District 106 August 2019 Newsletter

Newsletter Contents (Click on a link to go to that section)

From the Desk of the District Director **Important note about PROXIES** From the Desk of the Program Quality Director From the Desk of the Club Growth Director Club Coaching Speechcraft TAG (Traveling Award Gavel) **NEW in D106** D106 Training Program #MyWhy videos **NEW in D106** Upcoming event: Story Sparks Pathways Corner: Choose Your Path **New Feature** District Incentives

District 106 August 2019 Newsletter

From the Desk of the District Director:

We are a little over our first month into the new Toastmasters year, and we’ve certainly hit the ground running.

Our Toastmasters International website now shows the clubs with their new alignment in Areas and Divisions.

We started the year with 135 Clubs, and our goal is to finish with more than 138, with a stretch goal of 146. Our much greater focus will be on helping to build existing clubs towards charter strength. Currently our District only has 43 charter strength clubs, and an average membership on non-charter strength clubs of 12.

Membership renewals for existing members is a huge driver for your club’s success. Roughly 80% of our focus and energy for building membership should be spent on taking care of the members you already have. Remember the club mission is focused on serving our members, and our attention should be spent in this area as well. To help sweeten the pot for getting your renewals in early, remember we have an incentive this year in D106.

Now is a great time to start talking to your members about renewing their dues prior to September 30.

Getting an early start on your club success plan and getting your DCP points in this year could gain your club some special recognition at the Annual Conference in May.

Check out all of the D106 Incentives here If we work together and support our members, we will not only achieve success in our clubs, but we can be recognized for the efforts we put in.

District 106 August 2019 Newsletter

Last month, we discussed the Toastmasters International Convention from August 21 through August 24th. If you are planning on attending the Business meeting On August 23rd in Denver Colorado, please make sure that your club secretary, or club president assign your clubs votes to you. If your club does not have a member attending, please make sure they assign your club’s votes to the District.

Each year, the Annual Business Meeting allows clubs the opportunity to vote on important matters that shape the future of the Toastmasters International organization. This includes international officer and director elections as well as a proposal to amend the Bylaws of Toastmasters International. Clubs in good standing are entitled to two (2) votes for each election and proposal.

The Annual Business Meeting will be held on August 23 in Denver, Colorado during the 2019 Toastmasters International Convention. Start by learning

about the candidates and the proposed amendment. At your next club meeting, take some time to discuss which candidates you feel will help lead Toastmasters International to a bright and prosperous future, while also deliberating over Proposal A. Make it official with a vote to determine how your club will cast their ballot.

According to Article X of the Bylaws of Toastmasters International, you may designate a proxyholder to cast the club’s votes if a member is not able to attend the meeting. Proxyholders are required to vote in the manner a club designates; if a voting preference is not designated, the proxyholder should vote in the best interests of the clubs and Toastmasters International.

For instruction on assigning your club’s proxy see here.

Your vote counts! Please make sure you voice is heard.

Sincerely,

Dave Gibson, DTM2019-2020 District Director

District 106 August 2019 Newsletter

From the Desk of the Program Quality Director

Club Officer Training, 1st Round

Now that it’s August, we have entered our third month of first round Club Officer Training. Our District Training Team, led by our District Training Coordinator Joanna Carley, have been working hard and traveling far to ensure our Club Officers are empowered with information, resources, and positive energy to lead their clubs towards a successful year.

This is our second year of our new District’s revised and improved Club Officer Training program and once again, we are getting positive feedback on the sessions. Our goal was to provide a valuable program that’s informative, interactive, engaging, and an overall enjoyable experience. I’m happy to say the program is a success.

If you have already attended Club Officer Training this round, please encourage your fellow officers to attend if they haven’t already.

If you have not attended Club Officer Training, there are 3 opportunities left this month:

August 7th in Roseville August 15th in Brooklyn Center August 27th in Minnetonka

Check the D106TM.org website for details and to register for one of these sessions.

Watch the D106TM.org website for upcoming dates for 2nd round training sessions to plan early. A few dates are posted already and there are more to come.

