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Robert Killen

 

Robert Killen’s accomplishments as a presenter are well known both in and out of Toastmasters.  Robert (AC-G) has won three of the four possible District 7 contests: Humorous (2008), Table Topics (2006) and the International Speech Contest (2007).  In the International competition he went on to compete as one of the final 10 in the 2007 World Championship of Public Speaking.

Beyond Toastmasters Robert is a sought after speaker on topics from Organizational Culture to the Power of Storytelling.  In his position as Executive Director of the City Club of Central Oregon, Robert is dedicated to advancing the art of dialog in an increasingly polarized social climate.  His most recent offering, “Building Dialog in an Age of Demons,” has been widely praised as a pointed and poignant analysis of the destructive path we tread as a culture.  In addition, as a passionate and gifted teacher, he also provides direction to lead us to new paths.

 

 

Building Dialog in an Age of Demons

"The greatest threat we face is not from foreign lands.  It is the supreme arrogance of unquestionable rightness which threatens to tear us apart from within.” – Robert Killen, 2010
We live in a society which has allowed civil dialog to be replaced by demonization.  No one can be blamed, yet the responsibility to address it belongs to all of us.  How do we cure a disease which perpetuates ill-gotten power, persistent anti-intellectualism and polarization that has turned the process of governance into a battlefield where blood is expected and collaboration is equated with weakness.
In this highly interactive presentation expect to be challenged by your presenter.  The pervasive nature of the problem requires us to consider deeply our own convictions and to open ourselves up to an entirely new evolution in human communication.

This session will delve into many compelling themes including:

  • Demonization as a power tool.
  • Manufacturing public opinion.
  • Humility…Are you strong enough?
  • Curiosity as matter of national security.
  • The Courage to be wrong.