Newsletter Date Volume 1, Issue 1

/

Northern Beaches Toastmasters Club Moving forward, getting ahead

Thought of the month A diamond with a flaw is worth more than a pebble

without imperfections. Chinese proverb

Chatter on a Platter

Dear Members Hello from sunny Ireland. I am pleased to be home visiting with my family this month, but was sorry to miss the September meeting at Brookvale Chinese Restaurant. It seems a lot of members were away this month. I know Steve and Beverley are also in the UK. I hope they are enjoying their break. The members who were in attendance had a great meeting facilitated by Kevin Huang in his first time acting as Chairman. Well done Kevin. Good luck to Graham Blandy and Jan Vecchio in the Area 8 Contest on 27 September 2014 at Dee Why RSL and I look forward to seeing everyone at the October meeting. Warm regards

Tonic  time  

Mahatma  Gandhi  walked  barefoot  most  of  the  time,  which  produced  an  impressive  set  of  calluses  on  his  feet.    He  also  ate  very  little,  which  made  him  rather  frail,  and  with  his  odd  diet,  he  suffered  from  bad  breath.    This  made  him  ……  A  super  calloused  fragile  mystic  hexed  by  halitosis.  

A  woman  has  twins  and  gives  them  up  for  adoption.    One  of  them  goes  to  a  family  in  Egypt  and  is  name  “Ahmal”.  The  other  goes  to  a  family  in  Spain;  they  name  him  “Juan”.  Years  later  Juan  sends  a  photo  of  himself  to  his  birth  mother.    On  receiving  the  picture  she  tells  her  husband  that  she  wishes  she  also  had  a  picture  of  Ahmal.    Her  husband  responds,  “They’re  twins!  If  you’ve  seen  Juan,  you’ve  seen  Ahmal.”  

A  man  walks  into  a  bar  with  a  slab  of  asphalt  under  his  arm  and  says  “A  beer  please,  and  one  for  the  road.”  

Two  cannibals  are  eating  a  clown.    One  says  to  the  other  “Does  this  taste  funny  to  you?”  

Winner of the Excellence Award, Jan Vecchio

Winner of the President’s Pick

Kathy Stewart

Best speech Deanna Morpurgo

CHATTER ON A PLATTER August – September 2014

Dealing with nerves Analyse your audience

Structure your message

Breathe using your diaphragm

Relax your muscles

Focus fully on the audience

Use the power of your mind

Get feedback It’s not about you, it’s all about the audience

Chatter on a Platter Page 2 of 4

The #1 Rule of Leadership – It’s not about you.

While learning and preparing for leadership roles is an inward exercise requiring self-reflection and personal discipline, the actual practice of quality leadership is entirely an outward exchange. This change in perspectives is often the biggest challenge for leaders, and it is what makes Leadership Rule #1 so simple, and yet so effective.

From the leaders’ perspective, leadership is about influence. Effective leaders seek to influence others by changing expectations, altering perceptions, and creating a motivational arena in which everyone within their reach is inspired to work towards common goals. The most effective leaders focus on the development and growth of others, and in helping others reach their full potential. After all, it is the results of the follower that are important, not the leader.

From the follower’s perspective, the best leaders are those that inspire, lead by example, and put people above power. Followers can certainly recognize and respect a leader’s ability to practice self-reflection and personal disciple, but in the end, followers don’t care how strong a leader you are inwardly, they want to see where your leadership can take them.

Both of these perspectives have one critical element in common, and it’s not the leader.

In order to be effective, leaders must transfer the focus of their leadership from themselves to their followers. In the bigger picture of leadership, it is that transference that gives it value and endurance. Much like money, leadership can only gain in value when it is invested somewhere else.

The most effective leaders follow Leadership Rule #1, and return to it during those leadership challenges that require the very best of their leadership abilities. They understand that you cannot change expectations, alter perceptions, and motivate others unless you maintain the ability to influence them in a positive manner. When followers sense that your leadership decisions are made with other priorities, they will not trust you. Without trust, you will lose the ability maintain the positive influence necessary to motivate and inspire others, and you will have limited the value of your leadership investment.

Whether you are a brand new leader, or someone with years of experience, the next time you find yourself faced with a leadership decision, pause and remind yourself of this:

“It’s not about you.”

Follow Leadership Rule #1 and you will see that leadership that is focused on the follower can give you a double return on your investment. It will not only develop stronger followers, it will also develop a trusted and stronger leader.

