Christmas Party

Hey Gang! It's a Christmas Party

We will meet at the Country Barn 1-40 west

December 17th at 6:30 PM 

Please bring your significant other* 

*only one allowed

Hello Pro Club!

I am here this afternoon, feeding my baby boy and missing Toastmasters. I remember when I was in two clubs and feeling overwhelmed with attending so many meetings in a week. When I was preparing for the Business Connection I went to a Toastmasters club meeting every day for two weeks. Now my life is surrounded with home school lesson plans and diapers and I can't remember the last time I gave a speech. Why am I posting this on our club blog? To encourage you to appreciate your ability to give a speech and attend meetings. It's very easy to take it for granted and experience burn out. I know that my baby will be grown before I know it and I will miss the baby days, so I am savoring every minute with him. I am trying to remember to write this stuff down so I will have some great speeches to give when I get to join a club here in Lubbock or when I visit you all in Amarillo.

I miss you all and hope that you are all doing well.

Janine Deckard

Magic of Mentoring

A Chinese proverb says “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

It’s true. If we seek help from knowledgeable and experienced people, we can avoid making unnecessary mistakes that waste valuable time and ultimately achieve our goals faster. This is the concept behind the Toastmasters mentoring program.

I joined Toastmasters in July of 2006. I’ll never forget it. It was during a time in my life when I was stuck. I had low self-esteem and no ambition. Then one day I met a woman who told me how Toastmasters had changed her life. I’d heard about the organization, but public speaking always made me feel extremely nervous. She invited me to attend a meeting that night. When I arrived, I was warmly greeted by the club president, who immediately introduced me to other members. It felt as if they were inviting me to become a part of their family. I joined that evening.

Soon I was asked to serve as the Sergeant at Arms. I realized that by taking on an officer role I would not only learn leadership skills, but I would be forced to build my confidence. Shortly after that, I asked Barry, the club president, to become my mentor. He not only worked with me in developing my speeches, he taught me about meeting roles, club protocol, speech standards and more. He also encouraged me to take risks.

Because of his encouragement, I learned to become the best I could be. Soon I was attending Toastmasters conferences. I became club president and then area governor. I even began to teach Speechcraft classes to business executives. Thanks to Barry, I went from being quiet and introverted to a confident go-getter in fierce pursuit of my greatest dreams.


New Members Need Guidance
Take a moment to think about your first Toastmasters meeting. How did you feel? Once you joined, did you have a mentor who showed you the way and helped you get the most from the Toastmasters program? All new members could use someone to teach them club protocol and customs and show them how to prepare and participate in various meeting roles as well as help them prepare and rehearse their first few speeches. Mentors provide this valuable service.

Last year my mother decided to join my club. As we drove home after her first meeting, she said, “Wow, it’s a bit overwhelming; there’s so much to learn. There are so many great speakers. Will I ever get to that point?” She reminded me that most new members join because they want to improve their communication skills. Remember: They’re not familiar with your club’s agenda and meeting roles such as Ah-Counter, timer or grammarian. Everything that happens in your club is new to them. It’s important to quickly assign each new member a mentor so they won’t get discouraged.

Toastmasters International defines a “mentor” this way: “A mentor helps an inexperienced person, sometimes called a ‘mentee.’ A mentor serves as a role model, coach and confidante by offering knowledge, insight, perspective and wisdom that will allow a mentee to learn and advance more quickly.” Mentors aren’t just for new members; experienced members can benefit, too. For example, say you want to add humor to a speech and there’s a club member who excels at “the funny.” Why not ask them to mentor you on your speech?

I’ve learned the rewards of being a mentor both inside and outside Toastmasters. You can, too. Perhaps a colleague comes to you for advice on a project because you have experience. You can provide your own insights on the subject, refer them to books or other material that you found helpful, introduce them to other people who can help and provide feedback on their work.


Qualities of a Mentor
To become a mentor, you must be:

• Available. Spend at least 15 minutes a week helping with speech assignments, answering questions and reviewing meeting roles. During the first few weeks most new members may require more time.

• Patient. People learn at different speeds and some need more guidance than others.

• Sensitive. Tact and diplomacy are vital. Some people join Toastmasters to overcome shyness or fear of speaking. As a mentor, always keep comments motivating and encouraging.

