If it's Thursday, it must be Toastmasters. (Anybody else remember the movie If it is Tuesday, this must be Belgium?) Thursday morning is my weekly (as opposed to weakly) Toastmasters meeting. However, given the cold weather and snow on the ground, I chickened out. When I say morning, I mean morning: 7 AM!
Don't get me wrong, I love the meetings. They are a great way to start a day. We laugh a lot, applaud a lot, learn a lot. But there is something about getting up on a cold, dark, winter morning that has me reluctant to go.
What is Toastmasters and why do I go? Toastmasters is an organization designed to teach listen, public speaking and leadership skills. No, we don't give speeches every week. We don't even have a task every week. But part of learning to speak is learning to hear what could be a problem. I can't tell you how many people have come to a meeting, heard the ah master give a report, and never listen to a newscast in the same way again. Counting ah and ums becomes second nature. But that's one way to eliminate them from your speech.
I've been in Toastmaster for, I think, 14 years. I have my DTM - Distinguished Toastmaster -- the highest degree there is. But I go because if I get everything I can out of Toastmasters, I'll never get out of Toastmasters. Right now, I'm concentrating on improving my evaluation skills and carrying them over into my workday.
Don't worry, I'll be back at Toastmasters soon. Improving my speaking and listening skills. Laughing and applauding with everyone else. I think I'm even scheduled to be Toastmaster soon. Then not only do I lead the meeting, but I lead the toast. And with that, I'll just say:
Cheers!
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