Dear Members and Friends of Bloomsbury Speakers
As the days get warmer and longer and with the end of the Toastmasters now in sight at the end of June, I thought it might be a good time to reflect on our year so far.
Since July the club has welcomed 12 new members, each of them bringing their own unique stories, but a common desire to step outside of their comfort zone. We have seen a few of existing members earn their Competent Communicator award, Competent Leader award, and even an Advanced Communication award (well done Helen!). We’ve had to say a sad farewell to our old venue at the Clerk & Well, but we gleefully bid good riddance to our old club motto. We’ve also modernised our website and picked up an award for our PR efforts on social media.
Most importantly though, we’ve had the pleasure of witnessing so many of our members grow in their abilities in speaking, listening and leadership, and all in the warm and supportive atmosphere that Bloomsbury Speakers prides itself on.
Perhaps now is also a good time to ask yourself what your goals are at Toastmasters over the next few months. Maybe you’re an advanced member who wants to take it up a gear by running a workshop, or booking in some challenging speeches? Maybe are you a relatively new member looking get through the next few speeches of the Competent Communicator manual, or work on your evaluation skills? Whatever your goals, my recommendation is to seize all the opportunities that Toastmasters brings!
On that theme, the end of the Toastmasters year is when we ask all club officers to step down from their positions to give our newer members the chance to be part of the leadership team. Do you have creative ideas about how the club can bring in guests, drive engagement, and help our members realise their full potential? Being on the leadership team comes with a few responsibilities and challenges, but it is through these that we learn the most.
I can honestly say my experience as VPE and then President has been huge at helping me to recognise my strengths and constructively address my weaknesses in a leadership role. There are several roles to choose from on the committee, with varying degrees of time commitment and responsibility, so come and talk to us to find out more.
Have a great weekend, and see you at the next meeting!
Sheldon
President, Bloomsbury Speakers