Article by Barry Reynolds, Owner – Policeleaders.com - Featured on Leadership and Management, LinkedIn

Chatter on a Platter Page 2 of 4

Chatter on a Platter Page 3 of 4

Birthday Celebratio

ns

18th June Guy

9 Ways to live a happier life (by a random group of psychologists)

   

HAPPY  SEPTEMBER  BIRTHDAY         Kathy  Stewart  3rd    

and  Reg  Stewart  20th  

   

1. Practice gratitude. Each of us has a choice on how we focus our attention. Choosing to focus on gratitude for the beauty and uniqueness of life instead of the stressors and problems will make you feel happier and more relaxed. Dr Timothy Sharp (aka Dr Happy) recommends keeping a daily gratitude diary and recording 3 things every day that you are grateful for.

2. Find a place of flow. Flow is defined as “the complete immersion in activity for its own sake. When we are in flow, such as when we are running a race, writing a song or reading a great book, time seems to stop and we become focused, peaceful and attentive to the task at hand. Carve out some time to do what you LOVE! Explore Dr Mikhal Csikszentmihalyi’s book, Finding Flow

3. Smile more. Research shows that the physical act of smiling will make you feel happier, even if you are just flexing the muscles of your mouth. It is suggested that smiling contracts the facial muscles, leading to more blood flow to the brain, which in turn triggers release of dopamine, one of the pleasure chemicals in the brain.

4. Embrace your mistakes. Making mistakes makes competent people seem more attractive. Treat your mistakes as learning experiences. Read “Prattfall effect” by Dr Eliot Aronson.

5. Maintain an optimistic attitude. Research has linked optimism to a range of positive outcomes such as longevity, good physical health, enhanced coping skills and problem solving skills. Optimism is a central component to staying happy. Check out Dr Martin Seligman’s book – Learned optimism.

6. Surround yourself with supportive people. According to Robert Putman’s study, making a good friend causes an increase in happiness equal to tripling your salary. Belonging to a social club is equivalent to doubling your salary. My research shows that belonging to Northern Beaches Toastmaster’s Club is priceless J

7. Learn when to say “No”. As Dr Thema Davis puts it “saying yes to happiness means learning to say no to things and people that stress you out. The stress that results from feeling overwhelmed can severely dampen your happiness and wellbeing. Before you commit, ask yourself, does this serve my highest good? If the answer is no, then learn to say NO.

8. Practise forgiveness. Dr Fred Luskin of the Stanford University Forgiveness Project has found that forgiveness is a huge predictor of happiness and wellbeing. Holding onto anger, resentment and fear towards people blocks us from feeling truly happy and fulfilled.

9. Try new things. As Dr Alex Lickerman MD writes in Happiness in this world, trying something new requires courage, it opens up the possibility for you to enjoy something new, it keeps you from becoming bored, and it forces you to grow. So what have your always wanted to try but didn’t think you had the guts? What are you waiting for?

Top tips for speaking Get over yourself – it’s about your audience, not you. Ask yourself – What’s important to my audience Prepare – no matter how experienced you are this will pay dividends Test – in front of someone who is prepared to be honest (and/or in front of a mirror) Tell stories Use similes and Metaphors for key messages Use visuals – lots of people are visual learners Move Keep it simple and clear

September meeting took place at

Brookvale Chinese Restaurant

Welcome to all

Club Executive Committee Members

President: Jan Vecchio DTM VPE: Jan Veccchio DTM VPPR: Sharon Austin ACB VPM: Errol Byrnes Secretary: Sue Loucks ACS, ALB Treasurer: Kevin Huang SAA: Steve Barber ACS

Chatter on a Platter Page 4 of 4

Northern Beaches Toastmasters Club moving forward, getting ahead

PO  Box  1360  Dee  Why  NSW  2099    

Publisher  and  Editor  –  Sharon  Austin  0408254033  sharon_austin@hotmail.com  

 

Meetings  are  held  at  various  restaurants  on  the  northern  beaches  of  Sydney  on  the  4th  Tuesday  of  each  month  –  6.30pm  for  7.00pm  

Forward Planner – to 31 December 2014   19th October – Hawkesbury Division Humorous Speech and Table Topics Contests 28th October – club meeting 7th-9th November – District 70 Semi Annual Conference (Liverpool Catholic Club) 25th November – club meeting 23rd December – club meeting - Christmas

   

Five critical skills for team leadership

• Understanding behavioural styles • Listening and effectively communicating • Giving praise • Handling criticism • Using problem solving and persuasion instead of criticism

Drake Business Review Vol 6, Number 1

Club Mission We provide a

supportive and positive learning

experience in which members are empowered

to develop communication and leadership

skills, resulting in greater self-

confidence and personal growth.