What Afterburners Means to Me

I joined Afterburners two years ago, as they were helping to form my "home club" of Tarrant County Toastmasters.

I enjoy the diversity of people and opinions, and appreciate the knowledge and experiences they share.  Their stories and friendship are inspirational, and I always look forward to networking with this fine group of individuals.

These folks have become an important part of my life.

Submitted by

Bill Erwin

More new members, more member inductions

Afterburners Toastmasters Club has been on a roller-coaster ride regarding membership this year and we are back on the upside of the ride.  With a few of our long-term members deciding to move along this year, it has left a bit of a gap in our club ranks starting into the last half of the Toastmasters year.  The good news is that we have been busy finding new Toastmasters to add to the club.

Tuesday, we were able to induct 4 of our newest members; Steve Lerma, Richard Patton, Jessica Redman, and our newest member who applied and was voted in during her very first Toastmasters meeting, Doryn Roy.  We will also get Claudia Mattil inducted at our very next opportunity.  Finally, we cannot overlook the return of one of our valued members, Vidya Krishnaswamy.

The club's base for 2012-2013 was 37 members and with the addition tonight we expect to end the year at 34 members, just a little shy of our club base for the year.  Still I have to call it a successful year for membership.  We have added several quality members that are starting their Toastmasters journey off at a quick step.  We had 2 of our newest members present their Icebreaker speeches at our last meeting.

We have not forsaken our club's alumni members.  We are extending an invitation to the club alumni to attend our 2nd Half 2013 Officer Installation at our next meeting on Tuesday, June 25th.  I am proud that Afterburners continues to focus on their membership even with the size of the club.  Membership is always a club's #1 concern and we should never lose our focus on building and maintaining a strong and vibrant club.

Steven Timmons

Afterburners, VP-Membership 2012-2013

The Value of Mentoring

The word ‘mentor’ originates from the story The Odyssey.  When the legendary character Odysseus is preparing to leave for the Trojan War he places his good friend Mentor in charge of his son Telemachus.  Knowing that he would likely be gone for years (albeit his adventures lasted even longer than he expected), Odysseus had to be extremely precise in picking the man he would trust to look after his son.  Odysseus was essentially choosing who he felt would best replica of a father figure for his only son; who would help his son develop from a boy into a man.  This is where we derive our word mentor: “A wise and trusted advisor”.

Yet despite the significant origin of this word, the responsibility is treated as a side thought.  All too often mentors will utter this worthless statement “Let me know how I can help”.  In one simple sentence the so-called mentor has shifted all responsibility on to the shoulders of their mentee, and effectively demolished the words' worth.  Mentors assume that their mentees will always come to them for help and that growth will just happen on its own, but this couldn’t be further from the truth, nor could it be more disconcerting.  If you choose to accept the responsibility of being a mentor, then you should act like one worthy of the word’s origin.

While mentoring is important in many areas of our life, we as Toastmasters must be especially aware of how mentoring can impact our club and its members.  Here is how mentoring can make an impact:

Member Retention

·         Dedication to better mentoring will show members that the club cares about their growth and development; creating a better sense of community

·         Overall club satisfaction will improve through the better sense of community

·         Members will develop better which will solidify their purpose for joining Afterburners

·         Mentors will be accountable for someone aside from themselves

New Members

·         Another way of showing new members that Toastmasters care about their success and helping them achieve their personal/professional goals

·         It will provide them extra confidence knowing that they have someone to lead, support, and advise them

·         They will have a specific someone who understands their unique needs; who knows how best to encourage and motivate them

Member Activity

·         Mentees will be more likely to step into roles as the mentor encourages them

·         Mentors will become more involved in the club as they take on active mentoring roles

·         Mentors will also improve better as leaders and speakers – sometimes the best way to learn is to teach

There is a lot that goes into serving as a mentor, and there is no ceiling for improvement, but if you are new to the position here are a few simple steps you can take to improve:

·         The biggest step towards improvement one can make is simply to care; care about the mentee's development as much as you care about your own.  This will naturally translate into improved mentoring

·         Learn about why your mentee joined Toastmasters in the first place.  The better you understand their needs and goals, the better you will be able to help them.

·         Be proactive with your mentee; don’t wait for them to come to you with questions.  Be willing to ask them questions about what they’re experiencing.  Ask them about their upcoming speech, whether there are any specific leadership roles they would like to take, and freely offer advice and encouragement after their speeches.

·         The biggest difference between a mentor and a mentee is that the mentor has experienced a number of lessons and situations that the mentee has not.  By simply sharing these experiences with the mentee, and discussing what can be learned from them the mentee can gain significant knowledge beyond their more limited experiences.

