Toastmasters International
Presidents Club
District 14, Division D, Area 44, Club 1713
Record of Meeting
Date: February 1, 2012
Location: East Cobb Government Center
Theme: “New Beginnings or How Are You Doing on Those New Year’s Resolutions”
Toastmaster:
· James R. Dawson, DTM
Call to Order:
· Meeting called to order at 7:00 pm by Sutham Cobkit.
· We were all provided copies of the Toastmaster’s Promise and recited in unison.
Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance:
Lisa remembered to lead the Pledge before sharing inspirational thoughts about the Promise.
Business Meeting:
· Eric provided info on the following:
o Area Contest- Although Jim Dawson won both the Table Topics and Speech contest, he will be unable to attend the Area Contest. Rich Hart will step in for him.
o The Educational meeting on the 29th will be at Fuller Park – off of Robinson Rd.
o Our website shows that we have met 6 of the 10 goals and we are on track to meet all 10.
o We will have one more 5th Wednesday in the month. We will have a social event at Charlene Anderson’s home and work some educational topics into the event.
o March dues are coming up soon!
o Jim Dawson recommended having a videographer at contests,
General Meeting Begins:
Helpers:
Judy Anderson Joke Master
Judy Anderson Videographer
Sutham Cobkit Ah Counter
Debbie Field Vote Counter
Vahn Wagner Timer
Eric Holtzclaw Grammarian
Charlene Anderson Table Topics Master
Word of the Day: Renege
Table Topics:
Table Topics Master – Charlene Anderson
Table Topic : “New Beginnings or How Are You Doing on Those New Year’s Resolutions”
Question 1: Tell us about a time when you achieved a specific goal and how you were successful in achieving it?
Roslyn Dodell answered that it was most likely when she changed fields from an Immigration Attorney to an Estate Planning attorney. She was unhappy in immigration, lied to, few paid her. So after soul searching and using her tax background, she found a firm to give her a chance. She learned along the way and became what she is now. So it was successful. However she does have a few days that don’t go so well like digging to the bottom of her desk and finding a 1998 calendar.
Question 2: Tell me about why you joined Toastmasters, what goals you have achieved and what are your future goals?
Lisa Goodman replied that she joined in 2006 as she was venturing into multilevel marketing which lasted 6 months. She had no clear cut goals other than personal growth. She perused the leadership track, became an officer and then an area governor and helped start other clubs. She really does not enjoy speaking and comes because of her fellow Toastmasters.
Question 3: Why do you think people make resolutions and then fail to keep them?
Judy Anderson feels that we like the idea of challenging ourselves and taking a good look at whom we are and how satisfied or dissatisfied we are with life. At least putting a goal on paper, even if it is not reached puts you on a new path. The journey to get to another place makes life fun as you go along. So, it is worth making a resolution even if we are not resolute in finishing them.
All Table Topics speakers qualified.
Speeches:
“Why Do CEO’s Have 9 Lives” – Dave Brookmire
(Manual: CC, Speech #2: Organize Your Speech; Time: 5-7 min)
Objectives:
· Select an appropriate outline which allows listeners to easily follow and understand your speech.
· Make your message clear with supporting material directly contributing to that message.
· Use appropriate transitions when moving from one idea to another.
· Create a strong opening and conclusion.
Dave took reminded us of headlines,” Larry Ellison from Oracle hires Mark Hurd from HP!” Shortly before that, “Mark Hurd Fired from HP!” Chrysler hired Bob Nardelli and two years later goes bankrupt. Nardelli goes to Home Depot with a stock price in mid 50’s and leaves with it at $37 per share. Yet he was paid $200 million and received severance of $244 million. Why does this happen? There are three reasons: a small selection pool, flaws the selection method, and boards are irresponsible and make poor decisions. CEO’s are able to “ace” interviews. Most have had training for media relations, coaching for shareholder meetings and making presentations. Most board members do not have good people skills and are under tremendous pressure to make a decision to keep stock prices high. Dave recommends that companies develop a leadership pipeline, provide executive coaching (call Dave) and educate and develop the board.
