It is so interesting how having a conversation with another person helps you understand yourself potentially more than what you may learn about the other person. We discover more information about ourselves, and gain deeper insight through relationships which develop us in various areas of our lives. One kind of relationship which many find conducive to self-development is with a mentor. Consequently, speaking can be developed through mentorship. According to Toastmasters International, mentors help protégés with focusing attention to weak spots and implement pointers to improve them. In my experience the evaluation process has helped me to see areas that I can work specifically to improve upon them.
A mentor is an experienced trusted advisor. The protégé gives meaning and purpose to the mentor’s role. It must be a give and take to be mutually beneficial. One secret about giving is that it contains a reward to the giver because it makes you feel good about yourself and provides a sense of humanity. It does not really matter what you give whether service, time, advice, or money. Most giving provides rewards for the giver. The process is what will lead you to your niche. When you focus on something that you know you are already good at doing – then you can build your confidence and work toward mastery. Furthermore, speaking about what you know will lend credibility to your topic and overall speech delivery.
My first mentor was an officially arranged matching when I was an undergraduate senior. She and I did not connect well so the relationship was not beneficial professionally. However, she introduced me to a peer who was a good weekend hang out partner. The next mentors in my life were professors and not personal one on one relationship. In these situations, I learned a lot and was able to correct errors marked on term papers or apply any feedback received, and I have done the same thing with my speeches.
A mentor does not have to meet with you in person to be efficacious. It could be done quite effectively through virtual meetings. I feel mentored by some ministers that I watch on TV and YouTube; although, I have never met them nor do they know that they are mentoring me in particular. These remote mentors provide me with encouragement, understanding, and help with my spiritual growth. The Worldwide Pandemic of 2020 has opened up the world to normalizing all kinds of virtual communication and meeting platforms, and public speaking is very much a part of that new world frontier.
The last individual that I could identify as serving as a mentor to me was a supervisor who expressed interest in advising me in developing a skill set to assist with a work area of concentration. He taught me most of what I know about transactional work by identifying my errors and providing instructions to complete forms and documents. He had a reputation for being slow and many of his colleagues were as well. Therefore, they unwittingly trained me to constantly follow-up. I did not realize at the time that I was working with my mentor how impactful the experience would be on my life and career. I have used the skill sets to get two positions and apply them to my work daily.
Now, share your experience with developing and honing your skills through mentorship in speaking, or other areas in the comment space below. Happy speaking everyone!
