Episode 16: Expanding your professional growth and network with Toastmasters mentors

Unlock the transformational power of mentorship, as we navigate the inner workings of Toastmasters' mentoring program to catapult your communication and leadership skills to new heights. 

In this episode, I delve into how the mentoring program fosters the art of crafting successful mentoring relationships, discussing the process of pairing mentors with mentees, the importance of establishing clear objectives, and the dynamic of consistent meetings and feedback. 

Learn how the personalised guidance and skill development you'll gain from having a dedicated mentor can not only increase your confidence but also expand your professional network. Further, we'll explore the ripple effect of mentorship principles, showcasing how they can enhance other aspects of your life, building not just competence but also fostering deep, meaningful connections that endure.

Wherever you're at in your speaking journey, having the support and encouragement of a Toastmasters mentor, or eventually becoming a mentor to new members, has benefits that extend well beyond the Toastmasters space and into other areas of your life!

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To find a Toastmasters club near you, visit: www.toastmasters.org/find-a-club

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:08

You're listening to the Talkative Toastmaster podcast. I'm your host, melanie Serplis. In this podcast, we explore how Toastmasters can help you to polish your public speaking skills, communicate with confidence and amplify your authenticity. You'll hear from my fellow Toastmasters and I how this global organization has impacted our lives for the better and how it could impact yours. Now let's get talkative. Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to Episode 16. This week, I'd like to explore the area of mentoring at Toastmasters and how working with a mentor can accelerate your personal growth and success.

Speaker 1 0:52

While Toastmasters is renowned for its emphasis on public speaking and leadership skills, one often overlooked gem within the Toastmasters experience is the mentoring program. Mentoring at Toastmasters plays a crucial role in fostering individual growth, skill enhancement and building a supportive community. In today's episode, we'll delve into how the mentoring program at Toastmasters works, the benefits it offers and how the principles extend far beyond the Toastmasters meeting room, influencing various aspects of our lives. Firstly, let's talk about understanding the mentoring program at Toastmasters. At its core, this program is designed to facilitate a one-on-one relationship between an experienced club member the mentor and a less experienced member, the mentee. This pairing is aimed at providing personalised guidance and encouragement and support to help the mentor achieve their goals within the Toastmasters educational program. The process is absolutely voluntary and non-compulsory, and it's driven by a mutual commitment to personal and professional development. So how does the mentoring program work? Firstly, there's the pairing that is just working out which mentor is going to go with which mentee. Toastmasters clubs often have a mentor and coordinator or a designated officer, like the vice president of membership or vice president of education, responsible for coordinating these pairings. The pairing is usually based on the mentee's goals, preferences and the mentor's areas of experience. Number two is goal setting. Once paired, the mentor and mentee work together to set specific and achievable goals. These goals may be related to speech improvement, leadership skills or really any other aspect of personal development that the mentee wishes to focus on. Clear and measurable objectives help guide the mentoring relationship and just keep everyone focused.

Speaker 1 3:07

The third element is regular meetings. Regular communication is the key to success of this mentor-mentee relationship. Meetings can take various forms, including face-to-face interactions, virtual meetings or simple phone calls or email chats. The frequency of meetings really depends on the preferences and availability of both the mentor and mentee. The fourth element is feedback and evaluation. The mentor provides constructive feedback on the mentee's speeches and performances. This feedback is tailored to the mentee's goals and is designed to be supportive, encouraging and actionable. The mentor helps the mentee identify areas for improvement and suggests strategies for enhancement. This goes above and beyond the evaluations that the mentee would receive as part of the Normal Toastmasters meeting. Each speech that they do there will be evaluated by a nominated evaluator or a table topic's evaluator or whatever it happens to be. But this extra feedback and evaluation that the mentor provides, often outside of the club meetings, is just another way that they can provide support in an ongoing way. And the fifth element is role modelling. So, beyond formal meetings, mentors often serve as role models. During regular Toastmasters club activities. They demonstrate effective communication and leadership skills, inspiring their mentees through example.

Speaker 1 4:46

This aspect of observational learning is a powerful component of the mentoring experience. Now let's look at the benefits of having a mentor. Firstly, there's accelerated learning. One of the main benefits of having a mentor at Toastmasters is the acceleration of the learning curve. Mentors provide valuable insights, share their experiences and offer practical tips that can significantly shorten the time it takes for a mentee to master various skills. And there are so many moving parts to the Toastmasters organization, whether it's navigating pathways or the whole online learning portal there or navigating the different club, area, district, division, regional and world levels of the organization. Really, just the mentor is there because they've been there and done it. They've probably worked through a couple of pathways and been around for a bit and just know how things work, so that can be a really helpful resource for a new member. There's also benefit number two the idea of personalized guidance, and unlike generalized training programs, mentors provide personalized guidance really tailored to the specific needs and aspirations of the mentee. This individual approach really ensures that the mentorship is directly relevant to the mentee's goals and challenges. Third benefit is increased confidence. Constructive feedback and encouragement from a mentor can boost the mentee's confidence. Knowing that there is someone experienced and supportive in their corner helps mentees overcome self-doubt and take on challenges with greater assurance.

