|
|
|
|
|
Leaping Forward to Conference 2022
|
|
Monica Morgan, Photojournalist
|
|
Presentation Skills: Be The True You
|
|
Find Your Voice! Entertainment
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Go to the Conference 2022 Google Site to Find Out More & Register!
|
|
|
|
|
|
INTERNATIONAL PHOTOJOURNALIST MONICA MORGAN TO SPEAK AT DISTRICT 62 CONFERENCE
|
|
Known for her distinct style of world-class images of celebrities, heads of state, pop icons, and historic events, photojournalist Monica Morgan is more than “a photographer.” She sees what others don’t; she captures what others can’t. Whether she’s freezing history or making it, Monica Morgan lives life through the lens. Her lens.
|
Throughout her career, Morgan’s drive to tell visual stories has made her one of the most well-known Detroit-area photographers, if not the most well-known in certain inside circles. She is undisputedly among the world’s most highly recognized and accomplished African American, female photographers.
|
She conducts teaching workshops, seminars, and serves as a motivational speaker. Monica presents ways for speakers, executives and business professionals to "up their game" by consulting on brand and professional images, and how to be empowered when on-camera. See her web sites at Monica Morgan Speaks and Monica Morgan Photography. Monica also has a commanding presence on LinkedIn.
|
|
Monica's keynote presentation will be "from the heart", where she will draw from her experiences photographing and interacting with interesting celebrities, world leaders and pop icons.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Be the True You
|
Supercharge your authenticity.
|
|
Authenticity is vital in effective business communications to establish critical trust and relatability. But with so many strategic decisions to make during a presentation, and many colleagues reviewing or contributing to it, how can leaders ensure they’re communicating authentically?
|
Here are five tactics to ensure you’re being the true you when sharing your ideas.
|
|
1 Don’t Say Things That Don’t Sound Like You
|
|
Let’s start with what makes a leader sound inauthentic. At the top of the list: words and phrases that don’t match the leader’s speaking style or vocabulary. Whether they write their own speeches or not, leaders should reject wording that sounds more like a press release or poet laureate than themselves.
|
|
A phrase that reads authentic may not actually sound authentic when spoken aloud. Use the “Read Aloud” feature under the Review tab in many versions of Microsoft Word (or another text-to-speech program) to hear what your written text sounds like when spoken.
|
As a speechwriter, I once proudly turned in a manuscript that included a very fresh and creative phrase. I thought I nailed it. But the client crossed it out and wrote, “I’m not this clever.” He was right; I was wrong. In authentic expression, personal always comes before poetic.
|
|
If you want to create an authentic connection with your team, the last thing you want to do is write a speech and read it to them word-for-word. Reading turns a presentation into a performance: focusing on a script and words versus your audience and your points. If you’re hyperfocused on giving a “perfect speech” and think having a script is the best way to achieve that, remember that you’re not in a public speaking competition. Your job is to engage and inspire, not impress. And in the speaker’s job, spontaneity and authenticity eat precision for breakfast.
|
Instead, create limited notes that focus on your outline and details you might otherwise forget. Keep it tight—like a cheat sheet—because to maintain authenticity, your notes should support you, not script you.
|
|
Authenticity is conveyed particularly well through personal stories and examples. These short narratives don’t need to be monumental events in your life. Even minor details—like a hobby, a pet, or a funny parenting moment—can humanize a leader as effectively as a life-changing incident. Because they are so relatable, stories are also more effective icebreakers than simple jokes.
|
|
True stories are compelling because you’re using “I” and “my,” which are authenticity superconductors. In fact, any executive statement can sound more authentic merely by starting with the words “I believe that.”
|
Use “I” only when relatability and trust are critical values, such as in stories and personal declarations. Most other leadership communications should begin with “we” to reinforce that success hinges on the entire team, not on the leader alone.
|
|
4 Be Unafraid to Make Mistakes
|
|
Another authenticity superconductor is imperfection. To err is indeed human! This doesn’t mean you should intentionally make mistakes, just forgive yourself if you do and know it can make you seem more human. And keep in mind that many people may not even be aware that you made a mistake.
|
|
Some speakers hyperfocus on perfection, overestimating how much their colleagues or audience cares about a forgotten detail or a word fumble—or even a shirt stain, bad hair day, or a sudden cough. Psychologists call this hypersensitivity to perceived personal errors “the spotlight effect,” and warn it can lead to crippling anxiety or excessive apologizing, which erodes your credibility.
|
When you make a mistake, remember that the authenticity points you gain are more valuable than the perfection points you lose. If you make an error, don’t apologize, which calls attention to the error. Quickly correct yourself and move on.
|
|
5 Be Mindful With Your Truth
|
|
Being authentic doesn’t mean revealing everything there is to know about you. Make revelations purposeful, not just personal, and don’t share opinions or details you wouldn’t want to be repeated to your entire staff or shared with local news media.
|
|
Authenticity is a leadership virtue but remember that it’s exhibited as much by your communication as by your behavior. Conveying authenticity through conscientious messaging builds the levels of trust and respect that are essential to successful leadership and inspiration.
|
|
|
|
|
Find Your Voice!
Saturday entertainment at Conference will feature a live speech game that you can participate in by volunteering or voting. Find Your Voice! is a new game being developed by Toastmaster Lisa Howard, VP of Membership at Macatawa Toastmasters.
|
The Game Master (Lisa) will accept volunteers from Conference attendees on Friday and Saturday. At game time, the Entertainment Chair will display five scenario cards, and choose one at random. The Game Master will then explain and facilitate game play involving impromptu speaking related to the chosen scenarios.
|
The audience will vote for the Best Speech. The game will then continue with additional rounds as time permits.
|
The overall winner will get a free copy of the game, Find Your Voice. In addition, the winner will get an offer from Lisa to personally facilitate the game at their location as she is available.
|
|
Join us on Saturday, April 30, for a fun evening of entertainment!
|
|
|
|
CANDIDATES SHOWCASE
|
Check out the candidates who are running for the Trio and Division Director positions for the 2022-23 Toastmasters year. These are the only elected District positions and you can share your opinion with your club President and VP Education. They have the privilege of voting for these candidates at the official Council Meeting on April 28.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A huge Toastmasters THANK YOU goes to the following companies who are sponsoring the DTM Ceremony and the International Contest at Conference 2022!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Save the Date for Conference 2022 on April 29-30. Register Above!
|
|
Create a new WordPress website for you club. Here's where to start: https://toastmost.org
|
|
|
INCENTIVES
|
Please let the Trio know if you or your club has earned incentives. See all of the incentives under Resources on the district website. trio@62Toast.com
|
|
|
|
|