Mentoring talk
“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.”
Oprah Winfrey
Toastmasters offered me a lot of opportunities, mentoring it was just one part of my amazing journey. Ever since I was active in JCI - for me mentoring was a great tool to spring future leaders. This because one of my mentors (from training area) told me during a Train the Trainers - that what you receive for those more schooled than you pay it fwd to inspire others, and this is what I have done ever since that moment. I pay if forward - and I am lucky because I keep receiving from a lot of amazing people.
Now returning to Toastmasters - I am one of the toughest mentors because ever since I am approached by someone a distinction is made - I will support your dream, if you work for it. You are the one with the labor, not me. Layback, not pulling or pushing kind of a mentor - I more like the cheerleading type. I believe in you and support you all the way. So all my future mentees receive an email from me with 3-4 questions about our future relationship - you have one week to find time to reply me. After that, if you didn’t find the time - I read it as not important enough for you, so not a priority - therefore your time would be spend better on other projects or with a pull kind of a mentor. No hard done, if you come back to me after a while cause things had changed - we can start from there.
When I start working with advanced speakers they are surprised by my questions and more than one mention that it was the first time when was asked to think about a strategy of the mentoring journey, to decide how they will know that the relationship is serving their goal. Yet, my energy and mentoring strategy offered great speakers and leaders to my division and they worked hard to accomplish their goals. They chose me, so it is all their merit in not giving up on me!
I met Panos last year in March in an international event, and after that our Toastmasters paths had crossed from time to time. He has an easy smile, always a nice vibe to send you and he encourages you just by speaking. He is a born mentor if you ask me. Part of the Odyssey Project we are mentors and we offer our time and knowledge for anyone who wants to access it. A few weeks ago, Panos reach out with an invitation to sit at a panel in a Club Officer Training with the clubs from Greece and Cyprus. Off course, my schedule needed some adjustments but I said yes!
For me these training sessions should offer a lot of extra information that support the officers in their club life. And this is what I found last Sunday: a workshop on resilience, a workshop on goals and online meetings, and the panel on mentoring - with super q&a raised by the facilitator that was reaching for the more practical part of mentoring. 4 mentors - Panos, Elena and David. All of us shared from our experience, what drives us and our mentees, what inspire us and why did we choose to mentor people.
It felt great and inspirational to share the stage with 3 mentors and a great facilitator, and I am grateful to be able to join. Now think about your mentors - how was your experience, what did you learn and how are pay it forward? Maybe pick up you phone and send them a message to thank them for inspiring you :) but most of all be the mentor you wished you had! :)
And if you want to start the mentoring journey you have 3 options: read the Mentoring Manual (a book review can be found here), join a EMCC certified school and join Toastmasters to get practice!
Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash
