Lithuania: A Toastmasters Success Story
Schedule of Events
News & Notes
‘Travel Beyond…’ Growing through Goals
Vail Voices Charter
With over 20 years in Toastmasters I remember …
District Officers Needed
Arvada Speakeasy Hosts ‘SPEAK’ to Celebrate 25th Anniversary !
How To Organize A Showing of the Movie ‘SPEAK’
Need to Develop a Club Website?
Success Is When You See an Important Idea Catch on and Grow
ThriveMasters is up and learning to communicate
Have Darts Ready Charters
Musings from the Editor
Pass it on!
Let the rest of your club know the March 2013 Dialogue is available.
I’ve heard you can walk into a Toastmasters International meeting anywhere in the world and experience much the same as in your home club: Speeches, Evaluations, Table Topics, Word of the Day… you’ll even see the same familiar banner.
So when I attended a meeting of the First Toastmasters of Lithuania club last year, I was surprised to get more than I expected. I walked into a packed, inviting and friendly room. It was a fun evening with five speakers, enthusiastic participants and applause that made my heart sing. I was told that every meeting was like that, with every duty roster filled in advance. I left the meeting inspired and a bit daunted; I vowed I would carry this energy back to my own clubs in the United States.
What was so different about this club? It is remarkable if you know the history of this part of the world. Both of my grandparents were born in Lithuania and told stories of hardship and deprivation. They didn’t live to see Lithuania become independent from the Soviet Union in 1991. Joining the European Union in 2004, Lithuania enjoyed fast growth, only to suffer a downward spiral during the world’s economic crisis of 2009.
Maybe these events fueled the people’s drive for success, perhaps after having a taste of what could be. In fact, this club is not only active but generous in helping other Toastmasters clubs form. They helped create the Baltic States’ first speech contest in which Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia participated.
I’m confident that no matter what happens in the world’s economy, these Toastmasters will have a bright future. In the tradition of Toastmasters International, I want to bring this message home… that in the face of adversity, economic or personal, all Toastmasters can thrive and succeed.
BackMar 1 — Remind clubs to submit membership dues renewals online
Mar 2 — District Executive Committee Meeting (following training)
Mar 2 — District Officer Training and OPEN HOUSE
Mar 12 — District Executive Committee Conference Call
Mar 14 — Open House & Demonstration Meeting open to ALL
Mar 18 — ‘Speak’ the movie in Grand Junction
Mar 27 — Evening Stars 10th Anniversary Celebration
Mar 31 — Talk up Toastmasters membership contest ends
Area Contest Dates
Mar 14 — S1 & S2 International & Table Topics Contests
Mar 16 — E4 & E5 International Speech & Table Topics Contests
Mar 20 — S4 International Speech & Table Topics Contests
Mar 23 — E 1,2,3 International Speech & Table Topics Contests
Mar 24 — S - 7 International Speech & Table Topics Contests
Mar 25 — S - 3 International Speech & Table Topics Contests
Mar 30 — E6 & E7 International Speech & Table Topics Contests
Mar 28 — F-2 International Speech & Table Topics Contests
In 2006, the Cheyenne Library moved. It was home to four of the Cheyenne clubs. In the process of the move, every toastmaster club had to remove its "stuff" from the closet. The new library has no room for any toastmasters stuff, so it is transported by each club, every week. The new library does have a lectern and a side table for meetings so....
Terry and I have the "old" lectern from the old library. It has a sticker with the old TM logo on it. It has been knocking around the house for five years and hasn't been used.
We are in the process of cleaning up and reorganizing the house and this is something we no longer want to trip over.
So we are offering it to anyone in D26 who wants to come and get it.
If no one wants it, I will use it as fire starter.
Mike Hand
Roadmasters Toastmsters
dtmmike@hotmail.com
Please see the D26 website for a complete list.
BackStatistics show 30% of resolutions are broken within the first week while 15% actually follow through and accomplish them. As a result, I decided to stop making them; I was part of the 30%!! I decided to instead set short and long term goals.
When I first started Toastmasters, I NEVER considered a role as a district officer. I was happy to stay at my club and fulfill those roles. As I set my own personal goals toward becoming a better speaker and leader, I found there was more. There were these achievements called ‘Educational Awards’. Coming from a military family, I understood the work and sometimes sacrifices it took to be given awards and decorations. I saw these Toastmaster educational awards in the same light. It took time and effort on my part to achieve these goals I set for myself.
