Fellow Toastmasters, as we gain experience and master public speaking and leadership skills, let us not forget that the value of our organization is crystallized by our willingness to mentor and provide useful guidance to our newest and youngest members. We can get what we want, by helping others get what they want. A term that captures the essence of helping others find their voice, deliver their message and lead with distinction is "compassionate communication." Actually, the term is Nonviolent Communication.
During the tumultuous early 1960's, psychologist Marshall Rosenberg articulated an approach to communication that included a) self-empathy (compassionate awareness of one's own inner experience); b) empathy (listening to others with deep compassion); and c) honest self-expression (expressing one's self authentically to inspire compassion in others). This approach has been used in mediation, family therapy, workplace problem resolution, and community restoration.
The degree to which we genuinely invest in another is the degree to which we will live our meetings, go out into the community, the workplace, and impact our zone of influence in a positive way. The world is in desperate need of healing. Let's make a difference by impacting one life at a time.
