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The Sunshiner
www.toastmastersd47.org January 2010
It’s a new year, a time for new opportunities
and challenges! This month we’ll take a look
at the other growth opportunity Toastmasters
offers us: the Leadership track.
Most of us focus on developing our oral com-
munication skills working our way through the
CC and AC manuals; however
there’s another world of oppor-
tunity out there in the CL and
AL programs.
There are many good reasons
why Toastmasters advocates
both communication and lead-
ership skills. People with good
communication skills are more
likely to advance to leadership
positions, and good leaders need communica-
tion skills to be effective.
Whether you manage people for a living, get
involved with projects at church, school, the
scouts or serve as an officer in your Club, we
all find ourselves in a leadership role at
times.
Why not equip yourself to do the best job you
can while serving as a leader? District 47 is
offering several fantastic learning opportuni-
ties across Florida and the Bahamas. Check
your calendar and sign up now to attend a TLI
in January. Check page 6 for the list or go to
the D47 website http://toastmastersd47.org/
for more information.
There’s also lots of great information on ef-
fective, successful leadership in this month’s
Sunshiner, much of it coming
right from the Toastmasters In-
ternational website http://
www.toastmasters.org.
Take a few minutes to read
through this month’s Sunshiner
and benefit from the tips on
leadership, goal setting, etc.;
then sit down and decide where
you want to head in 2010 and
beyond. Your future is in your hands. Make
plans to succeed then follow your dreams.
Remember:
If you always do what you’ve always done,
you’ll always get what you always got.
Maybe it’s time for a change!
This year resolve to make yourself the best
leader, speaker and person you can be. This
year invest the time and effort in your-
self...you’re worth it!
Leading the way in 2010Leading the way in 2010Leading the way in 2010Leading the way in 2010
Page 2
Kristina’s Korner
It’s time!
It’s time to turn the page. A New Year is ahead of us; an opportunity to wipe the slate clean.
Many times over the years I have made resolutions to get better organ-ized, lose weight, exercise more, re-connect with old friends, call my mother more often, etc. I’m sure many of you have made similar resolu-tions. By show of hands, how many of you broke your resolutions within a few weeks? a few months? I have broken most of them…. Just to make new ones the following year. It’s part of turning the page and welcoming in a New Year, isn’t it? It’s an unfortunate tradition.
It’s time to make new traditions: new resolutions that we can keep. For me, a resolution can start any time; any date. How about we start the resolution on February 23rd? Or October 4th? Or how about July 1st? Or the day we walk into our first Toastmasters meeting.
It’s time we make sure to get out of Toastmasters just what we came for. Do you feel more confident in the way you communicate? Can you share your ideas more effectively and make your voice heard? Have you in-creased your leadership skills? Did you lead by example in your Club by working through another manual or two in the last year so that you con-tributed to your Club’s success?
If not, it’s time to make some changes. Remember, you get out what you put in. Sign up to serve in a role at the next meeting, bring a guest, at-tend TLI, prepare a new speech; tell your members about the resolutions you have made for this year.
My resolution this year is to be the best leader I can be for District 47 to make sure that our members – each of you - are being served and can be-come the best communicators and leaders you can be.
What’s yours?
Kristina Kihlberg, DTM District Governor
Publisher Kristina Kihlberg, DTM
Editor Linda Deshauteurs, DTM
District 47 Executive Officers
for 2009-2010
DG Kristina Kihlberg
LGET Rick Furbush
LGM Pamela Rolle
PRO Pierre Taschereau
Secretary Patricia Martinez
Treasurer Laz Sanchez
IPDG Antionette Fox
District 47 Leaders District Advisor Loretta Sandy
SAA Jim Ellis
Webmaster Jeanine Kinsey
Division A Governor Scott Vail
Division B Governor Elizabeth Taschereau
Division C Governor Melody Tapley
Division D Governor Karen Novek
Division E Governor Jason Smith
Division F Governor Mack Payne
Division G Governor Beatriz Williams
Division I Governor Anthony Longley
The Mission of the District is to enhance
the performance and extend the network
of Clubs, thereby offering greater num-
bers of people the opportunity to benefit
from the Toastmasters educational pro-
gram by:
♦Focusing on the critical success factors
as specified by the District educational
and membership goals
♦Ensuring that each Club effectively ful-
fills its responsibilities to its members
♦Providing effective training and leader-
ship development opportunities for Club
and District officers
The Sunshiner is a publication of District
47 Toastmasters. Reproduction of arti-
cles is strictly prohibited without the
express permission of the District 47
Governor. Toastmasters International
and Toastmasters International emblems
are trademarks of Toastmasters Interna-
tional registered in the United States,
Canada and many other countries.
Membership Paid Clubs CC’s AC’s
Four Critical Success Factors
Page 3
Rick’s Room
Here’s Your Chance to Make a Difference
If you’ve signed up to be a Club Officer here’s your chance to make a difference for the members of your Club: attend Club Officer training!
The second round of Club Officer training is in full swing with some terrific opportunities throughout the District. Here’s your chance to attend one of these great TLI-Toastmaster Leadership Institutes- so you can be a better leader.
For many of you this may be your second time attending training this year and maybe you’re wondering what more you can learn. Well the answer is, - plenty!
