Being a TM Leader AND having a life!

Susan Niven CSP DTM PID · Guest

I have been enjoying reading several posts in the "PDGs who don't become ID
candidates" thread, and it reminds me of a few things. One is something my
mother always said in media interviews, and the other is something that I
observed and thought about during my first month or two as a Toastmaster.

Mum was a working mother (a hospital administrator, and the President of a
major non-profit organization) in the days when all my friends' Mums were
not in the workforce. She was frequently interviewed by the media because of
her work and her volunteer work, and when asked how she managed to do
everything she had on her plate, she always said ... "if you want something
done, ask the busiest person you know."

When pressed for an explanation, she would point out that people who do a
lot of things, and do them well, have several things in common ... including
passion, organization, and confidence ... as well as well-developed
leadership skills (including team leading & delegation). The passion part,
she said, is about caring to the point of willingness to be a part of the
solution or the work to be done. She would provide examples of many people
who fit that description, and would also talk about times when she had asked
someone for help with a project or to get involved on a committee, and they
would say no ... and yet they were unemployed or retired, not involved in
anything beyond themselves. They simply weren't busy enough or contributing
enough to put value on their own contribution potential.

As to my observation and thoughts during my first month or two at TM ...
there was this fellow named Reg Derry DTM who came to one of our meetings,
and then a couple of weeks later was there again ... and again not long
after that. I asked someone who he was and they said he was the Area
Governor and explained his role with our Club and the other 6 in our Area.
My immediate thought was that if he visited all the other clubs as much as
he visited ours, he obviously "had no life" outside of Toastmasters. At that
point, I "realized" (and decided, I think) that leadership beyond the Club
was not for me b/c I was far too busy! Who knew?

But you know when I spoke at Division, District, Regional or International
meetings ... I often began with that story and the assertion that I DO have
a life outside of TM, because I always figured that other people were
thinking the same thing I had!

During my DG and ID years yes, I had other things on my plate besides TM ...
things like a thriving business, Rotary, activities with the Catholic Womens
League and lector service in my parish, committee work in my professional
association, teaching night school ... AND, of course, all sorts of
wonderful family activities!

As for Reg Derry? I later got to know him well, and we became very close
friends in Toastmasters. He is a research scientiest, was writing a book at
the time of his TM leadership service, was active in his church and several
other things.

No doubt most TM leaders have a similar story :)

Susan.

Susan Black (Niven) DTM PID & Person With a Life!
Toastmasters International Director 1998-2000
Former TM & Lifelong Advocate (of the program at Club level)
Langley, BC, Canada

Joy · Guest

You make some very good points here, Susan! My observation has shown that
those who don't have a life outside of Toastmasters are those who don't
think that family or job obligations are any excuse for missing a
Toastmasters meeting or event.

Joy

"Susan Niven CSP DTM PID" <foronlineuse@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:Sa3Og.534870$Mn5.256773@pd7tw3no...

Susan Niven CSP DTM PID · Guest

Joy says ...

Joy · Guest

"Susan Niven CSP DTM PID" <foronlineuse@shaw.ca> wrote in message
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Eric Matto · Guest

betsy_in_va · Guest

This is a great topic!

Getting down to the practical side of things, what do you think you
sacrificed to give you the time to do all those activities? Television
time, maybe, or gardening/housework, or something like that? Or maybe
you just did all your usual activities at a slightly faster pace? Or
(heaven forbid!) did you give up the notion of attending countless
meetings to discuss things and simply spent your time DOING them?

I'd especially love to hear your perspective on meetings, and also your
opinion on whether it's better to delegate big jobs into separate tasks
that people do individually or get everyone together and do the whole
job as a team effort.

John Fleming, DTM · Guest

On Thu, 14 Sep 2006 02:49:31 GMT, while chained to a desk in the
scriptorium, "Susan Niven CSP DTM PID" <foronlineuse@shaw.ca> wrote: