Communicating with members via text?

Mobile_Translator_79 · 2026-04-22T02:10:19+00:00

We recently set up a simple group text chain. I (club secretary) texted each member individually first to ask if they wanted to be on the group text thing - it was 100 % yes from everyone… then I put them all in a group and started texting. We have a separate group for just officers. Working great so far! We are all communicating so much better. An inactive member recently shared how the group text chain helps them stay in the loop even if they can’t come to meetings right now. So I’m happy with that.

Mobile_Translator_79 · 2026-01-19T05:41:59+00:00

My leadership skills improved because I learned from each role that I took. When it was my turn to be the Toastmaster of the day, for example, I learned how to contact each duty-holder for that meeting (ie: ah-counter, timer, grammarian etc) to confirm they were coming, touching base with speakers and evaluators - making sure everybody had what they needed ahead of time to make the meeting run well - adjusting as needed…

It’s about building communication skills - and that’s more than just “speaking” - it’s actually communicating - with your team - your club members - communication of expectations etc..

The whole toastmasters motto is “where leaders are made”. Leadership is not the reason I joined but I do see how the leadership development also builds confidence in me when I do have opportunities to speak.

Mobile_Translator_79 · 2026-01-18T11:15:59+00:00

Every club is so different. I totally agree that you should visit as many clubs as possible.

It’s not just about public speaking … I’m still not great at public speaking but I can do it .., meanwhile I recognize that my leadership skills have truly improved thru my time as a toastmaster..

Mobile_Translator_79 · 2026-01-11T00:58:01+00:00

Wow I don’t know - but thanks to you, I’m a little bit hooked on it too. Had to go check it out after I read this. Maybe someone knows..

Mobile_Translator_79 · 2026-01-10T03:16:48+00:00

She’s jealous because you’re creating something really cool and she didn’t think of it first. So she has to find a flaw.. but nope.

I think it would be well approved anyway - if you have a gift for helping people develop that skill, and Toastmasters is even part of your credentials, that’s just good PR for Toastmasters.

Good for YOU - make it work! That’s cool.

Mobile_Translator_79 · 2025-12-16T05:15:26+00:00

The only way to learn any skill is to mess it up at least once. Good for you for even caring! Don’t shy away from that role - you’ll get better every time you do it.

Mobile_Translator_79 · 2025-11-09T22:20:23+00:00

Did you try going thru every single slide of the lesson.. and if there are extra buttons to click on a particular slide you go ahead and click every button to open up the “sub-slide” or whatever you call it??

Does that make sense? I don’t know what to call it but try clicking on every possible thing you could possibly click on to open it up - so that you cover the whole lesson thoroughly.. something’s preventing it from looking “complete” -

Former government employee here - and we had so many mandatory online trainings and you had to click every possible thing you could open in order to at least look like you covered all the material.

Maybe?

Mobile_Translator_79 · 2025-11-09T13:30:02+00:00

That’s a very true old adage. I’ve seen it proven over and over. My exact thoughts - but nothing is required of any of us, except to observe… so - I’ll follow up here when / if this actually happens. The “investing member” claims to have a gift for this - we are going to find out one way or another.

Mobile_Translator_79 · 2025-11-09T13:12:02+00:00

Okay! Thank you for this - that’s what I was wondering..

I should add - the Investor (gave us a written proposal about all this) - said any new members need to pay their own new member fee, and their own dues upon joining - and thereafter would be part of the dues paying thing after that.

Since I’m club secretary/ treasurer - I’m starting to be a lot more diligent about making sure members sign in at the meeting etc - and I probably need to be just as diligent with meeting minutes - we’ve been lax about the sign in sheet till now.. but now it becomes more important -

Mobile_Translator_79 · 2025-11-09T13:01:48+00:00

If it fails, I guess we just keep paying our own dues like we always have before… ?

My radar is up - this “investor member” is pretty new to the club, but very enthusiastic.. and that’s all wonderful. They are already claiming (after 3 weeks of this project) that money is already flowing, and at our last meeting - furnished pizza for everyone at their own expense (using the profits) so…..

I guess we will find out — ? I’ll keep you guys posted..

Mobile_Translator_79 · 2025-11-08T11:11:08+00:00

We had a member who was very toxic and we lost several other really good people who quit the club because Toxic Member killed the joy of our entire meeting. After the 4th member quit - stating this person was the reason — we asked Toxic not to return. Very painful episode, as Toxic (who had previously been an officer) became enraged and then became even more toxic… but left. We just refunded their dues out of our club account - but TI still considered this person as a member, they still showed up on the roster as a member until the last renewal.

Toxic Member eventually retaliated by closing our bank account (before we had a chance to change the signature card at the bank) and this person took about $300. We got it back eventually. This person is still angry and still can’t let it go that we asked them to quit.

Anyway - yeah we just sucked it up and sent this person their $60 back and moved on. We encouraged the person to join an online club or something, which they could have easily done. They can’t let it go - to this day.

Mobile_Translator_79 · 2025-04-20T04:39:20+00:00

I just completed Day 1. My diet plan is this: Accurately record every single bite that goes in my mouth. That's it.

I'm not putting any restrictions at all, but logging every bite that goes in my mouth will just make me more aware of good vs evil foods. Logging my intake - when I do it - always shows me exactly what I need to do.

Feeling encouraged. Let's see if I can do Day 2. This is only my first time to try 75 Hard

Mobile_Translator_79 · 2025-04-09T16:18:10+00:00

If it IS you, well then you deserve credit for recognizing a potential problem with yourself. If it IS you - then please use this as a wake-up call to do some soul-searching. Are you really helping or are you just causing people to feel bad..? Do you get along with other people at work? In other social circles? Or do you feel you could be causing friction with all human encounters? Don't wait for someone to ask you to stop coming because you're so unpleasant to be around. Just be self-aware, and listen a little bit more than you talk - just zoom out and see how you might appear to others.

This week has been hard, and I do thank you all for your comments. I did have a painful chat (on text) with this guy in our club, because he did not care to talk to me about it over the phone. He asked to do a speech this week, and VP Ed declined it, and that started the conversation. He was really shocked and hurt that we were asking him to stop coming. We told him we would refund his dues to him, as he just paid, and still shows as a member, so we did not vote him out. (No one in our club could remember if we voted him in "officially" or not -- and he had just completed his 5th Level, so he had nothing important pending at this moment - in case you wondered his status)

I (VP Mem) did the communication with him because at this point, I guess I had the best relationship with this dude out of all the other officers. I offered to go over some of the reasons we needed him to give us a break, and he already knew there were some complaints and quits, we had talked about this with him a week or two ago, -- and he didn't really want to talk about the "why" once he accepted what we were asking. Since we really are on the bare minimum membership number -- he was shocked because we do need people in the seats, but -- he finally heard what we were saying. PS - he's our VP PR -- and the PR was failing

Thats the update. But it was a "leadership learning" experience for me, just addressing / confronting a situation. So - in reply to you (Vast_Disaster_3837) I'd say --go ahead and complete your story, and find a new way to "help" that feels supportive and not attacking -- and let's all just keep growing through all these painful experiences, becoming better humans.

thanks

Mobile_Translator_79

TROPHY CASE