It is important for members to embrace the opportunity to serve as a mentor to others. By doing so, it helps DKG continue to maintain a strong, sustainable Society.
Rest assured, a mentor does not need to have all the answers. You must remember that a mentor only needs to be a supportive person who can build a relationship with a mentee by offering her guidance, support and encouragement as the mentee learns more about the Society and/or her new DKG leadership role. Although being a mentor does take some time, planning and commitment, it doesn’t have to be all business and no fun!
So, you accepted the responsibility to mentor a new inductee or a member serving in a new DKG leadership position. Your willingness shows the mentee that she matters… NOW WHAT?
The first thing you want to consider doing is to get to know one another both personally and professionally. Start creating a trusting relationship by building a good rapport with one another.
Plan a time to meet, either in-person or via ZOOM. Perhaps the first time you get together, maybe over coffee, just have a good conversation - share about family, interests and experiences, motivations and/or goals. Getting to know one another will help you as a mentor decide what kind of information will be helpful to your mentee.
It’s important that the mentee voice what she wants to learn from you. She may have many questions to ask. The best thing to do is to decide on one specific topic and/or goal to work on each time you meet to narrow the focus. It will help both of you to stay on point.
During this age of COVID, many of our DKG educators have been overwhelmed with the increasing list of duties and challenges. They often become frustrated because it’s hard to devote the attention or energy to their students. Serving as a positive mentor may just be the ticket for helping to make a difference to those members who seek a listening ear.
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