Sorry I missed you all in May! My schedule has been very busy. I had the privilege in May of speaking to the Lions of Mississippi about Helen Keller. What great hospitality and what great new friends my husband, Bill, and I made. We also got to spend some good quality time with our dear friends, Howard and Linda Jenkins. Such great fun!
This month I got installed as the President of my local Toastmasters Club, The Breakfast Club. Toastmaster’s is where I got my start as a speaker. It is a great organization for those wanting to learn to be a better speaker. And trust me there are many speakers for many organizations out there who REALLY need to join a Toastmaster’s club to become better speakers. I’m not sure why organizations whose associates regularly speak to groups don’t require their employees to join a club. I can’t tell you how many presentations I’ve had to sit through that I wished I could get up and walk out. Put a bad speaker on the stage with way too many and’s, um’s and ah’s and you’ve quickly lost my interest. If you really want to impress a group you are speaking to…join Toastmasters! Learn to be a better speaker.
I do enjoy my Toastmasters club but I’m not thrilled about having to be president this year. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a very important job and I will definitely enjoy it. But I’ve been president in this club twice before already! That should never happen. There are many folks who have great leadership ability and all of them should jump in and take on the challenge…even if they think they are too new or don’t think they are ready. They would surprise themselves with that they can do! I tell you all that because I used the opportunity in my incoming president remarks to inspire my club to think about being leaders of our group for next year. We have many new members who are young folks who are great leaders! I just don’t think they know it yet. But you can’t find that out unless you take the challenge and step out of your comfort zone a little bit. What better way to learn something new and stretch yourself to grow in ways you wouldn’t normally think possible then to just “do it” as Nike would say. I was actually thrilled to hear from a member who said I inspired her to take on a role next year! Now that is what it‘s all about, I did my job, I can go home now.
See you next time….
This month I got installed as the President of my local Toastmasters Club, The Breakfast Club. Toastmaster’s is where I got my start as a speaker. It is a great organization for those wanting to learn to be a better speaker. And trust me there are many speakers for many organizations out there who REALLY need to join a Toastmaster’s club to become better speakers. I’m not sure why organizations whose associates regularly speak to groups don’t require their employees to join a club. I can’t tell you how many presentations I’ve had to sit through that I wished I could get up and walk out. Put a bad speaker on the stage with way too many and’s, um’s and ah’s and you’ve quickly lost my interest. If you really want to impress a group you are speaking to…join Toastmasters! Learn to be a better speaker.
I do enjoy my Toastmasters club but I’m not thrilled about having to be president this year. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a very important job and I will definitely enjoy it. But I’ve been president in this club twice before already! That should never happen. There are many folks who have great leadership ability and all of them should jump in and take on the challenge…even if they think they are too new or don’t think they are ready. They would surprise themselves with that they can do! I tell you all that because I used the opportunity in my incoming president remarks to inspire my club to think about being leaders of our group for next year. We have many new members who are young folks who are great leaders! I just don’t think they know it yet. But you can’t find that out unless you take the challenge and step out of your comfort zone a little bit. What better way to learn something new and stretch yourself to grow in ways you wouldn’t normally think possible then to just “do it” as Nike would say. I was actually thrilled to hear from a member who said I inspired her to take on a role next year! Now that is what it‘s all about, I did my job, I can go home now.
See you next time….