toastmaster magazine 2013-07

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TOASTMASTERJULY 20

A DOCTORS

JOURNEY

Surgeon Hassan Tettehspeaks skillfully topatients and audiences .

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22 DIPLOMATSPOLISH SKILLS INTAIPEI CLUB

26 5 HABITSOF EFFECTIVEONLINE LEADERS

14 BRIDGINGTHE PATIENT/ DENTIST GAP

S P E

C I A

M E D I

C

I S


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2 WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

TOASTMASTER

www.toastmasters.org

WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

PUBLISHERMANAGING EDITORSENIOR EDITORASSOCIATE EDITORJUNIOR WRITEREDITORIAL ASSISTANTART DIRECTIONGRAPHIC DESIGN

Daniel RexSuzanne FreyPaul StermanMary NeseldJennie HarrisJulie E. KimSusan CampbellDeidre Gaffney

The TOASTMASTER Magazine (ISSN 00408263) is published monthly byToastmasters International, Inc., 23182 Arroyo Vista, Rancho Santa Margarita,CA 92688, U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at Mission Viejo, CA and additionmailing of ce. POSTMASTER: Send address change to The TOASTMASTEMagazine, P.O.Box 9052, Mission Viejo, CA 92690, U.S.A.

Published to promote the ideas and goals of Toastmasters International, anonpro t educational organization of clubs throughout the world dedicated toteaching skills in public speaking and leadership. Members subscriptions areincluded in the $36 semi-annual dues.

The of cial publication of Toastmasters International carries authorizednotices and articles regarding the activities and interests of the organization, buresponsibility is not assumed for the opinions of the authors of other articles.The TOASTMASTER magazine does not endorse or guarantee the productsit advertises.

Copyright 2013 Toastmasters International, Inc. All rights reserved.Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.Not responsible for unsolicited material.

Toastmasters International, The TOASTMASTER and the ToastmasterInternational Emblem are trademarks of Toastmasters International registeredin the United States, Canada and many other countries. Marca registrada enMexico. Printed in U.S.A.

TI OFFICERS AND DIRECTORSFounder Dr. Ralph C. Smedley (1878-1965)

International President

International President-Elect

First Vice President

Second Vice President

Immediate Past President

Executive Director

Secretary-Treasurer

John Lau, DTMKuching, Sarawak, Malaysia

George Yen, DTMTaipei, Taiwan

Mohammed Murad, DTMDubai, United Arab Emirates

Jim Kokocki, DTMSaint John, New Brunswick, Canada

Michael Notaro, DTMAlameda, California, USA

Daniel RexMission Viejo, California

Sally Newell CohenMission Viejo, California

2012-2013 OFFICERS

James Sultan, DTMKirkland, WashingtonAssigned to Region 1

Mike Barsul, DTMSan Francisco, California

Assigned to Region 2

David McCallister, DTMFort Worth, Texas


Patricia Hannan, DTMWahoo, Nebraska


Andrew Little, DTMNew Berlin, Wisconsin


Lori Lococo, DTMNiagara Falls, Ontario, Canada


Viki Kinsman, DTMOakton, Virginia


Kristina Kihlberg, DTMPompano Beach, FloridaAssigned to Region 8

Wendy Harding, DTMFredericton, New Brunswick, CanadaAssigned to Region 9

Don Griffith, DTMPhoenix, ArizonaAssigned to Region 10

George Thomas, DTMDoha, QatarAssigned to Region 11

Mike Helm, DTMPerth, Western Australia, AustraliaAssigned to Region 12

Balraj Arunasalam, DTMColombo, Sri LankaAssigned to Region 13

Joseph Gomez, DTMPetaling Jaya, Selangor, MalaysiaAssigned to Region 14

2012-2013 DIRECTORS

TOASTMASTERSINTERNATIONAL

P.O. Box 9052 Mission Viejo, CA 92690 U.S.A.949-858-8255 Fax: 949-858-1207

Voicemail: 949-835-1300

www.toastmasters.org/members

CONTACTING WORLD HEADQUARTERS

For information on joiningor building a club, visit: www.toastmasters.org

Article submission: [email protected]

Letters to the Editor: [email protected]

To change address, log in to: www.toastmasters.org/members

REACH OUT TOFELLOW MEMBERS

Welcome to the 20132014Toastmasters year!

A journey of a thousand milesbegins with a rst step, according to awise Chinese saying. It is a new yearfor Toastmasters, and I know you areexcited and thrilled, and will nd theencouragement to excel in whateverrole you will play.

At one of my recent Toastmastersmeetings, our club president, AdelineLiong, said it is always good to start anew journey. This is true. But please donot rush, for the slow and steady will

reach their destination faster than onewho races through the journey but then takes a long break without returning.If you are a new member, please seek out a mentor by working with your

clubs vice president education. Your mentor will guide you through the

basic communication and leadership programs. If you have achieveda Competent Communicator or Competent Leader award, please continue

on with the advanced communication and leadership programs.Club of cers, please conduct a membership survey to learn aboutyour members needs, and design programs to satisfy those needs. Alwaysremember that members are the core of our globally inspired organization.

If you are a district of cer, please take time to develop a success plan.Identify the strengths in your area, division and district, as well as whichareas need improvement. Work with your team to achieve success, andcelebrate those successes to inspire and encourage additional members tojoin your club.

Reaching out to members is an important element of club meetingsuccess. In 19971998, when I was vice president education of the BukitBatok Toastmasters club in Singapore, I regularly called all 29 members to

learn about their educational needs, and I tailored our meetings to meetthose needs. Three days before every meeting, I also called each member toask for their participation in that upcoming meeting. At every one of ourclub meetings, a minimum of 24 members and 10 guests attended.

Let us encourage each other in this 365-day journey to realize our potential,as we continue to share the bene ts and values of our organization with friends,family members and co-workers in Toastmasters, where leaders are made. T

VIEWPOINT

Work with your team to achieve success,and celebrate those successes to inspire andencourage additional members to join your club.

JOHN LAU, DTMInternational President


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3TOASTMASTER JULY 2013 Cover Photo of Dr. Hassan Tetteh by Cade Martin Photography

July 2013 Volume 79, No.7

Since 1924, Toastmasters International has been recognized as the leadingorganization dedicated to communication and leadership skill development.Through its worldwide network of clubs, each week Toastmasters helps morethan a quarter million men and women of every ethnicity, education level andprofession build their competence in communication so they can gain theconfidence to lead others.

By regularly giving speeches, gaining feedback, leading teams and guidingothers to achieve their goals, leaders emerge. They learn to tell their stories.They listen and answer. They plan and lead. They give feedbackand accept it.They find their path to leadership.

Toastmasters International. Where Leaders Are Made.

DEPARTMENTS

2 VIEWPOINT: REACH OUT TOFELLOW MEMBERSBY JOHN LAU, DTMInternational President

4 LETTERS 5 MY TURN: MEDICALLY SPEAKINGHow my club helps me earn my

patients trust.KEMI TOMOBI, ACG, ALB

6 AROUND THE GLOBE

1 0Q&A: WITH JIM ANDSANDY VOGELE

Husband and wife co-chair theConventions host district committee.BY TOASTMASTER MAGAZINE STAFF

12 TECH TOPICS: CRAVING ACHANGE FROM POWERPOINT?Prezi offers an alternative.BY CHRISTINE CLAPP, DTM

28 NEWS FROM TI: REVITALIZINGTHE EDUCATION PROGRAM AND

GET AN EDGE AS ANACCREDITED SPEAKER

30 FUNNY YOU SHOULD SAY THAT:ME AND MY DOCTORGod and man coexist in theexamining room.BY JOHN CADLEY

31 TRAVELING TOASTMASTER ARTICLES

14ROOTING OUT THE PROBLEMBridging the dentist-patientcommunication gap.BY KRISTIN NICKELLS, ACB, ALB

20 HEALING METHODSHow nurses communicate todeliver good care.BY LYNN MACKABEN BROWN

26 THE 5 HABITS OFEFFECTIVE ONLINE LEADERSUse these tips to influence yourvirtual audience.BY LEWIS HOWES, CC

1614

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16 A DOCTORS JOURNEYSurgeon speaks skillfully to patientsand audiences alike.BY DAVE ZIELINSKI

22 POISE IN POLITICSDiplomats hone their language skillsin Taipei club.BY WEI-LING CHEN

FEATURES

TABLE OF CONTENTS


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LETTERS TO THE TOASTMASTER

and Table Topics more than preparedme for the task of giving these shortpresentations. In addition, my listen-ing, mentoring and evaluation skillsenabled me to guide the other mem-bers of our cohort. I was able to helpthem improve their speeches and feelmore con dent.

I believe that several of the speech-es in the Competent Communicationmanual, or something similar, shouldbe part of the medical school curriculum.Amit K. Ghosh, M.D., ACBMayo Hi-Nooners clubRochester, Minnesota

Food for ThoughtThe March Toastmaster was simplysuperb! I liked the article about thebene ts of speaking outside your own

Toastmasters club (Beyond the ClubExperience by Patricia Fry). I am incomplete agreement. I tried this ap-proach as a speaker at meetingsin two different clubs: I delivered adifferent speech for each club, andmy con dence grew exponentially.

