President's Tip of the Week

Sergeant-At-Arms: A Weekly Speaking Opportunity!
(4/22/09)

As I contemplated with topic to cover for the tip of the week, I received my daily email from Scream-Free Parenting with the following quote from Vietnamese monk Nhat Hanh:

“People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer the suffering that is familiar.”

I had to stop and dwell on this quote for a few minutes before making the connection to my own Toastmasters experience. I’ve told our club members several versions of my own journey in the organization, and one included mention of how others around me challenged me to grow in ways I never expected to grow — to not simply be content to getting out of the house once a week, but to actually improve as a communicator, and later as a leader. Were it not for these people around me giving me nudges when needed, I might not be where I am today.

What does this have to do with being sergeant-at-arms? Well, perhaps you are the one needing a little nudge today. Perhaps you’re relatively new to the club—maybe a year or less—and have never considered yourself “officer material.” Perhaps you’re not where you want to be confidence-wise, just yet, or you still don’t know everyone’s names. This available officer position could be an excellent opportunity for you.

Think about it… your main functions after setting the room up (a task you will have help with) are to greet all members and guests, and to open up our meetings. It won’t take you long to learn every member’s name, trust me; our nametags facilitate that process. You’ll learn to be more outgoing, how to make people feel welcome, and it should be a pleasant task because of the type of people drawn into an organization like Toastmasters.

And... you’ll have a privilege only you and I will enjoy — a guaranteed speaking slot every single week! You’ll get to open up every meeting, and you can find your own creative way to get things off to a great start.

Perhaps you have not considered serving as an officer yet because of your fear of the unknown. Trust that you’ll have a whole team to work with, friendships to build upon, and the experience that will help you grow as a communicator and leader.

Let me know today if you are interested in this opportunity for growth!