Floor Candidate for Division K Director

Candidate Statement

I have been a Toastmaster for five years and I am currently the Area Director for K12 and the Immediate Past President of Woodford Green Speakers Club.  Through the learning opportunities offered at Toastmasters, I have learnt how to use public speaking to tell my story, influence others and create humour.

I am proud to be a member of Division K and I am delighted to stand as Division K Director because I would like to continue its legacy of success. I bring to this role a strong track record of Servant Leadership, extensive knowledge about Toastmasters and experience in building successful teams.

I value the principles of Servant Leadership and I promise to carry out my roles and responsibilities in line with these principles.  Therefore, I promise to listen to your concerns, cultivate a culture of trust and provide opportunities for growth. I promise to build on the successful work already achieved by the Division by setting a clear direction for the division in line with the Toastmaster’s constitution and bye-laws.

I promise to support the division and supervise the Area Directors at all times. My experience of doing this include supervising two Assistant Area Directors, supporting  Woodford Green Speakers club to transition from the previous Education program to Pathways Education Programme, facilitating workshops for   Club Officer training,  hosting two International Joint meetings,  organising Speech   Contests as well as Club Officer Election.  As a result, I have learnt how to motivate people from diverse backgrounds and I will draw on this to fulfil my role.

I appreciate the diverse nature of clubs in Division K as well as the challenges involved in attracting, nurturing and developing members.  Therefore, my vision is to collaborate effectively with Area Directors to plan and deliver inspiring training sessions that would empower both Corporate and Community Clubs in Division K to serve and support all members.

My vision is for all members to enjoy their Toastmaster’s journey. Therefore, I will seek to build a culture of trust, learning and fun because I believe this will inspire members to learn, grow and develop. I fully respect that membership is voluntary and I promise to support all members to balance their personal and professional lives and I will be responsive to their needs.

Outside Toastmaster, I am a Careers Guidance Professional and I use motivational and solution-focused techniques to help people achieve their full potential and greater self-awareness.  This experience will be an asset to me in this position because I will be able to draw on it to support Area Directors to deal with challenges and serve all members.

I have enjoyed all aspects of my Toastmaster’s journey and have delivered all my responsibilities with diligence, enthusiasm and transparency. I am committed to the continued success of Division K, the growth of all members and collaborative work with Toastmasters clubs worldwide. Therefore, I would welcome the opportunity to lead Division K.

Why are you applying to become Division Director?

I am passionate about the Toastmasters brand and I am keen to influence and promote it. I am diligent and aspirational and I consistently pursue excellence and meet performance targets. I have an excellent track record of delivering substantial change and working collaboratively with a diverse range of people.

Having had different leadership positions with Toastmasters, I have a sound understanding of the organisation and this would help me to share good practice, inspire our members and nurture new clubs.

I have over 17 years of leadership experience in the public sector and as a result, I have developed the skills and attributes to lead. This includes leading by example, working collaboratively with other people, inspiring people to succeed, planning and organizing and data analysis. To illustrate this, I have regular meetings with one of the club presidents who was struggling with the role and this allows me to review progress, offer support and share good practice. As a result, this club president has developed the confidence required to lead the club and inspire members to fully engage with their educational goals.

What leadership roles have you had in Toastmasters so far and when did you serve in these roles?

President for Woodford Green Speakers – 2019 – 2020

Vice President Membership for Woodford Green Speakers, 2016 -2019

What have been your key accomplishments and what have you learnt from in past leadership roles?

As the President of Woodford Green Toastmasters, I led the club to achieve the Distinguished Club Programme. This experience helped me to understand how to lead volunteers and work collaboratively with them.

As an Area Director, I have built a team of two Area Directors and together we motivate and support our members to plan and achieve their educational goals. Using my persuasive and negotiation skills, I have set up an Area Council for Area 12 which is working well. I am proud of this because this area has not had such a forum for some time.

I have built a strong and effective relationship with all clubs in Area 12 and as a result, I am able to influence members and suggest ideas. As an example, I spotted great talent in two members and I persuaded one of them to take part in the Area Contest and he achieved First Place. The second member was able to confidently plan and deliver an Ice Breaker speech; this was an achievement because she previously did not have the confidence to do this.

As a result of attending meetings worldwide, I have developed a good relationship with a club in Mexico. As a result, I have worked collaboratively with them to host joint meetings. This has resulted in one of their members joining our club.

What are the main responsibilities of Division Directors that you are aware of?

To support the Area Directors to meet their responsibilities to each of their clubs. This involves:
1.Planning and organising Club Officer Training and Division Contests
2. Providing training and feedback, monitoring the performance for each area based on the Distinguished Club programme and suggesting different approaches
3. Monitoring quality to ensure that the Toastmasters brand is promoted and maintained
4. Promoting effective Governance arrangements as outlined in the Toastmaster Constitution and Bylaws
5. Managing the budget for the division
6. Share good practice and be a source of inspiration
7. Promote the growth of clubs in each area

Last Updated on 22nd June 2021 by Lucinda Brooks