Probably one of the easiest ways to earn respect in the workplace is to mentor a colleague who is new to your team or organization. I am sure you know about the traditional mentoring process where a seasoned colleague works with a younger staff member in a formal way. Maybe they agree to meet at a set time to discuss predetermined goals.
While this type of mentoring is effective, I’d like to suggest a more informal approach to mentoring.
And that is simply making sure that your behavior at work inspires others. Sometimes, it is the nonverbals that we exude that makes the biggest influence on colleagues. Often as the old adage goes, “actions speak louder than words.”
What you can do
The first step to this type of mentoring is to be aware of how you behave (verbally and nonverbally) in the workplace. How do you treat EVERYONE? Do you always make eye contact and give people your full attention when talking to them? All of these respectful behaviors add up.
Who knows, you might already be unconsciously mentoring someone at work with your positive attitude and behavior.
