How Mentoring Impacts Us

Have you ever thought that you could benefit from mentoring?  It’s probably not the first thing to pop into your mind until a particular situation arises, like “What do I need to do to progress my career?”.  We often look to our managers or friends for advice and guidance but have you thought to look to someone else in your circle?  Or perhaps you need to look elsewhere?  How can you decide? Start with a clear idea of what you want to focus on. Often we receive feedback at work through regular appraisals.  Consider the areas highlighted for improvement as a good place to start.

Once you have decided on what you want to focus on look for someone who has the same experience you are looking for. The mentor can provide you with information, stimulate ideas and provide you with opportunities to experience first hand what is required to move forward. A mentor will guide you in other areas you had not considered as they will see opportunities for improvement that you will not be aware of.

The mentor will help you to create a “better you” through probing questions, some which may require you to go away and think about how you could answer these questions in line with your goal.  A good mentor will set you various tasks or goals to stretch you and see how you go about tackling them. These opportunities to will teach you a lot about who you are and how you like to develop. It also helps the mentor to learn about what works for you and what doesn’t.  This helps the mentor decide on what the next project should entail to move you towards achieving your goal.

Other benefits include working on your values, leadership skills and character.  The mentor will encourage and guide you through the toughest assignments and help you to achieve more than you could imagine.  This often requires a kind of tough love to help instil the right habits and eventually create the self-discipline and self-motivation you need to prioritise your tasks and realise your goals. Your mentor is someone who you can discuss ideas with, receive honest feedback and make sounds decisions with.  They are your trusted advisor and often can connect you to other parties to help you progress.

Their knowledge and experience can teach you the mistakes to avoid, and often, the quickest route to achieving your desired outcome.  Although a mentor work for free, their guidance is priceless.  Show them the respect they deserve by checking in with your mentor from time to time.  Let them know how you are progressing, show them that you appreciate their time and support. It’s up to you to build a relationship with your mentor.

The lifespan of skills have shortened over the years, now more than ever we need mentors to help us move forward in our careers. How does mentoring impact us? It impacts us in positive ways by building a bridge between where you are now and where you want to be next. In the words of Lailah Gifty Akita: “Every great achiever is inspired by a great mentor”.

Ready to move move forward with your career aspirations?  Become a  member of Picnic Point Toastmasters. Your appointed mentor will guide and support you through the Toastmasters program, improving your leadership and communication skills. The Toastmasters program offers a self-paced mentoring program that will take you from mentee to mentor.  So what are you waiting for? Picnic Point Toastmasters meet at 7pm every 1st and 3rd Tuesday at Club Picnic Point – 124 Lambeth Street, Panania.

Long Term Leadership Lessons

What does it take to ensure leadership longevity? In some businesses, like IBM, a culture of boldness has secured their spot at the top of the leadership rung. During the 1929 Great Depression Thomas J. Watson Sr was at the helm and  announced that he had  appointed an advisory board of executives to focus primarily on the future. “We are going into the future, and we are not going to wait until some other company gets ahead of us,” he said. “There are greater prospects for our machines in the future than any of you have dreamed of.”

He bet that IBM could beat the Depression by being aggressive. He kept his factories running, didn’t lay off people and increased spending on product development. Despite the company almost going bust, his bold strategy paid off. In 1935, President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act. Because IBM had been building, improving and warehousing its tabulating machines, it was far ahead of any competitor. And IBM won the government contract. His son, Thomas J. Watson Jr., inherited his father’s boldness and in the early 1960’s he decided to totally revamp the company’s technology and the way it was organised.  He made obsolete the company’s entire product line and fortunately for IBM and its shareholders, his bet paid off. IBM became a dominant force in the computer industry for decades to come.

What makes this company so successful? Leadership characteristics that support  longevity, including, modesty and a determination to constantly transform. Former CEO Sam Palmisano stated that : “You have to be willing to change your core, and you have to be ahead of the shift.” Like his predecessors he  has played a leading role in rebuilding IBM and taking bold steps to secure the company’s future. IBM is led by people who are hugely ambitious, willing to take risks and absolutely relentless in their pursuit of their business goals. From it’s humble beginnings IBM has pioneered the leadership model that’s required for an organisation to last 100 years.

