Toastmasters International -Who Are Your Two People?

Stefano McGhee smiling and holding his hand over his heart

Get a pen. I want you to write down one name. Ready? Who is the person in Toastmasters who made you better?

I’ll go first. Mine is Jennifer.

Jennifer happens to be my wife, and she joined five years before I did. While she was at meetings, I was home on the couch playing video games, perfectly content. Then she needed a guest for guest night. And that is how I got involved: My wife made me. I’ve told that story to Districts all over the world and it always gets a laugh.

Here is the part I have never told.

Jennifer is the toughest critic I have. When a speech is not ready, she says so. When I do not feel like putting in the work, she calls that out. And she knows exactly how hard to push and when to stop, which is a skill most evaluators spend years trying to learn. She has always done it in private. Almost never in public.

Twenty-one years. I do not think I have ever said it to her plainly.

So, thank you, Jennifer. Out loud. In print. Where you cannot wave it off.

Now, look at the name you wrote down. Have you told them?

Who in your club right now is where you used to be?

We assume they know. Then a member moves away, or a club closes, or something worse, and the sentence we never said stays unsaid. It is one sentence. It takes 10 seconds. This month say thanks for what you’re given.

Then write a second name: Who in your club right now is where you used to be? Sitting in the back row. Not sure they belong. Not sure they are any good at this. They are waiting for someone to tell them what your person told you.

Be that person.

Be the person who helps their club too. At this year’s International Convention, I challenged our District leaders to reach 55 Distinguished Districts. That’s more than half of the Districts around the world.

However, District leaders don’t decide to be Distinguished; clubs decide that. So here is my ask of every club: Do not aim for Distinguished. Aim for Smedley Distinguished.

Almost no club gets there. That is the point. Aim that high and even a short landing puts your club exactly where your District needs it to be. This works for you as well. Aim higher than you think you can achieve. You don’t need an International President, a Board member, or a District leader to tell you how to be excellent. You need your fellow club members.

Two names. One you owe a thank you. One who is waiting for you.

Let’s get to it.