Mentoring and coaching

Today, start of Mentoring two toastmasters through the Facebook's Pathways Discussion Forum. Many asked and many of us offered, then the Admin of the group had to "match us". And now, we were told with whom and have to contact each other. At the top, I had a name, that was all. I looked it up, they were many on Facebook.

My own experience with mentoring is not the best, perhaps because I never had really a mentor. I can coach for special events or special needs, it seems easier then to encourage long time. Or the expectations did not match, or neither got what wanted. I hope, with this new trial, we will both have better results.

Before you "schedule time and tell each other about yourself, and then your goals, on Facebook, we have to find each other. As I do not know either mentee assigned to me. One from Dubai, the other from Porto Rico. Perhaps, first, I should learn something more about those far away places. Far, does not bother me, but it is best to know some about the place and culture, and also interesting. 

Happy, one of my mentee's contacted me, asking me to become his or her facebook pal. So that is done, will see what follows. I believe, the fix 5 week, makes it seem more doable for both of us. Beyond the first contact, have to understand their needs. Before we continue also that is will be first a limited relationship, and indeed, in confidence. So I will not write names nor follow that through a blog post. 

I found today, is it chance or seredinipity? a Toastmaster magazine from 2016, opened to a page Mentoring through web. In the article, already mentoring from afar was proposed, and explained with different ways and examples. Best go into it with courage! Telling myself, "I can" instead of "I am not good at it", isn't it?