Meet our featured Royal Oak Toastmaster for the month of May... Ken Kochajda, SR2
Q: How did you hear about Toastmasters? How long have you been a member of the club? Sales Manager from a job interview that I was not selected for to improve the ability to sell myself. And also two ads in the Macomb Daily of clubs looking for membership. I am a part of Member of defunct Mt. Clemens Toastmasters since June 1986, Northern Toastmasters since June 2018, Unity IV Toastmasters since October 2018, Royal Oak Toastmasters since 2020, Loveland Colorado Toastmasters (Sweettakers) since February 2020 {virtual} and 5-Star Toastmasters Melbourne Florida since February 2020 {virtual}. Q: What objectives do you hope to accomplish or what are you working towards as a member of this club? I have absolutely no fear of getting up in front of people and talking. The challenge that I face that I am working on is joining. Toastmasters has help me to cut down on my rambling and give speeches that are time efficient, informative and to the point without a lot of rambling or deadwood. Q: How have Toastmasters helped you in your professional or personal journey towards becoming a better speaker? In 3 parts it have helped me: a. Featured Speaker 5 to 7 minutes - clear, concise and informative speeches that have to fall in time guidelines, b. Table Topics - thinking on your feet to give a smooth sounding informative response "on the fly" and c. Evaluator - develop effective listening skills to provide areas of effectiveness and opportunities for growth to the speaker. Some members believe this is the most important benefit of a Toastmasters membership. Q: Share a fun fact about yourself I absolutely love to eat and do not "stereotype or pigeon hole the three meals of the day". Here are some examples: I have been known to eat frozen turkey slices and noodles, frozen burritos and chocolate desserts as part of breakfast. Lunch or dinner can consist of cereal, oatmeal, french toast, bacon and fresh fruit. Eat anything you enjoy anytime of the day. Q: Who would you most like to have a conversation with? Why? Two very persistent, determined and talented individuals - What fueled them in being so consistently and persistent to reach the goals that they did were Thomas Edison and Jim Abbott. Thomas Edison attempted 10,000 times before being successful in getting the light bulb to light. Jim Abbott was born without a right hand. Former U of M baseball pitcher who made the All Star Team and won the Cy Young Award {best pitcher}. Q: What is the best public speaking tip you've received? Join Toastmasters and take advantage of all of their benefits. Q: What is a tip you'd like to share "with" others? Work hard, set goals, be persistent and never lose sight of your dreams.
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Meet our featured Royal Oak Toastmaster for the month of May... Pam Melick, DTM
Q: How did you hear about Toastmasters? How long have you been a member of the club? I first heard of Toastmasters when I lived in Chicago in the late 1990s. I can’t remember where I first heard about Toastmasters, but I remember visiting several clubs before deciding to join my first club. I first became a member of Toastmasters in April 2020. Since then, I’m been a member of clubs in the Chicago area, Vancouver, WA, and now in Royal Oak. Q: What objectives do you hope to accomplish or what are you working towards as a member of this club? I was first asked this question as a contestant of an Area speech contest being hosted by a prison club in Washington state. My answer then is the same as it is today. My goal is to speak to of a small, intimate group of 5000+ people. I’ve seen what an event that size looks like. I was so impressed by the speaker’s incredible calm and confidence. My hope is to be have that in front of an audience someday. Q: How have Toastmasters helped you in your professional or personal journey towards becoming a better speaker? Toastmasters is my practice lab. It is a place where I can hone my message and skills. In the early 2000s, I visited a National Speakers Association meeting in Illinois. One of the members told me to join Toastmasters. He told me that, while NSA could help me build my business, Toastmasters would help me build and polish my speaking skills. Q: Share a fun fact about yourself I studied belly dancing for 10 years with one of the pioneer instructors in the United States. If you’re curious, search Dahlena in YouTube to watch her dance. Q: Who would you most like to have a conversation with? Why? This is a really difficult question to answer. When I’m asked this question, I feel like I should be picking someone renowned. 20 years ago I would have picked Ice-T because I heard he was a big believer in giving back to the community and wanted to know more about what he did. But now… I don’t have heroes, never have had. And the ones I would have liked to talk to are long dead. So, for now, I’ll continue to have conversations with ordinary people. Wisdom and enlightenment come from unexpected places, and I’m open to receiving them in whatever form they appear. Q: What is the best public speaking tip you've received? I've received many tips on public speaking over the years. But the tip I carry with me always I received from David Brooks, 1990 World Champion of Public Speaking. He told us, “make a point, tell a story.” I’ve never forgotten his advice. We can regurgitate all the facts we want, but people relate to the story. The story helps make the information stick. As Carl W. Buehner once said, “They may forget what you said – but they will never forget how you make them feel.” Q: What is a tip you'd like to share "with" others? Do you. Listen to other speakers to discover what intrigues you about how they speak. Learn what lights you up about their talks and presentation skills. These are clues as to who you are becoming as a speaker. Then explore what they bring forth in you and how you can incorporate what you’ve discovered into your speaking style. These are the clues to who you are becoming as a speaker. Practice and refine them until they become like a second skin. Then do you. Meet our featured Royal Oak Toastmaster for the month of March... Samara Riley
