The Great Benefits of Joining a Toastmasters' Club

So often, many have asked why I managed to get my Advanced Communicator (Bronze) and Competent Leadership within five months. My answer is, "If I had more youth and more time, my procrastination would not be a crime!"

How I wish I could have learnt of the toastmaster's movement at a younger age. When I first joined our Dennis Wee Toastmasters' Club, I was already 52 years and 7 months and I told myself that before I reached my 53rd birthday, I must achieve my ACB and CL. When I was first introduced to the toastmasters' activities, I was enthralled with the program and the benefits that come along with it. This is one healthy activity for everybody. Although people often compliment me for being a natural speaker, yet I find I have so much more to learn.

I began my basic manual at a slower pace and even participated in the Humorous Speech Contest at Area level, and to my pleasant surprise, won the Championship Award! I realised that the more I practised, the easier it became for me to prepare my speeches. I began my first advanced project on 9th November and completed the 10th project on 9th December on our Achievers' Day. Best of all, I realise that by joining the toastmasters' program it has enabled me to become more stringent and organised with my time management.

Just as an example, a client wanted to see a unit at 6.00p.m. but I told him I had a meeting at the Sony Ericcson Toastmasters' Club. He told me he would send me to the club after the viewing, but I knew we would be late and I hate to be lacking in punctuality. I asked if he could view the following day, but to my surprise he asked whether he could pick me up after the meeting at 10.30p.m. I acceded to his request and we closed the deal at 12.00 midnight. Once I am committed to a speaking slot or role as project or language evaluator, I will not cancel at the last minute, for it would cause a little upheaval for the Vice-President (Education) of the club.

I have managed to keep writing my blog with a minimum of two to three articles a week. I also noticed that this time, for my trip to Taiwan, I managed to pack my luggage earlier. On the day of departure, I managed to guide my newly recruited agent, Jerlynnm, on her first showing of our client's apartment at Clementi Park. After that we had some breakfast and I went to the airport, arriving 3 hours before departure time. With the extra time, I did some writing on the blog in the airport.

It is a very satisfying year for me as I managed to set goals for myself, and best of all, despite being so committed with my toastmasters' activities, I manged to be in the top 30 position in my company 4 times in 2006. It is interesting to note that for the first three months when I joined Dennis Wee Group as an agent, my sales were quite slack. It was only in July when I joined the Toastmaster's Club that my sales actually picked up. Suddenly there was more life in me, and I spoke to clients with more enthusiasm and conviction. It was a great encouragement for me to be in the top 30 for the first time in July!!

I was quite tickled when a new agent asked me why I would bother to attend our Company's breakfast networking and talks by top producers! I told her that I still had much to learn for papa had always reminded us to be like a willow tree....the higher we go, the more we should bend down. Or as Emerson had said, "Every man I meet is my superior in some way. In that I learn of him."

I am glad that despite my busy schedules, I still manged to indulge in my passion for cooking. Somehow, I was able to whip up some dishes for some of the breakfast meetings as well as for our Toastmasters' meetings. Cooking is therapeutic for me, and I always love to sing when I am cooking!!

My papa had often advised us to be stringent with time management for an ounce of gold cannot even buy us a minute of time! Everyone of us has 24 hours each, yet so often, we sometimes carelessly waste our time! Papa also reminded us that if we do not know how to organise our time, others will organise it for us. It is even more fulfilling that I did not neglect my overseas friends when they visited me and stayed with me. I even brought them to my property viewing and some toastmasters' meetings.! As a result, one of them, Candice, told me she would join a toastmasters' club when she returned to America!!

Gan Chau