Completion requirements
After a guest becomes a new member, the next thirty days are critical to their success or failure within the Toastmasters program. An essential part of that is a quality new member orientation process. A good NMO will get a member familiarized with the basics of Toastmasters without overloading them with information. Find out how to do it in this lesson.
3. What Factors Should You Watch For?
Toastmasters International suggests the following standards for New Member Orientation with some added commentary:
- Induct new members formally and provide a membership pin and manuals.
- Make sure to budget for pins
- Pathways has (largely) done away with manual presentations (so expect this to go away)
- Make sure you have voted in your members first
- Some clubs don't induct members until they give their Icebreaker speech, to avoid members who suddenly vanish after signing up (it does happen)
- Assign a mentor for one-on-one assistance.
- If your club doesn't have enough mentors, consider using accountability buddies
- Discuss how the educational program helps develop speaking and leadership skills.
- Have a familiarity with Pathways to show how the program is now more customized per member
- Survey all new members’ learning needs.
- Get a sense of their goals to help them pick a Pathway
- Assign a speaking role for the new member as soon as possible.
- Getting the Icebreaker done within 30 days is a good objective
- Continue to make new members feel welcome and encourage their participation in meetings.
- Provide how-tos on doing beginner roles to help their confidence here