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| Geoff's Thought for the Month: |
Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather. ~ John Ruskin |
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How to get New Members Retention, Recruit & Register.
To Contact Geoff: gtrotter@paradise.net.nz or www.dreamdreams.co.nz |
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DISTRICT THEME:
Look
Listen
Then Speak
Titiro, Whakarongo, Korero
geoff trotter
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16 July 2010
The Chicken or the Egg
Well it was finely sorted that the Chicken came before the Egg this week. It was British scientists who found the answer. What they discovered was that a special protein that is only found in the ovaries of the chicken go into making up the hardness of the eggshell. Hence if there is no protein then there’s no egg. This protein actually controls the process of egg making and speeds up the development of the hard shell, which is essential in protecting the yolk and fluids while the chick grows inside the egg. Fascinating stuff really because not only was the age old problem solved – the chicken or the egg – but the knowledge gained from the process can be adapted for human-made processes of engineering.
Fascinating also because it reinforces the simple idea that when the little things are done properly the bigger things full into place naturally. It is the same with our Toastmaster meetings. When a meeting is run correctly and the Toastmaster of the meeting, along with all the other participants, make sure all the preparations are done and everybody keeps to time and do manual speeches etcetera, then the whole meeting naturally comes together and becomes something special. If the special protein in the eggshell is missing then the whole egg would not be made properly. So it is in the meeting, if something is not done well the meeting’s coherence is compromised and could fall apart if it were not for others taking up the short full and helping to save the day. Every “small” part makes the whole greater.
So the answer about “What Came First, The Chicken or The Egg?” has been answered now all we need to know is, Where Did The Chicken Come From?
The Sky is the Limit
[Click on image to see more of Geoff's photos]
There is a tree just down the road from us that I never really gave much thought to until the other evening. We were walking the dogs past the tree just as the sun was setting and the light caught the bare branches, which cast a spectacular colour and shadow combination onto the gnarly bark. So we stopped and actually looked at the tree, which we guessed was about 60 or 70 years old. What struck me were the three main solid branches that grew out of the trunk and stretched high, very high, up into the sky. The sky was the limit. From these branches, smaller branches grew outwards and upwards and then smaller again, and again, until the stretching stopped with small delicate twigs reaching out to catch the final rays of warmth from the disappearing sun.
The three out-stretched main branches reminded me of the three main educational “arms” of Toastmasters. They are Communication, Leadership and Self-Confidence. Each time we gather for our Club meetings we, without fail, grow a little bit more in each of these arms – that is the greatest benefit of Toastmasters that of our continual growth. To add to this is, the extra benefit this time of year with our Club Leadership Training held in all our Areas over the next couple of months. This is the opportunity for our new club leaders and our future club leaders to begin their journey to build their self-confidence, communication and leadership skills. And like the outstretched arms, branches and twigs of the tree, when we get a handle on each of these aspects of the sky is literally the limit for what we can achieve through these new found and strengthened skills.
Something a Little Different .
[Click on image to see more of Geoff's photos]
Every so often I come across a scene or a subject that I really want to photograph. So I collect my camera and as I imagine what I can do with the image I start taking photos from different viewpoints trying to find something a little different or a little creative. This process is very important because I do not want it to look like every other photo taken of the same subject. A good rule-of-thumb when photographing a “classic” image is to take the well-known image first, and get it out-of the way and then start playing with different ideas until you find something you really like. This works well with iconic photos like the Eiffel Tower or Niagara Falls. Part of the fun is to find something different, uncommon or even unusual.
I believe it is the same with speech writing. It is good to start with the tried and true methods like an attention-grabbing opening, have three main points with supporting material and then conclude with a call-to-action for example. There are many “rules” that we learn in Toastmasters and they are very valuable and should always be considered during speech making. However once you have the basics sorted it is time to get really creative. Just like with photography not everything is going to work but it is worth giving it a go and grow both in confidence and maybe in a unique direction with your craft of speech-making. And, of course, your Toastmasters club is the very best place to find out what works and what doesn’t and this helps you develop your style and become something a little different.
The image above was OK when processed normally but when I changed the car to monochrome and saturated the colours it became something really attention-grabbing and allows the view to take a little more notice as it tells its story.
Winter is Refreshing
Winter has really come to us as we all have noticed. I love winter just like I love all the seasons. In fact that is one of the main reasons I like to live in Christchurch because we have seasons. These cycles really let you know we are alive as we watch the joy of the harvest, the resting of winter before the new growth of spring and the warmth of summer. Although we sometimes hear the moans and groans about the rain and the wind and the cold of winter it is necessary to have these for the whole season thing to work. The simple reality is we enjoy and appreciate the spring and summer all the more after experiencing the winter and autumn and, I believe, the opposite also applies. We need winter as much as we need all the other seasons and despite our protests through chattering teeth it is unavoidable. It is all part of the balance.
We experience balance at our Toastmasters meetings as well. Some of us enjoy the prepared speeches more than the Tabletopics; or we prefer being an evaluator to counting the Ums and Ahs. However each of these jobs from Toastmaster for the evening to the Sergeant at Arms is vitally important for our growth as a Toastmaster and for our growth in the “real” world. In fact each time we attend a meeting we should eagerly seek a job to do – even if it is to actively listen to everyone speaking – to continue our development. It is also valuable to attend regularly as it is virtually impossible to leave a meeting without learning at least one thing. I know I do each and every time after 18 years!
Winter can seem cold and miserable sometimes but it is also invigorating and refreshing and a great way to blow some of those cobwebs away.
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Toastmasters helps us to:
- Listen Effectively
- Think on your Feet
- Speak Confidently and Clearly
- Learn Valuable Leadership Skills
You are a product of your environment. So choose the environment that will best develop you toward your objective. Analyze your life in terms of its environment. Are the things around you helping you toward success - or are they holding you back.
Clement Stone
The Mission of a Toastmasters Club
To provide a mutually supportive learning environment in which every member has the opportunity to develop communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth.
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geoff trotter
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Success is a journey, not a destination
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