Why Are You Here?
“Who am I, and why am I here?” I first heard this question in 1992 when viewing the Vice-Presidential Debate on television. James Stockdale, the independent candidate for Vice President of the United States, said it during his opening statement. He wasn’t a typical politician, appearing unsure of himself at times. Also, he seemed unprepared and unable to answer some of the moderators’ questions. After the debate, I remember reading an article where the author rhetorically asked, “What was this old guy doing on the stage?” To be sure, the debate was not his shining moment.
As a former US Army Officer, I know who he was. James Stockdale was a retired US Navy Vice Admiral who received the Congressional Medal of Honor for Valor during the Vietnam War. He was the Senior Prisoner of War at the infamous Hanoi Hilton, and his bravery and courage were legendary. On the night of the debate, he could not communicate his ideas effectively. How many people like James Stockdale do we have in District 66?
As a reminder, the Toastmasters Club Mission is “We provide a supportive and positive learning experience in which members are empowered to develop communication and leadership skills, resulting in greater self-confidence and personal growth.” How can our clubs do that if we don’t know our members’ goals? The first speech for each Toastmaster path is the Ice Breaker speech, which introduces new or reintroduces seasoned members, to the club. It is an excellent way to introduce yourself but doesn’t always answer the question of why you are here.
In recent years, we have suffered a great deal of attrition in District 66. Some believed this resulted from the pandemic; however, our historical data shows it began long before. As Club Growth Director, I asked current and former members how we could improve. Many former members said they left for one of two reasons: They had other priorities, or the club didn’t meet their needs. Digging deeper, we found that many new members didn’t have mentors to help them utilize the tools that Toastmasters has available. Also, many members felt isolated and only heard from the club when it was time for membership renewals. We needed to get better at understanding our members’ goals.
As you may know, one of my goals as District Director is to serve and support our members. I am asking all members of District 66 to help by completing a Member Development Plan by July 31st that identifies the goals they want to accomplish for this Toastmasters year. The plan also asks that you select an accountability partner to help you achieve your goals. I won’t ask you to do something that I don’t do myself.; therefore, I completed a Membership Development Plan for myself as did the other members of the Trio. The incoming District Executive Committee was also asked to complete a plan by July 1st. Now, it is your turn. Please complete your plan and share it with your club Vice President Education. This will also help you as club leaders to complete your club success plans based on the goals of your members, which will improve the quality of your clubs. We want you and your members to see exceptional value in being a Toastmaster and help your clubs to grow.
At our district leadership retreat, I told our District leaders I wanted to stop begging people to join our clubs. We must improve the quality of our clubs and the value each member receives so that people will be begging us to join Toastmasters. The best way to do this is for club and district leaders to know what each member expects from their club and what each club can expect in return. In other words, two-way accountability.
I need your help. At the district conference, I said that if we serve our members, create a quality club environment, and have fun during the Toastmasters experience, we will be Smedley Distinguished. We share this goal, not for our egos, but because want to serve our members. Together, WE are Unstoppable!
— Jim
July 10, 2024