5 May 2011

What to Do at the

Interview

The Art ofComplaining

Bahrain ClubEnjoys RichRewards

www.toastmasters.org The Ten Rules of Leadership

Tips for landingyour first job

May 2011

2 TOASTMASTER May 2011

V I E W P O I N T

Many years ago, I heard a Toastmaster com-ment on how this organization teaches us emo-tional intelligence (EQ) and how important it isin the development of highly effective leaders. I

ran to my nearby bookstore and began the long journey to understandingemotional intelligence. Some say that IQ (intelligence quotient) might get youa job, but your EQ is what enables you to keep it.When Daniel Goleman, a psychologist and author of the 1995 bestselling

book Emotional Intelligence, compared cognitive skills, technical skills, IQ and EQ, he found that emotional intelligence proved to be twice as importantas those other qualities for jobs at all levels. This is never truer than in the leadership roles we fill at the club, area, division, district, Board and international levels. Goleman outlines five components of emotional intelligence:

Internally focused1. Self-awareness begins our EQ development. People with a high degree ofself-awareness are aware of their strengths and weaknesses and are able totalk about them.

2. Self-regulation flows from self-awareness. People with this trait are able tocontrol their impulses and/or channel them in a specific direction.

3. Motivation relates to possessing a passion for achievement for its ownsake, not because someone requires it of you. This is the principal ingredi-ent for developing effective leadership.

Externally focused4. Empathy takes into account the feelings of others when you make decisions. This is different from taking on everyones troubles.

5. Social skills are the culmination of the previous four traits and include the ability to build rapport with others, foster cooperation and inspire participation.Take a moment and consider how these traits relate to you and your

Toastmasters opportunities. We can boost our emotional intelligence, but notthrough the traditional training programs that target the rational part of ourbrains. We are able to become more effective, emotionally intelligent leadersonly through extended practice, feedback from colleagues and our own enthu-siasm for making the change. We in Toastmasters have the opportunity todevelop EQ through our ongoing supportive learning environment while wefulfill our various roles.Sounds just like what we do best, doesnt it? Lets build our EQ together in

Toastmasters!

PublisherEditorAssociate Editors

Editorial AssistantArt DirectionGraphic Design

Daniel Rex

Suzanne Frey

Beth BlackPaul Sterman

Michelle Tyler

Susan Campbell

Deidre Gaffney

International President

International President-Elect

First Vice President

Second Vice President

Immediate Past President

Executive Director

Secretary-Treasurer

Pat Johnson, DTMVictoria, British Columbia, Canada

Michael R. Notaro, DTMAlameda, California

John Lau, DTMKuching, Malaysia

George Yen, DTMTaipei, Taiwan

Gary Schmidt, DTMClackamas, Oregon

Daniel RexMission Viejo, California

Sally Newell CohenMission Viejo, California

Emmy Hager, DTMEverett, Washington

ASSIGNED TO REGION 1

Ken Cawley, DTMStockton, California


Kevin Doyle, DTMHonolulu, Hawaii


Pamela McCown, DTMPasadena, Texas


Jacquie Schnider, DTMCalgary, Alberta, Canada


Ron Kirchgessner, DTMGreenwood, Indiana


Gina Cook, DTMKanata, Ontario, Canada


Heath Suddleson, DTMPotomac, Maryland


Pamela Christopher, DTMUnion Grove, North CarolinaASSIGNED TO REGION 8

David Hollingshead, DTMJacksonville, FloridaASSIGNED TO REGION 8

Susan Dalati, DTMManotick, Ontario, CanadaASSIGNED TO REGION 9

Roberta Perry, DTMLos Angeles, CaliforniaASSIGNED TO REGION 10

Theo Black, DTMWayzata, MinnesotaASSIGNED TO REGION 11

Mike Storkey, DTMAirlie Beach, Queensland, AustraliaASSIGNED TO REGION 12

Keith Ostergard, DTMBeijing, ChinaASSIGNED TO REGION 13

Gea Ban Peng, DTMSingaporeASSIGNED TO REGION 14

TOASTMASTER

The TOASTMASTER Magazine (ISSN 00408263) is published monthly byToastmasters International, Inc., 23182 Arroyo Vista, Rancho Santa Margarita,CA 92688, U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at Mission Viejo, CA and additionalmailing office. POSTMASTER: Send address change to The TOASTMASTERMagazine, P.O. Box 9052, Mission Viejo, CA 92690, U.S.A.

Published to promote the ideas and goals of Toastmasters Inter national, anon profit educational organization of clubs throughout the world dedicatedto teaching skills in public speaking and leadership. Members subscriptionsare included in the $27 semi annual dues.

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Printed on Recycled Paper

TI OFFICERS AND DIRECTORSFounder Dr. Ralph C. Smedley (1878-1965)

2010-2011 OFFICERS

2010-2011 DIRECTORS

TOASTMASTERS INTERNATIONALP.O. Box 9052 Mission Viejo, CA 92690 U.S.A.

(949) 858-8255 Fax:(949) 858-1207Voicemail: (949) 835-1300members.toastmasters.org

CONTACTING WORLD HEADQUARTERS

For information on joiningor building a club, visit: www.toastmasters.org

Article submission: [email protected]

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Pat Johnson, DTMInternational President

I have found ... that the most effective leadersare alike in one crucial way: They all have ahigh degree of what has come to be known asemotional intelligence. Daniel Goleman

IQ versus EQ

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TOASTMASTER May 2011 3

A Toastmasters PromiseAs a member of Toastmasters International and my club, I promise . . .

To attend club meetings regularly; To prepare all of my speech and leadership projects to the best of my ability,

basing them on projects in the Competent Communication manual, AdvancedCommunication manuals or Competent Leadership manual;

To prepare for and fulfill meeting assignments; To provide fellow members with helpful, constructive evaluations; To help the club maintain the positive, friendly environment necessary for all

members to learn and grow; To serve my club as an officer when called upon to do so; To treat my fellow club members and our guests with respect and courtesy; To bring guests to club meetings so they can see the benefits Toastmasters

membership offers; To adhere to the guidelines and rules for all Toastmasters educational and

recognition programs; To maintain honest and highly ethical standards during the conduct of all

Toastmasters activities.

What to Do at the Interview Try these tips to land your first job.By Jennifer L. Blanck, ACS, AL

PAGE 8

How to ComplainEffectivelyUse your skills to tell the truth.By Joann McCabe

PAGE 16

Bahrain Corporate ClubEnjoys Rich Rewards Gulf Petrochemical Industries offers payincreases to members who reach goals.By Dean Sheetz, ACG, CL

PAGE 24

& 2 Viewpoint: IQ versus EQ By International President Pat Johnson, DTM

4 Letters to the Editor

5 My Turn: An Education of the First DegreeHow my club helped me succeed in college.By Kimberly M. Taylor, ACS

6 Profile: Lessons Learned . . .and Shared ! Standout speaker finds inspiration in mentoring. By Julie Bawden Davis

12 How to Make a Great First Impression By Kevin Eikenberry, ATMS

14 Manner of Speaking: Mastering the Ceremony How I kept my promise on my nieces wedding day. By Jack Vincent, CTM, CL

19 Funny You Should Say That! If You Experience Any of These Symptoms . . . Why drug warnings are hard to swallow. By John Cadley

20 The 10 Rules of Leadership Exceptional leaders encourage magnificence over mediocrity. By Eric Harvey and Steve Ventura

22 You, Too, Can Be a Leader Filling club meeting roles will help you reach your goals. By Beatrice Joyner, CC, CL

27 Why Leaders Fail The distance between beloved leader and despised failure is shorter than we think. By Mark Sanborn, CSP, CPAE

28 Becoming a Boss A job promotion brings

new workplace dynamics. By Devyani Borade

ARTICLESDEPARTMENTS

FEATURES

May 2011Volume 77, No. 5

LETTERS


to charter, despite the negative connotations I assigned to thephrase. It took me nearly a year to appreciate the phrase hear meout as assertive, not argumentative. A GLBT-focused club provides

an opportunity for its members toexercise personal and professionaldevelopment in an environment in which their life experienceshave relevance, one in which theincidental mention of a same-sexpartner or a cultural event will notraise some eyebrows and furrowothers. To deny a member of anyother club permission to mentionher spouse, education or faith jour-ney would be an appalling disser-vice to the entire club. Thank you,Toast masters, for helping me togrow, and thank you, my fellowToast masters, for hearing me out. David Whitner, DTM Hear Me Out Toastmasters Kansas City, Missouri

No Need for Perfect WordsIn response to the article Cutting out Filler Words (February), I believea major reason speakers use fillerwords is because they are trying toohard. For any subject, there are usuallyseveral ways of saying the same thing.If you are always looking for the bestway (assuming there is one), thenyou will invariably find yourself insert-ing ums, ahs, you knows andother distractions. Sacrificing fluencywhile searching for the best word orwords just isnt worth it. So go withwhat you have. If something comes out of your

mouth that you think you couldhave said better, simply start yournext sentence with, To be moreprecise . . . , then say it better. Thistechnique will not only keep yourspeech fluent, it will make youappear to be the master of yoursubject, not its apprentice. Philip Yaffe, ACB, CL Claddagh Toastmasters Brussels, Belgium

confident that my training with Toast -masters enabled me to do my best.All of us can speak for a cause

and ultimately a cure. Will youaccept the challenge?Debi Meeks, CTM ACLI club Washington, D.C.