Q: How did you hear about Toastmasters? How long have you been a member of the club? I was introduced to Toastmasters through my colleague, Kristin Johnston. I have been a member since December 2020. Q: What objectives do you hope to accomplish or what are you working towards as a member of this club? My goal is to be an exceptional speaker and leader in my professional and personal spaces. Additionally, I want to diversify my delivery and communication styles while expanding my vocabulary and captivating my target audience. Q: How have Toastmasters helped you in your professional or personal journey towards becoming a better speaker? Toastmasters helped to boost my self-assurance and awareness. Growing up in a culture where English and dialect(Patios) are commonly spoken and I am likely to pronounce or use words differently, it can be difficult to navigate certain conversations with the appropriate pronunciation and context. I am now more prepared to speak in my department huddles and meetings. I lean into my authenticity and I am more comfortable with enunciating my words while embracing my accent. I am more aware of my use of filler words and continuously work to be more precise and direct in my delivery. Q: Share a fun fact about yourself I was born and raised in Jamaica. You can take the girl out of Jamaica. But you cannot take the Jamaican out of the girl. Q: Who would you most like to have a conversation with? Why? Usually, I would say Oprah Winfrey or Iyanla Vanzant. However, I would have to go with Former First Lady, Michelle Obama. After reading her book Becoming and watching the documentary on Netflix, I developed a newfound love for her experiences and remarkable journey. She is an inspirational speaker, who embodies most of the qualities I admire. Despite continous criticism and her abilities being undermined, Michelle remained resilient and a class act. On days I feel low or drained, I can always depend on quotes and empowering speeches to reignite the fire and drive inside. Q: What is the best public speaking tip you've received? The best public speaking tip I have received is to know my audience, find content that resonates and always have fun. Q: What is a tip you'd like to share "with" others? The best tip I'd like to share with others is always to tell a story with a captivating beginning and an impactful ending while engaging your audience. Take them on a journey with you and allow them to feel your passion by leveragiing proper word placement, voice control, and body language. Meet our featured Royal Oak Toastmaster for the month of February... Shirley Roseman
Q: How did you hear about Toastmasters? How long have you been a member of the club? I heard about Toastmasters from a co-worker years ago. I became a member of the Royal Oak Toastmasters in Fall 2017. Q: What objectives do you hope to accomplish or what are you working towards as a member of this club? I hope to become a strong public speaker and to use this skill to inspire others. Q: How have Toastmasters helped you in your professional or personal journey towards becoming a better speaker? There are many tools Toastmasters has given me to use while speaking, such as, inflecting my voice and using adequate space by moving around. Toastmasters has also given me the confidence needed to be comfortable in front of an audience. Additionally, it has also shown me how important it is to communicate effectively and to be a good listener. Q: Share a fun fact about yourself I am an avid football fan and can name most NFL teams. Q: Who would you most like to have a conversation with? Why? I guess I would like to have a conversation with God because he knows everything. Q: What is the best public speaking tip you've received? Feedback is the breakfast of champions and have fun! Q: What is a tip you'd like to share "with" others? Be prepared and know your audience. Meet our featured Royal Oak Toastmaster for the month of February... Dat Nguyen, PI1
Q: How did you hear about Toastmasters? How long have you been a member of the club? I learned about Toastmasters from a successful person that I listen to online. He recommended people to join Toastmasters to improve their communication and presentation skills, qualities that are vitally important to your success. Q: What objectives do you hope to accomplish or what are you working towards as a member of this club? I want to improve my communication and presentation skills to support my entrepreneurial spirit. This will help me reach the business goals that I've been working on. Q: How have Toastmasters helped you in your professional or personal journey towards becoming a better speaker? Since joining Toastmasters, I've learned to reduce the number of filler words throughout my sentences when talking to other people. I've also improved my confidence when speaking publicly and adjusting my tones to different conversations. Q: Share a fun fact about yourself When I was 20 years old, my friends and I decided to go tandem parachuting spontaneously. During the preparation briefing before you get on the plane. I was slightly nervous the whole time. Once the plane got to cruising altitude before we jump out, all my senses of fear was gone and what's left is just pure excitement for a new experience. Just as I learned again joining Toastmasters, fear is just preparation for moving outside of your comfort zone and outgrow your old self. Now, I jump toward any opportunity to push me outside of my comfort zones, and Toastmasters is