BeGe's Toastmasters
October 2016 Newsletter

On our way to Distinguished…

Every Toastmasters club around the world works to achieve the same 10 goals. A club that achieves the goals is a sign of a healthy, lively, growing club. Clubs that achieve at least five goals and maintain a membership base are recognized by Toastmasters International as Distinguished. 
BeGes is doing remarkably well so far.

We have achieved 4 of the 10 goals.

Here are the 10 goals, and how we’re doing.

Goal 1: Two Competent Communicator (CC) awards. Halfway there: Joan achieved a CC.

Goal 2: Two more CCs

Goal 3: One Advanced Communicator award

Goal 4: One more Advanced Communicator award

Achieved Goal 5: One Leadership awards (Competent Leader (CL), Advanced Leader Bronze (ALB), Advanced Leader Silver (ALS), or Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM): Mary Morrison achieved ALB

Goal 6: One more CL, ALB ALS or DTM

Achieved Goal 7: 4 new members:  Chrissy Cooley, Janae Gillespie, Gwen Kohl, and Amy Musgrove

Achieved Goal 8: 4 more new members: Imani Owens-Bailey, Melissa Paz, Valerie Pettit, and Andrea Wynne

Goal 9: At least 4 officers trained, twice per year: six officers were trained in round 1

Achieved Goal 10: Officer list and dues submitted on time

What’s next? You might have noticed that 6 of the 10 goals are related to members’ educational achievements. Helping each other become more confident and competent at communication and leadership is the heart of our club.  Club officers are working to ensure members’ needs are being met.

Joan Newcomb activated our club website, giving us the opportunity to sign up online for meeting roles

Gwen Kohl stepped in as mentor chair to help Joan Newcomb assign mentors to new members

Janae Gillespie is producing a monthly newsletter to keep us in the loop about club events

Eric Heller is ordering name badges for all club members and name tags for guests

Mel West set a page on our website to allow us to collect dues using a credit/debit card, and he ensured Toastmasters International received our club dues on time 

Steve Garvin, Janae Gillespie, and Eric Heller stepped in to officer roles when vacancies occurred

Members are inviting and welcoming guests at meetings, and we’re all taking roles at club meetings. As you can see, it takes all of us to maintain a quality club. And we’re doing extraordinarily well. Thanks for all you’re doing!

Mary Morrison, BeGe's Club President
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Where do you go from here?

We are all in different places in our Toastmasters Journey. Some have just joined and are figuring out the Competent Communicator Manual. A number of us are working toward advanced manuals and thus Advanced Toastmasters Awards of one level or another. A few members are focused on reaching Distinguished Toastmaster. No matter our goal, we all need focus and action.

Focus, that thing that takes a wish or a want and concentrates your attention in a tighter area. A great example is working toward one of the advanced awards. There are the two five presentation requirements and the focus needs to be on some specifics. Which manuals are you going to use. Once the manuals are selected, what subjects are you going to use. When will you schedule to present? But wait, there’s more.

While all of these are necessary steps, there are also the additional requirements (High Performance Leadership, District Leadership Positions, etc.) By determining your focus for each area, you can start the action(s) necessary. It is often here, that many find the greatest challenge. However, this is where the growth, improvement and self confidence happen.
Where are you going from here? You joined Toasmasters to grow, to improve, and with that comes an expanded comfort zone. To become comfortable, you need to be uncomfortable for a while. Remember learning to ride a bike? The shaky starts, the falling down the lack of control? In time, it all became automatic and comfortable. Now, think back to what motivated you to come through the Toastmaster Door the first time. Was it something as simple as "I want to get over my fear of public speaking" or "I want to give better presentations at work, or school, or, or, or? The better you can define what you want to accomplish, the easier that it will be to focus and then take action to move toward it. While it might be easier to just take the projects as they come, you will seldom fully move toward your "goal" as you will with conscious focus on your why.