• Respectful. Each person is unique. Respect your mentee’s wishes and don’t push too hard.

• Flexible. Life happens. Always remember that not everything goes according to plan and you may have to allow for last-minute changes.

• Supportive. Show pride in your club and what it has done for you. Be an advocate for the Toastmasters program.

• Knowledgeable. Before becoming a mentor you must have completed at least five speeches in the basic manual, served in most meeting roles, developed enough speaking skills to help another member and be familiar with your club’s routines as well as the Toastmasters education program.

• Confident. A mentor should come across as self-assured and friendly, eager to help.

• Listening. By being a good listener, you enable the mentee to articulate any problem and sort things out.

• Concerned. You must truly want to help others.


Mentoring Steps
Explaining the entire Toastmasters program right off the bat to a new member can be overwhelming and confusing for both of you. Take it one step at a time. In addition, be patient with your mentee, your schedule and yourself. If you can’t fit all the following action items into a single meeting, plan additional time with your mentee, going at a pace that works for both of you. With that in mind, here are guidelines for planning what to do before, during and after each meeting:


FIRST MEETING

1. Get acquainted and establish your mentoring relationship.

• Help your mentee become comfortable and feel welcome in the club.
• Share how you’ve benefited from Toastmasters in your personal and professional life.
• Explain the basic parts of the club meeting. Answer any questions about what is taking place.
• Introduce the mentee to other club members.
• Use the new-member information survey as a tool to determine your mentee’s short- and long-term goals.

2. Orient the new member to club customs and procedures.

• Describe in detail the various elements involved in the meeting (i.e., prepared speeches, Table Topics, evaluations and voting).
• Review how to use the CC and CL manuals in the New Member Kit, if they’ve received it, or show them what to expect, using your own manuals as an example.
• Invite your mentee to attend any upcoming special events.

3. Help your mentee connect with resources.

• Review the Toastmasters Promise together and explain its value.
• Make your mentee aware of all resources, such as the Toastmasters Web site, the Toastmaster magazine, conferences, training workshops and manuals.

Remember, new members tend to be shy. Take the initiative to contact them between meetings and follow up on a regular basis. Keep in mind that new members can offer fresh perspectives and ideas.



SECOND MEETING

1. Help your mentee leap into action.

• Show this person how to sign up for meeting roles, such as the Ah-Counter, timer or grammarian. Make sure they’re on the rotating agenda schedule.
• Provide a club contact list. Point out who to contact if your mentee is signed up for a role but cannot attend.

2. Encourage your mentee’s skill development.

• Schedule your mentee’s Ice Breaker speech as soon as possible. Be available to help with speech ideas and organization.
• Use the “Sandwich” approach when critiquing a mentee’s progress. Provide positive feedback (acknowledge progress), offer a suggestion or two and then end with positive comments.

THIRD MEETING 

1. Maintain support for your mentee’s skill development.

• Continue to help with your mentee’s speech assignments and preparation for meeting roles.
• Praise your mentee on activities done well and offer encouraging comments about their progress.

2. Help your mentee discover a path toward leadership.

• Explain club officer duties and help them to understand why being an officer develops leadership skills and requires a commitment to helping the club and its members be successful.
• Invite your mentee to workshops, lectures or other programs that may enhance their growth as a public speaker or leader.

3. Introduce your mentee to opportunities in the Toastmasters organization.

• Explain speech contests and how they work at the club, area, division, district and international levels.
• Describe the TI organization and opportunities for leadership beyond club level.

Mentoring Helps Everyone
The next time you find yourself at a professional sporting event, pay attention to what’s happening on the sidelines. Chances are you’ll see that young superstar standing alongside an older player who’s not in the lineup. That more-experienced athlete is helping the young player navigate unfamiliar territory. Similar mentoring takes place in every field of human endeavor and provides numerous opportunities, challenges and rewards. Become a mentor and experience them for yourself.

If you want to grow as a Toastmaster and meet your potential in a faster way, get a mentor. If you want to expand your potential and experience deeper satisfaction as a Toastmaster, be a mentor. My life has been transformed by my mentoring experience and so can yours.


Toastmasters Products
Interested in starting a mentor program within your club? Check out Mentoring (Item 296). It is part of The Successful Club Series and includes a script, PowerPoint presentation and Club Mentor Program Kit (Item 1163).


