As a Toastmaster, I spend a lot of time reading articles on communication to enhance my skills in public speaking. Here is a quote from an article I recently read and a link to the full article.
"Good
communication skills are key to success in life,
work and relationships. Without effective communication, a
message can turn into error, misunderstanding,
frustration, or even disaster by being misinterpreted or poorly
delivered.
Communication is the process by which we exchange
information between individuals or groups of people. It is a process
where we try as clearly and accurately as we can, to convey our
thoughts, intentions and objectives.
Communication is successful only when both the sender
and the receiver understand the same information.
In today's highly informational and technological
environment it has become increasingly important to
have good communication skills.
While many individuals still continue to struggle, the
inability to communicate effectively will hold them back not only in
their careers, but in social and personal relationships. "
Read more
To your speaking success
Fran Watson
Showing posts with label public speaking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label public speaking. Show all posts
Saturday, January 16, 2016
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Speech Contests
Speech contests present
opportunities that allow you to hone your abilities, learn by observation, meet
other Toastmasters and have fun.
Not everyone becomes
enthusiastic when they hear the word “contest.”
For many, the idea of measuring one’s skills against those of other
Toastmasters may at first seem rather daunting!
But while competition against other Toastmasters is a prominent feature
at these events, the most important competition is always against one’s own
abilities. Speech contests give you that
opportunity – and they also provide occasions to meet other Toastmasters and
learn more about local Toastmasters events.
Recently members of one of my clubs participated in a club contest and I wrote up an article for the local newspaper. We got a full page spread: Click here
This is what can happen when you challenge yourself. You learn and grow and that is the purpose of Toastmasters. Learning about leadership and communication, learning how to handle yourself in various roles, learning how to speak "off the cuff" in Table Topics, learning the essential interpersonal skills that will make you successful at work and in the community.
Have a wonderful day...week...year...life.
Fran
P.S. If you would like a list of 800 speech topics, leave me a message with your email address
P.P.S. Click here to Master Public Speaking
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Assertive Communication
Communication is fundamental in our lives.
We communicate our thoughts and our feelings to family, friends, co-workers and
strangers every day. Effective communication allows us to build healthy
relationships in our private lives and healthy partnerships in our business
lives. Ineffective interaction leads to frustration, dysfunctional personal
relationships, stagnant organizations, and even war between countries.
Assertive
communication requires the effective use of all aspects of communication from
body language and symbols to persuasion and listening. Assertiveness is being able to state your
viewpoint without provoking another person.
Think about assertive communication as a two-way flow, an exchange of information. It is open, honest, direct, shows mutual respect, values the thoughts, ideas, opinions and feelings of the other person(s) and strives for a winning outcome for everyone involved.
When you communicate assertively, you are
expressing both positive and negative feelings – honestly and directly. You are acknowledging that you have the right
to be listened to and taken seriously, to say no without feeling guilty, to ask
for what you want, and to make mistakes.
You also recognize and acknowledge that the other person has identical
rights. The result is that your
relationships will become much more genuine, because you are communicating
honestly and openly.
What
holds many people back from communicating assertively is the fear of
displeasing others and of not being liked. By not speaking up for yourself, you may
avoid some immediate unpleasantness, however, you could also jeopardize the
relationship in the long run if you refuse to assert yourself and then feel
taken advantage of over and over again. When
this happens you become frustrated and unhappy with yourself, which reinforces
a poor self-image and makes it difficult to command respect from others.
Awareness of
yourself is a key part of learning to be assertive. You can start by asking yourself questions
such as: “What do I want to change?” and “How do I tell
the other person without blaming or attacking him or her?”
Assertive
communication uses a special technique known as “I-message”s to say how it is
for you. When you use an “I-message”, you state what you need clearly, directly
and specifically. You let others know
what you feel and think while being polite and firm.
For example, “I would like to discuss the
options in detail” instead of “Maybe there should be some discussion about the
options.” Or “I understand the Tuesday deadline is really important. However, as a result of the computer problems
we’ve had today, I won’t have it completed on schedule unless I have some
help. Which other staff would be able to
work on it with me?” It is helpful if you
can plan what you want to say before you say it. That way, you can avoid saying something you
might regret later.
Tips for Positive Communication
The key to communicating assertively is to
express yourself clearly, without blaming or judging the other person. One of the ways to learn how to do this is to
sign up with a local Toastmasters Club. As a club member you will learn how to
make your messages clear, complete and specific. You will learn how to plan what you want to
say before you say it. You will learn
how to ask the questions that will gain you the answers you need to make
effective decisions. You will learn how
to listen so that you can become genuinely interested in discussions and give
listeners or speakers your full attention without interrupting them. You will learn how to give effective
evaluations to demonstrate your comprehension of what has been said.
You will learn how to give feedback, by being
tactful, firm, and sensitive. You will
learn to focus on the behaviour or the specific task rather than on the person.
You will point out what worked well, suggest alternatives, and give any
additional feedback in private.
You will learn to invite feedback about
your own work and regard it as an opportunity to improve the quality of your work
and not as a personal attack. You will
learn to believe in yourself and value what you have to say. Your insights could benefit others.
To your communication success
Fran Watson
P.S. For more information click here
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Public Speaking Tips
Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can somehow become great. - Mark Twain
I found this recently in my collection of quotes and other interesting things. It was written by Christian D. Larson.
Promise Yourself:
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud words but in great deeds.
To live in faith that the whole world is on your side so long as you are true to the best that is in you.
As Jim Rohn said - "Look at each day as a chance to invest life into life. A chance to share your experience and deposit it into someone else's conscience. Each day is a chance to work miracles in the lives of others."
Ideas for speech topics are everywhere. Look around you and let your eyes rest on a number of different things. For each thing come up with two or three ways they can be used or how they impact your life. For instance, your kitchen table - what do you do at it besides eat? Is it a place for gathering family and friens to engage in conversation, games, puzzles, etc? What about your couch? A place to nap, watch tv, take the cushions off to build forts? You get the picture. Get creative and get speaking.
To your speaking success
Fran Watson
P.S. For more speaking tips, click here
I found this recently in my collection of quotes and other interesting things. It was written by Christian D. Larson.
Promise Yourself:
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud words but in great deeds.
To live in faith that the whole world is on your side so long as you are true to the best that is in you.
As Jim Rohn said - "Look at each day as a chance to invest life into life. A chance to share your experience and deposit it into someone else's conscience. Each day is a chance to work miracles in the lives of others."
Ideas for speech topics are everywhere. Look around you and let your eyes rest on a number of different things. For each thing come up with two or three ways they can be used or how they impact your life. For instance, your kitchen table - what do you do at it besides eat? Is it a place for gathering family and friens to engage in conversation, games, puzzles, etc? What about your couch? A place to nap, watch tv, take the cushions off to build forts? You get the picture. Get creative and get speaking.
To your speaking success
Fran Watson
P.S. For more speaking tips, click here
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Public Speaking to Attract Clients?
For tips on public speaking, click here
How To Use Public Speaking To Attract Clients
When Robert Middleton moved his marketing consulting practice, Action Plan Marketing, to Palo Alto, California several years ago, he started his business from scratch. He had left his well-established client base several miles away and now had to find strategies to generate new clients.
