Whether pursuing a traditional or a Pathways DTM, you will need to complete several speeches and perform many leadership roles in order to attain your goal. You have a variety of opportunities available.
I discussed this topic with Bill Atkins, DTM, a member of Red Bank Toastmasters, Talk of Monmouth (an advanced club) and the soon-to-be-chartered Holmdel Toastmasters club. Here are some of the ideas we talked about when I mentored Bill while he was completing his DTM.
Your club(s)
Sign up on your own on the club’s website (if your club uses this method) but be respectful that other members want speaking spots, too. Let your VPE and mentor know about your goal.
Other clubs
Visit other clubs that may have speaking spots and support roles available if they have fewer members in their club and struggle to fill roles.
Join another club
Consider joining an additional club if your schedule and budget will allow it. For example, if you are a member of a corporate club, consider a community club, an advanced club or a specialty club.
The importance of planning
Bill shared some advice that helped him complete his DTM sooner than he thought possible. He stated, “One of the most important things I learned from Su is to have a Toastmasters calendar to plan the requirements and speaking opportunities. Planning, then writing down what and where I would be completing projects and speeches, helped me advance to the next level more quickly.”
Outside of Toastmasters
With permission of your club VPE, you can present speeches at work or in the community. Receive speech credit when you meet the project requirements and have a Toastmaster present as your speech evaluator. Consult your traditional manuals or Pathways project resources for complete details.
Bill continued, “Because of my Toastmasters experience, I have been able to speak at many other opportunities outside of Toastmasters. These include speaking to an audience of over 400 people for two hours at a conference in Washington, DC, many local business organizations, as well as conducting training at businesses such as car dealerships, real estate firms and corporations.”
“I will be completing my first full path, Presentation Mastery, while also working on the Effective Coaching path. I am using the same calendar planning strategy I learned from Su, my DTM mentor,” Bill concluded.
Blog contributed by Su Brooks, DTM 2 District 83 Training Coordinator and Social Media Strategist
Su has been a Toastmaster since July 2000 and has earned two DTM awards in the Traditional program. In Pathways, she is working on three paths: Leadership Development, Presentation Mastery, and Engaging Humor. In addition, she recently began the Pathways Mentoring Program.
For 2018-2019, she serves as the Sergeant at Arms for Talk of Monmouth, an advanced club in Tinton Falls, New Jersey, and as the District Training Coordinator and a Social Media Strategist.
She is a member of No Limits Toastmasters in Staten Island, New York, where she serves as the audio technician on the production crew for Toastmasters in the Community, a cable TV show.
For 2019-2020, Su will take on the role of Destination DTM Chair for District 83.
