Member Spotlight: Interview with Moeko Wilson

Q&A with Moeko Wilson, Consulting Finance Senior Manager with PwC, & Secretary of Encinitas Toastmasters, IP3 (Innovative Planning, Level 3)

Moeko is an active member of Encinitas Toastmasters.

This interview was conducted virtually by Pat Rarus, DTM, also of Encinitas Toastmasters.

Q. Moeko, you have been a member of Encinitas Toastmasters for a few years now. How has membership and participation improved your professional life? Are you giving more corporate presentations, for example? Details, please!

A: My initial reason for joining Encinitas Toastmasters was professional. I often gave presentations at work and would get really nervous. I wanted to become a more confident speaker and better presenter. Since then I have changed roles at my company and don’t have to present as often, but I still do from time to time. Candidly, I’m not one to volunteer to present, but if asked, I can say “yes” with confidence. 

Q. Moeko, you are a wife and mom of two elementary school children. Plus, you are involved in soccer games and other extracurricular activities. Has your Toastmasters training helped you communicate/relate better with your family, friends, and personal associates outside of work? Again, please give us details.

A: Yes, life is busy! However, I attend meetings every Thursday unless I am on vacation or have family in town. It’s my commitment to myself, and my family supports me. Everything I’ve learned from Toastmasters I can apply to my life outside of work. I have improved my communication, leadership, and listening skills. I also think it’s important for my kids to see that I can acknowledge a weakness and work hard to improve. 

Q. Moeko, you have said that the role of Evaluator in a Toastmasters’ meeting is the most difficult; still, you give great evaluations! Why is this difficult? What have you learned about giving a thorough yet kind speech evaluation?

A: While I believe being an evaluator is the hardest role in the meeting, I also find it most relevant to my corporate job. The role is difficult because you can only prepare so much in advance. It requires you to listen attentively and give feedback on the spot. At work, we are encouraged to give feedback to our teams, and I always struggled with this. I don’t like giving constructive criticism. Since the role of evaluator requires you to provide at least one area of improvement, I’m getting a lot of practice and able to apply this skill at work.

Q. Moeko, you have served as our club secretary and treasurer a few times. What have you learned from serving in these offices? Why is it important for club members to serve as an officer? After all, they are not getting paid for this responsibility!

A: I enjoy being on the Board because I can give my time to an organization that means a lot to me, and I believe our club has helped so many people. Being secretary has improved my listening skills − I have to pay attention to the entire meeting! The role of treasurer comes more naturally to me since I work in Finance. I love being part of a leadership team of an impactful organization that is 100% volunteer-based.

Q. Moeko, you are a very good speaker, yet you don’t use theatrics or flamboyance to make your point. Why is it important for speakers to be authentic when giving speeches?

A: Every speaker has their own style. I have always admired speakers who use a lot of movement and vocal variety, but then I realized that it’s not really my style. While I think it’s great that some of the speech objectives push me out of my comfort zone (e.g., use more vocal variety), I think it’s important to remain authentic so that the audience feels like they are connecting with you and not watching a performance. 

Q. Moeko, Toastmaster International offers a Youth Leadership Program (YLP) to acquaint middle-school kids with the fundamentals of Toastmasters. As a mom and a Toastmaster, why is YLP important for parents and children?

A: I remember when my kids were in kindergarten, and they had show-and-tell once a week. The school explained that show-and-tell was actually an introduction to public speaking. This blew my mind! But it makes sense. They have to pick an item and prepare in advance what they want to say about it, and then get up in front of the class and present their item. This evolves over time as they get older and have to recite poems in front of the class or give more formal presentations. Children who have the opportunity to participate in our YLP can learn tips for presenting and build their confidence while also having fun. 

Q. Thanks for your detailed answers, Moeko. Why, in your opinion, should working people – even those very busy – make the time and effort to become active Toastmasters?

A: Toastmasters is definitely one of those organizations where the more time you put into it, the more you will get out of it. We have people who sign up and then never attend meetings. You’re not going to gain any new skills by simply paying the membership fee. Make a commitment to attend meetings regularly and participate, and you will be amazed by your growth. It’s also a great way to network and make new friends. It is a wonderful community!