D50 After Dark connects to Cape Town, South Africa, when host Mickey Bennett welcomes Aletta Rochat, the First Vice President of Toastmasters International, to the show. Aletta shares her Toastmasters experience joining Cape Town Toastmasters in 2008 when she sought personal growth beyond her family. Since then, she still finds value in every club meeting. 22:34 “That is where the magic happens.”

In a discussion of Toastmasters International's top leadership, Aletta sheds light on its opportunities for leadership growth. 8:07 After completing district trio leadership roles—Club Growth Director, Program Quality Director, District Director—individuals can aspire to Regional Advisor positions. These provide operational guidance for the Trio and Public Relations manager in several districts for 15 months. 8:56 Another avenue is election to the Board of Directors, a two-year term that entails strategic oversight crucial for the organization's global impact. 10:03 Above the Board of Directors is an executive committee, consisting of the 2nd Vice President, the 1st Vice President, the president-elect, the International President, and the immediate past president. That team, along with the CEO, set strategic direction and bring proposals to the board of directors for approval.

Aletta’s insights include her vision for the future of Toastmasters. 14:40 With firm conviction, she articulates the organization's pivotal role in building bridges of understanding between people through communication and leadership development. 18:00 In practical application, companies staffed with excellent communicators and people with leadership skills will experience higher productivity, higher morale, and higher efficiency. Aletta emphasizes the increasing relevance of these soft skills, especially in the era of rapid technological advancement.

19:38 Mickey asks how technology will affect future changes in Toastmasters. Aletta responds that with every technological breakthrough, the expectation arises for its application everywhere straightaway, including Toastmasters. 15:44 Aletta’s vision for the future of Toastmasters is that it thrives globally and that it has the technology to support its members and leaders so they can do what they do in “an easy, sophisticated manner.” This means continuing to invest more money, time, and human capital. She envisions a future where Toastmasters remains flexible and nimble, leveraging technology to enhance member experiences and organizational efficiency.

As the conversation flows, Aletta's passion for Toastmasters shines brightly, transcending her esteemed position as the First Vice President. 22:52 She emphasizes, “First and foremost, I'm a member just like any other member and as our past International President, Pat Johnson, once said to me..., ‘I get exactly the same salary as you. There are lot of zeros on my paycheck, but I'm here to serve Toastmasters just like you are.’”

Also, stay tuned for the next two episodes over the next several weeks as the conversation continues.

Register for the 2024 Spring Conference TODAY to get your chance to meet Aletta in person!

http://www.D50TM.org/CONFERENCE

Welcome to "Meet The Producer," where you get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the mastermind behind D50 After Dark, Tommy Kenyon. As the producer of the flagship podcast of Toastmasters Techno, Tommy brings you insights into podcasting and various forms of technology. Join us as we delve into the world of podcast production and explore how technology enhances the Toastmasters experience. Tune in to learn more about Tommy's journey and the exciting innovations happening at Toastmasters Techno. For more tech-savvy content, visit http://tmtechno.toastmastersclubs.org.

In episode 7 of D50 After Dark, host Mickey Bennett explores how potential district leaders can focus their efforts to get leadership roles. Kristy Pedersen (District Leadership Committee Chair), Cle Kimble (Area 44 Director), Jyo Pai (New Member Mentor Chair), and Akash Navneeth (Town North Division Director) relate their experiences and offer advice.

 1:09 Kristy explains the careful process of nominating district leaders, underscoring the committee's role to ensure candidates are qualified. 2:06 There are 9 elected district leaders: 6 division directors, District Director, Program Quality Director, and Club Growth Director (which requires at least 2 candidates). Appointed positions are Finance Manager, Administration Manager, Public Relations Manager, and area directors. All these positions fulfill the leadership credit toward a Distinguished Toastmaster award.

5:14 Jyo describes her role as New Member Mentor Chair, stressing the cooperation and support between the new member and their club. In one-hour monthly sessions, she answers questions by new members and makes suggestions. 6:47 Mickey asks how a member knows when they are ready to step into leadership roles. 7:24 Jyo responds that a member will know when other club members recognize their abilities and ask them about serving as a mentor or an officer. If that does not happen, members can volunteer for roles at conference or training sessions where they can get a taste of leadership.

 9:30 Responding to Mickey’s question about her favorite Path, Cle tells how Team Collaboration prepared her as she ran for Garland City Council. It benefits her job too. 10:30 She recommends that area directors seek support from the previous area director and current division director for resources, contacts, and information. 