Because Middleton had always spoken to promote his business, he turned to public speaking with a vengeance. He researched local organizations whose members comprised professional business owners, his target clientele. He called chambers of commerce, business groups and others likely to be interested in his three-hour marketing workshop.
Within a few months, Middleton had spoken at over a dozen organizations, establishing his reputation as a marketing expert for professional service firms. He quickly became a known entity, having personally introduced his business and credentials to hundreds of prospects.
Better yet, Middleton's speaking strategy helped him land all the business he could handle in a relatively short time period.
Over the course of sixteen talks, he averaged one new client each time.
Speaking Is Selling
Many business people never consider standing in the front of their buying public to share professional wisdom. If you're one of them, you're missing the boat.
Speaking is a marketing strategy you can immediately embrace to get in front of potential customers. Speaking puts you within handshaking distance of your best prospects, many times helping you close sales before you leave the room.
By speaking regularly you can end the uncertainty of knowing where your next client will come from. Speaking can help you reach dozens, and sometimes hundreds of your best prospects every time. Speakers report that speaking regularly continuously fills their prospect pipelines, ensuring a steady stream of new clients and customers.
Speaking is effective because it showcases your knowledge before groups of people who eagerly show up to hear it. Your prospects may tune out advertising, but they'll pay attention to your talk because it presents your knowledge in polished form to people who think it will help them.
Speaking gives you tremendous visibility and credibility that increases over time. Whenever you are in the front of a room, you get noticed. People will remember who you are and what your business does. The more people see you speak and see your business name, the more successful people think you are.
Speaking gives prospects a taste of what you offer in a non-threatening environment. When they are in a room full of people, they feel comfortable. There's safety in numbers. They do not feel the sales pressure of a one-on-one meeting. It's also low risk, as chances are, they didn't pay as much to hear you speak as it would cost to hire you.
Get On The Program
You don't have to be a seasoned speaker to put speaking to work for your business. If you're willing to speak for free, you'll find that there are more outlets available than you'll know what to do with.
"If you can get up there and do a decent job you will immediately position yourself as an expert in the minds of an audience," says business coach, author and professional speaker Caterina Rando. "You only have to be 'decent' to make an impact. Even though speaking can be scary at first, anybody can find groups to speak to and master the basics of giving a good speech."
Choose the right topics
Before you contact an organization about speaking, create sample talk descriptions with catchy titles. For example, a financial planner could avoid generic descriptions like "Planning Your Retirement," and use a more snappy title like "Enjoying Your Gold Years On A Champagne Budget".
Targeting speaking opportunities
Once you are clear about your topic and its benefit to the audience, make some calls and offer yourself as a speaker.
• Chambers of Commerce
• Service Clubs
• Industry Specific Associations
• University Extensions
• Professional Associations
Getting the most out of your speech
The promotional value of your talks goes beyond your time on the podium. Often, when you speak to a group, the group publicizes the event. Many people who do not attend the event will still read the information, or will hear about you from other attendees, and may give you a call.
Consistency is the big thing. Getting out there and speaking on a regular basis keeps your pipeline full of prospects. When you're done, put a follow up mechanism in place, even if it's a simple mailing or newsletter. If you keep in contact with people who've heard you speak, you get more long-term leverage from your efforts.
Steven Van Yoder is the author of Get Slightly Famous™. He teaches small business owners how to attract more business with less effort by becoming a mini-celebrity in your field. Visit GetSlightlyFamous.com to claim your free Slightly Famous Marketing Plan Workbook.
To your success in speaking!!
How To Use Public Speaking To Attract Clients
When Robert Middleton moved his marketing consulting practice, Action Plan Marketing, to Palo Alto, California several years ago, he started his business from scratch. He had left his well-established client base several miles away and now had to find strategies to generate new clients.
Because Middleton had always spoken to promote his business, he turned to public speaking with a vengeance. He researched local organizations whose members comprised professional business owners, his target clientele. He called chambers of commerce, business groups and others likely to be interested in his three-hour marketing workshop.
Within a few months, Middleton had spoken at over a dozen organizations, establishing his reputation as a marketing expert for professional service firms. He quickly became a known entity, having personally introduced his business and credentials to hundreds of prospects.
Better yet, Middleton's speaking strategy helped him land all the business he could handle in a relatively short time period.
Over the course of sixteen talks, he averaged one new client each time.
Speaking Is Selling
Many business people never consider standing in the front of their buying public to share professional wisdom. If you're one of them, you're missing the boat.
Speaking is a marketing strategy you can immediately embrace to get in front of potential customers. Speaking puts you within handshaking distance of your best prospects, many times helping you close sales before you leave the room.
By speaking regularly you can end the uncertainty of knowing where your next client will come from. Speaking can help you reach dozens, and sometimes hundreds of your best prospects every time. Speakers report that speaking regularly continuously fills their prospect pipelines, ensuring a steady stream of new clients and customers.
Speaking is effective because it showcases your knowledge before groups of people who eagerly show up to hear it. Your prospects may tune out advertising, but they'll pay attention to your talk because it presents your knowledge in polished form to people who think it will help them.
Speaking gives you tremendous visibility and credibility that increases over time. Whenever you are in the front of a room, you get noticed. People will remember who you are and what your business does. The more people see you speak and see your business name, the more successful people think you are.
Speaking gives prospects a taste of what you offer in a non-threatening environment. When they are in a room full of people, they feel comfortable. There's safety in numbers. They do not feel the sales pressure of a one-on-one meeting. It's also low risk, as chances are, they didn't pay as much to hear you speak as it would cost to hire you.
Get On The Program
You don't have to be a seasoned speaker to put speaking to work for your business. If you're willing to speak for free, you'll find that there are more outlets available than you'll know what to do with.
"If you can get up there and do a decent job you will immediately position yourself as an expert in the minds of an audience," says business coach, author and professional speaker Caterina Rando. "You only have to be 'decent' to make an impact. Even though speaking can be scary at first, anybody can find groups to speak to and master the basics of giving a good speech."
Choose the right topics
Before you contact an organization about speaking, create sample talk descriptions with catchy titles. For example, a financial planner could avoid generic descriptions like "Planning Your Retirement," and use a more snappy title like "Enjoying Your Gold Years On A Champagne Budget".
Targeting speaking opportunities
Once you are clear about your topic and its benefit to the audience, make some calls and offer yourself as a speaker.
• Chambers of Commerce
• Service Clubs
• Industry Specific Associations
• University Extensions
• Professional Associations
Getting the most out of your speech
The promotional value of your talks goes beyond your time on the podium. Often, when you speak to a group, the group publicizes the event. Many people who do not attend the event will still read the information, or will hear about you from other attendees, and may give you a call.
Consistency is the big thing. Getting out there and speaking on a regular basis keeps your pipeline full of prospects. When you're done, put a follow up mechanism in place, even if it's a simple mailing or newsletter. If you keep in contact with people who've heard you speak, you get more long-term leverage from your efforts.
Steven Van Yoder is the author of Get Slightly Famous™. He teaches small business owners how to attract more business with less effort by becoming a mini-celebrity in your field. Visit GetSlightlyFamous.com to claim your free Slightly Famous Marketing Plan Workbook.
To your success in speaking!!
Fran
P.S. Want more tips? Sign up here
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Use of Pauses in Public Speakikng
Timing is essential when speaking in public. The cliché: "It is not what you say but more on how you say it", applies so much to public speaking.
