Riding the Wave

It was my pleasure to attend the District 25 Spring Conference this year to Ride The Wave.  It was so impressive to hear all the wonderful stories from the keynote speakers.  Each one was so enthusiastic and eager to share their secret to becoming a leader and how Toastmasters provides the platform to refine the skills to be a leader.  The educational sessions were outstanding, but the opportunity to meet the other members of Toastmasters groups throughout this enormous District 25 was the best part of the weekend!  Every Area, Division, and District officer opens their arms to you and stands ready to support you and nurture your needs.  Any problem presented is met with solutions.  The positive energy at these conferences is electrifying!

Saturday night we honored the Dignitaries and those earning Distinguished Toastmasters level.  It was my honor to escort Steven Timmons, Division A Governor.  Not only has Steven served as Area and Division Governor, he hails from our own Afterburners Club.  I see how a home club acts as an incubator to build successful leaders — in Toastmasters and all other areas of life.

I am so proud to be a member of the Afterburners Club.  It creates an environment that can fulfill every member's goals.  Two years ago when I joined, I struggled to speak in front of any group (sweaty palms!).  But with their mentoring and encouragement, I entered a contest and actually won!  My first round of applause had me hooked!  I have entered almost every competition since.  None of this would be possible without the love and support of my own little incubator, Afterburners.

Laura Stewart
President

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