In addition to providing a great review of the duties of your office, these TLIs offer an opportunity to at-tend educational sessions by celebrated Toastmasters like Immediate Past International President Jana Barnhill, and World Champions Darren LaCroix and Lance Miller. You can also attend sessions on a variety of other relevant topics to help you succeed as a leader and a speaker. And of course, you can meet with your fellow Toastmasters to explore the endless possibilities membership can bring if you only take the time to try.
And don’t forget TLI isn’t just about Club Officers. Absolutely not! These sessions are open to all members. What a great way to see if becoming a Club Officer will work for you. Attend an Officer class before you sign up and be prepared to lead. Or check out one of the World Champion sessions and see if competing in the contest circuit is more your speed. Stretch yourself, isn’t that why you joined?
So here’s your chance to make a difference for your Club and yourself!
Let 2010 be the year you give yourself a chance to become a better speaker, leader and person.
Take a minute to reflect on why you joined Toastmasters and sign up for TLI today!
Rick Furbush, DTM Lieutenant Governor Education & Training
Newly Added Training in Sarasota
Sarasota County has offered their facilities to host Club Officer training sessions on Thursday January 14, 2010. Address: Sarasota County, 1001 Sarasota Center Blvd., Sarasota, FL Light snacks and beverages will be provided by Toast of the County Club. Current Club Presidents are encouraged to con-firm the total number of attendees from their
club via email to Dawn Jani of Toast of the County @ [email protected] no later than 12noon on January 12th. If an Officer requires dual role training, please include those details so additional sessions can be planned in advance. PLEASE REGISTER no later than January 12th.
Thursday, January 14 5:30 – 8:00pm Sarasota, FL
Page 4
It’s not too late!
During the last few weeks of 2009, many of us took time to reflect on the events of the past year. There were many wonderful memories to excite us about what the New Year would bring. Other memories per-haps were not so great. Whatever the memory, one thing is certain, we cannot change the past; we can however, control the decisions that affect our future. Take a few moments during these first few weeks of the New Year to identify your long and short term goals. Make plans achieve your goals. If you already have a plan, take a few moments to assess the cur-rent situation to determine whether or not you are still on track. The results of your assessment may be disappointing; you may realize you are not on target to achieving your goals. Whatever, the situation, it's not too late! Failure to meet a goal in 2009 does not mean you should give up and stop working toward success. It sim-ply means you need to refocus and develop a new strategy. It's not too late to reassess, reorganize and implement a revised plan. Decide what are the most important things to you at this time, think about your current responsibilities and determine your priorities. It could be actions item at work or at home. It's not too late to get in-volved! If you are a Club Officer, take a few moments to assess your current goals. What did you want to accom-plish in 2009? What did you achieve? How will your Club become Distinguished before June 30? The Club Success Plan (CSP) is your blueprint to a successful Club and will help you get back on track. As you reflect on the past year, take a few moments to develop a plan for the New Year. Your col-leagues, family, friend and fellow Toastmasters will thank you for it.
Have a successful second half.
Pamela D. Rolle, DTM
Lieutenant Governor Marketing
Pamela’s Place
Positive Leadership
Be the leader others want to follow.
Examples abound of poor leadership. Who hasn’t had a teacher or boss who invoked feelings of disrespect?
A positive leader is someone who inspires, motivates, energizes and unites, while generating loyalty and pro-ducing results.
In his article for the Toastmaster magazine, Victor Parachin offers 10 rules on how to be that kind of leader:
• Give more than you expect others to give.
• Combine optimism and perseverance.
• See everyone as a diamond in the rough.
• Express appreciation; accept responsibility.
• Keep your ego in check.
• Show respect for the people around you.
• Treat team members as family.
• Be a source of inspiration.
• Stress cooperation, not competition.
• Maintain a sense of humor.
Read the complete article on the TI website: http://www.toastmasters.org/laws.aspx
Page 5
TLI Continues
Jan 16 – West Coast
SPECIAL GUEST
Lance Miller 2005 World Champion of Public Speaking
Jan 16 – Bahamas
SPECIAL GUEST
Darren LaCroix 2001 World Champion of Public Speaking
Jan 23 – East Coast
SPECIAL GUEST
Jana Barnhill IP Int’l President & Accredited Speaker
Jana conducts seminars on
leadership development, com-
munication skills, team building
and more. She works as a
speech writer & coach for
other professionals. She has
placed 2nd and 3rd in TM’s World
Championship of Public Speak-
ing and has also received the
Accredited Speaker designa-
tion, an honor held by only six
women in the world.
Register on www.toastmastersd47.org
In 2001, Darren outspoke 25,000
contestants from 14 countries to
win that title. Since that victory,
Darren has traveled the world
demystifying the process of cre-
ating a powerful speech. He has
roused audiences with his inspi-
rational journey from first-rate
chump to first-class champ,
proving anything is possible if
you are willing to work for it.
Lance has delivered over
2,500 speeches in over 28
countries on the fundamen-
tals of public speaking,
leadership, effective man-
agement, sales and over-
coming failure and adver-
sity. His real life experience
brings fun, lively and enter-
taining presentations to the
podium.
Jan 23 – Ft. Myers
SPECIAL GUEST
Gary Roberts President, Florida’s Speakers Association
Gary is a motivational
speaker, corporate enter-
tainer, humorist, and more.
