Toastmasters International Where Leaders Are Made

Toastmasters International Where Leaders Are Made. I guess that settled the perennial question of whether leaders are born or leaders are made.

Toastmasters International : Where Leaders Are Made

This is an email sent to all Toastmasters which introduces Toastmasters International new branding.

Toastmasters International: Where Leaders Are Made

August 17, 2011

Dear Members,
Today is an historic day. This is the day Toastmasters International launches a newly refreshed brand. From our website to our educational materials, pins and awards, everything you see reflects our new look and feel.

Rather than changing fundamentally who we are or the nature of what we do, the new look and feel seeks to maintain brand consistency and fortify our identity; it reaffirms and re-energizes our commitment to the development of communication and leadership skills worldwide while showcasing what makes us unique in the market. The integrity and structure of our clubs, programs and policies are our greatest strength and they remain intact and inviolable. Our core values and culture continue unabated even as we look forward to address the needs of a new generation.

With 86 years of proud tradition behind us and the bright future before us, Toastmasters International thanks all of our members for the essential parts they play in the success of the organization. You carry and sustain the Toastmasters message, helping people gain the competence they need to become confident, bold communicators and successful leaders. It is you who truly makes Toastmasters International a place where leaders are made.

Sincerely,
Pat Johnson, International President
Daniel Rex, Executive Director
cc: Board of Directors

Breaking News: Third Vice President from District 51

Congratulations to our Past District 51 Governor Dr. John Lau of Sarawak, Malaysia to be the first Toastmaster from District 51 to be elected as the Third Vice President of Toastmasters International 2009-2010 at the 78th International Convention in Connecticut USA.

The Third Vice President will usually move up the ladder to be eventually the International President of Toastmasters International.

Heartiest congratulations to John from all of us in District 51.

Toastmasters International Presidential Theme for 2009-2010

Gary Schmidt's Presidential Theme 2009-2010

"Toastmasters: Confidence. Leadership. Service."

"Toastmasters International is in the building business. We don’t build homes or automobiles or other structures; we build people—with confidence, leadership and service.

Confidence
Before we become skilled communicators and leaders, we first gain the self-assurance and belief that we can indeed become who we were meant to be. Toastmasters provides the tools to build our confidence.

Leadership
After we gain confidence, we develop our talents in leading others.
Leadership is the process of influencing others to accomplish goals and objectives. Every single one of us is a leader, whether we serve as an elected officer, a mentor to a fellow club member, or simply invite a friend to visit a club. Leading others helps us lead our own lives in the direction of our dreams.

Service
With our improved confidence and leadership skills, we then serve others. When you help others achieve their goals and dreams, they help you achieve yours. Your self-confidence continues to grow and expand, as do your leadership skills, and when these are combined, your capacity to serve others is enhanced. The circle of personal development grows and continues! Serving the World Service extends beyond Toastmasters. With the confidence and leadership skills Toastmasters instills in each of us, it is our opportunity and responsibility to use those talents to serve and improve the world. Serve your family, your community and your profession. Make the world a better place than it was before you arrived.

Call to Action
Whether you are a new member, an officer or a past leader, keep the ideals of confidence, leadership and service ever-present in your mind through the coming year. Continue to engage in Toastmasters’ education programs, achieve in the Distinguished Club, Area, Division and District programs, bring new members to your clubs, and involve yourself in all the programs and events Toastmasters International offers. With all these tools for the taking, you will improve your life, the lives of your fellow members, and the lives of all those in the world who are touched daily by the power of Toastmasters."

Email from International President Jana Barnhill (2008-09)

In 1996, I witnessed Jana Barnhill in action when Jana was competiting in the World Championship of Public Speaking talking about "...light up your lantern" at the Toastmasters International Convention in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.

I also had the opportunity to meet Jana in person when her husband Robert Barnhill was International President.

Today, I received Jana's email to all Toastmasters in her own capacity as International President. It is like Hillary Clinton becoming USA President after Bill Clinton...



May 18, 2009
Dear Toastmaster,

I hope that the Toastmasters program is bringing you everything you thought it would: increased confidence, improved communication and an opportunity to meet your personal and professional goals. As a growing organization, now in 106 countries, we strive to make the Toastmasters experience consistent and rewarding, no matter where your location in the world.

