Mentoring
Speakers join NSANZ because they want to improve their business,
and to network with and learn from the industry’s best.
There are several ways new members can grow their speaking career, and
draw on the knowledge and ideas of more experienced speakers.
- Attend the regular chapter meetings to listen
to seasoned speakers who happily share their knowledge with new
members at the meetings.
- Come early and stay late
at chapter events - it is amazing how many tips you can pick up from
just ‘hanging out’ with fellow speakers.
- Attend the PDS series in full, and
then come back and attend it again. This is the very best way to learn and grow. You
get to have quality time with someone who is an expert in the core competencies
of speaking, and you will also learn through discussing the competencies with
your peers. Some speakers keep coming back, year after year, and get something new
they can use to develop their business further each time.
- Attend overseas conventions.
Australia hosts a convention every year and brings in professional
speakers from all over the world and there are annual conferences
in most of the other 9 member nations of the Global Speakers Federation.
More information at www.iffps.org.
- Take the opportunity
to speak at Showcases or a Speakers’ Café and be critiqued by
a senior member of NSANZ.
- Offer to pick up visiting
speakers from airports, serve on committees, offer to host people
in your home, help as back-of-room assistants to another speaker.
These are all ways to learn from experts and be of service to the
organisation at the same time.
- Peer mentoring - new
members can buddy up with people who join at the same time as them
so they can learn and grow together.
- Mastermind groups -
groups of like-minded people who decide to get together once per
month to support and encourage each other (click
here for a How-to set up a Mastermind Group article).
- Some senior members may be willing
to have a coffee with new members to coach and encourage. In Auckland
we usually have a lot more new members than we have senior members;
this is becoming more and more difficult. Please don’t be offended
if senior people are not always available for this.
- Paid mentoring. There are a few senior members of NSANZ who
offer their services on a more business-like footing. Check with your chapter
president to find out how to proceed.
Most NSANZ members are very generous with their time and experience
but please remember that they, like you, are running a business, and
respect their time. If you need extensive assistance, it may be more
appropriate to engage them as a coach or consultant.
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