Division N Director (part 1) Out from the Left Field

If you know me, or if you've read previous articles about this, or if you even listened to my talks in the past about becoming the Division N Director, you'd know that this was unplanned for me. I simply had my sights in being the next Hall of Learners Advanced Toastmasters President - after all, I did psend almost the entire Toastmasters year being the club's Vice Presidnet for Education - helping led it to becoming President's Distinguished on it's first year. Aside from that, I was focused on being active in both Divisions H and B, though more on H. Still, when B needed help, I pitched it.

Thus it was as I was driving to BGC that Tisha Timbang called me. I was busy check in on our food stall in McKinley Hill, enroute to fetching Barbie in her new work at Roshe. And the first thing Tisha says is may papakiusap siya sa akin, and maybe I should sit down. Her style for shedding some humor before she releases her request. I told her I was sitting (as I was driving), so she asked me if I could be the next Division N Director. This was a bit late in the timeframe because all other Directors were already forming their team, having already been interviewed by the District Quality team - who screened cadidates before being endorsed. In fact, the Davao DisCon was almost happening - where the endorsement would be announced, and voting would happen.

My endorsement, should I accept it, will therefore, be at the floor. Though I will not be endorsed - because I would not have gone through the usual channels for screening. This was a highly unusual practice - but up to this time, Division N could not find a likely candidate to take on the Division Director's role. All their possbile candidates declined for various reasons.

I, of course, asked why they (Division N) was in that situation, and Tisha explained that the Division lacked the mature leaders to handle the role. N was a relatively young Division (five years old), it's Toastmasters populace was thus relatively young, and most their clubs were Corporate clubs, not focusing at all beyond their club's territory. Hence, it would be hard enough to find Area Directors - much more a Division Director. For some reason, my name was floated around... though I would later learn (unconfirmed though) that someone they talked to was already mulling accepting the role... my talk with Tisha, and acceptance just superceded that decision.

Yes, after some thought, I did accept the role - after all, this was one Division literally asking for help. Funny thing was, I had just come from a Zoom Meeting with incoming H Director Dan, who asked me to be his Club Growth Director - he was tapping me because I had a vast network of Toastmaster friends (fringe benefits from the fact that I knew many Toastmaster officers of Luzon from my time as an active Division B Governor (the old name of Division Director), so yes... I had knowledge in leading groups - and Division B back then was much larger that N, whom I learned later had contracted it's growth - removing roughly an Area - representing a leaner line-up of clubs.

Of course, I had to talk to Barbie about this - the good thing would be that BGC would now be my new stomping ground, and since Barbie worked in teh area, it wouldn't be too hard to do club visits, and meet up with Barbie after. Tisha offered to meet us - with Troy (the outgoing Director), for dinner, where they would 'formally' ask for Barbie's permission to borrow me for the role.

Hindsight would reveal that this mindset was not that simple. I was not just Division Director for N - but would need to represent N in the District activities too. Ah well... add to this my promise that I would still be HOLA's President (and I know I would need a great council. This extended - though logical respnsibility meant attending District Council meetings, and even becoming part of the District Realignment committee... something that would be much more eventful later in the Toastmaster year.

Anyway, I said yes - and the week after was already the District Contest Run-offs. I attended - not expecting others to know yet. Of course, others would already know - like incoming District Director Jot Chiongbian and presumably, his Excom. Director Jot saw me, and thanked me for joining the team. Others who heard would say the Division was in good hands. For some reason, people saw me as a competent leader - wonder what gave them that idea?

Davao's Discon happened and my name was announced to be the incoming Division N Director - many people were surprised, as I came from out the left field. I was not a member of any club in N (though I was contemplating on that), but not being a member of any N club may have had a precedent with others. For some reason I was also wndering what happened to the past Division N Directors. I mean, aside from Tisha who was the founding Director for N, and Troy... where was everybody? There seemed to be a lack of communication and camaraderie amongst past Directors - a far cry from my experience with B, and in some waym H as well.

I was also coming in blind. No prior knowledge of the clubs, officers, and we were still scrambling to fill up the council. I was a bit envious with Division H (most of whom I know, and more so, were also HOLAns) Division H seemed to be a well oiled machine... N, on the other hand was still missing key spokes to get it wheels running. In the end, Troy was forced to jump in and be the N2 Director. Imagine that, we couldn't even find another Area Director - and we just had three Areas from last year's four. In the end, Troy had to jump in and take on the role.