I joined Toastmasters 19 years ago with goal of improving my communication skills. Shortly after joining, I became aware of the Distinguished Toastmasters Award and I sort of, kind of, headed that way. I stumbled along, in that direction, for a number of years. Then one of the members of the club noted that three of us were very close to reaching DTM. He came to us and motivated us to FOCUS on reaching that level on the same day. We established the action steps that were needed to reach that goal at that time. All three of us accomplished much more production, in less time, than we had previously and succeeded. To my knowledge, it is the only time that three people in one club all reached DTM on the same day. Then the question is, now what?

I realized that as much as I had accomplished, I could learn more, develop more, and share more. My goal in Toastmasters is to continue to develop my communication and leadership skills and pass on as much of that as I possibly can to others. While that is a great goal, it is too general. To be able to develop a good focus, it needs to be boiled down to a more specific goal, one that fits the guidelines of a good focused goal. How about DTM? As you have no doubt heard, it needs to follow the “SMART” guidelines (Specific, Measured, Attainable, Time based). How does that fit in with DTM?

How about I will reach DTM (Specific), by December 2017 (Measurable) (Attainable) (Time Based). While that will cover the general goal, it now needs to be broken down into action steps. When will each speech be scheduled? When will the special projects be planned and scheduled. This gives me specific action steps that are time set, allowing me to move forward in a planned manner.
So, where do you go from here? That is for you to determine by your personal goals. The only thing stopping you is the planning necessary. Meet with your club leadership and determine how your goals can fit in with the clubs Distinguished Club Plans. You can determine “Where to go from here”.

By Bob Hays DTM
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Whether you're gonna pitch, present, or speak publicly... Make an impression. We can help you transform your relationship with the audience for good.

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What's different from other public speaking workshops?
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Submitted By, Gwen Kohl

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Treasurer Tidbit

Beginning with the October dues, Toastmasters International dues will be increasing $9 for every 6 months period we pay dues and there will no longer be a grace period. If you don't pay your dues on time, Toastmasters International will not recognize you as a member. In order to ensure that all members are in good standing and dues are paid by October 1  (if you haven't paid please do as soon as possible), the treasurer will collect dues.

Mel West,  BeGe's Treasurer
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Area & Division Contest Results–

Speech Contest Results: All Areas | Alex Mayo, Webmaster

Results from Area Contests are trickling in to me and Division Contests will be happening soon! Check here for the latest results to see who will move on to the Division and District contests.

Tall Tales: First Place Results

Division A			Division D
Area 11	Richard Scholtz		Area 41	Don Everly Smith
Area 12	Benjamin Warner		Area 42	John Villesvik
Area 13	Heath Dickinson		Area 43	Marilyn Glasscock
Area 14	Shane Pettit		Area 44	Chuck Marlow
Division B			Division E
Area 21	Sandra Kolb		Area 51	Martin Miller
Area 22	Tom Leurquin		Area 52	Karl Reiche
Area 23	Michael Maddox		Area 53	Jacki Holzman
Area 24	Frank Grubaugh		Area 54	Raul Rovira
Division C			Division F
Area 31			Area 61	Burton Vanderbilt
Area 32	Misako Yoke		Area 62	Sean Baski
Area 33	Vicky Rockey		Area 63	Lucy Johnson
Area 34	Kat O'Kelly

Table Topics: First Place Results

Division A			Division D
Area 11	David Fenbert		Area 41	Don Everly Smith
Area 12	Benjamin Warner		Area 42	Greg Miller
Area 13	Alex Snaer		Area 43	Marilyn Glasscock
Area 14	Stuart Magoon		Area 44	Tyler Brunette
Division B			Division E
Area 21	Annie Sargent		Area 51	Frank Perez
Area 22	Robin Cordova		Area 52	Charlene Walker
Area 23	Elena Brenna		Area 53	Winston Burbank*
Area 24	Rebecca Reece		Area 54	Raul Rovira
Division C			Division F
Area 31			Area 61	Geoffrey Wyatt
Area 32	Donna Weaver		Area 62	Amy Whinston
Area 33	Nicole Smith		Area 63	Wanetta Ayers
Area 34	Cheryl Marks