He is also one of the most
versatile speakers in the in-
dustry today, whether your
event is about personal devel-
opment, change, leadership,
or sales, Gary is the ideal
keynote speaker for your
event.
Page 6
Club Officer Training
Toastmasters Leadership Institute
It’s not that “same old boring officer training” any-more. No … it’s called a TLI for a reason. Toastmas-ters Leadership Institute is just that, a second round of Toastmasters advanced training in leader-ship and speaking skills.
Not only do we have training for the officers, but a host of great topics for all Toastmasters. And this year we are taking it to the next level. We are bringing in the superstars for you: the Immediate Past Interna-tional President of Toastmasters and two World Champions!
Members and Club Officers mark your calendar for these excellent learning opportunities in January.
TLI Bahamas - January 16th: 2001 World Cham-pion of Public Speaking 2001 Darren LaCroix
TLI Tampa - January 16th: 2005 World Champion of Public Speaking Lance Miller
TLI Delray Beach - January 23rd: Immediate Past Intl President Jana Barnhill
TLI Ft. Myers/Naples - January 23rd : Florida Speakers Association President Gary Roberts
If you want to get the most out of your Toastmas-ters experience, if you want to create a winning and vibrant club then encourage ALL of the mem-bers to attend one of these fabulous TLIs. Go to the District 47 website for more information http://toastmastersd47.org/
PRO Challenge
Does your Club have the BEST Newsletter and/or BEST Website in District 47??
WE WILL SOON FIND OUT!
Sign up to enter in these two contests and be rewarded for your creative membership building work.
Please read the requirements below:
• Clubs must submit newsletters (via link or pdf) for January, February and March 2010 or the last three Newsletters published by the Club since September 2009 (if published bi-monthly).
• Clubs must forward website link no later than Janu-ary 24, 2010. The website will be visited periodically for consistency & updated information.
Please send to District 47 Public Relations Officer (PRO) at [email protected]
The content of your newsletter & website should in-clude: • An article from someone on your Board of Direc-
tors (Club Officers)
• Club members’ article(s)
• The Toastmasters mission
• Information about TLIs and members trainings
• How to be a DCP Club information
• Your Club progress in the DCP
• Your Club members achievements
• Club & District name and number
• Area number & Division letter
• Publication date & number • Editor, Club president & VP of PR names with con-
tact info such as phone and Club physical address for potential members
• Other content to be considered include: photos & or graphics, ease of reading, layout, consistency be-tween issues, grammar, members showcase, attrac-tiveness & map to location.
The winners and runners up will be announced and AWARDED during the District 47 Spring Conference April 16-17, 2010 in Fort Lauderdale.
The District 47 Spring Conference will be a fabulous, fun event with opportunities to learn and grow and network. The Best Club Newsletter and Best Club Website contest winners and their Clubs will be ex-posed to hundreds of Toastmasters and guests coming from every corner of our District.
The judges are anonymous and the announcements fi-nal. Work hard, make your Club proud and showcase your skills!!
We look forward to celebrating with you in Fort Lauderdale this coming April!
Pierre Taschereau
District PRO
Page 7
Club Anniversaries
Compassionate Conversation
Congratulations to these clubs celebrating anniversaries in January!
It is amazing that we tend to make the same resolu-tions that we made the previous year. We seem stuck on repeating this personal promise and for whatever reason, fall short on making it so. Hon-estly speaking, I think we forget about these resolu-tions by February.
Forget making a new resolution this year; go back to those you have already made. Perhaps if we map out short–term goals toward our resolution, then we can accomplish that personal promise. The possibility of success becomes greater.
Revisit, Realize, and Reach out to attain your Reso-lution.
My wish for you this New Year is best said in the fol-lowing quote by singer and activist Willie Nelson - “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around”.
If you know of the birth of a child, passing of a fel-low Toastmaster, a “big” birthday or similar occa-sion, please send a note to our Compassionate Mail-box using this link on the District 47 website http://
toastmastersd47.org
Let us know the name, which Club and address where we can send the
card.
