THE TIMES OF CANADA NOV 2020
ARE YOU DRIVEN BY YOUR CORE VALUES? I have a confession to make. If you had asked me the meaning of core values in 2010, I would have drawn a blank and asked you to clarify. It was only in 2014, when I joined an organisation called Toastmasters International to develop my leadership, communication and public speaking skills, did I come across the concept of core values. Toastmasters is a unique global organisation and its mainly driven by the concept of service leadership in which individuals volunteer their time
to lead and help others become better communicators and leaders. Present in over 100 countries which are broken up into regions and districts, leaders at all levels actively practice the 4 core values of Toastmasters every single day during club meetings and events all over the world. Their 4 core values are INTEGRITY, RESPECT, SERVICE AND EXCELLENCE. These values go to the very heart of the Toastmasters spirit in which every member acts
with the utmost integrity in their daily actions during club meetings, respects fellow members from all cultures, ages and backgrounds, offers their services and expertise to help fellow members develop their leadership and communication skills and in their actions and behaviour, strive to do their personal best and reach the pinnacle of excellence. Which brings me to a fundamental question – What exactly are core values and how do we develop them? While
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