Well Proposal A did pass with the required 2/3 majority.  As we move on to make the new International structure work, I noticed during my Saturday visit to the Convention a few things that perhaps Toastmasters International should look at for future conventions for their plans to be a success:

  • Location – Probably the most important issue TI needs to look at.  This year’s location at Foxwoods is not near a major city or an airport, in fact attendees had to choose between flying to and from Hartford, Providence, Boston, New York or Newark.  The convention site is not within walking distance and has no public transportation to allow attendees to visit other places to go sightseeing, to eat or to stay over in another hotel (for those who were unable to reserve a room at the site or want to find a cheaper alternative).  I hope TI doesn’t bring the convention back to Foxwoods or other remote locations where the attendees are basically stuck at and make sure future conventions are at places where public transportation as well as alternative accommodations and places to go are easily accessible.
  • Venue and fees – TI wants to place their conventions at a five-star hotel to show others what a world-class organization it is.  But is that what the average member wants?  Having the convention in a five-star venue cost lots of money that is passed on to the attendees resulting in exorbitant fees that many can’t afford.  Only 13 from District 30 attended this year’s convention, far less than the average.  And I’m sure most in D30 who would’ve loved to attend this year’s convention couldn’t because they either couldn’t afford it or was not worth the convention, lodging and transportation fees to go.  Many districts however are finding ways to cut costs at their conferences and are willing to hold them at places that are beneath the quality of a hotel, such as a college, in return for more attendance due to the lower price to attend.  Perhaps TI should look at what the member values at an International Convention and ask them how much they are willing to afford to go to one and what venue standards they are willing to accept.
  • Voting at the Annual Business Meeting – In the aftermath of the vote on Proposal A, many are calling for electronic voting to at least be an option for Club Presidents to directly vote on such proposals and candidates for International Office, especially as most can’t attend a convention for reasons above or may not trust their District Governor with their vote.  Many organizations such as IEEE and just about every public company allows the member/shareholder that option.  For LinkedIn users, there is a great discussion on electronic voting in The Official Toastmasters International Members Group.  Hopefully there will be a solution soon that would both enable the Club Presidents to directly have a say on the issues and candidates while continue the tradition of allowing the candidates for face-to-face presentation and discussion that showcases their Toastmaster skills.

If Toastmasters International thinks the hard work is done by the passage of Proposal A, they should think again.  It’s only the beginning and they have a long way to go to make the proposal a success, especially as they’re giving the International Convention much more importance than ever.