TM Insider: Club Hopping

Welcome to the first edition of our new TM Insider series.  This series will give you insights on some of the things you get to do once you join a Toastmasters club and things that go on behind the scenes to make a meeting successful.

This post will focus on the concept of "Club Hopping" or "Clubbing" as it's commonly called in Toastmasters circle.  This is not the type of clubbing that involves alcohol lol *wink*.

Clubbing in Toastmasters is where members from one club visit other clubs.  There are various benefits of clubbing both for clubs and members.

1. Building Relationships

Perhaps the biggest benefit from clubbing is the opportunity to build inter-club relationships.  In order for clubs to continue to grow at a  healthy rate, they need the support of other clubs to run meetings, hold contests and maintain a continuous flow of guests.  Inter-club cooperative events are very common amongst Toastmasters clubs.

2. Improve the Running of Your Own Club

Visiting other clubs allow members to observe how things are done outside of their own clubs.  They can then bring that new information back to their home club and improve their system.

3. Blaze Through Your Assignment Speeches

Members are allowed to do their assignment speeches at other clubs.  This will allow them to finish their manuals in half the time it would normally take.  In addition, being evaluated by people from outside your own club is also an added benefit as you get to hear the opinions of other people who probably have never heard you speak before.

4. Make New Friends Outside Your Social Circle

This will allow for more areas of growth.  If you only socialize with the people within your circle, your potential for growth is limited.  But if you expand your social network by interacting with a more diverse group of people, you also expand your horizons.

Most of all, for most Toastmasters, it is the lifelong friendships that they make with other people who are passionate and driven.

If you would like the opportunity to hone your public speaking skills as well as learn leadership skills, join us for our bi-monthly meetings on every 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month.  Our meetings start at 8pm.  For further information please contact us at gurneyhydrotoastmastersclub@gmail.com or refer to our Next Meeting page for information on our next meeting.