This year I reached the division-level speech contests. I have noticedmy gradual rise every timein learn-ing by doing, amending errors andavoiding pitfalls. I avidly await more

food for thought through this fantas-tic publication.Sultan Patel, ACBSABIC Stars clubRiyadh, Saudi Arabia

Carpentry ReferenceI enjoyed, and bene ted from theApril Toastmaster . I was amused bythe juxtaposition of John CadleysCrazy As a Loon articlewhichmade fun of the phrase dead as

Inspiring StoryThe article by Garret Garrels in theMarch issue moved meand hitme to the core. I had an inferioritycomplex and didnt speak until I was7. My mom entered me into a publicspeaking class, but it was Toastmas-ters that boosted my ability to think

and convey messages powerfully.It is not about winning, its about

growth. There are a lot of winnerswho stay in their ponds becausewinning makes them feel comfort-able. However, there are a few braveones who swim to bigger and untestedwaters and grow tremendously. We canrise from our circumstances, and wecan turn them into victories. Garretsstory gives hope to anyone who wishesto move the world with just one story.

Jox PetizaMII Toastmasters clubKuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Doctors Speak UpCaren Neiles article, 28 SurprisingUses for Your Toastmasters Skills(May), was refreshing. I recently wasin Tampa, Florida, along with a groupof 62 physicians. Many of us aresenior executives who were taking theCerti ed Physician Executive exami-

nation. The test requires physiciansto role-play their approach to speci cchallenges in a hospital setting. Theseexercises were videotaped, and a groupof physicians reviewed them and gavefeedback. The nal test for us wasdelivering a ve-minute, videotapedpresentation describing our skills andachievements, and answering questionsposed by two examiners.

I found that my Toastmastersexperiences with prepared speeches

a doornailwith The Power ofCultural References article (by JohnLente) on the previous page.

The phrase dead as a doornailcomes from a cultural reference tocarpentry. That phrase is fairly un-known to us moderns, who often donot know that some doornails (in slid-

ing doors for barns) were hammeredsideways, and thus not reusable later;hence, they are considered dead.Tom HanrahanTalk of the Town clubLexington Park, Maryland

Enjoying DiversityLike the clubs that Pierre-AndreRheault describes in his articleEmbracing Multiculturalism(April), my club also has membersfrom a variety of countries. Foreigntravelers also stop by from timeto time. By regularly attending meet-ings, I am able to enjoy the interestingspeeches about places I have nevervisited.

The list of visitors from othercountries is growing longerI cannotwait to hear more stories. This is oneof the advantages of joining a Toast-masters club in a cosmopolitan city.Shino Oba, ACB, CLSunrise Toastmasters club

Tokyo, Japan

I believe that several of the speeches in theCompetent Communication manual, or some-thing similar, should be part of the medical

school curriculum. Amit K Ghosh, M.D., ACB

Do you have something to say?Write it in 200 words or less.State your name, member numberand home club, and send it [email protected] . Pleasenote: Letters are subject to editingfor length or clarity, and may bepublished in both the print andelectronic versions of the magazine.


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5TOASTMASTER JULY 2013

MY TURN

Kemi Tomobi, ACG, ALB, is presidentof Life Learners club in Rochester,New York. She hopes to one daywork as an anesthesiologist.

MEDICALLY SPEAKING

the pediatrics department at StrongMemorial Hospital in Rochester. Ipracticed my talk in front of threeneighbors, and each one gave mevaluable feedback. The following day,I gave my presentation and received

high marks. But I thought it mightbe dif cult to nd people who arealways willing to listen to me practicepresentations and offer feedback.

I noticed other students strugglingwith public speaking and impromptu

presentations. One of them heardabout Toastmasters from a relative,and a few of us visited clubs. I realizedthe value of speech evaluations andTable Topics, so I joined Life Learnersclub in Rochester, New York.

From my time in Toastmasters, Ihave developed the following values:The importance of having faith.In Toastmasters, we learn by doing. Wemay not have all the answers and allthe skills we need to be successful, butwe have faith in our ability to learn aswe go. More importantly, I came tounderstand that anesthesiology mycareer choice had everything to dowith a patients faith. You must rstgain a patients trust before you puthim to sleep, because he must trustthat you will wake him after surgery.A passion for service. My goal isto work with children, but I realize Ido not have to specialize in general

pediatrics to do so. I took on severalToastmasters Youth Leadershipcoordinator opportunities, amongother things, to gain experience. Ialso volunteered to give presentationsfor the neurology, psychiatry and

thoracic surgery services departmentsat hospitals, and gradually tailoredmy presentations to better connectwith my audiences. This allowedme to build a rapport with peopleoutside of Toastmasters.Lifelong learning. With eachpresentation opportunity, I learnmore about my topic. I also havea greater appreciation for theeducational process and how peoplelearn. I came to realize I am moreeffective when I am assigned ade ned role. In our club meetings,we ensure everyone has a role toplay, including guests.

My opportunities did not comealong all at once. I gradually gainedmore speaking opportunities, both inToastmasters and outside the organi-zation. Those experiences led to someof my articles being published. I alsoam close to publishing a non ctionbook. And while Toastmasters isyet to hold meetings in a hospitaloperating room, I hope to gain thetrust of my future patients therein that room. T

By Kemi Tomobi, ACG, ALB

How my club helps me earn patients trust.

T he happiest day in my lifewas the day I was accepted tomedical school. After an agoniz-ing year of taking examsincludingthe Medical College Admission Testsecond-guessing myself and engaging

in sweaty health care debates withinterviewers, I was positioned to takethe next step. Alongside 100 otherstudents who had donned white coats,

I entered the clinical world. And Inever expected Toastmasters to make

such a difference in my education.Many of us face challenges in ourchosen career path. While in medicalschoolat the University of Roches-ter School of Medicine and Dentistryin Rochester, New YorkI came todoubt myself. I wondered why I waschallenged when participating in asimple group discussion in class. Whydid I nd it so dif cult to communi-cate, given that I knew the material?I felt isolated, and my self-esteem

declined as a result.In medical school I was expectedto think on my feet in problem-basedlearning sessions and spontaneouslycontribute possible solutions. I neededto develop impeccable interviewingskills and be able to give succinctpresentations on short notice.

But I knew if I practiced enough,I would gain con dence. I took thisapproach when I was scheduled to doa presentation about newborns for

We may not have all the answers and all theskills we need to be successful, but we havefaith in our ability to learn as we go.


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BOTTOM LINE

INTERNATIONALINTERPRETATIONSARE YOU SMARTPHONESAVVY?

AROUND THE GLOBE

Cultural Protocol Doyou have ideas for the International

Interpretations section (above)?

Email us at magazine@toastmasters.

org and share the customs,

common gestures or idiomatic

phrases of your culture.

WHATS THE BUZZ?HOW TO OVERCOME THE FEAR OF PUBLIC SPEAKINGMembers contributed to the discussion on the LinkedIn Official ToastmastersInternational Members Group:

It helps to understand the bodys response to fear is a natural physiological one.The fear response is what the body is supposed to do to get ready to either ght or

ee when a threat is perceived. One of the great things about recognizing that fearis a physiological response is that we can do some very speci c things to change theresponse, like practicing simple focused breathing to calm our fears.

STEPHEN GRANT, ACS, ALB, TORONTO BUSINESS TOASTMASTERS, TORONTO, CANADA

One of the reasons people fear public speaking is they do not practice it. As withthe development of many other skills, you must work to get comfortable with it.If you only do it once a year it might make you nervous. However if you do it

weekly, eventually you will learn to make the butter ies y in formation. Just picka speech topic you know something about. CLIFF MILLIGAN, ACG, ALB, BLUES EXPRESSION CLUB, ROCHESTER, NEW YORK

Liam Doherty (left), a member of the Vancouver Mandarin Learners club in Vancouver,British Columbia, Canada, volunteers to give a Table Topics speech in Mandarin. The clubis open to anyone who speaks Mandarin at an intermediate or advanced level; however,most of its members speak English, French, Korean or another non-Chinese language.

Interesting ImagesDo you have unique photos for

Snapshot (above)? Send your

photo (at least 1 megabyte)

to [email protected] .

There is no need to feature theToastmaster .

Convention BuzzBe sure to follow, join and

like Toastmasters on social

networking sites to be up to date

on convention announcements.

www.toastmasters.org/

socialnetworking

The popularity ofsmartphones contin-ues to rise, overtakingolder-style phones inworldwide sales in the

rst quarter of 2013.And why not? Sincethe inception of smartphones inthe 1990s, technology has pro-

gressed, making available featuressuch as high-resolution touchscreens, cameras (including videocapabilities) and GPS navigation.Smartphone usage is widespread.

For example, 129.4 millionAmerican mobile consumers ownsmartphones, according to recentdata from comScore, an Internetanalytics company. An estimated62 percent of mobile phone ownersages 2534 own smartphones, and

the vast majority of those under theage of 44 have smartphones.

Additionally, European smart-phone use grew by 30 percent lastyear, to 136 million users, accord-ing to comScore. In December,smartphone use in Germany, Spain,the United Kingdom, France andItaly passed the 50-percent markfor the rst time.

SNAPSHOT


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MEMBER MOMENT

Keli Yen, ACB, ALB, daughter ofInternational President-Elect GeorgeYen, is a convener for the Asia PacificGreens Network (APGN), whichsupports social and environmentalorganizations. As a representative of apolitical organization, Keli often deliv-ers impromptu speeches to congressesand the media. A division governor, Keliis a member and co-founder of TaiwanToastmastersa bilingual Chinese and English club

in Taipei. She is a Ph.D. candidate inFielding Graduate Universitys programfor human and organizational systems.