Speaker 1 6:39

Benefit number four are the networking opportunities. Mentoring relationships often open doors to broader networking opportunities within the Toastmasters community. Mentors can introduce mentees to other experienced Toastmasters either within or outside of the club, creating a supportive network that extends beyond the confines of a mentoring relationship. Having been to a number of area competitions and conferences and the same types of events at the division and beyond levels, the Toastmasters organization is huge. There are so many people and there are so many different levels beyond the club, and all of those people have significant experience in the organization. So to be able to introduce a newer member to more experienced Toastmasters is just a benefit all around. Benefit number five is the cultivation of leadership skills. Mentoring is a two-way street and while the mentee benefits from the mentor's guidance, the mentor hones their leadership and coaching skills. This reciprocal dynamic really fosters a culture of continuous improvement within the Toastmasters community. And benefit number six long-lasting friendships. Beyond the educational and skill-building aspects of the relationship, mentoring often leads to the development of long-lasting friendships. The shared journey of growth creates a bond that extends beyond the Toastmasters realm, creating a supportive network for personal and professional endeavors.

Speaker 1 8:20

Now let's look at applying mentoring principles beyond Toastmasters. Firstly, there's the idea of transferable skills. The skills acquired through Toastmasters mentoring are highly transferable to various facets of life. The skills of effective communication, active listening and the ability to provide constructive feedback, which I talk about a lot on this podcast, are valuable skills in professional settings, personal relationships and community involvement. The second way we can apply this is in career development. Mentoring is a cornerstone of career development In the professional realm. Having a mentor can provide insights into industry trends, career pathways and strategies for success.

Speaker 1 9:07

The mentorship principles learned at Toastmasters can be applied to seeking mentors in the workplace and navigating career challenges. The third area is that of educational pursuits. Whether pursuing formal education or self-directed learning, the principles of mentoring apply. Mentors can guide individuals through educational challenges, offer advice on study techniques and provide a sounding board for career decisions related to academic pursuits. The fourth area is leadership in community engagement. Mentoring is not only confined to the professional or educational spheres. Individuals engaged in community service and volunteer work can apply mentoring principles to guide and support others in their community. This can create a beautiful ripple effect, fostering a culture of mentorship throughout the community. Who doesn't want that? And number five, the area of personal development. On a more personal level, mentoring principles can be applied to self-improvement, setting goals, seeking guidance from experienced individuals and incorporating feedback and universal strategies for personal growth.

Speaker 1 10:23

In terms of my own experience of mentoring at Toastmasters, I think because I've been a member of clubs for short periods of time over the last 30 or so years I've never actually worked directly with a Toastmasters mentor, and it's something I'm going to seek out this year. So this is a belated resolution to get myself a mentor at Toastmasters. When I joined the current club I was absolutely offered one, but I really felt the mentoring relationship was about helping new members to navigate how the speeches worked and all of that. But I've come to realise that there is so much more to the mentoring opportunity and again I will seek this out for myself this year. I have been a mentor to a number of Toastmasters in my current club and I really enjoy that side of it and I think that's where I can also see the benefit in having my own mentor as well. But I have definitely enjoyed coaching newer members even just on how to choose a pathway or how they might apply a particular pathway to their work, how they can use the elective projects to really help bolster out their resume, particularly if they're quite new to the workplace. For anyone leaving high school, I think having a mentor like we provide in Toastmasters would be an absolute godsend and just so hard to find that type of environment where people actually really do want to help and are willing to put in the time. So I can definitely see the benefits myself and, as I said, I will report back on when I have found my own mentor and how that helps me to progress. As I start to wrap up this episode, I just want to reiterate that the mentoring program at Toastmasters serves as a cornerstone for personal and professional development, providing a structured framework for skill enhancement, goal achievement and community building. The benefits of having a mentor extend far beyond the Toastmasters meeting room, influencing various aspects of life, including career development, education, community engagement and personal growth. As Toastmasters continues to empower individuals on their journey of self-discovery and improvement, the mentoring program stands as a testament to the organization's commitment to fostering a culture of continuous learning and support.

Speaker 1 12:59

If you are ready to unlock your potential, consider joining a Toastmasters Club near you. Check out the Finder Club link on the Toastmasters international website at wwwtoastmastersorg. It's worth visiting a couple of different clubs as a guest to see which club best suits you. If you do take the leap and visit a meeting, I would absolutely love to hear your experience. Feel free to message me at talkativetoastmaster at gmailcom or tag me in the comments if you found this podcast on YouTube, facebook, instagram or Twitter.

Speaker 1 13:43

Thanks for listening to today's show. Head to talkativetoastmastercom, where you will find the show notes for this and all other episodes, as well as links to some awesome Toastmasters resources. If you found value in today's content, I'd really appreciate it if you could share it with friends and colleagues who may be interested or leave a review on iTunes. This will help more people to find us. Until next time, remember the words of Eleanor Roosevelt you gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. So let's face that fear and step into the spotlight with confidence and grace. Have a great week.