Editor’s Note
Toastmasters International has more than 13,000 clubs in 116 countries. Despite the geographical and cultural differences, the Mission of a Toastmasters Club unites us. Clubs that fulfill the Mission of a Toastmasters Club are more likely to provide the benefits of Toastmasters: effective communication, improved leadership skills, better teamwork, well-run meetings and increased productivity. Tomas Wagner sponsored the Queen’s Town Club which meets at the University of Hradec Králové, Czech Republic, in 2000. Over the years, the club strayed from the Toastmaster program and struggled to fulfill the Mission of a Toastmasters Club. Tomas, a highly experienced Toastmaster, quickly identified ways to reinstitute the Toastmaster program. As the club’s president he divided and delegated responsibility, and demonstrated the best practices of each meeting role. Yet despite these outstanding efforts, this university-based club suffered a severe set-back when many of the students graduated and left the club. The area governor and club overcame this set-back with a well-attended Speechcraft. With the strong focus on the Toastmaster program and several new members, the club won the Distinguished Club Award. This story proves that every club, even university-based clubs with temporary members, will enjoy success if it adheres to the Toastmaster program.
History
I had joined Toastmasters in Canada in 1987. When I returned to my home country, I founded and sponsored the Pardubice Enthusiast, the first club in the Czech Republic. A few of the charter members wanted a club closer to their home. To satisfy their request, I was the sponsor of the Queen’s Town Club in 2000. The club meets at the University of Hradec Králové. Hradec Králové translates as the castle of the Queen. This town was a dowry town of Elisabeth Richeza who in the 13th century was married to a Bohemian King. Therefore, we named the club the Queen’s Town Club. The University of Hradec Králové provided a free meeting room. The membership was from the school and the surrounding community. The University had also a population of 200-300 international students who showed special interest in the club.
When I returned to the club in 2009, it had three active members. The first club president left the club after five years. Then Katherin and BJ from the United States ran the club and served as presidents, one after the other. These presidents were very enthusiastic and did much of the work themselves. Unfortunately, the members learned that any work would be completed by the club president, this left the remaining members with little work to do and no motivation to do it. When BJ left membership dropped down dramatically. It was difficult to have fun meetings with so few members. The remaining members were all founding members. They already knew the proper meeting format, yet they had a tendency to stage a discussion rather than a meeting. Sometimes they would start the meeting 30 minutes after the proper time.
Plan
I created a three-part plan to improve the club. First, I would urge the members to return to the basics. For example, instead of starting late, the club would start and end of time. The club would also forgo the lengthy discussions and conduct a standard meeting with prepared speeches, table topics and speech evaluations. Moments of Truth, a module from the Successful Club Series, defines the qualities of a good meeting and a good club. Second, I would divide and delegate responsibility for the club’s operations among the remaining three officers and two members. Although we were few in number, every aspect of club operations such as public relations, scheduling meeting assignments and our treasury would be able to function. Third, I would join the club to help them overcome their challenges. I call this walking with them. This is important because rather than just giving advice, I would be directly involved in the rebuilding process.
Mind Mapping
The use of a mind map played a key role in my club coaching experience. Mind maps are an organizational tool for creative people. It will enable you to make connections between seemingly disparate ideas and concepts. It will help you organize your thoughts into a picture as well as help you see the big picture. A completed mind map facilitates identification of the important steps required to make the plan work. I used this mind map to rebuild the Queen’s Town Club…
Here are a few basic guidelines for creating a mind map.
- Write your key topic in the center of the page.
- Draw lines originating from the key topic to describe your major ideas.
- Create additional, smaller lines to further describe your ideas.
- Limit yourself to using only a few keywords per line.
- If possible, use images to make your point. A picture is worth a thousand words.
Implementation
I became a member to support the club and be an active part of the rebuilding process. I was able to walk with the members rather than just give them advice. Because the Toastmaster program works, the club added new members and enjoyed productive meetings.
The most discouraging moment came in the September of 2010. During my first year as coach, the club grew to 15 active members, yet only seven returned for the start of the Fall semester. Although I had anticipated the loss of these student members, it still was discouraging. I feel better knowing that these members may use their Toastmasters training: communication and leadership training, to do well in their future career and may return to Toastmasters someday.
In March 2011, we had 14 members, but needed six more. Toni Purdy, the Area Governor, started a six-week Speechcraft that ran from May to June. We needed something extraordinary to get the remaining members. The fact that the Speechcraft was taught by a native English speaker was a tremendous draw. Toni assembled a great team of helper from the neighboring clubs including the Pardubice Enthusiasts, Prague Speakers, the Brno Club. There were at least six helpers at each meeting, while the helpers rotated. Afterward, they adjourned for lunch.
The most exciting moment was at the end. I received a text message while vacationing in Italy that the club had added the last six members. We did it. We now have 17 members. We gained 5-6 additional, dedicated members who will organize a conference.
Lessons Learned
- As with anything, if you dedicate your time, energy, ideas and planning to accomplish a goal, you will be successful.
- Be present. Attend meetings, explain the Toastmasters program, participate in meeting roles.
- Seek help from others. Toni’s Speechcraft greatly helped the club. We became a successful club because of the six members from this workshop.
By Tomas Wagner
A Letter of Praise
It is my pleasure to recall and note some events which led to getting Queen’s Town Club back to charter strength by the end of our last Toastmasters year. Queen’s Town TM had been having difficulties gaining and keeping members. Hradec Králové, where the club is situated, is a university town. The club seemed to attract young students to the meetings who clearly benefited from their visits but very few joined the club knowing they would soon finish their studies and move on.
District 59 recognised the need for a coach to be appointed for the club. The obvious choice was Tomas Wagner as he is a long-time committed Toastmaster, lives not so far away and had a vested interest in the club having sponsored the club. Tomas was a regular attendee, took on the role as President of the club and empowered members by delegating roles while at the same time being there to support them.
I knew that Tomas and other leaders in the club were keen to get their numbers up to charter strength and to have the club recognized with a TM educational award so, during my official visit as Area Governor in late January, I presented the club with a challenge – find interested people and I will run a Speechcraft course. I gave them until the spring Area conference in mid-April to find these people to begin the course in early May. How they found participants was entirely up to them. Fliers were prepared, companies approached, numbers were found.
The Speechcraft course had a 100% success rate with all participants joining Queen’s Town. Undeniably the success of this course is due to Tomas Wagner’s enthusiasm in motivating his members to sponsor the course coupled with regular attendance and participation by he and his wife, Valerie. Tomas had the foresight to see that Speechcraft could be the catalyst through which the club could succeed not only in gaining new members but in motivating existing members.
It worked and I am proud to say that the members our Speechcraft course attracted have added a new freshness and vitality to Queen’s Town Toastmasters club. Under Tomas’ leadership, the club recently hosted a very successful Division D conference.Toni Purdy, Immediate Past Area D2 Governor
Division D Governor, 2011-12
District 59, Continental Europe