Best Practices

by

Legacy and Longevity I recently attended the 10th-anniversary celebration of one of our clubs, the Healthy Living Toastmasters Club, where I had the pleasure of meeting numerous enthusiastic, fun, and dedicated members. During the event, participants were asked to share three words that encapsulated their feelings about the anniversary, and it was quite enjoyable to hear the diverse responses. Some of the words thrown around included “party,” “feast,” “food,” “booze,” “camaraderie,” and “having fun,” reflecting the vibrant and celebratory atmosphere. …

Read more

by

Pathways Are Evolving! Pathways, the Toastmasters education program, is designed to help members build public speaking, communication, and leadership skills. Members access educational materials digitally through Base Camp, the online system where Pathways lives. Base Camp, the online system where Pathways is accessed, is moving to a new learning management system (LMS) early next year. This will lay the foundation for many exciting improvements to the Pathways learning experience, including easier platform navigation, more frequent content updates, and a future …

Read more

by

I wish I had joined earlier What if you had joined Toastmasters years ago?What if you possessed Toastmaster skills earlier in your career?Ask most Toastmasters and their response is “I wish I had joined earlier?” What if you could give a young person the opportunity for success academically, socially and professionally earlier and faster?  Toastmasters Youth Leadership Program provides a safe environment to learn, practise and improve communication and leadership skills including Speaking spontaneously Developing effective listening skills Organizing and presenting …

Read more

by

Nurturing Growth and Success In the Next Six Months As we embark on our journey of the next six months, it’s crucial to define our aspirations and set clear objectives for the betterment of our Toastmasters clubs. Here are some key focus areas that could potentially shape the path forward: 1. Grow Membership: Initiating targeted outreach programs to attract new members. Implementing retention strategies to ensure a sustainable increase in our club’s size. 2. Help Members Achieve Personal Goals: Conducting …

Read more

by

Road to Regina Paving the Way https://youtu.be/hq2bavwrTmY?si=sZP6UkAvabraOs91 I am the Education Chair for the District 42 Spring Conference which will be held in Regina, May 3 – 5, 2024 and I (along with the entire conference committee) have been hard at work planning for a fantastic event!In 2022 I attended my first-ever District conference which was in Ontario.  When I flew out there my mindset was, “This is an opportunity of a lifetime,” and it proved to be life-changing!  By …

Read more

by

20 Years In The Making It was one cool December 2004 evening when I had dinner with a university friend. It had been years since we saw each other, and it was an excellent opportunity to reminisce about our school days.One thing that night stuck in my mind; a new strange word I hadn’t heard before. Toastmasters.I started to become curious about what it was about. First, I thought it was a group of people baking and cooking something; like …

Read more

by

Are you struggling to make the most of LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional networking platform? With over 500 million members across 200 countries, it can feel overwhelming to stand out and effectively leverage this powerful tool. A professionally crafted LinkedIn profile is more than just an online resume – it’s a branding powerhouse that can open doors to opportunities and networks you never knew existed. But how do you create a profile that truly represents your professional brand and catches …

Read more

by

Embrace Excellence Awards and Incentives Await Your Club’s Triumph  District 42 is rolling the red carpet to honor clubs that reach for the stars and achieve the prestigious Club Fitness Award and the inspiring 7 out of 7 Incentive. The Club Fitness Award is your golden ticket to recognition. Clubs that dazzle us by meeting three remarkable requirements before October 31, 2023, will be in for a treat. Update your TMI Roster, Conduct the “Moments of Truth” from the Successful …

Read more

by

SCAM ALERT! Scams are everywhere around us. With the advent of email and social media, scammers have become better and better at deceiving people. How can you avoid being a victim of email scams? 1. Don’t open emails from a person or company you don’t recognize. If you do open these emails, avoid clicking any links. 2. If you recognize the name of the sender and you open the email, check the following Are you addressed personally? If so, is …