Where you put your pauses during your presentation is one of the important aspects of maintaining an audience that is free from falling asleep. Couple this with humor and you are definitely on a roll.
Timing is the element involved to achieve reactions that are spontaneous especially on developments during important aspects of your delivery that are unexpected.
Do not forget, though, that when you expect laughter to burst any time soon, pause after your delivery and avoid speaking as your voice and whatever it is that you are saying will probably (hopefully) be drowned out by the noise of the audience.
Make sure to remember that laughter is extremely difficult to get and so very much easier to discourage. Try as much as possible to maintain eye contact with the audience for a little longer when you deliver that punch line.
The audience size could also affect the way you use your timing. When the audience is small, the presentation you have will most probably be delivered in a shorter time compared to if you have a large audience. The reaction of a large audience will be a little longer and not as quick as in a small audience. You also have to wait until the seemingly ripple effect of your punch line gets to that audience in the back row.
Believe it or not, putting that much needed silence in your presentation is one of the hallmarks of a skilled and good presenter. No public speaker should jabber constantly away in the hopes of keeping an audience glued to anything it is you have to say. Ironically, this is one effective way to keep their focus off you. The use of silence adds that much needed polish in your presentation making you appear as a confident expert.
Short pauses are effective to use in order for you to separate your thoughts. These pauses last from half a second to two. You do not have to literally count though, just keep in mind to slow down. This gives the audience a chance to absorb all of what it is you are getting across. It also helps if you change the inflection in your voice during the end of a thought as this could also signal to the audience that another thought is coming their way. Pauses are also an effective means if you want to highlight something. Put it before any word or thought you want the audience to focus on, they will most definitely get that.
To your effective speaking
Fran
P.S. You can get a list of speaking topics and sign up for my public speaking tips here
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Impress With Words
How To Impress With Words In 3 Simple Steps
By Michael Lee
By Michael Lee
Knowing how to impress with words can help you in so many ways. It can help you communicate your message better, create more impact and get ahead.
Using the right words is, of course, important in communication. But effective communication involves more than just that. Here are 3 simple steps on how to impress with words and connect proficiently with other people.
Step 1: Listen.
Communication is a two-way process; and for it to be successful, realize that you are not the only one who should get to talk.
When you are speaking with another person, concentrate on what he or she is saying. Listen actively and decisively, so that your mind wouldn't wander.
Remember, what you want is to gain information, understand others, share concepts, solve problems, explain misunderstandings and so on. This will also help you determine the tone and the context of the conversation, what words to say or what questions to ask.
Showing the other person that you are an active listener will make people love to be with you.
Step 2: Less Is More.
We often spend more time talking about the superficial than the essential and significant things. We tend to linger on the introductory speech, the pleasantries and so on. But if you want to be an effective communicator, realize that less is more.
Use fewer, carefully chosen and precise words to express your thoughts and ideas. Don't beat around the bush. Be specific and keep it simple.
Using too many words may cause you to stray from the topic at hand. Learn how to impress people with words by being concise, expressing your thoughts clearly, and keeping to the point.
Step 3: Ask Questions.
Don't be afraid or intimidated to clarify something that you don't understand. This doesn't only show that you listened and understood what was said, it also shows that you are interested in the topic and that you care enough about it to avoid misunderstandings.
Another tip on how to impress with words is by asking questions that are open-ended. This will help the conversation flow more smoothly and less forced. It will also help you learn more about the person or the subject being discussed, and can possibly direct the conversation to more interesting topics.
Learning how to impress with words is easy, as long as you keep your mind open. This will allow you to listen and speak more clearly and efficiently. And it will also help you understand other people and relate to them better
To your speaking success Fran
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Where Have I Been?
Wow. I didn't realize how much time had passed since I last posted. Made me stop and think - where have I been?
Last year I was the Public Relations Officer for the District. My term ended June 30th, so May and June were very busy with conference and newsletters and more. I also became very involved with a project in my home town - The Diversity Festival - which was held on July 7th and was very successful. Then we were in to the summer with a family reunion, my boyfriend's family visiting from overseas, my daughter coming from Taiwan for a visit and work. Recently I presented a 3 hour workshop to the local military base on communication. So, that's where I have been.
Where am I going now?
This year I took on the role of Area Governor, which means that I took on a role to help the clubs in my area learn and grow. Yesterday I attended training designed to make me more effective in this role. I am in the process of organizing an Area Speech Contest for Humorous speeches and Evaluations. I am learning more about speaking and life in general through a course called BANABU and I am continuing to present workshops on Time Management, Conflict Resolution, Personality Dimensions, Communication and more.
I will get back to my blogs and provide content for club members and anyone interested in public speaking.
If you have a comment or a question, something you would like me to discuss or provide more information on, please comment below.
All the best to you and your speaking career.
Fran
Friday, October 28, 2011
Deadly Sin #3 - Lust
Tips from Andrew Dlugan - http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/
“Please don’t picture the audience naked, especially if I am in your audience.”
The lustful speaker attempts to calm their nerves by applying the common (yet terrible) advice to picture the audience naked!
Please don’t picture the audience naked, especially if I am in your audience.
In theory, picturing your audience naked makes them seem as vulnerable as you feel. It may provide a brief lighthearted moment to feed your teenaged appetite, but it won’t help you speak better.
More likely, it will cause an additional distraction and impede your efforts to connect with your audience. Consider this: how easy is it for you to communicate something meaningful to a room full of naked people? Can you inspire them? Impossible.
Nervous speakers who avoid this lustful deadly sin are, unfortunately, still prone to committing another deadly sin…
Stay tuned for the next tip
to your speaking success!!
Fran
P.S. In the meantime, help yourself to more tips - Click here
“Please don’t picture the audience naked, especially if I am in your audience.”
The lustful speaker attempts to calm their nerves by applying the common (yet terrible) advice to picture the audience naked!
Please don’t picture the audience naked, especially if I am in your audience.
In theory, picturing your audience naked makes them seem as vulnerable as you feel. It may provide a brief lighthearted moment to feed your teenaged appetite, but it won’t help you speak better.
More likely, it will cause an additional distraction and impede your efforts to connect with your audience. Consider this: how easy is it for you to communicate something meaningful to a room full of naked people? Can you inspire them? Impossible.
Nervous speakers who avoid this lustful deadly sin are, unfortunately, still prone to committing another deadly sin…
Stay tuned for the next tip
to your speaking success!!
Fran
P.S. In the meantime, help yourself to more tips - Click here
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Toastmasters Builds Leaders
How to Become an Ideal Leader
When you are at work, do you get frustrated because things don't seem to be happening the way they’re supposed to be? You see people milling around but nothing gets accomplished. And in the daily hustle and bustle, do you feel that your goals remain just that – goals. Then maybe its time for you to stand up and do something about it.
Most people are content just to stand around listening for orders. And it isn't unusual to adopt a follow-the-leader mentality. But maybe, somewhere inside of you, you feel the desire to make things happen – to be the head, not the tail. Then maybe leadership just suits you fine.
Some people believe that great leaders are made, not born. Yes, it may be true that some people are born with natural talents. However, without practice, without drive, without enthusiasm, and without experience, there can be no true development in leadership.