In your job, how do you fostercooperation when political groupsdisagree?Keeping communication owing, recognizing peoples emotions and clarifyingwhat each individual really cares about helps achieve cooperation. What makesthis possible is having courage to construct a relationship with an adversary,curiosity and compassion to unlock oneself from a defensive or aggressiveposture, and the ability to access the creativity that comes from cooperation.

What role does culture play?I believe culture is basically habitual ways of thinking and behaving in theworld; culture is signi cant but it is not the fundamental part of a humanbeing. I sense a closeness with others when I re ect on our shared opportunityto be living on this planet together, our shared struggle to navigate lifeschallenges, and our vulnerability to the uncertain present and future. When Iassociate my own sense of humanity with theirs, differences in culture feel lessprominent and the love I feel for myself extends to them.

What is the most useful thing you gained from Toastmasters?An attitude of saying yes to opportunities, and to step into, and riseabove, my fears.

CLUB SURVIVAL TIP

EVALUATING YOUR DUTIESThe role of the speechevaluator comes with manyresponsibilities. After all, ifan evaluation is vague it willnot be helpful to the speaker.Consider these points whenyou are assessing a speech.

Preparation. Approach thespeaker before the big dayto nd out which speech hell

give, the objectives of hisspeech and any specic thingsto look for.

Positivity. Evaluations shouldbe encouraging and useful.Dont sugarcoat or ignorefaults in the presentation, butdo emphasize the positiveaspects of the speech.

Specics. Use examples inyour critique, such as, Your

introduction got our attentionright away. And give concrete,actionable suggestions, suchas, Provide fewer details soyou stay on the main themes.

Teamwork. When in doubtabout any part of a speech, askthose around you. Did they getthe point when you didnt?

Marvelous MentorsDo you know an exceptional mentor

who has positively inuenced you or

other Toastmasters? Send a 200-word

description and photo (1 MB or larger)

to [email protected].

Submission Guidelines EffectiveJanuary 2013, the Toastmaster modied its

submissions policy to only accept article

queries, completed My Turn articles, Letters

to the Toastmaster and photo submissions.

To view the revised guidelines, please visit

www.toastmasters.org/writerguidelines.

Keli Yen, ACB, ALB, daughter ofInternational President-Elect George Yen


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IN THIS MONTHLY COLUMN,Accredited Speakers andToastmasters World Championsof Public Speaking share lessonslearned.

Accredited Speaker JohnnyCampbell, DTM, is known as

The Transition Man. He livesin Carol Stream, Illinois.

How do you give a speechthat gets your audience totake action in some way?

The most important aspects are:1) Be clear on what action the

audience is supposed to takeafter hearing the speech;

2) Be clear on what the beliefsand values of audiencemembers are regarding thetopic of your speech.Our beliefs and values

drive our emotions and createour perceptions; therefore, inorder to get an audience totake action, you must speakto their value system rst andthen provide them with a clearcall to action at the close of thespeech.

FACTS WORTH KNOWINGTHE COMMON FEAR OF PUBLIC SPEAKINGGlossophobia, the fear of public speaking, is believed to be the mostcommon type of social phobia. Some experts estimate that three outof four people have some anxiety prior to public speaking.

ADVICE FROMTHE EXPERTS

FROM THEARCHIVESThen-CaliforniaGovernor RonaldReagan signs aToastmasters Weekproclamation,as InternationalPresident EarlPotter (196869)and District 39Governor JamesHansen look on.

Glossophobia: fearof public speaking1

2Necrophobia:fear of death

3 Arachnophobia: fear ofspiders and other arachnids

4 Achluophobia,scotophobia andmyctophobia:fear of darkness

5Acrophobia:fear of heights

Glossophobia is the most common fear, according to speech-topics-help.com. It lists the top ve phobias as:

If your fear of public speaking interferes with your daily life, you might sufferfrom glossophobia. MayoClinic.com says that with preparation and persis-tence, anyone can overcome this fear. The website endorses the Toastmastersprogram as a means of support for people challenged by public speaking.

Did you know? A video in the Toastmasters Time-tested Communication Tipsseries titled Managing Fear shares methods for managing speaking anxiety.To watch it, visit www.toastmasters.org/videos , and click View gallery 2.

AROUND THE GLOBE


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DR. SMEDLEY SAYSToastmasters founder Dr. Ralph C. Smedleyshared many insights worth remembering, such as:

The greater the obstacle,the greater glory we havein overcoming it.

N o one has the potentialto inuence a membersexperience like a mentor. CarmenCarr, DTM, a real estate agentand member of the JibboomStreet Toastmasters in Truckee,California, shares how she hasbeneted from her mentor,Earleen Norris, DTM, PID.

Why did you join Toastmasters?

A friend invited me. As a native German speaker, with English being mysecond language, I wanted to broaden my vocabulary.

Tell us about your mentor. Earleen retired from a nonprot organizationas executive secretary. She also worked as a teacher, as well as for theContra Costa County Office of Education in curriculum development.When I attended my rst meeting, she welcomed me warmly andinvited me to sit next to her. The following week I was the Ah-Counterunder her supervision.

How does Earleen give feedback? I receive feedback from Earleenin person, and also through emails and telephone conversations. Atrst, she helped me write my speeches and listened when I practiced.

She always believed in me, and offered encouragement when I wasdiscouraged. She listened to me when I was frustrated. Now she guidesme whenever I get stuck. My success and accomplishments withinToastmasters are a direct result of her guidance and mentorship.

What specic goals have you accomplished while under Earleensguidance? I earned division governor of the year in 201112, andmy DTM in four years. I could not have achieved that without hercontinued support.

What is your favorite thing about your mentor? She is honest anddirect, and very knowledgeable and supportive. She continues to helpme whenever I need it.

Q: What inspires you?A: My family and friendsare sources of inspiration.

My wife and I have beenblessed with eight children and82 grandchildren, with moreto come. It is inspiring to seethem face challenges and moveforward in a positive way toaccomplish their goals.

Fellow Toastmasters alsoinspire me. The effort theyput forth to help each otheris outstanding. During meet-ings, expressed thoughts areinformative, motivational andenjoyable.

Friendships are importantto me. I am inspired by friendsachievements, the support theygive each other, and the sharingof laughter, tears and joy. WhenI need help with a project,friends come forward volun-tarily to assist me. Their givingof time and effort inspires meto do the same for others.

MENTORMOMENT

LEARNINGABOUT OUR PAST

INTERNATIONALPRESIDENTS

Dr. Ralph C. Smedley18781965

Carmen Carr, DTM, (left) with hermentor, Earleen Norris, DTM, PID.

George C. Scott, DTMPast International President

197576Portland, Oregon


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23 years as a trial attorney for theHamilton County (Ohio) PublicDefenders Of ce. Sandy is a pastorat Oregonia-Harveysburg UnitedMethodist Church in Oregonia, Ohio.

Both exhibit a quality that will comein handy during the ultra-busy conven-tion week: a good sense of humor.

Q. Chairing the host districtcommittee is a big job. Tell usa little about what is involved.

vention. Then there is getting a largenumber of volunteers to help beforeand during the convention. Jim and I,and every chair, must ensure that wehave well-instructed volunteers in placeto make this a wonderful experience foreveryone attending.

Is it easier to tackle thisresponsibility as a couple?

Sandy: It is easier. We bounce ideasoff each other. We each have our ownstrengthswe balance each other. Sincewe both have attended several Interna-tional Conventions [Jim has attended19 and Sandy has attended 24, to date],we were able to sit down together andbrainstorm ideas.

Being able to share the responsibilityhas helped keep things in perspective. Italso keeps the fun in the process.Jim: I just follow orders.

Why did you join Toastmasters?

Jim: One of the founders of PioneerToastmasters invited me to join Toast-masters when I was 12 years old. Icould not join right then, of course, butI have attended meetings regularly since1965, and have been an of cialmember since July 1966.

H usbands and wives domany things togethertakewalks, shop for new furniture,dine with friends. However, the listof shared activities doesnt usuallyinclude chairing a host districtcommittee for the ToastmastersInternational Convention.

But thats exactly what Jim andSandy Vogele are doing. The longtimeToastmasters live in Cincinnati, Ohio,and are members of the Pioneer

Toastmasters club in nearby Covington,

Kentucky. When the Duke EnergyConvention Center in Cincinnati wasselected as the site of the 2013 con-vention, the couple agreed to co-chairthe host district committee. The hostdistrict is District 40.

The Vogeles are past internationaldirectors. Jim, a DTM, served on theToastmasters International Boardfrom 1998 to 2000, and Sandy, also aDTM, served from 1990 to 1992. Jimis retiring this year after working for

A. Sandy: Some of the processinvolves going through the conven-tions eventsday by dayto ensureeverything is covered. The staff atToastmasters International has been agreat help with this. We had 14 chairpositions on the committee to ll, andwe needed to nd the right people foreach job. There is a big time commit-ment involved and we wanted to makesure the chairpersons were aware ofwhat their time commitment wouldbe before, during and after the con-

Q&A WITH JIM AND SANDY VOGELE

A COLLABORATIVE EFFORTHusband and wife co-chair the 2013 International

Convention host district committee.