The value of mentoring is significant, so if you choose to take a role as a mentor within your club, take it seriously.  Don’t treat it like taking the role of timer or vote counter at your weekly meeting, the role of a mentor carries much more weight.  While we may not have the same amount of responsibility in Toastmasters that Mentor had in raising Telemachus, we must treat the opportunity to mentor with the same amount of respect.

You should give it a try!

What a journey it has been! I remember when I first joined Afterburners in June of 2010, I felt that this club could really nurture me and help me grow. Working with people was and still is my great passion, I always admire them for their achievements and it makes me push my own limits and strive to reach my own goals.

It was May of 2011 when the nominating committee asked me if I would be willing to serve as one of the club officers. A little bit hesitant and intimidated, but I said, "Yes I can give it a try". Soon I was elected as the club's VP Membership and agreed to serve for the whole year term. It was such a wonderful experience doing my duties, which includes answering guests' inquiries about the club, and greeting them when they come in and visit our meetings. I'll always remember those reactions when they first saw a chair reserved for them and their name printed on a table tent card! Those little gestures spoke for themselves and made them felt welcome even before I was able to shake their hands.

Do you think I'd already had enough?  A year after I stepped up as the VP Education for a 6 month term. Doing this, another rewarding role of working with my fellow members, really made me very proud of being part of this organization, particularly with this club. Proud enough and wanted to grow more, so, I ran for another term.

I have had several conversations with fellow club members, thanking me for my contributions to this club which I strongly believe that everyone should give it a try even if they are new to the organization.

Now, I just to want say, "Thank You!" It has been my pleasure and honor to have served you all, and I am grateful that I tried.

Submitted by Rose Timmons

Life begins outside your comfort zone

Last autumn, my supervisor invited folks at my workplace to participate in a personality assessment called DISC, which is an acronym for the four personalities it represents:  dominance, influence, steadiness, and conscientiousness.  My assessment results placed me solidly in the conscientiousness category.  The bottom line is that I am most comfortable when I can work within existing circumstances to ensure quality and accuracy – I am a perfectionist. 

While this personality type has many beneficial qualities, it also means that I tend to avoid risk and live in my comfort zone.  That can be limiting, and because I am aware of the weakness, I MUST constantly strive to stretch myself and take on roles outside of my comfort zone.  Often my richest and most rewarding life experiences come from time spent outside that comfort zone.

If this rings true for you as well, here are two recommendations to help your next Toastmasters trip outside the comfort zone come easier.

Align yourself with an accomplished mentor who can help you overcome weaknesses

I was immediately assigned a mentor when I joined Afterburners and it gave me a critical boost of confidence.  My mentor—Jodie—wasted no time in prompting me to volunteer for club roles and begin working on my next speech.  Most importantly, she told me to always have a speech in my figurative pocket. 

For someone like me, whose tendency is to approach new situations slowly and methodically, figuring everything out before I make a move, Jodie’s gentle insistence that I take on roles sooner rather than later was just the encouragement that I needed.  This paid off recently when my travel arrangements changed and allowed me to attend a meeting where I was not on the schedule, and bad weather kept one of our scheduled speakers from attending.  The Toastmaster of the day asked if I could fill in, and thanks to Jodie’s advice, I had a speech in my pocket.  I gave my speech and as usual, when it was over, realized that leaving my comfort zone was worth it yet again.  If you know you have a particular weakness, then align yourself with a mentor who can help you overcome it and flourish.

Choose a club with (or establish in your club) a system for encouraging leadership positions

It has also been my tendency to avoid taking on leadership roles before I understood the parameters, framework, or hierarchy into which I would be moving.  Fortunately, Afterburners is a club endowed with experienced Toastmasters who genuinely care about growing and developing new leaders.  Instead of waiting until I understood everything before volunteering for a club officer role, the current officers of  the club encouraged even the newest members to take on leadership roles – not because they are qualified to do them, but so that they can learn and become qualified in each topic area.

A few weeks ago, the outgoing VP Education for this term called me to ask if I would be interested in serving as VP Education next term.  My initial reaction was, “Oh my gosh, I’m not ready!”  But I recognized this habitual response as a weakness, and confronted it by saying yes.  Again, I find myself being stretched outside my comfort zone as I learn about and prepare to take on this new role.  But with practice, even that space outside your comfort zone becomes familiar and you learn to respond to and overcome your weakness. 

Go forth and begin life outside your comfort zone.

People and Passion for Development

What I like about Afterburners can be summed up in the club's motto: "We don't take ourselves seriously but we are serious about speaking." It is the interest in personal development and the people that keeps me coming to Afterburners' meetings. 

