Lessons Learned

As mentioned in the last post, I was considering using Twitter to give my updates when I was at the Fall Conference.  Turns out that the conference committee was encouraging using the social media tool, asking us to use the hashtag #TMD30 when we send our “tweets” (click here for the most recent tweets).  During [...]

With the Fall Conference taking place next weekend, here are some things I’m thinking about as I look forward to some of the festivities:

Looking forward to seeing many old friends and new faces as the last District 30 event I attended was the Spring Conference (I was out golfing during the Summer TLI).
Definitely will be [...]

Well after at least a couple of years in oblivion, the District 30 website is coming back to life!  Information for the upcoming Fall Conference is up-to-date with the most recent version of the schedule and list of educational sessions.  The menus are now simplified and most items are active as opposed to being “under [...]

Tim Bolger, who has been our video cameraman for some of the District 30 events the last 3 years, has put some recent videos online at Motionbox.  Events include the last District 30 and District 54 Spring Conferences (the D54 one has a visit from then-International President Jana Barnhill), the last D30 Summer TLI and [...]

Last weekend, the Horseshoe Casino Classic took place at Lost Marsh Golf Club in Hammond, IN.  It is a tournament on the Duramed Futures Tour, the developmental tour for the LPGA, with the women golfers competing in the hopes of making it to the big tour.
Two years ago, I took advantage of an interesting opportunity [...]

I did attend the Friday night and Saturday night portions of the District 30 Spring Conference held this past weekend.  During the day on Saturday, I was at Broken Arrow in Lockport playing a round in my singles golf group, with no plans of finding out who won the D30 elections that morning until I [...]

For a while, I’ve resigned to the likely possibility that District 30’s Lt. Governor of Marketing Blagojevich (not his last name, but no different from the ousted Illinois Governor in many ways – appearance, style and even ethics) will be the District 30 Governor in two years.  I was looking at some options in the [...]

The recent arrest of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich uncovered plenty of his leadership flaws, some of which reminded me of the problems I have seen in District 30.  Not respecting other people’s views unless it matched their view of the world.  Picking pet projects while ignoring higher priority issues.  Showboating instead of addressing problems and [...]

One thing that did not surprise me today when I attended the District 30 Winter Toastmasters Leadership Institute is that the team put together by the TLI Dean includes a couple who are current Division Governors, each holding two major positions.  One Division Governor was the Assistant Dean and Publicity Chair, the other was the [...]

Even though I’ve been using this blog to express my own views about Toastmasters, some of which may be controversial, I’ve been reluctant to go in detail various incidents that could get my blood boiling, as the blog is public material that could be used as a weapon against the entire Toastmasters organization, which has [...]