Which is more
important: integrity, respect, service or excellence?
Sometimes
members ask which of our organization’s four core values is most important. Of
course, none takes precedence over the others. Each one is equally important
for members and all leaders. A discussion
around core values can make for a very good round of Table Topics in your club.
Our core values
align closely with those of other organizations, and questions related to these
and similar values sometimes come up during job interviews.
Here I’ll offer
some thoughts on these four values.
What does
integrity mean in our clubs? For every member, integrity means living up to the
Toastmasters promise. That promise includes attending club meetings regularly,
preparing for meeting assignments, helping maintain a positive environment,
bringing guests to club meetings so they can see the benefits of Toastmasters
membership, and maintaining honest and ethical standards during the conduct of
all Toastmasters activities.
For club
leaders, integrity also means focusing on members’ needs and achievements in
our program.
Respect? For
club members respect means understanding that each member is unique, possessing
certain skills and abilities, goals and ambitions, and strengths and
weaknesses. For club leaders it also means understanding that each member is
developing at his or her own pace, and while some may need a gentle push from
time to time, others need space to develop.
Service? For
club members service means stepping up when required to help the club function
as a stellar learning environment for the benefit of all members. For club
leaders service also means focusing on the planning and delivery of an
environment and a varied program conducive to member achievement.
Excellence? For
club members excellence means performing assigned duties to the best of our
ability every time. Sometimes we have bad days, and sometimes we have less time
to prepare than we might like. Regardless, excellence means performing to the
best of our ability every time for the benefit of the club and all the members.
For club leaders excellence relates directly to our organization’s strategic
plan and to providing an atmosphere of club excellence that enables member
achievement.
Values drive
culture. Values drive action. Our Toastmasters core values enable club
excellence and member achievement. I hope all of our clubs take the opportunity
to discuss our core values during a round of Table Topics.
Extracted from
a view point by JIM KOKOCKI, DTM the Immediate past International President
