We connected over music, life outside of work, and shared interests. That helped break the ice early on.

John: It was definitely unstructured - in a good way. We just kept it human. It wasn’t about rigid checklists or corporate goals. I think that’s why it worked.

What would you say to someone considering joining a reverse mentoring scheme?

Matt: Do it, It gives you the chance to influence real decisions and get insight into how the business runs. And it helps close that distance that can sometimes exist between junior roles and senior leadership.

John: Absolutely. I’d encourage more leaders to give it a go. It keeps you connected to the real experiences of people in our business. And we all know that the great ideas and important truths don’t just come from the top.

One Year In, Still Going Strong

Several months into their reverse mentoring relationship, John and Matt are still meeting regularly - not because of a programme requirement, but because the relationship continues to add value for both of them.

As Matt puts it, "It’s nice knowing I can message John and ask him to join a meeting or sense-check something - and he’ll show up." And for John, "Every time I speak to Matt, I learn something. That’s reason enough to keep it going."

Inclusion in Action - One Conversation at a Time

This is what our Inclusion & Belonging Blueprint looks like in real life: creating space where new voices lead, senior leaders listen, and mutual growth happens.

Matt and John’s story is proof that reverse mentoring isn’t just a bold idea - it’s a practical, powerful way to deepen empathy, break down barriers, and shape the future of work together.