Read more

by

Toastmasters is evolving! The DTM Master Mind Group is considering new ways that Speechcraft, can be explored. The next meeting, in September, will introduce a way Speechcraft might support the formation of a new club. The digital Speechcraft Program is a new way of delivering this program. Perhaps it being different can be an opportunity rather than a challenge. We will connect with some members who have run this program, and others from out of District 42 who have leveraged …

Read more

by

Call for District Leaders Call for Area Director We are still looking for Area Directors to lead some areas in Divisions C, E & F.  As Area Director, you serve a vital role in Toastmasters. Of all District leaders, you are the closest to clubs and members and are a direct link between them and the Division and District. It’s a rewarding role with many responsibilities. During your term you will do the following: Visit every club in your area …

Read more

by

New Beginning Kudos to all our leaders who have taken a new role or are continuing similar positions in our district. We cannot thank you enough for doing this. Some of us could still be wondering, “How can we live up to the expectation?”, or even “Where do we start?” or “How can we keep to this?”.I can share this excerpt below from one of my favourite movies “Forrest Gump” as this has helped me in many of the journeys …

Read more

by

Celebrating Accomplishments Dear Members, As we approach the end of another remarkable year, it is with great pleasure and a sense of pride that I reflect upon our collective accomplishments and the progress we have made. Together, we have navigated through challenges, embraced opportunities, and achieved remarkable milestones that have shaped our district’s success. Over the past year, our team has exhibited unwavering commitment, resilience, and a shared vision propelling us forward. Collectively, so much was accomplished and I take …

Read more

by

MORE THAN SEX AND MONEY “There are two things people want more than sex and money: recognition and praise.”Mary Kay Ash, Founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics “There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.”Mother Teresa HOW do we recognize and appreciate?   Ribbons Money Promotion Certificates Cake Prizes Handwritten notes Words of gratitude Pat on the back Announcements Video Awards WHY do we recognize and appreciate?  reflects the core values of the organization someone sees …

Read more

by

March – Month of Madness March is a month of renewal, growth, and change. As the winter months come to a close, the days become longer (YAHOO!) and the air becomes warmer (sometimes). Spring is on the horizon and with it comes the promise of new beginnings and fresh starts—tulips break ground and the smell of newly-mowed lawn is in the air. This month, take the time to reflect on your goals and aspirations. Make the SMART. Whether you have …

Read more

by

Status of Club Officer Training Highlights: 46.28% of officers trained See detailed status here.     7 out of 7 incentive We have 6 clubs that have achieved 7 officers trained during the 1st and the 2nd round of training. Congratulations to the exceptional, extraordinary, and excellent work from the following clubs: We are truly proud of you. You set an outstanding example for our district. Worth to mention other clubs that were close to achieving it where they have achieved 7 of 7 during …

Read more

by

SHINE THE LIGHT Stories of Inspiration and Success In District 42 we believe that every member has a story to tell. Stories which can bring hope to other members who might be stuck, and inspiration to clubs which may be languishing. District Director Bev LeBlanc wants to leave a legacy of hope and inspiration by collecting these stories and sharing them on our District website. Her goal is to collect and share 200 stories from our members and clubs. We …

Read more

by

The Heart Tree The ‘LOVE’ month is upon us. You’ll likely see hearts & flowers everywhere. You may receive Valentine’s notes from many sources. Let me be one of the first to give you one: I find it almost unbelievable that we are more than halfway through our Toastmasters year together. There are fewer than five months left until another team takes the reins. So many members have contributed countless hours & ideas to help make the Toastmasters experience better …

Read more

by

Time Management Tips That Work There are so many valuable and excellent articles in TI.  Here is another one that I read recently on “Tips for Time Management“.  It talked about several techniques, from: Creating a Time Audit, Having a Power Hour, Batching similar tasks together, Rating tasks based on importance or difficulty and organizing your day accordingly; Creating routines, Setting time limits to get things done, and Challenging to put a time limit on tasks. I particularly like 3 of …