You must also remember that good leaders are continually working and studying to improve their natural skills. This takes a commitment to constantly improve in whatever endeavor a person chooses.
First of all, let's define leadership. To be a leader, one must be able to influence others to accomplish a goal, or an objective. He contributes to the organization and cohesion of a group.
Contrary to what most people believe, leadership is not about power. It is not about harassing people or driving them using fear. It is about encouraging others towards the goal of the organization. It is putting everyone on the same page and helping them see the big picture of the organization. You must be a leader not a boss.
First of all, you have to get people to follow you. How is this accomplished?
People follow others when they see a clear sense of purpose. People will only follow you if they see that you know where you are going. Remember that bumper sticker? The one that says, don't follow me, I'm lost too? The same holds true for leadership. If you yourself do not know where you're headed to, chances are people will not follow you at all.
You yourself must know the vision of the organization. Having a clear sense of hierarchy, knowing who the bosses are, who to talk to, the organization's goals and objectives, and how the organization works is the only way to show others you know what you are doing.
Being a leader is not about what you make others do. It's about who you are, what you know, and what you do. You are a reflection of what you're subordinates must be.
Studies have shown that one other bases of good leadership is the trust and confidence your subordinates have of you. If they trust you they will go through hell and high water for you and for the organization.
Trust and confidence is built on good relationships, trustworthiness, and high ethics.
The way you deal with your people, and the relationships you build will lay the foundation for the strength of your group. The stronger your relationship, the stronger their trust and confidence is in your capabilities.
Once you have their trust and confidence, you may now proceed to communicate the goals and objectives you are to undertake.
Communication is a very important key to good leadership. Without this you can not be a good leader. The knowledge and technical expertise you have must be clearly imparted to other people.
Also, you can not be a good leader and unless you have good judgment. You must be able to assess situations, weigh the pros and cons of any decision, and actively seek out a solution.
It is this judgment that your subordinates will come to rely upon. Therefore, good decision-making is vital to the success of your organization.
Leaders are not do-it-all heroes. You should not claim to know everything, and you should not rely upon your skills alone.
You should recognize and take advantage of the skills and talents your subordinates have. Only when you come to this realization will you be able to work as one cohesive unit.
Remember being a leader takes a good deal of work and time. It is not learned overnight. Remember, also, that it is not about just you. It is about you and the people around you.
So, do you have the drive and the desire to serve required of leaders? Do you have the desire to work cooperatively with other people? Then start now. Take your stand and be leader today.
Toastmasters International recently went through a rebranding process and the new motto is "Toastmasters Where Leaders Are Made".
You may wonder... "what does public speaking have to do with leadership?", but communication is one of the skills a leader must have in order to lead. You also learn leadership in a club by taking on meeting roles such as Toastmaster and Table Topics Master or General Evaluator or Speech Evaluator.
If you haven't yet checked out Toastmasters, why not look for a club near you by going to the Toastmasters International website and click on "Find A Club".
I am a member of District 61 and you can find more information about our clubs here
Perhaps we will meet at a conference some time!
Please feel free to comment below.
Fran Watson
P.S. If you would like a list of over 800 speech topics, click here
P.P.S. Once you have received your list, you will also receive weekly tips on public speaking.
When you are at work, do you get frustrated because things don't seem to be happening the way they’re supposed to be? You see people milling around but nothing gets accomplished. And in the daily hustle and bustle, do you feel that your goals remain just that – goals. Then maybe its time for you to stand up and do something about it.
Most people are content just to stand around listening for orders. And it isn't unusual to adopt a follow-the-leader mentality. But maybe, somewhere inside of you, you feel the desire to make things happen – to be the head, not the tail. Then maybe leadership just suits you fine.
Some people believe that great leaders are made, not born. Yes, it may be true that some people are born with natural talents. However, without practice, without drive, without enthusiasm, and without experience, there can be no true development in leadership.
You must also remember that good leaders are continually working and studying to improve their natural skills. This takes a commitment to constantly improve in whatever endeavor a person chooses.
First of all, let's define leadership. To be a leader, one must be able to influence others to accomplish a goal, or an objective. He contributes to the organization and cohesion of a group.
Contrary to what most people believe, leadership is not about power. It is not about harassing people or driving them using fear. It is about encouraging others towards the goal of the organization. It is putting everyone on the same page and helping them see the big picture of the organization. You must be a leader not a boss.
First of all, you have to get people to follow you. How is this accomplished?
People follow others when they see a clear sense of purpose. People will only follow you if they see that you know where you are going. Remember that bumper sticker? The one that says, don't follow me, I'm lost too? The same holds true for leadership. If you yourself do not know where you're headed to, chances are people will not follow you at all.
You yourself must know the vision of the organization. Having a clear sense of hierarchy, knowing who the bosses are, who to talk to, the organization's goals and objectives, and how the organization works is the only way to show others you know what you are doing.
Being a leader is not about what you make others do. It's about who you are, what you know, and what you do. You are a reflection of what you're subordinates must be.
Studies have shown that one other bases of good leadership is the trust and confidence your subordinates have of you. If they trust you they will go through hell and high water for you and for the organization.
Trust and confidence is built on good relationships, trustworthiness, and high ethics.
The way you deal with your people, and the relationships you build will lay the foundation for the strength of your group. The stronger your relationship, the stronger their trust and confidence is in your capabilities.
Once you have their trust and confidence, you may now proceed to communicate the goals and objectives you are to undertake.
Communication is a very important key to good leadership. Without this you can not be a good leader. The knowledge and technical expertise you have must be clearly imparted to other people.
Also, you can not be a good leader and unless you have good judgment. You must be able to assess situations, weigh the pros and cons of any decision, and actively seek out a solution.
It is this judgment that your subordinates will come to rely upon. Therefore, good decision-making is vital to the success of your organization.
Leaders are not do-it-all heroes. You should not claim to know everything, and you should not rely upon your skills alone.
You should recognize and take advantage of the skills and talents your subordinates have. Only when you come to this realization will you be able to work as one cohesive unit.
Remember being a leader takes a good deal of work and time. It is not learned overnight. Remember, also, that it is not about just you. It is about you and the people around you.
So, do you have the drive and the desire to serve required of leaders? Do you have the desire to work cooperatively with other people? Then start now. Take your stand and be leader today.
Toastmasters International recently went through a rebranding process and the new motto is "Toastmasters Where Leaders Are Made".
You may wonder... "what does public speaking have to do with leadership?", but communication is one of the skills a leader must have in order to lead. You also learn leadership in a club by taking on meeting roles such as Toastmaster and Table Topics Master or General Evaluator or Speech Evaluator.
If you haven't yet checked out Toastmasters, why not look for a club near you by going to the Toastmasters International website and click on "Find A Club".
I am a member of District 61 and you can find more information about our clubs here
Perhaps we will meet at a conference some time!
Please feel free to comment below.
Fran Watson
P.S. If you would like a list of over 800 speech topics, click here
P.P.S. Once you have received your list, you will also receive weekly tips on public speaking.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Develop Leadership and Communication Skills with Toastmasters
How to Become an Ideal Leader
When you are at work, do you get frustrated because things don't seem to be happening the way they’re supposed to be? You see people milling around but nothing gets accomplished. And in the daily hustle and bustle, do you feel that your goals remain just that – goals. Then maybe its time for you to stand up and do something about it.
