Candidate's Name: Ivan Liu
Candidate's Office: Program Quality Director
Toastmasters member since:2015
Education:
Bachelor of English Culture and Literature at Dalian University of Foreign Language
Toastmasters offices held and terms of service:
2019-2020 D88 Club Growth Director
2019 Dalian Conference Chair
2018-2019 LEAD Online Chair
2018-2019 Division E Director 2017-2018 Area E4 Director 2017.2-2017.6 Acting Area E1 Director
Toastmasters honors and recognition:
2018-2019 Presidential Distinguished Division 2017-2018 Distinguished Area
Relevant work experience and how it relates to Toastmasters and your role as a District leader:
Several experiences have prepared me to serve as an effective district leader. As a technical engineer and leader in Fortune 500 company IBM, I worked with team to set high standards, and planned the deployment with excellence. In a global organization, I learned how decisions and policies affected stakeholders. I considered different perspectives and made decisions for the greatest good. Now I'm also trying on running a businness, which requires me to take responsibility for everything. It teaches me that quality and customer satisfaction are key. I'll bring these experiences, learnings, and a total commitment to the members when serving as district leader.
What experience do you have in strategic planning?
As the Database administrator for several projects, I need to set the stategy carefully and effectively every year to ensure customer satisfaction and process management. As Club Growth Director and Dalian Conference Chair, I need to set up the whole team and working plan. This required collaboration with all of the Club Growth/Conference teams to ensure the plan prepared the organization to achieve our envisioned future.
What experience do you have in the area of finance?
As Club Growth Director, the marketing budget at the beginning of the year is an essential part. Together with trios team, I studied and discussed the market development needs of the district in the next year, and formulated corresponding rewards and expenditure plans, so that the region's funds can better support our members. As Dalian Conference Chair, budget planning was one of the very first important part I managed. I worked with the team to analyze the whole situation and future plans, trying our best to balance the income and outcome which can result in best experience for every one coming to Dalian Conference.
What experience do you have in developing procedures?
As Area/Divison Director, I developed the procedures to ensure area/divison activities could be held successfully. As LEAD online chair, I developed the procedures for online courses step by step, in order to garantee every participant can benefit. As Dalian Conference chair, I developed the procedures for each team to follow up, as well as for the whole conference team, related to communication, action and feedback. As D88 Club Growth Director, I developed the Club Growth anual plan, like Renewal, MOT, New Club, Club Coach procedures for the club growth team to follow up.
What lessons did you learn from previous leadership positions?
Leadership is about people. To understand people, to encourage people, to grow with people. At the same time, please always remember to contribute to the success of others,
Why do you want to serve as a District leader?
I came all the way long from a new member to Club Growth Director. I've been given a lot of support and love from Toastmasters, and honestly speaking, what I experienced and learned in Toastmasters did have a great influence on my life. So I really would like to support our members to achieve more with my experience and capability. At the same time, I can also keep learning from many talented ones, work together with them to obtain personal growth.
In your opinion, what are the District mission’s major objectives and how would you work to achieve them?
Our District mission is to build new clubs and support all clubs in achieving excellence. So in my opinion, the major objectives are creating opportunities for new clubs and continuously support existing clubs to grow better. To accomplish these goals, I would work with fellow district leaders to establish plans and activities that best suit our distirct. At the same time, collaborate with fellow district leaders to determine the best methods to achieve these objectives and to develop the necessary strategies, at all times adhering to the core values of Toastmasters International.
Additional information about yourself:
I'm a so called "IT Guy" who works in IBM for a decade; I'm also a father of a 6 year old boy. A lot of people felt unbelivable that I even have the time to participate so much in Toastmasters. I would say that's the magic of Toastmasters, it never gets in your way of life, work and family. So I would like to take all my experiences, all my passion, and all my sincerity to walk with you all in the future, hope together we can achieve more