In the 11 years that I have been a club member. I have seen  members go from raw rookies to become accomplished speakers and to develop into leaders. Some have even gone on to achieve the coveted Distinguished Toastmasters designation not once but twice.

The club's dedication to the Toastmaster's development path has earned it the President's Distinguished designation numerous times. If you stay in Afterburners you can not help developing your speaking and leadership skills. I know I have.

Afterburners has fun people who are great people to be around. There is diversity in the club in skills, age, and backgrounds. Consequently there always are club speeches containing ideas that are fresh and interesting. And always there is someone that you can learn from.

Afterburners members are there for you. They were there for me seven years ago when I had a personal tragedy. And they were there for me on a recent occasion when I was Toastmaster for the evening. At the last minute, we had several members with meeting roles who could not be there. But that was no problem. Other members there quickly volunteered to take the available opportunities. 

I have been a member of four different Toastmasters clubs and attended the meetings of many more. None can match the experience of being an Afterburner. 

Afterburners - people and a passion for personal development. 

It takes a village...

An important lesson I gained at TM recently was the gracious assistance I received when I lost my place as general evaluator.  I remembered my first time as general evaluator about a year ago. My anxiety was high, very high. What a contrast to my most recent opportunity. Several members chimed in to guide me through the process. 

Gary Chiu befriended me when I first joined the club, and has continued to mentor me many times by sitting next to me and helping me understand the progressive flow of the meeting. I consider him a valuable and trusted friend.  I regard this process of learning in a friendly and supportive environment as a joyful growth experience.  

Many in the club are looking out for my growth, and urging me to keep going. This has been a rich experience for me, to err among trusted friends and become wiser for the effort.  I am constantly and consistently inspired by Holly who keeps pressing onward.  Her courage and determination are assets to the club, certainly a valuable lesson for me.  I make a point to reinforce my delight in her development with written feedback and words of encouragement.  

One who is always pushing, pulling, twisting, inviting, urging, supporting me, holding my feet to the fire is Rose, our VP-Education.  She treats me as a cherished adopted orphan, always directing me to growth opportunities.  

The week previous to my general evaluator outing, Jody unleashed a few table topics that facilitated much introspection. The respondents had to look deep inside to respond.  I was intent on listening. Wow!  I was drawn to see the tenderness in the hearts of my friends.  

May I give as much as I have received, if that be possible.    

Submitted by Jim Hummel

Uncomfortable? Not for long!

Afterburners Toastmasters Club....Where do I begin? I was immediately drawn into an energetic group of individuals where my first impression was formed when a member froze on a table topics appointment. When her condition became apparent to the other members, they quickly rallied and tossed ideas her way in order that she complete the challenge successfully. I wanted to be a part of a group that genuinely wants you to succeed.

But it wasn't until a very recent meeting when I truly valued my membership. I brought my teenage daughter, who has a very long history of stage fright, to a particularly spontaneous and jovial meeting. At the conclusion, when asked her opinion, she stated, of her own free will, that she enjoyed it and would return. While that is a far cry from participation, it speaks volumes to me and my hope of helping her to develop the leadership qualities within her. 

I am learning to embrace being uncomfortable and look forward to growing within this group. Watch out world!

Submitted by Laurie Dulin

Why Am I Still a Toastmaster? Because I Learned How to Speak and Lead — and I Love It

Jodie Sanders —
the classic club underachiever

Let's go back to September, 2008, when I first joined Afterburners. I had recently been laid off and job prospects were horrible, especially for people my age. Being at a loose end, I thought Toastmasters was as good a way as any to occupy my time.

Speaking skills? Didn't really need them for anything. At the time, our club didn't emphasize the CL manual, so the subject of leadership skills never came up. I took a year and a half to do five speeches. I was the classic club underachiever.

Then I was drafted as Vice President Public Relations. Surprisingly, my commitment to Toastmasters started to grow. I finished my Competent Communicator and I started doing advanced speeches.

At that time, I had no particular plans to take my Toastmasters involvement any further. Then two things happened. First, I was asked to be the News Editor for our district. Because I was not planning to be a club officer again, I thought “I’ll have plenty of time for this.” Then the second thing happened. Our club’s newly-elected president moved out of state, and I was asked to take her place. When I said yes, I thought to myself “Am I crazy?”

Now I was really, truly, and deeply into Toastmasters. Being News Editor was fun. And being the president was a challenge, and that experience developed my leadership skills like lifting weights builds muscles!

