RISE - Toastmaster Values

If you have been following my blog or know me personally, you would know that I am a member of Toastmasters Club. This is an article that I wrote for the Toastmasters District 98 newletter, Communicate 98.  It was published in the September 2016 edition. Here is my unedited version. 

RISE - Toastmasters Values

With Mohammed Qahtani - WCPS 2015

The Toastmasters values encapsulated beautifully in the acronym, RISE, are the guiding lights in our Toastmasters journey. 

• R is for Respect.
• I  is for Integrity. 
• S is for Service. 
• E is for Excellence.

It is essential for a Toastmaster to  understand these 4 simple words fully and act as per them. Here is a simple way how you can live these values in a regular Toastmasters meeting.

Respect: In your club, the caliber of members, the economic, social and educational background may be vastly different. If we do not respect our members as individuals despite the differences in culture, status, caliber and position in life, we cannot provide a conducive learning environment. It will not help our growth as a club or as a leader. Hence, Respect is very important. Greet everyone cheerfully and treat everyone with respect.

Integrity is doing what you say you will do. In simple words, it means keeping your promises. In your club, if you have agreed to deliver a speech or take up a meeting role, do not, as far as possible, back out in the last minute. Keep your promise.

Toastmasters is based on Honor system. There is no pass or fail. There is no examination. There is no Toastmaster police. Everything is trust based. Therefore, integrity is of paramount importance.

Service: In a Toastmasters club, no one is paid to do anything. Volunteer service to members is the backbone of a club. This is what makes you grow as a person, helps fellow members grow and helps our clubs prosper. Take every opportunity to serve your club in a meeting. Be it helping in room arrangements or logistics or mentoring or giving feedback to a member, be of service to others.

Excellence: Finally, we try to achieve excellence in whatever we do in our meetings be it giving speeches, organizing the meeting and other events, or mentoring and helping others. Aristotle said - we are what we do repeatedly. Excellence is thus a habit. Keep giving your speeches, taking roles and attending meetings regularly and repeatedly. Once this becomes a habit, excellence in all that you do is not far away.

Let's pledge to RISE to the occasion in every single meeting so that we can shine in life.