Here's my input... I so enjoyed the podcast:

District Conferences are positive way for new Toastmasters to meet TMs in a larger setting than club.  The conference itself should be rewarding for those first timers and many district have a ‘first timer’s meeting to talk about what they are going to expect.  As for the “rubber chicken,” I’ve had too many of them yet the conference was worth the time and effort driving 8-hours or flying as District 15 is LARGE. It covers, UT, so ID, Some WY, OR, AZ, NV. I have to remind myself in District 4 I could walk to my "area" clubs and the district was from SF to Monterey.

International Conventions are they too expensive? they are getting more expensive all the time.  I share the costs with others attendees with hotel room and travel if driving.  It is usually expensive if you go to all three: District, Region, and International.  It is worth it. But I know going to International I can walk and talk to the highest leader and not feel uncomfortable.  As for the presenters the headquarters screens the applications for presenters in February and discussed for who is the best choice at that particular conference.  I’ve enjoyed going to various locations that I would never have gone to if it hadn’t been for an international convention.  I am planning to attend the 2010 Australia Convention which will take $$$.

Officer Training is effective only when the leaders follow the concept that TM headquarters put out.  The script training is used because there are many new concepts for the leaders to know and not to be missed.  Yes, it can be boring but effectively used by the leaders in their own way.  I’ve had district leaders just winging it and it was horrible as they didn’t know the guidelines and the leaders could tell that.  TLI’s are wonderful and I wished more districts would use them wisely.  District 4 has a mini DEC meeting and training and talked about goals and asking each leader their positive hoorahs… we clapped and clapped as we wanted them to know “we” the leaders were behind them.

Speech feed back is needed for new toastmasters to get “their feet wet.”  They see the value when after several speeches they improved and challenged themselves to go beyond their comfort zone.  I’ve challenged each toastmaster (as coach) to develop their own evaluation of what they want to achieve in each speech and work with the evaluator of their speech so it teaches both.

I don’t believe in Non-manual speeches.  Yet, when a toastmaster is NOT prepared, I have a generic evaluation still.  When speeches don’t confirm to the manual, it means the TM is not learning… or they haven’t accepted the manual overview and evaluation.  Again, the mentor and Club Education VP are needed to follow through with prepared speeches that are needed to be evaluated.

New CL Manual is a better way to get the club members to participate as to why they are doing this particular assignment.  We can learn from tasks that have become dull and routine.  You don’t have to do the entire matrix, just notice the “X” are needed to complete that assignment.

Club Officers pressured into office… Hmmm.  I so recall when I moved into District 15 I knew more people dead than alive as I researched my relatives names in genealogy. So I decided to get a life and rejoin TM.  My first Spring Conference in D15 I was nominated on the floor as Division Governor.  I had NO idea who anyone was but I said, YES!  Why, because in D4 I was Area Governor twice and enjoyed TM.  I then worked with the incoming District leader to accomplish our district to being Distinguished.  Sometimes a little push can be helpful to the leadership; but know the person and get their background for future leadership commitments.  The word is COMMITMENT!

As for sex, politics and religion, I’ve talked about all at one time or another.  As someone in your group said, “It is the delivery.”  Some members are low tolerance to voicing the name culprits but some clubs thrive on topics of the news and that covers the above.

Manual speeches if you do a bad job… depend on your definition of bad.  In D4 one TM would demand a TM (new) to redo his speech before credit?  Finally, the club president had to make a strong statement, we are here to learn and develop our skills and harshness only takes away from the true evaluation effort.

Self Promotion – don’t we all do it in our own way?  We want to sell ourselves and yet we can do this in a way not to overkill.  Many times we’ve had flyers from other organizations come and flood our meetings.  Is that the way?  Probably not, but we still accept it. 

Speech contest coaching, is it helpful?  I agree with Rich Hopkins (which I know) that there are coaches that want a “mini me.” Coaches should prepared the contestant for that particular event and explain what to expect and if that speech does not win he/she is still a winner.  I’ve seen too many coaches through tempers to the air because “their” person did not win.  Coaching should be by various individuals, group coaching, whatever, should be critique of that individual at that time and NOT of past speech wins or losses.