Being able to share the responsibility hashelped keep things in perspective. It alsokeeps the fun in the process. Sandy Vogele

By Toastmaster magazine staff


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How do you use communicationskills in your marriage?Jim: I say Yes, gorgeous a lot.Sandy: We communicate aboutwhat has happened during ourday and how we are feeling aboutthings. I think it is important fora husband and wife to have opencommunication.

What stands out to you

most about the InternationalConventions?

Jim: Making friends aroundthe world.Sandy: When I rst started attend-ing conventions, I would hit everyworkshop possible. I soon learned thatyou can also learn from making newfriends from around the world. Youmay not see them every year, but whenyou do, it is like a family reunion.

What are the greatestchallenges in preparing yourdistrict to host the convention?

Sandy: The greatest challenge isgetting the word out to as manypeople as possible. We attend vari-ous events and have a website wherepeople can get information aboutvolunteering and register as a volun-teer. I even posted it on my Facebookpage. The trick is to use a variety of

Sandy: I joined Forest CityToastmasters in London, Ontario,Canada, in 1980, at the suggestionof the vice president of the companywhere I worked. He thought I hadgood ideas, but I needed to be ableto present them with con dence atmeetings. I was very shy, and had ahard time even talking to someoneon a one-to-one basis.

Jim and I met throughToastmasters. He was in Ohio, inDistrict 40, at the time, and I was inOntario, in District 60.

Why do you continue asmembers after all these years?Jim: I love the ongoing challenge ofself-improvement and the rewards ofhelping others overcome the fear ofpublic speaking and develop acuityin the arts of public speaking andleadership. There have been manytimes through the years when I haveseen people overcome speci c prob-lems (such as stuttering) through theToastmasters program. Helping othershas been a constant reward.Sandy: Its the people. The friendsthat I have made around the world.Its mentoring new Toastmasters, andwatching them blossom. Oh yeah, andyou never stop growing. I amstill learning to be a more effectivecommunicator and leader.

communication methods, becausepeople respond to different types ofcommunication.

What are some of the thingsyou nd rewarding about theprocess?

Jim: Working closely with thecommittees chairs, and getting peoplewho would not otherwise attend theconvention to actively build on their

Toastmasters experience and servethe organization and its members.

What other things can visitorsdo while in Cincinnati?

Sandy: It is a family-friendly citywith a variety of things to do. Thereis something for everyonethe zoo,a museum center, the Aronoff Centerfor the Arts, a casino. Nearby isDaytons Air Force museum and thehorse park in Lexington, Kentucky.And of course, the Cincinnati Reds,our favorite baseball team, are intown that week.

Why should people attendthe 2013 convention?

Jim: Toastmasters from all overthe world will be learning together.And you might get lucky, likeI was, and meet somebody youcan marry. T

CINCINNATI, OHIO, USA

Sandy and Jim Vogele, past directorson the Toastmasters InternationalBoard, are serving as host district

chairs for the ToastmastersInternational Convention .


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compelling stories in a dynamic deliverystyle. Angelie Agarwal, the founder andhead trainer at Learn Prezi ( learnprezi.com ),recommends Prezi for people who arecraving a change and want to do pre-

sentations in a drastically different wayfrom what is possible with PowerPointor Keynote, the PowerPoint-like soft-ware offered by Apple.

According to the Prezi website, thecloud-based presentation software hasa zoomable canvas [that] makes it funto explore ideas and the connectionsbetween them.

Christina Hoyer, a Copenhagen-basedpresentation-skills trainer and the co-founder of Imprezzing ( imprezzing.com ),

CRAVING A CHANGEFROM POWERPOINT?Prezi offers an alternative.

TECH TOPICS

By Christine Clapp, DTM

points out that zooming makes Prezi spe-cial. She explains, Prezi is fun to workwith and you can make beautiful designswith a few simple text elements and basicimages, she says. Prezi encourages you

to do things in a simple and elegant way,but not necessarily a linear way.As with any new technology, there

is a debate about the utility of Prezi.Lets explore the advantages anddisadvantages of this new presentationsoftware. While no software is rightfor every speaker and situation, know-ing more about Prezi will help youmake the best decision the next timeyou are considering using such presen-tation tools.

M icrosoft PowerPoint hasbeen the go-to presenta-tion software since the early1990s. Some estimate that 500 millionpeople use it. But now there is worthy

competition: Prezi (prezi.com

).In March, Prezi hit 20 million users,and this year it is on pace to add 1.5million users each month, accordingto Peter Arvai, CEO and co-founderof Prezi. Its market share may besmall, but Prezis growth shows it isan increasingly popular alternative toPowerPoint.

Launched in 2009, Prezi is favoredby many TED-style speakers, who areknown for presenting bold ideas with

Pictured is the user interfaceof the Prezi online editor.


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Advantages

1Showing ideas, connections and the big picture. Among presentationsoftware, Prezi is most conducive toshowing the relative importance ofideas and the relationships betweenthem. Unlike PowerPoint andKeynote, where each slide is the samesize and advances one after the next,Prezi allows you to change the sizeof frames on a canvas , much like awhiteboard, and nest smaller frameswithin larger frames.

David Oliveira, a freelance Prezidesigner who has designed pre-sentations for TED-level speakers,

emphasizes the ability of Prezi toshow listeners a hierarchy in content.In Prezi, you can enlarge a key framebut still can zoom into the less impor-tant ideas around it, he explains.This shows a relationship: This ideais more important than these others.

Prezi is unique in the way itenables you to show how details areconnected without losing sight of thelarger context. In PowerPoint, they[the listeners] never get the big pic-

ture, says Agarwal, the trainer.

2 Easy integration of images andvideo. Prezi makes it easy toincorporate images and videos fromthe Internet or your own les. Andbecause the software is web-based,speakers need not worry aboutthe le size of their presentation.(However, there is a way to export aPortable Prezi that does not requirean Internet connection when one isunavailable.)

3 More creativity and exibility.Each presentation in Prezi hasa canvas from which the presenterzooms into smaller frames that areconnected by paths. Prezi does havecanvas templateswhich surely willbecome overused as more speak-ers adopt the softwarebut it alsoallows presenters to add frames andvisuals to a blank canvas, or to editexisting templates.

Savvy users have created impres-sive visual displays using Prezi, manyof which can be viewed at prezi.com/explore . Admittedly, these are asampling of the most dynamic Prezipresentations, but they show a levelof design sophistication and unique-ness that would be dif cult to ndin PowerPoint presentations.

4 Compatible across computers. Everpull up slides on a computer youare using to give a presentation, onlyto nd that it runs an older or newerversion of the presentation software?If so, you know the incompatibilitycan cause glitches or formattinginconsistencies within your slides,making them look less polished andprofessional.

Because Prezi is web-based, youavoid compatibility issues. And youcan easily collaborate with colleaguesby granting them access to edit apresentation online. This prevents theproblem of having multiple versionsof a presentation oating aroundand the confusion that comes withdifferent people working on differentversions of the presentation.

Disadvantages

1Dif cult to manipulate initially. Itcan be frustrating to get the hangof Prezi editing tools. If you strugglewith new technology or have to createa presentation in a short time frame,you likely will be better served stick-ing to PowerPoint.

But after you craft a few Prezi pre-sentations, using the softwarewill become more intuitive. AndHoyer boasts that the sky is the limitfor advanced users.

2 Zooming can be disorienting.Prezis hallmark zooming func-tion can make some audiencemembers dizzy or feel seasick. Thisproblem is more common with inex-perienced users.

Hoyer recommends presentersavoid the sudden and long zoom and

Christine Clapp, DTM, is a memberof The George Washington Univer-sity Toastmasters in Washington,D.C., and president of Spokenwith Authority, which developsthe voice of experts who want tobroaden their impact. Follow heron Twitter @christineclapp .

that they use horizontal and lateralmovements for the same effect. Also,avoid changing paths frequently.Spend at least 30 seconds explainingan idea before zooming to anotherpoint, Hoyer suggests.

3 Not easy to make handouts. Ifyou are doing a technical trainingsession that requires printed handouts,think twice about using Prezi. UnlikePowerPoint and Keynote, where listen-ers can follow the advance of a slide onthe screen with the slides on their hand-out, Prezis visual components are notnecessarily linear and, as a result, aremore dif cult to capture in a printedformat. Handouts of Prezi presenta-tions lose the value of zooming intoideas and details from the big-pictureperspective of the canvas, which is whyPrezi is best suited for audiences wholisten as opposed to take notes.

4 Subscription required for privatepresentations. Prezi has a publiclicense plan that is free for anyonewho subscribes to the service. Whilethis is a real advantage over paying for

Microsoft Of ce or Apple iWork, itcomes with the drawback that pre-sentations made under this license aresearchable and viewable to anyone onthe Internet. To create Prezi presenta-tions that are private, subscribers mustupgrade to a license with an annual cost.

Any new technology has drawbacks.But there certainly are compellingreasons for speakers to considerPrezi before automatically turning toPowerPoint for presentations. Will you

be one of the 1.5 million people whoare expected to try Prezi this month? T


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of reasons. Dentists spend a greatdeal of time in dental school learningthe technical and medical aspects ofdentistry. Business and leadershipskills, and bene ts or methods ofgood communication, are coveredminimally. Dentists learn these skillsoutside of the classroomoften by

trial and error.Dr. Ronh Arndt, an Ohio dentistwho became a dental coach (andauthor of the book Killing thePractice Before It Kills You ), saysdental school provided him littletraining in the basic communicationskills required to run a business.

