Page 33 - 2019 February

serve as club officers. Too many times they join What happened during your time as a protégé?
and get frustrated trying to find someone to help What did you learn about yourself and your
them. But, no one steps forward to impart their mentor? How effective was your experience?

experience, mentor the individual on a long-term But wait there’s even more great and well-
basis or just be a good example. We don’t have crafted guidance and hands-on material
“Givers”, and those who are to be our “Receivers in the Pathways series. Once you have
of Memory” lose interest, quit, fade away or never completed your Level 2, you have the option of
grow in speechcraft and/or leadership. Sadly, continuing with mentorship by accessing the
this is a major trend currently in Toastmasters, Pathways Mentor Program elective. (It should
especially since the introduction of the Pathways appear as a suggested training opportunity).
program. I believe Toastmasters International This elective is great “stuff” as you review the
recognizes this inclination among our clubs overview of mentoring, work on your first project

what with the membership being so transitory. of setting your goals and interests in mentoring,
What is it that we have in Toastmasters proceeding to a short-term mentoring experience
to encourage this mentor-protégé process and then pressing forward to the Advanced
and experience? Don’t despair and don’t Mentor experience of a six-month project with
fret! There is help for both the mentor your protégé. Once you have completed all the
and the protégé in the Pathways program. components and concluded a full path (Level 5),
In the traditional Competent Leader award, you will receive a Pathways Mentor designation.

project 9 required one to either mentor a new I have never once regretted becoming a
member or an existing member for a minimum protégé of “Uncle Bob” and then a mentor. Few
of three speeches. There is a Mentor Program are born with all the skills to be a mentor. Not
Kit (#1163) which is full of tips available from everyone can be the best mentor ever—until they
Toastmasters. It can be given to the new mentor step forward and take the time to learn the “tricks
to help them learn about their role . of the trade” and venture out to assist someone
The reality is there is too little information else. I have had the pleasure of mentoring
and an all-too-brief experience for both others in Scouting, my work and Toastmasters.
the mentor and protégé. Many clubs put I am a better person for it all. I am “The Giver”

mentoring information on the back-burner of looking for someone to be my “Receiver of
their many roles within the club experience. Memory” for the world in which I live. Do you
Pathways offers two opportunities for mentor/ want to be a mentor? Or are you seeking to be
protégé training. The first is the third component a protégé? Toastmasters can be the vehicle to a
of your Level 2 path. In fact, it’s the same for richly rewarding experience-that of the mentor
all paths. It’s called Introduction to Toastmasters and his protégé! May you too learn to “live
Mentoring with the requisite speech, for this to serve” through the Toastmasters program.

portion of Level 2, being your protégé experience.

VOICES! | FEBRUARY 2019 33