Aspiring to High OfficeIve served in various Toastmastersofficer roles, including club presi-dent and division governor, but Inever knew what the internationalofficers actually did and what theirqualifications to serve were. I want to thank Past Inter national

President Ted Corcoran, who taughtme so much about the role of ourinternational officers (A Call for StrongLeaders, November). I learned aboutthe role of the Board, candidates, nominations and elections. I nowhave a dream! As the Chinese proverbsays, The soldier who doesnt want to be a general is not a goodsoldier. Who says I cant becomeToast masters International Presidentor a member of the Board of Directorsin the next five or 10 years?Joseph Hu, ACB, ALB Lighthouse Shanghai ToastmastersShanghai, China

A Voice HeardI was thrilled to see my home club,Hear Me Out, mentioned in the arti-cle Whats In a Name? by CraigHarrison (March). My experience with the club name was a complicat-ed one. I reluctantly suggested thename as this Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Trans gender-focused club prepared

Lithuanian Club Conquers ChallengeWhen the officers in our club inVilnius, Lithuania, challenged us to organize our first official speech contest, we could hardlyfind vol unteers, judges, timers orguests. Everything seemed toocomplicat ed or too scary for noreason. Fortunately, acquired habitsof leadership helped us do the rightjob. Very slowly we covered thecontest roles, signed up speakersand started public relations efforts. By the day of the event, things

had completely turned around.People ended up giving better speech-es, becoming better friends and, bestof all, showing guests the activities ofour club. We drew a few potentialmembers that day! The event changedall of us, lifting our attitudes, spiritsand self-confidence.Remigijus Gineitis, CL First Toastmasters of Lithuania Vilnius, Lithuania

Speaking Up for a CauseThe article by Julie Bawden Davisthat showcases Kyle Bryants speak -ing skills (Kyle Bryant: Cycling fora Cure, February) is truly inspira-tional. Rather than feeling sorry forhimself, Bryant has become thechampion of a cure for his raregenetic condition.Surviving a pulmonary embolism

gave me the opportunity to speakbefore an unknown audience: theInternet. When the Vascular DiseaseFoundation contacted me to producea video about my ex perience, I wasnaturally nervous. However, I am

Do you have something to say?Write it in 200 words or less, signit with your name, address andclub affiliation and send it to [email protected].

Members of First Toastmasters of Lithuania

MY TURN

May 2011 TOASTMASTER 5

An Education of the First Degree

I attended our meetings, the synergyin the room swept me off my feet.My fellow members taught me howto remain focused on my goals inorder to achieve success.

That lesson was vital, because mygoals expanded. At that point, myeducation ambitions stretched beyonda bachelors degree. After enrolling in graduate school in March 2008, Iachieved a masters degree in AdultEducation. I finished in the summerof 2010 at the age of 45. With thatjourney, too, Toastmasters made allthe difference. As I approach the nextplateau in my educational journey achieving the Advanced Communi -cator Gold award I must say thatToastmasters has indeed been a life-changing experience.

Kimberly M. Taylor, ACS, is a memberof Talk of the Town Toastmasters in New York City. She is the foun -der of Teachers for Technology,LLC, an education technology consulting firm. Reach Kimberly at [email protected].

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Jordan and Shirley Chisholm. In addi-tion, my posture changed as I stoodupright and faced the audience.

After I finished my Ice Breaker,the positive feedback from the audi-ence was incredible. I realized that I actually enjoyed public speaking! Icouldnt wait to attend the next meet-ing and found myself counting downthe days to my next project speech.

The Toastmasters educational pro -gram had an enormous impact onme. My self-confidence grew rapidlyand I discovered that participating inthe various leadership roles, such asToastmaster of the Day, Sergeant atArms and Topicsmaster, dramaticallyimproved my communication skills.

You Can Do It TooI wholeheartedly encourage allToastmasters to take advantage of the educational program. Further -more, participating in the leadershiptrack enables you to develop valu-able career-building skills. For exam-ple, while serving in the role of vicepresident education, I gained criticalleadership skills in the areas of teambuilding, time management andstrategic planning.

My journey to receive my bache-lors degree was a long one: It lasted10 years, while I worked full time asa professional and attended classespart time. However, after many gru-eling hours of study and countlessstressful workdays, I graduated. Whatwas my secret to success? Toast -masters. Its positive impact helpedme endure and overcome manyobstacles. During difficult times inmy life, club meetings became aplace where I could disconnect frommy daily stresses. In fact, whenever

How my club helped mesucceed in college.

I attended my first Toastmastersmeeting in July 2006. A co-workerrecommended I check out the orga-nization after I mentioned that mydream job was to become a motiva-tional speaker, but that I felt toobashful for such a pursuit.

I visited a meeting of Talk of theTown Toastmasters in New York City.As I entered the room, the atmospherewas warm, friendly and supportive.After I introduced myself, I rememberthinking that this club might open upa whole new world for me.

Indeed it did. I have been in the Talk of the Town club for nearlyfive years now. The positive learningenvironment and the supportive feed-back I receive from my fellow clubmembers have inspired and enlight-ened me. Toastmasters helped mepersevere to the finish line in mylong journey to earn a bachelorsdegree in business administration. I achieved my B.A. in 2007, at theage of 42.

Simply stated, Toastmastershelped change my life.

Taking the PlungeI vividly remember my Toastmastersbeginnings, when I joined Talk of theTown a month after I attended thatinitial meeting and received myCompetent Comm unication manual.The following month, I delivered myIce Breaker. Feeling safe with thisgroup, I stood behind the lectern anda warm, comfortable feeling cameover me. To my surprise, the shynessand timidity I had experienced mostof my life began to disappear. Duringthe speech, I imagined myself pos-sessing the oratory skills of famousfemale politicians such as Barbara

Kimberly M. Taylor, ACS


PROFILE

By Julie Bawden Davis

Lessons Learned .. .and Shared!carpenter. When he was in hismid-20s and he and his wife, Judy,were starting a family, a fellowchurch member asked Weldon tobecome a commissioned salesman.

The guy said hed pay me whatI was worth according to my salesand, at the time, I didnt think I wasworth very much, recalls Weldon.Despite 1,200 sales calls during myfirst four months on the job, I onlymade one sale and $48. At my firstreview, the manager told me I wasthe worst salesman he had everseen. Then he handed me a recordand told me to listen to it. When I told him I didnt dance, he ex -plained that it was a motivationalspeaking record. It contained thepresentation, The Strangest Secret,by Earl Nightingale. Judy and I listened to the record many timesover the course of a week. Weabsorbed the main message, whichis that we be come what we thinkabout most of the time. I changedmy thinking from what I couldntdo, to what I could do.

Weldons change of attitude soonpaid off when he became the com-panys number one salesman, land-ing himself a promotion and theopportunity to leave cold wintersand snow behind for a new positionin Arizona. After relocating, he gavea presentation at a sales meeting.After I spoke, an attendee told methat my talk was the worst hed everseen. He then invited me to my first

In 1969, when Joel Weldon gavehis second speech in Toast masters,he received an evaluation thatwoke him up and positively changedthe course of his life forever.

The evaluator, Russ Backus,stood up and asked me if I had just given a stoplight speech, saysWeldon. Backus meant that Weldonhadnt prepared ahead of time, sug-gesting he wrote the speech on theway to the meeting. He was right,says the longtime member and 1989Golden Gavel recipient. I hadntprepared for the speech.

Backus threw down the gauntlet,daring Weldon to do better. Weldonrose to the challenge and became ahighly paid and recognized full-timeprofessional speaker. Since 1974,when he placed third in the Toast -masters International Speech Contest,Weldon has appeared in front of morethan 2,800 audiences and garnered avariety of awards, including inductioninto the Professional Speakers Hall ofFame and being named Legend of theSpeaking Profession in 2006. A chartermember of the National SpeakersAssociation (NSA), Weldon regularlyleads seminars and shares his exper-tise as a speech coach.

A Lifelong StoryLook at Weldons career and youmight assume that he long agoobtained what he needed fromToastmasters, but Weldon will tellyou otherwise. Being a Toastmasterquenches his constant thirst for self-improvement and allows him to help other members achieve their personal best.

At every meeting, I still learnsomething that helps me become aneven better speaker, says Weldon, amember of the CHATS Toastmastersin Scottsdale, Arizona. But the most

important reason why I stay is togive back to an organization that has given me so much. WithoutToast masters, I would never have the wonderful life I have today.