Most people are content just to stand around listening for orders. And it isn't unusual to adopt a follow-the-leader mentality. But maybe, somewhere inside of you, you feel the desire to make things happen – to be the head, not the tail. Then maybe leadership just suits you fine.
Some people believe that great leaders are made, not born. Yes, it may be true that some people are born with natural talents. However, without practice, without drive, without enthusiasm, and without experience, there can be no true development in leadership.
You must also remember that good leaders are continually working and studying to improve their natural skills. This takes a commitment to constantly improve in whatever endeavor a person chooses.
First of all, let's define leadership. To be a leader, one must be able to influence others to accomplish a goal, or an objective. He contributes to the organization and cohesion of a group.
Contrary to what most people believe, leadership is not about power. It is not about harassing people or driving them using fear. It is about encouraging others towards the goal of the organization. It is putting everyone on the same page and helping them see the big picture of the organization. You must be a leader not a boss.
First of all, you have to get people to follow you. How is this accomplished?
People follow others when they see a clear sense of purpose. People will only follow you if they see that you know where you are going. Remember that bumper sticker? The one that says, don't follow me, I'm lost too? The same holds true for leadership. If you yourself do not know where you're headed to, chances are people will not follow you at all.
You yourself must know the vision of the organization. Having a clear sense of hierarchy, knowing who the bosses are, who to talk to, the organization's goals and objectives, and how the organization works is the only way to show others you know what you are doing.
Being a leader is not about what you make others do. It's about who you are, what you know, and what you do. You are a reflection of what you're subordinates must be.
Studies have shown that one other bases of good leadership is the trust and confidence your subordinates have of you. If they trust you they will go through hell and high water for you and for the organization.
Trust and confidence is built on good relationships, trustworthiness, and high ethics.
The way you deal with your people, and the relationships you build will lay the foundation for the strength of your group. The stronger your relationship, the stronger their trust and confidence is in your capabilities.
Once you have their trust and confidence, you may now proceed to communicate the goals and objectives you are to undertake.
Communication is a very important key to good leadership. Without this you can not be a good leader. The knowledge and technical expertise you have must be clearly imparted to other people.
Also, you can not be a good leader and unless you have good judgment. You must be able to assess situations, weigh the pros and cons of any decision, and actively seek out a solution.
It is this judgment that your subordinates will come to rely upon. Therefore, good decision-making is vital to the success of your organization.
Leaders are not do-it-all heroes. You should not claim to know everything, and you should not rely upon your skills alone.
You should recognize and take advantage of the skills and talents your subordinates have. Only when you come to this realization will you be able to work as one cohesive unit.
Remember being a leader takes a good deal of work and time. It is not learned overnight. Remember, also, that it is not about just you. It is about you and the people around you.
So, do you have the drive and the desire to serve required of leaders? Do you have the desire to work cooperatively with other people? Then start now. Take your stand and be leader today.
Toastmasters International is a not-for-profit organization designed to help you grow your communication and leadership skills during weekly meetings. Each meeting you have an opportunity to take on a role such as Chair, Toast, Word, Joke or Story, Table Topics Master, Education Tip, Speaker or Evaluator. Each week you learn more about the various roles and how to improve your speaking and presentation skills. Each week you receive feedback from other members of your club on how you performed your roles and how to enhance your communication skills.
Communication and leadership skills are vital if you want to improve your lifestyle and your employment opportunities. Check out a Toastmasters Club near you today. You can find one by going to http://www.toastmasters.org
To aspiring leaders everywhere!!
Fran Watson
District 61 PRO (Public Relations Officer)
http://www.toastmastersdistrict61.org
When you are at work, do you get frustrated because things don't seem to be happening the way they’re supposed to be? You see people milling around but nothing gets accomplished. And in the daily hustle and bustle, do you feel that your goals remain just that – goals. Then maybe its time for you to stand up and do something about it.
Most people are content just to stand around listening for orders. And it isn't unusual to adopt a follow-the-leader mentality. But maybe, somewhere inside of you, you feel the desire to make things happen – to be the head, not the tail. Then maybe leadership just suits you fine.
Some people believe that great leaders are made, not born. Yes, it may be true that some people are born with natural talents. However, without practice, without drive, without enthusiasm, and without experience, there can be no true development in leadership.
You must also remember that good leaders are continually working and studying to improve their natural skills. This takes a commitment to constantly improve in whatever endeavor a person chooses.
First of all, let's define leadership. To be a leader, one must be able to influence others to accomplish a goal, or an objective. He contributes to the organization and cohesion of a group.
Contrary to what most people believe, leadership is not about power. It is not about harassing people or driving them using fear. It is about encouraging others towards the goal of the organization. It is putting everyone on the same page and helping them see the big picture of the organization. You must be a leader not a boss.
First of all, you have to get people to follow you. How is this accomplished?
People follow others when they see a clear sense of purpose. People will only follow you if they see that you know where you are going. Remember that bumper sticker? The one that says, don't follow me, I'm lost too? The same holds true for leadership. If you yourself do not know where you're headed to, chances are people will not follow you at all.
You yourself must know the vision of the organization. Having a clear sense of hierarchy, knowing who the bosses are, who to talk to, the organization's goals and objectives, and how the organization works is the only way to show others you know what you are doing.
Being a leader is not about what you make others do. It's about who you are, what you know, and what you do. You are a reflection of what you're subordinates must be.
Studies have shown that one other bases of good leadership is the trust and confidence your subordinates have of you. If they trust you they will go through hell and high water for you and for the organization.
Trust and confidence is built on good relationships, trustworthiness, and high ethics.
The way you deal with your people, and the relationships you build will lay the foundation for the strength of your group. The stronger your relationship, the stronger their trust and confidence is in your capabilities.
Once you have their trust and confidence, you may now proceed to communicate the goals and objectives you are to undertake.
Communication is a very important key to good leadership. Without this you can not be a good leader. The knowledge and technical expertise you have must be clearly imparted to other people.
Also, you can not be a good leader and unless you have good judgment. You must be able to assess situations, weigh the pros and cons of any decision, and actively seek out a solution.
It is this judgment that your subordinates will come to rely upon. Therefore, good decision-making is vital to the success of your organization.
Leaders are not do-it-all heroes. You should not claim to know everything, and you should not rely upon your skills alone.
You should recognize and take advantage of the skills and talents your subordinates have. Only when you come to this realization will you be able to work as one cohesive unit.
Remember being a leader takes a good deal of work and time. It is not learned overnight. Remember, also, that it is not about just you. It is about you and the people around you.
So, do you have the drive and the desire to serve required of leaders? Do you have the desire to work cooperatively with other people? Then start now. Take your stand and be leader today.
Toastmasters International is a not-for-profit organization designed to help you grow your communication and leadership skills during weekly meetings. Each meeting you have an opportunity to take on a role such as Chair, Toast, Word, Joke or Story, Table Topics Master, Education Tip, Speaker or Evaluator. Each week you learn more about the various roles and how to improve your speaking and presentation skills. Each week you receive feedback from other members of your club on how you performed your roles and how to enhance your communication skills.
Communication and leadership skills are vital if you want to improve your lifestyle and your employment opportunities. Check out a Toastmasters Club near you today. You can find one by going to http://www.toastmasters.org
To aspiring leaders everywhere!!
