Page 4 - 2016.01.19Voices!

EDITORIAL Publisher

Got Goals? Phyllis Harmon, DTM

by Phyllis A. Harmon, DTM Associate Publisher
Immediate Past District Governor
Brenda Parsons, ACB, ALS
January is goals setting month. You do a personal assessment
and decide what you want to accomplish during 2016. Losing Senior Editor
weight or becoming a better person with spouses, friends,
co-workers, kids, ad nauseum are just two of the goals people Phyllis Harmon, DTM
usually set. We see a bump in membership each January as people
set goals to become better communicators and leaders. It’s also Associate Editors
typical that goals set in the glare of the glowing New Year’s ball
fade away to “Oh, well“ regrets by the end of March. Leanna Lindquist, DTM
Erik Bergman, DTM
There are as many excuses why people don’t follow through as Karen O’Keefe, DTM
there are people who make excuses. Life happens, focuses shift, Alexis Mason, DTM
or the set goals are just too boring and time consuming. Fitness
center owners know this, and that’s why you end up paying for Layout/Design
annual memberships (but I digress).
Phyllis Harmon, DTM
What makes some goals attainable and others not? Dr Edwin Curtis Low
Locke and Dr Gary Latham, researchers from the University
of Maryland, studied the subject in the 1960’s. They found that 2015-16 Officers
goals needed to be specific, and those that were more specific,
had a higher completion rate. They also needed to be sufficiently District Director
difficult to provide a challenge but not so challenging that they
were unattainable. Michelle Alba Lim, DTM

Additionally, feedback was extremely important so that people Program Quality Director
could develop their areas of weakness. The feedback needed to be
given in a positive context, use constructive and positive language, Leanna Lindquist, DTM
focus on behaviors and strategies, be tailored to the needs of the
individual, and be a two-way communication process. Club Growth Director

Sounds a lot like the Toastmasters educational program, doesn’t Erik Bergman, DTM
it? Locke and Latham could have saved themselves a lot of research
time and money by joining their local Toastmasters club! In July, District Treasurer
if every club member made a point of verbally stating their goals
during the first club meeting of the Toastmasters year (or during Jill Ward, ACB, ALB
the first meeting as a new member), and each had a mentor to help
them focus on the stated goals, think what could be accomplished! District Secretary
Member engagement and retention would increase, members
would have their needs met, and clubs would thrive. Tom Knapp, ACG, ALB

There are several articles in this issue that will help you set or Public Relations Manager
renew your goals for the rest of the year. Be sure you read them,
put their advice into practice, and finish the year a better YOU! Becky Holm

I’ll see you at the finish line on June 30th when we celebrate Voices! is published monthly by
each other’s successes. District 7 Toastmasters. First issue
published August 2014.

4 Volume 2 Issue 6 - JANUARY 2016