Page 16 - August 2017 Voices

Feedback from Around the World:

The Hybrid Club Experience

by Brian Dodd, DTM - Guest Contributor

Brian Dodd has been involved with online connections since 1969 as a software
developer and entrepreneur. When Toastmasters International opened the door in
2015 to online attendance, he was an early adopter and helped his brick & mortar
clubs leap into the 21st century. Today, he is a member of two online clubs and a frequent attendee of nine.
In 2012, the Toastmasters International Board in online, no matter where you are, actually added to
of Directors announced they were changing the my joining in. I have been as far away as California;
membership protocols thereby allowing clubs to on Salt Spring island on vacation; at home in my office
accept online members. As a result, the founders when I would not have been able to attend.
of Royal Roads Toastmasters adopted a long- There is a different atmosphere when you attend
term plan to open the club online, but not a negative differ-
to online members as a way ence. I benefit from hearing
to increase club member- speeches and getting feedback
ship. In December 2015, from around the world, and that
the Club started accepting adds an unexpected dimension.
online members. Many of The online experience
the members are students has helped me with in-person
of Royal Roads University, presentations, and vise versa.
and come from all parts of I suspect that online commu-
the world. nication will only become more
My first experience with prevalent, so developing this
meeting online was in 1973 skill adds to my repertoire.
when I used a Datapoint 2200 desktop computer The benefit of a multicultural audience; the skill
in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. We development; the ease of use, and the new online
dialed up an IBM 360 Mainframe computer in
Calgary, Alberta. The speed was phenomenal for friendships have made the experience valuable and
the times at 300 baud - only 500 times slower enjoyable. I invite all Toastmasters to join in one of
than today’s 150 mbs internet connections! our meetings. Come as a guest ( just like you probably
In 2007 I sponsored a club that met in did for your first Toastmasters meeting) - inquisitive
the conference room of Vancouver Island and ready for a new experience that will change your
Technology Park. We had the latest internet and world.”
telecommunications equipment. It became my
first Toastmasters experience with online meet- This year I’m the Club President for Great
ings. I proposed that we use this technology to Communicators, another hybrid club in a suburb
allow members to attend meetings online for of Washington, DC, in District 27. I let my fingers
the Spring District 21 Conference. do the walking as I bring up Zoom Meeting on
Derrick Johnson, ACS, ALB recalls my computer to join the meetings online from
“I balked when my club began the trial and error my home on Vancouver Island, British Columbia,
process of developing simultaneous in-person and Canada.
online meetings. Like any change, I was comfortable Brian Dodd joined Toastmasters in 2005, and
with the regular format of presenting speeches and earned his second DTM in 2014. He is a member of
table topics in front of a live audience. I didn’t think Royal Roads, Great Communicators, First Canadian,
that online participants would add to my Toastmasters Firebirds Collective, and Witty Storytellers Online.
experience. My fears were allayed soon enough. He is currently serving as Club President of Great
I wondered if I would miss that atmosphere of my Communicators, Treasurer for Firebirds Collective,
regular club members. The beauty of being able to jump and Treasurer for Witty Storytellers Online.

16 VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2 AUGUST, 2017