This August, at the International Convention in Mashantucket, Connecticut, every Toastmasters club worldwide will vote on Proposal A: Global Representation and Support. This plan would improve the way Toastmasters International is structured on a global scale and improve service to every member.

The proposal includes two items for clubs to vote on:
Expanding from eight regions in North America to 14 regions worldwide to accommodate our organization's rapid growth.

Replacing the International Nominating Committee with the International Leadership Committee (ILC), which would provide an enhanced system for nominating international director and officer candidates.

In addition, three items which will be presented to the Board of Directors for their approval:

Adding the region advisor marketing position (one per region) to support districts.

Creating a comprehensive district officer training program, including e-learning and face-to-face sessions.

Moving regional business and international speech contest semifinals to the International Convention.

For a more detailed explanation, please view my video message at www.toastmasters.org/future

I ask that you encourage your club officers to vote in favor of Proposal A. By doing so, you will allow global representation and support for every member in our organization - no matter where he or she lives. If you have any questions about this plan, send an e-mail to governance@toastmasters.org

The future is yours. The future is bright. Let's all have The Courage to Conquer it, by voting in favor of Proposal A!


Sincerely,
Jana Barnhill, DTM, AS
International President

WARNING: Avoid Election Fraud

Disclaimer:
This is a bomb shell posting of sort. So read no further unless you are open minded about this subject matter. The only purpose is to avoid future mistakes and help to uphold the highest ethical standard and integrity in every District elections. This is not fictional but no names or dates or venues will be mentioned.

There are many election rules and guidelines to ensure fair and open election at every District elections.

1) For District elections, only a club member can act as proxy of their own club when neither the Club President nor VPE can attend. A Club President or VPE can cast both votes on behalf of the Club if either one is absent.

Unfortunately, there is temptation for a non-club member from the same Division to be asked to be a proxy voter. Many excuses are made like to achieve the minimum meeting quorum or ensure better regional representation or improve an election success.

Unexpected things do happen like delays in flights or delegates are not back from a shopping spree or sight-seeing. But if a legimate proxy holder is not present at the meeting, that proxy cannot be transferred to a non-club member.

2) Each delegate can only cast a maximum of two votes even if they belong to more than one club. Current District Officer can have a maximum of three votes including the vote as a District Officer.

So it is important for ballot counter when collecting voted ballots to verify that only two votes maximum from each non-District Officer and 3 votes maximum from each District Officer.

3) There must be strict control in printing and distributing of voting ballots. Perhap serialized ballots can be even be used.

It had happened before where in a very heated close contest of many candidates at the District election level, the total number of casted votes had significantly exceeded the official quorum to the shock of many. Phantom ballots had been added. Another very closely scrutinized re-voting had to be redone immediately after a severre warning was given by the Chair to all.

Bottomline, it is everyone's responsibility to avoid election fraud.

President's Pledges

On January 20, 2009, the whole world will listen to the pledge of 44th President of United States of America,

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of the President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Club Presidents, do you remember your pledge,

"Will you, as President, accept this challenge and perform the duties to the best of your ability?"

and supposedly you have grabbed the gavel and shouted out loud,

"I WILL".

Now six months later, that was a nostalgiac memory.

Have you lived up to your promise? What legacy will you leave behind?

It is not too late. You got another six months left to do the necessary so that you can leave office on June 30, 2009 with dignity and pride and that you have done your very best!

With position, comes power and responsibilities and possibilities.

Photo: Gavel - the symbol of leadership

The second round of Club Officer training is just around the corner.

Every year in Toastmasters International, we elect a new set of club officers who are thrown into the deep end to learn to run the club and overnight enhance their leadership, communication and service skills. The Club Officer manuals and the Club Officer training and guidance of senior club members are the life jackets thrown in.

During the first round of Club Officer training and Club Installation, every enthusiastic club will zealously commit to achieve President's Distinguished Club or 10 DCP goals early without any qualms.

And now five months down the road, reality has set in. The busy schedule, the last minute projects pulled out, the unexpected resignations due to job changes.

Yet it is amazing to read that there is one Club in District 51 that has already achieved 9 DCP goals! So everything is still possible and it is time to pull up the socks.

