21 Jan 2018

We will all be in Pathways in May!

image by Brian Dodd
Toastmasters international published the last dates for rollout now. 

Region 3 and 5 the 13 February
Region 1 and 11 the 20 March
Region 4 and 13 the 24 April
Region 8, 9 and undistricted clubs and Online clubs in May

For me, 20 March in London and May for my 100% online clubs, two important dates.

This Image was published in the Pathways Discussion Forum. The rollout published on the Pathways page of Toastmasters International. It is great that there is always some of us that follows some of the news and publishes details!

The 20 March, will be also for me the anniversary of 1 year since I use Pathways. Sometimes, being impatient can be also an advantage. I still remember how it happened! And it was also by following information. 

At the time, following discussions in The Official Toastmasters Members discussion group, one member of the Competent Communicators club from D27, just going into Pathways Pilot program, wrote "I had to come to work in Germany, but was allowed to connect with my club Remote". She was opening a trail, Matthew followed and wrote "I become also a member from Toronto." That is when Brian Dodd and me decided: the time arrived to us! We both contacted Nathan the club's President a weekend. He answered. That weekend, end of March I become member. "If you wait a week, you will not be billed March" he told me but I decided: in for a penny in for a pound. And joined that Sunday! 

The club not only gained new members but also got President Distinguished with all the awards that mostly the Remote members, finishing Projects and Levels with gusto, and speaking in different parts of the word offered them. 

Hurray! We were inside Pathways! It was a great joy! 

From then on, we did have ups and downs, "normal for an early adapter" told me my mentor, Matthew who helped me out from my Icebreaker prison by breaking the doors through a visit into my computer all the way from Toronto. After I understood, that we have to answer ALL Before and all After Self Assessment questions and how to navigate them, I was able to show to the other following us. Giving a hand when needed.

You can be also begin before rollout to sample your first project and learn a lot already.


Fast, learning from all that happened at the beginning, we begin to be seen as "Experts" That is still available. As the rollout come to each region, district, club, if you are one of the first to begin, be between the firsts to finish a Project, to get a Level, to understand some user interface hurdles, iron out their wrinkles, to look at some tutorials before others, perhaps even, read this blog and the discussion groups answers, you will remain or you will become EXPERT. 

The name is not important in fact. Someone angry about my comments wrote me on a discussion group "Julie, perhaps you are experienced but not expert". Yes! I will be forever a beginner, trying, experiencing new things and continuing to learn. Important is being able to give a hand.

Sharing what I learned and experienced, helping others, what a joy!

3 comments:

Canadian Dodd Family said...

A great story. I went to Accredited Club Training today and was trained as President of our first Pathways Club and Royal Roads Toastmasters who are conducting a Speechcraft using the Pathways Ice Breaker and the next Level 1 project. We are getting the participants doing their Ice Breaker within one or two meetings after they start. I encourage every Toastmaster to get started now, it will take the mystery out of Pathways right away.

Julie Kertesz - me - moi - jk said...

And you did it! The students loved it and some even finished level 1!

Anonymous said...

It is only one month to go until Spring 2018 and District 21 and Royal Roads Toastmasters to be in Pathways. That did not stop us from listing and evaluating two great Pathways Speeches from Pathways today, an 'Ice Breaker' from 'Motivational Strategies' by Julie in London, UK, and the final speech 'Reflect on my Path' from 'Visionary Communications' by Magda in New Zealand. Again for a little Canadian Toastmaster club, we had visitors and members from six different counties.