I was given my degree, a slap onthe back and little or no direction,Arndt says. How do I hire people?How do I talk to a banker? How

do I negotiate a lease? These wereoverwhelming unknowns.

Dental patients often contribute tomiscommunication. To the untrainedear, dental terminology is confusing,unintelligible jargon; we as patientsdo not want to appear ignorant, sowe dont ask questions. We may not

even know what questions to ask. Wemay be squeamish or fearful aboutknowing the details of our treatment.Or, as often is the case with olderpatients, we view what the dentistsays as gospel.

I know this because Ive spent myfair share of time in dental of ces.

Working in the TrenchesFresh out of business school, Imanaged a busy, multidental practice.

By Kristin Nickells, ACB, ALB

H ave you ever left yourdentists of ce with apamphlet, written instructionsand an estimate for treatment costs,but still didnt have a clue about youroptions? You are not alone.

As someone who has worked withdentists for nearly 30 years, I see whathappens when a lack of communica-tion gets in the way of a positivepatient experience. It has a negativeimpact on both the patient and thepractice. A patient may leave a dentalof ce if treatment is not clearlyexplained. In other cases, poor treat-ment outcomes result from a patientsinability to follow postoperative careinstructions.

These types of communicationbreakdowns occur for a multitude

ROOTING OUT THE PROBLEMHow to bridge the dentist-patient communication gap.


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Kristin Nickells, ACB, ALB, isa member of the ArbutusToastmasters club in Parksville,British Columbia, Canada.She is a business, leadershipand communication coach fordentists and speaks internation-ally for dental groups. Formore information, visitnickellsilver.com .

After many years in the trenches,I became a consultant and providedbusiness services to dentists andother medical professionals. Throughtraining programs and workshops,including the Business Bootcamp forDentists, I teach dentists business andof ce management skills, as well aseffective communication strategies.

Several years ago my goal wasto speak and hold workshops atdental conventions, so I joinedToastmasters. As a result, not onlydid I develop public speaking skills,I also became a better teacher. Iam willing to bet the skills youvelearned through Toastmasters canserve you as well, creating a moresatisfying experience throughcommunication with your dentist.

When we communicate, our desireis to understand and be understood.Dentists have the same desire. Poorcommunication results in misunder-standings about treatment and costs.Miscommunication creates a need forclari cation and reassurance. If youdo not know what to expect, you arenot as likely to take an active part inyour treatment and care.

An informed patient is my idealpatient because treatment becomesa team effort, and better resultsare nearly always achieved, saysDr. Francis LaCouvee, a dentist inQualicum Beach, British Columbia,Canada. Anything less can result indisappointment, and it can fracturethe trust my patient has in me.

Good chair-side communicationbene ts everyone. If dentists arewilling to communicate with theirpatients, and empathize with theirconcerns, patients feel better about thecare they receive. My own personalexperience is that a medical or dentalprofessional who cares enough tokeep me informed produces less fearand more trust.

Dentists retain patients when theyinject open, effective communication

into their routine. These effectivecommunicators spend less time hand-holding. They get fewer complaints,and their patients tend to be calmerand more trusting. Dr. Edward Logan,a Missouri dentist and the authorof Dentistrys Business Secrets , says,The most common complaintsamong disgruntled patients are thattheir dentist is arrogant, lectures themor criticizes other dentists.

The British Columbia DentalAssociation estimates that 70 percentof complaints received by the Collegeof Dental Surgeons can be resolved oravoided through better dentist/patientcommunication. When communicationis effective, your dentist has more timeand energy to work on your teeth.

Two-way CommunicationImproving communication with yourdentist is a two-way street; it requiresparticipation from both parties.Toastmasters teaches the art of speak-ing, listening, thinking and leadership.Mastering these skills, along witharticulating ideas and structuring thedelivery of information, forms thebasis of what I impart to my clients.See if your dentist is following thesebasic tenets:

Be present; your patient is yourpractice. Everything else can wait.Be friendly and relaxed, but alwaysbe professional and respectful.Listen attentively. Understandingstems from genuine interest.Use understandable language and

dont over-inform impart onlyinformation that is relevant to yourpatient (you are not there to impressthem with your dental knowledge).Use structure to explain treatmentplans (relay processes step-by-step orexplain the order of procedures).Engage patients: Encourage ques-tions and paraphrasing.

As a patient, you can improvecommunications with your dentist by:

Listening to understand. Focuson making the conversation asbene cial and effective as possible.

Asking questions to clarify.Request visual aids (such asdrawings, diagrams, hand-held orcomputer models) to gain a betterunderstanding of what is beingsaid. Paraphrase your dentistswords to be sure of his or hermeaning.Being engaged. Good communica-tion is the start of being an activeparticipant in your treatment.Take ownership of the conversa-

tion and the process.Giving structure to the informa-tion to make sure its clear.Organize the information youreceive into a logical format(steps, timeline, priorities).Summarizing. Rephrase theconversation out loud. I recallone case when a patient under-stood she was getting a denturebut failed to realize her teeth hadto be extracted rst! You mightbe surprised by how many misun-derstandings are avoided whenthe patient summarizes thedentists words.

Toastmasters teaches you somany valuable and useful commu-nication skills. Use these skills toeffectively communicate with yourdentist on your next visit. I guaran-tee it will improve your smile! T


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and perspectives that aid in his work,both as a physician and a leader. (Inaddition to being a doctor, Tettehholds advanced business degreesfrom Harvard and Johns HopkinsUniversity and solves global problemsin the areas of medical servicesmanagement, public policy andsocial entrepreneurship.) One skill

he developed is an ability to connectwith people of varied backgroundswho have a range of needs.

Whether Im speaking to amedical society or to high schoolstudents to try to provide insightsinto medicine, I can tell if I amconnecting or not, Tetteh says.There needs to be trust, you needto speak from the audiences pointof view, and sometimes it has to bethe right environment and time of

the day.Adjusting language to fitdifferent audience needs is a lessonToastmasters has imparted to Tetteh.Many times in medicine we becomecomfortable talking in jargon,because thats how we communicatewith our colleagues. Its not alwaysreadily apparent that we need tochange our language and deliverybased on the specific audienceswere speaking to, he says.

Surgeon speaks skillfully to patientsand audiences alike.

By Dave Zielinski

Tettehs health continued todeteriorate. The fever and headacheintensified and he couldnt keepfluids down. A grave infectionlanded him in a hospital isolationchamber. Over several tenuousand nerve-racking days, he slowlyrecovered and was discharged, butwith partial deafness and occasional

seizures as reminders of theharrowing ordeal.

It was my drive to become adoctormy desire to learn how totake care of the mind, body and

spiritthat I believe kept me alivein that hospital room, he writeson his website.

Meeting Audience NeedsA member of Maryland AdvancedToastmasters in Chevy Chase,Maryland, Tetteh says he first heardof Toastmasters when giving a speechin the Middle East. He was intriguedby the concept. He says that overtime, Toastmasters gave him skills

A DOCTORSJOURNEY

When Dr. Hassan Tetteh,CC, was a college student,he had a life-changing

experience that still informs hiswork as a physician to this day.Tetteh, now a cardiovascular diseasespecialist and surgeon with the U.S.Navy, boarded a plane years ago fora job interview at the Johns Hopkins

University School of Medicinein Baltimore, Maryland. On theplane, he sat next to a womanwho had what he calls a veryproductive cough.

Tetteh, who will presentan education session at theToastmasters InternationalConvention in August, made itto the interview, and all wentwell. But upon returning homehe began experiencing flu-like symptoms. Within a few dayshe was bedridden, his body wasriddled with excruciating aches,and he was haunted by dreamsof his own death.

Among the highest praise Tetteh receives iswhen a patient tells him, You explained thatin a way that I really understood it.


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Dr. Tetteh moderatesa Health Policy Forumon Achieving TotalHealth in April2009 at the JohnF. Kennedy Schoolof Government atHarvard University.


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Dr. Tetteh will present an educationsession on August 23 at the 2013International Convention. The sessionis titled Exceeding Expectations:How to Create an Enduring PersonalLegend. For information about theconvention, and the 11 educationsessions that will be presented, visitwww.toastmasters.org/Convention.

Photo courtesy of Nicole Carter.

Patient InteractionsTetteh also learned in his interac-

tions with patients that manymuchlike with reticent audiencemembersdont ask questions forfear of appearing uneducated orfoolish. So what happens is youcommunicate with someone, andyou believe theyve understood themessage when they nod and sayokay, but that may not be the case atall, says the doctor.

That reluctance to ask ques-tions requires physicians to be

both attentive listeners and patientcommunicators, Tetteh says. To thatend, he uses props and detailed,yet simple, explanations to help hispatients understand complex medicalconcepts. Tetteh often uses plasticmodels of hearts or lungs to explainmedical conditions to patients.

Ill demonstrate exactly whatwell do during a bypass, forexample, or take the models apartto show them heart chambers or

valves, he says. Among the high-est praise he receives, Tetteh says,is when a patient tells him, Youexplained that in a way that I reallyunderstood it. I now understandwhat this surgery is going to beabout because I can visualize it.