This year, I am an area governor. I oversee and assist six Toastmasters clubs to better serve their members and to reach their goals. My favorite part is celebrating their successes with them — like a new member joining or someone making their 10th speech.

Four years ago, I would never have imagined that I would be excited about giving lots of speeches, but a big plus of my current position is that I get to do just that. Now, I never turn down an opportunity to speak. As far as being a leader goes, both big and small leadership opportunities come my way quite often now. As a Toastmaster, I feel I am truly flying high!

Jodie Sanders

Why Am I a Toastmaster? The Answer Is in a Story

Phillip Silas

That is a simple enough question, but I have so many answers. However, I will narrow it down to one answer with a story.

One summer growing up, I was sick with some kind of summer flu that kept me bedridden, close to the house and away from regular summer fun. My friends and I were all a part of the local recreational boxing club. And that summer would prove to be a breakout year for the better boxers. Needless to say, I was considered one of the better boxers.

Well, of course I wasn't able to compete because of my illness, but my higher-ranking slot as a "better boxer" had to be filled. So it was filled with a not-so-better fighter. Long story short, all the fighters received a boxing jacket because of their participation.

Having that boxing jacket was like winning an Olympic medal, and the glory, status and perks you receive from the world.

As I go through my daily routines in life, and interject through conversations that I am a Toastmaster, I seem to always receive a sense of awe. So, because of this response and feeling, I will always be involved with Toastmasters, because to me, I finally got my jacket.

Phillip Silas

How Did I Get to Toastmasters?

Bill Erwin

Why am I a Toastmaster? First I have to tell you how I got here, then I'll explain why I’ve stayed with the club even after it met my needs.

As a kid I moved frequently, so I found ways to keep myself busy without having to socialize. I was tested for Autism at a school in Oklahoma because I rarely talked to other kids. This proved to my teacher I wasn't the "stupid kid" she claimed me to be, and I was soon offered a slot in a higher grade.

However, my social skills were *lower* than those of my peers, and I missed that opportunity to keep myself challenged. I survived high school by inventing the concept "fake it until you make it,"  (someone else named it).  I hardly spoke to anyone, and worked after-school jobs that required minimum people skills.

Fast forward a few different job titles to my current employer, and I can say I had "made it" . . . almost. I still had difficulties speaking in front of groups unless I had worked through 100% of the details, and I couldn't "speak on my feet" at all. That’s why I joined Toastmasters.

During my first speech, my hands shook noticeably, as I told my life story to a group of 30 or so people. It was something I knew about, but I hadn’t put it into words before. This helped me "break the ice."  Performing different roles at the club acclimated me to speaking under new situations. Table Topics started as a short but painful vaccine, but it helped me build immunity to speaking with no preparation.

But you want to know why I'm still a Toastmaster, right? It's simply about the people, and their stories. I watch them become better speakers right before my eyes. My favorite part is watching them become mentors, and seeing them “pay it forward” to the next new member who is wondering...

Why did I come here?

Bill Erwin

Why Am I (Still) a Toastmaster?

Tammy Bailey

Many of you have heard me talk about my boyfriend Russ and his family. They live on a farm in Weatherford, and almost every weekend he goes out there. If I'm not otherwise occupied, sometimes I'll investigate the idea of going along, so I'll ask, "What are you doing at the farm today?" Inevitably, his answer is, "Oh, I don't know, but there's always SOMETHING to do!"

That's the way it is with Toastmasters. There's always something to do.

Many people join, complete their Competent Communication manual, then split with their ten speeches and a CC designation. But that's just not me. When I joined Toastmasters in 2006, I decided from the outset that if there was a goal, an ultimate "something" that could be achieved, that's what I was going to do, or else I wasn't going to do it at all. I set my sights on achieving the Distinguished Toastmaster designation, and by November 2008, I'd done it. The question in my mind at that time became, "Now what?"

"Now what?" turned out to be easily answered. I was a club officer, so there was no taking my DTM and riding off into the sunset. I had responsibilities to fulfill, and so I continued to come to meetings. After that officer term, I started serving in another capacity, and then another. People were depending on me for leadership, feedback, and assistance, and there was just no way I was going to let them down without a darn good reason.

If you're a club officer, you have leadership responsibilities. If you're on the agenda at a meeting, you have an obligation to prepare for your role to the very best of your ability. If you're not on the agenda for a particular meeting, you have the privilege of applauding and cheering on those who do have opportunities to fill, and in case one of them can't make it, you may get the opportunity to step up and be a leader yourself.

That's the beautiful thing about Toastmasters and why I'm still here after six years and two DTMs: There's always SOMETHING to do!

Tammy Bailey, DTM