International President John Lau talks about the future of Toastmasters at Fall Conference, “The Orient Express.”

by Paul Peterzell, District 84 Reporters Chair

John Lau, DTM
2012-13 International President

The Fall Conference for District 84 held November 9-11 was a great success thanks in large part to our International President, John Lau. He served as Keynote Speaker and conducted some educational sessions.

President Lau is a successful businessman in Malaysia where he is C.E.O. of a business specializing in Human Capital Management. He holds several advanced degrees including a Ph.D. in Marketing. In addition to his educational achievements, he was recently knighted by the Malaysian government.

The following is a synopsis of his question and answer session on his vision for Toastmasters as he has begun his new term.

When asked how to increase our membership, President Lau feels we need to have attractive educational programs. “The two key priorities are how to engage our membership and how our members can spend more time with the program. Additionally, we need to maximize the use of technology for the benefit of membership”, stated President Lau. In fact, President Lau sees how technology will change the way we conduct meetings. A future that includes the use of smart phones and tablets as a tool for speeches and evaluations.

Another questions was asked about the program attracting younger members. “We need to inspire the younger generation interested in Toastmasters. They need to polish the words they use,” according to President Lau. He went on to say that the younger generation needs to treasure their need for face to face communication, especially in a world dominated by reliance on twitter and facebook.

Another area that was addressed was the change in the slogan to “Where leaders are made.” When asked about how he feels about our new slogan, he replied, “Good communicators become good leaders. You have to master communication to develop solid leadership skills.” The program is not only helping to strengthen speaking skills, but President Lau feels that we have an opportunity for improving our leadership skills through the many leadership opportunities at the club and district level.

Everyone seemed so grateful for the insights that President John Lau provided at the conference. Those who had the chance to interact with President Lau felt privileged. The overall experience of the conference was greatly enhanced by his visit. We hope that President Lau will come visit our district again in the near future.