JIm K Toastmasters Saint John

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...

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 ...

The inspiration for a speech can come from many places. Neil Peart was the drummer for the rock band Rush.   He passed on January 7 th at age 67.   I wasn’t a fan of the band, but I had seen them in concert twice. His death and the news coverage made me think about my experiences as a possible speech topic. I saw Rush a few years ago on their final tour. As it was their final tour, I got a ticket for their show in Montreal at the Bell Centre. The crowd was adoring. They recognized even the obscure songs after just a few notes, or after an introductory drum roll. I recognized very few of the songs. I’ve always admired the three musicians. They displayed immense talent, but over the years I never really enjoyed the intricate songs like Bytor and the Snow Dog, to name just one. That said, I am glad that I had two opportunities to see them live. The first time I saw Rush was in the 1970’s as a kid growing up in Sydney, Nova Scotia. The headliner was April Wine, the o...