The Toxic Sakura
One day I saw a post in the Toastmasters Facebook group. A new member was making a public announcement: winning his first DTM title in two years.
DTM stands for “Distinguished Toastmasters”. It’s given to the outstanding members to appreciate their achievement in the community. I do not know the average time to win a DTM title. My observation is, most DTMs won their first title after ten years. I am four years into Toastmasters now and I can say I am pretty committed. But I am not expecting my first DTM title until another three or four years. To gain all the credits for the title, you must complete two educational courses called Pathways paths. Each path includes at least 14 projects, each ending up with giving a public speech. Some projects request months-long work and leadership activities. If a member works extremely hard, he or she would be able to complete one project in one month, and barely complete the required two paths in two years. Then he/she would have to gain other credits by serving the organization through a variety of leadership positions. Again, they require a large amount of time and leadership skills.
It is truly a marathon. A DTM title should not be the finish line.
Most comments under the Facebook post were sending encouragement and admiration. Until I saw one…
