Toastmasters Leadership Institute

Session: Leveraging LinkedIn for Your Career

Speaker: Rita Barber, DTM, PDG

Abstract: Did you know that over 93% of recruiters use LinkedIn to research and recruit candidates? They know it’s a time saver in finding the best talent out there. Learn the steps needed to boost up your career and demonstrate who you are professionally with LinkedIn. We’ll talk about the benefits of having a profile on LinkedIn, career transitioning using LinkedIn, and how you can use LinkedIn as a resource in finding that next great career.

About the Speaker: Rita Barber, DTM, PDG works with individuals and groups of people to polish their message in order to reach their goals.

Agenda:
5:45 PM: Virtual Doors Open
6:00 PM: Session Begins
7:00 PM: Adjourn

Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2020
Location: Online

Cost: Free!

Session: How to Effectively Respond to Criticism

Speaker: Arnold Buss, Ph. D.

Abstract: Do you find yourself in conflict with others – friends? Family members? Coworkers? Employers?
Employees? Do you struggle at times to resolve those conflicts? Would it surprise you to learn that the most important step towards resolving conflict is to become a more effective listener?

This presentation focuses on specific ways that you can break through difficult communications with a simple, yet powerful, approach to listening empathetically. Listening effectively means being open to a point of view with which you may disagree, putting aside your own judgments and thoughts, and focusing all attention on the messages – spoken and unspoken – that the other person is sending. In a conflict, understanding the other person’s point of view is a crucial first step towards resolution.

You will learn a simple, yet powerful and effective approach to listening effectively in difficult and even confrontational situations. Using this listening skill, you can transform any conflict into an opportunity for constructive resolution to a problem, a deepening of understanding and empathy, and ultimately an improvement to the relationship itself.

Bio: Arnold Buss received an undergraduate degree in Psychology at Rutgers University and a Ph.D. in Operations Research at Cornell University. He has been teaching at the graduate and undergraduate levels for the past 30 years. A longtime member of Toastmasters, he has achieved the rank of Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) and is a past Area Governor. He teaches seminars on Effective Communication and Relationship Building and has previously given presentations on interpersonal communication skills to many local. He also facilitates individuals and couples with their interpersonal communication issues.

Agenda:
5:45 PM: Virtual Doors Open
6:00 PM: Session Begins
7:00 PM: Adjourn

Date: Tuesday, July 21, 2020
Location: Online

Cost: Free!
Registration: https://d101tm.wufoo.com/forms/district-101-toastmasters-leadership-series/

Session: Active Trust

Speaker: Kari Lynn Morgan

Abstract: Trust is the foundation of every human relationship, whether personal or professional. This interactive session proposes a model of trust that can be gifted, not just earned; and where trusting the other, creates trustworthiness in them. We will discuss the challenges of sitting in the unknown, and of trusting in situations where previous trust has been breached and how to navigate blame and surrender. We will also discuss effective communication tools for talking about trust, mistrust, and repairing the relationship when trust is weakened

Bio: Kari Lynn Morgan is a relationship coach working to bring better communication skills to the world. She works with groups, couples, and individuals in their pursuit of more connection through honesty and trust.

Agenda:
5:45 PM: Virtual Doors Open
6:00 PM: Session Begins
7:00 PM: Adjourn

Date: Wednesday, July 29, 2020
Location: Online

Cost: Free!
Registration: https://d101tm.wufoo.com/forms/d101-tli-series-july-29-2020

Session: The Rhythm of English

Speaker: Sheila Lebedenko, MATESL

Abstract: Sheila, a Los Gatos and Next Step Toastmaster, and the head accent reduction coach at Smooth English, will offer a 1 hour interactive workshop designed to help you appreciate what makes English a stress-timed language, as opposed to a syllable-timed language.  You will learn what syllables to stress, which words to stress, how to stress and how to “unstress.”  You will improve your vocal variety and comprehensibility by implementing vowel lengthening, reductions, linking and blending as you work in small groups.  Those who are brave will even volunteer to display their efforts in front of everyone, to be corrected by the instructor.

