Bob's Toastmasters Pathways Blog

 I was at convention in Denver and got to meet some of the various people that I’ve been communicating with via Facebook groups as well as other Toastmasters from around the world.  I found someone with talking about how Pathways hasn’t changed why that person joined or stayed. It brings up a good point, even with all the negativity that I’ve heard about Pathways, Pathways really hasn’t changed anything.  Yes, there’s things that can be improved and I’m sure they will be done the road, but at the end of the day, everything is usable. I didn’t join Toastmasters for the Traditional (now Legacy) Education Program nor have I stayed for that reason.  I joined so that someday when I become a high school speech and debate coach, I won’t be that do as I say not as I do coach.  I’ve stayed because of the relationships that I’ve built and because I have the ability to help others (and yes, I still want to be a good coach). The #MyWhy program couldn’t have come at a ...

In the past, there was just one system to enter and submit awards in, but with Pathways there’s now two systems, basecamp and Club Central.  The award has to be approved in basecamp for the member to be able to continue, but it also has to be submitted in Club Central for the person to receive credit. Some important information about submitting: 1. If you are approving for a dual member, be sure that they want to give the club the award before submitting. (I usually have whatever club is getting my award approve in basecamp as well.  Occasionally, I’ll hold off so that it helps a club as I’m a DTM and am more concerned about helping my clubs than getting achievements.) 2. If submitting a level 3 or higher, be sure to ask them if they want a letter or email to their manager.

One thing about Pathways is that you're doing an Introduction to Toastmaster Mentoring Project for each Path regardless of whether you are interested in the Pathways Mentor Certification or not and whether or not you've already completed it.  I've noticed that people are apprehensive about doing it because they're either afraid of sharing or just don't want to. Yes, the project wants you to talk about the time that you were a protege, but it doesn't say how much detail you have to go into.  One thing to remember is that everyone was at one point in time a protege. I recently completed my second time doing the project.  The first time I talked about how my speech and debate background ultimately got me involved with Toastmasters and my journey along the way.  My second speech focused on the concept of being voluntold (i.e. in the Toastmasters world, volunteered by someone else to do something), what it means and how it affected my Toastmasters journey.  Th...

It’s easy to get confused, but you can miss out on valuable resources as a result. Pick your path and work your projects through Basecamp.  If your club uses easyspeak, be sure to select the same path that you choose in basecamp.  If you make a mistake and can’t fix be sure to ask your VPE or IT support person for help. Stay on track and make sure that you’re getting the most value out of Toastmasters. There’s tons of people willing to help you out.

I was looking at my record in Pathways and noticed that I ended up closer to my second DTM a lot faster than my first.  It's not just because second DTMs typically are faster. When I first started out repeating CCs (Competent Communication Manuals) and even doing advanced manuals, I generally wouldn't buy them as I wanted to save the money.  CCs were easy to fit pocket speeches in as well.  Now that I'm in Pathways and there's no way to submit Pathways Levels without first purchasing them.  As a result, I'm inclined to finish a full Path so that I'm not wasting money. Another factor is that I'm always willing to help out (or at least consider it), which is how I ended up becoming a Division Director and a club mentor, but I wouldn't take an opportunity away from someone who needed it.  I've also had plenty of club officer terms as well. I finished my first path in about a year, while also working on CCs, as did one of my home club's newer me...

One of my good friends and fellow Toastmasters has come up with a definition of DTM that I like (not D on't T ime M e): D estined T o M entor Part of mentoring is the ability to help people by understanding something that you see in them.  One of my favorite things to see is when people realize their potential and what I saw in them. During my time as an Area Director, Assistant Division Director, Conference Chair and Division Director, one of my goals was to find people who I saw something in and help enable them to take the next step. During this time, I've been privileged to see someone that I asked to be an Area Contest Toastmaster be a District Contest Toastmaster, a once Conference first timer become a Division Director-elect and an energic Toastmaster become the first person in her club to become an Area Director (and likely the first DTM from her club). The Pathways Mentoring program will just help further this and I couldn't be more excited to take advant...

One of the nice things about Pathways is the ability for a basecamp manager to print certificates out and create more recognition for the members (which ironically, is one of the reasons why Pathways was created). Celebrating and recognition doesn't have to stop there, what accomplishments have your members achieved?  Area Director? Division Director? 1st Path? Consecutive years of district service from club members?  Getting to a sustainable membership?  Overcoming the challenges of losing members (and knowledge)? In terms of outside, non-Toastmasters achievements, be sure that the members are comfortable with the recognition.  For Toastmasters achievements, I usually don't give members a choice.  For example, we had a member achieve DTM who didn't want any recognition for that achievement.  However, I had a conversation with the President and told him that I was going to recognize it if he didn't.  He recognized it.  (If it had been a non-To...