*If you have questions about Club Officer Training, or are interested in joining the Training Team, please contact me at PQDirector@D106TM.org

Club Success Plan & Moments of Truth

Many of us know that the reason we join a Toastmasters club is for our personal development, either for our professional, family or social lives. Perhaps for all three! This personal development comes from our individual efforts as well as the collective efforts of the club members. Club that work well together result in great member success, and that member success is measured and recognized by the Distinguished Club Program.

The goal of any Toastmaster Club is to be a Distinguished Club by the end of the year, although as many of us know, this doesn’t happen on its own; we need a plan.

The Club Success Plan is a well-designed and easy to use worksheet to help clubs set themselves up for a distinguished year, where members develop, and the club thrive. When performed as a club exercise and reviewed frequently throughout the year, the club’s is far more likely to have a successful year which benefits the district, the club, and most importantly, the individual members.

District 106 August 2019 Newsletter

The Moments of Truth (MOT) is another powerful tool for maintaining and/or improving club quality. Performing a MOT exercise helps the club truly see where their strengths are and where they have areas of improvement. This is done by evaluating the club meetings in six specific areas:

First impressions Membership orientation Fellowship, variety, and communication Program planning and meeting organization Membership strength Achievement recognition

The most successful clubs throughout Toastmaster around the world use both tools to keep focused and become Distinguished year after year. They use the Club Success Plan early in the year and reference it frequently. They perform the Moments of Truth exercise periodically to keep their meetings professional and productive. Most clubs perform the MOT twice a year.

Here are the links to the Club Success Plan and Moments of Truth worksheets:

https://www.toastmasters.org/Resources/Distinguished-Club-Program-and-Club-Success-Plan-English

https://www.toastmasters.org/resources/moments-of-truth

For any questions or assistance with these exercises, contact your Area Director or a member of the D106 Leadership team. Our directory can be found on the D106TM.org website.

Distinguished Toastmasters for the 2019/2020 Year

Congratulations to the recent DTM recipients in District 106 from July 1 to August 3, 2019!

Michael Carlton – July 12, 2019 Paul Jungles – July 19, 2019 Michael MacDonald – July 27, 2019

Michael J. Carlton2019-2020 Program Quality Director

District 106 August 2019 Newsletter

From the Desk of Club Growth Director

Our District is just a month into our Toastmaster year and we’re off to a great start. On July 1, 2019; District 106, welcomed Westwood Toastmasters Club to our district. Join us in welcoming Westwood Toastmasters Club to District 106. We’re excited for the members of that club as they begin their toastmasters’ journey.

Remember our District Mission Statement “We build new clubs and support all clubs in achieving excellence.” That statement isn’t just words being spoken; its words being put into

action. Many of you have been asking how you can help our members, below are a few areas that you can do to help fulfill our mission statement.

1. Become a club coach to assist clubs in our district that are struggling2. Become a club mentor for a newly chartered club3. Become a club sponsor to assist with building a new club from an idea of a club to a chartered club4. Become part of the Club-building team

To assist our clubs with membership building, Toastmasters International created a membership program to assist clubs with membership growth between August 1st and September 30th. The program is called the “Smedley Award.”

Can your club add five new, dual, or reinstated members with a join date between August 1st and September 30th? Accomplish this goal and you’ll qualify to receive a "Smedley Award" ribbon, named in honor of Ralph Smedley, which you can display on your club’s banner. Qualifying clubs can also earn a special discount code for 10-percent off their next club order. (The discount code expires six months from the date of issue and is not valid with any other offer.)

Applications and payments for members with a join date between August 1st and September 30th must be received at Toastmasters International or online no later than September 30th. The addition of transfer and charter members does not count toward “Smedley Award” credit.

The winning clubs will be revealed online within a few weeks of the submission deadline. Winning clubs should allow up to 10 business days to receive their award if they are in the United States, and up to 21 business days if they are outside of the United States.

We are excited to share with you that we have two start-up/demo Toastmasters Clubs that are listed below:

St. Paul Area Association of Realtors (SPAAR) is a closed club whose members are actively meeting. In addition, some of the club officers have joined us for officer training.