How can we emulate IBM’s success?  Firstly, we need to have a strong belief in ourselves and we need to develop the following 5 skills:

1. Be approachable and show your human side
2. Be a team player
3. Inspire commitment and motivation
4. Be self-aware
5. Help others find meaning in their work

Are you ready to invest in your long term leadership goals? Then come and visit us at Picnic Point Toastmasters. We meet at 7pm every 1st and 3rd Tuesday at Club Picnic Point – 124 Lambeth Street, Panania.

Sources of Inspiration

Sources of inspiration can be found all around us. Consider people, like Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci and Aristotle or places like Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Lake Hillier in Western Australia or Machu Picchu in Peru. We are inspired by music, art, poetry, films, speeches…. Why? Often, these sources of inspiration reflect our personal motto which are influenced by our beliefs and values and can help us achieve our goals.

How do we find inspiration within ourselves? How can we foster it in others? We can start with our personal motto. Your perspective on life is reflected in your personal motto, and this can help you achieve your goals.  Creating a life which fulfils you can lead to personal success and happiness. When we feel inspired we feel motivated to follow through, making choices that help you to attain your long-held dreams.

Inspirational quotes like “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall” by Confucius or “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear” by Nelson Mandela remind us that inspiration is the most important leadership trait. Inspiration is the internal passion that fills us with purpose, drives our determination to succeed and infuses us with energy to continue, no matter how difficult the situation.

Why is the ability to be inspiring so important? Because this is the trait of influence. How can you influence others? By using a number of strategies that the most effective leaders use. These include having a clear vision, clear mission, and clear values. Creating achievable goals that stretch you and your team., working collaboratively, encouraging self-development, acting with integrity, using open communication, listening to and acknowledging others.

Inspiration is the first step towards change. Believing something is possible can be the catalyst that propels someone towards their goal. Your stories, ideas and visions could contain the solution to overcome some obstacles or plant the seed for a new product or service.  How can you be an inspiration to others?  By taking the first step towards your goal and setting the example.

At Picnic Point Toastmasters we are inspired to help you achieve your communication and leadership skills in our warm, friendly and supportive environment.  We meet at 7pm every 1st and 3rd Tuesday at Club Picnic Point – 124 Lambeth Street, Panania.

Curious About Toastmasters?

Satisfy your curiosity by visiting several Toastmasters clubs. We cover a number of skills including how to present, how to conduct meetings, planning programs, mentoring and working on committees. Toastmasters meetings are conducted in a supportive and social environment, where you learn and grow whilst having fun! You will grow as a leader, you will stretch as a speaker, you will have opportunities to explore your passions.

Public speaking remains the number one fear, yet with a supportive environment, some encouraging feedback and plenty of practice this to can be overcome. American President, Theodore Roosevelt said that “ Each time we face our fear, we gain strength, courage and confidence in the doing.” Joining Toastmasters is the first step to overcoming your fear of public speaking. The next step is to attend regularly, take every speaking opportunity that presents itself and practice, practice, practice.

Listen to how others speak, whether it’s a social event or business meeting. How did the person address the person or group? Did they seem confident? Did they use eye contact? Were they fidgeting? Did they hold your interest? Take note and consider how they could have improved. Use these insights to help you recognise accomplished speakers and poor speakers. What skill can you borrow or bad habits can you avoid to help your next presentation?

Don’t let fear stop you…use the energy to motivate you through passion and purpose. We all have a unique way of looking at the world we live in. Your experiences, views and ideas are worth sharing. We all have something to say. At Toastmasters, you are encouraged to express your thoughts. Be conscious of what you have to give. Contributing to others helps you focus on an immediate goal – being understood. How can you be sure that the audience understood your intended message? By understanding your audience and connecting with a few people in the audience through eye contact.

If the thought of presenting is affecting your confidence, let Picnic Point Toastmasters help you overcome the fear and instill confidence in it’s place. When you speak with confidence, people listen. Confident people inspire confidence through a calm and steady pace, pausing to allow others to absorb the idea or thought presented, respect time, listen and watch for feedback. Your passions, drive  and enthusiasm will be remembered long after you stop speaking.

If you are curious about Toastmasters and how it can help you overcome the fear of public speaking there is no time like the present to visit Picnic Point Toastmasters.  Let us help you turn self-consciousness into self-confidence.

We meet on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month at 7pm. Come join us at Club Picnic Point – 124 Lambeth Street, Picnic Point. We look forward to meeting you.