The Power of ListeningOne of the most undervalued traitsof effective physiciansand ofskilled leaders in generalis the

Dave Zielinski is a freelancewriter and a frequent contributorto the Toastmaster.

willingness and ability to listen well,notes Tetteh. Toastmasters helpswith this, he says, because it enablesmembers to listen in different andmore effective ways, particularlywhen you are assigned to roles likegrammarian or timer.

One of his medical school profes-sors made a statement that sticks withTetteh to this day. He said, If you

truly listen to the patient, they willtell you the diagnosis. As I becamemore mature in medicine, I realizedwhat he was getting at When youreally listen attentively, and ask goodquestions of patients, they give you avery good sense of the diagnosis. Thenyou do the tests, and other things, toconfirm your suspicions.

Turning the Tables: Patient-to-Doctor Communication

While much of the onus for clearcommunication falls on doctors,Tetteh believes its a two-way street,and there are things patients can doto communicate more effectivelywith their physicians. One is to comeprepared to ask specific questions,whether the questions come from thepatient or a relative or fr iend accom-panying him or her for that purpose.

There is anxiety when a patientis sitting on the hot seat. The doctor

might be telling him uncomfort-able or bad news, and the patientmay not be in the emotional stateto ask the right questions, he says.I always encourage people to askquestions to clarify whats being saidif they dont understand.

Its common today for patients toconduct Internet searches for medicalinformation before meeting with adoctor, Tetteh says. While he cautionsabout using only reputable medical

sources, he also doesnt discouragethe practice. There is a lot of misin-formation out there, but if people canfind basic information, it can some-times empower them to ask betterquestions of their doctors.

The Need forClear CommunicationTetteh says his time in Toastmasters,

as well as his experiences on the joband around the world, underscore thevalue of clear and consistent commu-nication. When spending time last yearas a trauma surgeon for U.S. militarytroops in Afghanistan, he came awayimpressed by something a Marinecommander said about his own troops.The commander said a Marine had todo three things well to succeed: Movewell, shoot well, and communicate well.

He said the Marines move and

shoot better than anyone in the world,but their communication sometimesisnt what it could beand theyreconstantly working on improvingthat, says Tetteh. It highlighted forme that communication is the onething that, if done ineffectively, leads tothe most problems in life, be it profes-sionally, personally or otherwise. T

If you truly listen to the patient,they will tell you the diagnosis.


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19TOASTMASTER SEPTEMBER 2011

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HEALING METHODS

I learned the importance of allthese components while working inIndiana as a nurse in the elds ofemergency nursing and gerontology,as well as a nursing instructor and adirector of nursing.

Classroom Communication

While working as an instructor, Iplanned a class lesson to make a pointabout written medical communication.During class one afternoon, I handeda subpoena to a nursing student. For amoment, I thought he would faint.

The students were buzzing aboutthe incident. I called the class to orderand announced, The subpoena is notrealit is to make a point. Severalof you have protested my policyof making proper use of English

account for 10 percent of your grade.I selected one of you to serve as anexample of why this is important. Wewill set up a mock trial.

A judge, jury, bailiff, recorder andopposing lawyers were selected. Thesetting was 10 years from now. The casedepended primarily upon the defen-

dants verbal testimony as comparedto the notes he previously wrote whileemployed as a nurse. During the trial,the prosecutor repeatedly slammedthe defendant on inconsistencies in hismemory as compared to the entries hewrote on the chart that were recordedat the time of the incident.

The point was: Writing down accu-rate, clear notes is crucial for a nurse.The stakes are too high to do anythingless than record accurate information.

By Lynn MacKaben Brown

How nurses communicate to deliver good care.

I f work could be classied bythe amount of time spent perform-ing a certain duty, nursing would beconsidered a career in communication.Nurses must continually use oral andwritten communication. They mustalso have excellent listening skills andbe good interpreters of body language,

often simultaneously. Their communi-cations must be clear, concise, current,correct, complete and con dential.

Within one work shift, a nursemay communicate with patients,families, doctors, diagnostic servicesteams, therapists, government work-ers and other nurses. Nursing teacherscommunicate with students, facultyand parents. Nursing administratorswrite evaluations and communicatewith non-nursing administrators.


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Lynn MacKaben Brown, a freelancewriter, is a member of the WarsawNoon Club in Warsaw, Indiana.In her rst career, as a nurse, sheworked as a clinician, a nursinginstructor and a director of nurs-ing. Her novel, Furs and Fevers ,is represented by the MarianneStrong Literary Agency in NewYork. For more information, visitlynnbrownwriter.com .

The trial verdict was unanimous:The defendant was guilty. Studentslearned the lesson; their written

communications improved as a resultof the mock trial I conducted toillustrate my point.

Reassuring PatientsIn reality, it is crucial in a medicalsetting to restrict access to writtenmedical communications. However,some years ago, the fashion was tohang a nurses notes at the foot of apatients bed, because patients wereclaiming their right to read them.

One day I was called to the roomof a patient who had suffered a heartattack earlier that day. I found himcrawling over the side rails of thebed, determined to go home. He

had read his chart and, unable to

interpret the combination of Englishand Latin words and abbreviations,he misread the message as an insultexpressed about him. He was soupset that he wanted to leave. It wasnot until I translated the informationthat he grudgingly agreed to stay inthe hospital.

Nurses also teach patients abouttheir conditions and talk them throughprocedures. We must be compassion-ate, reassuring and diplomatic, but

truthful, says Pam Mills, an RN (regis-tered nurse) in Winona Lake, Indiana.Sometimes we deal with heart-wrenching decisions, such as when aresidents declining health requires himto move to a skilled nursing care unit. Ifour communication is poor, it colors thereputation of the entire facility.

Critical Exchanges of InformationCommunication with a patient is vitalto the success of his or her treatment,

and so is communication with apatients family. For example, familiesneed to be instructed on how to prop-

erly ll out certain paperworkifthey dont do it correctly, it can takelonger for a medical facility to getthe information or records they needregarding the patient.

The increasing role of technol-ogy often helps produce a faster

ow of information, which results inbetter service for the patient. Thecomputer is great. It allows me tobatch things, says Mills. But I lovethe fax machine most. If a doctors

order is illegible, I just fax it over tohis nurse. Neither of us wastes timeon the telephone.

Directing the nursing staff alsorequires complete and crystal-clear

communication. A patients life could

depend upon it. As director of nursing,you must catch and hold the staffsattention to be an effective leader.

In that role, I once devised a newevaluation form. When I introducedit, I could simply have said, Thisis the new evaluation form. But Iwould have lost the attention of mystaff. Instead, I said, You each havea copy of the new fact-based evalua-tion form. The amount of your nextraise is tied directly to your score. The

higher the overall score, the higheryour raise. You now control the score.You control your raise. Let me showyou how it works.

I held their undivided attention formore than an hour.

Nonverbal CommunicationSpeaks VolumesActively interpreting the nonverbalcommunication of patients is a majorway to gather data to provide better

service to patients. For instance,patients who use the call button inexcess are usually exhibiting anxiety,

fear, loneliness or boredom.One way that nurses themselvesuse nonverbal communication is byproviding comfort through a backrub. It can reassure a patient, decreasestress, allay pain and encourage bond-ing between the nurse and patient.

When nurses are not writing,listening or providing comfort, theyare speaking. As one work shift tran-sitions into another, nurses must relayimportant information to a new team

of medical professionals. They updateother nurses on the condition of everypatient and inform doctors of changesin patients conditions. The way theyrelay information indicates whetheror not action is required.

Another crucial task that nursestake on is ensuring clear communica-tion between a doctor and a patient.Often, patients do not understandwhat the doctor has told them, possi-bly because the information being

relayed is complex or the physicianspeaks with a strong accent.An excellent surgeon I worked with

tried to use humor to reassure hispatients. Typically, his efforts made thepatients laugh and relax. However, ifhis attempt at levity had failed, I couldstep in to smooth over the situation.

Thats what nurses do. We arethe guardians of health care commu-nications. T

It was not until I translated the informationthat [the patient] grudgingly agreed to stayin the hospital.


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In 2003, a group of diplomatsestablished a Toastmasters clubin Taiwans Ministry of ForeignAffairs (MOFA). The group included

Jing-yen Liu, Alex Fan and CharlesTeng, who all worked in the govern-ment agency. Liu, the only one ofthe group who had previously been

a Toastmaster, believed the variousdiplomats in MOFA would benefitfrom Toastmasters training.

He was right. As a member of theMOFA Toastmasters club myself, Isee so many members improve them-selves professionally with the help ofToastmasters. Communication skills

are vital to diplomats; they often speakin public, representing their country atdifferent functions. In addition, MOFAToastmasters members boost theirforeign-language proficiency.

Diplomats who master Englishhave a great advantage, because itis the primary language used in theprofession. Bruce Chen improvedhis English skills by practicing thelanguage over and over in club meet-ings. Being a diplomat long stationed

Diplomats hone their language skills in Taipei club.