“The Advantage of Failure”- Richie Deason
(Manual: CC Speech #3: Get To The Point; Time: 5-7 min)
· Objectives: Select a speech topic and determine its general and specific purposes.
· Organize the speech in a manner that best achieves those purposes.
· Ensure the beginning, body and conclusion reinforce the purposes.
· Project sincerity and conviction and control and nervousness you may feel.
· Strive not to use notes.
Richie asked how many of us have tried something and failed. Despite our best efforts, we will fail, so take advantage of learning opportunities. When we come up short, it changes your perspective. Overconfidence can impair your judgment. In failure you accept humility which gives you a new perspective. It gives you a chance to define your limits and areas of weakness. Great athletes push themselves to the limits so they understand their weaknesses. Use the experience to continue to improve. One of the problems with school systems today is that we are rewarded for not making mistakes. This creates a fear of failing and paralyzes us. Abe Lincoln once said” My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with failure.”
Speech Title: “The $80 Billion I Spent on Barbie” – Vikas Singla
(Manual: CC, Speech #2: Organize Your Speech; Time: 5-7 min)
Objectives:
· Select an appropriate outline which allows listeners to easily follow and understand your speech.
· Make your message clear with supporting material directly contributing to that message.
· Use appropriate transitions when moving from one idea to another.
· Create a strong opening and conclusion.
Vikas recently bought a nice new, colorful, musical toy for his daughter. When leaving her with the toy, he returned to find her having much more fun with the box. We spend $80 billion on toys worldwide. This is money wasted. Toys don’t make kids smarter or happier. Unfortunately, parents substitute toys for spending time with the kids. Vikas daughter enjoyed playing in a toy kitchen at school so much that they bought her one for Christmas. By the third day the novelty had worn off. Why? At school she has friends, interaction. Research has shown that catalogs present toys as solutions to parenting. Now Vikas uses opportunities in the real kitchen to spend time with his daughter. Rather than giving her a talking map, she has learned her states by interacting with Dad and using flash cards. So Vikas will continue to push his shopping cart right past the talking car in the toy store and hopes others will too!
Speech Title: “Why I Became an American” – Kumar Choudhuri, CC
(Manual: ADV#5 The Entertaining Speaker, Project 5: 8 - 10 minutes
Objectives:
· Select an appropriate outline which allows listeners to easily follow and understand your speech.
· Make your message clear, with supporting material directly contributing to that message.
· Use appropriate transitions when moving from one idea to another.
· Create a strong opening and closing.
Kumar came to America in 1981. He was 27 with an engineering degree and moved from a city of 6 million people to College Station, Texas with 60,000. He still remembers being picked up in an Oldsmobile, driving along Farm Road 2818 without a building in sight. He was getting a little worried. There were no skyscrapers or high-rises. As he settled down, the weeks flew by. One day the apartment manager walked by and noticed that Kumar and his roommate did not own a TV. The manager went back home, and delivered a spare TV to Kumar. Now with TV, Kumar learned the American culture even faster! One thing he noticed was that Americans want to stay young. But one day, in overhearing and elderly gentleman ask a bookstore clear for a book on microprocessors, he realized Americans like to stay young to continue to learn and live! Kumar went from visitor, to obtaining his green card and then, heard his brother ask him, if you like America so much, why don’t you become one? Kumar came here looking for life and it rubbed off on him.
All speakers qualified.
Evaluations:
General Evaluator: Rush Netterville
Evaluator for Dave Brookmire Judy Anderson
Evaluator for Richie Deason Eric Holtzclaw
Evaluator for Vikas Singla Mack Miller
Evaluator for Kumar Choudhuri, CC Rich Hart
Announcements
Story telling a Roswell Square. February 17th and 18th will be a story telling event at Callanwolde in Decatur.
Awards
Most Enthusiastic Helper – Eric Holtzclaw
Best Table Topics –Judy Anderson
Best Evaluator – Tom Nixon
Best Speaker – Kumar Choudhuri, CC