Read more

by

Getting Creative With Public Relations Brave Branding Be familiar with the Toastmasters brand and the core pillars of the organization. In Toastmasters, all members are guided by integrity, respect, service, and excellence.  Start thinking outside of the box and be bold with your messaging.  Each club is different and unique, don’t be afraid to advertise these quirks! Stats Knowing more about your membership is a great way to research what means most to your members which will help you create a …

Read more

by

Promoting Your Club Event Do you know how to promote your club event?  District 42 Event calendar is used mainly for District, Division and Area advertising. Special events such as Club Anniversaries or special guest speaker events might also find their way to our Event Calendar. So where does that leave our clubs?   Social media is the answer. Does your club have a Facebook, Instagram,  LinkedIn page or any other Social Media Platform? This is where you can promote your …

Read more

by

Leadership Is About Behavior, Not Titles I read this article – Leadership Is About Behavior, Not Titles – last year and have been thinking about it and applying it since then. I wanted to know if I ever fall into the category of being a leader for the title. I never really understood the difference during my early years in leadership at work, but I think I fell more into that category during those years (not easy for me to admit). …

Read more

by

Holiday Greetings Dear fellow Toastmasters, As we approach the end of another year, it is a time to reflect on all that we have achieved and to look forward to the new opportunities that lie ahead. I am grateful for this opportunity to extend warm holiday greetings to all of you, and to express my deep appreciation for your dedication and commitment to our shared mission. Toastmasters is a wonderful organization that brings people together from all walks of life, …

Read more

by

Club Fitness Award Recipients At the time we are writing this article, we have identified some of the clubs in our district that have achieved the Club Fitness Award.   With the help of our Area Directors, we confirmed that they have completed: Renewing and updating their Club Success Plan Verifying Club Roster Conducting a Moments of Truth Club Roster Administrative tasks aren’t sexy, and there really isn’t anything to show for the effort! But these are the invisible jobs that make a Club run smoothly. …

Read more

by

A Success Plan for Life Looking at the calendar on my wall, instead of just seeing the days filled with things to do, if I step back a bit, I see we have already ended our first quarter of the year. Who snapped their fingers & made it so? 39 or 39ish. How many of you can guess what this number means? It is the number of days until CHRISTMAS (depending on when you read this article). Again, someone snapped …

Read more

by

Where do We Go From Here? As District Director, I have a vision: It seems I’m asking myself this question almost every week. The District (as in all of us) finishes one round of activities, only to start another. Let’s consider where we are at this moment. As of July 1, we had 101 active clubs. We now have 108 paid clubs. Yahoo! I have no doubt we will soar even more. This is a year of rebuilding as our …

Read more

by

Sponsoring a New Club What is a Club Sponsor? A club sponsor is assigned to each new club attempting to charter and plays a fundamental role in successfully creating a new Toastmasters club.  The Club Extension Committee assigns club sponsors based on inquiries or applications from members progressing towards the Distinguished Toastmaster accreditation.  A club sponsor is an experienced Toastmaster with leadership skills, a passion for Toastmasters, and a strong dedication to helping charter a new club.  Each new club …

Read more

by

Adding value to your Toastmaster club After thirty months of the global pandemic, businesses, government bodies, and volunteer organizations all realize they must deliver more value to their customers and members than they have been able to recently muster. But can a battered Toastmaster club add value? The best way for a club to approach this situation is to do a thorough review of their current strengths as they complete their annual Club Success Plan. Do a SWOT or SOAR …

Read more

by

Message From D42 District Director We have been blessed with a fabulous summer. A little bit of rain, a little bit of thunder & lightning, a little bit of Toastmasters. District 42 has always had clubs which like to take a respite from their weekly meetings. Other clubs continue without a break. Whichever type your club is, these next few weeks will get all of us back on track to improving our meetings, attracting new members, but not forgetting those …

Read more

by

The Platinum Rule An article on the Platinum Rule caught my attention recently as it relates to how we serve our members.  We are accustomed to the traditional Golden Rule where “we treat other people the way we like to be treated.”   This article pointed out that such a golden rule may not be the best way. To serve others in a more efficient, effective, and everlasting way is by applying this – “Treat other people how they want to …

Read more

Pin It on Pinterest