Fun, collaborative and constructive year for Division A

On July 1, 2020, I took on the responsibility of Division Director for the term 2020-2021 at Division A, District 41, Region 13, Toastmasters International. My predecessors Distinguished Toastmasters Ranjit Acharya and Suman Shakya have done a marvelous job, one that is not easy to emulate. I stepped into this position tenaciously, careful that I don’t affect what has already been built. My goal this year is to ensure that we maintain the quality that has become synonymous to Division A.

This year, Division A is comprised of areas and clubs as follows:

Area A1 is led by Area Director Toastmaster Diptee Acharya, who is responsible for Everest Toastmasters Club, Pokhara Toastmasters Club, and Gandaki Toastmasters Club. Area A2 is led by Area Director Toastmaster Rabindra Pradhan, who is responsible for Shangrila Toastmasters Club, NAMI Toastmasters Club, Bhaisepati Toastmasters Club, and Agni Toastmasters Club. Area A3 is led by Area Director Toastmaster Brijendra Rochan Joshi, who is responsible for Founders Toastmasters Club, Reliance Toastmasters Club, Bhaktapur Toastmasters Club, and Prabhu Bank Toastmasters Club.

We are fortunate to have the guidance of Distinguished Toastmaster Shaurab Lohani who is the mentor for Division A.

Similarly, we have the support of Division Program Quality Director, Club Growth Director, Public Relations Manager, Secretary/Administrative Manager and Finance Manager, Toastmasters Heema Mukarung, Sunetra Pradhanang, Sandeep Dhawa, Sushma Shrestha, and Sudeep Sayami respectively. We also have Associate Program Quality Director Toastmaster Darshana Shrestha, Newsletter Editor Toastmaster Shahi Kaspal, Special Event Management Lead Amit Bajracharya, Webmaster Nabin Jaiswal, and District Newsletter Representative Alexandra Wrigley. 

Collaboratively, we will be serving the members of Division A to make sure that their goals are met, while contributing to fulfilling goals set for Clubs, Areas, Division and the District. Our focus will be constructive mentoring and evaluations. We start this year with the aim to make the learning process fun.

It is with great honor that I welcome everyone and specifically members of Division N, District 41, Toastmasters International. From the day when I had stepped into my first meeting of Toastmasters club in 2013, I have learnt many new things each day. I have learnt to plan, organize and communicate effectively. I have realized that we need to empathize and be supportive, mentor, and support each other so that we grow individually and collectively. In Toastmasters, we first learn to speak and listen, and then we learn to lead. This way, each of us is a leader. 

As Division N Director for the term 2020-21, my top priority will be to maintain and build upon the quality that has been synonymous with the Toastmasters movement in Nepal, at club meetings, trainings, and events. Following our district vision, we will work to enhance the Toastmasters experience for each of our members and will help them achieve excellence in their Toastmasters journey.  Together we will create a benchmark in quality experience and will grow in quality numbers this year. Let us all work together to make a difference.

I am excited about what lies ahead in the year 2020-21 for Toastmasters in Nepal. After an exemplary year (2019-20) marked by unforeseen growth and stellar achievements, Division ‘A’ has spread out to become three Divisions. I have been entrusted to lead Division O. The motivation has always been the passion to contribute to an educational program that, I fully trust, will make better communicators of us and a movement that, I firmly believe, is capable of creating more leaders in Nepal.

As I take office, my promise to members I serve is accountability and commitment to create a better experience for all. My role is clear- it is to enable different leaders in and outside our Division to function effectively, independently and together, in a strategic manner. Our dedicated team of Division councils and Area councils are not only experienced but passionate individuals who embody the values of integrity, respect, service, and excellence. Our team will work together with the District and Divisions A and N to extend the reach of Toastmasters to more individuals in Nepal while continuing to meet each member’s expectations.

We will need your support in achieving our dream of bringing the best of Toastmasters for you and me. Together we will create a legacy.

Giving Back

It is an honor and pride writing this note in acknowledgement and appreciation of each step we have taken together in scaling the height we have achieved today. Having been a member of Toastmasters since 1998, I have seen historic growth in Nepal recently, from being the best kept secret of a single club to 35+ clubs currently, the journey thus far is an epitome of our camaraderie and commitment. This is the best basecamp for the next plateau of growth we are capable of achieving. 

With the continued expansion of footprints of clubs slowly and steadily in Kathmandu and outside, the Toastmasters movement in Nepal is offering opportunities to a wider population of aspirants to benefit from this exclusive learning technology. These programs  are uniquely packaged which cannot be imposed, hence every member vows to live by the values and resolves to use the technology of self-paced peer-based learning to unleash the communication and leadership everyone innately possesses. However, as a committed community we convene in this common forum to share and exercise all the best practices we have treasured thus far to facilitate journey to excellence by each member. 

For me, a checklist of 5Cs: a. Curriculum of Toastmasters b. Character of a club c. Collaboration of community d. Consistency in deliberate practices and e. Contemplation of efforts, is a tool to navigate through so that we remain aligned to a common mission of making Toastmasters in Nepal a strong community closely knit by the fundamental principles that the worldwide community of Toastmasters share too. As a forerunner in this march, I am reminded of the responsibility to give back to the community the impact that Toastmasters promises to deliver by upholding the values of Integrity, Respect, Service, and Excellence.

