Interview Series by Dr. Joel Ying.
“People of passion and purpose, doing interesting things, living their present moment.”
LivingthePresentMoment.com/podcastshow
Imagine a place where people talk about what they are passionate about, where everyone wants to improve, where people support and encourage each other. That place is a Toastmasters Club Meeting. Toastmasters is a non-profit international organization that teaches public speaking and leadership. That’s where I met Christopher Pritchard in 2008. I joined Toastmasters to become a better public speaker, and found much more. Through this organization, I have come out of a soft-spoken shell of fear that trapped my voice, and I have blossomed into a storytelling performer over the years.
Christopher Pritchard is one of the inspiring people that went through the program with me, and continues to be active in leadership roles. He is part funny guy, always fast-talking, with a New York can-do attitude. When he invests in something, he goes all in. He dresses up in suits just for the club meetings to make a good impression. He doesn’t wear suits in his usual work life! Toastmasters helped him escape the world of the couch potato, Star Trek geek, and MacDonald’s supersized drinks.
“I don’t like people,” Chris says in the interview. He’s only half kidding. If you want to see him make a sour face, ask him for a hug. He hates hugs. Under that rough exterior and huge mustache, he’s always helping people, encouraging speakers, and ready to offer a bit of self-deprecating humor. He even offers his expertise as a professional speaking coach. Why does he stay with Toastmasters? “Because it’s fun.” Toastmasters offers a huge social support with people from all ages and all walks of life.
Both of us continue to give back to this organization. We both enjoy watching and supporting growth in others. With public speaking and leadership skills, we watch new people blossom in this organization. Most people will stay the appropriate time to get over the fear of speaking or improve their skills with a supportive audience. Others, like Chris and I, we stay and give back to an organization that continues to help us to explore our edges and grow.
In this podcast …
- Learn about Toastmasters and their new program supporting public speaking and leadership skills.
- Experience fun conversational banter with a quick-witted and humorous speaker.
- Discover a sprinkling of tips on how to be a better speaker.
You can reach Christopher Pritchard at [email protected].
Learn more online at toastmasters.org and find a Toastmasters Club near you.
Recorded: Wed Apr 4, 2018, at 12:30pm ET on LivingthePresentMoment.com/studygroup
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