Page 38 - 2019 February

SUCCESSFUL CLUB

professional. Any deviation from that standard is organization—Toastmasters International. The

not the norm and readily will be recognized. As DCP represents those KPIs essential to measure
such, one can understand how the organization progress at the Club, Area, Division and District
learns and retains not just procedural knowledge levels. Perhaps one of the reasons why TM-3091
but upholds the intangible cultural standards by has had success historically is because they treat

which success is achieved. the DCP as relevant and important to their
overall mission and vision. Thus, the DCP-to-KPI
Quality Assurance Team (The Post importance is another reason why membership
Toasties) in TMI helps to build and teach business skills

Currently the TM-3091 founder and current that are directly relevant to the real-world outside
president, Marv Serhan, provides a connection of a Toastmaster meeting.
with the past and helps to maintain a historical In summary, the key to the success of
perspective on best practices and lessons Professionally Speaking TM-3091 is that the

learned. By forming an executive committee club has identified all the pieces associated with
comprised of all active TM-3091 past presidents club performance, established the relationships
(affectionately referred to as “Post Toasties”) that between those pieces, prioritized how they
team can serve as a quality assurance resource for should function and interact, and then set

the current club officer cadre via their president. in motion specific strategies, policies, and
The Post Toasties are not there to lead or direct, standards that reinforce knowledge sharing and
but to monitor, mentor, coach, and support the organizational learning. Will this approach apply
officers and the club as may be required to ensure to all Toastmaster club cultures? Most likely not.

standards are maintained. However, successful clubs borrow good ideas
from other clubs and seek to incorporate those
Emphasize the Relevance and Importance ideas where they can to enhance performance
of the DCP and seek success. TM-3091 is no different.

Most, if not all successful organizations, But again, overconfidence and complacency
pay close attention to the Key Performance are the enemies of any professional endeavor.
Indicators (KPIs) that are directly relevant in Guard against them by considering some of
determining where that organization falls in the best practices suggested herein. And, always

achieving their corporate objectives. Private remember:
sector firms have benchmarks by which they
show progress toward achieving their quarterly
and annual goals. Military commands have a “If you are not having fun,

wide array of KPIs to determine mission status,
troop training levels, accident rates, etc. A you are not doing it right.”
Toastmaster club is no different. It’s a miniature
company (if you will) within the larger parent

38 ONE COMMUNITY