As my term as Area Director (AD) ends, I reflect on my journey and decidedly wish to share it with you.
I had no idea just how much I would enjoy this role when I took it on, more so than anything else but to help my friend, District Director, Andrew Mertens. There were 27 Area Director role positions to be filled!
In spite of my legitimate concerns as to whether I could actually do what was required, particularly due to my health challenges that affect my energy and my memory, and symptoms that show up in various ways, I said yes to help support Andrew.
Andrew believed that I could do the role and assured me that he would support me throughout the year.
The role, after all, is one of being a liaison between the District Leadership and the clubs, and is to support the clubs in their success.
It was decided that I would be in Division C as the Division Director was Bruce Laing another of my Toastmaster friends that I respect and adore. He is another individual who is aware of my challenges and also has the incredible gift to fill in my words when I cannot retrieve them and to help when I am being otherwise dysfunctional.
More specifically it was decided that I would be Area C33 Director. Although there were 5 clubs in this Area where most Areas had four, one of these clubs, Sun Life Speakers Corner, had Bruce as an executive member and significant club influencer guiding them. An awesome club to be affiliated with and learn alongside with! It also allowed Bruce to keep a close eye on me in case I needed help.
And help I would need. I recall near the beginning of the term how overwhelmed I felt and a couple of times I mentioned to Andrew how wrong he was about me and blamed him for being in this situation. (LOL silly me!)
There were real challenges happening for the clubs and for District 60. The pandemic had disrupted much. There were issues of being online, in person or hybrid or transitioning from one to another. Huge issues of membership existed too and, I believe, burnout for a lot of people.
There was also the challenge for me being on a learning curve, never having held such a position before. But isn’t that what Toastmasters like doing – stretching themselves to learn.
Somehow those challenges seemed to pass by as the days rolled by and interactions with my clubs and other Toastmasters in leadership were had. Well, the challenges just didn’t roll by; they were addressed and tackled in a multitude of ways.
The other four clubs in my Area were equally amazing. All with their different personalities and specialness showing in unique ways.
Liberty Village, an energetic lively bunch whose community club meets in the evening weekly – my only evening club. They also meet in person – one of the first clubs in the District to do so. This in-person energy drew in 33 new members this year.
One York had struggles, far unlike their previous year where they had been President’s Distinguished. There was a Speechcraft Program initiative to help address the issues. An incredible online meeting was held that was supported by the Trio and there were other District Leaders in attendance.
We The York did amazingly well in their club development, focusing on increasing membership and solidifying the bond with their affiliated corporation as well as staying committed to their Toastmasters goals.
20 Bay PROS of PROSE had quite the year, digging in deep to resuscitate the club when membership dropped to 3 members. Incredible efforts by Ken Weinberg, an executive member and longtime Toastmaster for guiding and pulling in a new team. Through using the Speechcraft Program repeatedly and attracting others to step in, the club membership grew and educational points were earned.
As previously mentioned, the position of AD is to support the clubs and be a liaison with the District Leadership and the clubs, and I was there supporting them. If I didn’t know the answers, I would be getting someone to help or alerting others of an issue that needed to be addressed. Sometimes I think it was a matter of my repeat communications so that individuals would know a deadline is fast approaching and my giving encouragement for them to meet it and/or give some vital information of available resources for the club – one of my favourite resources is the D60 Workshop Bureau and the workshops available for the clubs.
Of course, there was also the required task for supporting/running the contests, particularly the Area contests. This drew upon a new level of interaction – that with other Area directors and the support for each other. This is within one’s own Division as well as among all of D60’s Divisions. Again, I would find myself in a vulnerable position as I had to reveal limitations due to my conditions and yet found myself pleasantly surprised by many understanding and accommodating individuals. I had people take roles and I took roles that I could, helping how I was able to. I got to meet and know so many more people in Toastmasters and many particularly with strong leadership skills.
Being a member in a couple of advanced clubs and having been on the D60 conference committee the previous year, I had lots of people to contact beyond the Area C33 clubs to run my Area contests. Bruce stepped in as Contest Chair and Dawn Frail as Chief Judge with an all-star cast of judges, contest officials and audience.
It was spectacular how I did so much behind the scenes work to make it happen and I was so proud of all the contestants and all the individuals that participated. Indeed, I was proud of me! I was so happy for all the people who helped me. We did it together.
I learned so much! About Toastmasters! And about me!
There were several DEC meetings I attended and other training opportunities that brought me a sense of cohesiveness to the group and some of the skills and knowledge that I needed to do the job. There was so much support.
There was so much support for me so that I might give support to the clubs in my Area – helping the club members have the best and most successful experience possible.
The two club visits and reports per club required, gave opportunities to meet the club members and get to know them which would lead me to know how to support them.
Each club had executive members for whom I communicated with often and some of these executive members made up the Area Council. And although I sent emails to the Area C33 Council, unfortunately I did not have virtual or in-person meetings. It is with hindsight that I truly regret not doing so. The council meetings are a fabulous opportunity for these members (and me) to gel and develop comfort, trust and indeed an optimal learning environment among the group to help each other brainstorm and support one another particularly with club challenges. My growth-point suggestion to self is to appreciate the value of this gathering more and encourage it happens at least twice in the Toastmasters year.
I have to say there were incredible individuals taking on the club executive roles and leading the clubs. It was a pleasure and delight meeting them. There were many I recognized with strong leadership skills and potential. As Area Director one of the roles is inspiring and motivating others to step up into leadership roles. I found this is one of the aspects I so greatly enjoyed – informing others of their strengths in such a way that they can feel it and move forward in their growth.
It was all such an incredible year being around and working among individuals and groups of people volunteering their precious time and energy, giving so much of themselves to make things happen. Whether the Toastmaster member be seasoned like Tim Sulisz, District Parliamentarian, a new member to District 60 like Yukta, or the many other impressive individuals, being an Area Director allowed me the good fortune to meet and get to know them and learn from them. There is just some amazing magic that happens for people when people come together with talented focused leaders that assist one’s own development.
For me the development often happens slowly but this year as Area Director there seemed to be a little extra magical result occurring in my development. Perhaps it was from all those I got support from (Andrew Mertens, Bruce Laing, Andrew Horberry, and many more). Perhaps it was all the conscious support I gave to my five clubs directly and/or as part of a team that made a difference. Perhaps it was because of my clubs having success that I had success. Truly there is a direct relationship of such.
The clubs are remarkable clubs; working hard as club teams, not giving up and pulling themselves up when needed to and they didn’t stop stretching to reach goals right to the end of the Toastmaster year whether they be membership goal requirements or educational goals of members.
Club members, club executive members and the District Leadership, all stayed vigilant resulting in 4 of the 5 clubs getting special status recognition.
Sun Life Speakers Corner received Select Distinguished; We The York received Distinguished; 20 Bay PROS of PROSE received Distinguished and Liberty Village Toastmasters Club earned President Distinguished.
I am so proud of all of my clubs and all of their efforts and their impressive achievements and mostly for their personal growth along the way.
Area C33 having 4 clubs achieve this status recognition earned the Area, Select Distinguished status and as the Area Director I am credited with this honour.
It is a huge deal for me! Only 2 of 27 Areas achieved Select Distinguished with 4 Areas receiving Distinguished status.
Truly it was a very successful year … I grew immeasurably, I gained confidence, I am a better person for the experience.
If you have ever had doubts about taking on a leadership role within Toastmasters, I can assure you the camaraderie, the journey, the growth is truly phenomenal and you will be forever grateful for the experience.
