November 2022 Leader Letter



District News

 

Let's Talk Holiday Talk Webinar — It's the end of the year; do you know where your party skills have been hiding? It's time for a holiday communication prep! For office, community, and family events, let our panel of experts help you through small talk, awkward conversations, toasting, and more. Join us (and invite others!) for a free webinar on November 15. Get details and register.

Round Two of Club Officer Training — Round two of club officer training has now begun! To receive credit in the Distinguished Club Program, enter the training online through District Central starting in mid-November. If you have any questions about club officer training, please contact districts@toastmasters.org.

Inspiring Speakers: We Want You! — Do you have an amazing talent for capturing a crowd? Apply to be a presenter at an upcoming Toastmasters event! We welcome dynamic moderators, panelists, education speakers, keynotes, comedians, and more, who have experience addressing large international audiences, be it in person or online. Use this form to submit a video and be considered today.

How to Nominate New District Leaders — The time of year to nominate District leaders is upon us. As you navigate this process, reference helpful resources such as the District Leadership Committee webpage, Protocol 9.0, and the FAQs.

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Area Directors: Submit Your Club Visit Reports — Submitting your Area Director's Club Visit Report by November 30 is an important step toward qualifying for the Distinguished Area Program! In this first round, you should visit at least 75% of your clubs, and submit the report through District Central. While it is only required to conduct visits twice a year, visiting your clubs at least four times per year will bring additional benefits for them!

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New Videos to Share — We partnered with the 2018 World Champion of Public Speaking, Ramona Smith, to create five information-packed public speaking tip videos. These videos are an excellent resource to share with potential members, and for current members to brush up on their basics!

Newly-translated Materials! —You can now download and use the Member Interest Survey and the Transform Your Talent flier in Spanish!

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Toastmasters in Practice — Negotiating the price while car shopping; coaching your kid's football team; training your new puppy; delivering a eulogy for your loved one. You practice your Toastmasters skills on a regular basis through most any communication challenge you encounter. Discover which Pathways projects can best prepare you for day-to-day life situations.

Meet the Winners of the 2022 World Championship of Public Speaking — The three finalists put their speaking skills to the test on the Toastmasters stage—both in person and online. Get to know the top three winners: Cyril Junior Dim, Alexandre Matte, and Mas Mahathir Bin Mohamad in this month's Toastmaster.

The Club Secretary: Organizer Extraordinaire — From maintaining records to keeping other officers on track, the Secretary is the glue that holds the club together. Toastmasters who have performed this role say it's an excellent place to start learning leadership and get a close-up view of how Toastmasters and the club work.

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The Online Store Is Open! — The Toastmasters Online Store has now re-opened! As a small token of thanks for your patience, we are offering a 15% discount on all orders placed between now and December 1, 2022. To enjoy 15% off your orders, please use the code LETSSHOP at checkout!

2022-2023 Speech Contests Reminder — For the 2022-2023 speech contest cycle, the Board of Directors approved an exception to the Speech Contest Rulebook, requiring Districts to conduct contests in either an online or hybrid format. Each District Executive Committee (DEC) chose one of these two formats for each contest level (Area, Division, and District). To learn more about conducting hybrid or online contests, review the Online Speech Contest Best Practices document.

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Mid-year Training — Throughout the month of January, Toastmasters International will conduct in person Mid-year Training for 2022—2023 District Directors, Program Quality Directors, and Club Growth Directors. These District leaders will continue to develop core leadership skills, share best practices, and network with others from around the globe. More information about specific dates, locations, region groupings, and travel will be sent directly to District leaders via email.

Pathways Adoption Reports — Pathways adoption is consistently high, having been above 80% for over two years. As member onboarding has been successful, the Pathways Adoption Report will soon no longer be available in District Central. Instead, District leaders will begin receiving District Performance Data reports biannually. These reports will include seven key metrics of District performance, including annual retention rates, new clubs by country, and paid club growth.