1. Welcome District Leaders!
Toastmasters Year
Collaborate. Create. Celebrate.

2. This is OUR year

3. Goals What are your goals for your role this year?
How will we define success as a district in one year?
Work on membership
HAVE FUN!
Metrics: Distinguished club program
Positive membership recognition
Successful contests
Pathways focus
Building inter-club relationships and support systems
Share and encourage outside club opportunities
Distinguished District 31
Division Directors empowering Area Directors – domino effect
Be sad to see it end!

4. Meet the Team! District Director: Anna Kaufman
Program Quality Director: Gina Salcedo
Club Growth Director: Ally Dunn
Chancellor of Quality: Veera Sriram
Public Relations Manager: CJ Ferry
Finance Manager: Paul Hart
Administration Manager: Rob Ristagno [virtual intro]
Logistics Manager: Danna Baida [virtual intro]
Webmaster: Valdi Venter
District Godfather: Stefano McGhee

6. Core Responsibilities
Gina Salcedo
Program Quality Director

7. What is your role? 1

8. Brainstorm AD All DD Start new Clubs Visit Clubs Encourage Members
Area Reports
Speech Contest
Plan Club visits
Link between Club and District
Feedback
Have Fun
Learn
Support District/ Area/ Clubs
Communicate
Give back : YLP
Accountability
District Conference
Coach
TLI’s
Facilitate Communication
Feedback 7

9. Tips for Area Directors
Build trust by ensuring your club officers know you are on their side
Your biggest priority is to be a resource for club officers
Provide feedback in a constructive manner
Be prepared to explain what you role is and what the district entails (example) 7

10. Tips for Division Director
Let your ADs have ownership of their area
You are a resource for your Area Directors, you support them to make this experience one where they grow and learn.
Make sure Area Directors know what information to send to clubs
Accountability for Area Directors for scheduling contests, submitting visit reports etc
Help Area Directors navigate challenges 1

11. Common Challenges Difficulty reaching club officers
Resistance to club visits
Unstable leadership
Misunderstandings due to written communication 1

12. Buddy up! 1

13. What’s a buddy Think of it as a mutual mentoring relationship
Someone that you can talk to about your goals, expectations and challenges
Someone to support you during contest season, TLIs, and all events
Someone to bounce ideas 1

14. Focus on Geographic Proximity
You don’t have to be in the same division, but try to be close-by
Being physically close will allow you to support each other during events (contest, TLIs, etc)
You can give each other advice on challenges that arise primarily in your general location (example, Boston vs. Fall River) 1

15. Activity (10 minutes) Find your buddy
Talk about one thing you would like to accomplish and how your buddy can help
Exchange contact information 1

16. Club Visit Reports 1

17. Area Director’s Club Visit Report14

21. Other Questions Not Based On Your Impressions

22. 1) How does the club orient new members
1) How does the club orient new members? (Consider whether the club has a formal induction ceremony, assigns mentors to new members, discusses the education program, assesses the learning needs of new members, etc.) 2) How does the club communicate? (Consider whether club members use to communicate about club topics, if the club website is kept current, etc.)

23. 3) How does the club use the Toastmasters International website
3) How does the club use the Toastmasters International website? Do club members use the Brand Portal? 4) How does the club promote membership growth? (Consider whether new-member sponsors are recognized, if regular membership-building programs exist, etc.)

24. 5) How are achievements tracked and recognized
5) How are achievements tracked and recognized? 6) What is the process the club uses to submit award applications?

25. Think of club visit reports as evaluations
Your feedback provides learning opportunities while acknowledging the effort
Suggestions for improvement should be very specific
Praise should be specific, too - especially if your constructive feedback is robust
Less is more: come up with the two things that would have the biggest impact on the club’s success. Focus on those. 1

26. Best Practices Part 1 DO DON’T
Submit your report soon after your first visit
Offer to give a speech or presentation.
Plan your visit ahead of time
Ask questions about the club’s challenges
Wait to submit the report after second visit, or for any reason
Expect the club to give you time to speak.
Show up at the last minute
Assume you know what the club struggles with the most

27. Best Practices Part 2 DO DON’T
Focus on every last detail of what can be improved
Assume club officers know the deadlines
Give your club officers direction by telling them one or two important ways they can improve.
your club leaders about deadlines in advance

28. Club Growth Efforts
Ally Dunn
Club Growth Director

29. Club Membership Retention
Dues Renewals
Regular Meetings
Keeping it fun! 7

30. Growing Membership Membership Building Programs Smedley Award
Talk Up Toastmasters
Beat The Clock
Individual Member Recognition 8

31. Supporting New Clubs Sample Meetings Providing Leads
Becoming a Sponsor/mentor/coach 9

32. Sponsors, Mentors, Coaches
Help charter a new club
Follows leads
Sets up regular meetings
Recruits members
Completes paperwork with WHQ, plans charter presentation 10

33. Sponsors, Mentors, Coaches
Provides insight on how officer actions affect club as a whole (dues, applications)
Build and maintain membership
Be a primary resource for questions 11

34. Sponsors, Mentors, Coaches
Club Coaches
Qualifications
Objective perspective
Recognize Achievements
Make A Success Plan 12

35. Area + Division Contests

36. Why co-host area contests?
Pool financial resources
Better attendance
More sources of volunteers
Team work 1

37. Contest Timeline AUGUST 15: Area and Division Contest venues finalized
SEPTEMBER 9th: Last day for Club Fall Speech Contests
SEPTEMBER 10th – 30th: Area Contests
OCTOBER 1st–21st: Division Contests NOVEMBER 3rd-4th: Fall Conference/District Contests 1

38. Finding a venue
Make sure the venue meets the transportation needs of your geographic area
Check with your clubs, maybe the venues they use for meetings would be willing to host contests
Ask officers from last year about the venue they used
Churches, libraries, universities 1

39. Resources
template to send to clubs to encourage them to have a contest
15 minute guide to run a contest
Google sheets to track volunteers and contestants

40. Your Contest To-Do list for this month
Inform clubs of deadlines and provide resources
Secure a hosting partner, date, and venue (due August 15th)
Decide who your contest master and chief judge will be

41. Beyond Club Visits
TM Gina and TM Veera

42. Buddy Option

43. Conferences

44. TLI’s

45. TLI : Organizing Team Number of Volunteers : Total : 14
1.        Food and room set up – Need 2
2.       Greeters – Need 2
3.       Registration -  Need 2
4.       Bookstore –  Need 2
5.       Photographers –  Need 2
6.       Room monitors and timers –  Need 2
7.       Clean up –  Need 2
Number of Breakout Sessions: 7 Break out speakers