Mentoring Notes
Paul Knutson, DTM

Not all mentor/mentee relationships work.  
Sometimes there is a conflict
	personality
	schedules
	viewpoints
Needs to be broken off anytime either party wants to, regardless of reason
The mentor always has to be positive
The mentor needs to feel the mentee can do it.  The mentee may need to:
	practice
	research knowledge
Not everyone can be a mentor
Cross sex mentoring is particularly prone toward 
misunderstandings 
miscommunication (report vs. rapport talking, etc.)
	problems due to gender specific viewpoints
	problems with real or perceived sexual connotations or harassment

The major onus is on the mentee, not the mentor
	The mentee is the one getting the major benefit
		It for mentees’ improvement, not the mentor’s
	Mentee needs to initiate most of the contact
	The mentor helps the mentee, the mentor doesn’t do it for them

The mentor works with the mentee to
	help them form their ideas
		you can use brainstorming techniques
	develop and improve their ideas
		The mentee is never wrong, their ideas are just not fully formed

The mentor never claims their mentees’ success. 
 It saves embarrassment for both, but it should embarrass the mentor more

The mentor should be a volunteer

The mentor should never claim knowledge or expertise they don’t have
	It makes you look bad if you’re wrong
	It could cause the mentee trouble if they act on your bad information
	There is nothing wrong with saying:  "I don’t know"
		The next phrase should be:  "But let us find out"
New Toastmaster club members should be assigned a mentor
	New Toastmaster packets have a mentor request for in them
	Ensure that the new member know who their mentor is
	Have the mentor initiate the first contact
	The mentor needs to evaluate the mentee
		Some people need more help than others
		Some people may no want a mentor
		It’s even possible that the new member know more than the mentor	
The VPE needs to monitor the relationship
	Sometimes there is no "click"
	Sometimes there is open conflict
	It’s not necessarily a long term relationship
		Mentee may need help for only the first few speeches
		The mentee can become better than the mentor

Long time members may also benefit from having a mentor.
  It may help they develop new skills or give them the courage to "get out of 
their comfort zone."  But use only upon request, and then with caution

Benefits for the mentor
	Exposure to new ideas
	Exposure to different people
	New knowledge
	Possible development of new skills
	It can be a lot of fun
	It can help "get out of a rut"
	Increase your "comfort zone" 
	Refresh skills that you haven’t used for a while
	It is possible for the mentor to learn more than the mentee

The mentor/mentee relationships can go as far as they  mutually agree.  
A lot of the relationships lead
 into solid friendships.

Remember, the idea of a club mentor program is to develop better Toastmasters faster.  
It also may help in getting new members and keeping old members

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