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Sunday 23 March 2008
Message from the District Governor, February 2008
Reproduced with permission.
The Function of Leadership
Each year, the District has a new team. As District leaders, we need to identify quality people for leadership roles and identifying good people requires that we first understand the function of leadership.
Leadership is different from management.
Management is about practices and procedures. Good management brings order and consistency to practices and procedures without which there would be chaos.
Leadership, by contrast, is about coping with change. With faster technological change, greater global awareness and changing demographics, the world has become more volatile. More and more changes are needed to survive and more change always demands more leadership.
Consider these differences between management and leadership:
Management is involved in planning. It sets targetrs and goals for the future. It establishes detailed steps for achieving these targets, including allocating the resources necessary to achieving them. By contrast, leadership is involved in setting a direction. It sets out a vision and develops the strategies necessary to achieve that vision.
Management is involved in organizing. It sets out to create an organizational structure and to recruit qualified people to carry out its plans. Leadership, however, is involved in communication. It sets out to communicate new direction. It sets out to ensure that its vision is understood and that there is commitment to its achievement.
Finally, management is involved in controlling and problem solving. It sets out to monitor results by means of reports and other tools. But for leadership, achieving a vision requires motivating and inspiring. People are kept moving in the right direction by appealing to basic human needs, values and emotions.
"Business as usual" is no longer good enough in the twenty-first century. Many organizations suffer from too much management and not enough leadership. It would be ideal if organizations have in place human resource schemes to develop the leadership potential of their employees. Our organization needs to expose our members to experiences designed to develop that potential.
Michael Wee, DTM
Monday 17 March 2008
Message from the District Governor, November 2007
80 / 80 Vision
November 2007 Issue 1
Alfred Herzing, who was at that time a Vice-President of Toastmasters International, paid an unscheduled visit to Singapore in 1999. At a club meeting at which I was fortunate enough to be present, he gave a short presentation on “Toastmasters Changes Lives”.
Friday 14 March 2008
President's Opening Address by Foong Yin, VPM
Yes, family, our families. Even a few members who had just hurt themselves came for the celebration. And all of us made that choice to be with us - members of Tampines Changkat Toastmasters.
What is it that binds us together?I believe it all started with a choice we all made...
In my absence, Foong Yin as acting President, delivered the meeting's opening address on my behalf. She spoke about choices. It was easily one of the best opening addresses I had heard in the Toastmasters circle. I encourage you to read her speech below and remember the choice we had all made before.
More importantly, I encourage you to ask yourselves how strongly that choice you made has improved your lives and the people around you. Look deep inside and discover the answer for yourselves.