Theme: “Refining Quality, Defining Leadership and Re-defining Service”

Dear Members of District 79,

Welcome to the first day of our toastmasters year for 2010-2011 when we take our first step towards sure success!  To achieve that sure success, we have to set specific standards in three areas - Quality, Leadership and Service.

The parameters regarding Quality have to be refined;

The Leadership which contributes to that quality has to be defined  

The Service that goes into creating leaders have to re-defined. 

So our tagline for 2010-2011 is “Refining Quality, Defining Leadership and Re-defining Service”

With 17 Divisions and 76 Areas, we are one of the biggest Districts in the world and the targets and expectations are high. Yes, we have exciting times ahead of us…

We are privileged this year to see history in the making, when our District 79 gives birth to another District comprising of Divisions in Saudi Arabia ; 

We are privileged this year to have two added leadership roles, an LGM and an LGET dedicated for Saudi Arabia, which means our targets can be approached as if we are two Districts, yet one;

We are privileged this year to have 76 Area Governors and 17 Division governors, more leaders to share our efforts with.

We have a few unique initiatives for this toastmasters’ year to make our tenure more productive.

• We will engage the services of every wise head in our District this year. Towards this, we will be initiating a “District Assistance Program” by forming a “Past Leaders Committee” (PLC), tapping the invaluable experience of our past leaders.
• We will give voice to our members by implementing a program “HMV - Hear My Voice”, where in the member’s voice is heard, acknowledged and acted upon.  We will use technology to install this direct feedback mechanism to harvest suggestions.
• We will re-define Service Leadership to take on a shade of “transformational leadership” to help us transform our members into thinking and acting collectively for the betterment of District 79 and the TMI organization as a whole.
• We will create “Transition Documents” to facilitate a smooth handover, so that year after year the District preserves its knowledge base to serve members and clubs more effectively.

Let us utilize our resources in the optimum manner towards realizing the Education and Marketing goals and towards making each member’s experience a rewarding and fruitful one.  Friends, let’s make it a defining year for District 79!

Warm regards

Uma Radhakrishnan, DTM
District Governor,
District 79
Refining Quality, Defining Leadership and Re-defining Service