Cathy Koyanagi
Compassionate Communicator
In Division A, Area 12, Collier Communique Club, Club #4392, Chartered January 13, 2003
In Division B, Area 21, Great Fort Lauderdale Toastmasters Club, Club #2004, Chartered January 1, 1956
In Division B, Area 23, Motorola Communicators Club, Club #9745, Chartered January 1, 1994
In Division C, Area 32, Tampa Noonshiners Club, Club #3909, Chartered January 1, 1971
In Division C, Area 34, Suncoast Toastmasters Club, Club #1667, Chartered January 1, Chartered 1978
In Division C, Area 35, PwC Tampa Talks Club, Club #748133, Chartered January 6, Chartered 2005
In Division D, Area 43, Bill Gove Golden Gavel Club, Club #6818, Chartered January 1, 2000
In Division F, Area 60, Lake Placid Toastmasters Club, Club #868600, Chartered January 25, 2006
In Division G, Area 70, St Petersburg Toastmasters Club, Club #2284, Chartered January 1, 1957
In Division G, Area 72, Star Toastmasters, Club #5933, Chartered January 1, 2001
In Division I, Area 80, New Providence Branch, Club #3596, Chartered January 1, 1968
In Division I, Area 80, Cable Beach West Club, Club #6796, Chartered January 1, 1988
In Division I, Area 83, Action Communicators Extraordinaire, Club #9477, Chartered January 1, 1999
In Division I, Area 82, Destined For Success Toastmasters Club, Club #3956, Chartered January 1, 2000
In Division I, Area 80, C.H.M.I. Toastmasters Club, Club #969479, Chartered January 8, 2007
In Division I, Area 84, Word of Life Communicators, Club #1128197, Chartered January 21, 2008
Page 8
District 47 Calendar
January 2010
January Conduct Club International Speech and Table Topics Contests
January Begin to collect 2nd round Club dues – Dues to be submitted before April
January 2nd Round Area Club visits continue
January Continue 2nd Round TLI
1-Jan Follow up of Club Officers lists not submitted
Jan 7-10 Midyear District Officer Training (DG/LGET/LGM)
10-Jan Performance review 50%
15-Jan Submit Treasurer’s Report for July-November to World Headquarters
15-Jan Appoint Proxy committee
16-Jan TLI - Florida West Coast, Tampa
16-Jan TLI - Bahamas, Nassau
23-Jan TLI - Florida East Coast, Boca Raton
We’re adding our District 47
Calendar to the Sunshiner. Each
month we’ll show you what’s
happening in your District 47 at
several levels:
You can see that our District Leaders keep very busy behind the scenes to ensure District 47 runs smoothly and stays on tar-
get to become #1 in the world!
The same is true at the Club level, it takes dedication to ensure your Club achieves Dis-tinguished or better before
June 30.
We invite you to check the Dis-trict Calendar on a regular ba-sis so you can plan ahead. Please contact your Area Gov-ernor with any questions you may have about events or re-
minders listed here.
Training opportunities are
indicated in green
Club level reminders and
events are indicated in blue.
District level activities are
indicated in white
February 2010 February 2nd Round Area Club visits continue
February Conduct Area International Speech and Table Topics Contests
February Continue 2nd Round TLI
February Continue to collect 2nd Round Club dues – Dues to be submitted before
April
1-Feb Talk Up Toastmasters Membership Award Program begins – add 5 new
members
15-Feb Submit Treasurer’s Report for July-December to World Headquarters
20-Feb Recommendations for the realignment of Clubs due by Divisions to Dis-
trict
28-Feb Last Day for Divisions to conduct local TLI
Want to find the best leaders for
your organization?
John C. Maxwell, Ph.D., leadership expert and author of more than 30 books on the topic, believes strongly that “everything rises and falls on leadership” In his monthly e-newsletter, Leadership Wired, he answers the question, “How can I be sure to hire the right person?”
To accomplish anything of signifi-cance, you must have the right peo-ple by your side. Finding a great hire often goes hand in hand with
identifying potential leaders. Max-well credits his friend Fred Smith with helping him arrive at these 11 questions to ask when looking for a leader:
• Does the person question existing systems and push for improve-ments?
• Do they offer practical ideas?
• When they speak, who listens?
• Do others respect them?
• Can they create or catch a vision?
• Do they show a willingness to take responsibility?
• Do they finish the job?
• Are they emotionally strong?
• Do they possess strong people skills?
• Will they lead others with a ser-vant’s heart?
• Can they make things happen?
You can purchase the 10th Anniver-
sary edition of John Maxwell’s The
21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership on
the TI website. Makes a great gift or
addition to your own library.
Looking for a Leader?
Page 9
The Story Behind Women in Toastmasters
Background
In the mid 1960s, clubs were accepting women in to membership. Because the In-ternational by-laws restricted membership to men, club and District leaders were faced with the evolving women’s rights issues, and the Federal Government actions to broaden opportunities for women. Through out the U.S., federal government sponsored clubs and some military clubs started registering women using first two initials.
Action taken by the World Headquarters staff established a policy that the given first name had to appear on membership applica-tions. No one seemed to be concerned with the by-law violations or initiated action to amend the by-laws.
In the late 1950s, the leadership of District 36 established a strong relationship with the senior management of the U.S. Civil Service Commission that sponsored a club.
Annually, the Executive Director would reis-sue a document encouraging Federal Agen-cies to include Toastmasters in their person-nel training programs and provide adminis-trative support when required. While D-36 Governor, I maintained a personal relation-ship with the Executive Director.
Shortly after I was elected International Di-rector 1969-71 I was summoned to the USCSC Executive Director’s office to answer
a complaint of Toastmasters discrimination against women.
A complaint had been formally filed by a Toastmistress Club at the Health and Wel-fare Agency, claiming they were not able to receive support equal to that provided two Toastmaster clubs in the Agency. We worked out a solution but a bigger issue pervaded.
I explained that I had no authority to speak for TI, however was aware of women joining our organization. We agreed that, unless directed otherwise by the President of Toastmasters, I would serve as liaison in seeking solutions. We were aware that it might take a few years to resolve the issue, but as long as TI was making progress no negative action would be taken by the USCSC.
On February 6, 1970 I sent a letter to Presi-dent Ralph C. Howland requesting time to address the Executive Committee on what I perceived as a “plaguing problem of women associated with our clubs”. I noted earlier discussions about women in the Georgetown University Club #1237 and the three clubs pending in the Defense Intelligence Agency, which would include women in the military. I further expressed concern about the im-pact of withdrawal of federal government support, under charges of discrimination, if Toastmasters International policy was not changed.
