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Community through Contribution
Dave Bones, DTM - Club Growth Director
Please know that asking for help when needed is all areas within this balance.
beneficial to your team. As a Club leader, fellow Second, be open to unintended life lessons in
members will most likely ask you Toastmasters your Toastmasters journey. In the work / life / TM
questions. When you take the time to learn about balance, it can seem that you are off track as you
your role and answer questions, you become an experience overload and are unable to complete
even greater asset to your members. all your intended tasks. Maybe there is a TM
Perhaps you are a newer District officer, wanting deadline that was not met. However, what if in
to know how to further contribute. Depending on this process, you mentored a fellow Toastmaster
your leaders and seeking a mentor who has already in need which granted you the opportunity to
done your role can be beneficial. At this stage, become a better listener to a close friend, or
you will be given the opportunity to help others family member? This is the type of lesson that
by answering their questions. Your willingness to may not have been originally intended. However,
lead by example can help empower others. this unique experience in Toastmasters perhaps
There is one outstanding challenge that we allowed for this life-changing lesson.
Toastmasters and contributors may face. It is work A big part of the motivation for me to help
/ life / Toastmasters balance. I must admit, this build our community is to offer the same
is a lesson that I am trying to learn more about! opportunities that I have been granted in my
That said, I can offer a couple of tips. years as a Toastmaster. What brings us together
First, using a mathematical analogy, I from so many backgrounds, communities, and
recommend “reducing fractions” through life experiences? As mentioned earlier in this
integrated goals, rather than “addition” of more article, I believe that growth is our common bond.
and more separate tasks. An example in my work Fellow Toastmasters, your contribution absolutely
/ life / TM is that I want to empower others, matters. This is true whether you are challenging
enhance creativity, and develop resilience facing yourself on a new task, taking on an extra role, or
adversity. With this perspective, leading just showing up to a meeting on a day that would
my Club Growth Director teams and providing be easier not to. Together, one day at a time, this
educational presentations while facing a deadline, is how we grow within our community.
enables all three of my goals that positively affect
VOICES! | NOVEMBER 2022 19
