Michael Said, DTM

Member Since: 2000
Home Region: 12
Home District: 90
Supporting Districts: 17, 69, 70, 72, 73, 87, 90, 112

Toastmasters offices held and terms of service (international, region and District level):

• 2017-2018 Immediate Past District Director
• 2016-2017 District Director
• 2015-2016 Program Quality Director
• 2014-2015 Lieutenant Governor Marketing (D70)

Toastmasters honors and recognition:

• 2015-2016 Excellence in Program Quality Award

What is your understanding of the Region Advisor role and how does your experience relate to the role?

To coach and mentor the District leadership teams and District Public Relations Managers. Assist in their planning to achieve their District mission. To train and assist in training District leaders. To visit the Districts and lead monthly meetings with District leaders. To encourage succession planning. To identity the right people to apply as your successor. To link the Districts and gain their trust so that they can lever of each other to utilize the best ideas throughout the Region. And to consolidate the great work of the previous Region Advisors.

When I was District Director, I got great support and advice from my fellow District Directors. And the Region Advisor was the springboard for our District being distinguished when we all thought the task was too far away.

What is your experience with coaching individuals and/or teams?

As a past District Director, I have mentored District Directors from several Districts during periods of District conflict.

In 2019, I partnered with the District Director and Club Growth Director in our quest to be a distinguished District. We met via the phone every two days, updating on initiatives, and maintaining the momentum. The District Director had been resigned to not being distinguished, and I encouraged him to form our team and pursue the goal. In the end, we were not successful in being distinguished, but as the District Director said to me, if we had not done what we had done, he would have always wondered "what if". This is one example of many.

Why are you interested in serving as Region Advisor?

To provide each District with the tools and ideas needed to assist them in meeting the District mission, and in turn being distinguished. I want to encourage the sharing of the great intellectual ideas each District develops. And I want every District to leave no opportunity unexplored in the quest to be distinguished and beyond. The pain I felt in not being distinguished steels me to want other Districts to not experience that. I have been involved in District issues for over 15 years and am already connected amongst the Districts, through engagement with them at International Conventions. I connect with people well, and quickly gain their trust to partner to achieve a common goal. And if I do not know the answer, I know where to go to get the answer.