Great Opportunities Brilliantly Disguised

William L. "Bill" May, Jr., DTM

We are all faced with a series of great opportunities
brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.
- Chuck Swindoll

As you read this, your Toastmaster Club will have alresdy sent its Semiannual Membership Report to World Headquarters. What is the status of your club? Do you have twenty-plus members all working on educational goals? Is your club's meeting well attended and organized? An honest answer to these questions will give you a sense of the health of your Toastmaster Club.       Unfortunately, too many will answer, "not really" to all questions! Herein lies the "great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations." There isn't a Toastmasters Club anywhere that cannot improve when its members want a better club. Just one member can turn a whole club around an propel it to President's Distinguished status. But, when two or more members spearhead the course of improvement, success always follows.       The recipe for a successful Toastmasters Club calls for certain key imgredients that must be included. Leave out a key ingredient and the resule will be a disaster. The major ingredient is the ration of members to the whole of the recipe; and as such, is paramount to the success of the club. Whth a history that spans over 75 years, Toastmasters International understands how many members are needed for a really successful Toastmasters Club - 20 or more members - period! Participating members members create the leaven needed to raise the club to new levels.       So, how do we recruit members? First, make sure every club meeting merits your time. If it isn't worth your time, why would anyone else want to be a member? Second, make sure the "Why" each member joined Toastmasters is being met. These two things must happen immediately. Once these ttwo ingredients are incorporated in the mix, then yhou may begin the process of recruitment.       To recruit a member: Ask them to join! Be able to explain Toastmasters in one sentence, such as - In Toastmasters we learn to think creatively, listen carefully, and speak confidently. Personally escort them to your club's meeting. Introduce them to every member present. Fill out their membership application. Ask them to sign the application. Ask them to make out their check in the amount of $_____. Tell them how the check should be written. make them fel welcome! Help them become assimilated into the club by memtoring them.       Current members must understand that we share with others what we know is good, one person at a time.       This recipe never fails!

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