The July 28 TLI is complete! We had well over 200 attendees, which was an incredible turnout given a few factors. First, the planning and recruiting timeline of two weeks was rather short. Second, a Club Officer Training* (COT) event had taken place a month earlier nearby, which attracted many of the would-be attendees to the TLI.
For my part at the TLI, I gave the mandatory one-hour training for approximately 30 Vice President Public Relations (VPPR) officers. I covered the required training material, made sure to allow plenty of discussion among the group, and shared my own club-level public relations strategic process. I got excellent immediate feedback from the attendees and heard good word-of-mouth spreading throughout the day thereafter. I wasn't alone, as I heard good things about several of the sessions that day. This suggests we are doing well to attune our event to the interests of members and engaging them, even in the case where training is mandatory. This was all quite encouraging and I would gladly speak at future TLI events.
As soon as I got home, my focus shifted to the next task at hand: club visits. It was time to directly reach out to each of my clubs and make a specific request to have our initial visit. I did so by writing a straightforward, brief message. I offered three date options based on each club's upcoming schedule, asked what their preference would be, and ensured them I would be there for the date they picked. Two clubs had already been scheduled, two new visits were confirmed within an hour, and two remained by the end of the day. Here's what my formal visit schedule looked like at this point: August 2, 16, 23, and 29, with two clubs pending. A soft goal was to get an initial visit completed with each club by the end of August, although we of course have until November 30 to file the formal reports, which leaves plenty of time for adjustments.
*COT and TLI are two different formats that Districts can use to offer annual training programs. The COT focuses on the bare-bones requirements for training club officers, which is required for DCP credit. Meanwhile, the TLI offers a full-featured program that includes COT as well as several other topics of interest to training all members (e.g. Pathways, technology tutorials, speech contests, leadership, coaching and mentoring, maintaining club quality, team building).
The Push for the July TLI
With just over 80 hours left, the TLI is rapidly approaching. I've spent the week making a registration push in the days leading up to the event. I set out on social media to post announcements, flyers, details, and humorous images. In addition, I sent a reminder to the leaders of my Area clubs to keep them informed and ask them to encourage their members to attend.
Overall, we are making progress on our online registration numbers, but we won't know the final result until the day before. Of course, people can always show up to participate on the day of the event, too.
Thus far, I have one presentation session to prepare for at the TLI. There is a good chance I'll need to pick up an additional session if other speakers drop between now and Saturday.
Lastly, some eager club leaders have already started asking for speech contest details at various levels. This is a bit premature, since we are in "TLI season" through mid-August. After that, the District focus will turn to "contest season." However, a general guideline was shared with us at the July DEC meeting. That is, clubs should complete their contests by the end of September. This is all I'm able to share with clubs at the moment. Yet, since the club-level contests are fully within the control of individual clubs, it is sufficient information for them to make progress. Meanwhile, the approximate deadlines for Area contests are early November and Division contests are early December. Once the TLI season ends, I will certainly be looking for more details on contest season.
Overall, we are making progress on our online registration numbers, but we won't know the final result until the day before. Of course, people can always show up to participate on the day of the event, too.
Thus far, I have one presentation session to prepare for at the TLI. There is a good chance I'll need to pick up an additional session if other speakers drop between now and Saturday.
Lastly, some eager club leaders have already started asking for speech contest details at various levels. This is a bit premature, since we are in "TLI season" through mid-August. After that, the District focus will turn to "contest season." However, a general guideline was shared with us at the July DEC meeting. That is, clubs should complete their contests by the end of September. This is all I'm able to share with clubs at the moment. Yet, since the club-level contests are fully within the control of individual clubs, it is sufficient information for them to make progress. Meanwhile, the approximate deadlines for Area contests are early November and Division contests are early December. Once the TLI season ends, I will certainly be looking for more details on contest season.
The Introduction
Toastmasters responsibilities often require waking up early! This time, I had a visit with one of my assigned clubs that drops the gavel at 7:00 a.m. sharp. Since I hadn't the time to get in touch with the club leaders prior to my visit, this was an informal visit. Oddly enough, the club had a speaker withdraw the night before the meeting, so I helped to fill in. In good fortune, a District champion evaluator was also visiting the club as a guest that day. My willingness to step forward was rewarded with a superb evaluation on my speech.
I have learned that an Area Director must always be prepared to participate. You never know what kind of help your clubs, Area, Division, or District may need on a given day.
Later in the afternoon, I put together a contact list of President and Vice President Education (VPE) officers from each club. Then, I sent an email out to each of them with the following information.
I have learned that an Area Director must always be prepared to participate. You never know what kind of help your clubs, Area, Division, or District may need on a given day.
Later in the afternoon, I put together a contact list of President and Vice President Education (VPE) officers from each club. Then, I sent an email out to each of them with the following information.
