Page 36 - voices November

LOCKE ON LEADERSHIP

Understanding

Integrity

Patrick Locke, DTM

Integrity and Trust, two very important thoughts went to, Integrity! Why, I asked, would
foundational values. First, let’s explore the you want to be here if you feel this way about

definition of Integrity as it may relate and apply the organization? His response essentially was,
to Toastmasters. “I’m a good speaker and they don’t know what
I recall a situation where I visited a club I know.” Ya, that’s what I thought too! What?
which had been attempting to reach charter This response doesn’t describe someone who

strength. Four people had shown up, three were willingly and consistently acts in accordance
members. The members went off to have a club with the standards and values of Toastmasters.
business meeting and I was left to converse with Is this person’s behavior in a place of integrity
the non-member. Before the members went in our Toastmaster environment? Although

to conduct their business meeting there was a the person may have been honest, sincere, and
comment made that a vote had been taken and the truthful, there would be many other descriptors
non-member was not to be allowed to attend their that would simply not fit into the norms of
meetings. My first impression was “why would our program. What about unity, coherence,

you do that?”, but as I spoke to the non-member cohesion, solidarity, and ethics that we value as
it became very clear why they had voted in such Toastmasters?
a manner. It seemed the non-member was under Everyone must formulate how they place
the belief that Toastmasters had too many rules. value on something. Toastmasters defines

That a meeting should be less structured and the values of Integrity, Respect, Service, and
open to anyone speaking whenever they desired. Excellence in the Toastmasters Promise. The
Having a meeting agenda seemed to be overly preamble states: Being a Toastmaster means
structured and even manuals were too structured more than simply making a commitment to self-

and demanding for, “a person who knows how development. Everyone who joins a Toastmasters
to speak”. As I continued to converse with this club is making a commitment to the club, to its
individual it became more and more evident members and to the organization as a whole.
why the club members voted to restrict him. My Think how these statements apply to the values.

Being a Toastmaster means more than simply

making a commitment to self-development.

36 ONE COMMUNITY