What do you do if you're a public speaker wanting to mentor late-career professionals?

Begin by having an initial consultation with each individual to understand their background and areas of interest. This conversation can help gain insight into specific needs and expectations regarding mentorship. Encourage to conduct a self assessment to identify their strengths and weaknesses for areas of improvement. This self reflection can provide valuable insights into their development needs.

Wisdom can always learn from Energy. Be open to learning from the wisdom of the older speaker. We all have the ability to learn from each other. Have discussion around what they need. See how you can serve each other. What are they looking for at this point in life? I love talking with individuals who are older than me, we have so much to share with each other.

I truly believe in building evidence vs confidence. Confidence comes when we start "acting" vs trying to "perfect". Do something 100X and you'll build confidence because every time you do it you get better. And get a guide who has achieved what you want to achieve to provide you constructive and timely feedback that will help you along the way.

Provide constructive criticism in a supportive and encouraging manner. Focus on specific behaviours and actions that can be improved rather than criticising the individual as a whole. Give suggestions for improvement and support them in implementing changes.

Oh really enjoy encouraging people to examine their background in areas where they've had success before and use those to apply to the evidence-based strategy of helping them see the good that they've contributed before and how they could be relevant to people that need their message now

Provide training and practical experience to help people apply new skills in real world scenarios. Give opportunity for project based learning to reinforce learning and build confidence.

Here's a story about storytelling. 4 years ago, I had 0 clients, hated getting on camera or even speaking in front of a crowd. What got me out of my shell is telling stories vs singing my praises. Stories that focus on my audience. My listeners are my heros and I'm a guide teaching them how to solve a problem. That mindset shift is what got me viral. It wasn't about ChatGPT or using technology. It was about having a simple conversation with no props, visual aids, and looking directly at my audience's faces.

If you’re looking at mentoring others on public speaking, consider your own brand. -What values do you have and want to help others have? -How can you help others improve their speaking? You have to be able to answer these questions and answer them within your brand. It takes 7 points of contact to have someone warm up to you and pay/ask for your services. A personal brand is a great way to do that.

Many of my clients express they feel awkward when it comes to networking because they don't feel like they have something to offer. The truth is, everyone has something to offer and this is our story. Our story is a tool that entertains, shares a lesson, and connects with another individual. It's not about what certifications you have or what "work accomplishments" you possess. It's often about sharing a human side of you that someone else will appreciate in an authentic way. And that's what networking is about, sharing our stories with others who appreciate them.

Assess your own skillset. Just because you do a thing doesn’t mean you’re able to teach others how to do it. Do you have a process or framework that is repeatable. Are you able to use that same process with different people to create individualized results? The goal is not to create speakers in your likeness. So being able to clarify and amplify someone’s unique genius is key.