It has been said that achieving 1 DCP goal from the Club Officer Training is the easiest. Yet, it is a measurement of leadership and the commitment of the club officers to get 4 of the 7 to attend two trainings per year. Club Presidents can always give free rides and overflowing recognitions to encourage officers to attend.

Unfortunately, sometimes even Club Presidents do not attend. Here is when the VPEs can become the heroes and heroines.

In the good old days, Area Governors would even visit the "weakest clubs" who did not send a single officer to attend. Did a quick briefing to give these clubs one DCP goal and to give their club officers their requirement to acheive the Competent Leadership award.

Even at some Club Officer training that I have attended, some club officers would show up to only sign their names and then to leave immediately or during the break, just to make the minimum number of 4 officers attending. That is not right and should not be condoned. If you can do that, others will start doing it too.

There was an email from Toastmasters International a long time ago that gave reasons why it would appreciate the benefit but would not give DCP credit to a video conference training given to a club which was 200 miles away by the District Officer because it was not a face-to-face training.

Since it was too expensive for the Club officers to fly to attend an organized training by that District, the Club had no choice but to accept the rule of credit giving but knew technically it was still possible for their club to achieve the other 9 DCP goals for President's Distinguished Award.

There is a range of diverse and opposing needs at any club officer training. The new club officer often complained that not enough basic training is given to help them play their role well.

The senior member who had attended many training before would complain that it was the same old thing and prefered some more esoteric exciting albeit non-Toastmasters leadership mini-workshops.

Yet there are plenty of opportunity for learning new things and sharing when senior and new club officers meet on an areas of common interest during any Club Officer training..

My opinion is that Club Officer training is the only and best time to focus soley on the responsibilities, challenges and sharing of best practices of the Club Officers. Other workshops can be held at other times.

If you are a Club Offcier, whatever your reasons to attend or not to attend, remember that you were elected, installed and have pledged to serve your club as a club officer to the best of your ability.

Year 2008 - Year of Election

In 2008, we have seen many dramatic elections in Malaysia, around the world and soon on November 4 in USA.

In Toastmasters, we enjoy annual elections at Club, Area, Division, District and International level.

Here is a report of a successful election campaign last August at Toastmasters International Convention in Calgary, Canada.

1) Poh Kim Siong (Chua Chu Kang Toastmasters, Singapore) won the election to be our International Director for Districts outside North America, 2008-2010.

2) His campaign manager was Past District 80 Governor Gea Ban Peng (Braddel Heights Advanced, Singapore) who had written this article below to share.

3) I first met Poh Kim Siong at Toastmasters International Palm Desert Convention 1998 when we were convention delegate hotel room-mates.

Gea Ban Peng was Division S Governor (Singapore) in 1997-98 when I was District 51 Governor. When it comes to good stuff, everyone is related.
-------------------------------------------------------



Kim Siong & Ban Peng

On Friday 15th August 2008 in Calgary, Canada at the 77th Annual Convention of Toastmasters International - Poh Kim Siong, DTM became the first member in District 80 to be elected to the Board of Directors of Toastmasters International. I was his election campaign manager.

We faced many challenges. We surmounted them. We enjoyed every minute of it. Many thoughts filled my mind. Below are four, not in any order, they just happened to pop up and I want to get this piece written quickly so that I can get back to work!

Begin with the end in mind.
7 Habits of Highly Successful People – Steven CoveyThe mathematics for success was easy. All we needed was 50% of the votes plus one more vote. That would give us a simply majority, a seat on the board, and a simply amazing feeling of confidence that we can do it. It gave us the courage to conquer.

Your daily life is your temple and your religion.
The Prophet by Kahlil GibranAll Kim Siong had to do was to be himself. He possess all the 4 qualities the voting delegates were looking for (1) a caring person - they could feel he truly cared for them – he was there for them, (2) a trustworthy person – they know the can trust Kim Siong to honor his commitment, (3) a humble man – they could see he was not arrogant - he would listen, and (4) a competent leader – his leadership track record was impeccable.