Fran Watson
District 61 PRO (Public Relations Officer)
http://www.toastmastersdistrict61.org
Friday, September 9, 2011
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Get Their Attention With Your Speech Topic
First, if you are looking for a persuasive speech topic, you must know that the more controversial the speech topics, are the more response you will get from your audiences.
The topic sentence has to be short, declarative sentence that states the central idea of your speech. Your persuasion speech topics should zero in on one main idea rather than focusing on entirely different areas.
If you are looking for science related speech topics, there's plenty of those in the science forums. It is relatively easy to join forums. A visual presentation is sure to bring your informative speech topics to a whole new level of interest.
Choosing a persuasive speech topic for your presentation is not an easy task. Introduce the topic with a statement of fact and support that statement with the main points of your speech. Write a purpose statement by stating the goal and topic for a speech and specifying the method to be used in developing the speech. This means you will have to research your topic and work your sources into your speech and outline.
The more controversial your persuasive speech topic, the harder challenge your creating for yourself, and the more you'll learn. Interest the listeners in the topic, purpose, and issues of the speech. Developing a topic and identifying the purpose of a speech will aid in the organization and direction of the overall performance. You will get enthusiastic applause...perhaps even a standing ovation, every time you speak if you develop informative speech topics which are slightly controversial in nature!
If you should emphasize both the positive and negative characteristics of your topic in order to provide a well-balanced speech, you will definitely make your speech more interesting! So, the idea here is to first pick a topic and then list down the positive and negative characteristics of your topic. It will stimulate your mind in more ways than you can imagine, and could easily spawn dozens of speech topic ideas.
Happy speaking!
Fran
P.S. For a list of more than 800 speech topics and to sign up for my public speaking newsletter, click here: http://www.franwatson.ca/publicspeaker.html
The topic sentence has to be short, declarative sentence that states the central idea of your speech. Your persuasion speech topics should zero in on one main idea rather than focusing on entirely different areas.
If you are looking for science related speech topics, there's plenty of those in the science forums. It is relatively easy to join forums. A visual presentation is sure to bring your informative speech topics to a whole new level of interest.
Choosing a persuasive speech topic for your presentation is not an easy task. Introduce the topic with a statement of fact and support that statement with the main points of your speech. Write a purpose statement by stating the goal and topic for a speech and specifying the method to be used in developing the speech. This means you will have to research your topic and work your sources into your speech and outline.
The more controversial your persuasive speech topic, the harder challenge your creating for yourself, and the more you'll learn. Interest the listeners in the topic, purpose, and issues of the speech. Developing a topic and identifying the purpose of a speech will aid in the organization and direction of the overall performance. You will get enthusiastic applause...perhaps even a standing ovation, every time you speak if you develop informative speech topics which are slightly controversial in nature!
If you should emphasize both the positive and negative characteristics of your topic in order to provide a well-balanced speech, you will definitely make your speech more interesting! So, the idea here is to first pick a topic and then list down the positive and negative characteristics of your topic. It will stimulate your mind in more ways than you can imagine, and could easily spawn dozens of speech topic ideas.
Happy speaking!
Fran
P.S. For a list of more than 800 speech topics and to sign up for my public speaking newsletter, click here: http://www.franwatson.ca/publicspeaker.html
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Fran Watson
District PRO
Toastmasters
http://www.toastmasters.org/
http://www.toastmastersdisctrict61.org/
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Toastmasters helps build Leaders
http://youtu.be/qovsP1aaEQY
Wish you were funnier? Are you a Toastmaster? Do you want to give a humorous speech? Do you want to add humor to a serious speech or presentation? Watch the way Toastmasters International World Champion of Public Speaking, Darren LaCroix. Why do people think public speaking is supposed to be boring? Humor and humorous speeches get listened to. Make people laugh, learn to add humor to your presentation for a great humor coach. Want more humor in your speech?
Follow Darren LaCroix, Toastmasters World Champion:
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/StageTime
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/darrenlacroix
Linked in - http://www.linkedin.com/in/darrenlacroix
I hope you enjoyed this. Check here for a local Toastmasters Club - http://www.toastmasters.org/
Fran Watson
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
First Impressions
HOW TO MAKE A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION
by J.A. Gamache Third place Champion at the 2001 Toastmasters
International World Championship of Public Speaking
Your walk, posture and facial expressions convey non-verbal
messages about your state of mind. Decide to send the right
messages so you can make a good first impression whenever you
speak in public.
As you walk to the podium, the audience receives many
non-verbal cues before you've even said a word. Their first
impression of you is based on that information.
First impressions are important because the audience won't
find your message credible unless they feel that you're in
control. If you don't project self-confidence, they will find
it hard to trust you. Unwittingly, you might be raising
doubts in their minds.
Is it a disaster to fail at making a good first impression?
No. You'll always be able to catch up. However, you'll have
to work harder to reassure the audience that in spite of
appearances, you are a trustworthy source of information.
Here are some tips on how to make an entrance that conveys
the impression that you're in control.
1- WALK
Look at self-confident people--they have a strong, rapid
stride. Decide to send the same message. When your name is
announced, walk as though you're saying, "I am confident,"
even though you feel like running away!
2- POSTURE
Stand straight and adopt a solid stance. Open your torso to
ease your breathing. This posture sends the message that
you're calm even though you're shaking with fear!
3- FACIAL EXPRESSION
Put a smile on your face! When you walk to the podium, hold
your head high. Before you speak, take a deep breath. It'll
calm you down. Don't speak right away! Take time to look at
the audience. This silent pause sends the message, "I am
happy to be here!" even though you may be wondering what on
earth you've gotten yourself into.
Practice your entrance at home. Pay attention to the way you
walk, your posture, and your facial expressions, and you'll
make a good first impression every time.
Happy speech!
©MMIX J.A. Gamache www.jagamache.com. All rights reserved.
--------------------------------
PERMISSION IS GRANTED TO REPRODUCE THIS ARTICLE in whole or
in part if a copy of the reproduced text is sent to J.A.
Gamache at info@jagamache.com after publication and also
provided that this byline, including the following paragraph,
appears along with the reproduced text:
This article was reproduced from "Speaking in Public with
J.A.", a FREE electronic magazine authored by J.A. Gamache,
International Inspirational Speaker. To subscribe to his FREE
e-zine or to find out more about his presentations, visit:
http://www.jagamache.com/.
I hope you enjoyed this tip
Fran Watson
P.S. Have a great day and check out this site
by J.A. Gamache Third place Champion at the 2001 Toastmasters
International World Championship of Public Speaking
Your walk, posture and facial expressions convey non-verbal
messages about your state of mind. Decide to send the right
messages so you can make a good first impression whenever you
speak in public.
As you walk to the podium, the audience receives many
non-verbal cues before you've even said a word. Their first
impression of you is based on that information.
First impressions are important because the audience won't
find your message credible unless they feel that you're in
control. If you don't project self-confidence, they will find
it hard to trust you. Unwittingly, you might be raising
doubts in their minds.
Is it a disaster to fail at making a good first impression?
No. You'll always be able to catch up. However, you'll have
to work harder to reassure the audience that in spite of
appearances, you are a trustworthy source of information.
Here are some tips on how to make an entrance that conveys
the impression that you're in control.
