Second Vice President, Deepak Menon, DTM will be Keynote Speaker!

Official Newsletter of District 56 • www.tmd56.org

Serving Southeast Texas

Volume 13, Issue 8 February 2017

Inside this Issue

DISTRICT TRIO MESSAGES

District Director ........................................... 1

Program Quality Director ........................... 2

Club Growth Director .............................. 3-4

MEMBER ARTICLES

How You can Help Clubs in Need ............. 5

Visit Other Clubs while Traveling ............. 6

DISTRICT NEWS

Club Newsletter Contest ............................ 6

Spring Conference ................................ 9-10

Forum 56

District Mission We build new clubs and support all clubs in achieving excellence.

District 56 proudly welcomes the Second Vice President of Toastmasters International, Deepak Menon, DTM as our keynote speaker for our Spring Conference on May 5-6, 2017. The Conference will be held at the Whitehall Hotel in downtown Houston. From the Press Release: As a member of the Toastmasters International Board of Directors, Menon is a “working ambassa-dor” for the organization. He works with the Board to develop and support the policies and procedures that guide Toastmasters International in fulfilling its mission.

Menon is a chartered accountant at J.P., Kapur & Uberai in New Delhi, where he is one of nine partners. He oversees management and operations, and specializes in international taxation, cross-border taxation, transfer pricing and direct taxes. Menon also serves as chair of the Chandra Charitable Trust, a nonprofit organization. Menon is a fellow chartered accountant with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, where he also earned a Diploma in Information Systems Auditing. While working with the American Center in New Delhi, Menon served as a coach for Toast-masters’ Youth Leadership program and helped build communication and leadership skills for approximately 700 underprivileged children. He also served as secretary of St. Columba School’s alumni society Old Columbans’ Association, and in 2006, co-founded the publish-ing house Ambi Knowledge Resources Private Limited. A Toastmaster since 2002, Menon’s home club is Central Delhi Toastmasters. He has held a number of high-profile leadership positions within Toastmasters and has attained the Distinguished Toastmaster designation—the highest level of educational achievement in the organization. “Toastmasters has taught me skills that no school, college or university can teach,” he says. “It has helped me evolve from a being a lone-player to a being a team-player; from being led to being a leader; from the problem to being the solution." We are sure you do not want to miss this opportunity to hear Deepak Menon’s insights and wisdom. Register here for the Spring Conference.

Martha Elias, DTM District Director 2016-2017 dd@tmd56.org

Program Quality Director Corner

“Being on the Stage” Toastmasters International gives us unique opportunities to “Be on the Stage.” You can perform as part of a Speech Contest and perhaps you took advantage the opportunity to be a contestant in your Club Contest this month. However, you may not be comfortable with speaking to an audience in a contest. Over time, by giving speeches from your Competent Communicator Manual at your club, you will gain confidence to “take the stage.” You can still participate in a contest. Behind the “Curtain” of the Stage Part of the reason many are apprehensive about competing is they are unsure of what is happening. That is easy to solve. Join in with the FUN! Inform your Area or Division Director that you are willing to be a Functionary for their contest. (I do recommend that you be a contestant in your Club when you feel that you are ready).

There are many roles to fill: 1. Contest Chair (1-2) 2. Timers (2-3) 3. Ballot Counter (2-3) 4. Sergeant at Arms (1-2) 5. Chief Judge 6. Judges (3-5) Most of the roles can be performed by most Toastmasters’ members that are active in their meetings. Volunteer – it’s a great way to learn about contests. Now let’s have FUN Attend the contests at your Club, Area, & Division levels. Then, attend the District Conference and watch the District Speech Contests. Whether you attend as a Functionary or an audience member, attend and you’ll have fun and learn by observing other speakers. First, Contestants need and want an audience. Second, you will get to hear speeches by members in different areas of the district. Third, you will be able to network with other Toastmasters. And best of all - you will be able to see how other Toastmasters have improved. Access the district website at www.tmd56.org and view the Calendar. In March, there are area contests every Thursday Night and Saturdays somewhere. Beginning in April, there will be Division contests throughout the month; all members welcome to attend. In May, our District Conference will be held on May 5-6; register now to attend this exciting event! Bring friends and family so they learn about Toastmasters and why you are a member!

R.W. (Bill) Sullivan, DTM Program Quality Director 2016-2017 pqd@tmd56.org

FORUM 56 Volume 13 2

Marketing Workshop a Success!

