Distinguished Club Program

   I am always be impressed with Pioneer Toastmasters and the achievements in the Distinguished club Program. This will probably be the last time I talk about this for our fiscal year which ends at teh end of June.   

 Congratulations you all have achieved all of the educational goals and all of the other goals other than new members. 

  We are currently showing 13 members and we need 20 to get the distinguished award.   The last several years,   we have struggled to get the required number of members to qualify.  Never give up we have a few weeks to add the required number. 

Note: IF we get the 7 members needed to get to 20 we will check off the remaining new members goals as well and have checked off all the goals. 

No matter how this turns out,  well done Pioneers!   

Speaking Time Limits

We all are familiar that in toastmasters we time a lot of things. We of course time the prepared speeches, as well as Table Topics and Evaluations.  

  Why is timing so emphasized and why is it important? 

 

 Several years back I was in attendance to What we in the Air Force called an Senior NCO (None commissioned Office) induction Ceremony. This is a big deal for enlisted folks and among many things it is an opportunity to honor those entering the top levels of the enlisted Ranks. Top three as they are called. (E-7 to E-9 ranks)

   

  This particular year they invited a retired Colonel to be the keynote speaker. He went over his time limit significantly. It was very awkward and cringeworthy. I don’t recall exact times but it was probably close to double the time limit he was suppose to speak.  I guarantee the planners of this event did not forget this and it definitely went with this gentleman’s reputation after that.   This could be regarded as unprofessional and at minimum it was careless.  This caused the entire evening to run considerably late. 

This is one example of why time limits are important. I think that perhaps little more subtle is the choices on must make when taking your speech down to the time limit allowed. It causes you to focus on what is important. If you can not focus on all of the good things you had hoped to share what is most important?  

  Speech contests in Toastmasters are very strictly timed and if you go outside of the time limits you will be illuminated.  I watched,  one year,  a well known individual in district 26 exceed his time limit for the District Final contest.  He in the most professional way simply said it was my fault I deviated from how I normally gave the speech and I knew better than to do that. 

 To quote an article which I will link below, “Manage Your Speaking Time   By Diane Windingland, DTM"

 “Sticking to time limits is a signal of discipline and respect.It’s not just about following rules; it’s about respect—respect for the audience’s time, respect for fellow speakers, and respect for meeting agendas. Managing time well ensures meetings run efficiently and helps speakers practice delivering concise, impactful messages.”

There is much more that can be written or said about adhering to time limits but it is a very important part of public speaking in a concise and respectful way. It truly deserves the attention that toastmasters gives it as well as our own

Great article to read to go along with my quick thoughts on this subject;

https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2025/feb/manage-your-speaking-time article to read along with my quick thoughts on this subject!   

Frequently Asked Questions

   In doing some exploration on Toastmasters international I came upon the Pathways FAQ (Frequently asked Questions)  section.  I reviewed this and it is worth your time to do the same.  Some of the questions may not be ones you would have asked but there is still good information in there!

  

 I will highlight  a few I liked as they either informed me of something I did not know or reminded me of something I had not thought about in a long time.

IE:

"What is Pathways Return Policy"

  Return Policy for Pathways?  I did not know there was a return potential for a pathway that you purchased?  Yes, there is.   While this may be a rare event, as you have a lot of information about the pathways for you to review before choosing one, it may just be that after purchasing it you decide it is not what you want and desire a different pathway.  No problem you may return it and choose another.  There of course are limits to this, like you can't complete any project within the pathway,  it has to be within 30 days of purchase and you can do this exchange only once. 

How many free paths do we get?

 The short answer is one. Yes even if you belong to two or more clubs.  There is an exception to this and I will leave it to you to review this on the webpage.   (In short if you were a member of a second club before pathways began you may be entitled to a free second path. ) 

Can I access all of my projects within a path from the beginning?

Yes, when pathways was first initiated this was not the case but a change was made and you can now open and access projects at any level.   While highly encouraged to do them in order one could do a project in a higher level before completing the current one.  Note: Levels have to be signed off in order.  Example would be someone submitting to complete level two and have not completed level one, would require the completion of level one first before level two could be signed off. 

 I like FAQ sections as they are a pick and choose of information that can be very helpful in our knowledge of a subject. Here is the link to this FAQ:  https://www.toastmasters.org/education/pathways/frequently-asked-questions 

4 Ways too End a Speech with a Bang

 I have always struggled with conclusions in speeches. Seems like many times I just throw a conclusion on the end of my speech and it was probably the most neglected part or the speech preparation. 

I like this gentleman's ideas of how to use your conclusion to a speech to "end it with bang". 

To review his Four points:

End with a Call to action.

End with a quick summary of what you have spoken about.

Close with a story.

Close with Inspiration or Motivation.

Don't forget about Toastmasters International Website resources: 5 Public Speaking Tips to Speak with Confidence.

  As a seasoned Toastmaster. (Code word for old or maybe Vintage)  I have been known to forget about or simply not pay attention to the resources available to us as toastmasters on the Toastmasters International Webpage.  There is a wealth of resources and information there. One area are the videos.. I recently was doing a little exploring on the site and came across this video featuring Romona Smith the 2018 World Champion of Speaking.   It is called   "5 Public Speaking Tips to Speak with Confidence."  

 Who does not want tips from a World Champion of Speaking!?   

I am going to offer you a teaser for this video in my educational moment this week. I am going to present the first tip and challenge or encourage you to go and watch this video for yourself to get the other four tips. 

1. Know your subject. 

Know what you are talking about.  Become an authority on your subject!   This may seem to be obvious and fundamental.  To have confidence in speaking you need to have the facts about the subject and verify the sources and so forth for the message  you want to present in your speech. 