It’s never easy to set goals much less to achieve them. I found in creating these goals, they must be realistic, measureable and achievable. Setting them is the first and hardest part. Once achieved, you must build on your accomplishment and set new goals. As a former military person, I found achieving my goals meant more when I was recognized for doing so; even if from myself!!
We are fortunate to have the Distinguished Club Program (DCP) to assist us in setting goals for ourselves to benefit our clubs. Have your members and/or club achieved their goals?? Were they recognized for their accomplishment?? Find where you stand on achieving your DCP goals by going to: http://reports.toastmasters.org/tmdatamart/dcp.cfm
I continue to set my goals and discovered it cannot be accomplished alone!! Sometimes you need help to set and accomplish goals. The District Leaders are here to help; all you have to do is ask.
I GUARANTEE you will grow personally, professionally and spiritually as I have with each achieved goal. Let me help you … Travel Beyond by setting, achieving and growing through goals!!
BackVail Voices Toastmasters held their Charter Party on January 23, 2013. Their charter was granted on December 17, 2012. This new club at the Vail Resorts Corporate offices in Interlocken, Colorado began meeting in the summer of 2013. Don Wynkoop sponsored the club because he wanted to be a better speaker at company meetings and knew fellow employees had the same goal. The members are very engaged in increasing their communication and leadership skills. They have a new wrinkle for the handshake to pass control of the meeting – the handslap. It was fun watching District leaders begin to shake hands and then get the handslap routine at the Charter meeting. This club has been added to area F2. Area Governor Rich Hopkins has been with the club since the Demonstration meeting. Congratulations to Vail Voices. Welcome to District 26!
Back“ … telling spooky stories on Halloween night at the Stanley Hotel” (see who said this below)
Here are a few highlights of Toastmasters from Members of District 26
Looking back on the time I’ve spent at various Toastmasters activities some vivid and enduring memories emerge. Some of these relate to my first time experiences. The first time I won a club “best” ribbon. The clubs I belong to are very competitive. The times I completed educational achievement levels—the CC, the ATM and the DTM also strike me as major points. This is not because I did it, but to get these accomplishments, I needed the help of my fellow Toastmasters. And, you know, it has always been there.
Ray Mohr, DTM over 30 years with Toastmasters
I have served as club officer many times, from Secretary to President, and numerous others. I did not come to Toastmasters to become a leader, just to learn to speak in a voice I liked! But here I am, all those years behind me, and I will say that I have gained confidence, skills, and knowledge that I could not have gotten anywhere else. The immersion, the repetition, the opportunities, the nudging and encouragement all have helped me to grow as a leader, a speaker, and as a person. My fondest memories: One is of my first time serving as Toastmaster for a contest, which was hosted at my work place and, I believe, cast me in a new light for management.
Susan Horst, over 21 years with Toastmasters
You ask about biggest moments in Toastmasters. Well, for me personally, those would have to be the contests -- especially the four District contests I had the privilege of competing in. Never did win one of those, unfortunately, but just getting to compete was quite a prize. Other highlights, I guess, would include serving as the registrar for a District Conference, teaching courses at a couple of TLI's (actually, one of those was so far back that it was still called a "Toastmaster University" rather than a TLI), and telling spooky stories on Halloween night at a District Conference at the Stanley Hotel.
Pete Martin, over 27 years with Toastmasters
BackThe Nobel Prize winning author Albert Camus once noted, “You cannot create experience, you must undergo it.”
This points to a problem inherent in most training programs, workshops and seminars. They don’t provide experience, thus don’t prepare people with skills. To build your leadership skills or to build leadership skills in others you must give people the opportunity to have experiences – and practice.
To maximize the effectiveness of leadership development the process must be a combination of knowledge building with the opportunity to use those ideas in the “Real World” to convert it into “Real” skills. Yes, actual leadership experience that is valuable in the workplace.
All of this leads us to the fact that the best results to your leadership skills improvement efforts will include: training, opportunities to put knowledge into practice, and leadership coaching.