Fellow Toastmasters, Our sincere thanks to everyone who made the Spring Marketing Workshop a success! On behalf of District 56, we thank all presenters, volunteers, and attendees. All presentations were very well received. The presenters shared skills, tools, and techniques to make your club successful by having a club success plan, growing and retaining membership, and having a club coach if needed. The workshop began with Monnica B. Rose, DTM, 2015-2017 Region 3 Advisor. She presented the "Roadmap to Distinguished by giving Membership Growth and Reten-tion Ideas" and discussed building membership, retaining membership, and creating a club action plan. She focused on sharing best practices with your club members, conducting a Moments of Truth module, and completing

your club action plan with agreement from all members. She put forth membership growth ideas such as having membership campaigns, hosting a Speechcraft and open house, and sharing your Toastmasters Magazine. She also imparted membership retention ideas such as orienting and train-ing members, bonding as a club, and recognizing achievement. Pamela McCown, DTM, PID, Chief Ambassador for Pathways, shared her excitement for the “Toastmasters Pathways Learning Experience” program and gave us insights into what to expect as we make the transition to the Pathways learning management system. She explained how Toastmasters International will offer members improved opportunities to learn and grow, how members interact with the education program, and when it will be rolled out to our region. She talked about new opportunities for becoming a Pathways Guide. She described that the Pathways Guide is a district officer position who works with the Chief Ambassador (CA), Program Quality Director (PQD), and an Ambassador to prepare a group of clubs for the launch of Pathways. Kelly Sargeant, CC, CL, second runner-Up World champion of Public Speaking in 2014, presented an inspirational keynote, “Take the Lead to Succeed!” She shared her story of how she faced her fears in order to accomplish her goals. She introduced a 3-step strategy for discovering the roadblocks, how to solve them, and planning next steps towards reaching your dreams. She inspired everyone to create an action plan to instill courage, confidence, and credi-bility in yourself. Carol Caraway, DTM, Immediate Past Distinguished District Director, talked about “Your Role in the 2015 Strategic Plan.” She communicated the necessity of strategic planning which helps to set priorities, strengthen operations, and establish agreement on intended outcomes and results. She instructed attendees to identify three specific goals: Club Excellence, Member Achievement, and Awareness, Engagement, and Participation. She stated as a member we can identify our impact and determine how we can influence the growth and success of the organization. Cynthia S. Abdon, DTM, current District 56 Speechcraft Chair, showed Toastmasters how to organize a Speechcraft. She stated briefly, why Speechcraft is considered by Toastmasters International as the number one membership build-ing tool. She also provided a step-by-step training on how to be a Speechcraft Sponsor, Coordinator, Presenter, or Advisor. Allen Prescott, DTM, Past District Governor, talked about “Why YOU Should Be a Club Coach?” He encouraged everyone to earn a Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) and reminded us the Advanced Leader Silver (ALS) award was a prerequisite. The requirements for earning the ALS award entail either being a sponsor or mentor of a brand new Toast-masters club; or, a coach for an existing struggling club with 12 or fewer members. He discussed the Toastmasters Club Coach program in detail and how the District 56 Club Coach Committee plays a role in finding club coaches and assisting them.

Continue on next page.

FORUM 56 Volume 13 3

Marketing Workshop a Success! Cont’d from previous page

Richard Kummins, DTM, led the Combined Officers Training. He taught club officers to succeed in their roles and achieve Distinguished club status or better.

Thank you to those who attended the Spring Marketing Workshop; we hope that you found the workshop informative. We are looking forward to a Distinguished Toastmaster Year!

Nagaraja Basappa, DTM Club Growth Director, Toastmasters District 56, 2016-2017

FORUM 56 Volume 13 4

How You Can Help Clubs in Need by Allen Prescott, DTM, PDG

All clubs go through good times and not so good times. During those good times, membership is at 20 plus; high-quality meetings are held; guests attend and join; members are reaching their educational goals and enjoying their Toastmasters experience. During those not so good times, however, something is just not right. Membership may be low, meetings may be poorly planned, guests don’t show up or those that do are not impressed and never come back. Sometimes clubs bounce back quickly; other times clubs need help. They need someone from the outside to come into the club and assist them. Toastmasters has a way to assist struggling clubs; it’s called the Club Coach Program. Here’s how the Club Coach Program works: One or two Toastmasters are assigned as club coaches to a club with 12 or fewer paid members. Those two Toastmasters cannot already be members of the club and their assignments are approved by the Club Growth Director or District Director. Once assigned as club

coaches, their job is simple: do whatever it takes to get their club to distinguished status per the Distinguished Club Program. When that happens, the club coaches receive credit for having coached a club, which gives them partial credit for their Advanced Leader Silver (ALS) award and gets them one step closer to that DTM. Sounds simple, right? Well, not really.

