Meeting review: Making those New Year’s resolutions stick
Traditionally your New Year’s resolutions are expected to fall by the wayside by about the 15th of January each year. It seems that Peninsula members and guests are the exception to this rule, as we had a bumper first meeting of the year, held on Thursday 28 January at the Tafelberg Tavern.
And if the number of guests who joined up there and then are anything to go by, it looks like Peninsula members will be sticking to their New Year’s resolutions – well the ones to do with improving their presentation and leadership skills in any case.
It was also great to hear three Ice breakers on the evening – I look forward to many more presentations from these speakers.
Remember though, it’s never to late to make a resolution 
In fact, today is as good a day as any, so why not join us at our next meeting, on Thursday 22 February.
To get you in the mood, here are some pics taken at the January meeting.
Solveig delivers her inspiring Icebreaker speech
Tim delivers yet another excellent evaluation
Ana pays attention
Time keeper Hans also pays attention
Meeting review: Vanessa Clark
Photos: Craig Strachan
Make professional improvement your goal for 2010
Toastmasters provides tools to boost your career
RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif., Jan. 18, 2010 – It’s the new year and you’ve made your annual list of resolutions. Perhaps you’re trying to eat healthier. Or spend less time in front of the TV. Or maybe you’d like to boost your career. Toastmasters International, a thriving organization with 250,000 members in 106 countries, can help you develop the communication and leadership skills needed to reach this goal.
To get promoted, you may need to become a better presenter and more confident team leader. You may need the ability to talk and answer questions off the cuff. If you want to land a good position, you’ll need job interviewing skills. All these skills can be learned in the supportive setting of a local Toastmasters meeting.
When Oregon resident Gary Schmidt joined Toastmasters, he was an unemployed college graduate who, in his own words, performed poorly in job interviews. He had difficulty expressing himself effectively. Toastmasters training helped him so much that after only six weeks, he was offered a job on the staff of then-United States Senator Mark Hatfield of Oregon. He worked for Senator Hatfield and then for U.S. Senator Gordon Smith, also of Oregon – all while advancing his communication and leadership skills as a Toastmaster. Today, Schmidt is the organization’s International President.
“I credit Toastmasters for my continued personal growth and development, which has led to job promotions and increased responsibilities at work,” Schmidt says.
Many more people have enjoyed career boosts with the help of Toastmasters:
- When Ann Maxfield applied for the job of e-Learning Coordinator at Hormel Foods Corporation in Minnesota, one of the requirements was being able to speak in front of large groups. Her experience as a Toastmaster was pivotal to her getting the job. “I hit a home run in the job world, and Toastmasters played a huge role in that success,” says Maxfield.
- When Jim Bresler changed jobs at Microsoft, from being software engineer to program manager, he had to interact more with customers and assume a managerial role with colleagues. “I think talking confidently to co-workers is very important, and Toastmasters helped me a lot with that,” says Bresler.
- The impromptu-speaking skills that Kealah Parkinson learned in Toastmasters helped her ace an on-the-spot job interview, earning her an opportunity to teach a class for job hunters at a regional adult education center.
If your goal in 2010 is to grow professionally, Peninsula Toastmasters club, which meets at The Tafelberg Tavern on the last Thursday of the month at 5.45 pm can help you achieve it. Membership is an investment that can pay off in career advancement.
About Toastmasters
Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. The organization currently has 250,000 members in 12,000 clubs in 106 countries. Since its founding 85 years ago in October 1924, the organization has helped more than four million men and women give presentations with poise and confidence. For information about local Toastmasters clubs, please visit www.toastmasters.org.