Editor’s Note
Merriam Webster’s Dictionary defines flexibility as being characterized by a ready capability to adapt to new, different or changing requirements. When faced with a club that had many last-minute changes, Shari Frances taught them flexibility. Preparation before the meeting can minimize last minute changes. However, life may still get in the way of Toastmasters. When the Toastmaster of the Day is late, it may disrupt the entire meeting. When a speaker fails to attend, others may question their commitment to the Toastmaster program. Rather than viewing last minute changes with a negative attitude, let’s reframe the disappointment of a speaker no-show from disappointment to joy. This newfound attitude will help us learn to adapt to a different or changing environment. Members will take advantage of a no-show to try a new meeting role or to give an extra speech. With a little practice, the ability to be flexible will benefit us in our personal and professional lives. Isn’t this why we joined Toastmasters in the first place?
Assessment
The WCR of Palm Beaches Toastmasters Club was founded only two years ago in October 2008. This club has its roots in the leadership of the local Women’s Council of Realtors (WCR). They saw the connection of Toastmasters and other chapters of WCR. To charter the club, they invited members from local Toastmasters clubs and provided capital to start the club. Initially there was a large contingent of WCR members. However, membership soon dwindled. The club began reaching out into the community to recruit new members, including students from the local colleges and universities.
As club coach, my goal was to perform an assessment of club. I visited and watched them. Almost immediately, I discovered that the club needed instruction in the fundamentals of a Toastmasters meeting. The club’s membership needed to understand the basics and importance of the various meeting roles. They weren’t excited about the role of grammarian. The club also suffered from busy and distracted members who were not focusing on the club or their own development needs. They needed an agenda and a strong treasurer to help process new members. On the other hand, the club had several strong points: they wanted to present manual speeches, they had excited leaders and several potential members.
The next step was to schedule a meeting with the club’s officers. I wanted to ask them where they needed help, to share my assessment and to give them feedback. This task proved quite difficult. The president had a great presence and demeanor at meetings, However, the officers weren’t meeting regularly and the president was quite difficult to reach. Fortunately, through persistence and enthusiasm, I was able to establish rapport with the club’s officers, and conduct a meeting where I could provide valuable feedback.
Planning and Implementation
The plan addressed the deficiencies noted in the assessment. I worked with the club’s officers and their Division Governor to implement training. At most of the meetings, the Division Governor or myself, would provide information on a different Toastmaster meeting role or process. For example, the protocol of entering and leaving the speaking area, proper timing requirements, etc. Also, I helped create a few agendas to see which would fit the club’s meeting style. I consulted with them on issues that arose regarding dates and times or how to work their Distinguished Club Program. I even brought little gifts every once in a while to excite the members and visitors of the club. Most importantly, I helped them understand the importance of having a solid treasurer that can get a handle on the finances by accounting for funds, making deposits, and registering new members in a timely manner.
Results
The club ultimately became a distinguished club. Membership had grown and active member involvement increased. Although their transient membership base still makes well-attended meetings difficult, they have come a long way and have learned the best trick to a great meeting – flexibility. The club’s members demonstrated initiative by using Facebook and Twitter as tools to recruit new members as well as promote club activities. At the end of the Toastmaster year, the members selected officer roles that better suited their skill sets.
Lessons Learned
The hardest thing for me was penetrating the ranks of the officers and to gain an understanding of their personalities. I needed to determine what each officer’s motivations were and how best to provide feedback. If I could go back in time, I would have tried harder to meet with the President face-to-face and insisted that he set up an officer meeting immediately. I would also have requested that we turn one of the meetings into a training session, inviting all the club’s members, guests from other clubs and areas. This session would have demonstrated the proper protocols and probably been a time of enlightenment for both the officers and the other members. However, I definitely feel the club is much stronger today because they understand and present information in a more organized manner. Their officers are strong leaders and will continue to guide the club toward better times.
A Letter of Praise
As the immediate past Division D Governor of Toastmasters International, it gives me a great pleasure to acknowledge Shari Francis for her dedication and fine work as WCR Palm Beaches Noon club coach. Our Toastmaster year runs from July 1-June 30. When Shari began coaching WCR Toastmasters in December 2009, the club was struggling to stay afloat with 10 members. I compliment Shari on the way she dove in head first to help get this club back on its feet. Her initial assessment of what needed to be done prompted her to develop a thorough call to action plan to meet the club’s needs and get them on track. Shari ‘s perseverance and weekly communication with club members and officers proved very successful. On June 30, 2010 the club had 21 members and achieved the status of Distinguished Club. Shari is someone you would want on your team. She has proven that when given a challenge she will go the extra mile to get the job done right. Shari is very professional, organized and follows through. I would highly recommend Shari to any company that is looking for a problem solver with integrity and professionalism. She is someone you can count on to do a great job.
Kind regards,
Karen Novek, DTM
Immediate Past Division D Governor