DisCon 2026 - Future-proofing Toastmasters
Day 3 meant everyone was getting ready to watch the International Prepared Speech Contest.
But before that happened, the organizers opted to have a discussion forum - all about the issues and concerns that all Toastmasters wanted to talk about - and we so happen to have the chance to discuss it in front of everyone from District 75 - on stage. But not just air out any complaints - but also share possible ideas to maximize our membership. I was asked to participate, and I knew this was important, so I had said yes a month ago. I was invited by Distinguished Toastmaster Reiner Dungca, and he was looking for a balance of viewpoint - mine would be the viewpoint of the seasoned (a.k.a. older) Toastmaster. With me was Past District Director Jazz Encarnacion - a good friend, International Director Hani Nur Zaihanira , and lastly... Kenley Go ( for the Millenial crowd - and according to him, the diversity representative as well (he isn't btw - it was just a joke).
Our moderator was Mary Solina, and she came up with questions, which she ran by us... not to prepare ahead of time, but to check and avild negativity. We wnated a roomfull of people discussing... not protesting. Mary would choose us - give a particular question - then later, we would open the floor for anyone in the audience to ask questions.
Now remember my last entry? The Serenade? My belting some songs? Yup... this was the morning after.
I slept well - with the aircon off. took a biogesic the night before sleeping, and felt great that morning... however, my voice was failing.
But not gone... yet.
Anyway, we started off with introductions, and right off the bat, I introduced myself and asked to be pardoned for having a hoarse voice - I'm sure everyone knew why. Then Mary started dishing out the questions. Just to let everyone know, I'm sharing these questions here... and I might answer them in a deeper manner elsewhere.Anyway,,, the questions:
1. What about Toastmasters must remain timeless?
2. Where is Toastmasters most at risk of losing relevance?
3. What does “future-proofing Toastmasters” mean to you?
4. Why join Toastmasters today instead of relying on online content or AI?
5. Are we teaching the communication and leadership skills people truly need today?
6. What makes a club feel alive, current, and worth coming back to? [All] - Prompt angle: different members want different things; relevance may not look the same for everyone.
7. If you could redesign one part of the Toastmasters experience, what would you change?
8. What can clubs do in the next 90 days to improve the member experience?
9. In one line: what must Toastmasters protect, and what must it change?
It was somewhere in the middle that I was starting to lose my voice. Luckily, Jazz would step in, or Mary would more on to someone else, and once I was able to sip some water and find my voice - albeit temporarily, I would volunteern my answer
Aas we were discussing and sharing our opinioins, I could see others talking in their own respective tables - something I would think our organizers for this talk wanted. We never ergues amongst each other, and Director Hani gave us some insights ourside of D75 - both as a Toastmaster individual member, and as a regional Director.
One particular answer to what it must protect and change, I beleive I mentiond we need to protect them member's individual reason for joining - their goals, their interests, and as for change, I said the 'my way, or the highway' attitude of some senior members. I also mentiond somewhere that mentoring is very important, and each club should ensure that they have mentors... or if it can't be done at the club lelve, perhaps the Division can do this. I pointed out that mentors are the seasoned individual members who can share their knowledge, ideas and even tricks to the new joiner member. So a definite sharing of ideas come into play, and nothing is lost witht he club's collective understanding of how to best treat their memebrs and run the club. Although I said it in a more truncated manner. I said, at the very least, these mentors can ensure that the core values - each club's compass, are being followed properly.The compass analogy, I believe I shared earlier in the first question regarding timelessness.
Now for some backgroud sharing. I naturally had the set of wuestions earlier, and I asked several HOLAns to weigh in with their opinions - this would be my wya to validate my own answers, pick up on better ones, and make sure I came in with possible answers to wach query with more than just surface quips. I asked Directors Julius, Joyce, Abe, anad Marge to share their answers. Directors Julius and Joyce were candid of their answers, and the rest just supported the same viewpoints witht heir onw additional opinioins. This was how I prepared for the panel discussion, Cheating> Not really... we were never told not to practice answers earlier - and my technique was to make sure I was not focuing on a narrow bias. After all, I love playing Deveil's Advocate, so I did that with their answers.
Onece I came up with my opinions, I could consider myself ready for the siscussion.
I had retired early from the Director's Ball to review the questions and answers, as well as form my opinions.And yes, after my highs withe my performance at the Ball, I really needed to rest and recover. And yet, as shown, I eventually lost my voice while speaking. This funny thing happened when TM Grace asked what suport we could give Gavel Clubs - because there did not seem to be such support. As I was about to answer, noting came out - so Jazz stepped in with the same opening statement. I drank some water, tested my cocal chords, then answered after Jazz. I mentioned that we need to support our Gavaliers - some of whom are even better speakers than other Toastmasters I've known. After all, if we want to search for new members - the Gavaliers are a natural source ofnew memebrs once they've graduated from being a Gavalier (reached age 18)
Looking back - this was indeed an honor... to be picked as one fo the voices to share my opinions on certain topics. Wheter I realized it or not, I had kust become more visible to many Toastmasters as not just someone who could (for some reason) be the District Disciplinarian (a.k.a Ethic's Chair), ot just apparently someone who could carry a tune as well, but someone with some sense betweeen his ears.
