Page 20 - july 2022
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THOUGHTS FROM THE SIDELINE















     Employers Seek Soft Skills




     Eldred Brown, DTM, IPDD




       A few days ago, I read in OregonLive.com an             speaker wants to continue making better

       article headlined “Oregon employers say job             speeches. This is all one big exercise in critical
       seekers lacking in soft skills.” (You can read          thinking.
       the article by clicking here.) Reading the                  I also see in this evaluation process the
       article further, this statement struck me as            work of problem-solving. Every speech

       its most important: "Employers are generally            presents a “problem” to us—maybe it’s more
       happy with the level of education and the               positive to call it a challenge. Every speech
       basic skills that Oregon workers bring to the           presents to us the challenge to identify how
       table." the report says. "But they find workers         it can be improved and to develop a solution                  leaders who can use their leadership skills to            promote it to job seekers—that’s how he drew

       lacking in specific occupational skills related         we think will make the speech better. That’s                  great effect in the workplace.                            me into Toastmasters.
       to their career fields, in advanced skills like         problem-solving.                                                  Lastly, let’s look at teamwork. Toastmasters’            On the occasional Friday that Cleon
       critical thinking and problem-solving, and                  What about leadership? After all,                         leadership development is all about exercising            couldn’t lead the meeting, he had another
       soft skills like leadership and teamwork,               Toastmasters brands itself as the place “Where                leadership within a team. If you’re serving as            experienced Toastmaster, Rodger Cook, lead it.

       employers report.” Aren’t such skills as critical       Leaders Are Made.” Our educational program                    a club officer, you are doing so as a member of           But Cleon’s Job Finder Support Group doesn’t
       thinking and problem-solving, leadership,               has been reworked recently to place more                      your club’s executive team. If you’re an Area             have to be our only medium for marketing
       and teamwork benefits of participation in               emphasis on leadership skills development.                    Director, you’re probably working with a team             Toastmasters to job seekers. Selling our young
       Toastmasters?                                           As the old Competent Leader manual realized                   of two to five other Area Directors. If you’re            adults on how our education and training

           Let’s start with critical thinking. Dictionary.     quite well, every meeting role can be used as an              a Division Director, you’re leading that team             program can help them get established in
       com defines critical thinking as “the objective         opportunity to develop leadership skills. You                 of Area Directors. The goal of Toastmasters               their careers is a good way. Sharing with our
       analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to         have the opportunity to grow as a leader by                   leadership development is that you will build             more seasoned job seekers how Toastmasters
       form a judgment.” Is this not what we do in our         taking on formal leadership roles within your                 and lead teams and, thereby, learn to work well           has helped our careers is another. My home

       speech evaluations? We analyze every speech.            club. If you’ve already served as a club officer,             as a member of a team.                                    club has even made a focus on job search and
       We evaluate the speech to form a judgment               you can cultivate more advanced leadership                        Now, how can we market our program of                 interview skills the theme of a couple of our
       of the speech’s strengths and opportunities             skills as an Area or Division Director, or even               skills development in critical thinking and               open houses. The possibilities are limitless,
       for improvement. We synthesize specific                 a member of the Trio.                                         problem-solving, in leadership and teamwork,              so I encourage you to explore how you and

       recommendations for how the speech can be                   Many join Toastmasters to overcome                        to Oregon’s job seekers? Back in the pre-Covid            your clubs can market our ability to foster the
       improved and, with that, the speaker’s skills as        their fear of public speaking and become                      days when Cleon Cox ran his weekly Job                    growth of the soft skills that so many of our
       a speaker. We construct the most motivational           better communicators, but the strength of                     Finders Support Group meetings, Cleon was                 employers want in a job seeker.
       way to present our speech evaluation, so the            Toastmasters, I believe, is its ability to grow               never afraid to talk up Toastmasters and




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