 I congratulate Team Nepal in contuning to put together all genuine efforts in this regard. I offer my unconditional support and commit to the mission of ‘giving back’ my experience of learning in Toastmasters.

When I started my journey as a Toastmaster in Oct 2008, I had very little idea about what to expect from the journey. As a saying goes, ‘even to survive is an act of courage’, my case was no different. I am glad I managed to thrive as a Toastmaster.

 Learning was beyond measures, the biggest lesson so far is to be quick to adapt to change. During the super testing times of COVID, it was a great learning to be comfortable with online meetings and communicating effectively over virtual platforms. It did help me greatly in the business and professional fronts as well. Happiness multiplies when we share what we have learned. Hence my role, an Associate Club Growth Director at District 41, allows me to assist the leadership in growing the number of clubs in Nepal, of course in the most sustainable manner to bring this wonderful learning experience to many more individuals. 

 I wish Nepal Virtual Office of Toastmasters in Nepal every success ahead. The amazing growth, as witnessed in the last 3 years, was indeed a fruit of visionary and successful leadership in Nepal. With the ongoing challenge of COVID-19, it is an important time to manage the growth while we ensure every member gets the most out of Toastmasters learning.

 Together we are going to create a memorable journey while eyeing the glorious destination – District Nepal. 

The Journey Continues… 

There is a District 41 ‘Expand Award’ encouraging clubs to add members and split into two. Both clubs get awarded. In Nepal, we did one better as Division ‘A’ last year (2019-20). We created 3 Divisions by adding 17 clubs to the base of 18!

Since Toastmasters started in 1991, it took 18 years for 18 clubs to be established. Thereafter, in a single year, 17 clubs were added (technically 18 but one succumbed to Covid-19 pandemic challenges). It proved the momentum that was built after joining District 41 in 2017, helped accelerate the growth of clubs in Nepal. 

This term (2020-21) too, the journey continues. Led by three brilliant leaders – Majestic Moon Pradhan, DTM, Awesome Anish Dixit and Amazing Avish Acharya – and their team of Area Directors, Toastmasters movement in Nepal are in safe hands. They have understood that cooperating collectively as a team, collaborating closely while being confidently competitive does bear positive results. 

Visiting Toastmasters in-person or virtually, to meetings in Nepal, have lauded the quality of members in their ability to communicate. A conscious effort made over the years to make club meeting experience engaging and motivating have borne fruit. Proper preparation by speakers according to the objectives and insightful feedback by seasoned evaluators has time and again proved to be the backbone of growth for clubs in Nepal. 

Joining the District has offered more leadership opportunities. While members have grabbed their chances to develop as a leader, there is a growing sense of possible derailment to Toastmasters journey as a speaker.  Increasing number of events, contests and connecting to a wider group globally sidesteps the primary individual goal of improving public speaking. Hopefully, my fears are misplaced. 

I personally chose the District Parliamentarian, when given an opportunity to serve at the District 41 leadership team this term. I hope to improve the quality of Council and Committee meetings by introducing Parliamentary procedures not just at the District level but also at the Division, Area and possibly Club Executive Committee meetings as well. 

To prepare ourselves to function as a District, a dream we harbor publicly, a virtual Toastmasters Nepal Country Office has been formed. A chosen team oversees the larger effort to ensure quality, prepare pipeline of prospective clubs, manage public relations and smoothly operate the administration. This team hopes to provide consistent and seamless Toastmasters experience throughout the 3 Divisions. 

Both tasks mentioned above are tall ask no doubt. If the goal does not look challenging, perplexing and stimulating enough, it is not worth the determination. I extend my good wishes to the 3 Division Directors who will drive Toastmasters movement in Nepal this term.  In my own way, I will continue to contribute to the growth. The journey continues. 

Suman Shakya
District 41 Parliamentarian, 2020-21

Program Quality Director D41

Have you been the reason for someone to stand tall on the stage?

Are you the reason for someone’s confident fluency on the stage?

Are you the reason for someone to have gained those accolades for that amazing speech?

Dear Toastmasters,

We join Toastmasters program to improve ourselves, to gain confidence and to find that influential leader hiding deep within us. We may get there and achieve all our targets one day, we may become better by our own efforts but is that so? Is it our efforts only?

Imagine, if you never received any feedback from some senior members in your club, fellow toastmasters didn’t approach you after your speech at the club to give you those necessary tips to improve. Imagine, if you were not encouraged to stand back tall after you faltered during one of your speeches.

Yes, knowingly, unknowingly we have benefited from our peers in Toastmasters. This may have come across naturally to us without following some structured mentoring.

But do remember, as Toastmasters we do have equal chance to be that person, who sits at the last row of a hall and claps for the fellow member, the mentee. Mentoring is an art and by effective mentoring we ourselves learn a lot about communication and leadership. It is rightly said if you exchange an orange with your friend, both will have an orange each but if you exchange a book then both will get the wisdom of two books. Likewise, mentoring or being a mentor is not only meant for somebody else’s improvement or benefit, it is mutual.

I am happy that from District 41 we have adopted the mentorship program, from then Division A, Nepal Toastmasters. The program will help members grow and improve as a communicator and a leader. The structured mentorship program will compliment Pathways mentorship path too. I urge all of you to enroll in the program and get the best out of it. We are confident this program will further enhance the experiences of all the members in our divisions and the district. 

Participating is the first trait of winning, hence enroll and be a winner.

All the best!