  When we first come into Toastmasters we will do what is called "The Icebreaker speech" . It is the first prepared speech and we are encouraged to speak about ourselves,. Tell about your upbringing maybe,  what you do for a living and so forth.  Why would that be your first speech? One reason is you are the authority on that subject! Speaking about ourselves is something we all know intimately. 

  If you know your subject and can speak to it confidently this can only help with confidence in your presentation.   

 I encourage you all to go and view the video and learn about the other  four tips!  

They are: 

2. Know your Audience and your space

3.  Keep Going

4. Imagine yourself giving a great speech

5. Focus on your message not yourself. 

There will be a quiz next week to see if you all did your homework! :).  

https://www.toastmasters.org/Resources/Video-Library/five-basic-public-speaking-tips

 

I received and probably many of you also received the following email from Toastmasters International.   There will see some changes to the Distinguished Club Program Requirements . You can see these changes in the chart they sent in the email.  I, being a creature of habit, tend to go to an automatic resistance to change. It is just human nature I suppose.  Some of the changes of note: All awards require the submission of club success plan. This part I don't have any resistance to. :).   I think ti is a good thing and our club submitted on this year so next year will be nothing new.    The standard has been for some time for membership "A net growth of three or net 20 members. Now that is the requirement for Distinguished. For Select Distinguished now is net growth of 5 or 20 members and President Distinguished requires simply net of 20 members.  The addition of the "Smedley Award".  25 total members and 10 goals achieved.   You can reference the email with the chart for exact requirements in all of the areas specified.   In my experience in Pioneer Toastmasters We have never had issue with achieving the Educational requirements. Take this years DCP report that I attached at the bottom of this post. We have 8 out of 10 goals achieved. Just the members portion is a struggle.    While I am resident to change I have found that when change happens there are opportunities to be had!  I say our club sets the goal for next year to achieve the Smedley Distinguished Award!   No goal is achieved without work! I know we can do it and what would that be like for Pioneer Toastmasters to have all 10 goals achieved and have 25 or more members?   That is compelling to me!    Not to neglect this year goals as we still have seven weeks left in this fiscal year and we should still be trying to meet our membership requirements for this year and achieve presidents distinguished.    May 6, 2025  Dear Club Officer, The Distinguished Club Program is evolving to better recognize and celebrate club achievements! We’re pleased to share that the Board of Directors recently made exciting enhancements to both the Distinguished Club and District Recognition programs for the upcoming 2025-2026 program year.  These improvements create a more accessible path to recognition while offering new challenges for high-performing clubs. They also better align our recognition programs with Toastmasters International’s strategic plan.  Changes to the Distinguished Club Program are:

A new qualifying requirement: Complete and submit your Club Success Plan by September 30  Introduction of the prestigious Smedley level achievement for clubs that maintain at least 25 members and accomplish all 10 Distinguished Club Program goals

Requirements Level Club Success Plan Membership as of June 30 Goals Distinguished Submitted by September 30* 20 total members or net growth of 3** 5 Select Distinguished Submitted by September 30* 20 total members or net growth of 5** 7 President's Distinguished Submitted by September 30* 20 total members** 9 Smedley Distinguished Submitted by September 30* 25 total members** 10

*For newly chartered clubs, the due date is 90 days after charter date. Clubs that charter after April 1 will automatically receive credit for submitting the Club Success Plan for their charter program year.  **Total member count consists of renewing, dual, new, charter, and reinstated members. Transfer members do not count toward this total.  We believe these changes will encourage more clubs to participate in the Distinguished Club Program, making recognition achievable for clubs at all stages. For clubs that have consistently excelled in the current program, the new Smedley level provides a new goal to strive toward.  As we all know, clubs are the heart of the Toastmasters experience. These program enhancements are designed to help every club create a vibrant, engaging environment where both the club and its members can flourish.  Thank you for your leadership and dedication. Please reach our team at clubquality@toastmasters.org if you have any questions.  Warmly,  Club Quality and Member Support  Toastmasters International  toastmasters.org

The Art of Evaluation

 We do evaluations in Toastmasters. It is a very important function of our meeting and serves to help the speaker to improve on their speaking and presenting abilities . It also helps the evaluator,  as the process of reviewing and evaluating a speech,  educates the evaluator sometimes more than the speaker. 

There is a lot of information on how to evaluate speeches and how to present those evaluations.  I would like to focus on the basics today and a great source about this I found on the Toastmasters international website See that article below: 

The Art of Evaluation

For many, the most valuable aspect of Toastmasters is the evaluations they give and receive. In successful clubs, members support each other through evaluations that encourage speakers to continue practicing and learning. Members who receive thoughtful evaluations feel heard and become motivated to improve. 

When giving evaluations: 

• Approach each speech with honesty while remaining positive 
• Pay attention to the speaker’s goals for self-improvement
• Evaluate what the speaker does and not who the speaker is
• Report what you see, hear and feel as a member speaks 
• Delivering an evaluation is an excellent way to practice and demonstrate your speaking skills. Remember these five points:

1. Before the speech, review the evaluation guidelines for that particular project and approach the speaker to discuss the objectives for their speech. Address any concerns.

2. Personalize your language. Before giving your evaluation, put yourself in the position of the speaker. Use “I” phrases and stay away from phrases like “You didn’t … ,” “You should have … ,” “You failed to ….”

3. To encourage improvement, use words like “I believe …,” “My reaction was …,” “I suggest that….”

4. Evaluate the speech—not the person! Always keep your main purpose in mind: to support, help and encourage the speaker. Don’t assess personal qualities—only assess actions related to the speech.

5. Promote self-esteem. Motivate and inspire the speaker to deliver another speech by giving sincere praise and constructive suggestions on what they can improve. Always end your evaluation with positive feedback. 

Source:  https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2016/oct2016/evaluation