The Training & Human Resources Depts. of the Bureau of Reclamation told me, “This is exciting. We can use Toastmasters to give our staff Leadership Building Opportunities. See their results. Then offer them position and pay grade increases with confidence. Low risk to the management team results.” Yes, they are forming a new Toastmasters Program at the Denver Federal Center this month.
You can build your Leadership Experience in the Safe Environment of Toastmasters. As an Area or Division Governor you will learn, grow and raise others to a higher level too.
I want you to build your Leadership Experience Now. Then show your boss how valuable you are. Submit your interest to District Officer positions to Norm Frickey, Nomination Committee.
Serving as a district officer is one of the best jobs you can have in Toastmasters. You get to meet other Toastmasters, see other clubs in action, and give back to this organization that is helping you grow. You may have to work, but you will definitely be glad you did.
~ GSS
BackOn February 19, 2013, Arvada Speakeasy Toastmasters Club celebrated its 25 years of the Toastmasters experience by inviting its members as well as guests for a showing of the amazing movie ‘SPEAK’ that tells the story of six Toastmasters in their quest to win the coveted title of “World Champion of Public Speaking.” Although it is a documentary film, it contains some intense drama as it focuses on the intense emotions experienced by the competitors during the days of the championship contest.
As members of District 26, we are honored that the movie focused heavily on our own Rich Hopkins who so far has competed in two championships and 7 semi-finals! And to have Rich as a guest at the anniversary celebration where he answered questions of the audience after the movie, was a real treat! To see him in the movie as he pursues his dream against all odds, is one of those experiences that can only inspire! Add to this the story about the health struggles of another heroic contestant, LaShunda Rundles, and one has all the ingredients for a movie that goes straight to the heart.
With the contest season now in full swing, we encourage our clubs in D26 to organize a viewing of this exceptional movie. If you are a contestant, you will be fascinated by the behind-the-scenes look at ‘heroes’ who made it to the World Championship! As Daniel Rex, Executive Director of Toastmasters International, put it: ”This movie chronicles what it takes to be the World Champion!”
For more information about the movie ‘SPEAK’, go to http://speakthemovie.com/
On behalf of the many leaders and other members who attended this wonderful event, we send a warm Congratulations! to Arvada Speakeasy for its 25th Anniversary !!!
For more information about Arvada Speakeasy TM Club, please visit http://arvadaspeakeasy.toastmastersclubs.org /
BackEven though watching the movie ‘SPEAK’ may be an unforgettable experience for a diehard Toastmaster, just imagine what it would feel like if you could share this movie with guests during a membership drive or as part of a special celebration of your club. Maybe even a celebration of the contestants in your club as they progress to higher levels through this contest season. We all have ‘heroes’ in our club who are willing to push through the firewall of fear and stress as they compete at various levels, and they certainly deserve some extra inspiration. Or… maybe you just want to remind yourself of what it would feel like to stand in front of 2500 people, finally getting a chance to show Your Voice !!!
I asked Rose Hamlet, Outreach Coordinator for the movie ‘SPEAK’, to explain the process for getting access to this superb movie, and here is what she said:
To host a screening, you'll first sign a contract (single or multi-use), which grants you Public Performance Rights to show the film.
Once the paperwork is in, we send you a screening kit: DVD, posters, and invitations. Along the way, we'll send you promotional aides, to help you plan and promote your event.
We will post your screening info on our website, SpeakTheMovie.com, as soon as your event is confirmed.
Remember, it’s always a great idea to have a camera at the event - we love getting photos and quotes from SPEAK screenings!
Want to host multiple screenings? Each additional event is discounted off the original fee. Share the drive to SPEAK!
Rose Hamlet can be reached at:
310.472.0167
SpeakTheMovie@gmail.com
Skype: speakthemovie@gmail.com
http://speakthemovie.com/
https://www.facebook.com/speakthefilm
https://twitter.com/speakthemovie @speakthemovie
Each Toastmasters club should have a website and most do, but without knowing the “Why” for your club website, how can you rate the successfulness of it?
Bottom line, club websites are used to share information with members as well as non-members.
But what information should be shared? Obviously, that is for your club to decide.
