Meet A Toastmaster

Jean Gamester DTM District Director 2015-16

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Jean_GamesterMy vision is for us to be collectively inspiring and supportive to all our members in 2015/16.

By doing this we will consistently perform as one of the top districts in the world: benefiting every club and helping members achieve their goals.

Toastmasters are experts at creating confident communicators. Let’s also focus our expertise on developing ourselves and each other into amazing leaders.

In practical terms this means sharing the best of what clubs and members do. This will develop an even stronger shared culture and a desire to take the leadership opportunities Toastmasters has to offer. I look forward to working with you all.

Here are the guiding principles and focus areas that will guide my work as District Director.

Direction and Planning

• Focussing on the long game – 3-5 years rather than just one year. Embedding what has been implemented in the past, ensuring the present is well taken care of and building strength for the future. Driving a culture where it’s expected that we will be a Presidents Distinguished District in 2015/16 and for the years that follow.
• Involving members and officers at all levels in planning and decision making. Working with them to make sure we are focussing on the right priorities so that members achieve their goals and clubs provide a brilliant learning environment. Learning from those within our district and beyond who are doing great things.
• Planning for growth – building on the great work of this year’s new alignment committee, shape the growth of the district for the long term. We will make sure we are ready to realign in a way that works for our clubs, areas and division, and ready to act when the next district reformation is required.

People & Leadership

• Developing a coaching culture where our leaders are empowering and supportive, where there is space to learn and experiment so our leaders can further develop their skills. A culture that understands that we are all volunteers and inspires us to get involved to develop ourselves and support our fellow members.
• Succession planning involving providing encouragement, development and recognition for people at all levels in the district so they develop the confidence and skills to take on new challenges, both in the short term and the long term.
• Providing opportunities for people to get involved – there are lots of ways for people across the district to get involved in driving our Toastmasters mission forward – we will raise awareness of those opportunities and provide support to help them be successful.

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Reflections of a Toastmaster two years after breaking the ice

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From Florian Bay, Area Director 2015/16

Florian with club President regalia June 2015As I came home from district officer training ten days ago, several things bubbled in my mind. Relief at having escaped a Martian tripod invading Earth. Empowerment at having reached another level in my Toastmasters journey in so many different ways. Finally, thoughtfulness at the journey taken so far, just over two years on from my icebreaker in Cheltenham Speakers.

It first heard about Toastmasters in early 2007, through some American self-help tapes I had purchased while studying in Bath. A quick search sadly only yielded a club whose meetings finished after the last train back to Bristol and Bath. But always wanting to become a better public speaker, a seed had been firmly planted in my mind. One evening in March 2013 while living in Gloucester, the search made a few times since 2007 was made again. “Oh there’s a club in Cheltenham, I could get the bus there after work on Tuesday!”

I still remember the first meeting I attended. It was the club’s speech and evaluation contest. One of the speech from this evening, ‘Beautiful people’ is still in my mind, especially the speaker’s fantastic vocal variety and use of rhymes. A fortnight later I was doing my first table topic. A fortnight after that, I was a paid-up member. The humble but oh so important role of timekeeper was mine one a month later. June 4th arrived and with it my icebreaker ‘Once upon a Franco-British dream’. A work placement in Scotland meant a pause in the journey, but the bug was there with desires of attending the Glasgow club one hour away by train suppressed with difficulty. In September 2013 the news was confirmed, I was due to be in London from October onwards! Less than a week after arriving, I attended and joined London Olympians, followed by St Paul’s Speakers in November.

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William Hagerup K59 Area Director 2015-16

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William Hagerup K59 Area Director

William Hagerup, ACB CL

William came to England from Norway in 1997. A published writer in Norwegian, he is currently writing his second novel in English. He works as Senior Associate Editor for McGraw-Hill Financials in Canary Wharf, and it was through this company’s corporate club, Speakers’ Corner, that William came to Toastmasters in May 2012. He won the Area Humorous Competition that year, became VPE in 2013 and President in 2014. As he takes over as Area Director his focus will be on raising the profile of TM in the public’s mind and ensuring that members are lifted up through quality mentoring.

Clubs in Area K59:
• Speakers’ Corner (William’s home club)
• CitiCriers
• London Trustmasters
• Lewisham Speakers Club
• Meridan Speakers Club
• Stratford London Toastmasters

World Champion of Public Speaking in London

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From Andy O’Sullivan

Wed 27 May 2015. 6.30pm – 9pm. Indian YMCA, Mahatma Gandhi Hall, 41 Fitzroy Street, London W1T 6AQ

Dananjaya Hettiarachichi World Champion of Public Speaking in London

 


Come to his workshop: “Bring out the Champ in you!”

A comprehensive 2 1/2 hour learning experience with Dananjaya Hettiarachichi, drawing from over 10 years in competitive public speaking.

The focus of this workshop is to provide you with on and off stage strategies which you can adopt immediately with ease, to
take your speaking game to the next level

Read more and book your place here:

http://www.eventzilla.net/web/event?eventid=2139070203

 

Indra Sikdar – Distinguished Toastmaster

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Indra Sikdar - Distinguished ToastmasterIndra Sikdar is currently President of Harrovian Speakers Club. He completed both the Communication and Leadership Tracks of the Toastmasters International Educational programme in March 2015. This means he has achieved the accolade of Distinguished Toastmaster. The Distinguished Toastmaster award is the highest our organization bestows.

We asked Indra Sikdar – Distinguished Toastmaster what achieving this award means to him.

Q: what have you gained by taking the time to complete the Toastmasters Communication and leadership tracks?
A: By completing the Toastmasters Educational Programme I have gained a lot of confidence and I find myself much in demand for both paid and voluntary work. I’ve learned about the power of team effort. It’s helped me with my career as I am a better team-player; a better communicator, and a better networker. Overall it’s helped me to get more done!

Q: What have you gained from your membership personally?
A: When I first started in Toastmasters I found it difficult to make firm friendships and to connect with others. But now having practiced the Toastmasters techniques I have nurtured a lot of good friendships which in turn makes it easier to succeed in life.

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