Page 12 - 2017.May Voices

FROM THE DESK

It’s About the People

by Donna Stark, DTM—Program Quality Director

A newer member in my home club recently • Our club officers are trained for the roles they
asked me why the Distinguished Club Program perform. Education awards are submitted
matters. Why do we care about being a promptly on behalf of members. Dues are
Distinguished Club? paid to maintain the good standing of the
Here’s what being a member of a distinguished
club means to me: club and the members.
I’m busy. We’re all busy. If we’re going
• Participating in the DCP encourages
best practices. Speeches are based on to take the time to attend a Toastmasters
manual projects, focused on learning and
improving specific presentation skills.
Members working through the Competent
Leadership manual perform their
meeting roles more effectively.
This results in a better club atmo- People
sphere and experience for all.

• There are enough members to cover make the
meeting roles. There are eleven roles
to fill on our agenda each week, plus difference!
room for three to five Table Topics
speakers. We’re a lunch time club.
Many of our members work in the
area and sometimes, work happens!
Maintaining our membership numbers meeting, why not make the most of it? If the
at charter strength or better gives us the meeting experience is mediocre, or worse,
flexibility to miss a meeting and still fill the members won’t stay and guests won’t join. It
agenda without members taking on multiple becomes a challenge to fill roles at meetings.
roles. Toastmasters is supposed to be fun. Members speaking and leadership growth slows.
Burnout isn’t fun. For me the focus isn’t on our club being

• There is visible growth in speaking and distinguished. My focus is on creating the
leadership skills in members that work the maximum growth opportunity for our members.
program. They become more effective Achieving the DCP goals is a natural by-product.
communicators with increased confidence. To borrow a quote from log-time Toastmaster
They become leaders in the club, in the work Janice Hallmark, “It’s the program that brought
place, and in the community. Being around me in. It’s the people that bring me back.” Seeing
people who are improving themselves is new Toastmasters blossom is a big part of why I
motivating!
stay in Toastmasters!

12 VOLUME 3 ISSUE 11 MAY, 2017