Margo in St. Louis Park has a tentative demo meeting scheduled for possible late fall.

District 106 August 2019 Newsletter

Together we can build new clubs and focus on helping you, our awesome members, to be successful. There are no limits to what we can do.

Sincerely,

Kimberlee Redington, DTM2019-2020 District Club Growth Director

From the Desk of the Club Coach Chair

What clubs are eligible for a Club Coach?

A club must have 12 or fewer paid members at the time of the appointment to qualify for a club coach and not in suspended or closed status.

Does a transfer member count as a member in good standing?

A club’s eligibility to receive a coach is determined by the current membership roster. This includes members who have transferred into the club, as these are also members in good standing with this club.

What are the duties of a Club Coach?

The club coach is a counselor, a source of knowledge, visionary, and a fountain of ideas. As a club coach you will need all of your speaking, thinking, and listening skills—as well as hard work, determination, and patience. All the while empowering and inspiring the club members to realize their full potential.

For more information about becoming a club coach or to request a Club Coach, please feel free to contact myself or contact the Club Growth Director.

Gopu Shrestha, DTMClub Coach Chair 2019-2020, District 106Email: tm.gopu.shrestha@gmail.com

District 106 August 2019 Newsletter

SPEECHCRAFT The Proven Number #1 Member Retention Tool

District 106, Do you want a chance to gain new members? What about expanding your leadership and communication skills? How about learning and having fun? How about spreading the great education of Toastmasters?

Speechcraft is the #1 proven membership building tool!

Why Wait?

Miriam Cain- Director, Admissions and Learner Recruitment; Northern Ontario School of Medicine had this to say about Speech Craft

What I learned from Speech Craft that changed my professional life...

As the Director of Admissions at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, I make professional presentations all the time, I chair meetings and I am not afraid of speaking in public. Why would I attend a course on making speeches? I wanted to be a role model and go to this course alongside my staff. Well let me tell you, I had the great pleasure of being mentored in speech making and meeting chairing through this course. I learned that I ramble, I am not clear, I do not keep on time, I am not prepared enough when I speak and I UMMMMM a lot. I had no idea how much I needed to improve the quality of my communication even though I am not afraid to communicate and I am so grateful for the kind and informed guidance through evaluation that I received from the Distinguished Toast Masters (DTM) teaching this course. Toastmasters is for everyone - if you love to speak or you are afraid to speak, you will gain valuable skills that help you communicate professionally and personally. After the course was completed I joined a Toastmasters Club and I continue to learn each and every meeting and have met people from all over the world as we have had members from Brazil, Greece, India, China, Iran. It's a great day to be a Toastmaster.

I would like to hear your Speechcraft story. If you have one please email me and we would be happy to feature you. Please check out district incentives for Speechcraft courses and new members.

Coming on the D106 Webpage we will have a Speechcraft section which will feature the benefits of Speechcraft, Testimonials, pictures and resources, and some incentives for converting participants to members.

Email Matthew Villella - Speechcraft Chair - mavillel@lakeheadu.ca with club name and number, location, a little bit about your Speechcraft course and was there anything outstanding? Include a quote from a participant if possible. If you can get a picture as well that would be great.

Any questions or guidance you require feel free to reach out to your club leadership, district or division leadership. I am looking forward to seeing the great Speechcraft sessions coming up in 106.

District 106 August 2019 Newsletter

What is the District 106 TAG?

It is the new District 106 “Traveling Award Gavel”.

The intent of the Traveling Award Gavel (TAG) is to encourage members to visit other clubs, and to capture the gavel. Capturing the gavel is a great opportunity for fellow club members to join together to visit another club in our District. While at this club, you can learn what they do well, and share it with your club – you may even find something they do so intriguing that you may adapt it for your club!

But, remember, when you are capturing the TAG, it is a numbers game…so bring as many members as you can, since if another club shows up to that same meeting with more members, then they will successfully capture the gavel.

