'Reach Out' was the title of speech that I presented at the International Speech contests at the Club, Area and Division level. I spoke about the way a young lad reached out to me on the ice-rink, the way my aunt reached out to me all my life and the way I reached out to her at the end of her life.
Whilst out running yesterday, I got to thinking about the many ways we, as members of our Toastmasters club, can reach out within our club and beyond.
The Club
Greet guests with a smile, a universal language of welcome.
The smooth running of a meeting depends on volunteers. Contact the VPE and volunteer to do a role. This not only helps the club but helps you to acquire a range of leadership skills.
Volunteer to be a committee member and help your club to thrive. Again, this present an opportunity to gain new skills and strengthen existing ones.
Volunteer to help organise club contests, take a role or be a contestant.
Reach out and share your knowledge with other members e.g. if you have completed a path in the new Pathways Educational Program share your learning with members starting Pathways.
Volunteer to be a mentor.
Beyond the Club
Visit other clubs and meet new members and see how other clubs run their meetings. Bring the best practices back to our club.
Offer to do role at the club. Being the General Evaluator is a good role to chose as it offers the opportunity to provide feedback through fresh eyes.
Attend conferences and contests at Area, Division and/or District level and offer to do a role. The organisers will almost certainly be grateful, and you will learn a lot in the process.
Offer to help with community programmes such as Youth Leadership, Speechcraft, Freshers' Fairs, Hosting a stand at local Community Fairs and Open days etc
Offer to coach a failing club.
There are a growing number of global Virtual Toastmaster clubs and these offer opportunities to take on a role, attend meetings and see first-hand how technology is bringing toastmasters from around the world closer together.
I hope you will consider enriching your Toastmasters' journey and 'Reach Out'.
2 comments:
Brilliant post Elizabeth. It is always fantastic visiting new clubs and sharing.
Very true the more we reach out the more we learn and develop as individual sharing our experiences with other clubs helps the wider Toastmaster family.
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