*Winston Burbank is unable to attend Division E contest, Jacki Holzman will represent Area 53.
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Newsletter Submissions
Contribute to our Blog and Newsletter.  Submit stories, ideas,  articles, and experiences.  Send content to begestm@gmail.com
Content is needed for next's months newsletter.
Please Submit Content by October 30th
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OFFICER ROLES

Ever wonder what goes into making a Toastmasters Club run smoothly? The following are descriptions of the officer roles.

President "C.E.O." of this club, responsible for fulfilling the club's mission.
VP -Education Second ranking club officer, responsible for planning, organizing and directing a club program meeting members' educational needs.
VP – Membership Official Third ranking club officer, responsible for planning, organizing and directing a program ensuring member retention and growth.
VP – Public Relations Fourth ranking club officer, responsible for developing and directing publicity informing members and the public about Toastmasters International.
Secretary Official Fifth ranking club officer, is responsible for club records and correspondence.
Treasurer Official Officer Sixth ranking club officer, responsible for club financial policies, procedures and controls.
Sergeant at Arms Seventh ranking club officer, responsible for club property management, meeting room preparation and hospitality. The sergeant at arms chairs the social and reception committee.

BeGe's September 2016 Newsletter

14 public-speaking mistakes you never want to make

Glossophobia — the fear of public speaking — is one of the most common phobias among    Americans today. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, a whopping 74%  of people suffer from speech anxiety. And, as most people know, when we're nervous or anxious, our minds and bodies tend to do weird things that we can't always control. However, if you make a conscious effort, you may be able to avoid some of the common   mistakes public speakers make. Here are some habits you'll want to avoid, along with their potential consequences and suggested remedies:

1. Not tailoring your message to your audience
As Benjamin Disraeli once said, "Talk to a man about himself and he will listen for hours." On the other hand, if you don't talk to your audience about themselves, they most likely won't listen, says Darlene Price, president of Well Said, Inc. and author of "Well Said! Presentations and Conversations That Get Results." "Speakers frequently fall into the bad habit of giving generic off-the-shelf presentations that are not tailored to address the needs of this particular audience. Listeners know when the speaker has not done their homework, and their response ranges from disappointment and frustration to anger and disengaging."
To avoid this, ask yourself: Who is my audience? What are their burning issues? How does my message help them? How much do they know about my topic? What will I ask them to do in response to my message? "All the best practices in public speaking depend upon this first tenet: Know Your Audience."

2. Eye dart
From beginners to veterans, the majority of speakers fail to maintain meaningful, sustained eye contact with their listeners. "Unconsciously, their eyes scurry from person to person, darting around the room, without ever pausing to actually see the recipients of their message," Price says. "A lack of eye contact implies a list of offenses: insincerity,disinterest, detachment, insecurity, shiftiness, and  even arrogance." To visually connect, maintain eye contact for at least two to three seconds per person, or long enough to complete a full phrase or sentence. Effective eye communication is the most important nonverbal skill in a speaker's toolbox.

3. Distracting mannerisms
There are at least 20 common tics to tackle, including: clenching or wringing your hands, pacing back and forth, keeping your hands in pockets, jingling change or keys, twisting your ring, gripping the lectern, licking your lips, adjusting your hair or clothing, fidgeting with a pen, bobbing your head, placing your arms behind your back, and touching your face. "One or more of these habits can distract the audience from your message and jeopardize your credibility," Price explains. As a remedy, record yourself speaking and watch the playback. "Practice often to increase your comfort level and reduce anxiety. Take a public speaking class or enlist the help of a local coach to eliminate distracting mannerisms and habituate purposeful movement."

