Instead of placing a huge workload on the Chair of a Contest (toastmaster), some clubs have split the role and created the role of Contest Organizer - with the remit of getting all materials ready for the respective chair or chair's if there are two contests and arrange the roles and meeting. On contest day, the chief organizer can relax and watch the contest unfold, and the chair can focus their mind solely on the job at hand.
There is plenty of material available online to
engage in contest planning. The senior leaders of my former club put
together a contest planning guide that is very well written and prepared
called "How to Organize a Club Contest"
How to Organize a Club Contest [PDF] from Confidently Speaking
http://bit.ly/1x0gd8A
The most critical role in contest preparation are not the executive nor
even the contest chair, but setting up a role for a contest organizer.
If that role is not setup then a lot of the load of contest preparation
falls on the VP of Education, and then on the Chair of the specific
contest. The arrangement of a contest organizer provides a position that
that means the Chair can do what they do best and an Executive can do
what they do best.
Having a contest organizer also means that there is oversight between
transitions in the executive, it would not matter if a member is
switching roles from VP of Ed to VP of PR, because the oversight of the
contest organizer will bring the new VP of PR up-to-speed on the needs
of the contest. The contest organizer themselves isn't thrown in the
deep end because the VP of Education will be there to provide advice, or
channel advice from prior contest organizers or members who have prior
experience of event planning for contests.
As VP of Ed or as a prior VP of PR at my former club, at contest time,
my role is secondary to that of the contest organizer as far contest
planning is concerned. It is about ensuring the resources are available
for the contest organizer as the specific contest organizer needs them.
Delegation is leadership, it is not abdication.
When we engage without that role, it makes life tougher for everybody
and my job at Toastmasters is not come out of this a hero, but to not be
seen. If I am the invisible hand to the contest organizer, then that is
a success. It may not be given that members will readily step up to
take the role of contest organizer, but when they do it sure takes a lot
of sweat equity out of contest preparation.
With an Inspirational Speech and Evaluation contest, there can be one
contest organizer set up to serve two chairs, one chair for the
Inspirational Speech Contest and one chair for the Evaluation Contest.
If we spread the organization this way we stop talking about contests
like John Wayne or a G.I.Jane and we make preparation the part we don't
need to talk about, because if it is done well, guests and members will
only notice the contest and not the preparation, which is business as
usual. Toastmasters runs well when there are many unsung heroes rather
than a few last action heroes. Indeed heroics can be a red flag for poor
performance. The curtain call will happen after the contest is
delivered and then it is all about the contest organizer - give people
scope, recognize that scope.
The way to take some of the pain out of a contest away is appoint a
contest organizer, and in so doing that will free up time to do engage
other areas that are more club business related.
CityVP Manjit
23rd December 2014
Tuesday, 23 December 2014
Monday, 8 September 2014
2014 World Champion Talks to Business Insider
Dananjaya Hettiarachchi, the newly crowned World Champion of Public Speaking has given an interview to business insider. Here he provides his insights into his efforts, what worked and what did not work. His was a 10 year journey, reaching the semi-finals four times before finally winning the big one. With Toastmasters, there is no defense of the title - so this win marks the end of that road in this particular competition. I found this article interesting because it hits themes that have made sense to me, but good to hear it again.
CityVP Manjit
08 September 2014
CityVP Manjit
08 September 2014
Tuesday, 26 August 2014
Wonderful World of Competent Leadership
There is a controversial area when it comes to how Toastmaster Contests relate to the Competent Leader program. It is controversial because some clubs or toastmasters misread the projects available on the CL in regards to contests.
The wording however is very particular and when we focus on it, it is also surprising in its implications. The CL program is designed to create a relationship with members as to how they think about leadership and how that leadership is practiced at the club level - the CL is a set of credits created for club activity.
Area and District contests are not covered by the CL and despite Toastmaster Internationals great pride of holding the World Championship of Public Speaking, the organization pays less reverence to educational credits for contest officials. Reverence should be paid to the role of Chief Judge in terms of credits but as the CL manual is laid out, a Chief Judge can only get credit for HELPING organize a contest.
Helping Organize a contest is a CL Project 6 Credit
Chairing a contest is a CL Project 10 Credit
The problem comes with how some clubs interpret CL Project 8, which some clubs or members take to mean organizing a club contest - but a closer examination of the project makes it clear that this project pertains to MEMBERSHIP CONTEST not a speech contest. Despite this, this is a common misunderstanding and mistake that is often made - and thus why contests are controversial when it comes to understanding how the CL works.
CityVP Manjit
26 August 2014
The wording however is very particular and when we focus on it, it is also surprising in its implications. The CL program is designed to create a relationship with members as to how they think about leadership and how that leadership is practiced at the club level - the CL is a set of credits created for club activity.
