For this Gen X and Gen Z duo, mentorship is mutually beneficial

For all the perceived multi-generational drama at the workplace, it is possible for valuable relationships to form across generations — and the conversation is about much more than TikTok tutorials.

Shareen Minor is the chief revenue officer at insurtech Ontellus, and for the past three years, the Gen X-er has worked closely with Fraley Morton, a Gen Z-er at the start of her career. The duo met at a past employer and made the leap to Ontellus together, where Morton, now a product marketing manager, continues to collaborate closely with Minor and evolve her own career path.

“Shareen pushes me to think about myself and my personal brand, and how to build relationships in business,” Morton says. “She’s not a ‘yes’ person, and she doesn’t just tell me when I’m doing well. She pushes me beyond what I would typically do for myself.”

Morton’s enthusiasm is representative of her generation. Eighty-six percent of young workers are looking for bosses and managers that help them grow, according to Springtide Research Institute. And yet, just 38% feel they have someone in their life who’s modeling success.

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As the workforce’s youngest entrants navigate a post-COVID world and play catch-up on professional lessons lost during the pandemic shutdowns, providing mentorship opportunities is an increasingly vital way for organizations to attract and retain fresh talent. LinkedIn data shows that Gen Z is more likely than other generations to seek out new opportunities, with 61% craving increased responsibilities and 76% looking for a chance to learn new skills.

From Minor’s perspective, Morton brings a wealth of new ideas and new skill sets to the workforce, enabling them to collaborate and creatively problem solve across departments. The pair recently spoke to EBN about their working relationship, why career growth is a key ingredient to workplace happiness, and why mentorship is not something that can be forced.

How did you two first get connected? What made you want to work together in a more focused way?

Fraley Morton, product marketing manager, Ontellus

Morton: When I first met Shareen, I was 24, working at my first job out of college in the male-dominated insurance industry. And I was so excited when I heard that Shareen — a woman with a crazy impressive track record — was stepping into a leadership role at the company. On her first or second day, she sent me an invitation to meet, and what started as a 20-minute introduction call ended up being much longer, and I walked away with a career-growth roadmap and a secret plan for me to report directly to Shareen. I had been feeling a little stagnant, and after that first call, I was completely reenergized.

Shareen Minor, CRO, Ontellus

Minor: Fraley was working directly with the CEO at the time, and when she told me she’d like to work for me, I told her that was a conversation she’d have to have with the CEO. And he called me two weeks later and said that Fraley wanted to report to me. He understood that we could create a good position for her, one where she could really lean into marketing. Her willingness to have that conversation upfront with the CEO of the company, and really identify what she wants and champion for herself? It really impressed me.

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Morton: But I feel like I rarely champion for myself.

Minor: Maybe not right away, but you identify an opportunity, we’ll discuss it, and then you’ll take on the next steps. I’ve seen Fraley become very strong in that way, and I hope that most people her age do find someone to ask for advice more. But it’s hard — I remember being young and thinking, “How do I navigate this?” And Fraley has been good at identifying and talking through challenges and opportunities.

As colleagues, when did you feel like a close relationship was really cemented professionally?
Minor: When I joined our previous employer, I laid out a three month calendar of what I wanted to do and achieve. And Fraley jumped right in to not just execute along the way, but to share ideas and teach me things. Yes, she told me what TikTok was, but she also shared ideas about social platforms that were a little foreign to me. (As a Gen X-er, they are a bit foreign, right? We’re better than the boomers but it’s still foreign.) So I knew if I invested even a little of my time in her, she’d take off like a rock star.

What are some of the generational differences you’ve noticed in how you approach problems? And how has that helped you work together, or create speed bumps?
Minor: When I was first managing millennials, I had to read a book on how to coach millennials, because it was so different for me. It’s been easier to manage Gen Z, and I think it’s partly because I have realized that there’s a gap — when I was working with millennials, I just tried to identify with them. But now I embrace our differences. I recently tried to repost something on LinkedIn and made an error, and Fraley teased me and said, “You’re better than this, Shareen,” and showed me how to fix it. She’s comfortable enough with me, and I’m vulnerable enough with her to ask for help.

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Morton: Shareen has a million ideas — she’ll send me TikToks at 11 p.m. about ideas for email campaigns, and she’ll text me when she’s on the treadmill in the morning about some podcast she wants me to listen to. She has so many ideas that it changes the way I think about the platforms I engage with every day and how we can better utilize them in our work. It’s a good balance between ideas and working through them together to execute. There are two other young women on my team, and I see the time and effort Shareen gives to all of us. Being there and listening goes a long way.