Sunday, June 5, 2011

Get to Know the Great Leader Inside You!

Fellow Silver Spring Toastmasters,

It has been a fun year full of growth opportunities for all and high achievement for our club as a whole. I personally thank and commend every member of #1314 for their contribution to our joint success in the 2010-11 Toastmaster year.

You’ve been the embodiment of our club’s tagline: Together We’ve Soared!!!

Want to soar even higher?

Get to know the Great Leader inside you better. Be a Silver Spring Toastmasters club officer in the 2011-12 Toastmaster year!

I can clearly remember my first #1314 meeting in March of 2008. As I walked in the door I was FULL of trepidation. This was a room FULL of accomplished speakers and leaders, what could I bring to the table?

But as the meeting was about to begin, the Sergeant at Arms greeted me with a welcoming smile and introduced himself. Without the safety net he provided my first meeting experience wouldn’t have been the same. That gentleman went on to become Vice President of Education, President and is now our Area 62 Governor. You know him well: Merlyn Kettering.

I was also struck by the eloquence and grace of the club President that evening. She was engaging energetic and, above all, full of encouragement for each member who performed a role and for the club as a whole. She became Area 62 Governor in 2009-10 and is our incoming Division F Governor. You know her well too: Una Kettering.

One of the speakers that night delivered a 7 minute speech with no notes. That was amazing to me! What presence, what casual confidence and WHAT A SENSE OF HUMOR!!! So that’s what a decade or so of taking on Toastmasters speaking and leadership opportunities can do for you. That gentleman was Division F Governor, went on to be Lieutenant Governor of Marketing, Lieutenant Governor of Education and Training and is our incoming District 36 Governor: Barry Piatt.

There are NUMEROUS additional examples of OUTSTANDING Toastmasters Leadership in our club’s history (to those not mentioned here: sorry for holding true to tri-partite structure) and the three described above were chosen so you could convince yourself not only of the importance of taking on club officer roles but the many benefits you’ll enjoy when you do so.

And please understand: those benefits are available to you regardless of how long you’ve been a club member. EVERY great Toastmaster Leader began with their first meeting. In fact, it’s great when new members decide to take on a club officer role right from the start!

To that end: It’s time to nominate club officers for the new Toastmaster year which begins in July.

Please be sure to attend our next meeting which will begin at 6:45 (in order to accommodate the club officer nomination proceedings) and will be followed immediately by our regularly scheduled club meeting from 7:30-9:30.

Also, please visit the Toastmasters International website beforehand to get an understanding of what each of the club officer roles entails.

Get to know the Great Leader inside you!