Governor's Welcome

Welcome at Toastmasters!

My name is Klaus Hammer and I have the honor to be the Area Governor of Area D1 which comprises the countries Hungary and Austria. I live in Bratislava, work in Budapest, possess an Austrian passport and feel like a real European! Why I am with Toastmasters (TM)? Let me tell you. But upfront – TM gave my life a new direction.

It was April 2007 in Prague when I have been joining TM. At that time I was on an expat assignment which forced me into a change. The change from Manager to consultant, from being an employee to being self-employed and from career hunter to a family person. That was a traumatic experience for me. My career in Management was my life. I was apprentice, practitioner, made a career and studied management. The transition to advisory was hard. To my big luck I came across TM. The club and the learning curriculum was extremely beneficial. Contrary to my work I learned within a positive environment, I shaped my communication skills and I learned for me a complete new style of leading. Step by step it helped me to rebuild my self-confidence. Bottom line - Toastmasters brought me back on my feed within a new occupation.

TM stuns me even today. What an idea and what an impact on people. It provides a sure fire way changing a person - maybe even society - to the better. Why? From my experience: First it develops better communication - Being a better communicator fosters self-confidence. I have surely experienced this for myself. Expressing my ideas better helps me in working with people makes me more calm and self-confident. Second it breads a new kind of managers/leaders. The TM curricula fosters leadership by convincing, building consensus and performing self-discipline. Third, It spreads the idea of voluntarism to our countries, a concept that supports the society. TM can fill the gab between what some people need and what governments can deliver for adult education support.

As a member of the VSC, as VP Education of the TMBA, as the Area Governor of the Area D1 and as the biggest fan of the Zagreb and Budapest TM I am in a lucky position. I work on my personal development and on my personal vision - helping to spread TM so that it will offer to all people in Central Europe who wants it - or needs - it a way into a better life through personal growth.

When this sounds all too crazy to you just relax. In the first place TM is here to give you a positive and save training ground for your personal development and self growth. I urge you - make the TM magic work for you and get the best out of it.

Klaus Hammer, ACB, ALB,
Area Governor