To inspire members, Weldonoften shares his humble beginnings.Growing up in the 1940s and 50sas the child of a single mother, hewas an anomaly for his generation.Perhaps as a result of not having afather, I was extremely shy, hadvery little confidence in myself anddid poorly in school, says Weldon,who grew up in New York. I rarelyspoke, but I was good at workingwith my hands, so I got a job as a

Standout speaker findsinspiration in mentoring.

Knowing that Joel started so low on the

totem pole made me realize that I could

succeed at public speaking too. Jay Rader


Toastmasters meeting. I went, whichturned out to be the best decision Iever made for my career.

Sharing His Gifts With OthersIts the stories about Weldons strug-gles along the way to success thatmake him such an effective mentorfor newer Toastmasters, says DebbieWaitkus, a member of both CHATSand the NSA. Its great when Joeltells his own story and talks abouthow Toastmasters helped him somuch, because it gives you the en -couraging news that great speakingskills are a learned behavior, shesays. When you hear how difficult it once was for him to even open hismouth and how embarrassed he wasat his first Toastmaster meetings, youcan appreciate being in those shoes,because a lot of us have been there.Weldon is considered the official

mentor of CHATS and shares aMentors Minute presentation (aboutthree to five minutes) at the closing ofevery meeting, with tips on being anexceptional speaker. For Jay Rader,who joined Toastmasters five yearsago, it was Weldons Mentors Minutethat kept him coming back when hewanted to run. Even though I was completely

petrified at the prospect of publicspeaking, hearing Joels three minutesof wisdom at the end of each meetinginspired me, says Rader, who is alsoa member of CHATS. Just hearinghim say that no matter how good of a speaker you are, you can stillimprove, made me realize that its a process for everyone, and it onlyworks if you keep on the course.Knowing that Joel started so low onthe totem pole made me realize that Icould succeed at public speaking too.

Mentoring Young PeopleKathleen Tomes joined CHATS in2003 when she was in her late 20sand also found Weldons mentoring

back doesnt advance speakers to thenext level Joels straight talk does.He can be counted on to tell a speak-er what he or she needs to hear.People listen when Weldon talks,

adds Waitkus. He carries a woodenpaddle in his briefcase. When hepulls it out, we all know that itstime to shape up our meetings, she quips.When it comes to mentoring,

Weldon is especially proud of hav-ing passed on the love of speakingto his daughter Jenny, a memberand officer of CHATS, and three ofhis grandchildren, who have gonethrough the organizations YouthLeadership Program.When I see my 11-year-old

grandson, Barrett, giving aPowerPoint Presentation titled,School Funding Versus PrisonFunding, in front of 400 peoplein the school auditorium, Im in awe of how powerful and far-reaching the Toastmasters program is, says Weldon. For more information about

Joel Weldon, visit his website at successcomesincans.com.

Julie Bawden Davis is a freelancewriter based in Southern Californiaand a longtime contributor to theToastmaster. You can reach her [email protected].

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inspiring and helpful. When Joelstood up at the end of my first meeting and presented his MentorsMinutes, I had an ah ha moment,says Tomes, who now appears on television programs as a babyproducts expert as a result of herToastmasters training. When he tells stories about his

own life and struggles with speak-ing, you realize that hes just likeyou. Joel always says that a publicspeech is a private conversationheld publicly, and practical advicelike that helps you become a betterspeaker and quite frankly, a betterperson. I call Joels mentoringadvice . . . brilliant common sense.Over his 41 years as a Toast -

master, Weldon has surprisingly not held a wide variety of leader-ship positions within the organiza-tion. Those who know him speakabout how he effectively directspeople and inspires them to bringout the best in themselves. Effective leaders say what needs

to be said regardless of the conse-quences, and Joel is no exception,says Marc Leach. Now in his mid-30s,he met Weldon when he joinedToastmasters in 2001. Its not alwaysfun to hear the truth about yourspeaking ability, but if there are pat-terns holding you back, you need toknow. Warm and fuzzy positive feed-

Joel Weldon


What to do at

By Jennifer L. Blanck, ACS, AL

Are you preparing for a job interview? Are you excited or maybe

nervous? Not sure what to expect? Maybe you feel like everything is

riding on the interview the job, your career, your life.

the Interview

Try these tips to land your first job.


For college students interviewing for their first jobs,and anyone who hasnt interviewed for a job in a longtime, interviews can be an especially stressful and over-whelming experience. But they dont have to be. Focusall your energy and consider the following recommen-dations to give your best interview and present yourselfas the candidate of choice:

Start Off StrongArrive at the location of your interview early 10-15minutes before the appointed time. That way, you canput that final polish on your appearance and be calmwhen you walk through the door. Greet everyone youencounter with a smile and a firm handshake.

Dont Assume AnythingPeople often assume that theinterviewer remembers whatson their resume and cover let-ter. Dont fall into this trap.Ideally, the person has had thetime to focus on your applica-tion before the interview, butall too often people are busyand this doesnt happen.

For example, your interviewer may have inter-viewed a number of people that day. Maybe the person received your application from a humanresources professional just before meeting with you.Or perhaps they read your resume the week beforeand havent revisited it since. If you assume the person knows what you have to offer, you will missopportunities to present yourself as the strongest candidate possible.

When you greet the interviewer, offer a copy of your resume. The person will likely have your resumein hand and decline. Only insist if its an up datedresume with critical new information.

It Doesnt Have To Be About Your Paid ExperienceYou dont always have to have full-time work in the specific field to show relevant experience or skills.Internships or volunteer positions can provide theopportunities you need to gain experience and demon-strate interest. When discussing your skills, experiencesand accomplishments, dont hesitate to use relevantanecdotes from all facets of your life. Even classroomactivities, such as group projects, can provide goodexamples to employers of how you can contribute.

Paid or unpaid experience is irrelevant to me, saysDavid Coffey, executive director of the Recovery Caf,

a nonprofit organization in Seattle, Washington. WhatIm listening for is do they truly care about this or arethey saying what they think I want to hear, and whatwas the situation and how did they handle it. Someonewho has been in a challenging situation and respondedin a creative, dynamic way is the sort of person I wanton my team.

When Answering QuestionsWhen it comes to interviewing, the key word is rele-vance. You always want to respond to questions in the most relevant way. Dont tell your life story if the person asks about your background. Instead, mentiononly those experiences, skills and other qualificationsthat would apply to the job or organization. (See the

accompanying article, Answering the ChallengingQuestions, for examples.)

Be sure you listen to the entire question beforeanswering. Interrupting the interviewer with rehearsedchunks of information about yourself can be perceivedas being rude and not answering the question, saysHelen Hindmarch, Manager of People & Performancefor Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu in Sydney, Australia.Always ensure you take the time to fully listen to thequestion being asked of you and ensure you do yourbest to directly answer the question.

You also want to be concrete and concise in yourreplies. Share specifics about things you have done andrelate those to how you can contribute to the organiza-tion. Whenever possible, demonstrate your knowledgeof the organization by noting similarities between yourbackground and the job or the employer.

Never answer questions in a negative fashion, suchas saying something bad about your current job, super-visor or organization. If you dont have experience in aspecific area, dont lie, be defensive or apologize.Remember, youre being interviewed, so you haveenough of what the employer wants. Instead, talkabout how youre a fast learner and give a specificexample of how you developed a new skill or knowl-edge base quickly in the past. Or offer ideas of howyou would tackle the challenge.

Be concrete and concise in your replies. Share

specifics about things you have done and relate

those to how you can contribute to the organization.


Taking Notes Can HelpJust as students take notes in their college classes,recording highlights during the interview can be help-ful for many reasons. Notes can help you rememberwhat was said when you evaluate the opportunitymore objectively later. It also provides specific infor-mation to incorporate into personalized thank you let-ters. Just make sure your notes are brief and youmaintain eye contact throughout the interview.

Having a notepad with you is helpful for other reasons. You can have your questions for the interviewerwritten down to help you remember them. (See side-bar for sample questions to ask.) You can also have asmall list in the corner of the page of the points youwant to make about your background, which will bethe key relevant skills, experiences and accomplish-ments you want to share. But dont have your resumein front of you; you should know that informationwithout prompting.

Be YourselfOne of the most important recommendations for an interview is to be authentic, notes EmmyYokoyama, country officer for the World Bank inLima, Peru. Otherwise, you could be lost in the middle of the conversation.

You want to be positive and enthusiastic, but your words also need to sound natural. If youre not being yourself, you wont know if youre the right fit. Remember, its just as important for you todecide whether you fit in there as it is for your potential employers to decide. If theyre uncomfort-able with the real you, then its a good indication that you should keep looking.

However, you want to be your most professional self at all times. Turn off all telephones and other noisemakers.Stay focused on the interview and the interviewer.

But dont be too formal, adds Yokoyama. I remembera candidate who was too formal and looked nervous. I hada feeling he might collapse any moment and wanted to finish the conversation quickly. And now that we use videoconferencing for interviews, its important for candidates tokeep in mind that their behavior can be amplified.

