At one point in my career, I served as CEO for a public speaking charity, training thousands of young people each year. My happiest moments were when we didn’t have enough trainers, allowing me to step in and deliver the training myself! One memorable session took...
I believe in our purpose to make effective communication a worldwide reality and our mission to empower communicators and leaders. What does this look and feel like?
I love weekend breaks by the sea, relaxing with the sights and sounds of the waves. Last weekend was foggy and grey, but on the last morning, the sky appeared as the sun rose. I watched and waited…
When I think about transformation in Toastmasters, I think about personal and organizational transformation. One is the change that happens in each of us when we engage in our clubs and leadership teams. The other is the transformation we are making to develop our...
I recently finished a supervision session with one of my Master’s dissertation students. She was delighted with the detailed feedback I provided on her last assignment, saying she had never received such comprehensive comments before. This kind of response is common...
I was chatting with some friends this week about being analytical in leadership work. How much analysis is enough, how much is too much? When to go fast, when to slow down. Decide in haste and repent at leisure? Or let procrastination be your tragedy? Where we get...
There’s a famous quote from Dr. Smedley that reminds me of why I keep coming back to Toastmasters. "Ours is the only organization I know that is dedicated to the individual. We work together to bring out the best in each of us and then we apply these skills to help...
I've just visited a lovely club where I'd been invited to speak about my learnings from being an International Director. Here’s what I shared: Self-Acceptance I met with another Past International Director this week who knew me from before I had served on the...
At the Business Briefing in Anaheim at this August's 2024 Convention, I delivered my outgoing board member speech. Many of my speeches center around stories, but not this one. This one is a poem. I felt that a few stories wouldn't capture the experience I had, and...