 14:05 Akash picks Dynamic Leadership as his favorite Path because it offers speaking and leadership projects that are aligned for his career goals. Akash comments on the difference between area directors and division directors. ADs have a hands-on approach with the clubs. Division directors focus on making sure ADs are meeting their duties and coordinating with district officials to get the support ADs need for the clubs. 

 18:30 To prepare for the division director role, Akash worked closely with the previous division director during the six months before his tour began. 20:41 Jyo applauds this early mentoring and points out that division director candidates can be building a team of ADs even before they are elected. Candidates can talk to (avoid email) potential ADs and set the stage for a successful team the following year. When Jyo was a division director, she met with her ADs every month. She fed them meals and met face-to-face to nurture that relationship. 

 Mickey summed it up, “As an area director you learn how to be a leader, and you learn how to help clubs be successful. As a division director, you learn how to make other people into leaders and how to build teams that work well together.”

Tune in to D50 After Dark's special episode as we discuss golden opportunities for sponsors in celebration of the Toastmasters International 100th Anniversary Spring Conference in District 50. Join the conversation and explore how your brand can shine!

Leadership Opportunities in District 50: Call for Nominations

It’s that time of the year when District 50 comes alive with the buzz of leadership opportunities. Episode 6 of D50 After Dark covers District 50's call for nominations. Host Mickey Bennett welcomes Kristy Pedersen (District Leadership Committee Chair), Cle Kimble (Area 44 Director), Akash Navneeth (Town North Division Director), and Jyo Pai (New Member Mentor Chair). This panel inspires listeners to consider leadership roles to shape District 50's future.

1:56 Responding to Mickey’s question about qualifications for district positions, Kristy refers to District 50’s website, https://d50tm.org/district-50/leadership/ where the District Leadership Committee—Call for Nominations contains information and forms.

2:19 Qualification requirements vary by office. Being on a District Council (mostly club president or VP of Education) is recommended for Area Director and required for Division Director. For the district Trio— Club Growth Director, Program Quality Director, and District Director— there are more requirements.

Nine of the positions are elected by the District Council; those positions are Division Directors (6) and the Trio. 4:05 These nine must have applied or been nominated by January 15, 2024. This deadline allows time for the committee to do interviews and determine the slate of nominated candidates.

Not every district leadership role involves election. 4:59 Area Directors (26), Administration Manager, Finance Manager, and Public Relations Manager are appointed. Applicants may indicate their interest by applying now through June 2024.

5:40 Whether the positions are elected or appointed, the next six months will be a time of team building, networking, and planning. 6:54 Those who are facing elections will learn how to run for a leadership position in the district. 6:20 Those who are appointed will be approaching the leaders who will be making selections for their teams.

10:14 One important consideration is that serving as a district leader is a requirement for a Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) award. Kristy pointed out that it is a worthy goal that does require one year of district leadership service.

11:18 The district leadership roles that qualify for credit toward a DTM are Area Director, Division Director, District Director, Program Quality Director, Club Growth Director, Finance Manager, Administration Manager, and Public Relations Manager.

There are many other opportunities for district leadership. 12:42 Jyo discusses serving as TLI chair, conference chair, and minute-by-minute chair which are three very different ways to grow leadership skills.

15:13 Kristy urges aspiring leaders to think about their future and grow their potential. She emphasizes that January 15, 2024, is the final deadline for applications/nominations for elected leadership positions for the next fiscal year. Submit the forms located at https://d50tm.org/district-50/leadership/ to her at [email protected].

In Episode 5 of D50 A5er Dark, Host Mickey Bennett, DTM, welcomes Elyssa Schneider, EH2, the 2022 Table Topics Champion in London’s District 91. At the Fall der All Festival In October 2023, Elyssa shared her tips for being ready to answer an unexpected question with an off-the-cuff response.

2:45 Elyssa's journey began with reluctance, but her experiences with impromptu speaking in various countries taught her valuable lessons.

7:48 After winning the contest, her analysis revealed surprising similarities between her techniques and those of professional speakers.

8:21 The first tip is to answer the Table Topics question upfront and then figure out how to weave in the rest of the response. At the end, the answer is stated again as the conclusion. Start and end in the same place.

[09:01] Mickey pointed out that is also a good strategy for a prepared speech.