Final ThoughtsNever discuss salary during the interview. You always wantto wait until you receive an offer before talking aboutmoney. You have more influence when you know yourethe candidate of choice. If the interviewer tries to mentionsalary-related issues, you want to redirect the conversationto other topics so you arent caught in a negotiation beforeyou even have an offer.

Interviewing can be stressful, but you can channelyour nerves and be your best by incorporating thesestrategies. Make the interview experience work for you,and get that job!

Jennifer L. Blanck, ACS, AL, is Assistant Dean of Careerand Alumni Services for the Georgetown Public PolicyInstitute, at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.She is the founder and current vice president educationof the Georgetown Toastmasters.

Editors Note: This story is a follow-up to JenniferBlancks article Steps to a Better Interview, which ranin the September 2010 issue of the Toastmaster maga-zine. You can find the article on the Toastmasters website at http://bit.ly/jblanck.

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What are the most important characteristicssomeone in this position should have?

What attracted you to your current position?What do you enjoy most about your job?What do you expect from your staff?What is your management style? How would you characterize the management

philosophy of this organization? . . . of your department?

What are the current strengths and weaknesses ofthe staff that would report to me?

How has this organization changed in the past, andwhere does it expect to go in the future?

What is the top priority of the person whoaccepts this job? How will she or he be judged in 6-12 months?

What opportunities are available for professionaldevelopment?

Why are you hiring for this position?What are the next steps in this selection process?What is the timeline for hiring?When can I expect to hear from you?

Sample Questions to Ask EmployersAsk questions to show serious interest and initiative. You can also gain critical information about the job,organization, supervisor and colleagues by asking questions, as well as demonstrate your knowledge of theorganization. Of course, you shouldnt ask a question that is obvious or for which an answer can be found onthe organizations website.

Here is a list of useful questions to ask at a job interview:


Answering the Challenging QuestionsJennifer L. Blanck, ACS, AL

Certain questions pose problems for people, even if they are expected. Here are some examples,along with recommended approaches to responding:

Q: Tell me about yourself.This is a starter question often asked at the beginning of the interview. Many people are overwhelmed by this question and answer in a very basic, literal or chronological way. On generalquestions like this, you especially want to consider whats relevant and reply with that. Dont mention where you grew up or where you went to college. Instead, give a summary statement of the skills, experiences and accomplishments you have to offer thatdirectly relate to the job, employer or interviewer.

Q: What is your greatest weakness?For many people, this is the dreaded question. As with all questions,you want to reply honestly, but you also want to present yourself asstrongly as possible. Pick a weakness that is really a strength, or that isirrelevant to the position, or that shows you have learned somethingin the past and demonstrates your growth. Do not give a weaknessthat is key to the position.

Why does an interviewer ask this question? Sometimes becauseits expected, or she or he was asked it during an interview. The inter-viewer might want to see if you have prepared thoroughly for theinterview or if youre arrogant (I dont have any weaknesses). Ofcourse, some interviewees might reply with information that providesreal insight into their candidacy.

Q: Where do you see yourself in five years? in 10 years?This can be a tough question if you havent done your research. Manypeople automatically think they have to answer with a specific posi-tion. You can, but you can also reply in other ways. You can talk aboutadvancing in the overall field or taking on leadership roles at theorganizational or industry level. Of course, your answer needs to belogical for you and for the job, organization or field in question.

Q: Do you have any questions for me?/Is there anything else youwould like to talk about?If you havent had the chance to ask questions, now is the time. If you havent addressed one ofthe key points you wanted to, now is also the time.

If you have asked all your questions and dont have anything else to add, dont just answer no.Instead, you could reply that the interviewer has answered all your questions and you appreciatethe opportunity to interview. If youre still interested in the job, mention you are even more inter-ested in the position now and you hope to be joining the team, getting the job, advancing to thenext interview round or moving to whatever the next step is.

Q: Why should I hire you?This is the million dollar question and something to which you must have a ready answer. Its thewrap-up version of the Tell me about yourself query. This is the time when you present a summarystatement of what you have to offer the job and organization. The major difference in this answer isthat you want to incorporate anything youve learned during the interview into your reply.

For example, you started the interview assuming your project management, research and analysisskills were the most important. However, during the interview, you realized that communications skillsare also essential. Highlight your communications skills during the rest of the interview and the wrap-up.


like you. They simply need to feel comfortable know-ing that youre comfortable too. So relax.

Smile! Few things are more attractive than a real smile it doesnt matter if you are young or old, smiles make adifference. Whether youve spent thousands on your pearlywhites doesnt matter. Let people know you are happy tomeet them before a word is said. The best way to do that iswith a smile. The old line, smiles increase your face value,is an old line because its true.

Use a good handshake. While I grew up taking this forgranted, and have written about it in detail, this one simplycant be overlooked. A good handshake says things about youthat words never can. As a rule, keep your hand open andmake sure your handshake will be a hand shake not a finger or palm shake. Make your grip firm, and adjust it to the firmness of the other persons grip. Learn to give a great handshake. Practice it. Make it your habit.

Make eye contact. In most parts of the world, this isincredibly important. Everyone has heard it, everyoneknows it, but far too many people dont do it. This actually is good news for you because when you domake eye contact consistently, you will stand out.

Be genuine and real. Be yourself. Be natural. After all,you want peoples impression to be of who you reallyare, not of some mask you have created.

From time to time, we all have to meet new people.During those moments, you may not consciouslythink about the importance of making a good firstimpression. However, conscious or not, you alwaysmake an impression.

Sometimes, because of the person youre meetingor the situation youre in, you may want to makemore than just an impression; youll want to make it a great impression.

The good news is, you can make great first impressionshappen regularly and almost predictably by following afew suggestions. Surprisingly, these suggestions may notbe what you thought or have been taught.

Remember, since the impression is actually formed bythe other person, the fact is, what they think is ultimatelyout of your control. Even so, using these ideas will giveyou a greater chance to create impressions that lead to further conversations, goodwill, new relationships andadditional business, as well as greater job and life satisfac-tion. With those benefits in mind, lets look at how to make a lasting and good first impression:

Relax. You want the new client, you want the job,you want the date whatever the situation is, takethe pressure off of yourself! Relax and just be your-self. Think about it: You can tell when people areanxious or nervous, right? Does it make you moreattracted to them? No, it doesnt. However, you shouldremember that people you meet most often want to

How to Make aGreat First Impression

By Kevin Eikenberry, ATMS


Be interested, not interesting. This turn of words ispowerful. Often making a great first impression is equat-ed with impressing people. While that is true, most thinkabout impressing people as being about showing whatwe know, who we know or what weve done. You willmake a more powerful and lasting impression when youdont try so hard.

Ask more, say less. You will show your interest in theother person by asking more questions and talking less.When you ask, you are signaling your interest. Askinghelps you learn about the other person, and who doesntlike it when people want to know more about them?

Be confident. Being confident coupled with beingrelaxed leads to a projected self-assurance that is bothinteresting and attractive. Dont try too hard, and donttake confidence as your lone tip (notice I dont say over-confident or cocky); when you combine confidence withthe other suggestions in this article, your approach willbe more effective.

Be present. Being present means not looking for thenext hand to shake, not thinking about your own issues

or deciding how to move on. It is about being with the person you are meeting, for however long you are engaged with them in conversation. Many of theother tips on this list will happen naturally when you are truly in the moment with the person.

Remember, it isnt about you. Make the encounter as much about the other person as possible, and youwill make great first impressions most of the time. If you are especially nervous in networking situations or if you are reading these tips before an especiallyimportant meeting, remember this tip and apply it: It is all about the other person. As paradoxical as it may seem, making a good impression will comeeasiest when you focus not on yourself, but on theother person.

Kevin Eikenberry is a former Toastmaster (ATMS) and abest-selling author, speaker, consultant and trainer. Heis the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin EikenberryGroup, a learning consulting company that helps orga-nizations, teams and individuals reach their potential.Visit his website at kevineikenberry.com.

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By Susan Berkley

Recruiters and potential employers use phoneinterviews to narrow their list of job prospects and are ruthless about dumping the duds. A good firstimpression on the phone is the first step to a person-al meeting that can lead to a job. Heres how to do it:

1Conduct the call from a quiet place. Select a place where the caller wont hear leaf blowers,barking dogs, screaming children or kitchen noises.

2 Use a landline. Cell phone service is still unreliableand noisy. Be careful with Internet-based phone services, unless your interviewer insists on using a program such as Skype. If the option is yours, alwaysmake a landline your first choice.

3Give the caller your undivided attention. If youare focusing on documents on your computerscreen or desk while you are on the phone, youll geta distracted tone in your voice that the person youare speaking with can hear.

4Prepare for the call. If the call is the prelude to a job interview, review the company website.

Make notes and have questions ready. Have yourrsum close at hand.

5Speak enthusiastically. According to the WallStreet Journal, interviewers listen for vocal cues indicating qualities such as passion, profession-alism and enthusiasm. Allow interviewers to get a sense of your personality. But dont be too casual.Calling the interviewer dude or brother areinstant turnoffs.

