Part I: Operations and Planning

Another great meeting at Club 407!  April kicked off our 3-part series, “Finish Strong and Pay It Forward” with Part I: Operations and Planning. It was chock-full of helpful tips for getting ready for the district business meeting, keeping members engaged in Pathways, retaining members and chartering clubs.

We were thrilled to have member Randie Ellington, DTM, PDD all the way from Northern California join us in person. He brought incredible enthusiasm as Toastmaster setting the tone for an exciting and engaging meeting.

Two fantastic speakers shared their insights and expertise for operations and planning at this critical point of the Toastmasters year. Both speeches were packed with useful tips and actionable advice that left us feeling motivated and ready to take on any challenge.
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First, as district directors begin to prepare for their district’s annual business meeting, Karen Lucas, DTM, PID gave an informative presentation on how to conduct them effectively. She emphasized the importance of preparing a script, having an effective parliamentarian and Zoom and vote master. Karen offered some pitfalls that can occur when not prepared, for example, questions about the budget, voting and district alignment.

Next, Joyce Persichilli, DTM, PRA, DD-5, spoke about DCP Pathways engagement and how it can help individuals develop their skills.  By understanding the member’s needs and connecting that with the Pathways education system, you can inspire more members to enroll into Pathways. Joyce presented a fun role-playing scenario with fellow member, Alex Shadpour, DTM, CGD-5, to illustrate how to handle a conversation about enrolling into Pathways.

Our Table Topics session, led by Leanne Levine, DTM, CGD-1, was fun and challenged us on ways to grow our membership. Participants did an incredible job of delivering engaging and informative answers.

A big thank you goes to our members and many guests for their participation and engagement. As we continue to learn and perfect the hybrid meeting experience, our in-person attendance is growing and creating new momentum for the members. We are excited for our 3-part series to continue in May with Part II: Succession Strategies. 

We look forward to seeing everyone at our next meeting on Sunday, May 7, 2023.