If the USCSC had withdrawn their support and formally declared Toastmasters as dis-criminatory, approximately one third of our clubs located in Federal Agencies and Mili-tary installations could have disappeared.
by Robert W. Blakeley, DTM, PIP
Looking at the Past
We almost lost Federal support and one third of our clubs.
continued
Page 10
The Story Behind Women in Toastmasters
Action Taken:
I advised the President and Executive Direc-tor of the pending problem with the USCSC.
They instructed me to keep relationships open while the problem could be looked at.
In 1971 President Diamond selected me to be the Chairman of the DAP Committee, then a 4th committee on the Board chaired by a second year Director. The objective was to have that committee address the woman membership issue. Because I was the only federal man on the board he felt I had a deeper understanding of what we faced.
The Committee had a by-law change to drop the word “male” from the language of the by-laws, thus legitimizing the membership of women.
After hours of debate, the Committee, ex-cept for me, stood against presenting the issue to the forthcoming convention. After presenting the committee report, I filed a minority report and moved that the Board, as a meeting of the whole, debate the issue and approve sending the by-law change to convention for approval. After extended highly emotional debate, threats of doom, social issues that could develop, etc. by a small margin the Board approved sending the by-law change to convention.
At the August 1971 convention in Calgary, following the then practice of having the committee chairmen present issues and de-fend them, I responded to all inquiries and emotional accusations. The motion was de-feated by votes of 834 ayes and 4,379 nays.
Lesson learned was that in our desire to solve the problem we could only see one option. We did not prepare the Past Lead-ers and District leadership to understand the depth of the issue, and were a bit pa-ternal in saying what the Board thought was right, should be accepted by the member-
ship
During the two years I was off the Board I continued my relationship with the USCSC, assuring the Executive Director that it would take another two years before the issue could be resolved. I assured him that de-spite the setback, women were still being admitted to membership, mostly by using male first names in their applications. (A good example is PIP Helen “Homer” Blanch-ard). As I traveled on business, around the globe, I visited clubs and lobbied for their understanding and support of a future by-law change.
During this period, PIP Joe Rinnert proposed a language change in the by-laws providing club option in determining club member-ship. This proposal was presented at the 1973 Houston convention. The approval voting was 4,264 ayes and 527 nays.
Lesson learned from this stage, that the clubs and leadership were placed in a posi-tion where in they had a say in the future of the organization, therefore they were
supportive.
We know the tremendous benefits from add-ing women to our membership. We broad-ened our membership base and resolved fi-nancial issues that were negative during this period.
Bob Blakeley, DTM, PIP
08/18/09
by Robert W. Blakeley, DTM, PIP
Looking at the Past
Page 11
Introducing the Speaker’s Bureau
The District 47 Speaker's Bureau is now available to all Toastmaster's members. The mission of the Speaker's Bureau is twofold.
1. To increase awareness of Toastmasters within District 47 by providing speakers to qualified community organizations and businesses.
2. To provide interested and qualified Toastmasters the opportunity to improve their speaking skills by speaking to groups outside of the club envi-ronment.
The Speaker's Bureau will provide non-paid speaking engagements for our members to community organi-zations like the Kiwanis, Rotary Clubs, other non-profit organizations, and potentially to businesses. Members will speak on their area of expertise based upon the needs of the requesting organization.
We are now accepting applications to become a member of the Speaker's Bureau. To be eligible to join, you must have completed 6 speeches towards your Competent Communicator award. The applica-tion process consists of the following steps:
1) Register online at http://speakers.toastmastersd47.org. You will need to provide contact information and a video of one of your speeches (posted to YouTube, Vimeo, etc., or your own website). You will automati-cally be enrolled as a student member and no
fees are due while your application is being re-viewed.
2) Your speech video will be reviewed by the Speaker's Bureau to determine your speaking level. Based upon the feedback from the review, you may be offered the opportunity to join as a marketed speaker at the Premier, Executive or Professional Level. There is a $27 annual fee to offset marketing and operational costs.
3) Once the annual fee has been received, you will have the opportunity for speaking engagements based upon the needs of the requesting organiza-tion and your area of expertise.
We are also looking for your help in spreading the word about the Speaker's Bureau to community or-ganizations and businesses. If you are a member of an organization that is looking for a speaker, please refer them to our website to request a speaker.
If you have questions about the Speaker's Bureau, please contact the Speaker's Bureau Chairman Matt Kinsey at [email protected].
Matt Kinsey
Speaker's Bureau Chairman [email protected]
Motivational Speaking
One of the most important elements of leadership is the ability to motivate people. Without motivation, even the most skilled team of seasoned professionals is unlikely to achieve great things. A highly motivated group of talented peo-ple, on the other hand, can move mountains. While it’s true that motivating people involves more than just changing the way you speak, there are some simple guidelines you can follow to help build team motivation with only your words and your voice:
1. Be enthusiastic. Enthusiasm is contagious! Be-fore you present your ideas, think about the as-pects of the subject that you find most interest-ing, and don’t be afraid to let that interest come through in your voice.