6Follow up. After a phone interview, send a thank-you message that summarizes the conversationand reinforces your best selling points. Be sure touse correct grammar, punctuation and spelling.

From The Voice Coach Newsletter by Susan Berkley.Reprinted with permission. Copyright 2010. All Rights Reserved.

Susan Berkley is the author of Speak To Influence:How To Unlock the Hidden Power of Your Voice.For more information, visit greatvoice.com.

Success Secrets for Telephone Interviews


MANNER OF SPEAKING By Jack Vincent, CTM, CL

Mastering the Ceremonymasters is a laboratory of growth,she adds. You grow more if youexperiment more.

Mikael Esselius joined the BorasToastmasters, in Boras, Sweden, in2007, a time when he was embark-ing on his career in change manage-ment and executive coaching.

During my first year inToastmasters, almost all of myspeeches were related to my start-up consulting business, says Esselius, currently the division governor of the Nordic region inContinental Europe District 59.Back then, it was important to

develop my stories stories that put emphasis on teamwork throughchange. Then as I secured clients,everything was so much easier to implement.

There is no reason why you cant give a speech in a Toast mastersmeeting thats also going to helpyou outside of the club and in your career.

As my nieces wedding approach -ed, I decided to take this goodadvice and practice at a meeting.Toastmasters Zug met on theMonday before the wedding, andour vice president education cleared25 minutes on the agenda for me torehearse my officiant duties.

It hit me like a ton of bricks. I wasspending a long summer week-end in my hometown of Catskill,New York, when my niece and herfianc took me out to lunch. Theyasked me to be the officiant at theirwedding. It was an honor to accept.

The wedding was three monthsaway. For two months, I beamedwith excitement and pride. Then thebricks hit me.

As I began to research weddingofficiating in earnest one morning,the excitement turned to concern.

Then worry. Then complete angst.All in about 60 seconds.

If you mess up a speech or pre - sentation, you bear the consequences. But if you mess up a wedding ceremony, the bride and groom live with it forever. This reality hitme so hard, it almost knocked meoff my feet. Officiating a wedding ismore than delivering a speech. Itcalls for communication and leader-ship skills and a deft handling ofpsychological and spiritual issues.

It means appealing to the religiousbackgrounds of parents while alsotapping into a potentially differentspiritual awareness of the next gener-

ation.Its managing the input andwishes of people youve known andloved since birth. In my case, it wasalso like being the Toastmaster of theDay in your hometown ...when thestakes are high.

What had I gotten myself into?

Seeking Reassurance from ToastmastersGrappling with my growing uncer-tainty, I sought help from my Toast -masters club Toastmasters Zug, outside of Zurich, Switzerland. A year earlier, a club member, AndrewFrazer, used a club meeting to re -

hearse an important technical presen-tation he was to deliver to a client.He later told me that he left the meet-ing with greater confidence and withgood advice on how to improve thespeech. The work presentation,Andrew reported, went superbly.

Using club meetings to practiceall types of speeches is a great idea.Meetings are a safe place to practicecommunication for any area of ourlives, be it personal projects orcareer advancement.

In your average business pitch,you cant afford to take big risks. InToastmasters you can, says FlorianMueck of the Prestigious Speakersclub in Barcelona, Spain. Toast -

How I kept my promise onmy nieces wedding day.

Officiating a wedding is more than delivering

a speech. It calls for communication and

leadership skills and a deft handling of psychological and spiritual issues.


Rehearsing the RoleAn officiant, quite simply, assumesthe roles of a priest in a non-religious wedding, the Master of Ceremonies and (now the scarypart) the one whos supposed to manage the ceremony itself.Delivering smooth and eloquent oratory is almost taken for granted.

As I began to practice at our clubmeeting, two members jumped in and played the roles of the bride andgroom. Others performed the readingsthat family members would give. Notonly were my club members helpingme out, they were having fun in theprocess. While our club meetings sel-dom feel routine, this one was certain-ly out of the ordinary for everyone.

I hit a few snags that I would nototherwise have discovered until theactual wedding rehearsal whichwould have been too late. At thatpoint, the wedding party would belooking for leadership, not appren-ticeship. We went beyond my allocat-ed 25 minutes in the club meeting,because members empathized withthe importance of my duties and gaveme generous but candid feedback.

The biggest area for improvementwas my transitions. I needed tosmoothly conclude numerous piecesof oratory and then introduce a musi-cian or family member who woulddo a reading. I needed to pause confidently, introduce enthusiasticallyand incorporate welcoming gestureswith my hands as the contributorapproached the wedding party.

I also realized that I lacked full confidence in the culminatingmoment in a wedding ceremony.

on Saturday, on the banks of themajestic mid-Hudson River in NewYork, the actual wedding ceremonywent gracefully. Making such aspecial contribution to my nieceswedding is one of the great memo-ries of my life. So many Toast -masters skills came together when I needed them: being a master ofceremonies, facilitator, orator andleader. We can hone all these talents in our Toastmasters meet-ings to prepare for real-life events.

A few times during the ceremony,I noticed my niece and her fianclook to me with trust. This allowedthem, I felt, to open their senses to the many other beautiful things happening around them, and withinthem. Afterward, during the recep-tion, numerous friends and familymembers commended me for a jobwell done. Some even said I was a natural.

I was far from a natural. It wasthe preparation and practice thatmade things go smoothly. Nothingcan help you avoid being hit bythe proverbial ton of bricks onoccasion, but your Toastmastersclub can help you be prepared,and with a lot more confidence.

Jack Vincent, CTM, CL, is a sales consultant and author of Sales PitchesThat Snap, Crackle n Pop. Read his blog at BraveNewSales.com.

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The way I pronounced You maykiss the bride, just didnt sound right.So my club members encouraged meto practice it a few times, right thenand there, and work in some pauses.

You know this guy, right? onefellow Toastmaster cracked. Well,smile at the poor lad. Hell be morenervous than you!

Indeed.It is my greatest pleasure (slight

pause) to pronounce you husbandand wife. (Pause.) And you, sir . . .(pause, smile) .. .may kiss the bride.

The Closing ActThen there was the matter of the ceremonys conclusion. I had thoughtabout what I needed to do, but howwould I actually do it? So I rehearsedmotioning to the wedding party tofollow the bride and groom downthe aisle, and then motioning to theimmediate family in the first rows to follow them.

Slowly, the whole thing began to feel ceremonial and, at the sametime, natural.

My club members had given me a huge boost. Their enthusiasm andhelpfulness during the meeting wasbeyond my expectations. I had notonly tightened up the entire flow ofmy parts in the ceremony, I hadgained all the confidence I needed.

That Friday evening, the realrehearsal went smoothly. Then

Against the backdrop of New Yorks Hudson River,the author proudly stands with his niece, Carly RaeVincent-Lynch, and her husband, Terry Lynch.

How to ComplainEffectively

By Joann McCabe ACG, CLUse your skills to tell the truth.



customer praise letters can showhow valuable you are to thecompany. All the informationshould be relevant to the pointand promote your argument,much like how you chooseinformation for your speeches.

2 Get to the right department or person as soon as possible.Repeating a bad experience is frustrating enough withouthaving to repeat it severaltimes before you reach theperson who can actually dosomething about it. Go up thechain of command if you feel

your complaint is not taken seriously.

3Be clear and specific. What exactly is your complaint?For example, if your complaint is about a delayedairline flight that led to you miss your meeting, now isnot the time to complain about baggage fees. Focus onthe delayed flight. Dont bring along your own excessbaggage, so to speak.

4 Present your complaint in a logical, clear format. Aswith a great speech, start with a relevant openingthat will help focus attention on your complaint. Forexample, if you receive poor service at your favoriterestaurant, you might start by saying how often you frequent the establishment or how long you have been a customer. The introduction should lead into the cruxof your dissatisfaction and include the relevant informa-tion you gathered beforehand. Be clear about why youare complaining and what you expect as a resolution tothe problem. For instance, if you have a defective prod-uct, do you want it repaired or replaced, or do you wantyour money back?

5Whatever your gripe, keep requests reasonable andappropriate. You are more likely to get that raise if itis within your job positions salary range than if you askfor an unrealistic amount.

6Aim for a specific goal. State the ideal outcome butremain flexible. Maybe your boss cannot give you a 4 percent raise today but can agree to an immediate 2 percent raise or bonus and to revisit the topic in sixmonths when you have had time to prove yourself. Askfor a specific result but stay open to alternate resolutions.

7 Show the benefits of your proposed outcome and how itfits into the broader picture of improving the company,individual or group. Barlow, the author, points out thatmost sophisticated, high-level companies have high-quality

In a perfect world, we wouldnever have to complain. The real world, however, is different.There is an appropriate time andplace to express unhappinesswith a situation, just as there is a right and wrong way to do it. In Toastmasters, we strive toimprove our interpersonal com-munication skills, including theability to deal with conflict. Wecan use these skills to effectivelycomplain to someone whetherthat person is in the service indus-try, the business world, our work-place or at home.

