A Recipe for Success
A sign outside the building says, “Be Our Guest.” The Education team donned chef’s hats, jackets, and aprons. Leaders and facilitators wore chef’s hats. The agenda was in the form of a menu. That was how we kicked off the 2024-2025 Toastmaster year at the Summer Leadership Institute on July 13th at Dominion Energy in Richmond, VA. One of my goals this year is to have fun during the Toastmasters experience, which was on full display. The theme for the day was “A Recipe For Success,” and the training was high energy from the start. I shared that my goal for this year is to be the number one Toastmasters district worldwide because that meant that we, as leaders, were serving our members to the best of our ability.
Over 159 club leaders and fellow Toastmasters heard from our new Region Advisor, Tanya Hall. She talked about why she joined Toastmasters and her journey to success. During the breakout, club leaders attended sessions with their peers led by expert facilitators to discuss the particular nuances of their positions and to engage in peer-to-peer discussions. After lunch, Charles Gates brought the house down as he shared the characteristics of a quality club. Lastly, I oversaw the induction of all club officers in attendance, after which we ate cake to celebrate Toastmaster’s 100th Anniversary.
The reaction to this event has been overwhelmingly positive. I received messages from our members saying they enjoyed the training experience, and I saw several complementary posts on social media. I want to personally thank our Program Quality Director, Doretha Pair, our Education Committee Co-Chairs, Frederica Ricks and Drusilla Pair, and all the event hosts, facilitators, and speakers for a job well done. This event was a Grand Slam Home Run!
I want to share something that Charles Gates said during his presentation. He mentioned the story of the Miracle on the Hudson. For those who may not remember, a plane took off from LaGuardia Airport in New York City and hit a flock of birds. It lost power and crash-landed in the Hudson River. Due to the professionalism and training of the crew, no one died because of the crash. Charles then asked the audience if the results would have been the same if only some of the crew trained in emergency procedures. The answer from the audience was a resounding no. He then compared the Miracle on the Hudson to Toastmasters. How can we expect success if all club leaders are not trained?
To better illustrate this point, Charles invited three Project Management Institute Toastmasters Club members from District 29 to join him for his presentation. This club has sent all 7 of its club officers to training for 17 out of the past 18 years that they have been in existence. They have also consistently been a President’s Distinguished Club during the same timeframe. The secret to their continued success was the expectation that they would not break the streak of all seven club officers attending training. This is how they are prepared to help their members. If it worked for them, it can work for your club.
For the 2024-2025 Toastmasters year, we aim for 90% of all club officers to attend training for both the summer and the winter sessions. The deadline to complete the summer training is August 31st. If you are a club officer and missed the training on July 13th, we have six make-up sessions planned for the rest of July and August. In addition, there are training opportunities with other Toastmasters districts during that time. It only takes an hour, and the information you will receive from the facilitators and your peers is invaluable. If you are not a club officer this year but are interested in learning more about the specific leadership roles in the club, you are also most welcome to attend.
Remember, we want to be the number one district in Toastmasters, so Club Officer Training is THE initial recipe for success!
— Jim
7/22/24