2. Use quotes, stories and anecdotes. Along with their obvious entertainment value, quotes and stories can lend authority to your topic and pro-vide concrete examples that people can relate to.
3. Speak with confidence. Deliver your message loud and clear. Maintain eye contact with your listeners. Don’t mumble or slouch.
4. Say you and we, not I and me. Instead of telling people what you want them to do, present ways for them to work together to achieve their goals. Involve listeners in the success of the group.
5. Keep it simple. People aren’t motivated by what you say; they’re motivated by what they under-stand. The best way to ensure audience under-standing is to break down complex ideas into simple components.
Page 12
Spread the Word
Kudos to Club Awesome, Club
#2445, Coral Springs, Florida!
Their excellent PR efforts
have given them a full page
spread in Lifestyle Magazines
January 2010 edition. What a
great way to promote their
Club as well as the entire
Toastmasters organization.
Congratulations on your
AWESOME accomplishment!
Page 13
Dreams of Freedom
We take it oh so for granted, the word “freedom.” In the morning when I awake and dress, I can choose what I feel like wearing today! One rule most agree on is, it can’t be what I wore yesterday or even the day before. Somebody might remember—oh no!
On my day off from work I can get in my car and go to the mall, or perhaps spend a few hours at the beach, my choice! We have so many choices every day that we sometimes don’t give it a second thought! After all, we’re free to make most choices for our daily lives.
I recently met a group of Toastmaster fans who once had all those same options, but because of some wrong choices, they now have very few!
They dress the same every day, never get in the car, and most have forgotten what the beach or shopping malls are like. Just the same routine day after day, year after year, for 20 or 30 years. Wow!
While serving as the founding president of the Hobe Sound Toastmasters Club, I received a very interesting letter. It started with Seasons Greetings, and thanks for taking time in my busy schedule, and asked for my direction in establishing a Toastmasters Gavel club for the incarcerated at the Okeechobee Correctional Insti-tution of Florida. This letter, from one of the inmates, was very neatly hand printed with almost calligraphy artistic style. Very intriguing, to say the least! The let-
ter was read and shared with the Hobe Sound Club, the Area Governor, and the Division Governor.
The Division Governor went to the prison and met with the prison officials to get the clearance and permission to establish a Gavel club within the confines of the Okeechobee Correctional Institution.
It was several months before I could actually visit the prison along with another volunteer Toastmaster to see how we could help!
It was with trepidation and uncertainty we entered. We were wondering whether we could help or even communicate with the inmates!
We stepped through several locked doors and entry points wearing our body alarms (these were panic alarms worn on our belts), which the prison officials assured us would bring immediate help should the oc-casion arise! A Classification Officer escorted us to the library where the assembly of 20 potential Gaveliers were waiting for us. My own nervousness was instantly relieved by the warm reception I received with hand-shakes from every inmate in the room!
One of the inmates had been in a Gavel club at another prison and had instructed the gathering of men on pro-cedure and protocol for conducting a Toastmasters meeting. And what a fantastic job he did!
Continued
The following broad guidelines will help you to set ef-fective goals:
State each goal as a positive statement: Express your goals positively – 'Execute this technique well' is a much better goal than 'Don't make this stupid mistake.'
Be precise: Set a precise goal, putting in dates, times and amounts so that you can measure achievement. If you do this, you will know exactly when you have achieved the goal, and can take complete satisfaction from having achieved it.
Set priorities: When you have several goals, give each a priority. This helps you to avoid feeling overwhelmed by too many goals, and helps to direct your attention to the most important ones.
Write goals down: This crystallizes them and gives them more force.
Keep operational goals small: Keep the low-level goals you are working towards small and achievable. If a goal is too large, then it can seem that you are not making progress towards it. Keeping goals small and
incremental gives more opportunities for reward. De-rive today's goals from larger ones.
Set performance goals, not outcome goals: Take care to set goals over which you have as much control as possible. There is nothing more dispiriting than failing to achieve a personal goal for reasons beyond your control. In business, these could be bad business envi-ronments or unexpected effects of government policy. In sport, for example, these reasons could include poor judging, bad weather, injury, or just plain bad luck. If you base your goals on personal performance, then you can keep control over the achievement of your goals and draw satisfaction from them.
Set realistic goals: It is important to set goals that you can achieve. All sorts of people (employers, parents, media, society) can set unrealistic goals for you. They will often do this in ignorance of your own desires and ambitions. Alternatively you may set goals that are too high, because you may not appreciate either the ob-stacles in the way or understand quite how much skill you need to develop to achieve a particular level of performance.
Setting Goals for 2010 and Beyond
Page 14
Dreams of Freedom
We were both blown away by the professionalism and respect the inmates showed to one another. These men showed us, who were there to help them, an exem-plary Toastmasters meeting! Wow! We were impressed!
The men were enthusiastic, joyful and open to one an-other and willing to bring a glimmer of hope to each other, in a rather depressing existence where chasing freedom, in many cases, is but a dream!
They all recognize the poor choices they made when they were free. They do not seek pity or offer excuses, but rather seek only to improve themselves thru the skills Toastmasters offers them, the ability to commu-nicate intelligently in a professional world, the ability to listen, and to help others through new found leader-ship skills, and in turn help others to avoid making the wrong choice.