It often seems easier toremain silent to not say anything about the under-cooked steak at the restaurant or the rude receptionist at the doctors office.

In fact, research shows that most customers do not complain, says Janelle Barlow, author of the book A Complaint is a Gift. Barlow says thats why its impor-tant to make your feelings known. When people finallydo voice their displeasure, We really have to see themas the spokesperson for all the other people who arenot saying anything.

Making a complaint is actually a gift to a company,she adds, because youre giving them information theymight not get any other way.

One man delivered such a gift to Virgin AtlanticAirlines. After taking a flight from Mumbai to London,Oliver Beale was so appalled by the in-flight meals thathe dashed off a letter to Virgin Atlantic complete withphotos of the offending foods. Beale described one custard-like dessert as a sour gel with clear oil on top.

Rather than just grumble about bad airplane food, thispassenger took action. And he got a response. Beale, anart director at an advertising agency in London, England,received a phone call from Virgin Atlantic boss RichardBranson himself. Furthermore, Branson personally invit-ed Beale to the airlines catering facility to select foodfor future Virgin flights!

How to Protest a ProblemHow can we complain effectively? What is the best wayto solve a problem? Actually, many strategies are similarto the ones we use when creating and giving speeches:You need to gather information, support your argumentswith facts, be specific, organized, clear and calm. Just asit takes time and effort to construct a great speech, ittakes time and effort to form an effective complaint.

1Gather pertinent information. If you feel your employ-er should pay you more, gather facts that supportyour argument. Comparative data, sales figures or

Unfair compensation,

a defective product,

poor service.

What do these

have in common?

All are opportunities

to complain.


customer service, but there is no guarantee. You canencourage them to rise to the occasion by saying some-thing like, Your company is better than this; I know it is.

People are often very responsive to a comment likethat, Barlow says. They also appreciate the fact thatyou appreciate things they do well. The companies thatare top-notch in their fields live and die by the feedbackthey get. If people simply go away and dont say any-thing, they have lost an opportunity. That is why mostorganizations of that caliber have empowered their front-line staff to handle things and to handle them quickly.

A Different ViewAnother school of thought recommends that, rather thanask for something specific, you leave the resolution of acomplaint open-ended and see what the company offers.Specific circumstances may warrant such a strategy buteither way, it is important to be prepared with a solutionthat is acceptable to you.

These tips may help you along:

Think ahead about objections and have a counter-response ready. Show you have thought this throughand are not simply reacting to a situation. Allow timefor discussion. Do not rush your presentation. Allow the other person to speak.

Tone is important: Avoid sarcasm, name calling orpersonal attacks on the individual trying to help.Focus on the company and the problem. As HenryFord once said, Dont find fault. Find a remedy.Focus on finding a solution, not laying blame.

Choose your battles. You do not want to be like the boywho cried Wolf! so many times that when a real wolfcame, no one paid attention. When you have a legitimatecomplaint, you want someone to pay attention.

Remain calm and professional. Be assertive but notaggressive. Think about how you can use the tech-niques you learn in Toastmasters eye contact, vocalvariety, pace, body language and word phrasing toexpress your feedback clearly and effectively.

Use your Table Topics experience to help you form aquick, concise complaint on the spot.

Dont be afraid to use humor when the opportunityarises. It can cut tension and helps keep the situationin perspective.

Call in a third party when necessary. Governmentagencies or trade organizations may offer support if your complaint is unresolved.

The Tricky Business of Giving FeedbackOne of the most difficult challenges is giving feedbackto a boss, employer or anyone with whom you wantto maintain good relations, such as a friend, colleagueor family member. In these types of situations, it isbest to start off very tentatively and consider theothers response before proceeding. Barlow, theincoming president of the Global Speakers Federation,says, I have found that the easiest way to talk tosomebody who is in a position above you, or anyonewith whom you want to be careful and maintain good-will, is typically to start off very gently. Frequently thatinvolves asking a question, Are you aware that . . . ? orIm just wondering, has it ever happened . . . ?

Questions [help soften the complaint], Barlowsays. Then, if they give you any kind of negative feedback, an indication that they dont want to hearthis, then you just stop at that point. But if they say to you, Im interested in that. Tell me whats goingon, then you can really engage in a dialogue with that person.

It is also important to choose the right time andplace for these types of conversations. Make sure other people are not listening and the person isntrushed. Saying the right thing at the right time andplace makes all the difference on how well your comments are received.

The Flip Side of Complaining: Receiving ComplaintsPerhaps you work for a company that receives complaints. Employees who are Toastmasters areequipped with tools to handle complaints. They knowhow to articulate their ideas to be better understood.They know how to listen to customers and, therefore,can be effective at addressing complaints. Rather thanshy away from difficult or uncomfortable situations,Toastmasters can use their communication skills tobuild the trust and rapport that are so important forcustomer service and loyalty.

Speak UpThe next time you are in a situation that warrants acomplaint, use your communication and leadership skillsto find a solution. The next time you buy a defectiveproduct, are underappreciated at work or experiencepoor service, speak up! Use your Toastmasters skillsto complain effectively.

Joann McCabe, ACG, CL, is a freelance writer and member of two Toastmasters clubs in Hilo, Hawaii. You can reach her at [email protected].

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Saying the right thing at the

right time and place makes all

the difference on how well

your comments are received.


FUNNY YOUSHOULD SAY THAT!

By John Cadley

about personal things. As far as I know, the medical history forevery one of my ancestors is thatthey died and went to heaven.One drug label advised me to tellthe doctor if I was born with aheart defect. As a certified WCSP, I told him I was born with a fearof having a heart defect, andbecause anxiety is bad for the heart I could say that at some point Iprobably would get a heart defect.He looked at me funny.A lot of these drugs have the

same side effects: headache, nausea,dry mouth and diarrhea. But someare just plain weird. I can take adrug for type 2 diabetes with thepossibility that I will experiencejerky movements, numbness aroundthe mouth and breath that smellsfruity. I could also experience irri-tability. Well, yes, I suppose I could,especially if I were jumping aroundthe room like a kangaroo withoutfeeling my mouth and exhaling theodor of rotten pineapple. The more drug warnings you read

and I read them all the more theyseem to be written by the same per-son, because the same phrases keepappearing to incite dread:

You should know... that thisstuff can kill you.

Seek immediate medical assis-tance .. . if you hear angels singing,Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.

Do not let anyone else takeyour medication .. .unless youwant to see how they react beforeyou take it yourself.

In clinical studies .. . some vol-unteers reacted in ways we neverthought possible and the results wereso horrifying, we all had nightmares.

I am a worst-case-scenario per son(WCSP). If I cut myself, I immedi-ately think tetanus and lockjaw. A walk in the woods convinces me that lyme disease in its most crippling form is just a matter oftime. Getting the flu takes me rightto those obituaries that say, He succumbed after a short illness.If I have to take prescription

drugs, its even worse. I dont haveto imagine the worst that could happen because the drug companyhas written it all out for me. Theyrecalled possible side effects, and fora WCSP its like reading your owndeath certificate. Theres usually onebenefit to the drug and 2,346 risks. I dont like those odds. For instance,I can get relief from arthritis if Imwilling to take my chances withunusual bleeding, itching, blisters,hives, swelling of 13 different bodyparts, difficulty breathing, back pain,yellowing of the skin, loss of appe -tite, lack of energy and painful urination. If any of these happen, I am to call my doctor immediately.Yeah, if I can crawl to the phone. I can imagine the conversation:

Doc: Hows the arthritis?Me: Fine.Doc: Whats the problem?Me: My face fell off.

Of course, they caution you totalk to your doctor and your phar-macist before taking the drug.Specifically, you are to advise themif you are allergic to things likeNSAIDS, naproxen and tamsulosin.As if you would know. You arealso to tell them if anyone in yourfamily has ever suffered from yourparticular ailment. I come from anIrish Catholic family. We dont talk

In case of an overdose .. .donttry to sue, because its your mistake,not ours.

Talk to your pharmacist . . . ifyou want complete reassurance fromsomeone whos never taken the drug.

Call your doctor .. .and havehim quickly re-read the brochure hegot from the drug rep to see if he canexplain why youre growing a tail.

Now that these drugs are adver-tised on television we get the samewarnings from a person who soundslike he or she has consumed a cook-ie jar of amphetamines. The first fiveseconds of the commercial show ahappy person walking along thebeach with a dog while the announc-er says, Now you can get relief frompain and get back to your life. Thenext 25 seconds are a mile-a-minutecompression of about 1,500 possibleside effects where you can only catcha phrase or two:

. . .rare but serious side effects haveoccurred . . .

...if you experience a sudden loss of...

. . .can result in coma and evendeath. . .