🎙️ Join us on this touching journey of our BONUS EPISODE as we delve into the power of Table Topics and the emotional impact they can have. Listen to our Elyssa's profound tale of overcoming depression and discovering solace in Toastmasters, paving the way for creating awareness and support. #Toastmasters #OvercomingDepression #TableTopicsTalk 🗨️✨

Experience the World Championship of Public Speaking as host Mickey Bennett, DTM, talks with one of the top eight public speakers in the world, James Harris, EH5, about competing in the Bahamas in August 2023. James is a member of VA Speakers Extraordinaire in Dallas. 

Mickey Bennett, DTM: Welcome to episode four of D50 After Dark! Today, we're talking with District 50 champion speaker, James Harris, Jr. 

James Harris, EH5: [01:05] I'm a motivational speaker and author. I teach public speaking at a college in San Antonio. I love encouraging people and changing lives.

You're also the District 50 International Speech champion. How did that feel?

[1:42] What a great experience! After my speech, someone came up to me and told me they needed to hear that speech. Impacting people is what matters most to me.

Why do you compete in speech contests?

[02:27] I grew up competing, and I love pushing boundaries. Competing lets me live my message, facing pressure, engaging audiences, and making a difference.

You made it to the World Championship of Public Speaking. How was backstage?

[04:05] Backstage was both calm and exciting. You're in the moment, realizing it's what you've prepared and prayed for. Encouraging fellow speakers is crucial, too.  [05:30] At pre-warmup, we met. It felt like a community, not just competitors. We celebrated each other's potential.

Did you prepare two speeches, one for the semifinals and one for the finals?

[06:46] Yes, I came prepared with both speeches, each practiced over a hundred times. Both had strong value which delivered my best in each round.

How did you decide which speech to lead with?

[07:55] It's tough. It’s subjective. I led with the one that got me there. I advise speakers to go all out in every speech, rather than trying to game the system.

What's your biggest takeaway from competing in the World Championship?

[09:12] There is a big world out there. Connecting with people from various cultures and ideologies was eye-opening. I learned to make my words have global impact while speaking from my regional point of view.

What advice do you have for Toastmasters aiming for the World Championship?

[10:28] Remember that every speech is for the audience and what they need to hear in that moment. Don't focus on trying to game the system by choosing the "best" speech. Make every speech high-quality and valuable to the audience.

Besides competing, what else do you do?

[12:26] I teach public speaking at the college level, which helps me adapt messages for diverse audiences. I also enjoy improv comedy, spoken word, and anywhere I can connect with audiences.

How can our listeners find you and hear more of your wisdom?

[16:50] You can find me on YouTube and various other platforms under "Undefeated Speaker." I also have a podcast called "Ten Years War" where I give away free speeches and motivational content. 

Any call to action for our listeners?

[18:56] We live in a divided world, and speech is under attack. I challenge you to share Toastmasters with someone you care about whether at work, church, college, or your community. Inspire others to find their voices, as it can be a powerful force for positive change.

Join us for a sneak peek into the Bahamas adventure with James Harris Jr, our International Speech District 50 Champion! 🌴🏆 Tune in to the 5-minute bonus episode with host Mickey Bennett now and for the full episode released on November 14. 🎙️ #D50AfterDark #Toastmasters #BonusEpisode

In this episode of D50 After Dark, host Mickey Bennett, DTM,

03:04  Mickey

03:32, 04:32 

08:22 Templates for agendas can accommodate different

09:30  The

10:23  The website can function as a record of club activities with uploaded pictures, role descriptions, who won what ribbon, even flashing banner announcements.  

12:02  As a public relations tool, a website is powerful.  The first task in getting a FTH website is to sign up on Toastmasters website Toastmasters.org with correct club information. This controls what people see on Find A Club. There will be a link to the club’s website where the club informs guests about Toastmasters, visiting the club, and possibly becoming members.  

12:50  An FTH email will send a message to the club officers when somebody inquires so that the visitor can be invited to a club meeting with a prompt, personal touch.  

14:12  If there are security concerns about the website, member information is not available to the public. Only the website administrator who is a club officer and members have access to that information.  

14:29  With all these features, the service is free to clubs listed on the Toastmasters International website, and it’s easy to sign up.  

15:47  The website can essentially be plug-and-play. However, in District 50 there are two experts who are willing to help a club over any snags. One is Dan Reeder, who is the Pathways chair, [email protected]; and the other is Ram Venkat, [email protected].

16:52, 18:13  Ed highly recommends setting up a FTH website. Once set up, the next step is to onboard the members properly. Some need a little extra help with computers and websites. Developing a club culture that incorporates the website takes a little time—about  three months. For the smooth running of a Toastmasters club, it is so worth the effort of making a FTH website part of the club culture.