Toastmasters – Local “Outliers” Chapter Invites Guests and New Members Connections That Demonstrate Your Engagement

I am reading an amazing book titled Roving Mars by Steve Squyres, a principal scientist and investigator at JPL for the journey that again landed the U.S. on Mars in 2004. He writes of being responsible for picking “natural leaders from the engineering staff” who he knew would lead and “keep us moving toward our goals”. As a foremost scientist in his area of expertise he is usually “reading” rocks for what they tell us about the origins of our planet. However, as a leader on the Mars project his role included choosing the other scientists to complete the team that would be crucial to the U.S.’s success. They were to be responsible for developing the instruments to be rolled out on the Mars landscape, take samples, and analyze what the rocks on Mars tell us – a lofty goal dependent on a team with “strong connections, relationships, and communications”.
I heard these same words used in a recent seminar presented by the Project Management Institute of Los Angeles. The focus was how to use the LinkedIn website and software to present one’s skills and resumé in looking for a job, however a primary point of the presentation included how to show those same skills of “making connections and building relationships”.
How do you show that you have the “soft” skills to form connections and relationships in your career? Here are two key suggestions that are part of our local base of contacts, and of which I have enjoyed being a member and volunteer for many years:
Toastmasters – Outliers Chapter – Membership in Toastmasters is a certain and fulfilling way to build your communications, meeting management, and connection skills. Our local chapter is called the Outliers. We are a diverse group that meets on Zoom 6:30pm to 8:00pm the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month, with quarterly hybrid meetings in Santa Clarita. Mentoring is available. To attend a meeting as our guest, contact our Founder and VP of Education, Tom Iland. Note that Tom is one of 93 Accredited Speakers in the world, as well as being a Certified Human Potential Coach and a published author. Tom can be reached on 661-313-3323 or tom@thomasiland.com. Also find us at www.toastmasters.org, on Instagram at theoutlierstoastmasters_club, and on Meetup at https://www.meetup.com/Santa-Clarita-Outliers-Toastmasters-Club.
Project Management Institute – Los Angeles Chapter – many seminars for connecting at www.pmi-la.org. Let’s talk!