Proof of this? I was later appriached by three past District leaders to ask when I planned to rise up the District leadership via becomeing the next Club Growth Director. I like to consider this - but my stumbling block will be my wife's willingness for me to dedicate three years (technically four) of my life to leading D75. What a predicament.
But before that happened, the organizers opted to have a discussion forum - all about the issues and concerns that all Toastmasters wanted to talk about - and we so happen to have the chance to discuss it in front of everyone from District 75 - on stage. But not just air out any complaints - but also share possible ideas to maximize our membership. I was asked to participate, and I knew this was important, so I had said yes a month ago. I was invited by Distinguished Toastmaster Reiner Dungca, and he was looking for a balance of viewpoint - mine would be the viewpoint of the seasoned (a.k.a. older) Toastmaster. With me was Past District Director Jazz Encarnacion - a good friend, International Director Hani Nur Zaihanira , and lastly... Kenley Go ( for the Millenial crowd - and according to him, the diversity representative as well (he isn't btw - it was just a joke).
Now remember my last entry? The Serenade? My belting some songs? Yup... this was the morning after.
I slept well - with the aircon off. took a biogesic the night before sleeping, and felt great that morning... however, my voice was failing.
But not gone... yet.
Anyway, we started off with introductions, and right off the bat, I introduced myself and asked to be pardoned for having a hoarse voice - I'm sure everyone knew why. Then Mary started dishing out the questions. Just to let everyone know, I'm sharing these questions here... and I might answer them in a deeper manner elsewhere.Anyway,,, the questions:
1. What about Toastmasters must remain timeless?
2. Where is Toastmasters most at risk of losing relevance?
3. What does “future-proofing Toastmasters” mean to you?
4. Why join Toastmasters today instead of relying on online content or AI?
5. Are we teaching the communication and leadership skills people truly need today?
6. What makes a club feel alive, current, and worth coming back to? [All] - Prompt angle: different members want different things; relevance may not look the same for everyone.
7. If you could redesign one part of the Toastmasters experience, what would you change?
8. What can clubs do in the next 90 days to improve the member experience?
9. In one line: what must Toastmasters protect, and what must it change?
It was somewhere in the middle that I was starting to lose my voice. Luckily, Jazz would step in, or Mary would more on to someone else, and once I was able to sip some water and find my voice - albeit temporarily, I would volunteern my answer
Aas we were discussing and sharing our opinioins, I could see others talking in their own respective tables - something I would think our organizers for this talk wanted. We never ergues amongst each other, and Director Hani gave us some insights ourside of D75 - both as a Toastmaster individual member, and as a regional Director.
One particular answer to what it must protect and change, I beleive I mentiond we need to protect them member's individual reason for joining - their goals, their interests, and as for change, I said the 'my way, or the highway' attitude of some senior members. I also mentiond somewhere that mentoring is very important, and each club should ensure that they have mentors... or if it can't be done at the club lelve, perhaps the Division can do this. I pointed out that mentors are the seasoned individual members who can share their knowledge, ideas and even tricks to the new joiner member. So a definite sharing of ideas come into play, and nothing is lost witht he club's collective understanding of how to best treat their memebrs and run the club. Although I said it in a more truncated manner. I said, at the very least, these mentors can ensure that the core values - each club's compass, are being followed properly.The compass analogy, I believe I shared earlier in the first question regarding timelessness.
Now for some backgroud sharing. I naturally had the set of wuestions earlier, and I asked several HOLAns to weigh in with their opinions - this would be my wya to validate my own answers, pick up on better ones, and make sure I came in with possible answers to wach query with more than just surface quips. I asked Directors Julius, Joyce, Abe, anad Marge to share their answers. Directors Julius and Joyce were candid of their answers, and the rest just supported the same viewpoints witht heir onw additional opinioins. This was how I prepared for the panel discussion, Cheating> Not really... we were never told not to practice answers earlier - and my technique was to make sure I was not focuing on a narrow bias. After all, I love playing Deveil's Advocate, so I did that with their answers.
Onece I came up with my opinions, I could consider myself ready for the siscussion.
I had retired early from the Director's Ball to review the questions and answers, as well as form my opinions.And yes, after my highs withe my performance at the Ball, I really needed to rest and recover. And yet, as shown, I eventually lost my voice while speaking. This funny thing happened when TM Grace asked what suport we could give Gavel Clubs - because there did not seem to be such support. As I was about to answer, noting came out - so Jazz stepped in with the same opening statement. I drank some water, tested my cocal chords, then answered after Jazz. I mentioned that we need to support our Gavaliers - some of whom are even better speakers than other Toastmasters I've known. After all, if we want to search for new members - the Gavaliers are a natural source ofnew memebrs once they've graduated from being a Gavalier (reached age 18)
Looking back - this was indeed an honor... to be picked as one fo the voices to share my opinions on certain topics. Wheter I realized it or not, I had kust become more visible to many Toastmasters as not just someone who could (for some reason) be the District Disciplinarian (a.k.a Ethic's Chair), ot just apparently someone who could carry a tune as well, but someone with some sense betweeen his ears.
Proof of this? I was later appriached by three past District leaders to ask when I planned to rise up the District leadership via becomeing the next Club Growth Director. I like to consider this - but my stumbling block will be my wife's willingness for me to dedicate three years (technically four) of my life to leading D75. What a predicament.
Comments
Post a Comment