July - New Year, New Beginnings

It's happy Toastmasters new year and time to get the year set up right.  This month's speakers delivered dynamic presentations with helpful insight into preparing to lead your district and tips for success at the International Convention.

The presentation, "Convention, Candidates and Proposals," kicked off with Past Founder's District Director Christine Brady, DTM sharing a variety of tips on navigating the convention - from attire to nourishment to networking and more.  One particular area of interest is knowing the type of questions to ask during candidate interviews.  Christine offered a handy list of questions to guide District Trios in their conversations and how to schedule their time.  International Director Karen Lucas, DTM continued the discussion with a breakdown of the twelve proposals that have been presented for a vote. Click here for FAQs and full text of the amendments.

Next up, Past International Director Michael Osur, DTM spoke on the critical strategic elements that need to be set up at the beginning of the year to help minimize the year-end crunch.  In his presentation, "Front Load the Year," Michael shared a handout with twelve areas to take into account:

1. district mission
2. club mission
3. metrics
4. commitments
5. charter clubs early
6. Triple Cap vs Double Cap vs Single Cap
7. Area Directors (Launch/Demo Teams)
8. Build a Team: Per Division/Geographic
9. Be Clear on Expectations
10. Meaningful Incentives that Drive Behavior
11. Goal Setting: 90 Day Year, Monthly, First 6 months
12. April/May Conference Goal - Overcoming Doldrums: December/January and Post-Conference

Michael was recognized for having been awarded the Presidential Citation from Toastmasters International.

Past District 12 Governor Tom Jameson, DTM led a gem-filled impromptu speaking session where past leaders shared their experience in planning "your first 90 days."

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