1- WALK
Look at self-confident people--they have a strong, rapid
stride. Decide to send the same message. When your name is
announced, walk as though you're saying, "I am confident,"
even though you feel like running away!
2- POSTURE
Stand straight and adopt a solid stance. Open your torso to
ease your breathing. This posture sends the message that
you're calm even though you're shaking with fear!
3- FACIAL EXPRESSION
Put a smile on your face! When you walk to the podium, hold
your head high. Before you speak, take a deep breath. It'll
calm you down. Don't speak right away! Take time to look at
the audience. This silent pause sends the message, "I am
happy to be here!" even though you may be wondering what on
earth you've gotten yourself into.
Practice your entrance at home. Pay attention to the way you
walk, your posture, and your facial expressions, and you'll
make a good first impression every time.
Happy speech!
©MMIX J.A. Gamache www.jagamache.com. All rights reserved.
--------------------------------
PERMISSION IS GRANTED TO REPRODUCE THIS ARTICLE in whole or
in part if a copy of the reproduced text is sent to J.A.
Gamache at info@jagamache.com after publication and also
provided that this byline, including the following paragraph,
appears along with the reproduced text:
This article was reproduced from "Speaking in Public with
J.A.", a FREE electronic magazine authored by J.A. Gamache,
International Inspirational Speaker. To subscribe to his FREE
e-zine or to find out more about his presentations, visit:
http://www.jagamache.com/.
I hope you enjoyed this tip
Fran Watson
P.S. Have a great day and check out this site
Monday, June 27, 2011
Become An Inspiring Speaker
https://dreamuniversity.infusionsoft.com/go/VisionaryGift/franwats/Everything You Need To Achieve Your Dreams
Message from Marcia:
"Over the years, many people have approached me after a keynote or at the end of my workshops and said, "I want to do what you do. I want to be a speaker." If this is your dream or you want to confidently deliver an inspiring message, read on. Whether you are a novice, intermediate, or even an advanced business presenter or professional speaker, you can benefit from this program."
•Hear secrets, shortcuts and the mistakes to avoid, saving yourself money and cutting years off your learning curve.
•Learn to design and deliver an inspiring message.
•Create your own authentic and confident "Presence & Persona".
•Develop a new relationship with your voice and essential skills to step into your power and build rapport.
•Practice using stories, spontaneity and humor.
•See how to market yourself to get booked.
•Learn about producing and selling Back of the Room (BOR) products – a huge income potential.
Check it out now
Fran
P.S. Go here to pick up a free gift
Message from Marcia:
"Over the years, many people have approached me after a keynote or at the end of my workshops and said, "I want to do what you do. I want to be a speaker." If this is your dream or you want to confidently deliver an inspiring message, read on. Whether you are a novice, intermediate, or even an advanced business presenter or professional speaker, you can benefit from this program."
•Hear secrets, shortcuts and the mistakes to avoid, saving yourself money and cutting years off your learning curve.
•Learn to design and deliver an inspiring message.
•Create your own authentic and confident "Presence & Persona".
•Develop a new relationship with your voice and essential skills to step into your power and build rapport.
•Practice using stories, spontaneity and humor.
•See how to market yourself to get booked.
•Learn about producing and selling Back of the Room (BOR) products – a huge income potential.
Check it out now
Fran
P.S. Go here to pick up a free gift
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Leadership Tips
Leadership Exposed: Things You Thought You Knew About Leadership
Much has been written about leadership: rules, pointers, styles, and biographies of inspiring leaders throughout world history. But there are certain leadership ideas that we ourselves fail to recognize and realize in the course of reading books. Here is a short list of things you thought you knew about leadership.
1. Leaders come in different flavors.
There are different types of leaders and you will probably encounter more than one type in your lifetime. Formal leaders are those we elect into positions or offices such as the senators, congressmen, and presidents of the local clubs. Informal leaders or those we look up to by virtue of their wisdom and experience such as in the case of the elders of a tribe, or our grandparents; or by virtue of their expertise and contribution on a given field such as Albert Einstein in the field of Theoretical Physics and Leonardo da Vinci in the field of the Arts. Both formal and informal leaders practice a combination of leadership styles.
· Lewin’s three basic leadership styles – authoritative, participative, and delegative
· Likert’s four leadership styles – exploitive authoritative, benevolent authoritative, consultative, and participative
· Goleman’s six emotional leadership styles - visionary, coaching, affiliative, democratic, pacesetting, and commanding.
2. Leadership is a process of becoming.
Although certain people seem to be born with innate leadership qualities, without the right environment and exposure, they may fail to develop their full potential. So like learning how to ride a bicycle, you can also learn how to become a leader and hone your leadership abilities. Knowledge on leadership theories and skills may be formally gained by enrolling in leadership seminars, workshops, and conferences. Daily interactions with people provide the opportunity to observe and practice leadership theories. Together, formal and informal learning will help you gain leadership attitudes, gain leadership insights, and thus furthering the cycle of learning. You do not become a leader in one day and just stop. Life-long learning is important in becoming a good leader for each day brings new experiences that put your knowledge, skills, and attitude to a test.
3. Leadership starts with you.
The best way to develop leadership qualities is to apply it to your own life. As an adage goes “action speaks louder than words.” Leaders are always in the limelight. Keep in mind that your credibility as a leader depends much on your actions: your interaction with your family, friends, and co-workers; your way of managing your personal and organizational responsibilities; and even the way you talk with the newspaper vendor across the street. Repeated actions become habits. Habits in turn form a person’s character. Steven Covey’s book entitled 7 Habits of Highly Effective People provides good insights on how you can achieve personal leadership.
4. Leadership is shared.
Leadership is not the sole responsibility of one person, but rather a shared responsibility among members of an emerging team. A leader belongs to a group. Each member has responsibilities to fulfill. Formal leadership positions are merely added responsibilities aside from their responsibilities as members of the team. Effective leadership requires members to do their share of work. Starting as a mere group of individuals, members and leaders work towards the formation of an effective team. In this light, social interaction plays a major role in leadership. To learn how to work together requires a great deal of trust between and among leaders and members of an emerging team. Trust is built upon actions and not merely on words. When mutual respect exists, trust is fostered and confidence is built.
5. Leadership styles depend on the situation.
How come dictatorship works for Singapore but not in the United States of America? Aside from culture, beliefs, value system, and form of government, the current situation of a nation also affects the leadership styles used by its formal leaders. There is no rule that only one style can be used. Most of the time, leaders employ a combination of leadership styles depending on the situation. In emergency situations such as periods of war and calamity, decision-making is a matter of life and death. Thus, a nation’s leader cannot afford to consult with all departments to arrive at crucial decisions. The case is of course different in times of peace and order---different sectors and other branches of government can freely interact and participate in governance. Another case in point is in leading organizations. When the staffs are highly motivated and competent, a combination of high delegative and moderate participative styles of leadership is most appropriate. But if the staffs have low competence and low commitment, a combination of high coaching, high supporting, and high directing behavior from organizational leaders is required.
Now that you are reminded of these things, keep in mind that there are always ideas that we think we already know; concepts we take for granted, but are actually the most useful insights on leadership.
Lead on.....
Fran
http://www.franwatson.ca/publicspeaker.html
Much has been written about leadership: rules, pointers, styles, and biographies of inspiring leaders throughout world history. But there are certain leadership ideas that we ourselves fail to recognize and realize in the course of reading books. Here is a short list of things you thought you knew about leadership.