- Identified myself as their Area Director and briefly noted my personal Toastmasters history
- Reiterated that I am here to learn about the needs of their members and support their clubs
- Noted that I hoped they would invite me for a visit in the next few weeks, while providing resources* related to club quality.
- Provided information on the upcoming Toastmasters Leadership Institute (TLI), such as the event flyer, registration link, and information on how to use the event to support member education awards and club Distinguished Club Program (DCP) credit.
- Gave all of my contact information, including email, phone, and online accounts.
- Shared a list of all six clubs in our Area, so they are aware of their neighbors
At this point, our first informal visit had already taken place and our first formal visit was scheduled for August 2.
*These are the resources I included with my email introduction to the club officers.
- Moments of Truth: This program is the basis for supporting, maintaining, and measuring club quality.
- Club Success Plan: This document allows club officers to collaborate on specific goals for the year.
- Area Director's Club Visit Report: This is a report that I must submit to World Headquarters (WHQ) after each formal visit. I invited the club leaders to review it and contribute to it.
The District Alignment
At 6:30 p.m. on Monday, July 16, we received email confirmation from the District Director. The alignment had been approved! We were given a complete list of Area Director names, Area numbers, and club names. At last, we all knew which specific clubs we would be supporting this year.
In nearly all cases, including my own, each Area Director was assigned to six clubs. Mine fell within a radius of less than 10 miles. In fact, three of the six clubs met at the same Denny's restaurant. Meeting times varied from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Some met weekly, while others met twice a month.
At this point, I had these primary goals to focus on.
*A variety of topics are voted on each year at the annual International Convention. Clubs often do not have members that attend the International Convention, which is held in various locations around the world. Therefore, the proxy system allows clubs to assign their voting rights to a representative. This ensures that clubs are able to vote, even when a member may not attend the International Convention in a given year.
In nearly all cases, including my own, each Area Director was assigned to six clubs. Mine fell within a radius of less than 10 miles. In fact, three of the six clubs met at the same Denny's restaurant. Meeting times varied from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Some met weekly, while others met twice a month.
At this point, I had these primary goals to focus on.
- Make initial contact to start building good relationships with club members.
- Encourage attendance at the TLI on July 28.
- Encourage clubs to assign proxy* voting rights for the International Convention on August 22-25.
- Schedule the first round of formal club visits, which must be reported on by November 30.
*A variety of topics are voted on each year at the annual International Convention. Clubs often do not have members that attend the International Convention, which is held in various locations around the world. Therefore, the proxy system allows clubs to assign their voting rights to a representative. This ensures that clubs are able to vote, even when a member may not attend the International Convention in a given year.
The First DEC Meeting
I woke up at 6:30 a.m. in the morning on Saturday, July 14 for the first major event of the new Toastmasters year. All of our newly elected and appointed leaders at the District, Division, and Area levels met for a day-long training session. Collectively, this group is known as the District Executive Committee (DEC).
I arrived to the hotel conference room at 8:00 a.m. My fellow Area Directors and our Division Director were all together for the very first time. Our initial stop was a group photo shoot by a professional photographer. Each Division team took a group photo together.
Subsequently, the formal agenda started with an introduction from our District Director. Most of the day was filled with hour-long training sessions on critical topics for our roles. These included developing successful teams, enhancing club quality, establishing and supporting new clubs, and succeeding in the District Recognition Program*. Time was built in for group activities, questions, and breaks along the way. Coffee, water, snacks, and a catered lunch were provided.
In addition to discussing our upcoming schedule and the additional resources available to us, a major challenge was addressed by the District Director in the closing segment. Area Directors still did not know exactly what clubs they were assigned to. This was due to the District Alignment process, which had a submission deadline to World Headquarters of July 15 and would subsequently need to be reviewed and approved. Although we could not leave knowing our assignments that day, we were hopeful that the review would be completed within the next few days.
Needless to say, we were all eager to start building rapport with our clubs, so we can support them in achieving excellence. Furthermore, we were entering our first cycle of Toastmasters Leadership Institute (TLI) events. The TLIs, which occur two to three times per year, offer vital training to club officers and members. Not only are these the very people we serve in our roles, but having officers trained is one measure of success that Toastmasters International tracks annually for each club. The dates for the first round of TLIs were established as July 21, July 28, August 4, and August 11.
In fact, our local TLI was confirmed for July 28. We only had two weeks left to prepare. To make the event possible, I was recruited to lead one of the training sessions, as were many others in the room. Of course, we started announcing the event and encouraging people to attend the instant we were aware of it.
The day ended as it began - with photography. To finish things off, the entire group in attendance went outside for a photo.
