Leadership

Leadership is the primary focus of Toastmasters even though Toastmasters are mainly known for their public speaking. However, the tagline for Toastmasters is, “Where Leaders Are Made”. Public speaking is the overt aspect of Toastmasters because you hear us. Leadership is less overt but it is in operation at every level of our organisation, from the club level to the district level.

There are many public speaking competitions but there can be no leadership competition. Leadership is developed through participation, taking up responsibilities and taking the welfare of others into consideration in the process of doing so. Unlike public speaking which is an overt skill, leadership has much to do with one’s inner self and values to put others before self. It also requires the skills of communicating one’s thoughts and instructions to others effectively.

In Toastmasters, you have much opportunity to develop your leadership skills by participating and contributing of your time, talents and obviously, efforts to run your clubs, areas and divisions as well as to train others. You do all these selflessly without getting paid. You lead without the authority unlike holding a position in the organisation you work in because your fellow toastmasters are not paid by you. The only authority you receive, is the respect your fellow toastmasters accord to you.

5 Levels Of Leadership

John Maxwell categorises leadership into 5 levels. Listed below are the 5 different levels. Beginning at the lowest level is Position and ending at the highest level is Pinnacle.

1. Position (Rights): People follow you because they have to.
2. Permission (Relationships): People follow you because they want to.
3. Production (Results) : People follow because of what you have done for the organisation.
4. People Development (Reproduction): People follow because of what you have done for them.
5. Pinnacle (Respect): People follow because of who you are and what you represent.

Throughout our lives, we have been subjected to authority under ‘leadership’ that we are told to be submitted to. Most of the time, we were told to do according to what we have been told unconditionally even if the leaders are bad. This is the lowest level of leadership where leaders ‘lead’ by the Positions (Authorities) they hold. They hold the ‘Rights’ to rule over us and in many a time has led us in the wrong directions. Particularly at our work place because we have been paid to do as we are told.

The moment leaders are not the paymaster of the people whom they are leading, people have the choice not to listen and not to follow. The people they are leading can even choose to walk away whether the leaders are doing the wrong thing or perhaps even the right thing. This is where John Maxwell’s leadership from level 2 to level 5 comes into play critically. People follow your leadership based on one of the following: relationships, results, reproduction and respect.

In the Toastmasters organisation, every toastmaster is not paid, from the most ordinary member to the toastmaster who holds the highest office. This is an environment where toastmasters are to learn and develop their leadership qualities at the higher level that comes above mere position and authority. Yet some misguided souls continue to bulldoze their ways like fascists commanding others and breathing out threats at other toastmasters just because they think that they hold an office.

Such bad leaders merely tear apart the organisation, whichever level they are at. Everyone they work with chooses to turn a deaf ear and vote with their feet. These misguided souls never learn and will never achieve any leadership quality no matter how long they have been toastmasters and whatever offices they have served in.

The higher the position a toastmaster holds, more time and effort are required and toastmasters are not paid to serve in these offices. Thus, not every toastmaster is keen to be a district officer. Officer bearers in Toastmasters are only evaluated and given feedback on tasks and projects they have undertaken. However, there are no tests nor examinations where they are graded as pass or fail. As officers, it is up to you to grow as leaders and perform exceeding expectations with the opportunities that are given to you to serve in those positions.

Leadership Skills

• Listening
• Critical Thinking
• Giving Feedback
• Time Management
• Planning and Implementation
• Organisation and Delegation
• Facilitation
• Motivation
• Team Building
• Mentoring

An experienced toastmaster can also develop mentoring skills by taking up the role of a Mentor to less experienced toastmasters in their speech projects or even guide a club executive committee in running and growing their club.

Moving a step higher, a toastmaster can take up appointment as a club officer in the Club Executive Committee in one of the following roles:

District Officers

District Officers are responsible for supervising, assisting, mentoring and training toastmasters clubs in their respective areas and divisions. In addition, they are also responsible for organising toastmasters events at the area, division and district level.

Through their participation and contribution as district officers and having satisfied certain criteria, toastmasters can earn the titles of Advanced Leader Bronze (ALB) and Advanced Leader Silver (ALS).

Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) is a title given to a toastmaster who has earned both the titles of Advanced Leader Silver (ALS) and Advanced Communicator Gold (ACG) in the traditional Toastmasters education programme.

The following lists the different district officer appointments available in Toastmasters:

• Area Director
• Division Director
• Logistics Manager
• Public Relations Manager
• Finance Manager
• Administration Manager
• Club Growth Director
• Program Quality Director
• District Director

In the new Pathways programme launched by Toastmasters International around the year 2018, to earn the title of Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) a toastmaster has to complete two learning paths in the Pathways programme.

In addition, there are several criteria and projects that he/she has to undertake such as serving as a Club Officer for a period of 12 months, complete a one-year term as a District Officer, serve as a club mentor or coach and sponsor a club, just to name a few.