It was the Fall of 2022. I got a call from Abhijeet Joshi, then District 101 Program Quality Director. While serving as an Area Director, he asked me to apply for a Division Director position for the next Toastmasters year. Me?! I never had any thoughts, let alone ambition, of being a Division Director! Doubts swirled in my mind, but after some thought, I took a leap of faith. I went through the nomination process and was elected Division G Director for District 101 in May of the following year.
While I started my journey as Division Director with much doubt, I ended the year with determination to succeed. These are the lessons I learned.
- Believe in Yourself
When Abhijeet first approached me, I had no idea what the Division Director’s role and responsibilities were. But, I knew I could give my sincere effort to this role, as oftentimes, unexpected opportunities lead to the most rewarding experiences. If Abhijeet believed in me, then I could believe in myself. With guidance from Abhijeet, Solarzar Dellaporta, and the rest of the District leadership team, confidence began to overshadow my doubts.
- Establish Relationships With Those You Serve
With doubts still lingering, Abhijeet reassured me by saying, “Think of yourself as the CEO of Division G. Treat it like a small company and run the show for a year.” Wow, how would I run my own company?
I got to know my Area Directors not only as Toastmasters, but personally and professionally. I shared my vision and goals for the year, and they shared theirs. While I didn’t work directly with each of my Division’s clubs, ultimately, I was accountable for their success, and the success of my Area Directors. I regularly reached out to each Area Director to learn about their challenges and successes, working with them along the way to achieve our collective goals.
- Persistence Pays Off
The year started with organizing Club Officer Trainings (COTs). Division A Director Helen Josephine kindly showed me how to create wufoo forms for members to register for the events. I noticed that while club officers were registering for the July COTs, very few were showing up. I decided to send personal invitations to my Division members and saw the tide turn in August, with many more people committing to attending the COTs they signed up for. Persistence in following up with and supporting Area Directors, their clubs, and their members throughout the year helped motivate members to participate and work towards their goals.
- Teamwork – It Takes a Village
When it came time to conduct Area and Division contests in March and April, not only did my Area Directors come together to help organize and run the contests, but we also received support from our counterparts from other Divisions. It was amazing to see leaders from across our District come to support each other.
Our Division leadership team also worked together to come up with ideas to help clubs achieve their distinguished club goals. After some brainstorming, Area Director Prajna Shetty suggested organizing a Division G Expo in May to give clubs and their members an opportunity outside their regular club meetings to complete goals before the end of the Toastmasters year.
This event renewed the energy of each club with Prajna’s flawless execution and coordination involving all our Area Directors and the support of leaders like Solarzar and Declan Shelvey. Division G not only retained the clubs that we started with at the beginning of the Toastmasters year, but we also added two new clubs, with 17 of our clubs achieving Distinguished Club or higher. Our collective effort helped each of our Areas achieve Distinguished Area or higher, and our Division achieve President’s Distinguished status.
- Don’t Give Up
I never imagined that our Division would become President Distinguished, so here I am, grateful for my journey from doubt to determination; grateful to Abhijeet for identifying my true potential; grateful for the mentorship and guidance from him and Solarzar; grateful to give and receive support from my fellow Toastmasters. If you are asked to lead, I hope you say yes even if you are doubtful. Your persistence will pay off.
By Hrishikesh Gokhale, Intercontinental Advanced Toastmasters Club