Let’s GFI!
The eye in the storm. That’s how I like to describe Toastmasters. A quiet spot in the midst of a turmoil.
‘Quiet?’ I hear you say. ‘How about the District Officers Training in Porto, the transition meetings with the outgoing and incoming officers, the club officers trainings, the teambuilding, the succes plans, the budgetting, the year calendars, all the preparations for the Toastmasters year 2015-2016 that started way before the first of July, not to speak of everything that’s yet to come: the club visits, the contest cycles, more trainings, educational programs, club building, public relations campaigns, coaching weak clubs, special events? It’s full blown energy, not quiet!’
I couldn’t agree more. But what I’m referring to is the safety of the playground Toastmasters is, that unique learning-by-doing environment where we can develop the better speaker and better leader in ourselves. We all start our term as rookies, regardless of the role we accept, and grow into it through practice and working with the feedback we get. What I’m referring to is the trust that we allow and help each other to grow.
On the basis of that confidence we can move mountains together. Let’s mobilize the energy in our areas, divisions and district as a whole, streamline quality, focus on retention and sustainable growth and make it a shining year for all.
Let’s Go For It!
Marike Dijksterhuis
District Director