Page 10 - Voices.May.2016
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FROM THE DESK
My Travels With Balraj
by Erik Bergman, DTM, Club Growth Director
When a 1st Vice President of Toastmasters • We met with training and HR leaders at
International comes to town, District leaders are major employers like Adidas, Legacy Health
in for a learning experience. Welcoming Balraj Systems, Lam Research and Wells Fargo.
Arunasalam this month from Sri Lanka was • We also visited the local
a week to remember for all who met him. nonprofit Self-Enhancement Inc. and
Certainly it was for me. the City of Beaverton, thanks to the
help of Libra Forde, ACB, and Cate
As Program Quality Director, it was Arnold, ACB, CL, respectively, for
my honor to be his guide, chauffeur and introducing us at their workplaces.
apprentice on his District 7 tour. We visited • On behalf of TI, Balraj gave US
companies to promote Toastmasters and present
recognition awards, attended club meetings, and Bank and Nike corporate recognition awards
met with past and future District leaders. We also for their ongoing support of local clubs in their
attended the Spring Conference, where he presented companies.
both a keynote and an educational session.
The chance to watch Balraj interact with
Preparing for such a visit takes months company leaders was an education. Rather
of preparation and coordination with than try to sell anyone on our program,
he listens,
Toastmaters International asks questions, then suggests ways that
(TI) headquarters. I combed through new club Toastmasters might help supplement existing
leads and my address book to make the most of his programs or fill unmet needs. He passes out
time and expertise. speech manuals, the Better Speaker Series and
Speechcraft materials to show how we offer
Our itinerary focused on the Portland metro area, training in 75 different skill sets that employees
with one trip to Salem. It showed the breadth and can put to use right away on the job. He’s a teacher
scope of Toastmasters activities and opportunities
across our District. and ambassador who impressed and inspired
those he met.
• We joined in club meetings in the Oregon Balraj believes we should build
State Penitentiary (Capital Toastmasters), a clubs for the right reasons, in the right
Nike conference room (Sporty Speakers), places, and set them up to succeed for
a PR agency (WE Communications) and a the long run. He’s a strong believer
church (Babble-On). in using the Speechcraft program to
build a core group of employees who
• We put on hairnets and lab coats buy into what Toastmasters does, and
to tour Dave’s Killer Bread bakery before
discussing how the company’s foundation use them as the basis for starting a club.
can help support Toastmasters prison clubs.
Volume 2 Issue 11 - MAY 2016
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