October 2024 Leader Letter
Words of Wisdom
Reflect on club and leadership insight gleaned from inspiring convention speakers.
Open-minded leaders stay current by regularly adding to their repertoire of new skills and ideas. The 2024 International Convention in Anaheim, California, was brimming with club and leadership inspiration, found in informative sessions and exciting highlights that are now available On Demand. Here are a few wise slices that made up the milestone motivation:
Think of courage as a muscle, not a moment. Confidence is a choice and a mindset before it becomes a behavior, teaches Lisa Sun, entrepreneur, speaker, author, and this year’s Golden Gavel Award Honoree. She explains how six forces can shrink our lives and hold us to very limiting comfort zones: a deficit mindset that sees a problem, not the potential; a shrinking effect of underestimating our abilities; a satisfaction conundrum whereby we chase external markers of success; a superhero façade that falsely maintains the illusion that all aspects of our lives are in order; a setback spiral when negative thoughts arise from criticism; and systemic bias, allowing structural constructs to bind us. True courage starts with a self-belief that is consistently exercised, she says. Sun offers eight superpowers that underpin authentic confidence: Leading, performing, achieving, giving, knowing, creating, believing, and self-sustaining. We must know which ones define our strengths and what we’re best at personally and professionally. These strengths are like “gas in the tank” because “life doesn’t get easier, we get stronger,” she concludes.
Master moments to thrive amid chaos. The skills of adaptability and resilience are more critical than ever to move forward, believes Shawn Ellis, a motivational storyteller, resilience strategist, leadership expert, and this year’s keynote speaker. He offers his “five C’s” to adapt and thrive, which is especially relevant to Toastmasters as it embarks on its next hundred years. First, find the calm in the chaos. “As leaders, we are creatures living in a state of chronic stress,” he says, and we must find tools (such as breathing techniques) to get back to calm. Next, find clarity in the chaos—you must be able to envision what can be, what is possible. Finding courage in the chaos means you let fear be a signal, not a barrier, he explains. Finding confidence in the chaos is where others might be tempted to give up. But leaders have to keep going and look for evidence to add to their “faith file.” Lastly, find community in the chaos—recognize that community is powerful, don’t try to go it alone, Ellis concludes.
Pay attention to the traits of respected leaders. A prestigious panel of Past International Presidents, which included Neil Wilkinson, DTM, Dilip Abayasekara, DTM, Ted Corcoran, DTM, Pat Johnson, DTM, and Tim Keck, DTM, recognized Founder Ralph C. Smedley’s 100-year-old vision for being very relevant today, as it has transformed their lives and the lives of so many others for 100 years. The panel praised his “learn by doing” method with the idea that purpose, passion, and persistence were three pillars of success; they discussed the wisdom behind accepting that most ideas will not work out perfectly at first. The panel also relayed the importance of not being afraid to express ideas, big and small; good leaders accept there will be a differing of opinions in any great discussion. The panel concluded the conversation with simple ways that even veteran leaders can bring their service to a higher level: accept all valid requests to pay your knowledge forward; get in the habit of asking for advice or help on a project or endeavor when you need it; and maintain your confidence and self-worth of the unique knowledge you bring to the table.
Don’t be conflicted over conflict. Where there are people, there is conflict, but knowing how to converse through friction is a skill not normally taught to leaders, even though discord is rampant in the workplace, recognizes Alice Shikina, a speaker, mediator, and negotiation/communication trainer. She advises all parties to set up ground rules prior to having a difficult discussion, such as establishing a time limit and agreeing to no interruptions when someone else is speaking. Then, listen before you respond—don’t assume you know what the other person is thinking; get new information from them and use it to adjust what you say in return, she says. In fact, you should be asking open-ended questions on your subsequent turns. Try hard to listen without judgement; judgement is the number one reason why there is conflict in the world, she emphasizes. Next, mirror back what you heard, preface it with, “Let me make sure I heard what you said…” instead of saying “I understand” or “I heard you.” If the other party gets heated or shows emotion, name the emotion you are sensing, but steer clear of using words like “mad” or “angry,” Shakina advises. You can say instead: “I’m sensing that you’re disappointed.”
Build a club social media presence through trial and error. Do you want your Toastmasters club to be seen online and/or attract more members? Content Creator/Entrepreneur Gianna (Gia) Abao stresses the importance of building a social media presence through a long vision, not a short one. She advises first “be a big fish in a small pond” by choosing an online niche where you can dominate. It’s important to know your audience so you can resonate with them. “If you confuse them, you will lose them,” she maintains. Abao highlights that in marketing, people need to see you eight times before they believe or trust you, so don’t expect the first posts to make a difference. Post at least 50 videos and study the data; look at what’s performing for you, she says. Next, conduct A/B tests whereby you look at the variables to determine which one performs better, then make data-driven changes. Know your goals with social media and personalize it to your club. Remember, your club’s true power is its potential to transform lives, she concludes.
Consider mentoring as the centerpiece for life changes. Mastering mentoring can reignite your passion, which in turn, can change lives, emphasizes Marty Dickinson, entrepreneur, speaker, author. He advises creating your own checklist customized to your club, then challenging new members to stay in the club for at least one year and attend every meeting. Remind them Toastmasters is not a boot camp. Next, choose wisely—mentors and mentees need chemistry. Mentors should share their life-changing moments with their mentees. Finally, remember to make an impact—good mentors always see the potential that mentees don’t, Dickinson relayed.
Be a problem solver and analyst to keep members coming back. There are four influencers that make-or-break Toastmasters membership, according to Sravanthi Vallampati, DTM, a Toastmasters mentor, coach, and leader. She challenges leaders to analyze what’s working—the education received is the most obvious influencer. Beyond that is the environment—everything physical matters, she says. This includes the welcoming nature of a club, its up-to-date social media presence, and whether it shows respect for diversity. Enrichment includes field trips, responsibilities, and joint club meetings. “The real power is outside the meeting rooms,” she emphasizes. The final influencer is empowerment, which includes mentorship and leadership engagement.
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