Area 83 delivers, Among Top 10 Toastmasters clubs in the Philippines

Area 83 is currently among the top 10 toastmasters in the Philippines. All the three clubs in the area are Presidents Distinguished Clubs.

This is not just an ordinary feat! Considering the devastation brought by Haiyan, this achievement is like a miracle. Who would have thought that even without a proper venue to hold meetings, Pillars TMC, Cancabato Bay TM and Carigara Bay TMC not only survived, but performed be­yond expectations?

But there’s more to it than just to brag about the recognition. The achievement can also serve as a reminder of some lessons, which any individual or organization could relate to and learn from.

1. A common goal is like a light tower. It leads the sailors where to dock their ships at night. The ultimate goal of Area 83 Toastmasters this year is to achieve the Presi­dent’s Distinguished recognition for Area 83  and for all the 3 clubs in the area, before the end of the term.

When it was announced that our goal was to achieve the highest possible award, the officers and members responded with enthusiasm. Few months later, the enthusiasm resulted into scores on the dashboard of Toastmasters International.

2. Achieving a common goal becomes fun when there is a sense of involvement from the offic­ers and members. One of the ways to earn club points is to have its members deliver speeches. To prepare a speech is tough. It takes a lot of time and effort.

Talk about work schedule, everyone’s simply busy! Plus, to deliver a speech in front of an audi­ence can be daunting. These are enough alibis to quit chasing for the ultimate goal.
But seeing one or two members working hard on their speech projects is contagious. It’d make you work hard on your projects, too. See­ing members becoming better is even reward­ing. By being personally involved in achieving a common goal, people become self-driven. That’s when the goal appears to be easy and fun!

3. A sense of purpose fuels people to action. To achieve the highest goal is never for recogni­tion purposes. The halo effect of recognition lasts only for a short while. What stays is its true value. To achieve the highest score means to maximize the benefit from the Toastmasters membership. It means that the active members reap the benefit of the club’s educational program.

People join Toastmasters for different rea­sons. Some people join the club because they want to improve their confidence. Some peo­ple join the club because they want to practice speaking in front of the public without quiver­ing. Others join to practice their listening skills. Toastmasters provides a healthy and friendly environment, where members are encouraged to speak and challenged to listen.

4. Learning is a never-ending journey. After achieving the highest recognition doesn’t mean it’s all over. There are members of other Toast­masters Clubs who remain active members for more than 25 years now. They stay for two main reasons: to mentor the newbies and to learn even more. As the old adage says “mentors learn twice as much as their mentees.”

Congratulations to all the hard-working officers and passionate mem­bers of Toastmasters clubs in Leyte.

Thank you to all our mentors and supporters from other clubs in Division and the whole District 75. Thank you for all the encouragements. Thank you for the inspiration!