Area and District contests are not covered by the CL and despite Toastmaster Internationals great pride of holding the World Championship of Public Speaking, the organization pays less reverence to educational credits for contest officials. Reverence should be paid to the role of Chief Judge in terms of credits but as the CL manual is laid out, a Chief Judge can only get credit for HELPING organize a contest.
Helping Organize a contest is a CL Project 6 Credit
Chairing a contest is a CL Project 10 Credit
The problem comes with how some clubs interpret CL Project 8, which some clubs or members take to mean organizing a club contest - but a closer examination of the project makes it clear that this project pertains to MEMBERSHIP CONTEST not a speech contest. Despite this, this is a common misunderstanding and mistake that is often made - and thus why contests are controversial when it comes to understanding how the CL works.
CityVP Manjit
26 August 2014
Monday, 25 August 2014
The 2014 World Champion of Public Speaking
Congratulations to Dananjaya Hettiarachchi of Nawala
Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka, District 82 on becoming the 2014 World Champion
of Public Speaking.
The winner of the World Championship organized by Toastmasters International holds this crown for one year. Unlike Sports World Championships, the winner of the International Speech Contest does not defend their crown. This is a part of Toastmasters contest rules, that winners, people who officiate the contest and people who administer at the District level and above are ineligible for contests.
This ensures a new winner each year and the rules are there to ensure the fairest type of contest possible. Contest protocols are observed all the way from the Final, down to regional district, division, area and individual club contests - where the path to the final begins.
With the contest held in Malaysia and this years winner being from Sri Lanka, it underscores the global nature of Toastmasters International, from its prior American based roots out of California. The Public Speaking World Championship has come a long way in its long history and Toastmasters International maintain a prior winners list.
CityVP Manjit
25 Aug 2014
The winner of the World Championship organized by Toastmasters International holds this crown for one year. Unlike Sports World Championships, the winner of the International Speech Contest does not defend their crown. This is a part of Toastmasters contest rules, that winners, people who officiate the contest and people who administer at the District level and above are ineligible for contests.
This ensures a new winner each year and the rules are there to ensure the fairest type of contest possible. Contest protocols are observed all the way from the Final, down to regional district, division, area and individual club contests - where the path to the final begins.
With the contest held in Malaysia and this years winner being from Sri Lanka, it underscores the global nature of Toastmasters International, from its prior American based roots out of California. The Public Speaking World Championship has come a long way in its long history and Toastmasters International maintain a prior winners list.
CityVP Manjit
25 Aug 2014
Friday, 22 August 2014
The Reluctant Competitor by Edna Talboy
Interesting perspective from a 2011 article in Toastmasters Magazine. I am still working out what contests actually mean to members who signed up at a Toastmasters Club not expecting that there is a competitive stream to club participation. These articles are helpful because they that the reason one enters a Club Contest are not primarily because one wants to compete but first for the experience, secondly for the camaraderie and thirdly involvement in excellence.
The image for "The Reluctant Competitor" is linked to an article by Edna Talboy. It speaks far more to engaging in a new experience and the discovery of what than can lead to or inform the Toastmaster who participates in this process. There are also behind the scene roles that club members can get involved in but I find that those who have never been involved in contest preparation are often overly concerned with "not knowing what to do" - when a club contest administration is well scripted and has easy to understand roles that are directed by the Chair and arranged by the Contest Organizer.
CityVP Manjit
22 Aug 2014
The image for "The Reluctant Competitor" is linked to an article by Edna Talboy. It speaks far more to engaging in a new experience and the discovery of what than can lead to or inform the Toastmaster who participates in this process. There are also behind the scene roles that club members can get involved in but I find that those who have never been involved in contest preparation are often overly concerned with "not knowing what to do" - when a club contest administration is well scripted and has easy to understand roles that are directed by the Chair and arranged by the Contest Organizer.
CityVP Manjit
22 Aug 2014
Saturday, 16 August 2014
Contest Planning
With our clubs forthcoming Table Topic and Humorous Contests at City Centre Toastmasters, my first reference is going to be the resource on our District's website. There are times when one can innovate or engage in unique practice which is the personal value benefit for me to explore contests at this blog, but there is also wisdom in not re-inventing the wheel when someone has done the groundwork previously.
The Table Topic and Humorous contests begin at club level, winners go to the Area Contest and the winners of that go to the Division and so the world of these two contests are within the District. They also provide the fun side to competition because the bar isn't as stringent as the one for the official World Champion of Public Speaking.
My prior club created the definitive guide on how to organize a contest - and this has been revised this year. While that guide is now universally utilized throughout the district, there are tips that the former club President at City Centre Toastmasters showed me that are really efficient and lean. So while the "how to" guide is excellent, the search for options isn't restricted to one guidebook download.
While contest Rule Books and Digital Kits maybe available online, I find it best to place a free order with Toastmasters International directly - that way there can be no errors in using out-of-date information. Technically a Chief Judge can disqualify contestants for not following due process or nullify a club's contest for not having the latest contest rule book present at any given contest.