Is Toastmasters ‘ingrained’ organization – NO!  I’m seeing younger people enter the TM organization.  We are more international than ever before.  The value is most rewarding to the younger generation because of their need for flexibility at work and personal life.  I see a wonderful leader, Gary Schmidt, 2nd VP as vivacious and knowing what the needs are for the younger generation.  Still the TMs like me, 20 years in TM, are looking for kinetics.  Yes, I believe some upgrading of the manuals is needed and as you said, 50’s philosophies are there.  The changes will come about just be patient.  The website is upgraded and the leadership of IDs and top leaders are working on your ideas if you give them a chance… but first they need to hear your ideas.

In conclusion I would offer any Toastmaster to go to an OPEN BOARD MEETING (Feb) at the headquaters in Los Angeles, CA area... it is worth the time and effort to see what the Toastmaster board accomplishes at their meetings... just another way to know Toastmasters is right for me!

Thanks, I enjoyed this session.

Interesting podcast today, folks.

A couple of points for me to hit:

1. Selling 'product' in TM. Many speeches are pitches, since that's why many join, to learn to give their pitches better. If I sell insurance, passing out a brochure or a business card may be an important part of my 'practice'. If this is abused, of course, that person loses credibility, and will not benefit.

As far as books - I don't give speeches about Win, Place, & Show, but when I visit a club I bring them, and usually the Toastmaster brings it up, or someone in TableTopics decides to promote it. I may get asked to say something, and I usually just say I teamed up with the speakers who beat me to produce this book, and if you want one, I've got some with me. No problems to this point, and I average 2-3 sales per meeting (which pays for my renewals to my clubs).

2. Coaching. I have, for years, used a coach I was warned away from. I'd been told he turns out clones, and people can always tell when he coaches them. I used him on the 'down-lo' for the first few years, and did fine. Now everybody knows he coaches me, and compliments me on being able to sift through what I want to use or not. Seems to me the responsibility is not just on the coach, but on the coachee. If you don't have strong skills or strong will, then its easy to copy what 'works'.

3. Competing in the WCPS. Haven't seen a winner with a death since Randy. It may be prevalent on stage, but death, cancer, and legacy stories just don't win anymore. Unless, of course, it changes this year. Contestants need to spend more time on giving the best speech, instead of using the best 'formula'.

I love the comments so far. Our district is pretty much "ingrained" and old-fashioned, so it's refreshing to hear others that feel free to discuss the foibles of Toastmasters. If each speech is evaluated for "opportunities for improvement," why not evaluate the organization the same way?

1. The cost of Internatonal. I fully agree that the cost is much too high for the quality of programs. It's not head-and-shoulders above District...really, it's just hearing from the same types of people who just happen to live in other Districts. Most presenters seem to be from the US, and I'd like to see more International speakers. In any case, I will not be going to International this year, and I am the DG of what will be a Distinguished District, because of the cost. My family is not interested in spending their vacation at a Toastmasters convention, and it's too cost prohibitive to go, and then take a separate vacation.

2. "Old" feel of Toastmasters. You're absolutely right about the manuals. They are old-fashioned, and the PowerPoints that come with the canned speeches break almost every current rule of good PowerPointing. The new web site look is nice, but half of my district officers are Internet illiterate. No kidding.

3. Feedback for an Ice Breaker: definitely! Even newbies don't want to hear that there is nothing to improve. I do think that the evaluator should take it easy on them, though, and maybe only give them one thing on on which to focus. For instance, the last Ice Breaker I evaluated, the gal brought up a huge stack of index cards with notes and ended up getting them all mixed up and even dropping some. I gave her some advice on how to write notes with bullet points instead of exact text, and then let her know that some day, she won't even need notes. Just a simple thing to propel her a little forward.