by Jennifer Lusby
Ahh, April in Winnipeg. Normally a time for rejuvenation, for spring cleaning, and for starting to plan all of the fun activities you’re going to do (outside) this summer. Be it patio hopping in town or getting out of town, there are so many things to do in such a short amount of time it’s easy to see why one of the first things to go are regular Toastmasters meetings.
But I’m here to tell you that is NOT a good plan!
Looking for an easy tool to make great posters to promote your clubs on your website or social media? I am going to recommend trying Canva.com.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3fnrjq_R4M]
This website provides you with all of the tools you need to make visually-appealing posters for your club’s next amazing event, or whatever you need.
One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to posting images on the internet. Canva also provides users with custom templates designed specifically for emails, websites, Facebook, Twitter and more. Never worry about what your posters are going to look like from one site to the next.
Get creative and have fun.
Have a look at the list of winners of the Eric Stuhlmueller Memorial Award! You’ll recognize the names of Toastmasters who began, not as “great leaders” but as new club members. They worked their way through the basic manuals, developing the skills that allowed them to take on leadership roles in their clubs, in District 64 and in their communities.
Who do you know that has stepped up to the opportunity to serve as a member of a District committee or the coordinator of a special event? Who has become an inspiring role model for others to do the same?
Who are the Toastmasters whose communication skills have led them to enter contests, lead training sessions and give educational presentations? Who has been invited to make a keynote address outside Toastmasters? Whose job offer came as the result of their dedication to building excellent communication skills?
Don’t forget that great leaders are great communicators! Set your plans to develop the skills and take the actions that will let you earn a nomination too!!
In the fall of 2013, as Mayor of Grenfell, Saskatchewan, I was instrumental in putting in place one of the first community Anti-Bullying Bylaws in Saskatchewan. This was a very progressive step and at the time, even the Government of Saskatchewan had not fully addressed this issue thru the application of laws or regulations. They have advanced on the issue, but to use their words “More work needs to be done.” Not to make light, but this is sadly very evident when you listen to the current issues of the day in Saskatchewan.
Our focus was mainly on the younger generation, even though the bylaw could be applied to adult harassment and bullying as well. Prior to the bylaw our local schools had limited ability to deal with what I would call “advanced bullying.” It was a two-step process. Step 1 was to apply warnings, eventually involve parents and give out verbal and/or written notice. Step 2 was to involve the RCMP in criminal charges.
It seldom (probably never) made it to step 2 as the task to document, involve the police, bring charges, obtain lawyers, attend court, etc. was too onerous. Many times bullying continued, step 1, after step 1, after step 1. The school, community and RCMP needed another tool.
After consultation with the schools, local RCMP and Town Council, the bylaw was put in place to give a mid-level deterrent with stepped financial fines that could be applied. This gave the school and the RCMP an extra tool in their tool box to deal with repeat, advanced bullying, or better still act as a deterrent in the first place.
How do I relate this to Toastmasters? At Toastmasters we also have written rules and regulations within the Toastmasters International Governing Documents. They are easy enough to find by Googling “Toastmasters Governing Documents.” On joining the organization we pledge to abide by the rules, regulations and policies within these Governing Documents.
How is this pertinent to us? Have you ever attended a club meeting where someone gave a rather lewd joke? More then once? Made rude remarks? Was insensitive on social media? Yes, bullying, racism and harassment can, and does, happen in the Toastmaster world. For most individuals on the receiving end it is unwelcome, unwanted, disrespectful and hurtful. Left unchecked it can cause members to leave the organization or clubs to fold. It has happened.
Do we need to put up with it? Should we put up with it? The simple answer is NO. The preamble to the Club Mission states:
“The mission of a Toastmasters Club is to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment..”
This implies an environment free from bullying, racism and harassment. Furthermore, in recent years Toastmasters International’s Board of Directors has done extensive work updating the Policy and Protocol Documents with more current code of Ethics, Protocol and Conduct in this regard. In the very simplest form they state:
“Toastmasters International prohibits all types of harassment and bullying. This includes, but is not limited to, sexual, verbal, physical, and visual harassment and bullying (including electronically).”
In Policy 3.0: Ethics and Conduct they define the type of behaviour that is not acceptable with very specific examples in an attempt to take away any subjectivity so there is no misunderstanding. Furthermore, they explain how matters can be handled, which levels are responsible, actions that can be taken, and ultimately member discipline procedures which could end up in dismissal from the organization.
Got a problem? You now have the “formal” tools to handle it. At the club I have seen it handled well by experienced General Evaluators, or Meeting Chair/Toastmasters of the Day, by stating to a particular member that a joke might not be acceptable, a comment might be off or a certain practice might not fit this club, this age, this community, etc. All done in a respectful way. It works.
On Social Media? Wow, that is a different world. Indeed look at almost any online political forum or news article site. It is deplorable! I think our organization is stronger than that. I did a presentation at PBS Toastmasters on our club’s expanded launch into Social Media and I offered three simple tips on conduct:
Respectful conversation.
Positive and constructive.
Air laundry elsewhere.
In item 3, I believe heated differences of opinion are best handled in person outside the medium of Social Media. Simple debates are acceptable (even healthy), but once things get heated, it does a disservice to the Toastmasters organization.
Remember the Toastmasters International Values: Integrity, Respect, Service and Excellence. Together we can keep our organization respectful, inclusive and proud.
At least, that is my opinion.
One of the continuous challenges of running a club is getting new officers trained and setup to take over club operations. Despite our best efforts, some key decisions and processes are inevitably missed and forgotten over time.
For all of the core things that need to stay with the club, it’s time turn to “the cloud“. By creating a Google Account using the Administrator’s email address from Free Toast Host (FTH), you will be given access to some of Google’s suite of free apps such as Google Drive, Google Photos, Google Docs, and much more. Click here to view an infographic that helps explain Google Apps (pinterest.com).
That’s it! You are now setup to start using Google apps with your Free Toast Host account. Have fun!
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