While it seems laborious to go through a checkout to download free digital contest materials, the order is logged so it is simply a good cross-check that these things have been done on the to-do-list and consequently saving to a file on one's computer where these materials can be found, when they need to be found. Most contest planning should begin about 6 weeks before a contest - so this is a part of those process steps.
CityVP Manjit
16 Aug 2014
The Table Topic and Humorous contests begin at club level, winners go to the Area Contest and the winners of that go to the Division and so the world of these two contests are within the District. They also provide the fun side to competition because the bar isn't as stringent as the one for the official World Champion of Public Speaking.
My prior club created the definitive guide on how to organize a contest - and this has been revised this year. While that guide is now universally utilized throughout the district, there are tips that the former club President at City Centre Toastmasters showed me that are really efficient and lean. So while the "how to" guide is excellent, the search for options isn't restricted to one guidebook download.
While contest Rule Books and Digital Kits maybe available online, I find it best to place a free order with Toastmasters International directly - that way there can be no errors in using out-of-date information. Technically a Chief Judge can disqualify contestants for not following due process or nullify a club's contest for not having the latest contest rule book present at any given contest.
While it seems laborious to go through a checkout to download free digital contest materials, the order is logged so it is simply a good cross-check that these things have been done on the to-do-list and consequently saving to a file on one's computer where these materials can be found, when they need to be found. Most contest planning should begin about 6 weeks before a contest - so this is a part of those process steps.
CityVP Manjit
16 Aug 2014
2014 World Championship of Public Speaking
The road to the final for the 2013-14 speech contests is already, at the time of writing, at the Semi-Final stage which this year are being held at Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia as a part of the Toastmasters International Conference.
The District 86 winner is paired into Semi-Final Group 4 the winner for 2013/14 was Rene Vander Pryt - from London, Ontario and he was featured on District 86 Radio Talk Show. This shows that within Toastmasters there is gravitas upon winning the District, which qualifies the winner to speak at the World Championship. The trophy that Rene won at the District Level is shown on a Facebook page for Sarnia.
The District 86 Toastmasters site shows how a District winner is financially supported for the long trip to Malyasia, involving contributions from clubs in the district and an email set up for this fundraising. It also shows the winners trophy, which is an impressive looking piece of silverware.
So contests are serious business at each level of contest. Most serious Toastmasters take great care on due process to ensure fair competition and why it is updated to ensure attention to detail to the highest competitive standards. That is why the 2014 Toastmasters Contest Rule Book is so detailed and at 17 pages it is not unwieldy but it is thorough.
In an age of increasing collaboration I wonder what the relative importance of competition is, but it is important because it provides another avenue of experience for people interested in Toastmasters and who enjoy engaging the competitive spirit.
CityVP Manjit
16 Aug 2014
The District 86 winner is paired into Semi-Final Group 4 the winner for 2013/14 was Rene Vander Pryt - from London, Ontario and he was featured on District 86 Radio Talk Show. This shows that within Toastmasters there is gravitas upon winning the District, which qualifies the winner to speak at the World Championship. The trophy that Rene won at the District Level is shown on a Facebook page for Sarnia.
The District 86 Toastmasters site shows how a District winner is financially supported for the long trip to Malyasia, involving contributions from clubs in the district and an email set up for this fundraising. It also shows the winners trophy, which is an impressive looking piece of silverware.
So contests are serious business at each level of contest. Most serious Toastmasters take great care on due process to ensure fair competition and why it is updated to ensure attention to detail to the highest competitive standards. That is why the 2014 Toastmasters Contest Rule Book is so detailed and at 17 pages it is not unwieldy but it is thorough.
In an age of increasing collaboration I wonder what the relative importance of competition is, but it is important because it provides another avenue of experience for people interested in Toastmasters and who enjoy engaging the competitive spirit.
CityVP Manjit
16 Aug 2014
Friday, 15 August 2014
Introduction to Contest Time
Contest Time is where I come to develop ideas about what it means to be a contestant and think about and explore contest rules pertaining to Toastmasters Speech Contests.
As the current VP of Education at City Centre Toastmasters, I am using the online space as a virtual whiteboard to explore various facets of my club executive role.
The thoughts and ideas expressed here are mine and only reflect my own opinion and not that of the club, or contestants or club members or Toastmasters International.
Through this exploration I will test whether the processes utilized are lean and agile and/or whether I am complicating things beyond measure. The reality of this will be discovered by me to be somewhere in the middle of these two points.
CityVP Manjit
15 August 2014
As the current VP of Education at City Centre Toastmasters, I am using the online space as a virtual whiteboard to explore various facets of my club executive role.
The thoughts and ideas expressed here are mine and only reflect my own opinion and not that of the club, or contestants or club members or Toastmasters International.
Through this exploration I will test whether the processes utilized are lean and agile and/or whether I am complicating things beyond measure. The reality of this will be discovered by me to be somewhere in the middle of these two points.
CityVP Manjit
15 August 2014
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