Mentor and Protégé

Just told a story about a time I felt as I was a "Protégé' in Toastmasters club: for 5 years David Thomson in Meridian Speakers club, Greenwich, gave me specific advices how I can improve. At the same time told me "you did great!" but, the year after he told me "It was so much better then last year".

I did not have a mentor in my professional life, but did for 25 years in my private life: Stephanie. I just realised, passing through this project, how much she encouraged and advised me. Not that I listened. Did not listen to her, stubbornly when in love! Sometimes, I hated her advices, alas, always proved true.

Here is an example of the screen, explaining the difference between longtime mentoring, and usually, one time for a task coaching.

I think, I am more a coach then a mentor myself. But so much to learn and ponder: how to formulate the advice and when to offer it too.

I was the one usually calling up Stephanie and relating her what happened to me...

Reading about Mentoring and Coaching will come back to me even more with my next path, which is all about Effective Coaching, interpersonal communication. The current path, Visionary Communication, is more about reaching audience, reaching many then one by one, even if in the audience we reach also members one by one sometime. But in best times we "unite the audience".

It is called "protégé" and not "mentee", but I do not think it makes really difference. And who did "protege" me in my life?

My parents, yes.

With my friends we were on same level, each offered and took without counting, helping each other when needed and accepting the other.
Taking always her part.

I will add a third screen, so many in each project that teach us, and also videos (I like those more or less). But look at each of them once or twice to understand better.

Could I recognise that this I loved the most: a "virtual mentor" is now admitted, recognised even counselled by Toastmaster International Pathways! 

More and more we will be able to use Web and connect through it. One by one, one with two, or sometimes, 20 or 50 together! An experienced member could share knowledge in her specific area!