Usually the club coaches are left on their on to figure out how to help their assigned club. They may ask the club’s Area Director for advice, but that’s about it. There’s nobody in the District they can turn to for assistance or advice on how to get their club to distinguished status. After several months, they get frustrated and terminate their club coach assignments. I know, this sounds really depressing, but it does happen. District 56 came up with a great idea! Why not create a committee to assist and advise the club coaches? This committee would be a direct link to other resources in the district to help the club coaches. This committee would seek advice from the District Executive Committee (DEC), if necessary, for the club coaches. (In case you don’t know,

the DEC consists of all the current Area Directors, Division Directors and Senior Seven Directors.) Good news! This committee is being formed and is called the Club Coach Committee. In the beginning of the 2016-2017 Toastmasters year, your Club Growth Director, Nagaraja Basappa, DTM, asked me to form this committee and I enthusiastically said yes! I am so committed to forming this new committee that I am making this the subject of my HPL project toward earning my second DTM. I know that I cannot do this myself; a one-person committee is not very productive. Therefore, I am seeking Toastmasters to be a part of the Club Coach Committee. Several committee roles have been defined, such as club coach locator, struggling club locator, coach to club matchmaker, club coach follow-up, administrator, and public relations. A detailed description of these committee roles can be found here. The Club Coach Committee has a vision and mission statement found here. Please be advised that members of the Club Coach Committee are not club coaches; they are not going to the clubs and performing club coaching duties. Instead, they assist, advise and find resources for club coaches. Here’s a flyer that explains the club coach program: Club Coach Program. An email has been established to handle club coach matters: ClubCoachesChair@tmd56.org. Use this email for any of the following concerns or inquiries: You want to be a member of the Club Coach Committee You are looking for a club to coach You are a club looking for a club coach You have questions about the Toastmasters Club Coach Program Allen Prescott, DTM, PDG

FORUM 56 Volume 13 5

FORUM 56 Volume 13 6

Does your club have a newsletter? If so, consider entering our newsletter contest! If not, consider creating one. While providing club information, the newsletter team may earn credit toward goals in the Competent Leader manual. The winner will be announced at the 2017 District 56 Spring Conference. Contest Criteria: • Must use current TI logo. • May use TI templates or create your own layouts. • Club must be in good standing. • Issues dated between July 1, 2016 and April 1, 2017.

• Deadline for submissions: April 1, 2017. • Include correct Toastmasters branding standards (colors, use of logo, fonts, images, design devices.) • Minimum of two pages; no maximum number of pages. • Maximum of one entry per club. • Results will be announced at the 2017 District 56 Spring Conference. • Winning club will receive a $25 gift certificate to the TI International shop. The judges will evaluate the newsletters using the guidelines listed below. The maximum points per category are shown at right. Does the newsletter contain educational articles, recognition of member and club achievements, and

promote participation in Toastmasters’ activities? 25 points Is the newsletter informative and entertaining? 25 points Does content appear to be well compiled? 20 points Does text follow rules of grammar, free from typos? 10 points Is layout attractive? 10 points Do graphics provide logical connection to story or provide valuable information? 10 points Please submit your club newsletter in PDF format to d56newsletter@tmd56.org

I always encourage people to visit clubs when traveling. I have visited clubs in Utah, California, Washington, D.C., Orlando and several clubs in Texas. The last club I visited was in Japan; what an experience! Every club I have visited has been so welcoming and appreciative of the visit; however, in Japan, I felt like a superstar. They knew I was coming to visit and I arrived just as the meeting began (that is a speech in itself!). The members actually stood and cheered; I am guessing that it was the first time a Texan had visited the Yokohama Frontier Toastmaster Club. I highly recommend members visit other clubs when traveling;

it is a GREAT way to meet the world and make friends. Terri Pettijohn, CC Coastal Island Toastmasters Club

Visit Other Clubs While Traveling by Terri Pettijohn, CC

FORUM 56 Volume 13 7

Get Ready for the 2017

Toastmasters International Convention in Vancouver, BC Canada

Registration begins April 2017

Click Here to access the Toastmasters International website page

or contact Pamela McCown, DTM, PID

Pathways Chief Ambassador, District 56 pamelamccown@hotmail.com

“The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but

not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not

bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but

not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have

humor, but without folly.” Jim Rohn

Talk Up Toastmasters Membership Program

Can your club add five new, dual, or reinstated members with a join date between February 1, 2017 and March 31, 2017? Accomplish this goal and you’ll qualify to receive a special "Talk up Toastmasters" ribbon to display on your club’s banner. Qualifying clubs can also earn a special discount code for 10-percent off their next Toastmasters International Shop club order. To qualify, the individual club must add five new, dual or reinstated members between February 1, 2017 and March 31, 2017.