The club that successfully captures the gavel will be able to submit the story to the www.d106tm.org website (don’t forget to take pictures), and it will be published for all to see.

If you do capture the gavel, it is important to know that other clubs may be at your next meeting, and you should be prepared to put on a high-quality meeting to showcase your club!

If you would like more rules about the TAG, you may view them at: www.d106tm.org and look under the TAG menu. This will show where the gavel has traveled and display the most recent story of how the TAG was captured.

The TAG is starting its journey at the Spirt of Leadership Club which meets the 2nd Thursday of each month at the Plymouth City Hall (lower level). Everyone is encouraged to be the FIRST club to capture the gavel. It will be a momentous event!!

Lastly, the TAG was hand-crafted by Dave and Joseph Kummer, husband and son of Distinguished Toastmaster, Marvel Kummer. I would like to thank them for their craftsmanship and donation to our district.

District 106 August 2019 Newsletter

D106 Training Program

Do you learn by doing? Or do you prefer to have someone explain what to do as you watch? Most people will say they prefer to learn by trying it out themselves.

Our training philosophy in D106 is based on adult learning theory. We've built our club officer and district officer training sessions around these ideas, because research has shown that it's how many adults learn best. It's also how Toastmasters structures learning. Learn a new idea by doing - or create a speech focused on one skill. Focus on only what you need to learn today - or in the next speech.

At the beginning of the Toastmasters year, we focus on:

Officer roles Pathways Quality meetings

During officer training, we include time to practice. In the current round, we practice talking about officer responsibilities and talking about Pathways with guests and members. By practicing in a safe, supportive environment, officers gain experience "trying on" Pathways while receiving feedback from an evaluator (sound familiar?). This safe, supportive environment gives us space to adjust our communication so next time we have a guest, we feel more confident explaining the Pathways program!

At second round officer training, we'll look at what is most important for officers and members mid-year, including

Reviewing and revising club success plans Planning for next year Other topics popping up as the district sees opportunities

Our training sessions strive to include true engagements, where people are inspired to co-create ideas through conversation. “The magic happens” when all members have input, when members listen and respond to ideas, and when new ideas are cultivated. Our goal with interactive training sessions is to encourage the audience to take in information, process it or play with it, then move forward with a shift in thinking or behavior.

For example, if we are teaching a child addition, we could expect the child to memorize 2+2=4, 2+3=5, and so on. The child might memorize those statements, but when given an addition problem outside of those memorized, the child doesn't have a way to solve it. Or, we can teach them the concept of addition - the + sign indicates the two values on either side are combined to create a new value. Then, the child can apply that concept to any numbers being added. Similarly, we can ask an officer to read the list of responsibilities for the role, and they can repeat them. The learning comes when the officer considers how and when they might take action on those responsibilities. More significant learning comes when the officer actually tries to take action on those responsibilities - for example, working through the

District 106 August 2019 Newsletter

club success plan or asking a guest to attend a meeting. The topic is cemented into our memory. And, people have time to ask questions while still in the training session before going out into the "real world."

Lastly, training is a venue for connection. When we connect at officer training, we learn officers in other clubs face many of the same challenges we do. We can also learn how other clubs deal with the same problems we are facing!

Training is not done with one session of officer training! While we consider an officer trained when they've attended a club officer training, the learning is just beginning. The district training team continues to work on ways to provide information which is easy to access and available when you want it. Some of the resources already available on www.D106tm.org are:

- Toolbox Tuesdays: join our webinar live or view it afterwards when it's convenient for you

- Speech contest resources: contest script, contest kit, and more

- Pathways: path details

What if you want more? Most of our topics have more details available on the www.toastmasters.org site. Your area director is your first stop within the district to answer questions or provide more detail. If your area director doesn't have the answer, I'm available at joannamctoastmaster@gmail.com to help!

Joanna Carley, DTMD106 Training Coordinator.

District 106 August 2019 Newsletter

#MyWhy Videos

Twenty-one brave members recorded #MyWhy Toastmaster Testimonials at the TLI. See all 21 in the 18-minute YouTube playlist.

