Looking Back 

When I think back to the day I became a Toastmaster it conjures up many positive thoughts and a feeling of pride. It was November 2009. I had attended a few meetings at Dhahran Toastmasters Club and the anticipation of joining built up from week to week. There was something very energizing and exciting about that “do-it-yourself” public speaking learning experience.

Each time I visited the club I always left with a smile and looked forward to the next meeting. I could clearly see how the practical experience of speaking in front of an audience every week could benefit me greatly in the same way it was benefitting the club members. When I finally joined, it was a wonderful moment and definitely a milestone on my journey of self-development. I had set a goal to improve my public speaking skills and finally found a great way to practice regularly. I was excited to begin my journey.

Ironically, prior to joining Toastmasters I had years of experience as a television producer and host. For several years, in the mid to late 90’s I produced and hosted a series of live weekly talk shows in which I interviewed guests about current cultural events. So, technically speaking, I should have been okay without Toastmasters, and many of you may be surprised and curious about why I would want to join.  I will explain.

As a talk show host the only people in the studio with you are your guests and a small production crew, usually only 5-10 people at the most in the same room. The environment is much like a living room setting, which made it easy to get used to and feel comfortable with. Even though I knew thousands of people could be watching, they were “out there” somewhere and it did not overwhelm me.  Each week I simple envisioned the process of hosting the show as conversations with great people from my living room into which I invited others to listen. Each show, as I heard the final countdown from the director, “5-4-3-2-1”, I would take a deep calming breath, smile and welcome the viewing audience into my imaginary home. I also took live phone calls from viewers while on the air to make the show more interesting and engaging. The time would pass so quickly and before I knew it it was time to wrap up and begin my closing remarks to the viewers. The experience of producing and hosting a live talk show was exhilarating and fun.  I miss those days a lot.

One week my scheduled guest had an emergency and could not make it to the studio on time and there was no time to secure a backup.  Within only a few minutes of going on the air, I chose to to go solo instead of rebroadcasting the last recorded show. In that moment, I had to recalibrate my confidence and rise up to the occasion.  I quickly came up with the idea of doing an “Open Forum” in which I talked about a variety of topics and invited viewers to call in early to become part of the open discussion.

The show actually went very well, but let me just say I was not hoping to have that experience again.  I did not have a teleprompter to read from nor was there a prepared written script. It was a 30-minute Table Topics moment live on television!  Once was enough. 

It was this solo experience that showed me how uncomfortable it can be when the level of direct communication with an audience increases. 

That day, during the open forum, the viewers were listening to me, and only me, and to every-single-word-I-was-saying. I managed it very well and it boosted my confidence greatly, but I also learned how difficult it can be to have an ongoing, dynamic and free flowing communication with an audience. 

I had the same feeling whenever I would speak in front of a lot of people if they were in same room with me — a feeling of anxiety. In “TV land” the audience was “out there”, but for seminars and workshops the audience is “right here”. I began to realize the difference between being a TV host and a public speaker.  I yearned to strengthen my confidence because I wanted to fulfill my vision of inspiring large audiences from a stage — in the same room — in a more connected way.  I took the important step of joining Toastmasters in order to learn the art of public speaking and to help me move outside my comfort zone. 

I still remember the day I finally joined Dhahran Toastmasters and the warm welcome we all received as new inductees. The genuine smiles and applause from everyone made us feel good, and I will never forget finally being officially and fondly referred to as “Toastmaster Akanke” for the first time.  It was truly a proud moment and I later learned that the positive experiences I had at Dhahran can be attributed to the fact that the club was doing a good job in many of the key areas that Toastmasters International identifies as “Moments of Truth”.   

 

Appreciating the Benefits

Without a doubt, I have benefitted greatly from joining the Toastmasters family. I’m still working on mastering the art of inspiring large audiences in one room and the regular practice as a Toastmaster continues to help me grow.  I have made lots of progress but have a ways to go before I can become the powerful speaker I know I am capable of becoming.

When I joined, I hit the ground running by becoming an active member and I received great support from my fellow Toastmaster, friend and husband, Nashid, as well as other club members and officers along the way. I propelled myself forward by following the educational curriculum, working with a great mentor and attended almost every club meeting, unless I was away on vacation. Within one year, I completed my CC and CL, and today I have also earned my Advanced Leadership Bronze and Advanced Communication Bronze and Silver certifications. The experience has been rewarding, and I always tell my friends about the many benefits of joining Toastmasters, especially if I know they want to become better communicators and leaders themselves.

Being a member is a 2-way street. The new member gains from the experience and the club gains from the new member. But I wonder how often do we stop to think about the benefits a new member brings to a club. Every new member brings new energy, a new spirit, new perspectives, new possibilities, new talent, new enthusiasm, new ambition and new inspiration to the club. New members who become active also bring dedication and contribute regularly to the club’s growth and success. They consistently deliver manual speeches and take leadership roles. They cultivate good, lasting and supportive relationships with their fellow club members, become club leaders, and continuously set new goals to achieve. By doing this, they help their club earn the coveted “distinguished” status and they become distinguished club members. This speaks to the heart of something very important. A “distinguished” club (a club that qualifies by earning the necessary (DCP points) really means a club of distinguished members. This is the simplest way to perceive and understand it.  

