Little did I know when I raised my hand a year ago to volunteer to lead that I would have the honour – nay, nay the privilege – of planning two conferences in one year for District 42. This brings my track record of D42 Conferences planned to three, although only two have seen the light of day.  

You may ask why I keep coming back for more.  The answer is simple.  It’s fun and I love it! 

Volunteer to Lead

Here are my top 6 reasons.  

  1. You get to lead a team and practice your leadership skills in a live setting with a real deliverable at the end where people want to enjoy the fruits of your labour. 
  1. You get to learn new things. This year, the District bought a new online registration tool called Event Espresso that we got to help implement and test. Also, we used Zoom Webinar to deliver our program for the first time. Plus, we created the most robust and longest-running media campaign for a District conference yet (multiple Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, website, Dispatch and email posts.)   
  1. You get to own the decisions for where it happens, what happens, and who performs. Three major areas where we had change this year appeared in the way we recognized our Distinguished Toastmasters, how we celebrated our Of the Year (OTY) Award winners, and how to use co-hosts as entertainment versus the traditional Sergeant at Arms role seen in the past.   
  1. You get to apply your effort towards a Pathways project.  For me, I used the overall leadership of the Celebration as an High Performance Leadership (HPL) project but there are other options too, like Level 5 Lessons Learned or Level 4 Manage Online Meetings. 
  1. You get to work with great people. People who volunteer to work on this committee want to make a difference and learn just like you.  Who better to have on your team? 
  1. You get to feel the love and appreciation of those who attend and enjoy the fruits of your labour.   

Put Your Hand Up

I thoroughly enjoyed working with the team who helped me deliver our recent D42 2020 Celebration.  I’m grateful I volunteered to lead. There has never been anything like it in District 42 before and there may never be again.  I am so thankful I took the opportunity to put myself out there and rejoin that elite group of people who can say, “I planned a District 42 Conference.”

Don’t wait to be asked.  Approach a District Leader today and put yourself out there!  

Pin It on Pinterest