Gung ho is an Americanism, derived from China, which conveys the concept of working together; it’s also the name of a 1986 movie starring Michael Keaton and 1997 book by Ken Blanchard.

The 1986 movie

The 1997 book

When we’re Gung ho in Toastmasters, rewards inevitably follow. We’ve grown accustomed to seeing that occur in D25, where our collaborations led to us being a Distinguished District this past
year, after being a President’s Distinguished district the prior year. Those are nice achievements, but we cannot rest on our laurels. Here are three actions you can take now, to help us stay a Gung ho, highly successful district again this year:

1. Earn the Smedley Award. Can your club add five new, dual, or reinstated members between August 1 and September 30? If so, you’ll receive a Smedley Award ribbon for your club’s banner, be recognized at the D25 Fall Conference, and earn a 10 percent discount on your next TI order. District Governor Diana Patton advises that D25 has had relatively few clubs earn a Smedley Award. Let’s consider that a challenge, get Gung ho, and bring in a pile of “Smedleys!”

2. Apply best practices. As discussed at this year’s first marketing workshop, it’s useless to attract guests if we conduct shabby meetings. New members not promptly connected to a mentor and given encouragement as they work on the first several assignments may not stick with Toastmasters. Successful marketing begins with  offering a good product, so you should periodically assess the quality of your club’s operations. If you missed our workshop, please access our resources as guidance for club self-assessment and to spark a Gung ho attitude about meetings.

3. Tell your story. We’ve set up an online form to facilitate collection, and ultimately dissemination, of testimonials detailing the impact of Toastmasters on members seeking to become better communicators and leaders. This is a strategic initiative for D25 and we’re grateful to the several members who have already told us why they’re Gung ho about Toastmasters. We’d like to hear your story, too; please share it at your earliest convenience. 

D25 will achieve its goals this year because we’re Gung ho Toastmasters. Let’s keep it fun as we work together during what’s certain to be an awesome year!

Dean Lampman
Lt. Governor Marketing

 

 

by Jodie Sanders