Each club has it’s own personality, so a club website should reflect that clearly. Below are some items that your club might choose to have on its website. Not all need be on the site, some might be links to the information, like a link to Easy speak for signing up for roles. Just make sure you keep your primary user (member or non-member) in mind when creating the pages of your club website.
Share information with members
The information to be shared with members is almost limitless.
Share information with non- members
Here are some basic items needed to present for non-members but the rest is for your club to decide.
Be sure to keep your club website interesting visually.
A website must be easy to read, and the following tips may be helpful.
By assessing the goals for your club website, and by following these simple tips you can make sure that your club website becomes a key tool that members can always go to for information and that helps non-members understand why they should visit your club.
Don’t have a Club website yet? There are easy and free websites available.
http://www.toastmasters.org/FreeGoogleWebsite,
FreeToastHosthttp://support.toastmastersclubs.org/,
or http://www.toastmasters.org/FreeWordpressWebsite
To most people, success means achieving a goal. In order to achieve a goal, a person usually has to work hard and believe in himself. Being successful at what you do can also be very motivating. People who are successful in one project, tend to be more successful in other projects. This is because they get the feeling that their hard work pays off and that a goal is worth their time and effort. Success usually goes hand in hand with appreciation. If someone we know succeeds at what he or she does, we will most certainly congratulate them. This will make them feel good and motivate them even further.
This is the context of a project undertaken by Toastmasters in District 26 and members of Spellbinder, a nationally recognized group of volunteer storytellers, to bring more storytelling to kids in school. This project termed the Ambassadors Project was conceived by Ray Mohr, DTM who has been a Toastmaster here in Denver for 30 years and a storyteller with the Spellbinders Chapter in the Denver area for over five years. The problem: there were not enough volunteer storytellers to meet the needs of schools along the Front Range in Colorado. With the support of the leadership in both organizations, his idea was to bring the Toastmasters and Spellbinders together for the purpose of sharing the joys of storytelling to kids to interested civic groups and organizations through professional quality presentations developed by Spellbinders and Toastmasters. These presentations would entertain, inform and persuade individuals to join either or both organizations.
Success is a process, and it also means completing the steps needed to achieve this objective and that was accomplished where volunteers for this project met and shared ideas and stories about how to make this type of presentation successful. Soon, outlines were developed and presentations were scheduled. In addition, the District 26 leaders provided more information about this project to Toastmasters. A program was developed for the Fall Conference on Tall Tales where Spellbinders joined with Toastmasters for the Friday evening program. In addition, workshops were presented to Toastmasters at the three Toastmasters Leadership Institutes in Colorado Springs, Denver and Fort Collins in 2013. In addition, several Toastmasters, including Tom Hobbs, DTM the District 26 Lt. Gov. of Education, and past District Governor Judy Lloyd have joined Spellbinder programs and are telling stories to kids in classrooms.
Success is a process. The presentations given so far to AARP, Rotary and other civic groups have been both fun and educational for everybody. The truth is everybody loves to listen to a story and there are a few people who want to share a story or two as well. Through these talks, we want to reach those people who want to do a little more for kids and the community.
Ray Mohr
mohrs@comcast.net
cell: (303)910-8874
May 17 and 18
Registration begins at 5PM Friday night followed by Social Hour at 5:30, Buffet Dinner at 6:30
Registration begins at 7:30 Saturday
Headliner —Jim Key, 2003 World Champion of Public Speaking. Jim Key is all about the Quest for Excellence.
Details and registration form will be updated on d26toastmasters.org as they become available.
Ramada Plaza Denver North
10 E 120th Avenue
Denver, CO 80233
303 452-4100
David B. Haight ~ Life is a competition not with others, but with ourselves. We should seek each day to live stronger, better, truer lives; each day to master some weakness of yesterday; each day to repair a mistake; each day to surpass ourselves.
Colin Powell ~ The healthiest competition occurs when average people win by putting in above-average effort.
Knute Kenneth Rockne ~ I don't like to lose, and that isn't so much because it is just a football game, but because defeat means the failure to reach your objective. I don't want a football player who doesn't take defeat to heart, who laughs it off with the thought, "Oh, well, there's another Saturday." The trouble in American life today, in business as well as in sports, is that too many people are afraid of competition. The result is that in some circles people have come to sneer at success if it costs hard work and training and sacrifice.
