Mentor To All

by Elizabeth Muchow, DTM

Elizabeth Muchow, DTM

Toastmasters International has an excellent Mentoring program for New Clubs and promotes the assignment of a Mentor to the new Toastmaster, as well. As a Toastmaster over the course of fifteen years, I have served as both a New Club Mentor and the new member mentor many times. So, I have had first-hand experience in seeing the benefits and achievements, to both, when a Mentor is assigned.

I have also observed a decline in the processes and methods of the club’s practices over a period of time when the Mentor is no longer there to guide and direct. This problem has also come to my attention from other Toastmasters when attending conferences and officer’s training programs. Now, I am sure that this loss of continuity and established communication and leadership methods does not occur with every club or we would all have noticed it by now. But, it does happen to some and could be detrimental in keeping and attracting members. The following is my suggestion for correcting these occurrences and improving the Club’s effectiveness for every member.

Mentoring has a long history and has been used in many professions. Today mentors provide expertise to less experienced individuals to advance their careers, enhance their education, and build their networks. In keeping with the accepted value and importance of this activity, the idea of having an appointed, permanent mentor position ( a consultant) in each club should be considered at each new officer’s elections, and would change with each election. That position would most logically fall to the outgoing or past president. But, if not, then to the most experienced member in the club.

That more experienced person would be able to counsel and advise other members with things like running a meeting with an established agenda, explaining the different elements of the meeting to all in attendance (especially to the guest or new member), explaining the importance of the Communications and Leadership manuals to the individual member, and most importantly to the execution and performance of the Club contests. This individual would then be a “Mentor to All”. A mentor to all the activities within the club, a mentor to every individual, and a mentor to all the club’s officers. This Mentor will then promote the established, tried, and true methods given to us by Toastmasters International and will also maintain and continue the legacy of each club’s beginnings.

Toastmasters International has many resources for the Mentoring concept. In particular, I recommend “The Magic of Mentoring” written by an experienced (DTM) Toastmaster. Although its direction is to the “new member”, the basic premise demonstrates the value, benefit, and rewards for both the Mentor and the Mentee.

Consider this idea the next time you have officer elections, coming soon to a club near you!