Inform(al) Mentoring

Inform(al) Mentoring

How many people do we mentor each day and we don’t even realise we are doing it? Whilst formal mentoring programmes have become an accepted effective way for companies to transfer skills and develop team members and individuals there is a vast circle of people gaining knowledge all the time through “informal” mentoring.

The word “informal” splits into “inform – al(l)” and perhaps being a little more conscious of the impact of this will assist us to become aware of those, that on a day to day basis, gain information, knowledge and behaviour tips from us.

We all live such busy lives, so we cannot always have the additional time to put aside to participate in a formal mentoring programme but we can look out for those in our circle that are always watching from the side lines, asking the odd delving question or sometimes, even, being a constant pain – in our eyes. Remain aware, these “informal” interactions are as much part of another’s growth as sitting in a focused developmental mentoring session.

Many of us look back and are eternally grateful to our “informal” mentors, as these are the individuals who took some of the pain away from our own growth path. Without them we would not have been shaped the way we are. We are all enriched by different experiences, and watching someone that we admire do something we cannot do, enables us to do it as well!

Finally, when the time is right , we have to remember to acknowledge and thank our informal mentors. It will bring joy to those individuals who never realised their positive impact on our lives.

What Mentor of yours can you call to thank today?