In addition, District 56 Toastmasters will award a $50.00 Gift Certificate for the Toastmasters International Shop to each club who accomplishes this goal.

The "Talk Up Toastmasters" membership program is the chance to encourage your members to invite guests to a special meeting where prospective members can learn about Toastmasters' many benefits.

New Member Sponsorship (October 1, 2016 - March 31, 2017)

Each member who sponsors 5 new members

will receive a Where Leaders Are Made pin.

Bring guests and convert them to members!

FORUM 56 Volume 13 8

Your Toastmaster Profile

Every member has a profile page on the Toastmasters

International website. You can create a login and update your contact information, view your educational awards, offices held and verify club memberships. You

can also upload a photo on your page.

Click Here to login, then access “My Toastmasters” at the top of the page.

April Dues Renewals

Renew for 20 Plus or Base Plus 5 Anytime from (Jan 2017 – March 15th, 2017)

Cost $45.00

Each club that submits dues renewals for their July 1, 2016 club membership base plus five or

20 members by March 15th will receive a $25.00 Gift Certificate to the Toastmasters

International online Store. OR

Each club that submits dues renewals for their July 1, 2016 club membership base of

eight or more members by March 15th will re-ceive a $10.00 Gift Certificate to the

Toastmasters International online Store.

Note: Clubs who have paid Double-dues are excluded from this incentive.

How to Receive a Spring or Fall Conference Registration

New Club Leads The District is looking for new club leads. Provide a new

club lead and that club charters by April 1st, you will receive a free conference registration to the 2017

Spring Conference.

If your lead charters after April 1st, you will receive a free conference registration for the 2017

Fall Conference.

District 56 Spring Conference

Mark your Calendar and Register!

May 5-6, 207 at the Whitehall Hotel in Downtown Houston, Texas.

What will be the most whopping Tall Tale

in the district?

Who will be the District International Speech Contest winner to represent District 56 at the World Championship of Public Speaking in

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in August?

Where else can you get panel discussions,

speeches, educational sessions and networking with your fellow Toastmasters?

REGISTER HERE and join us at the Spring

Conference!

FORUM 56 Volume 13 9

Register for the 2017 Spring Conference

Co-Chairs Lisa Harkrider-Farley, ACB, CL and David Rebeles, DTM

FORUM 56 Volume 13 10

Register for the 2017 Spring Conference

FORUM 56 Newsletter Articles of 200–300 words may be submitted via email to forum56@tmd56.org, or call directly to 713-320-8396 for more information. Deadline for submissions is the first week of each month for publishing by the end of each month.

Public Relations Team

Forum 56 Chief Editor………………………………………………..Jody White, DTM PR Assistant Editor ......................................................Vicki Clakley, DTM Webmaster ....................................................... Marshall Carter, CC, ALB

The information in this newsletter is for the sole use of Toastmasters members for Toastmasters business only. It is not to be used for solicitation or distribution of non-Toastmasters materials and information.

Connect with District 56 on Social Media

2016-2017 District Leadership Team

District Director .......................................................... Martha Elias, DTM Program Quality Director ................................. R. W. (Bill) Sullivan, DTM Club Growth Director ........................................ Nagaraja Basappa, DTM Finance Manager...................................................... Rulan Patel, CC, ALB Public Relations Manager ............................................ Jun Haan Too, CC Administration Manager ................................. Soraya Mohammed, DTM Logistics Manager .......................................... Sean Harrington, ACS, ALB Immediate Past District Director ............................. Carol Caraway, DTM

www.tmd56.org District 56 Toastmasters

www.toastmasters.org

The names “Toastmasters International,” “Toastmasters,” and the Toastmasters International emblem are trademarks protected in the United States, Canada, and other countries where Toastmasters clubs exist. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

Check your club’s DCP progress on the dashboard!

FORUM 56 Volume 13 11

Evaluate Your District

Use your Smartphone App to scan the QR Code and be taken directly to the survey.