Cultivating Club Leaders
By Peggy Beach
原文：https://www.toastmasters.org/leadership-central/featured-article/~/link.aspx?_id=354615844FDE42D485C5EA7785465591&_z=z
In the coming weeks, Toastmasters clubs all over the world will begin looking for officers for the 2020-2021 program year. The first question many nominating committees must answer is, “How do we convince members to begin a leadership journey?”
If the club experience is the heart of a Toastmasters member’s experience, then the club leaders are the pulse that keeps the heart beating. The roles vary in terms of time, experience, and skill sets. (Hint: Being President isn’t necessarily the most time-consuming role.) In addition to the President, clubs need a Vice President Education, Vice President Membership, Vice President Public Relations, Treasurer, Secretary, and Sergeant at Arms. The Club Leadership Handbook can help members and nominating committees have a better idea of what the roles entail.
There are many reasons members may be reluctant to become club leaders —some say they don’t have time; others don’t have interest. Many people join Toastmasters with an initial focus on becoming better public speakers rather than better leaders.
In reality, joining the club leadership team is one of the best ways to develop the confidence needed to become a better speaker.
在接下来的几周内，全球各地的Toastmasters俱乐部将开始为2020-2021计划年度寻找官员。许多提名委员会必须回答的第一个问题是：“我们如何说服成员开始领导之旅？”
如果俱乐部的经历是Toastmasters成员的经历的核心，那么俱乐部领导者就是不断跳动的脉搏。这些角色在时间，经验和技能方面有所不同。 （提示：担任主席不一定是最耗时的角色。）除主席外，俱乐部还需要教育副主席，会员副主席，公关副主席，财务官，秘书长和事务官。 《俱乐部领导力手册》可以帮助会员和提名委员会更好地了解这些角色的含义。
成员可能不愿成为俱乐部领导者的原因有很多——有些人说他们没有时间。其他人没有兴趣。加入Toastmasters的许多人最初都希望成为更好的公众演讲者，而不是更好的领导者。
实际上，加入俱乐部领导团队是树立成为更好的演讲者所需的信心的最佳方法之一。
Spotting Potential Leaders
Knowing what makes a good leader and unmasking that potential in others—particularly those who may not see themselves in that role—is a key skill current club officers would do well to develop.
In a June 2016 Toastmaster magazine article, World Champion Public Speaker Dana LaMon, DTM, points out that a potential club leader is someone who is in motion. He explains, “The member who sets and achieves goals, tries new projects, and/or takes on new roles is showing signs of leadership.”
“Openness to personal growth is vital for a club leader.”
—Joel Palachuvattil, DTM
Joel Palachuvattil, DTM, of Baltimore, Maryland, who started as Vice President Education for his club and is now involved at the District level, agrees, saying that club leaders need to first and foremost look for members who are open to personal growth.
“Other characteristics come to mind, such as being able to handle stress or being able to listen to people’s criticisms. However, I think those are qualities that a leader can develop over time, so long as they are open to growth,” he says. “Openness to personal growth is vital for a club leader. I believe that this leads to a desire to help others grow.”
Charles S. Gates, DTM, of Toano, Virginia, has been a club Vice President Membership and Secretary. He feels being positive is an important goal for club officers. “Openness to new ideas and to criticism is important,” he says. “There will be days that deserve a do-over—when things didn’t quite go the way you hoped they would. However, when you walk into your Toastmasters meeting, no one needs to know this. Keep a positive, upbeat attitude and keep it moving. Negativity likes company. Don’t invite it to the club.”
Other signs to look for, says LaMon, are members who smile, show humility, and are inquisitive.
寻找潜在的领导者
知道是什么使一个好的领导者并发掘他人的潜力，尤其是那些可能看不到自己的潜力的人，这是现任俱乐部官员要做好的一项关键技能。
在2016年6月Toastmaster杂志的一篇文章中，DTM的世界冠军公共发言人Dana LaMon指出，潜在的俱乐部领导人就是运动中的人。他解释说：“设定并实现目标，尝试新项目和/或担任新角色的成员正在表现出领导才能。”
“对个人成长的开放性对于俱乐部领导者至关重要。”
— Joel Palachuvattil, DTM
马里兰州巴尔的摩市DTM的Joel Palachuvattil最初是其俱乐部的教育副主席，现在已参与大区事务，对此表示同意。他说，俱乐部领导者首先要寻找对个人成长开放的会员。
“我想到了其他特征，例如能够处理压力或能够听取人们的批评。但是，我认为，只要领导人愿意成长，这些就是领导者可以随时间发展的素质。” “开放个人成长对于俱乐部领导者至关重要。我相信，这导致了帮助他人成长的愿望。”
弗吉尼亚州Toano的DTM查尔斯·盖茨（Charles S. Gates）担任俱乐部副主席兼秘书。他认为积极向上是俱乐部官员的重要目标。他说：“对新想法和批评保持开放很重要。” “当事情并没有完全按照您希望的那样发展时，会有日子值得一试。但是，当您参加Toastmasters会议时，没有人需要知道这一点。保持积极，乐观的态度，并保持活力。负面喜欢陪伴，不要把它带进俱乐部。”
LaMon说，其他需要寻找的标志是微笑，表现谦卑和好奇的成员。
Encouraging Leaders
When talking to potential club leaders, point out how Toastmasters leadership can build confidence.
