Toastmasters
The "new" Toastmasters club isn't really new anymore, and it's been very fun to see this progress go on. Don't get me wrong, it's a ton of work. Although I love what I'm doing this, I'm sure that in six months I'll be ready to leave the role in favor of "Immediate Past President," which I understand is all the fun with almost none of the work.
I have gotten the chance to visit a couple of other clubs lately, which has been neat. Last Tuesday, I visited one called Creek Speakers. They're definitely a new and growing group with lots of room for speaking opportunities. Since they only meet twice a month, I decided to join that one on the next meeting in a couple of weeks. I'll also be giving my next speech.
Last night I went with one of the other club officers to the charter presentation for another Dow club, Diamond Toastmasters in Freeport. They started up just shortly before we did, and were neat to talk to because they have a very similar culture to ours. The cake they kept feeding us didn't hurt either.
Something pretty cool happened today. Right before we started our meeting, which is held in a conference room adjacent to the company cafeteria, a guy who saw a few people he knew stuck in his head and asked what we were doing. Before he could protest, members had found him a seat and an agenda and he stayed for the whole meeting. He was even called on during the Table Topics session, an unusual thing to do for a visitor, and he did such a great job that he got our Best Table Topics award for the meeting. At the end, he came to me and asked, "How do I join?" Now that was a great meeting.
When I first started doing this, another club president told me that Toastmasters had changed his life, and he knew it would for me, too. At the time I thought it was a strong statement, but I can't say I haven't learned a great deal from this whole experience so far. It's interesting that I'm the youngest person in the group, and for most people, by at least 10 to 15 years. To be "leading" people in something who have that level of experience over me is a challenge that I try my best to meet. The best complement that I have gotten was from someone who said that they could tell why I do everything I do for the club - because I feel a sense of ownership of making sure things go well. I hope to live up to that.
I have gotten the chance to visit a couple of other clubs lately, which has been neat. Last Tuesday, I visited one called Creek Speakers. They're definitely a new and growing group with lots of room for speaking opportunities. Since they only meet twice a month, I decided to join that one on the next meeting in a couple of weeks. I'll also be giving my next speech.
Last night I went with one of the other club officers to the charter presentation for another Dow club, Diamond Toastmasters in Freeport. They started up just shortly before we did, and were neat to talk to because they have a very similar culture to ours. The cake they kept feeding us didn't hurt either.
Something pretty cool happened today. Right before we started our meeting, which is held in a conference room adjacent to the company cafeteria, a guy who saw a few people he knew stuck in his head and asked what we were doing. Before he could protest, members had found him a seat and an agenda and he stayed for the whole meeting. He was even called on during the Table Topics session, an unusual thing to do for a visitor, and he did such a great job that he got our Best Table Topics award for the meeting. At the end, he came to me and asked, "How do I join?" Now that was a great meeting.
When I first started doing this, another club president told me that Toastmasters had changed his life, and he knew it would for me, too. At the time I thought it was a strong statement, but I can't say I haven't learned a great deal from this whole experience so far. It's interesting that I'm the youngest person in the group, and for most people, by at least 10 to 15 years. To be "leading" people in something who have that level of experience over me is a challenge that I try my best to meet. The best complement that I have gotten was from someone who said that they could tell why I do everything I do for the club - because I feel a sense of ownership of making sure things go well. I hope to live up to that.
posted by CyndyMW at
7:18 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home