Speaking and Listening: Toastmasters Experience

 This past week, I gave a presentation at one of my Toastmasters clubs about this very blog!  This was to fulfill the requirements for the Toastmasters Pathways project, "Write a Compelling Blog."  Toastmasters projects are everywhere!  They are in our daily experiences turning into speeches, our leadership at work and our volunteering becoming projects, and our blogs or podcasts getting us credit in the educational program of Pathways! One part of the blogging project that I really loved was the chance to get feedback on this blog itself, as well as my own self-reflection on this blog.  Two take-aways that I want to follow up on from this experience are: 1) I want to promote this blog more on social media - maybe that's why you are reading this post! 2) I want to try to create more variety in the format of my posts. For additional variety of posts, I'd love any ideas you have to offer!  I'm thinking maybe I can do a written interview with another Toastmast...

Yesterday at District leader training, I led a well-received session on feedback and appreciation.  I encouraged those present to look for ways to provide appropriate feedback and show appreciation for others in their lives.  When it was done, I felt good about the message I had conveyed, and then realized I could benefit from reflecting on this message myself! While I do show appreciation to others at times, I can always do more.  Beyond a quick message to tell someone thank-you, I can talk them up around their peers or boss - if that is something they would appreciate.  And how can I know if they would want that more public praise?  Probably simply by asking, "Is it okay if I tell your boss about how you just helped me?"  Or in the case of Toastmasters, "Is it okay if I share what you did with the club?" Even if the appreciation stays private, I can find ways to make it more meaningful.  My workplace has a "Quick Thanks" system that I have used befor...