BackThriveMasters —our very own "personalized" —Toastmasters International club chapter was officially chartered with the international organization on Jan. 25 and is one of the fastest-growing programs of its kind in the Colorado region.
Marcy Brack, nurse manager for primary care at our Parker Medical Offices, initiated the idea of implementing a Toastmasters chapter at KPCO. Toastmasters International is one of the largest organized systems of personal development in the world. It started in 1924 and has grown to 280,000 members to date.
The 80 year old mission of Toastmasters is to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every individual member has the opportunity to develop oral communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth. It's also a great place to meet people, develop a coaching relationship with peers by providing positive feedback between members, improve leadership skills through active participation in an officer role, increase networking opportunities by attending Toastmasters International club activities worldwide, and overall increase one’s confidence in communication.
Bob Nogueira, KPCO’s director of Talent Management and a former Toastmasters graduate, fully supports the organization as an official development option for KP employees’ individual development plans. "I have personal experience with Toastmasters from many years ago," says Bob. "My participation increased my success in public speaking and leading audiences from one to 1000."
ThriveMasters president, JJ Cassa, has his own goals for our Toastmasters chapter. "I want ThriveMasters to be a fun and positive place for all our club numbers. I want it to be a place where they can learn some really useful communication skills in a totally safe environment," says JJ.
Some of our chapter of attendees have already seen the benefits. "Like most people," says ThriveMasters member, Kurt, "I had a fear of public speaking. Toastmasters International has been recommended to me on numerous occasions, but I always found an excuse not to go. "With Kaiser having a club chapter at the office, I didn't have any excuses anymore. Since joining our thrive Masters club, I've learned not only how to give a better speech, but also some great leadership skills. The encouraging support from my fellow thrive Masters actually makes public speaking fun and enjoyable. I'm really glad that I join."
BackThe new club Charter was presented to Have Darts Ready at HDR Engineering, Inc. in Downtown Denver on February 5, 2013.
The club chartered December 3, 2012. This is the second club Tye Jordan has sponsored. He also helped to start the club at AECOM. The club leadership team included Alena Rein and Phil Hahn.
Have Darts Ready is the 3rd club in the Tiaa-Cref Building. Soon we can have an Area Governor for 1 building!!!
If you know any other business that may like to support their employees with training and developments in the area of Communication and leadership please let District 26 Lt. Governor Marketing Linda Rhea know how she can help you.
BackThere was a lot of terrific material in the article on visiting a club in Lithuania. The one phrase that really hit home for me was “with every duty roster filled in advance.” I’m the VP Education for one of my clubs, and I’ve held the job many times in several clubs. The only way I get the duty roster filled in advance is if I do it myself. So I wondered what was First Toastmasters secret?
Two things came to mind: members want to participate, and they feel a responsibility for making the system work. I suspect that’s fairly obvious, but there has to be an underlying reason for the enthusiasm. Perhaps they understand the benefits of Toastmasters, and as Marina suggested their “drive for success” drew them in. Certainly that contributes. However, the simple fact is that to have enthusiastic participation the meetings have to entertain, educate, and engage.
That accounts for wanting to participate. The question is how to get members to sign up, confirm participation, and respond to indirect communication such as email?
I’d like to hear from you about how you get members to sign up for jobs, get them to confirm they’ll perform their duties, and get them to acknowledge indirect as opposed to person-to-person attempts to communicate.
Please send your thoughts to me gordonsavage@msn.com.
By the way, this is indirect communication. I look forward to seeing how many respond.
Dr. W. Edwards Deming ~ Competition should not be for a share of the market —but to expand the market.
Shrimati Indira Gandhi ~ My grandfather once told me that there are two kinds of people: those who work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group; there was less competition Back
Publisher / Governor
Bea Garcia Macliz, DTM
Home: 719-510-8905
Cell: 719-471-0068
Email: dg1213@d26leaders.org
Editor
Gordon S. Savage, DTM
36923 Forest Trail
Elizabeth, CO 80107-8126
Phone: 303-646-0547
Email: gordonsavage@msn.com
Public Relations
Luc Moens, ACB
Phone: 303-980-5332
Email: pro1213@d26leaders.org
Title & Design
Carol A. Harris, ACB
E-mail: thewriteniche@aol.com