JIm K Toastmasters Saint John

On the evening of Tuesday, July 16 th, the Toastmasters clubs in the Saint John region held a summer showcase event at the Kent Theater. This provided Toastmasters members with an opportunity to meet, socialize, and network, and gave opportunity to speak using a handheld microphone from the larger stage of the Kent theater, and to a larger audience.   I t’s important for us to gently push members outside their comfort zones to expand their skills and experience. Toastmasters clubs consistently provide a supportive learning environment.   However, the club environment does become familiar to members. The environment is still valuable, enabling members to practice the skills of planning and running meetings, planning speeches, delivering speeches and shorter impromptu talks, receiving verbal feedback, and offering verbal feedback to others. When our members use their skills to communicate outside of a Toastmasters meeting, the environment is never the same as a cl...

“ How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives” This line is from The Writing Life by author Annie Dillard.   Whenever I read the line, it causes me to consider how I spend my days, and my life. For many the beginning of a new year causes them to consider in a similar way. The theme of this blog is Toastmasters, and more broadly personal development.   People sometimes ask me why I continue as a Toastmasters member after thirty-two years ( I joined in 1987).   In many ways the quote from Annie Dillard answers that question.   Toastmasters is about personal development, and predominately communication and leadership skills, although there is so much more in the environment of a Toastmasters club. I choose to spend much of my time with people working on personal development, predominantly communication and leadership skills, for two main reasons.   First these are skills, and skills require practice.   I enjoy being in ...