By Wei-ling Chen

POLITICSPOISE IN

Republic of China (ROC) diplomats.The club is open to anyone interested inimproving his or her communication andleadership skills. Ted Way, CC, joined theclub when he was an alternative militaryserviceman working in MOFAs depart-ment of protocol from 2011 to 2012.(Men in the ROC are required to servein the military for one year, but they canalso apply for alternative military serviceby working in different government

branches based on their professions.)Prior to Toastmasters, I had hadsome public speaking experience atconferences and workshops duringgraduate school, says Way. However,Toastmasters helped me improvegreatly through its focus on specificaspects of the speech. When I wentback to [work at] Microsoft after mymilitary service, I continued to speakat various functions, and I noticedthat the Toastmasters experience really

improved my speaking.The majority of diplomats followa cyclical career patternthree yearsat home, and six years abroad. For awhile, the club went into hibernationafter the founders were posted abroad.Pierre Chen, ACG, a key club leaderin those early years, says the clubsmembership once went from more than20 to less than five. Alex Fan and theothers would take turns saying jokes tokeep the meetings going, he recalls.

in Japan, I had never given a speech inEnglish before I joined Toastmasters,not to mention before being stationedin the U.S., he says. JoiningToastmasters has helped me realizemy American dream and given a newmeaning to my diplomatic career. Heis now deputy director-general of the

Taipei Economic and Cultural Officein Boston, Massachusetts.

A couple of years after the clubsfirst president, Alex Fan, ACB, helpedto establish MOFA Toastmasters, hiscareer took him to the U.S., and heis now deputy director-general of theTaipei Economic and Cultural Office

in New York City.Toastmasters helps me learnEnglish more attentively, says Fan.Even for native English speakers,Toastmasters is useful in helpingpeople express themselves clearly.

MOFA Open to AllMOFA Toastmasters, located in Taipeithe capital of Taiwanregularlydraws about 25 people to club meet-ings. Membership is not exclusive to

Our goal is to have all the new diplomats whom

MOFA recruits join the club so they can be equippedwith communication and leadership skills.


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(Clockwise from left:) Taiwan Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lin; Gordon Brooks(left) and diplomat Elsa Chen regularly attend meetings of the MOFA (Ministryof Foreign Affairs) Toastmasters club in Taipei; (from left to right): Michelle Fan,Wei-ling Chen and Chin Feng at a recent MOFA club meeting; (from left to right):Y.S. Liao, 2012-2013 District 67 Governor; George Yen, Toastmasters InternationalPresident-Elect; Daniel Rex, Toastmasters Executive Director; Taiwan Ministerof Foreign Affairs David Lin; Rong-chuan Wu, Director General of the NTOInternational Affairs Department at MOFA; Louis K.H. Liou, Section Chiefof the NGO International Affairs Department at MOFA.


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In 1992, David Y.L. Lin was appointed to aprestigious position in the Republic of China(Taiwan) government: deputy director-general ofthe Department of European Affairs in the Ministryof Foreign Affairs. He knew he would be speakingin public often, and he wanted to hone his skills.So he joined the Taipei Toastmasters club.

Lin went on to become Taiwans Ministerof Foreign Affairs last September. He says hisexperience in Toastmasters has been very helpfulin his career.

In my diplomatic career of more than 30 years,I have had countless opportunities to introduce mycountry and our foreign policy to a wide variety ofaudiences, Minister Lin writes in an email interview.Since I assumed the [Minister of Foreign Affairs]position, speech delivery has become a part of mydaily routine.

The experiences and skills I acquired in theTaipei Toastmasters club enabled me to quicklystructure a speech in an organized and persuasiveway, making my work more efficient.

Lin says the most important qualities to possess

in his type of work are honesty, sincerity and goodcommunication skills.

The rst two are held as the highest guidingprinciples in my work, and the third one isinstrumental in creating a positive workingenvironment.

Taipei Toastmasters is the oldest club in Taiwanit was founded in 1958. Lin says many thingsimpressed him about the clubs meetings, includingthe speech evaluations.

I personally beneted very much from myevaluators insights and suggestions, he says. TheTable Topics session in meetings was also extremelyhelpful, due to the fact that it trained us to organizeour thoughts in a very short period of time.

Before becoming the Minister of Foreign Affairs,Lin served in many other high-ranking positions,including as secretary of the Republic of ChinaEmbassy in South Africa; director-general of theTaipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston,Texas; and director-general of the Department ofInternational Organizations in Taiwans Ministry ofForeign Affairs.

Lin says he is pleased that the Ministry of ForeignAffairs (MOFA) has its own Toastmasters clubMOFA Toastmasters.

I am sure that, just as I beneted from the TaipeiToastmasters club, the other diplomats will improvetheir public speaking skills through the MOFAToastmasters club.

In April, Lin met with Toastmasters ExecutiveDirector Daniel Rex and Toastmasters InternationalPresident-Elect George Yen, DTM, in Taipei. The

Toastmasters community in Taiwan had eagerlyanticipated the meeting. Yen, a Taipei resident,says it was a positive discussion, noting thatMinister Lin talked about how much Toastmastershad contributed to his career.

Because of the connection to Toastmastersthat all three men share, Yen adds, there was anautomatic bond between us.

Paul Sterman is senior editor of the Toastmaster magazine.

TAIWAN MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRSPRAISES TOASTMASTERSBy Paul Sterman

Toastmasters Executive Director Daniel Rex (left) speaks with Taiwan Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lin in April.


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Wei-ling Chen is a member ofMOFA Toastmasters in Taipei,Taiwan, and served as its 20122013 club president. She works atthe Public Diplomacy Coordina-tion Council in Taiwans Ministryof Foreign Affairs.

Fortunately, with the help of a fewsponsors, such as Y. S. Liao, DTM,and L.J. Lamb, DTM, the club cameto life again.

Receiving Assistance

Toastmasters from other clubs havealways come to our aid when many

of the diplomats are abroad and clubmembership is low. For example,

Michelle Fan, CC, ALB, an interpreterat MOFA who belongs to anotherclub in Taipei, is always happy to takeon a meeting role in a pinch. RosaTeng, a retired English teacher whoattends five Toastmasters meetings aweek, called me every week to let meknow how many guests were coming

and to make sure we had enoughevaluators. Gordon Brooks, ATMB,CL, a freelance photographer, has tomy memory not missed any of ourmeetings and is always ready to help.

L.J. Lamb served as the language

evaluator at my first Toastmastersmeeting, helping members with their

English skills. He was one of thereasons I joined the club, because he

was so thorough. Without the helpof many dedicated Toastmasters ourclub would not have been able to goas far as we have.

Our long-term goal is to have allthe new diplomats whom MOFArecruits every year join the clubso they can be equipped with

communication and leadershipskills, which are vital to diplomacy.Bruce Chen, Alex Fan, Pierre Chenand Anthony Chao, all of themsenior diplomats and Toastmasters,already kicked off the process

last year by holding meetings fornewly recruited diplomats, six ofwhom signed up for Toastmastersmembership.

So our goal this year ismembership for all the newlyrecruited diplomats. With thesupport of Taiwan Minister ofForeign Affairs David Y.L. Lin,himself once a Toastmaster, the goalmight not sound so far-fetched. T

Joining Toastmasters has helped me realizemy American dream and given a newmeaning to my diplomatic career.

Bruce Chen, deputy director-general of theTaipei Economic and Cultural Office in Boston, Massachusetts


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While playing in the Arena FootballLeague, I suffered a career-endinginjury. I was left with two options: tospend my days wondering what mycareer could have been if I didnt get

injured, or to create a new life.I chose to create a new life. Notonly did I nd a new passion inentrepreneurship, but I also createda seven- gure business in teachingentrepreneurs how to use platforms,such as LinkedIn and webinars,to become leaders in their ownindustries.

The principles of leadership willnever change. Vision, discipline, cour-age and commitment are as relevant

today as they were when people usedswords to ght wars. Leadership isstill leadership.

Here are ve habits to practice if you

want to be an online leader.

1Do great things. Leaders do notfocus on maintaining the statusquo. They focus on using their visionand courage to do great things.

It takes big plays to win a footballgame, and it takes bold moves toadvance a business in a competitivemarketplace. I dont know anyonewho achieves worthwhile success byplaying it safe.

By Lewis Howes, CC

THE 5 HABITS OFEFFECTIVE ONLINE LEADERSHow to inuence your virtual audience.

A very successful mentoronce gave me a simple test todetermine if I was a leader.He said, If you want to know ifyoure a leader, just look and see if

you have any followers.Sounds pretty simple right? Lookto see if you have anyone following inyour footsteps.

As a former professional athleteIve seen the power of leadership.Ive seen coaches and athletes inspireothers by standing up and taking risksdespite overwhelming odds. And Ivelearned that the same principles thatlead teams to victory on the eld alsowork in the marketplace.

very successful mentor

Tis guy is awesome. Im learning so much.

John Doeanonymous4

R ep ly R etwe et

anonymous4John Doe

Reply Retweet10:00 AM August 28 via weets 4 MeRetweeted by 100+ people

I really like how hes presenting the material.

anonymousoneJane Doe

R ep ly R etwe et10:00 AM August 28 via weets 4 MeRetweeted by 100+ people

Me too.

10:00 AM August 28 via weets 4 MeRetweeted by 100+ people


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Lewis Howes, CC , is an entrepre-neur and a member of the U.S.Mens National Team for hand-ball. Learn more about him atlewishowes.com .

So take riskseven if that meansyoull make some mistakes along theway. Each mistake brings with it avaluable lesson that will make youstronger. Stop waiting for someone togive you permission to be bold, andact on that idea thats been on yourIll do this one day list.

Remember, the digital world ishungry for share-worthy stories,and not everyone is willing to dosomething worth talking about.