Karen Elyssa Novek, DTM, is a member of the Boca Raton Toastmasters in Boca Raton, Florida. Reach her at Karenovek@aol.com.





Making ‘The Ask’

By Craig Harrison, DTM

How you ask for help from a mentor often determines the results you receive. Asking the right way is an important skill that can help you build committees, form teams and complete projects – even help you find a marriage partner. Here’s the most effective way to ask for help:

• What’s in it for them? Phrase your request in terms of the benefits to the person (or people) you’re asking for help. Speak to what's in it for them. Why will they benefit from saying yes to your request?

• Be positive. Will the experience be fun? High profile? Will it build new skills? Lead to a promotion? Make the world a better place? Will it give all involved a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction?

• Show respect and appreciation for your prospect. When you recognize a person’s skills, track record, personality or other attributes, he or she feels special. It's flattering and affirming to be asked to participate, whether as a mentor, club officer, contest chair or other role.

• Give accurate and clear expectations of what the position requires. It’s tempting to tell people what they want to hear, or only emphasize what is easy or fun. Give a fair explanation of your request.

• Listen to the prospect’s concerns. What are they worried about? How will they base their decision? Strive to understand their needs, fears and constraints.

• Give your prospect an appropriate amount of time to make an informed decision. Don’t pressure, manipulate or overwhelm your prospect. This often backfires.

• Strive for win-wins. Use flexibility and creativity to find mutually acceptable outcomes.

• Accept their answer, whether or not they agree to your request.

• Consider a counter-offer should your initial request be rejected. Having a fallback offer allows your prospect to join your team or work with you in whatever capacity they are able to.

• Thank them either way for their time and willingness to consider your offer. By treating them with respect and care, they are more likely to say yes in the future.


Craig Harrison, DTM, is the founder of LaughLovers club in Oakland, California. He is a professional keynote speaker, trainer and principal of Expressions Of Excellence!™ For more resources, visit www.ExpressionsOfExcellence.com.

Toastmasters Leadership Institute Make Up Session

Toastmasters Leadership Institute Make-up Session 

August 25th, 2012

10am to Noon

(Lunch/Networking session from Noon-1)

Comanche Trails Church of Christ

 2700 Southeast 34th Avenue Amarillo, TX 79103

Hosted by Panhandle Pro Club Toastmasters 

Interested in attending the complimentary Lunch/Networking session? 

RSVP at panhandleproclub@gmail.com

Topics include - in addition to a lively Club Officer Training Session - importance of Mentoring, how to improve club atmosphere with the Moments of Truth, and judges training for upcoming speech contests.

Encourage your club's current and future officers to attend this educational training opportunity. If you want to make Presidents Distinguished this year, at least 4 of the 7 officers need to be trained, but why stop there, MAKE IT A PERFECT 7!

For more information please contact Suzi Sandoval at        

     806-672-1132       or Sharon Owens 351-2591 or rs1owens@sbcglobal.net

  

 Get officers trained! Get credit! 

Show that you are a quality club. 

 For daily information and pictures.

Get a CL manual

 or 2!

Clubs with trained officers are usually stronger, quality clubs.

Each club that sends 7 officers to training gets a ribbon and 2 Competent Leader (CL) manuals!  Clubs sending 4-6 officers receive one CL manual. 

Attend training to benefit you and your club! (4 officers trained = 1/2 of a goal closer to being recognized as a quality club!)

Speaking up effectively in meetings...

Mistakes we make about Roberts Rules

Point of Order

Roberts Rules of Order

We made the District 23 Website!

The Race to Distinguished is On!!!

By
Tracie K OGeary
– May 9, 2012Posted in: Club News, District News
13 Clubs have done it!  If your club isn’t one, you may be close …

Thirteen clubs are recognized as distinguished, which means the clubs
provide a quality environment that promote enabling their members to
reach their full potential!