the illustration of that spirit Q: Who would you most like to have a conversation with? Why? I would like to have a conversation with Elon Musk, not because of his popularity and success, but more so because he and I share many similar values. It would be a chance for me to learn more about his experiences and the challenges he triumphs over. I genuinely believe that he and I will become business partners together in the future because our goals are very much in line with one another. I would like to have a conversation with Elon Musk, not because of his popularity and success, but more so because he and I share many similar values. It would be a chance for me to learn more about his experiences and the challenges he triumphs over. I genuinely believe that he and I will become business partners together in the future because our goals are very much in line with one another. Q: What is the best public speaking tip you've received? Be enthusiastic about what you have to say when speaking in front of an audience or a small group of people. Enthusiasm will carry you a lot further than any other tricks or tips you learn from other sources. It is the best guidance that I have ever received for public speaking, and it applies to so much more than that. Q: What is a tip you'd like to share "with" others? I would say to be positive and live your life with high enthusiasm for everything you say and do. Life will not always be ideal, but being enthusiastic through good or bad times will make you a better person in the end. It shows the world and within yourself that you have total control. Meet our featured Royal Oak Toastmaster for the month of December... Blake Gunderson, PM3
Q: How did you hear about Toastmasters? How long have you been a member of the club? I heard about Toastmasters from a colleague at work. He explained it was a great organization to build your communication & public speaking skills. Q: What objectives do you hope to accomplish or what are you working towards as a member of this club? 2 goals that I am working towards this year with TM would be to build my confidence in public speaking and learn to slow down when speaking. Q: How have Toastmasters helped you in your professional or personal journey towards becoming a better speaker? Toastmasters has helped me learn my areas of weakness in public speaking. Before I even started, I knew I had an opportunity to grow in my public speaking. It wasn't until I had joined Toastmasters and given a few speeches when I actually learned of specific things that I needed to improve. I really appreciate Toastmasters giving me this opportunity to "work in my own laboratory" and refine these areas of development. Q: Share a fun fact about yourself I cannot go on roller coasters or basically any ride at theme parks. I have probably the weakest stomach in the world. Every ride seems to make my stomach so sick. Q: Who would you most like to have a conversation with? Why? Abraham Lincoln. I believe he was one of the greatest leaders our nation has seen and I think it would be fascinating to speak with him about the Emancipation Proclamation. Q: What is the best public speaking tip you've received? Slow down and take pauses. Q: What is a tip you'd like to share "with" others? The audience is on your side, they want to see you do a good job too. Meet our featured Royal Oak Toastmaster for the month of December... Michael Stanley, ACB, CL
Q: How did you hear about Toastmasters? How long have you been a member of the club? I had first heard of Toastmasters in 2009, when looking for a new job. I did not join a club at that time. In 2015 our church had a member that was starting a new Toastmasters club. I attended and join shortly after. Q: What objectives do you hope to accomplish or what are you working towards as a member of this club? I have always stated that public speaking is a work in progress. It is also a skill that if you do not use it you lose it - as far as being an effective speaker. My goal is to not only improve my comfort level, but to also help others improve their comfort level of public speaking. Q: How have Toastmasters helped you in your professional or personal journey towards becoming a better speaker? I have from time to time situations that arise to speak to audiences varying in size from 10 to 250 folks. Toastmasters have helped me to overcome some of my anxiety, and ability to present material with confidence. Q: Share a fun fact about yourself I'm a kid at heart when it comes to winter snow. I like all winter sports, and even enjoy shoveling snow and driving in snow (as long as it is not more than 12"). Q: Who would you most like to have a conversation with? Why? I can not think of anyone else, other than the chance to speak again with my parents who are deceased. Q: What is the best public speaking tip you've received? I have heard that people fear speaking more than death. The best thing to get over that fear is to confront that fear. The more you speak the more you will get over that fear. Don't worry your toastmaster friends will help encourage you along the way. Q: What is a tip you'd like to share "with" others? Join Toastmasters is probable the best investment you can make in yourself. But, be patient, as public speaking is a life long journey. Meet our featured Royal Oak Toastmaster for the month of November... Luke Sasek, IP2
