Toastmasters Democracy- where decisions are made

Jean Gamester

District 71 Secretary 2012/13

Toastmasters Democracy

Our Setup Maps Organisation Structure Key Documents

Where Decisions are Made Club Business Meetings District Executive Committee District Committee Annual Toastmasters International Business Meeting

Introduction

Toastmasters is global organisation. It is organised so that there are trained leaders in place

to support members at every level. It has a consistent way of operating across the globe. It is a democracy. If there is not enough participation in the democratic

process, decisions can’t be made and officers can’t be appointed.

Clubs have influence at every level of decision making – if they chose to use their voting rights

Toastmasters International currently has 270,381 members in 116 countries.

190,827

Numbers of Members

423

3,599

44,962

17,433

13,137

We are organised into Regions…and Regions are organised into Districts

District 71 covers the UK & Ireland and has

over 6,700 members

We are in

Region 11

How we are structured

How Officers Are Elected Club Committee

by Club Members Area Governor

by Area Council Division Governor

District PR OfficerDistrict LG MarketingDistrict Governor

by District Council Board of Directors

by Toastmasters Annual Business Meeting

This means that clubs have votes at every level

These documents define how we operate…

For Clubs Club Constitution Standard Bylaws for Clubs

• Each club can have its own bylaws/policies, e.g. where they meet, the dues they pay

For Districts District Administrative Bylaws

• Each club has its own bylaws/policies, eg whether we have area governor elections

For Toastmasters International Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws

& Policies and Protocol Local bylaws have to be consistent with the other governing documents. Changes have to be submitted to TI and are subject to change by TI.

How do these documents get updated?…

For Clubs Club Constitution Standard Bylaws for Clubs

• Each club has its own bylaws, e.g. where they meet, the dues they pay

For Districts District Administrative Bylaws

• Each club has its own bylaws, eg whether we have area governor elections

For Toastmasters International Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws

& Policies and Protocol The Club Business Meeting changes that Club’s bylaws

How do these documents get updated?…

For Clubs Club Constitution Standard Bylaws for Clubs

• Each club has its own bylaws, eg where they meet, the dues they pay

For Districts District Administrative Bylaws

• Each club has its own bylaws, eg whether we have area governor elections

For Toastmasters International Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws

& Policies and Protocol The District Council changes that District’s bylaws

How do these documents get updated?…

For Clubs Club Constitution Standard Bylaws for Clubs

• Each club has its own bylaws, eg where they meet, the dues they pay

For Districts District Administrative Bylaws

• Each club has its own bylaws, eg whether we have area governor elections

For Toastmasters International Articles of Incorporation and

Bylaws & Policies and ProtocolThe Board of Directors changes the District Administrative Bylaws

How do these documents get updated?…

For Clubs Club Constitution Standard Bylaws for Clubs

• Each club has its own bylaws, eg where they meet, the dues they pay

For Districts District Administrative Bylaws

• Each club has its own bylaws, eg whether we have area governor elections

For Toastmasters International Articles of Incorporation and

Bylaws & Policies and Protocol

The Toastmasters Annual Business Meeting Changes these documents.

Voted on by clubs, district governors and the board of directors

Key terms for Toastmasters Meetings

Quorum : The number of voters that need to be in attendance in order for the meeting to transact business.

Proxy : someone designated to act on a voter’s behalf at a council meeting.

How Key Meetings WorkClub Business Meeting Members

Active club members

Quorum Majority

Proxies allowed? No

How Key Meetings WorkDistrict Executive

Committee Quorum

Majority

Proxies allowed? No

How Key Meetings WorkDistrict Council Quorum

1/3 Club Presidents, VPEs or their Proxies

Proxies allowed? Yes, for clubs Club members (in good standing)

How you assign Proxy? Club President & VPE fills in

form to assign Proxy Proxy brings to Credentials

Desk at Conference and they get their voting papers

Next District Council

10th May 2013Torquay

How Key Meetings WorkTI Annual Business Meeting Quorum

1/3 Clubs their Proxies 1/3 Delegates at Large

Proxies allowed? Yes, for clubs. Any member (in good standing) Can be our District Governor

How you assign Proxy? President or Secretary assigns

on the Toastmasters International website – Club Central

Voting members of Toastmasters International at the Annual Business Meeting- Member Clubs- Delegates at Large

Toastmasters International President, International President-Elect, the vice presidents, the international directors, past international presidents, past international directors, district governors

Next Annual Business Meeting

August 2013Cincinnati

In Summary : how can members influence what happens in Toastmasters?

Make sure we attend and vote in club business meetings. Make sure our club’s officers select the right area governor at the

area council meeting. Make sure our club is represented at the District Council by

ensuring that the Club President or VPE attends, or their proxy(s). Make sure our club is represented at the Toastmasters

International Annual Business Meeting by either ensuring that two members attend, or that they assign a proxy. That proxy can be the District Governor, or any other Toastmasters member in good standing.

We can ensure the right decisions are made and the right people elected if we participate.

Key Resources

Club Leadership Handbookhttp://www.toastmasters.org/CLH District Leadership Handbook

http://www.toastmasters.org/DistrictLeadershipHandbook

Governing Resource Documentshttp://www.toastmasters.org/policyprotocol

Any Questions?