Tips for a Quality Club

These are tips that I've collected from District 7 Training Sessions

Educational

• Are all speeches manual speeches?
• Do all evaluations both encouraging and contain suggestions?
• Is the club committed to having every new member earn their CTM?
• Is every officer committed to earning their CL?
• Will the club conduct a Successful Club Series module?
• Does the club immediately submit educational applications to WHQ?
• Quickly recognize member achievement?
• Display the Member Progress Chart?
  

Evaluations

• Are the evaluations supportive?
• Do the evaluations focus on the goals of the speech and extra goals the member set for him/her self?
• Do evaluations contain suggestions for improvement?
• Are evaluations phrased as opinion and not expressions of fact?
• Is the presentation technique and speech construction but not the views of the speaker evaluated?

Club Meetings

• Is an schedule published ahead of time?
• Is each meeting well organized and have an agenda?
• Are the meeting participants confirmed ahead of time by the Toastmaster and/or General Evaluator?  (In some clubs, the General Evaluator contacts the evaluation team while other clubs have the Toastmaster contact everyone.)
  
• Are guests welcomed and invited to join?

Club Officers

• Do officers attend officer training?
• Do officers understand their roles and responsibilities?
• Are new member applications submitted immediately?
• Are officer lists sent in promptly?
• Is an updated to the officer list sent in if there is a change in information?  This includes an election to fill a vacancy or a change in the President's contact information.
  
• Are dues submitted promptly to WHQ?

Recruitment

• It takes time for a recruitment program to become effective.  The time to start is before the club has too few members.
  
• Does the club have a recruitment program?
• Does have open houses, Speechcraft, educational programs designed club members or other special program to attract guests?
• Are members encouraged to bring guests?
• Are there presentations to teach members skills needed to effective invite guests?  (For example, a process to listen to the potential guest then explain how Toastmasters can help them.)

Guests

• Does the club have a guest packet?
• Does the guest packet include a copy of the current club newsletter?
• Is the guest introduced to an experienced member who can answer questions?
• Is the guest asked to sign the guest book.
• Is the guest introduced at the beginning of the meeting or as soon as practical if s/he arrives late?
• Is the guest asked for the feedback at the end of the meeting?
  
• Is a letter inviting the guest to a second meeting sent within a couple days the meeting?
  

New Members

• Are new members oriented within two weeks?
• Is the program & recognition system explained to them?
• Is a mentor assigned immediately?
• Is the member quickly added to the schedule?  (Experienced members my be willing to give up simpler duties before the next schedule is published.)

Going Beyond the Usual

• Is communications facilitated with a club newsletter, web page, e-mail list and or phone calls?
• Are contests encouraged?
• Do members attend District meetings and conventions?
• Are there inter-club activities?  These may be joint meetings or speaker/evaluator exchanges?
• Does the club have social activities?  (Social activities becoming the focus of the club is a trouble sign, but periodic events build club spirit and fellowship.)
  

Ideas for Toastmasters.  A collection of meeting ideas, ideas for officers and speech ideas.

Rick's home page with index or without index

Last Updated:  $Date: 2004/04/05 05:52:00 $