DTM - Distinguished Toastmaster Award - is the highest achievement in the Toastmasters International educational program. This presentation outlines what it entails, and how to plan towards fulfilling its requirements.

1. How to get it, and why bother
June 2010
Silvana Wasitova, DTM
The DTM

2. SilvanaDTM@yahoo.com
What is DTM?

Distinguished Toastmaster
Highest Educational Award within Toastmasters

Communicates accomplishment, dedication,
perseverance, experience level in club and district

Can be completed in three to four years

3. SilvanaDTM@yahoo.com

4. SilvanaDTM@yahoo.com
What does it take?

DTM = CC + CL +
ACB + ACS + ACG +
ALB + ALS

Includes

A High-Performance Leadership (HPL) project

Coordinate one Speechcraft or Youth Leadership Program

Mentor a new member’s first 3 speeches

Club “Specialist”: Club Sponsor/ Mentor/ Coach

Served as Club Officer, and attended Officer Training

Served as District Officer: Area/Div. Governor, District Sec./Treas.

Min 45 speeches

40 + 2 Modules , 1 HPL, Officer, SpeechCraft/YLP, Club Specialist

7.5 Distinguished Club Goals for your home club

5. SilvanaDTM@yahoo.com
Planning a path to DTM

First Year: Complete CC, CL

Deliver 10 speeches

Serve as Club Officer + attend Training

Start on ACB and ALB

Second Year: Complete ACB, ALB, ALS

Deliver 14 speeches (4 are pre-prepared)

Serve as Area Governor + attend Training

Complete Leadership Project

Serve as Club Sponsor/Mentor/Coach
(may take longer than one year)

Third Year: Complete ACS, ACG
Example: club meets weekly = 50 meetings/yr

6. SilvanaDTM@yahoo.com
Planning a path to DTM

First Year: Start CC, Start CL

Deliver 10 speeches

Serve as Club Officer + attend Training

Start ACB and ALB

Second Year: Complete CC, CL, ACB, ALB

Deliver 14 speeches (4 are pre-prepared)

Serve as Area Governor + attend Training

Complete Leadership Project

Serve as Club Sponsor/Mentor/Coach
(may take longer than one year)

Third Year: Complete ACB, ALB, Start ALS, ACS,

Fourth Year: Complete ALS, ACS, ACG
Example: club meets twice a month = 24 meetings/yr

7. SilvanaDTM@yahoo.com
Why bother?

Get the most out of your participation in TM

Help your club achieve Distinguished Club goals

Increases club’s meetings quality

Motivates other club members to fulfill their
TM and communication goals

Walk the talk: live by example

Personal growth

8. SilvanaDTM@yahoo.com
Why bother, Really?

Keep your tools sharp

Help your club members be better persons

Operate at your full potential

To stop growing is to start dying

9. SilvanaDTM@yahoo.com
The Secret?

Careful Planning

Plan speaking opportunities and roles

Create speaking opportunities, and plan for a TM to evaluate
E.g. speech at work, invite a club member to attend and evaluate

Offer to speak at District Events / Train Club Officers

Area Governor: at every club visit, make a manual speech

Careful Tracking

No one else will track it for you!

Be familiar with the criteria, and complete the requirements

Find Mentors to help you get there!

Ask other DTMs
You Can Do It!!!

10. SilvanaDTM@yahoo.com
Some Tracking Tools

EasySpeak

Excel spreadsheet

11. SilvanaDTM@yahoo.com

12. SilvanaDTM@yahoo.com

13. SilvanaDTM@yahoo.com
Area Governors

14. SilvanaDTM@yahoo.com
Other Good Resources

Senior Members in your Area/Division

Find a person you trust

Toastmasters worldwide

Online Discussion Groups

LinkedIn: “The Official Toastmasters International Members Group”

Google Group: "ToastmastersPrime".

Yahoo Groups, Facebook: many groups for Districts & Clubs

Blogs – e.g. John Zimmer