By Leah Cox, District 19 Administration Manager
More than I can count. That could be the answer to the past 8 years of my Toastmaster life. I am still a closet introvert but most folks have no idea, especially my co-workers. Let me share some “Yea Leah’s” via Toastmasters.
A professional group who unfortunately are not Toastmasters hosted a youth contest that had a history of fizzling. I wanted to see this succeed so volunteered to chair the contests for 6 years before handing it off to others to thrive. (Side note: 4 of the 6 contestants went not only to Regional but National and placed in the top 3. There were approximately 100 contestants overall.)
How did my Toastmasters experience help or affect this? First: I wouldn’t have had the courage to step up without the Toastmasters guidance. Second: I blatantly fashioned the format of the contests from our International Speech Contests. Third: We offered a mentor for each student contestant. Hmm, I wonder where that idea came from. I wouldn’t have had courage nor skills without Toastmasters trainings from the various manuals and positions held in Toastmasters as they guided and directed my growth.
The latest accomplishment is two-fold. They were simultaneous. I work in the Safety/Health department of an international company and was voluntold to join a county disaster preparedness committee. As a member I volunteered (Yea TM) to create a disaster drill. This would be attended by an unknown number of people from city, county and corporate levels. It was an anonymous drill. No one knew the scenario other than me. As the “drill master” I led the scenario of a tornado hitting the plant with injury, death and massive destruction. Each entity present had a role and voice in what would happen if and when this would happen in the real world.
After the scenario was ended we had a discussion of good/bad and indifferent. What needed improvement and what we did correctly. This was followed by a departmental debriefing. Again that I led. The Toastmasters involvement you ask. ‘How to write a speech’,’ conflict resolution’,’ Evaluation’, ‘speaking off the cuff’, and ‘tell a story’; does any of this sound familiar? I mentioned that this was a two- fold experience. About the same time I started on the drill, I was asked to be the assistant to the last District Governor of District 19-Mark Latta. Speeches and public speaking was not the high suit of this endeavor. Prioritizing and written communication came to play here. Again, in looking back I see Toastmasters interplay.
Am I a better speaker because of Toastmasters? Yes, I am. I am not a Mike Anderson, Mark Latta, or Kory May, but am growing/ improving by the week. Maybe even by the day. Better evaluator? Without a doubt! This I notice daily especially at work. No, not a Martha Hedberg- Latta, Alta Byg or Jamie Ward but have vastly improved over the years.
The “newbies” or the potential member asks why I should subject myself to this environment. Clyde Eisenbeis said it best. “Would you rather error in front of us or in front of your boss?” I vote for in front of my Toastmasters colleagues. In front of the boss you may not have a second chance. We know all are still in the learning process, from those who are a 30 hour member or a 30 year member we are still learning.
Would I join Toastmasters again? Has Toastmasters made a better Leah? Have I gotten my $6.00 worth? What do you think? Yes, in more ways than I can count.