4. Low energy
"As the Guinness World Record holder for the most performances in the same Broadway show, George Lee Andrews is famous for playing the role of Monsieur André in The Phantom of the Opera," Price says. "Surely, he must have felt tired during at least one or two of his 9,382 performances, but he didn't show it considering his contract was renewed 45 times over 23 years." Enthusiasm, defined as eager enjoyment and active interest, is an audience's most desired trait in a presenter. Conversely, a boring delivery — evidenced by a low monotone voice, dull facial expressions, and overall lethargy — is their most disliked trait. "To avoid losing your audience in a New York minute, crank up the energy level," says Price. "Speak expressively, smile sincerely, move naturally, and enjoy the moment."

5. Not rehearsing
Most proficient presenters prepare. "That is, they know the topic, organize their content, design a slide deck, and study their notes," Price says. However, according to a recent survey she conducted, less than 2% of over 5,000 business presenters in Fortune 100 companies actually conduct a dress rehearsal and practice their presentation aloud. This bad habit results in the audience seeing and hearing the unrefined run-through, versus the finessed final performance. "To optimize their perception of you and get the outcome you want, perform the entire presentation aloud at least once, and the opening and closing at least three times," she suggests.

6. Data dumping
"It's understandable. After all, our credibility is on the line when we stand up and speak out," Price says. "So, to be safe, we focus almost entirely on what Aristotle called Logos, which includes the left-brain functions of logic, language, analysis, reasoning, critical thinking, and numbers." When we rely  too heavily on this type of content, we end up talking too long, reading  too many overcrowded illegible slides, and turning our backs on the most important element of all: the audience. "Ditch the habit of data dumping," she suggests. "It loses the audience and undermines your innate ability to inspire, connect, and persuade."

7. Not inspiring
Even more vital to persuasion than Logos, says Aristotle, is Pathos, which includes the
right-brain activities of emotions, images, stories, examples, empathy, humor, imagination, color, sounds, touch, and rapport, Price says. "Tomes of studies show human beings typically make decisions based on emotions first (Pathos); then, we look for the facts and figures to justify it (Logos). Audience members do the same. With your words, actions, and visuals, seek first to inspire an emotion in them (joy, surprise, hope, excitement, love, empathy, vulnerability, sadness, fear, envy, guilt). Then, deliver the analysis to justify the emotion." An engaging, memorable, and persuasive presentation is balanced with both information and inspiration. "It speaks to the head and the heart, leveraging both facts and feelings," she says.

8. Lack of pauses
Many speakers have the bad habit of rushing through their content. Like a runaway train, they speed down the track out of control, unable to stop and turn at critical junctures. The causes are often anxiety, adrenaline, or time constraints, Price says. "Regardless of the reason, the three times you definitely want to pause include: before and after you say something very important which you want your audience to remember; before and after you transition from one key talking point to the next; and between your opening, main body, and closing." When you consciously use silence as a rhetorical device, you'll come across as more self-confident, your message will be more impactful, and your audience will remember more of what you say.

9. Not crafting a powerful opening
"According to Plato, 'The beginning is the most important part of the work.' Yet, it's a common bad habit for speakers to waste those precious opening seconds rambling pointlessly, telling a joke, reading an agenda, or apologizing needlessly, all of which fail to grab the audience's attention and motivate them to listen," Price says. You, your message, and your audience deserve much more. So open with a bang.
 Invest the thought, time, and effort to craft and memorize "the most important part of the work." For example, tell an engaging, relevant story; state a startling; or ask a thought-provoking question.

10. Using too much (or not enough) humor
It's hard to determine exactly how much humor to use in a speech — especially if you don't know your audience well. Of course, you don't want your presentation to be dry and boring, but you also don't want to come off like you're trying too hard to be a stand-up comedian. A good rule of thumb is to be yourself, and infuse a bit of humor when appropriate. Getting the audience to laugh (or at least crack a smile) early on is a great way to break the ice. But run your joke(s) by some friends beforehand to make sure they don't fall flat.

