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Tell Me A Story
Mission Drives Success
by David Shehorn, ACB, ALB
An essential part of Toastmasters recognition can lend stability to our plan
program is to reward and honor members. by using experience to increase our knowledge
The recognition shows that we value member’s and develop our skills, just like the support rungs
unique and special contributions through on the 3-legged stool that provide stability and
contests and awards. These do help further support.
the accomplishment and competitive spirit to
advance and excel. We all appreciate that “pat Sometimes clubs lose new members, because
on the back”. the club does not provide the opportunity for
participation, and that negatively impacts the
Although we all, as Toastmasters, appreciate club’s growth potential. Clubs can nurture new
the certificates, pins, medals, ribbons, plaques members through the mentoring program,
and trophies that Toastmasters provides and encouraging participation through individual
has available, I think most of us have an inner success and failure.
drive for that sense of accomplishment. We are
competing with ourselves, where we have been, Yes, failure. A new member does not always
where we are now and where we are going. We understand that failure is a part of improvement
are on a mission … a mission of accomplishment. on the path to success. Feedback through the
evaluation process is a key element. But it has
How does the Toastmasters’ Mission relate to to be positive along with the negative. It is our
our individual mission? The education resources job in the evaluation process to acknowledge the
of the Communication Track and Leadership positive aspects of a member’s speech or presen-
Track have a built-in plan. We can review the tation, along with a few steps for improvement
plan and try to tailor it to our goals. But we on the negative aspects. But the suggestions for
have to find a way to enact the plan within our improvement need to be within the reach of the
abilities, our attained accomplishments and our participant. The techniques for evaluation are
stretch goals. How do we do that? The education clear in their focus, but sometimes new members
resources all depend on that invisible third leg are not prepared for that type of feedback. Here
of the Mission. Without that extra item, it is like is a graphic that helps to represent a model of
a two legged stool, imbalanced and prone to fall how we can apply the Toastmasters Mission to
over. We provide the third leg – by Participation. enable each member’s success.
But there is no formula for success. Participation
requires planning, preparation and practice. David Shehorn joined Toastmasters in 2012. He
is a member of Clark County Toastmasters where he
We can then mold our participation by show- is serving as Club President. In additon to his work
casing our personality, purpose and potential. We in Toastmasters, David is a volunteer in several
community-based organizations. He is a storyteller
and writer.
Volume 3 Issue 2 - AUGUST 2016 39