I think it is normal to feel overwhelmed by details at this point. There is much to learn. Getting an overview of it all was both helpful and revealing of the amount of work that needs to be done for the year. Key take-away resources were provided to us, such as the District Leader Handbook, District Recognition Program guide, and speech contest rules (after TLIs, speech contests become one of our major focus areas). One of my personal goals was to dive into these materials, so I could start turning those details into an action plan.
I arrived to the hotel conference room at 8:00 a.m. My fellow Area Directors and our Division Director were all together for the very first time. Our initial stop was a group photo shoot by a professional photographer. Each Division team took a group photo together.
Subsequently, the formal agenda started with an introduction from our District Director. Most of the day was filled with hour-long training sessions on critical topics for our roles. These included developing successful teams, enhancing club quality, establishing and supporting new clubs, and succeeding in the District Recognition Program*. Time was built in for group activities, questions, and breaks along the way. Coffee, water, snacks, and a catered lunch were provided.
In addition to discussing our upcoming schedule and the additional resources available to us, a major challenge was addressed by the District Director in the closing segment. Area Directors still did not know exactly what clubs they were assigned to. This was due to the District Alignment process, which had a submission deadline to World Headquarters of July 15 and would subsequently need to be reviewed and approved. Although we could not leave knowing our assignments that day, we were hopeful that the review would be completed within the next few days.
Needless to say, we were all eager to start building rapport with our clubs, so we can support them in achieving excellence. Furthermore, we were entering our first cycle of Toastmasters Leadership Institute (TLI) events. The TLIs, which occur two to three times per year, offer vital training to club officers and members. Not only are these the very people we serve in our roles, but having officers trained is one measure of success that Toastmasters International tracks annually for each club. The dates for the first round of TLIs were established as July 21, July 28, August 4, and August 11.
In fact, our local TLI was confirmed for July 28. We only had two weeks left to prepare. To make the event possible, I was recruited to lead one of the training sessions, as were many others in the room. Of course, we started announcing the event and encouraging people to attend the instant we were aware of it.
The day ended as it began - with photography. To finish things off, the entire group in attendance went outside for a photo.
I think it is normal to feel overwhelmed by details at this point. There is much to learn. Getting an overview of it all was both helpful and revealing of the amount of work that needs to be done for the year. Key take-away resources were provided to us, such as the District Leader Handbook, District Recognition Program guide, and speech contest rules (after TLIs, speech contests become one of our major focus areas). One of my personal goals was to dive into these materials, so I could start turning those details into an action plan.
The Call
I received the call just after 10 a.m. on Sunday, July 8. It was the new District Director on the other end of the line. We shared greetings. I was informed that I was appointed as an Area Director in Division B. The specific Area number and club assignments were pending District Alignment*. Furthermore, we would have a training event for all District leaders on Saturday, July 14. The call lasted a little more than two minutes. My final words were, "Let's have a great year."
Several hours later, I received a call from our Division Director. He confirmed the names of the other Area Directors who would join us on the Division team. We discussed some important informational resources that would be provided regarding our responsibilities for the year. The big upcoming agenda item for our team was the TLI** on July 28. Since this event would take place in our local territory, our team would play a large role in putting it together.
Before bed, I gathered the reading materials our Division Director sent by email and began to review them.
This concluded my first day as an Area Director in Toastmasters International.
*District Alignment is an annual process whereby clubs are redistributed between Areas and Divisions according to guidelines set forth by our parent organization.
**Toastmasters Leadership Institute (TLI) events, which occur two to three times per year, offer vital training to club officers and members.
Several hours later, I received a call from our Division Director. He confirmed the names of the other Area Directors who would join us on the Division team. We discussed some important informational resources that would be provided regarding our responsibilities for the year. The big upcoming agenda item for our team was the TLI** on July 28. Since this event would take place in our local territory, our team would play a large role in putting it together.
Before bed, I gathered the reading materials our Division Director sent by email and began to review them.
This concluded my first day as an Area Director in Toastmasters International.
*District Alignment is an annual process whereby clubs are redistributed between Areas and Divisions according to guidelines set forth by our parent organization.
**Toastmasters Leadership Institute (TLI) events, which occur two to three times per year, offer vital training to club officers and members.
The Purpose
This is a personal account of my experience as an Area Director in Toastmasters International.
I aim to help answer questions like "What is an Area Director?" and "Do I want to be an Area Director?" Unnecessary details, gossip, and judgement about specific people and events are strictly excluded.
I hope future members will be inspired to make informed decisions, set realistic expectations, and undertake the challenge of leadership as a valuable learning opportunity that serves the community.
I aim to help answer questions like "What is an Area Director?" and "Do I want to be an Area Director?" Unnecessary details, gossip, and judgement about specific people and events are strictly excluded.
I hope future members will be inspired to make informed decisions, set realistic expectations, and undertake the challenge of leadership as a valuable learning opportunity that serves the community.