Page 8 - 2018 December

COVER STORY

My service as an Area and Division Director has given me

the experience I need to be an effective team leader when the

opportunity arises—and I anticipate that it will.

You said in your last speech that you were Toastmasters with the promise that it would help

an introvert. Please talk about that and me become a better communicator and more
how it has impacted your life. successful in job interviews. Cleon will tell you

First, as I stated in my speech, I want to dispel often that it took a few years of his cajoling for me
the notion that introverts are shy, for that’s often to finally visit a club, but it really took me only a

false. Introverts do prefer to be alone when they month. I checked out three Monday night clubs,
can, but that doesn’t mean they’re necessarily the WRIP City Club, Portland Toastmasters (Club
fearful of being with people. Many introverts love 31), and the At the River’s Edge Club. After visiting
spending time with people, as long as they have each club twice, I finally settled on At the River’s

plenty of time to recharge in solitude. I was shy at Edge Club (with Jerry Kleffner) and made it my
one time, but Toastmasters helped me overcome home for the next five years.
my shyness. I’m still an introvert, though, and
always will be. Being an introvert has motivated First Toastmasters meeting - what was it

me to enjoy the alone time necessary to pursue like for you - feelings and insights

my passion for creative work, whether that be My first visit to a Toastmasters meeting, at
software engineering, mathematics, or music. the River’s Edge Club, happened to be on the
night of a club speech contest (the International

Why did you join Toastmasters - what Speech and Evaluation Contest). Though the
prompted that action - talk to us about club was small at that time, I was impressed with
that decision. how friendly everyone was. This experience of

I joined Toastmasters in May of 2009, during friendliness was consistent with each of the other

the depth of the Great Recession. Like many two clubs I visited. Realizing that a contest is not
professionals at that time, I had recently lost a normal meeting, I knew that I had to come back
my job in a layoff. I thought it important to and visit again before deciding whether to join.
find and join a support group for unemployed I wasn’t intimidated by the quality of speakers

professionals, which led me to the Job Finders I saw in any of the clubs I visited before joining,
Support Group facilitated by Distinguished though I do remember Ellen Ino rocking an
Toastmaster Cleon Cox. As he does for many who amazing speech during one of my visits to Club
join the group, he encouraged me to check out 31. I don’t recall thinking that I could never speak

8 ONE COMMUNITY