Episode 3: Reciprocity – A Key to Leadership

Intro

A confession:

This was recorded in July, not September, so when I say Grabenhorst in this recording, think Taylor.  Yes, our Jenilee got married to Todd Taylor, our Area 14 Governor.

Congratulations to our newly-wed District 10 officers and from everyone here – may you have many happy years together.

Tonight we’re going to talk about reciprocity.  We’re talking about judging or training or working on a conference. Why should people help out with other clubs?

Jenilee Taylor shares a few thoughts with us tonight – on the table.

Reciprocity - an interview with LGET Jenilee Grabenhorst Taylor.

We’re talking to Jenilee Grabenhorst [Taylor], LGET of District 10, and tonight we’re going to talk about reciprocity.  There are times when other clubs need help with judging or training at the area level or working on a conference.  Why should we help out with other clubs?

Jenilee:  I think a better question is why not?  We as individuals get stuck in what we see every day.  We need to have a brighter, broader outlook on the Toastmaster world.  So going to help another club with what they need will probably lead to others coming to help your club when you need help.

Kim:  So it’s a reciprocal thing.  I judge your club, you judge mine?

Jenilee:  It is.  But it doesn’t necessarily have to be.  Because my TM world was brightened when I did an officer training at one of the prison clubs.  I went in, and at no point did I think that anyone from that club  could come back to my club and judge or train.  But I received so much from that training, seeing those individuals help to better themselves. Just seeing that was one of my top three Toastmasters experiences of all time.

Kim:  Wow.  Is it hard to judge outside your own club? You already know who’s there [at your own club.] Going someplace else… what if you don’t agree with the other judges?

Jenilee:  You never know if you’re going to agree with the other judges, even if it’s in your own club.  But it helps you to look at speakers you haven’t heard before, or maybe only heard once or twice and they have grown and improved since the last time you saw them… It helps to keep you sharp and your skills at the top of your game, when you’re not just seeing the same speakers week after week, and what their skill set is.  You’ll probably for your own arsenal as well.

Kim:  That’s a really good point, that we can learn from watching others who are performing or giving speeches we haven’t seen before.

Jenilee:  Absolutely.

Kim:  What do you think about training outside of your division?  I was invited yesterday to come up and train in the Western.  That’s about an hour and a half drive from my house.  I really have to think about whether or not that’s worth it for me.   I’m not going to get reimbursed for my gas or my time.  I’m not unwilling to do training, but that’s a long way to go.  Is it worth it?

Jenilee:  It’s absolutely worth it!  You will get to meet individuals that you may not get to meet at other events.  They may be unable to get to your club when your club is meeting.  So you’ll be able to share information with them.  Maybe they’re new Toastmasters, who don’t travel outside of their district.  So you are going to have the opportunity to reach out to them and be able to share different information with them.

Kim:  I hadn’t thought about it that way.  What about doing conference work?  You’ve got a conference coming up soon.  Do you need people to volunteer, or are you going to go to the same-old same-old people?

Jenilee:  Oh, no, absolutely we need fresh ideas, bright minds, individuals who have gone to conferences, maybe even outside Toastmasters, in other industries,