Bio: An Illinois native, Sheila has always loved the rhythm of English, from music to nursery rhymes, from acting monologues to public speeches.  She has over 25 years of experience coaching accent reduction to non-native speakers, as well as a background in business, law, theater, singing & public speaking.  She earned her law degree and master’s degree in teaching ESL (English as a second language) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.   She has taught not only pronunciation but the entire spectrum of ESL courses for Smooth English, Golden Gate Language Schools, Executive Language Training, University of Illinois, Carnegie Mellon Silicon Valley and San Jose State University.  As the founding owner of Smooth English, Sheila currently offers custom-tailored programs on Zoom, including private, semi-private and large group accent reduction lessons.  She also offers mobile apps and online pronunciation courses on YouTube, Udemy, and Skill Share.  She’s coached actors, as well as 100s of Silicon Valley professionals, including engineers and executives from top tech companies, i.e. Amazon, Apple, Google, HP, PayPal and Samsung.

Agenda:
5:45 PM: Virtual Doors Open
6:00 PM: Session Begins
7:00 PM: Adjourn

Date: Thursday, August 6, 2020
Location: Online

Cost: Free!
Registration: https://d101tm.wufoo.com/forms/d101-tli-series-august-6-2020

Session: Mentoring: The Secret Weapon of Successful Speakers and Leaders

Speaker: Satish Shenoy, DTM

Abstract: Would you like to develop new skills or polish your existing skills? Do you find yourself stuck after several years in Toastmasters or in the same job? Do you have a mentor or, better yet, a personal board of mentors to help you?

Continuous learning and active engagement with the right mentors are absolutely essential to accelerate your learning and growth within Toastmasters and beyond. Having a mentor, or a personal board of mentors will help you take your Toastmasters experience and your career to the next level and help you find fulfillment. It is equally important for experienced professionals as mentors to share their wisdom and build their leadership skills and personal brand.

In this speech, Satish Shenoy will share insights around the characteristics of good mentors and mentees and practical tips around how to find and keep the best mentors and disclose how to build and leverage a personal board of mentors to supercharge your learning and growth.

Bio: Satish Shenoy, DTM sees Toastmasters as a way to continually grow personally and professionally. Having worked across startups to Fortune 500 companies and traveled to over 50 clubs in 5 continents including Antarctica, he enjoys sharing his experiences to help fellow Toastmasters and colleagues to reach outside of their comfort zone. 

Agenda:
5:45 PM: Virtual Doors Open
6:00 PM: Session Begins
7:00 PM: Q&A
7:30 PM: Adjourn

Date: Wednesday, August 12, 2020
Location: Online

Cost: Free!
Registration: https://d101tm.wufoo.com/forms/d101-tli-series-aug-12-2020

Session: The Magic of the Workshop

Speaker: Stewart Murrie

Abstract: Is there something you always wanted to do but felt it wasn’t for you, like learning a foreign language, playing an instrument, or starting your own business? Have you ever chased your dreams, but fallen at the first hurdle and walked away convinced that you just aren’t good enough?

In this workshop, Stewart will guide participants level up their lives by developing a growth mindset, a powerful mentality that can unlock possibilities and unleash the untapped potential in all of us. You’ll walk away with an understanding of your current mindset, some tools to change your self-perception, and the most powerful word in the world for achieving lifelong success.

Bio: Stewart Murrie is a San Francisco-based product designer, speaker and coach. He is an active member of two clubs in District 4, Dolby Speakers and San Francisco Storytellers, and has served as both an Area and Division Director. He competes regularly, having reached District finals on four occasions, winning the 2017 District 4 Evaluation Contest. He was also recognized as the 2017 District 4 Toastmaster of the Year. Stewart loves helping teams work better together, and regularly runs workshops on topics such as brainstorming, evaluations and leadership. If you’d like him to run a workshop at your club or workplace, contact him at murrie.org.

Agenda:
5:45 PM: Virtual Doors Open
6:00 PM: Session Begins
7:00 PM: optional Q&A
7:30 PM: Adjourn

Date: Wednesday, August 26, 2020
Location: Online

Cost: Free!
Registration: https://d101tm.wufoo.com/forms/d101-tli-series-aug-26-2020