11. Reading from your slides
A slideshow can be very helpful for jogging your memory and reinforcing the main points of the presentation to your audience. However, as Inc. contributing editor Geoffrey James points out, the people watching your presentation can read, so giving them the exact same information verbally and visually can be boring and insulting. "Use slides as visual signposts for the points you're making rather than a written version or summary of those points," James writes for Inc.

12. Making an excuse or an apology
Perhaps you're running late and want to let your audience know why. Or maybe you just stepped off a long flight and want to explain why your performance might not be as strong as it would otherwise. Either way, making an excuse or an apology sets a negative tone and gives people a reason to think your presentation was underwhelming. Instead, take any personal mishaps in
stride and let the audience evaluate your performance independently. "Regardless of how you're feeling, show enthusiasm for being there and make your best effort," James writes.

13. Going on and on about how nervous you are — or not acknowledging it at all
One of the worst things you can do is draw a lot of unnecessary attention to the fact that you're nervous. Going on and on about it — or mentioning it multiple times throughout your speech — can make everyone feel a bit uncomfortable. However, you can — and should — acknowledge it once before moving on. Research out of Boston University suggests that hiding your feelings of anxiety from the audience, which they call suppression, can actually lead to an increase in feelings of anxiety and heart rate, reports Business Insider's Rachel Gillett. And that could be pretty
detrimental to your presentation.

14. Ending with Q&A
There's a good chance you've heard a speaker end an otherwise effective presentation with
an abrupt, 'That's it. Any questions?' "For the audience, it's like a firework with a wet fuse,
otherwise known as a 'dud,'" Price says. "Your grand finale is your last chance to reinforce
your key points, ensure the memorability of your message, and motivate the audience to action. Avoid the bad habit of closing on Q&A, which risks ending your presentation on a
non-climatic down-in-the-weeds topic."
It's fine to invite the audience's comments and questions; however, be sure to end strong.
"Craft an effective three-part closing where you deliver a strong summary; present a
call-to-action; and conclude with a powerful closing statement. Develop the habit of saying
last what you want your audience to remember most," she concludes.


Smith, J. (2016). 14 public-speaking mistakes you never want to make. Retrieved September 08, 2016, from http://www.businessinsider.com/public-speaking-mistakes-not-to-make-2016-9/#-14
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Treasurer Tidbit
Beginning with the October dues, Toastmasters International dues will be increasing $9 for every 6 months period we pay dues and there will no longer be a grace period. If you don't pay your dues on time, Toastmasters International will not recognize you as a member. In order to ensure that all members are in good standing and dues are paid by October 1, the treasurer will collect dues from August 19 - September 16.    Mel West,  BeGe's Treasurer
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Newsletter Submissions
Contribute to our Blog and Newsletter.  Submit stories, ideas,  articles, and experiences.  Send content to begestm@gmail.com
Content is needed for next's months newsletter.
Please Submit Content by September 30th
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

OFFICER ROLES

Ever wonder what goes into making a Toastmasters Club run smoothly? The following are descriptions of the officer roles.

President "C.E.O." of this club, responsible for fulfilling the club's mission.
VP -Education Second ranking club officer, responsible for planning, organizing and directing a club program meeting members' educational needs.
VP – Membership Official Third ranking club officer, responsible for planning, organizing and directing a program ensuring member retention and growth.
VP – Public Relations Fourth ranking club officer, responsible for developing and directing publicity informing members and the public about Toastmasters International.
Secretary Official Fifth ranking club officer, is responsible for club records and correspondence.
Treasurer Official Officer Sixth ranking club officer, responsible for club financial policies, procedures and controls.
Sergeant at Arms Seventh ranking club officer, responsible for club property management, meeting room preparation and hospitality. The sergeant at arms chairs the social and reception committee.