The journey is the mission – Journey to the West – Chinese Legend
The whole purpose of the journey to Calgary was to do things we have never done before, to experience, to learn, and to share. The learning, the growing, and the friends we make during the 4 days of intense work on the campaign trail was simply amazing. We were determined to enjoy the journey. And enjoy we did – especially Goh Wei Koon, Neil Sy, Aziz Mustajab, Arthur Ting, Desiree, Julia, Kim Siong, and I.

Happiness cannot be pursued. It must ensue.
Men’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

Success, like happiness, cannot be pursued. It is the happy by-product of one dedicating oneself to a cause greater to oneself. In this case, Kim Siong selflessly dedicated himself to bring the benefits of Toastmasters to more people. That is a good cause. He cannot help but succeed.

Now, this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But, perhaps, it is the end of the beginning. – Sir Winston Churchill Speech in November 1942
Winning the election did not bring us to the end of the journey. It is, in fact, the end of the beginning of the journey. There is so much to be done. Let us give our newly elected International Director, Poh Kim Siong DTM, a ready hand to help bring more benefits of the Toastmasters training program to a greater number of people.

Sincerely, Gea Ban Peng DTM
District 80 Governor 2004-2005
Presidential Citation 2006-2007

In Memory....

October is considered by many as the special month of Toastmasters International.

The first Toastmasters meeting was held in the basement of YMCA Santa Anna, California on October 22, 1924.

In October, let us remember fondly and give a toast to our founder Dr. Ralph C Smedley.

At the same time, would like to remember some great Toastmasters that I have met along the way and who are longer here with us today.

1) Lim Poh Ann (Butterworth & Seberang Jaya Toastmasters, Penang)
Past Vice President Education (Butterworth), Past President(Seberang Jaya)

2) Wu Tze Sing (D'Utama Toastmasters, Selangor) Past Division C Governor, Past President

3) Lilian Lau (Tanglin Toastmasters, Singapore)
Past Distict 51 Governor, Past Division D Governor, Past President

4) Zacharias Adijuwono (Jakarta Toastmasters, Indonesia)
Past District 51 Secretary, Past Division I Governor, Past President

... Thank them all for sharing their joy and love of Toastmasters.

AGM, ROC & ROS

Today I saw an email reminding all members of
Bayan Baru Toastmasters Club that October 2 meeting will be held at Sunflower Training Center, I-Avenue which is opposite Komplexs Bukit Jambul.

Usually we meet on the 1st and 3rd Thursday 8pm of every month at Penang Skills Development Center (PSDC) which is located the Bayan Lepas FIZ on the way to the airport, near the famous Penang Snake Temple. But as October 2 falls on on Hari Raya, a public holiday, so PSDC is closed.

It is the tradition of Bayan Baru Toastmasters Club (BBTMC) to never cancel or postpone a club meeting, rain or shine or if it falls on a public holiday. There was even a meeting early this year on February 7 which was the first Day of Chinese New Year. I did not attend but other members did.

A member even invited their outstation friends who returned back to Penang for CNY to join the meeting for fellowship and eating CNY goodies during breaktime.



The email also reminded members there will be an adjourned AGM to accept the Treasurer's report. As Bayan Baru Toastmasters Club is a community club, the club has been submitting the Elected Officers List and AGM minutes to the Registrar of Society every year.

Therefore, any Toastmasters club in Malaysia should either be registered as a company Club under ROC or registered under ROS. If your club is neither ROS or ROC registered yet, do it asap. Otherwise, your meeting can be considered illegal.

On the same subject, our District 51 is part of Toastmasters International which registered in California, USA. But District 51 cannot be registered in Malaysia as it is part of Toastmasters International.

If you are the Area Governor or Division Governor or District Officer calling for any meeting or holding any speech contest or installation dinner, technically, you should ask your Club to be the host. Invite the Club President to open and close the event. This has not been happening lately.

What about the quorum?
It is a simple majority based on current number of paid membership at TI WHQ.

If a new member pays to the club but the Club has submitted payment to TI WHQ yet, that member is still not a member of good standing yet. And cannot be counted in the quorum nor take part in any speech contest. So ensure that new membership payment are prompted submitted - just pay online.

Consider doing all extras above as part of your learning to be a better communicator and leader! Then it is not so bad, it can be fun.