I'm starting this blog to write about my Toastmasters experience in Saint John. Toastmasters International is an amazing organization that enables people to develop their communication and leadership skills in friendly, supportive environments.     I currently serve as Second Vice-President for the organization and I'm interested to enable more awareness and knowledge of what we do and how we enable people to develop their skills.

I'm a member of Saint John Toastmasters club #1479 but a frequent visitor to Harbourside Toastmasters club #1843.    Harbourside Toastmasters meets every Wednesday from 12:15-1:15 in the Brunswick Square office tower.     Today I attended and was impressed with the Table Topic led by +Joanna Boniecka-Grzelak .    Table Topics are impromptu speaking opportunities where someone introduces a theme, a conversation, and invites members to answer a question related to the theme.  

Joanna is taking an free online course on genetics so she used this as the theme today.  Themes can be very light, sometimes serious, and today's was thought provoking.  However Joanna made it easy for everyone to participate.   We're not trying to stump people, just give them a chance to think on their feet.

Joanna described how we can learn much about our genetic make-ups and associated dangers.   Angelina Jolie just had a double mastectomy after learning she had an 80% chance of developing breast cancer.   So Joanna asked question such as would you like to know about risks you carry, would you have genetic tests done on your kids, should such tests be used to devise health plans for people, should such tests be mandatory, would you like to do genetic tests to learn about your ancestors.  

 There are no right or wrong answers.  The questions gave people room to think and respond.   

 An excellent session today led by Joanna. 

 Jim K 

Location: Saint John County, NB, Canada

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Golf Skills, Public Speaking Skills and Leadership Skills

A friend of mine has invited me to a round of golf this week.   So now I want to get to a driving range and see if I can find my golf swing again, because when we play I’d like to have a respectable round and not be whacking the ball from one side of the fairway to another. I used to be a pretty good golfer scoring in the low to mid 80s quite consistently.   However, I haven’t played in three years and in the past ten years I’ve played perhaps six times. My issue is that I remember being a pretty good golfer and when I visit the course this week, I expect to play like I used to play.   I know that isn’t reasonable, but that’s the way I think.   I expect to perform like I used to perform when I golfed a couple of times each week. How does that relate to public speaking and leadership skills? It relates directly. Golf, public speaking, and leadership are all skills.   Skills require practice. The best athletes in the world practice basic skills regular...
Read more

Toastmasters Clubs Adapting During Times Of Social Distancing

In April 2020 people are living through a pandemic as the COVID-19 virus has spread around the world.  The virus spreads quickly with human contact, so many people are living with rules or strong guidance to practice social distancing, or physical distancing. I have seen and prefer the terminology physical distancing with social connecting.  This guidance means people should maintain physical distance from those other than those in your household, and holding no large gatherings, which in some locations means no more than two people. People are limiting the occasions when they leave their homes, and when they do so, must work to maintain two metres of distance between themselves and others. As a result of these physical distancing measures many businesses have closed, hopefully temporarily, or changed their methods of operation. Restaurants and coffee shops are take out only, for example, if they have remained open. Toastmasters clubs have adapted as well. We ...
Read more

Three Speeches - Saint John Toastmasters Monday January 6 2014

Saint John Toastmasters Monday January 6 2014 Tonight we had three speeches, two from experienced members, and one from a member who joined in December.    Members can join at any point of the year as the program is self-paced. It is rewarding to see new members begin to develop their skills and confidence.  The speeches were about selecting a topic for a speech, about a survey of video games, and one on a couple of leadership stories and lessons. We meet each Monday now through to mid-June at St Macs with the exception of holidays.   Also if schools are closed for weather, our meeting is cancelled. http://saintjohn.toastmastersclubs.org/directions.html
Read more