August 2023 Leader Letter

A Golden Reason to Come to Convention — Announcing the 2023 Golden Gavel Award Recipient: Yolett McPhee-McCuin, affectionately known as "Coach Yo." Don't miss this transformational leader/renowned women's basketball coach and her inspiring session, Embracing the Process of Growth. This is your last chance to register; sign up today!

Add Members, Win an Award — When your club adds five new, reinstated, or dual members with a join date of August or September during the Smedley Award Program contest period, you'll earn a special ribbon to display on your club banner plus you'll receive a 10% discount on your next club order from the Toastmasters Online Store!

Designate a Proxyholder — Make sure your club's voice is heard by designating a proxyholder to carry your club's votes for the 2023 Annual Business Meeting no later than August 11! This year, your club will vote for the International Officer and Director elections. Ensure that your club's designated proxyholder will be able to attend the Annual Business Meeting, either onsite or online, on August 18 at 7 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)/Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) -4. If you have any questions, please review the Frequently Asked Questions or email proxyinfo@toastmasters.org.

Collect Member Dues Soon — Club officers are responsible for collecting and submitting member renewal payments twice a year, in April and October. October 2023 renewals can now be submitted in Club Central. If your club is Self-Pay enabled, your members can alternatively submit their membership dues directly to Toastmasters International on their My Home page. Please review the Renewal Dues FAQ. As a reminder, beginning October 1, 2023, membership dues will increase to 60 per six-month membership period.

Set New Members Up for Success — Use the New Member Orientation PowerPoint to introduce Toastmasters International and the Pathways learning experience to new club members.

Engage and Educate Your Guests! — The "Why Toastmasters?" webpage is an easy and interactive way to share information with guests! It includes information like how they will grow, the Toastmasters structure, and details on how to join a club.

Connect with More Prospects; Gain More Members — This guide will walk you through how to maximize the tools already at your disposal for connecting with potential members. It also includes customizable templates to easily communicate with prospects and to keep track of your communications. Make a goal to implement the guide's suggestions this month!

Evaluation Resources — Did you know that all evaluation resources are located on toastmasters.org and in Base Camp? Members can find evaluation resources either when launching their project, or in the Tutorials and Resources section on Base Camp in all languages. The English version of these valuable resources can also be found in the Resource Library on our website with just the name of the project—no login required!

Building Your Club Policies — An up-to-date Club Policy allows your club to provide the positive Toastmasters learning environment that is expected around the world, but with a unique twist that matches your membership. Consider what could improve your fellow members' experience, discuss it with the club, and bring some ideas to a vote.

Leadership Lessons From Unlikely Characters — What are the traits of a successful leader? Get some guidance from some of your favorite fictional cartoons like Winnie the Pooh, Mulan, Olaf, and more.

Mentor Sparked a Lifetime of Learning — A mentor can make a lasting impression, and no one knows this better than Toastmaster Leif Gregersen. Discover how an early experience in the Youth Leadership Program and gaining an invaluable mentor continues to pay off for Gregersen three decades later.

The Secret to Confidently Humble Leadership — Great leaders find a balance between being confident and humble, and the key to that is self-awareness. By being aware of your strengths and weaknesses, you can lead with confidence in areas where you excel and remain humble enough to seek help in areas where you may struggle.

6 Tips for Surviving Your First Ice Breaker — Are you a new member, or know of one who just joined your club? As you prepare to give the inaugural Ice Breaker speech, here are some tactics to help with those knocking knees and chattering teeth.

Be Confident in Casual Conversations — Whether you're attending a networking event, going to a conference, or mingling with new club members, chances are you'll be pulled into some small talk. Find advice and techniques in this roundup of Toastmaster articles to enhance your social interactions.

Tune In! Battling Burnout — It's the start of a new Toastmasters program year, and you're probably feeling ready to take everything on. But what happens in a couple of months when your behavioral patterns begin causing burnout? Listen to this episode of The Toastmasters Podcast to hear advice for managing your mental state.

Submitting Payments — The preferred method of payment to Toastmasters International is by credit card. We cannot accept international money orders, even if they are in USD. If your club has submitted payment by wire transfer and has not received communication from World Headquarters, email the confirmation of the wire transfer (commonly called the SWIFT Receipt) to financequestions@toastmasters.org. The Finance Team will ensure that the funds are allocated to your club for the purpose of renewing your members.

Congratulations to All Toastmasters Clubs! — Club Distinguished statuses are currently official on the Dashboard page. Many clubs earned Distinguished status or higher; you can view the complete list on the Club Achievement section of Club Central.

Congratulations, Club Coaches! — We applaud all the club coaches who were successful for the 2022–2023 program year. If your second program year as a coach has expired and you were not able to complete the task, do not fret—you may be reappointed! For reappointment, ask your District Director or Club Growth Director to submit a request to World Headquarters before September 30, 2023. Club coaches who can be reappointed will receive an email this month.

Get Credit for Your Club Support Role — Looking to get credit for being a club sponsor, mentor, or coach to apply towards your Distinguished Toastmaster Award? For any of these three roles to be applied, they must be listed as “Complete” within your profile on toastmasters.org

Who Will Advance from the Semifinals? — Get ready to cheer for the 2023 International Speech Contest semifinalists! During the Toastmasters International Convention, 28 contestants will compete in four semifinals for a chance to advance to the World Championship of Public Speaking®. Find out who is competing and view the full agenda for dates and times.

New Pathways Content Coming — A completely new learning experience offering is coming to Pathways in 2024! Explorations will each consist of three projects focused on a specific topic to give you more flexibility in how you learn. The first two explorations will focus on inclusive leadership and presenting yourself online and will be available in 2024!