Toastmasters Division D: Turning Plans into Progress

That’s the feeling I get as we move into another month of the Toastmasters year.

We’ve talked about our goals. We’ve developed our plans. Our club officers have stepped into their roles, our Area Directors are supporting their clubs, and our Division has a clear direction.

Thank you to area directors Brian Fegan, Bev LeBlanc, Jennifer Makin, and Alex Godelewski for helping to draft the submitted Division Success Plan, and submitted 100% of Area Success Plans!  

The clubs in Div D also turned in the club success plans for September.  Thank you for staying accountable!

That means every club can ask itself:

• Are we welcoming new guests?
• Are we following up with visitors?
• Are our members actively progressing through their Toastmasters journeys?
• Are we recognizing and celebrating achievements?
• Are our club officers communicating and working together?
• What can we do this month to make our club just a little bit better?

We don’t have to accomplish everything at once. One guest. One new member. One completed project. One leadership conversation. One better meeting. Small actions add up.

Open the Doors – Invite Someone In!

One of the easiest ways to grow a club is also one of the simplest:

Open houses are a great opportunity to do exactly that.  An open house doesn’t have to be complicated. Give prospective members a reason to come, show them what happens at a Toastmasters meeting, introduce them to friendly people, and let them experience the value of the organization for themselves.

The open house doesn’t end when the meeting ends.

• Follow up.
• Send a message.
• Thank them for coming.
• Ask what they thought.
• Invite them back.

Sometimes the difference between a visitor and a member is simply one more conversation.

Let’s Celebrate D208’s FIRST Distinguished club – Connect Communicators!

Congratulations to D208’s first distinguisched club! – Area D14’s very own Connected Communicators.  Just this past month they got 6 DCP points to become distinguished!  A very strong start to the year.  

They take the lead in D208.  Thank you for paving the way for the rest of the clubs in the district.

Stanley’s Challenge for the Month

Here’s my challenge to every member of Division D this month.  Do one or more of the following:

• Invite a guest.
• Bring back a former member.
• Help a new member.
• Complete a speech.
• Take on a leadership role.
• Recognize someone who deserves appreciation.
• Help your club prepare for an open house.
• Reach out to your Area Director.

It doesn’t have to be a huge action, as long as each of us does something to contribute because Distinguished clubs aren’t created by one big event at the end of the year but small wins throughout the year.

Stanley Vong
Division D Director
Toastmasters District 208