 

Keeping A Promise

So the question that arises is, “What does it take to become a distinguished club member?”.  The answer is simple. A distinguished club member is someone who takes the Toastmasters Promise seriously, keeps it close to their mind and heart, and strives to live up to it through consistent planning and action.

The Promise embodies ten dynamic conditions which are intended to serve as guiding principles to influence, steer and regulate our behavior, activities and contributions as Toastmasters towards the right direction. Just take a moment to read the adjacent list and you will see very clearly how living these principles can help every Toastmaster become a distinguished club member. The result would be a domino effect.  The club will become a distinguished club, the area will become a distinguished area, and so on.   Likewise, when we do not honor these principles our progress as Toastmasters is limited and our club can suffer from the consequences of our inaction, especially if there are also other members who are not living up to The Promise. 

Since joining Toastmasters, I’ve enjoyed earning my advanced certifications.  In addition to my own drive and ambition I also realize the great impact others have had on my success.  My husband, who is now the President of a new club has been very supportive, as well as many of my inspiring fellow Toastmasters, club leaders and various mentors.  I also recall how certain club Presidents and VPEs would let me know that they had faith in me and were counting on me as part of the club’s overall Success Plan to earn DCP points and achieve distinguished status, and this speaks directly to how club members benefit their clubs.

Let’s consider my journey a little further.  I joined in November 2009 and by January 2012 (a little over two years) I had earned my ACS and ALB certifications.  This means that within a 24-month period I delivered at least 30 speeches, took numerous leadership roles, served as a club officer (VPPR twice and Club President once), mentored new members, conducted workshops and presentations, participated in speech contests, and more.  

Inherently, this also means I had to actually show up regularly at club meetings. Showing up is the first step.  For the first two years I never missed a meeting unless I was out of the Kingdom.  Since the beginning, whenever I attend meetings I greet guests, ask them if they have any questions, introduce them to club officers and invite them to join.  I also strive to support my fellow club members and always have the sincere intentions to make a positive contribution.  Now, I am as imperfect as the next person, so I don’t mean to imply that there haven’t been challenges along the way. Challenges are always there to help us grow.  I embrace my own imperfections and the imperfection of others….and strive to face any challenge head on.  It is never a question or desire of striving for perfection, nor a question of whether we will face challenges.  It is a question of the attitude we have as we engage in the process along the way. 

Together We Can All Make A Difference

We are all blessed with remarkable gifts and talents and we each bring a unique combination of strengths as well as areas that need some improvement.  The relationship between a club and its members is a dynamic one which should leave a trail of inspiration, fruitful experiences, as well as lessons and challenges that help us grow. Likewise, it is within the club environment and through sincere feedback from our fellow Toastmasters, that we should see ourselves improving over time. If we cannot tangibly measure our growth something needs to be corrected in our action plan. 

The list of mutual benefits that a club and its members share is so expansive, and the impact of these benefits is usually long-lasting, life-changing and full of good memories. However, to ensure a positive outcome, each member must come with his/her own personal goals as well as a strong sense of ambition, sincerity and goodwill.  When these personal characteristics are combined with a strong and positive club environment, the result is rich and fertile soil into which members can easily and firmly plant their seeds of ambition and blossom into the refined leaders and communicators they are capable of becoming. 

Just think about the positive difference we can all make as Toastmasters.  If we all worked consistently to become distinguished members at our clubs it would then be so easy for every club, area, division and district to also become distinguished.  Also, think back and recall the positive difference joining Toastmasters has made for you and the difference it can make for someone else.  I’m sure as you reflect back it will conjure up feelings of great appreciation. Make sure you use this appreciation and spread it like good news by helping your beloved club find new members so that it can continue to grow and succeed. I promise I will do this and I hope you will too. Also, if you are a member of more than one club like me then send prospects to each club and let them decide which one is best for them. 

For all of the great respected Toastmasters who are keeping their promise, thank you for being wonderful role models.  You are helping others through your example and inspiration.  Together we can all make a positive difference if we always remember that:

A club that earns the distinguished status is simply a club who has distinguished members; and distinguished members are simply those who keep The Toastmasters Promise through consistent planning and action.

Let us all strive diligently to be distinguished. 

 

 

Toastmaster Akanke Abdul-Khaaliq, ACS, ALB, serves as District 79 Webmaster and Secretary, and was recently elected as Area 20 Governor. She hopes to earn her Advanced Communicator Gold in August 2013 and her DTM award by July 2014, in sha Allah. She is a member of Dhahran, Explorers and AlJabal Toastmasters.