Click here to learn how easy it is to make your own #MyWhy Video (link includes a template) or consider setting up a recording session for your club members.

District 106 August 2019 Newsletter

2nd Story Sparks EventSeptember 17th

The Story Sparks Event in June was so much fun, we've decided to have another one this fall! It's a FREE event.

When: Tue, September 17, 2019

Time: 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM CDT

Location: Camp Bar Twin Cities, 490 Robert Street North, Saint Paul, MN 55101

Theme: Travel

Format: 10 speakers will be drawn out of a hat to tell 5-minute stories on the theme of "travel", judges display scores on paddles, and a winner will be declared.

Register at this link.

We'll see you there!

District 106 August 2019 Newsletter

Pathways CornerThe D106 newsletter will periodically feature Pathways articles, tips, and tricks submitted by a local Toastmaster

If you are interested in contributing content to Pathways Corner, please contact the newsletter editor, Carolyn Caba.

Choose Your Path--Jim Emery—

So you still haven’t chosen your Pathways path? Never fear. There is plenty of information that will help you make the right choice. Here are some of the ways I looked into before I chose my first path.

1. Take your assessment

The Pathways section of the Toastmasters web site guides you easily to the Pathways assessment. You will be asked 24 questions -- everything from your general interests to whether group discussion makes you nervous. When you finish the assessment, you are given three suggested paths to choose from, with one being identified as the best match. See the figure below for an example.

District 106 August 2019 Newsletter

If one of the recommended paths looks good, just choose it and go. You’re done! If you’re suspicious that a simple questionnaire like this will make the best choice, or if none of the paths looks right for you, postpone your choice and move on to the next step below.

2. Look at the paths’ core competencies focus

There are eleven Pathways paths to choose from, and each has its general focus among five core competencies – public speaking, interpersonal communication, strategic leadership, management, and confidence. The chart below shows which paths concentrate on each. If you feel you know which of these core competencies you wish to focus on, pick the path that best matches your desires. Note that Confidence is a focus in every path.

District 106 August 2019 Newsletter

If the core competencies are a little too general for you to be confident that you can pick a path based only on them, move on to the next step below.

3. Look at each path’s detailed description

More detailed descriptions of path projects are available for each path. An example is shown below. To see this chart for each path, go to https://www.toastmasters.org/pathways-overview and click on the path icon to expand its chart. Also click on the Elective Projects button if you want to see the electives expanded.

Note the path description paragraph itemizing the topics focused on and the skills to be developed. Comparing these descriptions for each path can help you better understand where each path will take you.

Below the path description, each of the five project levels is shown, with the mandatory projects for that level and the electives for Levels 3-5. Compare the projects that are required for each path to help you decide which path may be the best fit for you. Note that (1)Level 1 is identical in every path and (2)all of the Level 3-5 electives are available in each of

District 106 August 2019 Newsletter

the eleven paths. While it may be interesting to look at the wealth of electives available, you needn’t be concerned that certain electives are available in only some paths. Every elective is available in every path, and those electives are identical, regardless of the path in which they occur.

Comparing the Level 3-5 mandatory projects can be an excellent way to choose the best path for you. However, if just the project titles aren’t enough information about those projects, move on to the next step below.

4. Dig even deeper into individual projects

Toastmasters District 4 has an excellent Pathways site that allows you to see more detail about what you will do in each specific Pathways project. Go to http://d4tm.org/educational-program/pathways/paths-and-projects

The figure below shows the page upon which you will arrive. Note that you can select a specific path, a specific level for that path, and a specific project within that level. Once selected, a more detailed description of the contents of that project is shown, with a purpose, an overview, and specific items included. These descriptions can be very helpful in understanding what any specific project will contain.

District 106 August 2019 Newsletter

5. Summary

Give any or all of these approaches a try as you look to pick the best Pathways path for you. And good luck to you in the path you end up choosing!

District 106 August 2019 Newsletter

Congratulations to;Tic Talkers Toastmasters ClubMutual Voices ClubWind Chimes Toastmasters Cluband Tartan Club for completing this challenge