And this is all while the guy is stillwalking happily along the beach.Given all this, I thought my only

recourse was herbal remedies like beepollen and peppermint. Mother Naturewouldnt hurt you, right? Wrong. Beepollen can cause angioedema andpeppermint can give you bradycardia.I dont know what those are, but Imnot about to find out.

John Cadley is an advertising copy-writer in Syracuse, New York. Reachhim at [email protected].

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If You Experience Any of These Symptoms...

Why drug warnings canbe hard to swallow.


The10Rulesof Leadership

Exceptional leaders encourage magnificence over mediocrity.

Having a leadership positionand being a leader are notone and the same. Yourposition is something you wereappointed to . . . something youbecame eligible for by being a goodperformer. In all likelihood, whatyou did yesterday, as an individualcontributor, helped you get the titleyou hold today. And thats exactlywhat your position is: a classifica-tion, a title. Being a true leader,however, is significantly different.

Leader is a descriptor a designation you must earn through specific actions and behaviors. Itsbased on what you do today andwhat you will do tomorrow notwhats printed on your business card or engraved on your name tag.Simply put, to be a real leader youmust do the things that leaders do,and you must do them well. Thosethings can be summed up in the10 Rules of Leadership:

1Make What Matters Really Matter.Jot down the things that areimportant in your organization.Chances are your list will includewords and concepts like policiesand procedures, customer service,quality, profitability, teamwork,responsibility, ethics and integrity.Next, circle the items on your listthat really matter. (Its okay to circleall of them.) Finally, review yourlist, do a little self-reflection andanswer the following honestly:Would an outsider who was unfa-miliar with your organization knowwhat truly matters to you merely bywatching you? What behaviorscould you cite as evidence?

2Practice What You Preach.Practicing what you preachmeans that you do what you expectfrom others. Your team membersknow that although they areemployed by the organization, they

really work for you. So they look to you and at you for guidance anddirection. Just as you have expecta-tions of them, they have expectationsof you. They expect you to be trust-ing and trustworthy, careful andcaring, respectful and respectable,competent and committed. Theyexpect you to walk the talk.

3Communicate with Care andConviction. To be an effectiveleader, you must be an effectivecommunicator. That means payingcareful attention to what you say(the words you use and informa-tion you include) and how you sayit (your tone, style and delivery).Also, you must confirm that othershave heard the message correctlyand then monitor their reactions(what they think, feel and do inresponse). It adds up to beingconsiderate of your team membersconcerns and expectations. And it

By Eric Harvey and Steve Ventura


means communicating with othersthoughtfully and respectfully.

4Create the Involvement YouSeek. If you want team mem-bers to act more like partners,treat them more like partners. Itsjust common sense. People tendto act according to how theyretreated according to what theyperceive they are. Its simple:Expect team members to checktheir brains at the door, and thatsprecisely what many will do theyll respond as mere cogs in a wheel. But provide them withreal opportunities to participateand be involved give them more of a voice in your dailyoperation and theyll take more ownership.

5Do Right by Those Who Do Right.When team members meet your expectations or go beyondthe call of duty, make sure there is something in it for them. Andthat something needs to be morethan just continued employment.Whether its a special reward or a sincere thank you, the act of recognizing team members sendstwo messages: Good performancematters, and their contributions areknown and appreciated. You donthave to be a psychologist to knowthat messages like those can posi-tively affect employee motivationand satisfaction.

6Provide What They Need toSucceed. With few exceptions, allteam members want to be successful.Its tough for people to do a goodjob to do their best work whenthey dont have the tools (informa-tion, resources, training and support)they need. Thats something yourteam members may be facing more often than you think. And asa leader, you need to do your bestto do something about it. You needto make sure your peoples achieve-ments are happening because of howthey are equipped, not in spite of it.

7Confront Challenges WithCourage. Leadership is not forthe faint of heart. Along with yourtitle come many awesome responsi-bilities and an equal number ofsituations that can and will test your mettle. As a leader, you needcourage to do what is expected of you, to do what youre there todo. Youll find temptations to takeeasier and less resistant paths. Andyoull find people who eitherunintentionally or purposely createobstacles that will challenge yourtenacity and resolve. Even the verybest leaders must occasionally passthe courage test. The true measureof your leadership effectiveness isthe ability to look in the mirror andknow that you had the strength andcourage to do what you knew wasthe right thing to do.

8Let Differences Become YourDirection. If everyone were thesame, we wouldnt have creativeoddballs inventing new technolo-

gies and creature comforts toimprove our lives; we wouldnt have foreigners buying our products and services; we wouldnthave the blending of cultures andideas that afford us new and enrich-ing experiences. And you wouldnthave individual employees bringingthe varied skills, ideas and strengthsyou rely on for your organizations(and your) ongoing success. Diversityin the workplace (in all its forms) is not something to be feared orsquelched its an advantage to be nurtured and encouraged.

9Strive to Serve Others. A customeris anyone for whom we providegoods or services the target of ourefforts and activities. In a nutshell, cus-tomers are all the people who depend

on us. As a leader, you have as many,if not more, customers than anyoneelse in your organization. With leader-ship comes a great deal of power andauthority the ability to direct, controland decide. Each of us must choosewhether we will use our influence toserve ourselves or those with andfor whom we work.

10Go Forth and Prosper. Clearly,the ultimate responsibility ofthose in leadership positions is tohelp their organizations, and thepeople who comprise them, be moresuccessful. Your job is to take thoseyou lead and serve to heights theylikely would have great difficultyreaching by themselves. Exceptionalleaders encourage magnificencerather than settle for mediocrity.They work on todays tasks with an eye on tomorrows possibilities.

Things changed the moment youaccepted your leadership position.The bar was raised. Requirementswent up, responsibilities went up and

expectations went up as well. Yourenow held to a higher standard which is exactly as it should be.Thats not all. Along with your newtitle also came new functions, newtasks and a new definition of, andpathway to, success. Now youaccomplish things through others.Now the way you make a differenceis by helping your people make a dif-ference ... helping them be successful.Now you must be as proficient in thebusiness of leadership as you are inthe business of your business.

Eric Harvey and Steve Ventura areauthors, educators and businessprofessionals. This article is basedon their book The 10 Commandmentsof Leadership available at walkthetalk.com.

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Being a leader is based on what you do today

and what you will do tomorrow not whats

printed on your business card.

Photo courtesy of Christina Lange, CC, CL22 TOASTMASTER May 2011

For example, Project One isListening, and the four roles relatedto the project are: Ah-Counter,speech evaluator, grammarian andTable Topics speaker. You only needto perform three of the four roles.

Building Camaraderie with Club MembersAnother benefit of working toward CLcertification is that you get to knowyour fellow club members. Someoneyou dont know very well may askyou to evaluate him in a meeting role.The evaluation forms guide youthrough the process by describingwhat qualities to look for in each role.For example, the evaluation form forProject One states, Was the leadersmanner attentive? Dealing with theunknown creates butterflies, but noth-ing makes them go away faster thanbeing guided on what to do. A confi-dent evaluation that helps and sup-ports another member can be a greatstep toward forming a new friendshipwhile developing leadership skills.

in my Competent Leadership (CL)manual. My focus in my first year ofToastmasters was on completing theCompetent Communication manual.

It wasnt until I talked to the eternal role assigner, our clubs vice president education, that Ichanged my opinion about complet-ing the CL manual. She and I hadjoined Toastmasters at the same time,but when she said she only had a few more assignments left to gether CL award, she grabbed myattention. I had no idea how easy it was to complete the 10 projectsrequired for that award until wereviewed the roles she needed to fulfill. My friend could easily see herleadership progression in her manual.

In fact, the CL manual has an easy-to-follow guide the ProjectCom pletion Record to help youchart the projects you need to finish.This grid lists the projects and accom-panying meeting roles needed to com-plete them, such as speaker, speechevaluator, timer and grammarian.

Many people join Toast mastersbecause they have seen howthe organization helps peo-ple become better speakers. What is often hidden from view is howToastmasters develops leaders.

Training tomorrows leaders isimportant to the survival of anyorganization, but few people recog-nize their leadership potential untilit is thrust upon them. Toastmastersphilosophy endorses the conceptthat the best way to learn leadershipis to learn at your own pace. Byserving in various club roles, clubmembers learn to become leaders.

Im one of those people who, at first, didnt see the leadershipbenefits the organization offered. It took me some time. I did notjoin Toastmasters to be a leader I joined to become a better speaker. I didnt consider my meeting rolesto be a means to improve my lead-ership skills; it just seemed a way to help out my club. I thought little of getting credit for meeting roles

You, Too, Can Be a LeaderFilling club meeting roles willhelp you reach your goals. By Beatrice Joyner, CC, CL

Carol Caraway puts a Toastmasters lapel pin on Andre Bayneduring a recent club meeting as Xiuli Shirley Wang (farleft) and Susan Lawson (far right) look on. All are membersof the Memorial City club in Houston Texas.

