Where is Toastmasters heading?

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i have been a toastmaster for a good 10+ Years and truly it has changed my life.  The structure, the leadership, the curriculum is something to die for.  The exposure, the mentoring and more has been mindblowing. Its something, i so wish that everyone must do in their life.

But in the last 4 Years….. That Shiny shoes have faded away. Everyone blames Covid as an excuse, the tiresome zoom meetings, The Tech handicap and much more. But in reality its much more. Seriously where is Toastmasters heading? Why did it loose its zing, shine and more. Why are World championships no longer as exciting as they used to be? Where is the leadership drive that used to empower?

For me and my thoughts alone ….. i feel primarily

• its becoz of Pathways, and the Forceful adoption of pathways. Pathways as a infrastructure is great. But the breakdown of learning paths has categorized speakers to be different from each other. They should have kept levels 1-3 as mandates and then choosing paths should happen after completing level 3. Not prior. Workflow based solution only works with Tech Savy TMs.
• There is no curriculum for Leadership. Just throw them into the fire and make everyone learn. There is no training in transition, in conflict management and more. TM is great at communication. But leadership …. its almost zero.  Those who have inbuilt leadership skills and experience, will definitely take it to the next level. Those without, will learn almost nothing.
• Leadership elections have become more politically driven campaigns, than learning to do something new and different. the canvasing that goes around is almost similar to electing the president of the UnitedStates.
• Somehow i feel, WCPS has become all about dramatic theatrics than actual Speaking. Excessive use of Body Language which is not even used in real life scenarios have become keystone areas to be evaluated upon.
• Competition and rivalry to win against each other, each club, area, division and even district seems to be taking center stage, than focusing on real life achievements.
• Nothing more to offer to seniors and elders. thus Demotivating them from achieving their own personal goals and giving back to society or to TM itself.
• Increase in Bureaucracy in reaching higher for resources.
• Finally the amount of rules is making Dealingwith TI as a government authority with so many parliamentary demands and more. Thus is not for young and faint hearted

I still dont know where this beautiful concept of publicspeaking through TM is heading, but if Dr. Ralph Smedley was alive. He would truly be disappointed.
I am also not sure how TI will take my post and probably kick me out of TM. But it needs to be said, if change needs to start somewhere.

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