Small Club Showcase

September 24, 2011

Today, I facilitated a panel and group discussion that reminded me why we are Toastmasters. It reminded me that the information we receive daily is just that: information, un-filtered, random and unarticulated.  But when we gather together to share and solve common problems, we learn.

Knowledge is acquired many ways, but there is no wisdom more powerful than that gained in a room full of createive minds speaking and listening.

Here is a sample of the knowledge I absorbed at the meeting today.

TK O’Geary, LGET, talked up the Adopt-A-Club program and how that helps mebers of the adopted club and those who join it to create a win-win situation, building strength and sharing enjoyment in the experience.  She and Marytherese One Bear are working on a project to get clubs district-wide to find and use unique tag lines when introducing themselves to others.

Our first panelist, Eric Tonningsen, spoke about the gentle art of coaching, responding to distinct club cultures to achieve success. He also asked that we consider including all clubs in our area, not just our own, when we speak to others about Toastmasters.

Jen Martin, out of the box and over the top, is leading a team at Midday Madness that honors, compliments, recognizes and encourages members for all things great and small. They note each CL project completed, any personal achievements in or beyond the club, and target their market for the demographic best suited to the club.

Keri Sutter, an unofficial but vital member of the Midday Madness leadership team talked about just that. She advised us to become leaders beyond the conventional definition of the term.

“Avoid focusing on being a small club“, she said. “Instead celebrate the meeting. Make the meeting memorable to people after they leave the room“. She used a quote from Aristotle, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit,” to urge us to get into good habits.

Harvey Dove, our last presenter was also the first to offer his club, Midday Rio Rancho Toastmasters, as a small club (7 members) case study for the group as a whole to consider. Harvey is holding some area wide open house events, to build membership in Rio Rancho and West Side clubs, as well as his home club.

Here are some of the outstanding ideas and suggestions floated by those attending today:

  • Jen Martin – hold a Flash Mob!
  • Chris Romero [for Rio Rancho and West Side clubs] Contact Intel management to suggest a seminar on communications for the staff.
  • Amanda Bruner – Recognize every member’s achievements at meetings and between them.
  • Ted Schreier from newly chartered Salud Speakers at UNM is already canvassing other departments of the north campus for opportunities to spread the word about Toastmasters leadership development for academics.
  • Teri Wallis, planning an open house for her club Sandia Lite, asked for ideas and received a number of comments on drawing membership from the local “after work” crowd, and Press Club members.
  • Felecia Schreier belongs to Oh Pinon in Santa Fe, and left with a list of ideas her club might use to convert more of the many guests who visit into members.

Before we adjourned, I asked the group how the district and I, the District Governor, could help local Toastmasters clubs to reach their goals. I received some more good advice: communicate more consistently and reliably. Several clubs had not been visited by Area Governors and were not informed about training and contest dates. I plan to visit more clubs myself during the next quarter, to stay in closer contact with local members.

So, yes, we have amazing virtual resources for netowrking and communicating on line. But the reason I am a Toastmasters is to experience and learn as I did today in real time, analog, face-to-face. I came away with a new understanding appreciation of what we do as Toastmasters. We speak, listen, share and laugh togeher, on our path to excellence in everything we do.

Your District Governor,

Bay Stevens, DTM

Read Bay’s recent article published in Finance New Mexico. Bay shows us how to apply our knowledge of Communication and Leadership Skills to the communities we live in!

Contact me, Bay Stevens, DistrictGovernor@District23.org, if you would like a visit to your area.