Q: How did you hear about Toastmasters? How long have you been a member of the club? I heard about Toastmasters from a friend/colleague I was visiting in San Diego. During my trip there, in May 2019, I went as a guest to his club and have been a member here at Royal Oak since July 2019! Q: What objectives do you hope to accomplish or what are you working towards as a member of this club? I joined with the intent to work on my craft as a speaker! I am always practicing and learning to expand the depth, breadth, and proficiency of my public speaking skills. Q: How have Toastmasters helped you in your professional or personal journey towards becoming a better speaker? In addition spending more time actually engaged in the act of speaking publicly, being part of a community with like-minded people working together towards a common purpose has been the most impactful way that Toastmasters has helped. Q: Share a fun fact about yourself I'm a voracious reader! Q: Who would you most like to have a conversation with? Why? Jim Rohn, Because he was, in my opinion, one of the greatest speakers of our time! Q: What is the best public speaking tip you've received? If you're ever worried about what others may be thinking of you, consider that most people spend too much time doing the same thing (i.e. wondering about what other people are thinking of them) to actually formulate a critical opinion of you! Q: What is a tip you'd like to share "with" others? Follow the three "C's" of success: concentration, consistency, and cooperation. Works in speaking as well as anything else in life! Meet our featured Royal Oak Toastmaster for the month of November... Kristin Johnston, PM1
Q: How did you hear about Toastmasters? How long have you been a member of the club? I heard about Toastmasters overall throughout my career, but wasn’t familiar with any details about it. I then looked at various Toastmaster events in the area and decided to become a member of ROTM in Fall 2019. I’ve been hooked ever since! Q: What objectives do you hope to accomplish or what are you working towards as a member of this club? I’m working on improving my presentation skills in my professional life and ultimately present with more “authentic energy”. In the past, I would often put on a “persona” while presenting, which directly blocked my ability to truly showcase my presentation abilities. I love the way Toastmasters promotes presentation skill development by encouraging the real you to shine through to an audience. Q: How have Toastmasters helped you in your professional or personal journey towards becoming a better speaker? The Toastmasters organization provides excellent resources about public speaking as well as a safe space, where I can unlock the power of my voice and also enjoy the art of presenting. I’ve learned so many best practice tips from my fellow Toastmasters and I truly appreciate the feedback provided on my speeches. I like capturing advice shared during club meetings and leveraging it accordingly in my professional life. Q: Share a fun fact about yourself I am multilingual – I also speak French and Spanish (and I would love to also learn Italian and German). Q: Who would you most like to have a conversation with? Why? It’s so hard to choose just one individual! A person that immediately comes to mind is Oprah - I’m inspired by her career overall as well as her authentic and passionate energy when she speaks. Q: What is the best public speaking tip you've received? Turn your nervousness into excitement. Also - show up to give, not to take. Q: What is a tip you'd like to share "with" others? Lean in, be present in the moment, breathe, and trust the power of your voice. Meet our featured Royal Oak Toastmaster for the month of October... Colette Hughes, ACG, ALB
Q: How did you hear about Toastmasters? How long have you been a member of the club? I happen to hear about Toastmasters through a friend but didn't really listen to what it was all about. I saw another Toastmaster talk about the benefits on social media and decided to attend a meeting. I have been a member of Toastmasters since April 2013. I belong to 2 clubs. I've been a member of Royal Oak Toastmasters since July 2017. Q: What objectives do you hope to accomplish or what are you working towards as a member of this club? There's a quote by an unknown source: "Whatever you feed will grow. Faith or fear. Worry or confidence. Doubt or belief. It's your choice what grows". I hope to always grow personally and in business due to the results of my involvement with Toastmasters. I also want to help, inspire and encourage others with their growth, confidence, public speaking and leadership skills that I learned in the Toastmasters Organization. Q: How have Toastmasters helped you in your professional or personal journey towards becoming a better speaker? I use to be the shyest person in Michigan (as I always say). I would go to networking events late so that I wouldn't have to introduce myself in front of others. Due to owning my own real estate brokerage, I have to be outspoken, network and talk to others to make a living and be successful. Being in Toastmasters and using all the skills that I have learned allows me to be free from shyness and being afraid to speak in public. I am free because of my journey in Toastmasters. Q: Share a fun fact about yourself I have a fun "alter ego". Her name is 'Coco'. Since being involved with Toastmasters, I'm not afraid but confident whenever I want to be 'Coco'. Q: Who would you most like to have a conversation with? Why? I don't have a specific person that I want to have a conversation with. I use to go to dinner with family and friends and be the quietest person at the table. Now I join the conversation. I'm no longer fearful to speak up and speak out. Q: What is the best public speaking tip you've received? Toastmaster Martin Johnson told me: "Don't be afraid of people. They're just people." Some of them are focused on your speech. Some of them are not. Be prepared and say what you need to say. Q: What is a tip you'd like to share "with" others? My tip to share with others is what I have learned from DTM, Craig Fulton: "Don't be nervous about giving a speech but be excited". Exchanging the word "nervous" for "excited" changes the whole feeling and mindset of the speech for me. |
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