Six years ago, I attended my first ever Toastmasters event outside the club level. This visit to the Division B Table Topics and Humorous Speech contests changed the course of my Toastmasters journey. I was in queue during the break and marvelled at the art deco splendour of Freemasons Hall in Covent Garden. I struck a conversation with the lady next to me, she wore a fancy name tag and seemed important. I don’t remember the exact details of what we discussed. However, I do remember her parting words “You’re quite enthusiastic, you should get more involved!”. That day, my mind opened up to the leadership possibilities that Toastmasters could offer me and the rest is history.
As Division Contest season is on us, please make the journey to your Division contest. You don’t know who you might meet there. You may very well learn some new knowledge and see things differently during a workshop. You may even be inspired by one of the speaker’s stories.
Going beyond your club can also involve visiting other clubs. This is especially useful if you’re looking to stretch yourself by speaking in front of a different audience. What’s more, you can earn points and prizes by taking part in our Club Ambassador Programme.
Encouraging our members to reap the opportunities available in Toastmasters beyond the club level, also helps with membership retention. As a District, we have a vision of retaining 70% of our members every year. Doing this requires looking after their needs and creating new opportunities for everybody. If you’re looking for your next challenge, ask your club President to organise a special event with a different format. Get involved in organising a joint meeting with another club. Go and deliver your next speech at another club! Your possibilities are only limited by your imagination!