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I'm opening this conversation so that we buddies can share our experiences of being a Buddy - what works and what doesn't, for the purpose of learning from each other.
I was a buddy on the old site, but hopefully what I learned may be of help on this site too. Here are a few of the tips I learned over time:
My intention was always to make my new buddy feel welcome - bringing a friendly and warm, heart-felt "tone" to my messages and customizing my responses to each person so they would feel unique and cared for.
Anytime I gave new instructions to my buddy, I would always include links to the place on the website I was referring to so they didn't have to guess where it was.
As I got to know my new buddy and what their needs and contributions were, I began looking for who to connect them with in the community, or find events they might be interested in. Perhaps this is more relevant to Mentoring, but sometimes there's a little of both roles going on.
Many of you will be very comfortable with the technology yourself, but others may be new to it, like I am. My own inexperience made me especially patient with my buddies - they may need to ask you a question more than once, or they may not "get it" quickly, so you may have to say it in a different way. Be sensitive to your buddy's pace because people learn in different ways and at different speeds.
These are some of my main "tips" to start you off. I hope you will all enjoy being a buddy as much as I have!
I was a buddy on the old site, but hopefully what I learned may be of help on this site too. Here are a few of the tips I learned over time:
My intention was always to make my new buddy feel welcome - bringing a friendly and warm, heart-felt "tone" to my messages and customizing my responses to each person so they would feel unique and cared for.
Anytime I gave new instructions to my buddy, I would always include links to the place on the website I was referring to so they didn't have to guess where it was.
As I got to know my new buddy and what their needs and contributions were, I began looking for who to connect them with in the community, or find events they might be interested in. Perhaps this is more relevant to Mentoring, but sometimes there's a little of both roles going on.
Many of you will be very comfortable with the technology yourself, but others may be new to it, like I am. My own inexperience made me especially patient with my buddies - they may need to ask you a question more than once, or they may not "get it" quickly, so you may have to say it in a different way. Be sensitive to your buddy's pace because people learn in different ways and at different speeds.
These are some of my main "tips" to start you off. I hope you will all enjoy being a buddy as much as I have!
Replies to This Conversation
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Permalink Reply by Amy Lenzo on -
Thanks so much for opening up this topic, Barbara. I know it is a rich area for learning and I hope other "Buddys" will share their experiences here as they navigate this new territory. Hopefully there will be another similar thread set up for Mentors at some point.
My own best "tips" for being a buddy are simple. When I first meet a new buddy, I always ask them about themselves - how they heard about the World Cafe and what their experience has been. I ask where they live and what they most want to give and/or receive from the World Cafe community. The richness of the responses I get from these questions always captivates me, and I ask my buddy to start their learning by posting what they've written to me as an introduction to themselves on the online community. I assure them that others will be as interested in them as I am, and my premise has been proved true again and again.
Another thing I often find helpful is to walk through the platform with them on the phone. We connect by Skype or on a regular call and go through a quick overview, and then do something simple, like uploading a photo or posting an introduction or opening a conversation topic.
This site is so rich with opportunities that I might start here by asking what most draws their attention or imagination - what would they most like to share with others?
The trick here is not to make any given session too long. People who are not used to working with technology (unlike maniacs like me) will often get tired if you work for any longer than an hour or so, and I always like to leave them wanting a bit more and looking forward to the next session, rather than feeling tired or overwhelmed, or worse yet, discouraged.
But the most important thing, I think, is to remember (and convey) that it's not about the technology. It's about what we want to say to each other; it's about the desire to engage in subjects that interest or excite us; to meet people who inspire us; to share our stories and our knowledge; to find others and reflect and/or take action together.
More Later.
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