Some of the prisoners will be up for parole and when that time comes, they will be helped by the skills of-fered by Toastmasters, to become productive citizens.
According to data provided by an organization called Taking Flight, the recidivism rate for inmates involved in a prison Gavel club is reduced to 5%-10% from the normal 50%-70% for non-Toastmaster participants!
Statistics say that 95% of crime today is from repeat offenders, those who previously served prison time. What would happen if we could reduce that crime rate, simply by offering an opportunity of Toastmasters to those who want to improve themselves?
It says in the Bible “The Last shall be First”. These men are in a psychologically and emotionally draining
world. They have been discarded by society, but judg-ing by what I have witnessed, I hold these new Toast-masters in high regard.
I am passionate about the positive benefits and the ef-fect that the Toastmasters program has on anyone ac-tively involved, and feel it is especially important to offer that opportunity to our prison population. There are 1600 inmates in this one facility alone! Perhaps more of us can offer a bit of our time to help others in a similarly difficult situation? The rewards are beyond your expectations when you help another individual with a talent you already have!
We congratulate the newly formed Ambassadors of the Okeechobee Correctional Institution of Florida on being certified as an official Toastmaster Gavel Club, and wish them much success.
For more information about Prison Gavel Clubs, refer to www.takingflight.org. You will be glad you did!
Rich Otten, ACS/CL Hobe Sound Toasters Club #1206922
Building Relationships
Photo taken outside the facility by Rich Otten
In an effort to enhance our relationship with ASTD -American Society for Training and Development - a group of Toastmasters recently attended the annual Fort Lauderdale ASTD Chapter “Champions Workplace Learning” event. District 47 sponsored a table at their Employee Learning Week’s grand finale evening.
This event recognizes “best practices” by employers in the area of employee learning & performance. Sev-eral awards were given out.
The idea was for D47 to reach out to other speaking/training communities and promote Toastmasters. We made connections and networked the room like real pros. The business cards that were collected will be used to send thank you notes and follow up invitations to local Toastmasters Clubs.
We are looking for other events where Toastmasters can benefit from a stronger relationship. Please send a note to our Sunshiner if you have any ideas.
Page 15
Believe it or not, it is time for us to think about next year’s Dis-trict Officers. The Nominating Committee will meet on Satur-day, February 27th in Fort Lauderdale to interview all inter-ested candidates for elective officer roles for District 47. The elections will be held at the District Council Meeting on Sat-urday April 17, 2010 at the Embassy Suites in Fort Lauderdale, where EACH CLUB has TWO votes. Make sure your vote counts! We’re electing: District Governor, Lt. Governor Education & Training, Lt. Governor Marketing, and all Division Governors. Let us ensure we put in place a strong team for next year. Anyone interested in any of these district officer roles, please submit your nomination request to our Nominating Committee Chair, Antionette Fox at email [email protected]. All forms referred to are available to download on the District 47 website www.toastmastersd47.org. How do I nominate someone? Download the nomination form, fill it out and mail it to Immedi-ate Past District Governor Antionette Fox, DTM. Her address is located on the form. Can I nominate myself? Yes, any Toastmaster in good standing may nominate any other Toastmaster in good standing who meets the qualifications for that position. This includes self-nominations. What else do I need to know? All candidates must sign the Officer Agreement and Release form. The procedural rules for candidates are also available on the D47 website and should be reviewed. What is the Mission of the District? The mission of the District is to enhance the performance and extend the network of Clubs, thereby offering greater numbers of people the opportunity to benefit from the Toastmasters edu-cational program by: • Focusing on the critical success factors as specified by the District educational and membership goals,
• Insuring that each Club effectively fulfills its responsibilities to its members,
• Providing effective training and leadership development opportunities for Club and District officers.
What is the Vision of Toastmasters International? Toastmasters International empowers people to achieve their full potential and realize their dreams. Through our member Clubs, people throughout the world can improve their communi-cation and leadership skills, giving them the courage to change.
What are the responsibilities for the District Offices?
DISTRICT GOVERNOR Mission/Purpose As the District's Chief Executive Officer, directs the District in a way which fosters strong Clubs, produces maximum growth in education completions, Club and membership, and is consistent with the interests of members of Toastmasters International. Responsible for motivating the District to achieve Distinguished District. Achieve the Mission of the District in a manner which motivates volunteer leaders and promotes a standard of excel-lence in all District activities.
