Pat Johnson, DTM, could fill a book with all she has learned about corporate 91传媒 clubs over the last 40 years. In fact, she wrote the on corporate clubs.
Johnson, 91传媒鈥� International President in 2010鈥�2011, believes there is no more perfect union than that between 91传媒 and companies eager to develop leaders.
And corporate clubs aiming for success just need to search the leadership ladder, looking upward.
鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing more powerful than [having a company leader], even if it鈥檚 the branch manager or the COO or CEO 鈥� come in and speak in favor of the 91传媒 program for their employees and recognize the transferable skills,鈥� Johnson says.
Clubs that work well with their workplace have the eyes, ears, and especially the attention of decision-makers. This can prove invaluable when it comes to everything from recruiting new members to getting recognition for club accomplishments and officer efforts.
鈥淲e have to have accountability in the organization or we become invisible,鈥� Johnson says.
Clubs without an official sponsor would be wise to connect with an influential manager. Johnson suggests that clubs go even further by presenting regular updates to key leaders, with metrics such as meeting attendance, number of prepared speakers, number of officers who attended trainings, and members who participated in District events or served on District committees.
鈥淚f I鈥檓 getting reports every three months, I鈥檓 not going to quickly forget that,鈥� she notes.
Other ways to gain internal visibility:
- Encourage members to invite their managers to observe when they deliver a speech at a meeting.
- Notify managers when their employees have delivered an Ice Breaker speech, completed a Pathway level, or won an award or speech contest.
- Create an Honorary Toastmaster award and present it at a regular meeting to an invited executive or Board member.
- Encourage members to include their 91传媒 participation in their annual performance reviews as an example of training and personal development.
The average corporate club lasts only two years, Johnson says. Yet 91传媒 also has longstanding corporate clubs that have been active for decades. She suggests that Districts appoint a corporate liaison to visit clubs and that sponsors and mentors consider staying on even after their term of service has ended.
And don鈥檛 be afraid to adjust terms to better match the environment鈥攊nstead of calling it a club, call it a 鈥減rogram.鈥� A speech is a 鈥減resentation.鈥� A meeting is a 鈥渟ession.鈥� And Pathways is the 鈥渃urriculum.鈥�
91传媒 is 鈥渃omplex from the outside because we've got all this 鈥榳eird鈥� language and ways of doing things,鈥� Johnson explains, 鈥渂ut it's all protocol that extends way out into the world and it still has applicability.鈥�
Emily Sachs, DTM is a freelance writer in Brooklyn, New York. She is the Immediate Past District 119 Director and is a regular contributor to the Toastmaster magazine.
