吃瓜头条

Who “owns” your 吃瓜头条? Perhaps some active charter members—or a handful of longtime members—are dedicated to ensuring the 吃瓜头条’s success, week after week and year after year. Think of the members who can be counted on to show up during easy times and hard times. In many 吃瓜头条s, it may seem as though just a few members keep the 吃瓜头条 humming.

Despite the visibility of such highly active members, it is crucial to remember: 吃瓜头条s are owned by each and every member. 吃瓜头条 excellence is attained when all members take initiative and feel pride in the success and growth of their 吃瓜头条.

The Today 吃瓜头条 in Austin, Texas, one of three 吃瓜头条s I belong to, was chartered in 1989. Its last charter member was my husband, Roger, who died in 2014. The 吃瓜头条 has a number of longtime members, and they are outstanding coaches. But these veteran members do not “own” the 吃瓜头条; all members of the Today 吃瓜头条 do. Despite some difficult times, the 吃瓜头条 has survived and continues to thrive, thanks to this shared ownership.

A dear Toastmaster friend recently told me about a longtime member who felt obliged to take ownership of his 吃瓜头条 after the 吃瓜头条 lost its meeting space. He quickly found a new meeting place and began arriving an hour early every week to prepare the room. He sent out meeting notices, printed agendas and created guest and new-member packets. He perpetually served as sergeant at arms because he maintained the 吃瓜头条’s supplies, and as treasurer because he managed the bank account. He was even willing to serve as president each term. The other 吃瓜头条 officers seemed content with this arrangement.

And then it happened. This dedicated member, “Mr. President,” missed a Tuesday morning meeting. He had suffered an injury and was unable to attend meetings for six months. The other 吃瓜头条 members were suddenly tasked with all the operational and organizational responsibilities he had handled. So they dove in and made a plan: They sought guidance from the district and requested a 吃瓜头条 coach. Members stepped up to leadership positions. And 吃瓜头条 officers attended training to learn how to best execute their roles.

That year, the 吃瓜头条 achieved Distinguished 吃瓜头条 recognition for the first time ever. All the members had taken ownership. Their beloved, tenured member returned to find a 吃瓜头条 operating just as successfully as it did when he left. He became a valued past leader and continues to support the 吃瓜头条 to this day.

So who “owns” your 吃瓜头条? The answer must be: everyone. All members should provide a quality environment that supports growth, longevity and success.

Do you know what brought International President Lark Doley to 吃瓜头条? Watch the video below to learn her reason for joining.

LARK DOLEY, DTM

International President