Page 20 - Voices April 2018

TERRY TALKS

TV Toastmasters

with a team of rivals.

President Lincoln worked the
principle of mutually enhancing
reciprocity and he took it to
the next level in his social

intelligence filtering
system. He valued and
was committed to mutually Not returning phone calls, or
enhancing empowerment. responding to emails, or sharing

He asked for favors and his lieutenants delivered. introductions, etc., (“uniprocity”
When he was asked to give back, he did. Lincoln which needs to be replaced with
knew how to pick people that he could count on. reciprocity) is not taking turns. We’ll
Yes, mutually enhancing empowerment. make introductions and then the

Today, when I reflect on this man who has favor is not reciprocated—a lack of
shaped what freedom is today in America, I wonder mutually-enhancing empowerment.
if we Americans are truly appreciative. We’re all in the same boat. Let’s learn
I take inventory of myself. Am I playing well and practice pulling together. We owe it

with others, am I taking turns. . . am I truly engaged to one another to take turns. Remember
in mutually enhancing empowerment. that “A rising tide lifts all ships.
I spend less time listening to others and more Terry Beard initially joined Arlington
time watching how people treat other people. Club Toastmasters in 2001. He co-founded

Am I demanding of myself and of others? Was Portland Rotary Toastmasters in 2015.
Lincoln—my role model (our role model)— Terry is the author of Squelched -
demanding of others? Am I getting stuck in my Succeeding in Business and Life by Finding
junior-senior years? No, it takes one 50 years Your Voice, published in 2017 and available

or more to figure out how to live a life. on Amazon.com. Visit his book website at
To design a life, to develop eyes which squelchedbook.com. You can reach him at
see and filters that sort out who will engage terry@squelchedbook.com.
in mutually-enhanced empowerment, is an

important developmental goal.
People ask me favors, and on occasion,
I’ll ask them for one in return. Are there
expectations? Yes.

We can do better. I can, too. Let’s pay
the rent we owe to others by empowering
one another by taking turns.
Give and take is taking turns.

20 ONE COMMUNITY