D80 AREA & DIVISION CONTESTS

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Trainer DTM Wekie Tay shared his thoughts on how to create quality club meetings. The discussion also included sharing of best and worst meeting experiences from the participants. The key takeaways from the meeting were the importance of preparation, the impact of technical issues on meeting quality, and the tendency for people to share negative experiences more than positive ones.

Quality Chapter Meetings and Core Values

Wekie emphasized the importance of quality chapter meetings in fulfilling the DCP Goals, reflecting the quality of the club, and as a key product and service of the Toastmasters program. He highlighted that meetings are a core support system for members to practice and improve their speech quality and confidence. Meetings also serve as a major recruitment tool and an educational method for learning and feedback. He also stressed the importance of adhering to the core values of Toastmasters: integrity, respect, service, and excellence. He encouraged the attendees to work on these values and to strive for excellence in every club meeting.

Improving Meeting Experience and Quality

Wekie emphasized the importance of creating a sense of enjoyment, eagerness, enthusiasm, and elation in meetings to foster learning and improve overall experience. He suggested starting meetings with table topics to allow guests to warm up and prepare for speeches, followed by prepared speeches, breaks, evaluations, and other events. Wekie also highlighted the significance of the meeting agenda, setting the mood with the President's opening address, and the role of the Table Topics Master and Project Evaluators. He stressed the importance of early preparation, time management, participation, and addressing technical issues to ensure consistent quality in club meetings. Wekie concluded by encouraging leaders to pay forward and share the benefits of Toastmasters with others.

Effective Toastmasters Member Recruitment

Wekie provided advice on inviting potential members to Toastmasters meetings. He suggests using a "3-7-3" approach: reaching out 3 days after initial contact, then 7 days later, and finally 3 weeks later if there's no response. He emphasizes making the invitation curious and engaging, incorporating Toastmasters into natural conversation, and not taking rejections personally. He also advises clubs to accommodate as many speakers as possible in meetings, even up to 12 per session, to keep members engaged and provide speaking opportunities.

Sharing by Venugopal, the President of Halliburton Toastmasters Club

He shared their club's experiences and strategies for overcoming challenges and leveraging opportunities. Venugopal highlighted the importance of management support, employee development, and facilities in their club's growth and sustainability. He also discussed their outreach event, changes in meeting schedules, and the incorporation of Toastmasters into the company's employee development program. Venugopal concluded by emphasizing the importance of consistency, active engagement, and recognition in club success.

To a question on regular Exco meetings, Venugopal said their club has bi-weekly meetings, with the 1st and 3rd week being chapter meetings and the 2nd and 4th week being Exco meetings. At the Exco meeting, there are standard items like reviewing previous meetings and reporting progress; and dynamic items depending on circumstances. Wekie emphasized the importance of regular Exco meetings for resolving issues and planning future events. 

Additional Resources:
https://toastmasterscdn.azureedge.net/medias/files/department-documents/training/cot-materials-2021/quality-club-meetings-session-outline.pdf
https://toastmasterscdn.azureedge.net/medias/files/department-documents/training/cot-materials-2021/club-success-plan-session-workbook.pdf 

Suggested Next Steps:

1. All club leaders to review their current meeting program and consider ways to optimize it (based on the trainer's suggestions).
2. Club leaders to implement regular monthly Exco meetings if not already doing so.
3. Clubs to consider implementing the "3-7-3" follow-up method for inviting potential members.
4. Clubs to explore creative evaluation methods, such as silent evaluations or group evaluations, especially when there are many speakers.
5. VP Education to plan for variety in meeting formats, including occasional "project nights" with more speakers and silent evaluations.
6. Club leaders to focus on providing more speaking opportunities for members to keep them engaged.
7. Clubs to encourage post-meeting socialization and deeper discussions between speakers and evaluators.
8. Club leaders to work on creating a welcoming atmosphere and building relationships with potential members, rather than just focusing on recruitment.
9. Clubs to consider incorporating Toastmasters into their company's employee development programs, where applicable.
10. Club leaders to implement recognition and reward systems for member achievements, including small milestones.

Trainer PDD Niza Khalil focused on how to recruit members successfully for their clubs and sharing best practices. The discussion covered various aspects of enhancing the guest experience at chapter meetings, strategies for engagement and interaction in virtual meetings, and the importance of follow-up.

Essential Preparations to welcome Guests

Niza emphasized the importance of maintaining accurate and up-to-date information on the Toastmasters website, particularly for club addresses. She stressed the need to welcome guests to the club effectively, making them feel comfortable and encouraging them to participate. 

PDD also highlighted the importance of assigning key members to engage with guests and prepare welcome materials such as club details, name tags, ribbons, bookmarks, and membership forms. And suggested that guests should be given a souvenir to remember their visit, and that the program for the chapter meeting should be clear and easy to understand. 

Improving Guest Experience at Chapter Meetings

PDD led a discussion on how to enhance the guest experience at chapter meetings to encourage repeat attendance. For example,  encouraging guests to participate in activities like table topics and emphasized that guests should not be pressured to join the club immediately.

The guest experience should be pleasant and memorable. Beside showing hospitality and friendliness, taking a selfie with guests is a great way to create lasting memories. PDD also stressed the importance of follow-up, thanking guests promptly and inviting them to future events.

Mizuho Toastmasters Club Sharing 

Devashis, the founding President of the club, shared his experiences with corporate training and club management. He emphasized the importance of engagement and interaction with guests and members, particularly in virtual meetings. 

Building Successful Clubs and Retention

Trainer, D80 PDD Swarna, discussed her insights on retaining members in clubs and asked if the clubs were delivering the same expectations as what they like about their clubs to their members, and if they were a "leaky bucket" with members leaving. Swarna led an interactive discussion about the reasons behind members not renewing their membership in the club. 

Club Performance, Membership, and Events

Swarna discussed the importance of understanding the reasons behind members leaving a club and the need for self-reflection as a club. She emphasized the significance of moments of truth, a feedback mechanism for clubs to assess their performance. Swarna also highlighted the importance of membership orientation, assigning mentors, and conducting surveys to understand members' needs and profiles. She stressed the need for clubs to create events that celebrate members and foster a sense of community. Swarna also emphasized the importance of following up with members who don't attend meetings and planning meetings in advance to avoid last-minute changes. She encouraged the use of templates and Google Sheets for program planning and meeting organization.

Evaluators and Recognition in Clubs

Swarna discussed the importance of matching evaluators with members to avoid negative experiences and to promote growth. She emphasized the need for recognition and appreciation of members' contributions, whether big or small, and suggested implementing this in March. Swarna also highlighted the value of giving members outside club exposure and leadership growth opportunities. She encouraged the attendees to implement these suggestions in their clubs.

Swarna and D80 PQD discussed the importance of membership building in clubs, emphasizing that it should not wait until renewal periods. They suggested that clubs should consistently engage with members and offer workshops or events to attract new members. Swarna also shared her experience with mentoring two clubs, highlighting the importance of consistent support and guidance for at least two terms. The team also discussed the need for a mentor to support new clubs for at least two terms. 

The meeting discussed the importance of maintaining connections with members who have taken a break from the club. They emphasized the need to show genuine care and concern for these members, and to keep them updated on club activities. 

Cecilia's Corporate Club Experience

Cecilia shared her personal 4 key takeaways from her 13 years of experience with the corporate club, which she coined as SOAR. She emphasized the importance of support from management and HR, as well as clear objectives for the club. She also highlighted the importance of awareness, retention, and making the club experience enjoyable. Cecilia's club, WATG, made the club experience casual and relaxed, and made sure to reach out to members to confirm their participation and progress.