1. Leaders come in different flavors.
There are different types of leaders and you will probably encounter more than one type in your lifetime. Formal leaders are those we elect into positions or offices such as the senators, congressmen, and presidents of the local clubs. Informal leaders or those we look up to by virtue of their wisdom and experience such as in the case of the elders of a tribe, or our grandparents; or by virtue of their expertise and contribution on a given field such as Albert Einstein in the field of Theoretical Physics and Leonardo da Vinci in the field of the Arts. Both formal and informal leaders practice a combination of leadership styles.
· Lewin’s three basic leadership styles – authoritative, participative, and delegative
· Likert’s four leadership styles – exploitive authoritative, benevolent authoritative, consultative, and participative
· Goleman’s six emotional leadership styles - visionary, coaching, affiliative, democratic, pacesetting, and commanding.
2. Leadership is a process of becoming.
Although certain people seem to be born with innate leadership qualities, without the right environment and exposure, they may fail to develop their full potential. So like learning how to ride a bicycle, you can also learn how to become a leader and hone your leadership abilities. Knowledge on leadership theories and skills may be formally gained by enrolling in leadership seminars, workshops, and conferences. Daily interactions with people provide the opportunity to observe and practice leadership theories. Together, formal and informal learning will help you gain leadership attitudes, gain leadership insights, and thus furthering the cycle of learning. You do not become a leader in one day and just stop. Life-long learning is important in becoming a good leader for each day brings new experiences that put your knowledge, skills, and attitude to a test.
3. Leadership starts with you.
The best way to develop leadership qualities is to apply it to your own life. As an adage goes “action speaks louder than words.” Leaders are always in the limelight. Keep in mind that your credibility as a leader depends much on your actions: your interaction with your family, friends, and co-workers; your way of managing your personal and organizational responsibilities; and even the way you talk with the newspaper vendor across the street. Repeated actions become habits. Habits in turn form a person’s character. Steven Covey’s book entitled 7 Habits of Highly Effective People provides good insights on how you can achieve personal leadership.
4. Leadership is shared.
Leadership is not the sole responsibility of one person, but rather a shared responsibility among members of an emerging team. A leader belongs to a group. Each member has responsibilities to fulfill. Formal leadership positions are merely added responsibilities aside from their responsibilities as members of the team. Effective leadership requires members to do their share of work. Starting as a mere group of individuals, members and leaders work towards the formation of an effective team. In this light, social interaction plays a major role in leadership. To learn how to work together requires a great deal of trust between and among leaders and members of an emerging team. Trust is built upon actions and not merely on words. When mutual respect exists, trust is fostered and confidence is built.
5. Leadership styles depend on the situation.
How come dictatorship works for Singapore but not in the United States of America? Aside from culture, beliefs, value system, and form of government, the current situation of a nation also affects the leadership styles used by its formal leaders. There is no rule that only one style can be used. Most of the time, leaders employ a combination of leadership styles depending on the situation. In emergency situations such as periods of war and calamity, decision-making is a matter of life and death. Thus, a nation’s leader cannot afford to consult with all departments to arrive at crucial decisions. The case is of course different in times of peace and order---different sectors and other branches of government can freely interact and participate in governance. Another case in point is in leading organizations. When the staffs are highly motivated and competent, a combination of high delegative and moderate participative styles of leadership is most appropriate. But if the staffs have low competence and low commitment, a combination of high coaching, high supporting, and high directing behavior from organizational leaders is required.
Now that you are reminded of these things, keep in mind that there are always ideas that we think we already know; concepts we take for granted, but are actually the most useful insights on leadership.
Lead on.....
Fran
http://www.franwatson.ca/publicspeaker.html
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Speaker Videos
Check these out. These are the winning videos from a recent contest.
THE WINNER OF THE BEST SPEAKER
VIDEO CONTEST IS:
JOHN YOUNG
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfbDgKHFfs0
What the judges appreciated about John's video: great energy, solid content, unique, relevant, high production quality, positions as an expert.
Congratulations John!
RUNNERS UP ARE:
Simon Bailey (commands the stage brilliantly)
http://www.youtube.com/brilliance777#p/a/u/0/veREsqHhUHg
Bill Stainton (Fun, unique, great energy)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdUdKjzX2NY
Steve Shapiro (pulls us in)
http://www.vimeo.com/15265556
Michelle Ray (energy, audience engagement)
http://www.michelleray.com/demo.html
Kris Belcher (great funny stories, she's real)
http://www.youtube. com/watch?v=n7UqrBYt4QY
Congratulations Runner's Up!
And special thanks goes out to the panel: Joe Calloway and Robin Creasman, for their wisdom and expertise!
And, if you wonder why your video wasn't selected, this post called "Video: You Might Lose Me If"
might help. http://ow.ly/36WMI
See you soon Wealthy Speakers!
Comments? Post to my blog
http://www.speakerlauncher.com/blog/
Hope you enjoy these
Fran
http://www.franwatson.ca/publicspeaker.html
THE WINNER OF THE BEST SPEAKER
VIDEO CONTEST IS:
JOHN YOUNG
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfbDgKHFfs0
What the judges appreciated about John's video: great energy, solid content, unique, relevant, high production quality, positions as an expert.
Congratulations John!
RUNNERS UP ARE:
Simon Bailey (commands the stage brilliantly)
http://www.youtube.com/brilliance777#p/a/u/0/veREsqHhUHg
Bill Stainton (Fun, unique, great energy)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdUdKjzX2NY
Steve Shapiro (pulls us in)
http://www.vimeo.com/15265556
Michelle Ray (energy, audience engagement)
http://www.michelleray.com/demo.html
Kris Belcher (great funny stories, she's real)
http://www.youtube. com/watch?v=n7UqrBYt4QY
Congratulations Runner's Up!
And special thanks goes out to the panel: Joe Calloway and Robin Creasman, for their wisdom and expertise!
And, if you wonder why your video wasn't selected, this post called "Video: You Might Lose Me If"
might help. http://ow.ly/36WMI
See you soon Wealthy Speakers!
Comments? Post to my blog
http://www.speakerlauncher.com/blog/
Hope you enjoy these
Fran
http://www.franwatson.ca/publicspeaker.html
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Poetry Reading
Our local Toastmasters Club is having a special night on Poetry Reading. This is the first introductory video about it.
I am planning to participate and will record a video for this as well. I will post it as soon as it is available.
Poetry reading is a special type of public speaking as the speaker tries to interpret the meaning of the poem and give expression and vocal variety in the reading. Poetry can be difficult to read and takes more time to think about than just reading a book or a newspaper article. Participants will have an opportunity to challenge themselves while providing entertainment for the audience. If you are in the area, we welcome you to visit the Neat Cafe in Burnstown, Ontario.
Fran
I am planning to participate and will record a video for this as well. I will post it as soon as it is available.
Poetry reading is a special type of public speaking as the speaker tries to interpret the meaning of the poem and give expression and vocal variety in the reading. Poetry can be difficult to read and takes more time to think about than just reading a book or a newspaper article. Participants will have an opportunity to challenge themselves while providing entertainment for the audience. If you are in the area, we welcome you to visit the Neat Cafe in Burnstown, Ontario.
Fran
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