Our Toastmasters Mentoring Program is not only useful to new members. Some of the more experienced members in a club can benefit from having a mentor, too.  Sometimes an experienced member’s skills can become dull. Perhaps you have been a member for several years and want to learn more about some particular aspect of speaking – such as speech organization or humor. Another club member excels in your area of interest – this person could be your mentor and help you to further develop that special skill. Perhaps you have admired an officer’s ability to motivate and inspire members. Maybe the officer would be willing to help you learn these leadership skills. With a mentor’s guidance, more experienced members:

  • Further refine skills. A mentor can provide helpful feedback that will encourage the member to build upon and perhaps revitalize the skills they already possess.
  • Learn new skills. Existing members can always learn new skills.

Most new members join a club because they have problems and/or needs that relate to speaking and leadership. They believe that improving their speaking and leadership skills will help them advance in their career or offer them greater personal satisfaction. They expect the club to help them solve their problems and meet their needs. With the aid of a mentor, new members:

  • Learn the program. Mentors help new members become familiar with the CC and CL manuals, club meeting roles, and opportunities available through membership.
  • Learn club standards and customs. Mentors help new members learn about the club and its activities.
  • Develop confidence. Armed with the knowledge mentors provide, new members’ self-confidence increases.
  • Participate more. Mentors help new members become familiar with and enjoy the club and its members. As a result, new members become more involved in club activities.
  • Quickly learn speaking skills. Mentors familiarize new members with the resources available to them and coach them with their speeches, enabling the new members to advance faster.

Benefits to Mentors

Those who serve as mentors to new or experienced members also reap rewards. They:

  • Learn from their mentees. Mentees often offer new information and perspectives.
  • Remain productive. Mentors continue to make use of their own knowledge and skills.
  • Do something for others. Much can be said for the pleasure we receive from helping someone else. To do so is not only a  confirmation of our own skills, but we also feel good about ourselves when we help someone achieve their goals.
  • Receive recognition. Mentors are respected and appreciated by fellow members for helping people. Of course, mentors also earn the gratitude of their mentees.

Benefits to Clubs

The club as a whole benefits, too. If we want the club to be full of active, involved, satisfied members, starting a mentor program will help. However, a successful mentor program requires each member to contribute. Members must be committed to helping new members and one another. Clubs that encourage members to mentor one another:

  • Have more members. Turnover is reduced because members quickly become involved in the club and develop friendships.
  • Have more satisfied members. Members continue to learn, grow, and enjoy the club experience.
  • Retain more members. When members are satisfied, they stay in their clubs longer.

Mentor Qualities

There are some important and essential characteristics mentors need to possess if they are to be effective. A good mentor is:

  • Available. You must have time to spend with a member – at least 15 minutes or more each week to help with speeches and answer questions. New members may require additional time until they become more familiar with the club and their role within it.
  • Patient. People learn at varying speeds, and some need more guidance than others. You should be willing to provide whatever it takes to help the mentee.
  • Sensitive. Tact and diplomacy are vital. As a mentor, always be careful to say and do things that will motivate and encourage the mentee. Be loyal and take care not to betray the
    mentees’ confidences.
  • Respectful. Everyone is different. A mentor respects the differences between himself, the mentee, and others.
  • Flexible. Not everything happens according to plan. You must adapt to various situations and accept that mentees may make decisions you do not agree with.
  • Supportive. Show your pride in your club and what it has done – and can do – for members.
  • Knowledgeable. Before you can help someone else, you must be familiar with the club, its operations, the educational program, and even the Toastmasters International organization itself. You should have completed several manual speeches, served in most meeting roles, and developed enough personal speaking skills to be of help to the mentee.
  • Confident. You need to be self-assured and friendly.
  • A good listener. A mentor must listen carefully. Simply listening without taking on the other person’s problem, can be of great help to the mentee. Just by listening, you can enable the mentee to articulate the problem and sort things out.
  • Concern for others. You must genuinely care about other people and truly want to help them.