Presidential Distinguished Clubs: Midday Maddness (ABQ), Border (El Paso)

Select Distinguished: Oh Pinon (Santa Fe); Coronado, Daybreakers, Midday Rio Rancho,
ADP El Paso (ABQ)

Distinguished: Earlybirds, ABQ 122, Toastmasters @ TVC (ABQ); Northeast,
Gateway (El Paso); Panhandle PRO (Amarillo)

Several clubs have at least 5 goals and just need a few members to be distinguished
(20 members or a net gain of 5 members):
- need 1 member: Taylor Ranch (ABQ); Articulate, Toasters (Lubbock)
- need 2 members: Amigo (El Paso), Kirtland (ABQ), Pop-Up (Midland/Odessa)
- need 3 members: La Tierra (Santa Fe); Duke City, ABQ Hispano Chamber (ABQ); Lubbock, Llano Estacado (Lubbock); Rio Rancho (Rio Rancho); Copper Masters (El Paso); Roswell Noonday (Roswell); Pantex (Amarillo)

A few clubs have the membership and just need another goal to be distinguished(minimum of 5 goals to be distinguished):
- need 1 more goal: Guymon (Guymon, OK), Border J&J (El Paso)

About Tracie K OGeary

Tracie K. "TK" O'Geary, DTM, serves District 23 as the District Governor for the 2012-13 year.

Why people leave Toastmasters.

The following is a collection of reasons I began to collect last summer as material for A Successful Club Series presentation. These are the answers I recieved over the phone from 38 members who quit their TM club within 1 year. I had networked at TLI's and conferences to obtain the list of members and contact info for other toastmasters. Since my background has been in Process Improvement, and because I believe most problems are the result of a poor process and not the person; members were willing to give me names of people who left. Each reply below is from a single individual.

Personal Reasons People Left:

1. Busy work schedule
2. Other priorities with family
3. Laid off
4. Completed my 10 speeches
5. Don't have time anymore
6. Completed my CC for my perf eval.
7. Too much work
8. Job transfer out of state
9. Don't have the time
10. Family more important (kids)

Club Reasons People Left:

1. Don't feel needed by club
2. Lack of commitment by others
3. Power hungry officers - rotate every year
4. Boring meetings
5. Terrible club atmosphere
6. Club is full of know it alls
7. Lengthy meetings (2-1/2 hrs)
8. Meetings never start on time
9. Demand for commitments
10. Experienced members are poorer speakers
11. Rules being ignored
12. No mentoring of coaching
13. Club too strict - no fun
14. Meetings don't start on-time
15. Scheduled speakers cancel
16. Lack of teaching or coaching
17. Too much emphasis on DCP every week
18. Lack of communication
19. People talking to each other while you speak
20. Boring meetings & speeches
21. Cliqish club - don't feel like part of the club
22. Criticizing evaluations
23. No coaching or help
24. Too expensive - must pay for buffet ea week
25. Meeting Room is Too Small - some stand
26. Can't Afford Club Dues
27. Club Rules aren't followed
28. Meeting Always Run Late

Distinguished Club Program

How does the DCP program work?

TI recognizes clubs who achieve at least 5 of 10 goals and meet the membership requirement.

  Goal Completed
1 Two CCs
2 Two more CCs
3 One ACB, ACS or ACG
4 One more ACB, ACS or ACG
5 One CL, AL or DTM
6 One more CL, AL or DTM
7 Four new members
8 Four more new members
9 Minimum of four officers trained during each of two training periods
10 One dues renewal report and one club officer list submitted on time

Membership Requirement

20 or more members OR net growth of 5 members

Recognition

DCP Award Goals Required
Distinguished Club 5 of 10 goals
Select Distinguished Club 7 of 10 goals
President’s Distinguished Club 9 of 10 goals

Current Club Member Care

I was perusing the web (specifically our district website: www.district23.org) and I ran across some wonderful ideas on member retention. Here are a few...

Use testimonials from some members who aren’t active but still feel membership is valuable. If members feel we understand and are trying to help them cope with challenges they are more likely to renew. Ask those who are not active but continue to renew to contact other inactive members.


Send a thank you note, EVERY time somebody comes to visit!


Institute a “thank you” column in publication to recognize members for involvement and leadership.


Be sure your Web page has hot links to individual members for business referrals and networking purposes.


Have a "Perfect Attendance Award".


Have a special edition of your publication focus on how your organization is helping members prepare for the next century.


Present an award for momentous achievements: Ice Breaker, CC, CL, mentoring, bringing in a new member, etc...


Feel free to post more great ideas in the comment section below!

