As I sat in a pew at St. Ambrose Cathedral remembering the life of Diane Stone, DTM PDG, the Toastmasters International tag line kept coming to mind: Where Leaders Are Made. While this ideal rings true it doesn’t balance the chemical equation. As the funeral ritual continued, it came to me that it takes a leader to make a leader. My leadership odessy has always involved strong women in District 19, one of which was Diane.
My D19 leadership journey began before I met Diane. It started with the female Area 94 Governor whom asked me to replace her.
The next milestone was provided by Bettie Hanson, DTM PDG. It was at the Region IV Convention in Cedar Rapids (when we still had regionals,) that Bettie pegged me to be her Sergeant At Arms for the Convention. This was an exercise in delegation. And I failed miserably. That experience and High Performance Leadership have taught me that leaders provide opportunities for others to learn leadership skills. Delegation is as important in leadership, as are accountability and responsibility. It was at a Region IV Convention in Edmonton, Alberta Canada that Diane recruited me to run as the first Black District 19 Governor. Trust me when I tell you that it wasn’t easy. It seemed that all my campaigns were contested after my Division Governor year. Diane attempted to deflect complaints but on occasion I would get phone calls from her. Diane would ask: Why did you do it that way? Then I would get the usual: Did you think to try it a different way? This usually led to the eventual: Next time you might want to at least try a different approach.
. What Diane was attempting to remind me, is that as leaders, we are not just choosing for ourselves. While she never acknowledged that mantle, she was my leadership mentor. Typically, administrative decisions effect the body of your organization and must be made to benefit the majority. I have come to learn that mentoring leaders is even more difficult than a new Toastmaster. The decisions are always further reaching. I challenged Diane to follow me as a District Governor. She not only was a strong delegating DG but was also Distinguished District. She joined an august body of women leaders in our District, whom continue to lead us successfully. Today, I on occasion have the opportunity to mentor leaders in our District. I still use the lessons taught to me by my fore-bearers: It Takes A Leader To Make A Leader. Thank you Bettie. Thank you Diane.
Reginald Williams, DTM PDG
District 19 Historian, 2016-2017