Mentor Guide
Description
This guide will live in the canvas in the #lightning-talk-mentors Slack channel.
Message Type
A README style guide for mentors
Message Template
Variables are wrapped in curly brackets ({{ }}).
# :busts_in_silhouette: Virtual Coffee Lightning Talks Mentor Guide
Thank you all so much for volunteering to support this year's Lightning Talk speakers through mentorship!
By now, you should be in contact with your speaker mentee. If not, please message @Meg. Below you'll find a suggested timeline and tips for you to successfully mentor your speaker.
## Timeline
Please keep the following dates in mind as we approach the day of the event.
- **Today** – Introduce yourself to your assigned speaker mentee and ask how you can best be of help. Set a date to meet via Zoom or check-in asynchronously.
- **{{ month date }}** – Follow up with your mentee by checking in. Set a goal together.
- **{{ month date }}** – Do a final follow-up.
- **{{ month date }}** – THE BIG DAY! Give your mentee a pep talk, last-minute advice, or simply wish them good luck!
## Your Intro Message
We will get the ball rolling by introducing you and your speaker mentee. From there, we leave you to take over! You may want to (briefly) tell them about your public speaking experience or why you volunteered to be a mentor, but after that, you'll need to get down to business. Below are some suggested questions to ask your speaker mentee:
- Do you know what type of mentorship you want?
- Is there anything specific you would like me to do to help you?
- What is the best way for us to communicate?
- Would you like to set up a time to meet via Zoom? (@Meg can schedule a private Zoom meeting for you and your speaker mentee upon request.)
Based on the answers to the above questions, hopefully you'll have a decent grasp on the needs of your speaker mentee and how to support them going forward.
## Ways Mentors Can Support Their Speaker Mentees
Some speaker mentees may not know what kind of mentorship they want. That's okay! We've created a list of suggested activities you can suggest.
- **Brainstorming** – A speaker will have a topic in their head, but be unable to narrow down their focus enough for a Lightning Talk
- **Slide Review** – A speaker wants feedback on their slides
- **Validation** – A speaker has an idea, but isn't sure if it would make a good Lightning Talk and wants to run it by someone
- **Practice** – A speaker needs to run through their presentation in front of someone, with or without their slides
All of the aforementioned activities can be done both synchronously or asynchronously. If you're having trouble connecting with your speaker mentee synchronously, ask them to list their ideas, send their slideshow, or record themselves practicing their talk for you to review later.
## Tips to Remember
- Support each speaker where they are.
- Giving a talk can be scary for the most experienced speaker. Don't forget to ask how they're doing and to be their cheerleader.
- Spend a little time building rapport; trust takes time. Example: Display a little vulnerability by describing a mistake that you learned from
- Set clear boundaries up front when it comes to your time. Example: One 30-minute meeting per week
- You have support too! Reach out to other mentors or @Meg in the `#lightning-talk-mentors` channel.
- Please don't speak negatively about the speakers. If you're having an issue, speak with @Meg.
- Life happens and sometimes we need to back out of volunteer opportunities. That's okay. Just let @Meg know ASAP, and don't feel obligated to give a reason.