Qualifications At the time of taking office, the District Governor shall have served at least six (6) consecutive months as a Club President and at least twelve (12) consecutive months as a Lt. Governor or Division Governor or a combination thereof. LT. GOVERNOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING Mission/Purpose Under the guidance of the District Governor, strives to have every Club and each member reap the benefits of the Toastmas-ters educational program and to have every Club become a Dis-tinguished Club. Responsible for achieving Distinguished District goals for CCs, ACs, and Distinguished Clubs. Provides direction and counsel to Division Governors, Area Governors, and Club officers on the educational opportunities in Toastmasters. Re-sponsible for the design and conduct of successful District train-ing programs, conferences, and other District educational events. Qualifications The Lt. Governor Education and Training shall have served at least six (6) consecutive months as a Club President and at least twelve (12) consecutive months as a Lt. Governor, Division Gov-ernor, or an Area Governor, or a combination thereof. LT. GOVERNOR MARKETING Mission/Purpose Under the guidance of the District Governor, makes the benefits of Toastmasters membership available to greater numbers of people. Plans, develops, implements, and directs short-term and long-term District marketing objectives. Develops and directs programs for new Club development, Club rescue efforts, Club membership promotion, and membership retention. Responsible for achieving Distinguished District goals for membership and Club growth. Promotes standards of service to the member and to the Club. Qualifications The Lt. Governor Marketing shall have served for at least six (6) consecutive months as a Club President and at least twelve (12) consecutive months as a Lt. Governor, a Division Governor, or as an Area Governor, or a combination thereof. DIVISION GOVERNOR Mission/Purpose Achieves the Mission of the District within the Division, accom-plishing District goals in membership building and retention, Club extension, and educational accomplishments. Ensures each Club realizes its Mission and fulfills its responsibilities to its members. Responsible for achieving Distinguished Division Pro-gram goals and ensuring that Areas and Clubs within the Division achieve Distinguished status. Serves the Division Clubs by provid-ing District support and resources through the Area Governors. Qualifications A Division Governor shall have served at least six (6) consecutive months as a member of a District Council (e.g., Club President, Vice President Education, Area Governor, District Secretary, and District Treasurer). What about Area Governors? Area Governors are not elected positions. They are appointed by the incoming District Governor each year. If you are inter-ested in being an Area Governor for 2010-2011, please contact your current Area or Division Governor to express your interest. They will forward your information on to the incoming District Governor.
District Elections
Page 16
Photos from TLI in Division B
Page 17
Educational Awards
Congratulations to these Toastmasters who have received Educational Awards
in the month of December. What a great way to end 2009!
Competent Communicator
Competent Communicator
Advanced Communicator Bronze
Advanced Communicator Silver
Do you facebook?
Check out D47’s page!
Behn, Betty J. Club #602900
Bodie, Carol D. Club #1199193
Boyd, John M Club #1051432
Cooper, Marcia Andreea Club #6796
Dames, Jenevy Club #8123
De Angelis, Tony Club #3466
Deveaux, Sharon Club #1050379
Dunn, Peter Club #2582
Edgecombe, Crystal Latonya Club #3956
Fielding, Kelvin Club #2284
Flowers, Ruth Club #7943
Goliger, Karen Club #1216633
Gostkowski, Lana Club #1197988
Guanipa, Yraida Club #1695
Koval, Alexander Club #3278
Major, Marie L Club #1095
McDonald, Carl Anthony Club #4267
Michael, Lorna R Club #8248
Norris, Jonathan N. Club #1146909
Plant, Thomas Gray Club #8181
Pruskin, Steven L. Club #1810
Redalia, Larry Club #1039583
Salicco, Sandy A Club #6003
Sanguedolce, Helen Irene Club #6818
Scott, Sheri Club #1039583
Spencer, Ralph Club #8248
Strong, Jane E. Club #1169566
Sturrup, Dawne M. Club #1340647
Burke, John J. Club #3466
Haseltine, Jill Club #602900
Hillestad, Sharon Club #1039583
Knowles, Kendrick Percival Club #6796
Rizzo, Robert F. Club #2835
Rolle, David Club #9477
Smith, Mary Ann Club #2733
Watson, Lavell Joel Club #1340647
Williams Gordon, Patrice E. Club #1095
Kearns, Thomas Club #1667
Rascati, Gina Club #8664
Vail, Scott Club #9628
Van Breemen, Elyse Aronson Club #1039583
Talati, Amit H. Club #2903
Turnquest, Wayne Club #1050379
Watson, Lavell Joel Club #1340647
Page 18
Educational Awards
Congratulations to these Toastmasters who have received Educational Awards
in the month of December. What a great way to end 2009!
Competent Leader
Advanced Leader Bronze
Advanced Leader Silver
Leader Excellence
The Sunshiner monthly newsletter is one of the many tools we use to help the membership of District 47 learn,
grow and share. We strive to keep the information and articles timely and
relevant to your needs.
If you have any information, sugges-tions or opinions you’d like to share with your District please contact us.
Address your email to:
Black, Chavette Club #6796
Bodie, Carol D. Club #1199193
Clare, Estelle G. Club #1227605
Clarke, Beverley Club #1199193
Cleare, Janice Club #1199193
Cummings-Beck, Gillian W. Club #1702
Dames, Jenevy Club #8123
Ferguson, Rachel A. Club #1095
Francomano, Katherine C. Club #8248
Joseph, Belinda Carlene Club #3518
Lovejoy, Sparkie Club #8248
Miskanic, Vic Club #3466
Newton, Veronica Club #1199193
Sturrup, Dawne M. Club #1340647
Walker, Trixy Club #5222
Watson, Lavell Joel Club #1340647
Williams Gordon, Patrice E. Club #1095
Harden, Jeanne L Club #3668
Kent, Beverly A. Club #5899
Major, Keith L. Club #1227605
Watson, Lavell J. Club #3956
Rolle, Glenroy Club #9477
Tassinari, David Club #1289921
Williams, Collette Wendy Club #1425
Bullard, Greg Utel Club #839960
Clarke, Troy Club #1600
Williams, Collette Wendy Club #1425