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!~ Darren LaCroix

2001 World Champion of Public Speaking


I offer words of caution to helpyou avoid my mistakes: You areresponsible to know what projectyou are working on and see it aspart of the larger whole. For exam-ple, you dont have to serve in alldifferent meeting roles for every single project; as the CL manualexplains, you can repeat somemeeting roles in different projects.(However, you can only meet oneproject requirement each time youserve in that role.) Lets say youenjoy being a speech evaluator.Look at the Project CompletionRecord and youll see that you havethe option of serving in that role inProjects 1, 2, 3 and 8. The point is:Make sure you read the ProjectCompletion Record carefully.Here is something else I learned:

Toastmasters International continu-ally improves and updates the education manuals. I began work-ing in the CL manual just two years ago. At that time you had to go back and forth between thegrid and the projects to know

how many roles you needed tocomplete for each project; now all the information is listed on the Project Completion Record.Remember what I said about

not joining Toastmasters to be aleader? Well, Toastmasters has away of making you one. ProjectNine is Mentor ing, and the rolesrequired to complete this projectare Mentor for a New Member,Mentor for an Existing Memberand serving as an HPL (HighPerformance Leadership) Guid anceCommittee Member. Keep in mindthat you only have to choose one ofthose roles to complete the project.Someone joined our club and

quickly asked me to be her mentor.Me? A mentor? No, Im a communica-tor; a mentor is a leader! But someonewho didnt even know me was recog-nizing me as a leader. I agreed andshe filled out the evaluation sheet. Icompleted Project Nine while helpingsomeone become a better Toast master.Look at the grid and you will

see roles that may unfamiliar.

Speaker is there, but so is HelpOrganize a Club Speech Contestunder Project Six. Timer is a criticalrole, but so is Befriend a Guestunder Project Seven. Study the Project Completion

Record at your leisure; it gives youmore than a list of roles it helps you to understand the various thingsToastmasters International can giveyou. You may be nervous as a speak-er, but by the time you get to therole of Help Organize a Club SpecialEvent (Project Six), you will havegained skills along the way to make it easier. You may find that when youcomplete this manual, you will be astronger person in all the roles you fillin your personal life as well.You may have joined Toast masters

like I did to become a better speaker,but watch out Toast masters willalso make you a leader!

Beatrice Joyner, CC, CL, is a memberof First Toastmasters club in Phila -delphia, Pennsylvania. Contact her [email protected].

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BahrainCorporateClub

For example, GPIC pays all membership fees, and the clubhosts its own meeting venue on company premises. GPIC alsopays for all items that members order from the Toast mastersInternational store, including shipping costs. In addition, GPICcovers all registration fees for Toastmasters workshops andconferences that the corporate club members attend.

But the most dramatic show of company support is this:Once members achieve the Competent Communicator award,they receive a five percent increase in salary. It is an out-standing and effective motivator to encourage members tomeet their goals and make the most of their membership.Achieving Distinguished Toastmaster status brings anotherfive percent increase.

Members of GPIC Toastmasters say the club benefits themin many ways, but mainly with helping them perfect theirtechnical and business presentations. The experience gained

By Dean Sheetz, ACG, CL

from the Toastmasters meetings enhanced the presentationskills and boosted the confidence of our staff, says AbdulAmeer Al Mulla, founding president of the club and its liaisonto GPIC management. This has boosted the company imagewhen these individuals represent the company in confer-ences, workshops and meetings.

GPIC Toastmasters opened the stage for me to communi-cate in a professional manner, adds Hassan Ali, a traineeutilities shift supervisor. It also provided me with all themeans to develop the hidden skills of communication.

The companys support for Toastmasters starts at the top.GPIC President Abdulrahman Jawahery is an admirer of theprogram who believes strongly in promoting public speakingand leadership training. His involvement is hands-on.

Despite my extremely busy schedule as company presi-dent ... I do not miss any opportunity to attend Toast mastersevents, he says. I have personally benefited immenselyfrom the experience, not only in terms of honing my speak-ing skills, but in the wealth of knowledge I have gained andthe golden opportunity it provides me to socialize with peo-ple from all walks of life.

Photo courtesy of Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company

EnjoysRich

G ulf Petrochemical IndustriesCompany (GPIC), a multi-billion-dollar petrochemicals manufacturer in Manama, Bahrain,

is a strong advocate of Toastmasters.

In fact, the company is so supportive

of the Toastmasters communication

and leadership program that it offers

a number of financial incentives to

members of its corporate club.

RewardsGulf Petrochemical Industries offers pay increases to members who reach goals.


Money is Well SpentMr. Jawahery says money spent on the corporate club and its members is an investment in its employee training.

The Toastmasters programs offer the best value available in the market to shape the personalities of ouremployees, help them develop their presentation and lead-ership skills and uncover their talents, he says. Our com-pany has un covered talents in our employees that we havenurtured and utilized talents that would have remainedhidden and wasted [if not for Toast masters]. So its a benefit for both the employee and the organization.

Mr. Jawahery not only supports Toastmasters in his com-pany, but in his country and internationally as well. He sup-ports the annual Toastmasters conferences held in Bahrain. Inaddition, Mr. Jawahery, company executives and members ofthe GPIC Toastmasters met with Toast masters InternationalExecutive Director Daniel Rex and International DirectorTheo Black during their January visit to the Middle East.

With the companys strong backing, the GPIC clubhas thrived. It has 50 members in the registration

process for this year, and at its peak had 70 enrolledmembers a record for a Bahrain club.

GPIC club members say Toastmasters training transfersdirectly to the workplace. Words cannot describe the hugeimprovement in my leadership and communication skills,says club president Mahmood Ahmed Ghuloom, an instru-ment engineer for the company. GPIC Toast masters pavedthe way to my becoming a better engineer and boosted myconfidence in how I do my job.

A significant benefit of Toastmasters leadership train-ing is the appreciation for team spirit in the workplaceand the effectiveness of working in groups, say GPICclub members. The roles I took up during the meetingsenabled me to appreciate the importance of teamworkand gave me much-needed experience to progress in mycareer, notes Mariam Al Mousawi, the clubs treasurer,who works in the Human Resources Department.

GPIC President Mr. Jawahery also encourages GPICToastmasters to improve their skills by taking leadershippositions at the area, division and district levels.

Toastmasters International Executive Director Daniel Rex and International Director Theo Black met with executives of Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC) and District 79 officers during their January trip to Bahrain. Pictured in the bottom row, from left: Past District 79 Governor A. ImtiazAhmed, DTM; District 79 LGET Khalid Al Qoud, DTM; International Director Black, DTM; GPIC PresidentAbdulrahman Jawahery; Executive Director Rex; and District 79 LGM Alex Ginete, DTM. Pictured directly behind Mr. Ginete is Chairman, Gulf Toastmasters Council, Alaguthevar Ponnuchamy, DTM.


Learning More about ColleaguesClub members say that Toastmasters enables them tointeract with fellow employees in positive ways. By listening to speeches given by colleagues throughout the company, employees gain a better understanding of their co-workers duties and are exposed to differentways of thinking. In addition, club members say theymake valuable social connections across departmentsand disciplines, which enhances both their work andpersonal lives. The club provides a forum for membersto meet on an equal footing, and this can be extremelyvaluable within a corporation.

Toastmasters skills should also be applied outside ofwork, say members. The company and its Toastmastersclub reach out to the greater community around them:For the last two years, they have run a Youth LeadershipProgram for more than 80 of GPIC employees children.Club member Mr. Almulla says, Spreading the wordabout Toast masters is an effective way to practice publicspeaking and leadership.

The management team at GPIC, which was formed 32 years ago and employs nearly 500 people, embracesthe concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).The corporate club helps the company meets its goals in that area. The Toastmasters program enabled us to

expand our CSR activities as part of our mandate toserve the society we work in, says Mr. Almulla, GPICselectrical maintenance superintendent and acting trainingand development superintendent. To date, we havetrained hundreds of people all around the Kingdom ofBahrain. This enhances the company image and buildsstrong relationships between individuals and companies.

Currently, 58 Toastmasters clubs exist within Bahrain.While GPIC Toastmasters has a restricted membership,members from any club are always welcome as guests.GPIC Toastmasters, which holds meetings in both Englishand Arabic, frequently holds joint meetings with other clubs.

GPIC Toastmasters boosted by the companys avidsupport has managed to instill in its members a joy ofachievement. Perhaps Ms. Al Mousawi, the clubs treasur-er, says it best:

Public speaking is something that I had feared. Enrollingin Toastmasters has given me the chance to try and changethis, and to overcome the barrier that I placed upon my self.It was a challenge, and I always enjoy challenges.

Dean Sheetz, ACG, CL, is a member of Dubai MensCollege Toastmasters in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He also teaches in the schools business department.You can reach him at [email protected].

T


By Mark Sanborn, CSP, CPAE

Why Leaders Fail

Headlines regularly inform usof the public downfall ofleaders from almost everyarea of endeavor business, politics,religion and sports. One day theseleaders are on top of the heap; thenext, the heaps on top of them.

Of course, we think that such cata-strop

5 May 2011

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