Let’s Talk about Mentoring

Let’s Talk about Mentoring
Diane Macdonald

Think back to the time when you first joined Rotary.  Like me, you probably really appreciated those members who took the time to introduce themselves and make you feel a little more comfortable.  To me, a Mentor is a bit like that, but with a broader perspective. 
Our Club has a Mentorship Program whereby new members are paired up with a longer-term member who is familiar with the way the Club functions and is willing to spend some time helping the “newbie” become knowledgeable and confident in his/her/their own membership.  We hope that the Mentor will provide guidance, advice, feedback and support.
 
Doug McMillan, who is a long time Rotarian but a relatively new member of our Club, sent me some attributes of a good Mentor.  They included skilled communication, including the ability to be a good listener; the ability to help assess needs (or areas of interest); and the willingness to devote time and effort into the process.  There won’t usually be tangible rewards but there will be a great deal of satisfaction when you see the new member become an integrated full member of our Club.
 
The Mentee has responsibilities in this process as well.  As Doug pointed out, they also will require good communication skills, particularly listening; a good Mentee would be considerate and appreciative of the time and effort spent by the Mentor; and, hopefully, they would develop a good balance of independent action and asking for assistance when it is required.
 
At the moment, the checklist for new members to complete includes such things as volunteering for duties at a lunch meeting (check-in, introduce or thank the speaker, etc.), completing a Police Check, committing to working on a Committee, volunteering at a service project, and attending a fellowship event.  As a Mentor, you could introduce the new member to the Chairperson of any committees they may have interest in exploring; you could volunteer at a BBQ and ask them to join you in helping out; or you could invite them to attend a Frank ‘n’ Stein get-together.
 
If you’re a seasoned member of the Club, you may be approached to serve as Mentor to a newly approved member.  If you’re willing to spend a little time helping that person become the type of member that you are, please don’t hesitate to say “Yes”!