A training course

Toastmaster, Ladies and Gentlemen. Good afternoon.

Have you ever attended a training course in the past? How much do you feel you gained from that course? Do you still remember the time when I told you about moving to Taichung and changing my career?

I had no sales experience at that time, but I thought that “good communication skills” were extremely important. One day, while I was reading the newspaper, I found an advertisement for “Carnegie’s Training Course”. I immediately wanted to attend the course, but it was too expensive. Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough money to join.

 In the beginning, I paid a lot of attention to potential clients. but I was always rejected. (sorry ,we don’t need it: sorry, we still have a lot: sorry , we are busy now: sorry, sorry, sorry , ya , you know the situation).

Sometimes my father would call me from Taipei and ask “Hi, son how are you doing today?” I would always answer, “Dad, I’m fine, don’t worry about me.” My mother would then call and ask, “son, how are you today?” And I would then answer, “He, Mom, I’m O.K., don’t worry about me.” My younger sisters’, my friends, my girlfriend (at that time. she is now my wife) would also call me from Taipei and ask the same thing.” fine, O.K., no problem, I am great ”,but did I really feel great? NO, I felt really frustrated and wanted to return to Taipei. I didn’t have any friends in Taichung, they were all in Taipei. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t even know who I was anymore. At the time, I felt very confused. I needed someone to encourage me , but at the same time, I didn’t want to talk about it with anyone, because… this was my decision.

A few months later, I found “Carnegie’s Training Course” in the newspaper again. I was sure that this training course would help me and that I should find a way to pay for it. During the first session, the teacher told us “Don’t think of how we can change your mind and improve your communication skills, you should rather open your mind first, and tell yourselves that you want to change ”. She then gave us ten minutes to talk to each other. Afterwards, she asked us how many people we had talked to. Some answered six and some answered nine. She pointed out that if we wanted to make friends, we should talk to people we don’t know first. She also informed us that, during the training course, each of us will be expected to make a two-minute speech in every session. I really didn’t feel like going to the second session, because I had no idea how to give a speech, even if it was only for two minute. Luckily, Carnegie also has a mentoring program and my mentor calls and tries to encourage me often, making sure that I don’t give up. With his help, I tried harder and on the seventh session I won the Best Relationship Award, it meant a lot to me. I told myself again and again that yes, I did it, I did it. At that time, my mood was just like “ Wini ” said : “All nice”. After winning the award, I felt so energetic that I thought I could do anything and soon my business was doing better.

In the course, I learnt how to interact better with the people around me and I now know that it was worth the time and effort. Well , If you asked me how much you could learn from that course, I would have to answer that , it is , “immeasurable ”.