“For those who want to develop their leadership skills but don’t have an opportunity in other settings (e.g., the workplace), being a club leader is the perfect place. It is low-risk, and your club members are there to support you,” says Palachuvattil.
Gates agrees, saying he believes in being transparent when explaining each club leadership role. “What I share about Toastmasters to a club prospect is the confidence-building benefit. I make it clear that the only way that your confidence is built is through participation. When recruiting leaders, I take it a step further by explaining the role in detail. I assure them that this journey can be life changing,” he says.
One of the benefits of stepping into a club officer role is the amount of support you receive, from members and from World Headquarters. Districts offer club officer training twice a year to help with the transition, and there is an array of training resources online.
When Michael Notaro, Past International President, spoke about leadership at the 2019 Toastmasters International Convention, he specifically addressed the level of support club leaders receive from fellow Toastmasters.
“In Toastmasters, every leadership position serves on a team,” he said. “Every leader will have fellow members there to support them on their journey as they search for their calling. Remind members that their team wants to see them succeed and will be there to support them in their efforts.
Cindy Cannon, DTM, of Atlanta, Georgia, is a past Region 8 Advisor and says members are cheating themselves if they don’t think they have time to become a club leader.
“[By taking on a leadership role], you enhance your skills and become an overall better person and a better leader, and it will change your career. It enhances your skills, and by learning time management, you are kicked up to a higher level.”
Clubs have the ability to change people’s lives, and Palachuvattil encourages new club officers to ensure the club remains vibrant for others. “The club that I first joined existed because of all of the members before who took care of it and kept it going. That is a debt to my predecessors that I pay by being a good steward of the club in the present so that I can pass the club on to future members,” he says.
鼓励领导
在与潜在的俱乐部领导者交谈时，请指出Toastmasters领导者如何建立信心。
“对于那些想发展领导才能，但又没有其他机会（例如工作场所）的人来说，成为俱乐部领导者是一个完美的地方。这是低风险的，您的俱乐部成员在那里为您提供支持。” Palachuvattil说。
盖茨对此表示同意，他说，在解释每个俱乐部的领导角色时，他相信保持透明。 “我对Toastmasters俱乐部前景的看法是建立信任的好处。我明确指出，建立信任的唯一途径是参与。在招聘领导者时，我会通过详细解释其角色来进一步采取行动。我向他们保证，这一旅程可以改变生活。”他说。
担任俱乐部官员一职的好处之一就是您从会员和世界总部那里获得的支持数量众多。各地区每年为俱乐部官员提供两次培训，以帮助他们过渡，并且在线提供了一系列培训资源。
过去的国际主席迈克尔·诺塔罗（Michael Notaro）在2019年Toastmasters国际大会上谈到领导力时，他特别谈到了俱乐部领导人从Toastmasters同胞那里获得的支持水平。
他说：“在Toastmasters中，每个领导职位都属于团队。” “每位领导人都会有其他会员在他们的旅程中为他们寻求的支持提供支持。提醒会员，他们的团队希望看到他们成功，并会在那里支持他们的努力。
佐治亚州亚特兰大市的DTM辛迪·坎农（Cindy Cannon）是过去的第8区域的顾问，他说，如果成员们认为自己没有时间成为俱乐部的领导者，那就在欺骗自己。
“ [通过担任领导角色]，您可以提高技能，成为一个整体上更好的人和更好的领导者，这将改变您的职业。它可以提高您的技能，并且通过学习时间管理，您可以被提升到更高的水平。”
俱乐部有能力改变人们的生活，Palachuvattil鼓励新的俱乐部官员确保俱乐部为他人保持活力。 “我最初加入的俱乐部的存在是因为所有会员都在照顾它并保持下去之前存在。这是我对我的前任的欠债，我现在是俱乐部的好管家，因此我可以将俱乐部交托给未来的会员，我就把这个债还清了。”他说。
Editor’s Note: For more details on club officer roles and strategies for success, refer to the Club Leadership Handbook.
编者注：有关俱乐部官员角色和成功策略的更多详细信息，请参阅《俱乐部领导手册》。