Mentors

INTRODUCTION TO THE PENINSULA TOASTMASTERS MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

The first month in the club life of a new member may be filled with anxiety and confusion. Peninsula Toastmasters believe that a mentor can make a difference in the quality of the new member’s club experience. That difference may determine whether a new member decides to renew, or more importantly, contribute to the club as a speaker and leader. Below are the 3 primary objectives a club mentor should follow to ensure a successful mentorship.


1: COMMUNICATE

Open a line of dialog with your mentee as soon as possible. Use the checklist below to get started:

  1. Get your mentee’s email address from the VPE
  2. Send an email introducing yourself and get the phone number
  3. Arrange a face-to-face to establish the relationship (i.e. before a club meeting)
  4. Schedule meetings as necessary to ensure that the mentee is on track
  5. Coordinate so that you can be present at every speech that your mentee will give


2: COLLABORATE

Determine what your mentee wants to accomplish in the club. Most new members enter the club with only a vague idea about what they want to achieve. The mentor’s goal is to ask the right questions to figure out exactly what the mentee’s goals are and how the Toastmasters program can help achieve those goals. The mentor should work with the mentee in the CC and CL manuals help her meet the project objectives. Here are some questions to get the discussion started:

  1. What are your areas of development with respect to public speaking?
  2. What are your areas of development with respect to leadership skills?
  3. For the Icebreaker speech, what would you like the club to know about you?
  4. What would you like me to watch for in your next speech?


3: CONNECT

People join Toastmasters for the idea, but they stay for the people. The mentoring relationship and the club experience are intertwined. The stronger the relationship with your mentee, the more positive and fun both of your club experiences will become! Here are some examples of shared experiences that build the relationship:

  1. Go out for lunch
  2. Visit clubs together
  3. Practice for a speech
  4. Train for a contest
  5. Evaluate each other’s club performances
  6. Become friends


Final Club Recommendations

  • The new member should give the Icebreaker speech by her 3rd meeting and at least 1 new speech every 3 meetings until the CC is achieved. Giving speeches more frequently is highly recommended.
  • The mentor must remind the VPE/Toastmaster to assign a functionary role to the new member every meeting. The new member must be always engaged even if not speaking.
  • Be sure to encourage your mentees to check out our homepage at: www.ptmclub.info to access all the club resources.
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