Janine Deckard
VP of PR

Open House Incentive from Toastmasters International

Open House Showcase
Program Date: July
A Toastmasters Open House is a great way to make a good impression on potential members and grow your club. The top 25 clubs who gain the most new members through the Open House, will receive a 30-percent discount on their next club order. Complete marketing packages must be received by August 7.

Follow these simple steps to become an Open House Showcase winner:

Hold a successful open house between July 1 and July 31
Following your Open House, please email your complete marketing package to marketing@toastmasters.org for review. Maximum email file size is 10 megabytes. Please include your club name and number in the subject line. Your marketing package should include:
Actual advertisements (e.g., email blasts and online advertisements, fliers in stores, libraries, doctors' offices, and magazine and newspaper ads, etc.)
Guest list (copy of original signed by guests)
The open house agenda
Toastmasters International offers a variety of branded club materials on the Virtual Brand Portal.

All new members of a club must have been on the applicable open house guest list. The member's join date must be in July or August. Membership applications and payment for members must be received at World Headquarters or online no later than August 31. Clubs will not receive credit for transfer or charter members. The 30-percent discount expires six months after the date of issue and is not valid with any other offer.

It Worked!

This is really cool stuff!  I am working on my next speech for Toastmasters and thought I would take a look at the Blog.  I have found some really neat things for my speech that I want to share with the Pro Club. 

Thanks and Happy 4th of July!  Sharon O.

Hello all

Hello all!  I am testing this out to see if it will leave a post on the blog.  Janine, this really looks great!  Sharon O.

Our Leadership...

I don't know about you, but I've been so curious about our leadership for this coming year. If you haven't checked your email, Tracie 'TK' O'Geary sent an encouraging message to our district and with it, information about the people who will help us make this year the best yet!

Ready to Help
Your Area & Division Governors and Servant Six* are ready to help you and your club achieve goals, keep you informed, provide help & info, and celebrate your success.

 *Servant Six: Lt Governor Marketing Jim McCabe, Secretary Sarah Means, Public Relations

Officer MaryTherese OneBear, Treasurer Wendy Amai, District Governor Tracie 'TK' O'Geary, Lt Governor Education & Training Steve Hightower.

Officers meeting

Here we are having lots of fun! If you missed this, bummer!

Hello!!

Thank you Janine for all you do!

Motivational Speech Techniques

One of the most important elements of leadership is the ability to motivate people. Without motivation, even the most skilled team of seasoned professionals is unlikely to achieve great things. A highly motivated group of talented people, on the other hand, can move mountains. 


While it’s true that motivating people involves more than just changing the way you speak, there are some simple guidelines you can follow to help build team motivation with only your words and your voice:


Be enthusiastic. Enthusiasm is contagious! Before you present your ideas, think about the aspects of the subject that you find most interesting, and don’t be afraid to let that interest come through in your voice.
Use quotes, stories and anecdotes. Along with their obvious entertainment value, quotes and stories can lend authority to your topic and provide concrete examples that people can relate to.
Speak with confidence. Deliver your message loud and clear. Maintain eye contact with your listeners. Don’t mumble or slouch. 
Say you and we, not I and me. Instead of telling people what you want them to do, present ways for them to work together to achieve their goals. Involve listeners in the success of the group.
Keep it simple. People aren’t motivated by what you say; they’re motivated by what they understand. The best way to ensure audience understanding is to break down complex ideas into simple components.

Meeting 6.18.2012

This meeting was fantastic. We started with a terrific business meeting and dealt with some very important issues. When we got into the great speeches, we got to know two of our newest members Daniel Martinez and Elma Turrubiates even better. Even though they were both Toastmasters in the past, they are starting over with their Competent Communicator since we can all learn more from each time we go through the Toastmaster manuals.
We had two great evaluations from Sharon Cramer and Suzi Sandoval.
Janine Deckard gave us a sneak peak on our new blog and newsletter.
We will have our officers meeting this Saturday and will meet at Henry D's at United on 45th and Bell at 10am.

Mobile Posting

One of the coolest things I learned this week is that we get to blog from our smart phones. If you have the ability to download apps and you can find Blogger on your app store, you can blog on the go. Right now I am blogging from my iPhone 3s. Technology is so cool!

Our Most Recent Meeting 6.11.12

This photo was taken at Pacific Rim in Amarillo as we welcomed our newest members and installed our next officers for the 2012-2013 term. Great food, terrific conversation and lots of laughs.