Gary Bailey

Some tips I picked up from Gary (ex goal keeper for Manchester United) at our Toastmasters conference. Enjoy!

Manchester United:

• Is a $1 billion business
• Has 300 million customers
• Delivers weekly to its customers

The principles of a good soccer team apply to business as well…

• Be tough- learns to takes knocks
• Build on gratitude
• Appreciate staff and all those around you
• Things go wrong for everybody at some time
• It’s how you deal with life, not what happens to you that is important
• Plan for the future
• Don’t send emotional emails because there is no emotion in email
• Make time for others
• Raise your energy
  • Body; food & exercise
  • Spirit; helping others
  • Mind;
  • Emotions;

I have received a copy of my recent interview with the times. This was recorded at the dinner at the Toastmasters conference in Johannesburg.  I discussed Toastmasters, the importance of communication and leadership skills, and why the Toastmasters programme is so important.

Download the podcast.

Thanks to Ian and Michael Bratt, as well as the Times for the copy.

Listen on Times Live to Michael Bratt interviewing myself, as well as Keynote speaker Gary Bailey and C&L award winner Bassie Kumalo.

I was interviewed at the Toastmasters conference recently held at Gold Reef City. I spoke about the value of communication, leadership, and the Toastmasters programmes.

Much to my surprise, at a Toastmasters meeting on Wednesday, I got the award for best evaluator. That means that I gave the most constructive feedback to a speaker at the meeting :-)

Here is a workshop that may interest you. It is being run by two very good friends of mine, and it promises to be a first-class event.

Find the Storyteller inside

Telling stories as a lure to the future is an ancient strategy of sages, philosophers and great religious leaders. – Diarmuid O’Murchu

This workshop will show you how to ritualise and energize your life though engaging with stories – those of your own and of others. Climb inside stories and tell them from the inside. Listen to them, Shape them. Taste them on your tongue. Reconnect to creativity, memory and imagination. This workshop experience will energize you. You will get a clearer understanding of how we construct our lives as fiction and how this can release us into a more abundant life. You’ll emerge with stories in your heart and on your lips.

Storyshop Programme

Week 1: The Why of Stories

The power of storytelling to send us travelling and bring us home.

Week 2: Archetypal Stories

Myths and Fairy tales – the story underneath the story.

Shapes, patterns and rituals. Engaging symbols.

Week 3: Sourcing Stories through observation

Listen with the ear in your chest. (Rumi)

Inner and outer looking. Our looking ripens things. (Rilke)

Week 4: Structure your own Stories

Story stones to step on: the symmetry of a tale. Beginnings and endings.

Week 5: Practical: telling Stories

How to tell a story: how to breathe, climb inside it; ‘if you can’t see it, you can’t tell it’.

Make up stories, finding your voice, your silences.

Fabric and fabrication.

Week 6: The Circle and the Fire – A celebration of Story telling

Participants tell and receive stories.

The Joy and Call of Stories Will:

• explain the power of storytelling
• give you an understanding of how stories work
• give you practical tools to work with in the telling of stories
• help you develop the ability to tell a good story
• ignite your creativity and imagination

Facilitators

Dorian Haarhoff is a storyteller, writer, mentor and a former Professor of Literature. He is passionate about developing innate creativity and imagination. He believes that stories can heal, build communities and create new worlds.

Kirsten Pearson is a Dialogue facilitator, published poet and the volunteer Project Lead for the Movement for Sharing Life Stories. She promotes story telling as a way to support change, create new realities and transform the potential of our future.

Who will benefit from attending:

Writers, storytellers, readers, travelers, lovers of words, images, silences…therapists, artists, spiritual seekers, coaches, teachers, magicians, tricksters, ecologists…anyone who wants to raise their story IQ.

Dates

• Saturday, 26 September 09: 14:00 – 17:00
• Saturday, 03 October 09: 14:00 – 17:00
• Saturday, 10 October 09: 14:00 – 17:00
• Saturday, 17 October 09: 14:00 – 17:00
• Saturday, 24 October 09: 14:00 – 17:00
• Saturday, 31 October: 14:00 – 17:00

Venue

Novalis Ubuntu Institute – 39 Rosmead Avenue, Wynberg (a white domed building between Wetton and Ottery Road)

Cost

R900.00 (or R150 per week)

Should you wish to pay in instalments of R150 per week, that option is available.

To register

To book, contact Kirsten Pearson on 021 461 3145 or email: kirstenpea@gmail.com

Hi All

The recent Toastmasters Induction Dinner has made it into the Cape Town local papers. Cape Community Newspapers ran an article which was syndicated to most of the local community newspapers.

Correction: I am the second youngest District Governor. Howard Steinberg beat me in 1980.

You can read the article below.

I hope that it brings some new members in.

On Saturday 4 July, we celebrated our incoming Toastmasters district leaders by holding a gala Induction Dinner.

I was installed as District Governor in a ceremony chaired by Past District Governor, Frances Boshoff, after which I presented my incoming address, where I spoke a little about what Toastmasters means to me, and I presented the district theme – Toastmasters, Growing People.

Download the podcast.

On Saturday 4 July, we celebrated our incoming Toastmasters district leaders by holding a gala Induction Dinner.

I was installed as District Governor in a ceremony chaired by Past District Governor, Frances Boshoff, after which I presented my incoming address, where I spoke a little about what Toastmasters means to me, and I presented the district theme – Toastmasters, Growing People.

District Governor

The outgoing officers were also released from their duties, allowing them to handover the leadership duties to a new set of officers, and Lois Strachan was installed as the IPDG (Immediate Past District Governor), which means that she will be chairing the PDG advisary committee for the next year.

Anyway, if you missed the dinner, it was a fantastic function, and judging by the noise level, was enjoyed by all. If you didn’t manage to get there, I have a video of my speech, you can watch it below. Anyway, keep talking, and remember that Toastmasters Grow people!

As of two days ago, I am the District Governor for Toastmasters District 74, Southern Africa. Geographically, we are one of the largest districts in the world, covering 9 countries in Southern Africa. I am also the youngest District Governor in D74
ever, but I feel ready for the challenge.

I joined Toastmasters in 2000, with the aim of simply becoming a better public speaker, but it did not take very long to realise that Toastmasters is not just about public speaking. It is about learning to become an effective communicator and leader, and I have been on a remarkable journey
of growth. Through Toastmasters, I have

• Trained in South Africa
• Trained in Malawi
• Trained in Namibia
• Travelled three times to USA, each time carrying a flag of our District
• Spoken in the four largest cities in South Africa
• Opened conferences
• Emceed meetings, conferences and events

Holding the Zimbabwe and Zambian flags at the International Convention in Calgary, Canada

Now, please don't think that I am bragging, because I am not. I am showing
you this list to demonstrate that I have learned to do things that I would never
been able to do in the past, both through the acquired skills, and through self
confidence that I have developed.

Whenever Toastmasters has provided me with an opportunity, I have grabbed it,
which is why I have got so much out of it.

Our district theme this year is "Toastmasters – Growing People". And the more
that I am involved, the more I realise that the best way to grow is help others
to grow. By giving, you receive back tenfold. So, it is with great excitment, a
little nerviousness, and hugh anticipa……..tion that I look forward to the
next year!

In this message, presented to District at Toastmasters Club Officer Training, held on 20 June, 2009 I discuss how the young average in Africa (19), and the troubling economic times provide a huge opportunity for Toastmasters in Africa, and in particular in Southern Africa. It is a message of growth for our organisation.

Excuse the background – the training was in a ballet hall! I guess I have spoken in strange venues. Anyway, the main thing is to listen to the message, and not to watch the background.