OurSpeeches: Share with the World

If Not You, Then Who?

Written by Rick Clements/The Daylighters Toastmasters Club

Each year when we had new Cub Scouts start, we'd send the boys outside and have games set up to keep them busy. Some of the Pack leaders would stay with the new parents. I'd gather the parents into a circle. Before I could start, one of the parents asked, "so, where are the leaders?" [pause] I replied, "you're looking at them". Just like the Cub Scout parents, you are looking at the new leaders for our club.
The new assoc. Pastor was nervous because she giving her first sermon to the congregation. She was nervous and still getting herself organized at the pulpit when a 7 year old in the front row asked his mother, "where's God?"

We tend to think that the person leading is God like and all knowing. But, if we think about it we know that's not true.
Fake it until you make it.

You won't start out knowing everything about your job.
That's why there's training.

You also learn as you go. That's part of the process in Toastmasters.

Holding office is a requirement for Competent Leader because you will learn and grow while you are in office.

An F-4 was flying escort with a B-52 and generally making a nuisance of himself by flying rolls around the lumbering old bomber. The message for the B-52 crew was, "Anything you can do, I can do better." Not to be outdone, the bomber pilot announced that he would rise to the challenge. The B-52 continued its flight, straight and level, however. Perplexed, the fighter pilot asked, "So? What did you do?" "We just shut down two engines."

Don't worry about what others do well. You will do different things well. We each have our own strengths that we bring to the job.

Clydesdales, one can pull 80 lb. - two can pull 180 lb. - a team of officers.
What would you like to fix? (Positive dissatisfaction)
Ask the club members what they would like to change about the club.
How will you change it?
What office would be best to make that happen?
After I was in my first club for 3 months, our President changed jobs so we needed to elect a new president. There were five other people running. I drew first speaker. I got up and gave a campaign speech. The other five people stood up and said, "Rick will do a good job." I ran unopposed against five other people.

I learned:
No one had all the answers. That included our past president.
It doesn't matter how long you've been in Toastmasters. You can go a good job in any office.
Need not be present to win.

NOTE:
This is a sample speech that was given at the Daylighters Toastmasters Club. Reproduced by permission.
Below is the URL from the original webpage:
http://www.geocities.com/athens/acropolis
/3558/speech/election.htm

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Rick Clements has been a member of the West Beaverton, Tualatin Achievers and Daylighters clubs. He has been a friend of the Timber Talkers club. He has served as President, VP of Education, VP of Membership and VP of Publicity for the clubs he has belonged to. Sunset Division of the Timberline District (7) was a President's Distinguished Division the year he was Division Governor. He has earned the Able Toastmaster Silver, Advanced Toastmaster Gold and Competent Leader Awards.