Develop a reputation for takingaction in untested waters. Thats howyou pull ahead of your competitionand build a strong online following.

2 Develop a reputation forover-delivery. Besides havingfollowers, the most important

online currency for any leaderis his or her reputation. When youhave a reputation for over-delivery,it means your online visitors,subscribers or clients constantlyfeel theyre the ones getting thebetter end of the deal.

Therefore, you must becommitted to producing qualitycontent and be willing to give awaymore than what you get in return.And in order to produce qualitycontent, you must rst understandyour target market and identifywhat it is that your audience

nds valuable. How else can youover-deliver value if you dontknow what it is in the rst place?Too many entrepreneurs fail tounderstand their audience andlook to their own opinions tocreate value.

Give people more of what theywant and expect. Once you do this,you will get a much larger return onyour investment in marketing sincepeople will want to spend moremoney on your offerings. They willalso refer their friends to your site.

3 Connect of ine. So you maybe thinking, Lewis, I thoughtthis article is about online leader-shiphow can of ine connections

help me grow an online reputationas a leader?Heres the deal: Nothing will

replace the power of live interaction.

such actions boost your own imageas someone who supports theendeavors of others.

But theres a catch: Be speci cand unique in your support. Dontjust retweet an article link or writeCheck this out on your Facebookwall. Tell your followers why theyshould pay attention to someoneyou recommend. It shows that youare paying attention to the personyou are promoting, and it demon-

strates how you respect the timeof your followers.

5 Share your vision. One of theprimary responsibilities of aleader is to share your vision. Imsure there are things youre noticingtoday that will affect your way ofdoing business tomorrow. But theywont just affect youtheyll affectothers too. As a leader its your jobto either warn your followers

of any danger or highlight theopportunities.

And nally, I will leave you with onelast piece of advice: Surround your-self with quality people.

As previously mentioned, there aresome principles that never change.This is one of them: Who you chooseto spend your time with (even inprivate) has a huge effect on whoyou are and how effective you are as

a leader. Leaders cant afford to rubshoulders with people who arentgrowing.

Follow these practical steps, andyoull soon be an online leader. T

Not Facebook, not Twitter,

not even video chat, which I love.Thats right, the most powerfulconnections are made through goodold-fashioned hand-shaking, shar-ing coffee and meeting for lunch.Connections made in these waysproduce the most opportunities.

My decision to connect with asmany people as possible is how Iwas able to build a pro table busi-ness so quickly. I knew I needed toconnect with other industry leadersnot just through emails, but alsothrough face-to-face meetingsif Iwanted to be an industry leader.

4 Promote others. Leadersunderstand theres more thanenough success and praise to goaround. So if you see someonedoing something great, let otherpeople know about it. Not onlywill your words make a big impacton the person youre praising, but

Stop waiting for someone to give youpermission to be bold, and act on that ideathats been on your Ill do this one day list.


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NEWS FROM TI

Paul Sterman is senior editor of theToastmaster magazine.

The enhancements to the existing program arein line with the Toastmasters mission: We empowerindividuals to become more effective communicatorsand leaders. International President John Lau

For more information about the program, visit www.toastmasters.org/ RevitalizedEducation Program . Forspeci c information about Ambassadors,visit the Ambassador page.

REVITALIZING THEEDUCATION PROGRAMMembers step up to be part of the historic project.

In May, Toastmasters Internationalannounced the news that the orga-nizations education program will berevitalized. The response from memberswas immediate and enthusiastic. Withina week of the announcement, WorldHeadquarters received about 2,500

applications from members wanting toparticipate as volunteers.Members also expressed excitement

on the organizations social media pages.What I like about this initiative

is that the Board of Directors and

real-world skills in a globally evolv-ing marketplace.

Enhanced use of technology andonline learning tools. The enhance-ments to the existing program are inline with the Toastmasters mission:We empower individuals to become

more effective communicators andleaders, says Toastmasters Interna-tional President John Lau.The intent of modernizing the

program is to enable members todevelop relevant communication and

either as a Learning Master or anAmbassador. The former group willbe led by Past International PresidentPat Johnson. Representing the mem-bership at large, Learning Masterswill provide their perspective andexperience as the program is shaped

and developed. These members willwork hand-in-hand with the develop-ment team, and they will be the rstto try out the program as beta testers.

(The last day for Learning Masterapplications to be submitted wasMay 31.)

Ambassadors will visit other clubsand educate fellow members aboutthe revitalized program. They willprovide updates on the project andexplain the programs bene ts. There

will be one Chief Ambassador fromeach district and one Ambassador forevery 10 clubs within a district.

Chief Ambassadors will be selectedthrough a nomination process.Applications for Ambassadors willopen in July 2013.

There is a great deal of work to bedone, but the effort will all be worth-while when the enhanced program isunveiled next year, notes InternationalPresident Lau.

We are progressing on excitingpaths into the future! he says. T

By Paul Sterman

Toastmasters International staff haveincluded representatives from all districtsand clubs into the design and implemen-tation plan, John Lesko, DTM, wroteon the LinkedIn Of cial ToastmastersInternational Members Group page.Lesko is a member of the TravelingTasteMasters club in Safford, Virginia.

This is one of the most signi cantToastmasters projects in recentmemory. The education program isbeing enhanced and updated to meet

the goals mapped out in the Board ofDirectors 2010 Strategic Plan. In thatblueprint for the future, the Board calledfor a renewed focus on leadership and amodernized communication program.

While the traditional core ofthe education program will remainintact, the updated program will offerimprovements in key areas:

A clearer path for achievingeducational awards.

A greater emphasis on developing

leadership skills in a changing world.Members will be able to demonstratecore competencies to help them meetpersonal and professional goals.

Another aim is to give membersonline access to education materials,videos and other content. Such oppor-tunities will help members improvetheir skills and their club experience.More information about the programwill be forthcoming.

Sandi Richards Forman, a member of

the Bethel Toastmasters club in Bethel,Connecticut, says she looks forward tothe bene ts technology can provide.

I think more technology optionswill be a great supplement for folks whowant to learn more, faster, she wrote onthe LinkedIn page. In addition, it willserve those who learn best in a variety oflearning styles as well as reinforce learn-ing that goes on at meetings.

Members are able to contribute tothe revitalization process in two ways:


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Mary Neseld is associate editor ofthe Toastmaster magazine.

REACH HIGHER

will be issued, and a news releasewill be sent to select publications.

In addition, a Hall of Fameacknowledgement will be publishedin the Toastmaster magazine,and a photo and biography ofthe Accredited Speaker will be

featured on the of cial ToastmastersAccredited Speaker webpage.

Rules and EligibilityAn applicant must:

Be a current Toastmaster in goodstanding.Have earned one of the followingeducation awards (or a higher desig-nation): Able Toastmaster, AdvancedToastmaster Bronze or AdvancedCommunicator Bronze.

New rules require applicants to:Have given a minimum of 25 speak-ing engagements at least 20 minuteslong to non-Toastmasters audiences.In addition, those audiences mustconsist of at least 20 people, thespeeches have to be given within thepast three years, and 15 of the 25speaking engagements must be paidpresentations.Have had ve different clients ofpaid speaking engagements submitrecommendations on the of cialAccredited Speaker ProgramRecommendation Form.Have a video of one presentation

lmed before a live audience.

Evaluation ProcessCandidates are then evaluated intwo levels. In Level 1, applicationsare reviewed for completeness, andvideo submissions from applicants

are reviewed by a panel of judges.An applicant who a majority ofjudges agree demonstrates high-caliber presentation skills isadvanced to the next level.

Applicants who pass Level 1progress to Level 2, where they

are invited to present before alive audience, including a panelof judges, at the InternationalConvention. Applicants whose livepresentations meet the required levelof professionalism (as agreed uponby a majority of judges) are awardedthe prestigious Accredited Speakerdesignation.

Toastmasters Accredited Speakersare truly an elite group. Since theprograms inception in 1981, less

than 20 percent of all applicants haveachieved this level of accreditation.While the Accredited Speaker processis a demanding one, it will enable youto grow and to improve your skills.

The advice I would give to peoplewho are trying to pass this would beto know your strengths, relax, andhave fun with it, Miller says. Youhave to be doing this for yourselfand understand that it is the processand experience that will make you

stronger, and a better speaker.T

By Mary Neseld

Get an edge as an Accredited Speaker.

A re you a professionalspeaker? Perhaps you areenjoying some early successesbut are looking for ways to advanceyour career. Consider applying to bean Accredited Speaker.

Toastmasters updated, elite

Accredited Speaker (AS) Programis geared toward a special breedof members who possess expertknowledge in a particular subject,combined with mastery of the spo-ken word. Accredited Speakers areregularly hired and paid to speakprofessionally by organizations andcompanies that value them as subjectmatter experts. These speakers are indemand because of their nely tunedskills and expertise.

Accredited Speaker Tammy Miller,DTM, PID, says, Many companiesare looking for speakers for confer-ences and training purposes. Theneed is for everything from soft skills(such as goal setting or motivation)to speci c technical-skills training,and a lot in between. Look at yourown life and identify those areas ofexpertise. Go with your passionsand reach out to the organizationsor businesses that are looking toincrease or enhance their knowledgeof the subject.

With the AS designation comeselevated status and potential speak-ing opportunities. Applicants whoearn the designation will be acknowl-edged at a ce

toastmaster magazine 2013-07

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