This was compiled from an actual experience in District 22 during the years 2006 and 2007.

The basics of how the Club Coach program works

1. The club will have twelve or fewer members at the time of appointment
2. Obtain the club members' initial consent to work with them as their Club Coach
3. Ask your District Governor to complete and submit your appointment form to TI (TI will mail you a Club Coach package)
4. Up to two Coaches may be appointed to each club
5. The Coach(es) may not be a member of the club at the time of appointment (the Coach typically joins after having been assigned)
6. The assignment lasts to the end of the current club year if the club reaches distinguished status or better, or the end of the subsequent club year if Distinguished club status or better is not reached in the first year
7. Club Coaches will receive a pin upon assignment
8. Credit toward Advanced Leader is awarded upon successful completion
9. A certificate will be sent to the Club Coach(es) upon successful completion

1. Prepare your permanent Toastmasters briefcase to include your badge, magazine, member list, new member forms, stock catalogue, timer cards, writing tools, and an assortment of TI promotional tools, educational resources and CL manuals. Also pack your sense of humor, diplomacy and patience
2. For at least the first four club meetings that you attend, do not speak unless spoken to, merely observe everything and take copious notes.
3. Attend every meeting prepared to fill any role as the need arises
4. Items to pay attention to include: overall atmosphere, time management, venue and other logistics, reasons for absenteeism, nature and quality of meeting roles, officer duty performance, etc.
5. Distribute TI's or a customized Member Interest Survey Form and start to call each member for a one-on- one chat. Begin with the club's 'natural' leader(s) and the officers
6. Explain your role as Club Coach stating that you promise to serve as a resource, a guide and a peer. Also clarify that you will not be taking over, laying down the law, nor are you a superior know-it-all
7. At a meeting where no guests are present, ask to open a discussion about your observations. Pre-agree that you will be brutally honest in their best interests, and that after the discussion they may decide that they no longer wish to continue with the Club Coach program. Remain seated in your place during the discussion rather than stand behind the lectern. After each point, ask for their comments and suggestions. Guide the discussion using phrases like "Other clubs have found it successful to " or "TI recommends that " Maintain a conversational tone and the demeanor of detective Columbo
8. Prompt the President to have members vote to commit to work with you, or not as their Club Coach. Leave the room as this is being done
9. If the vote is 'yes', join the club

1. Congratulations, You have just begun the learning curve of your life!!! Being a Club Coach is like the story of "The Little Engine That Could": no-one can propel themselves forward by patting themselves on their Back, many bigger engines will decline this service role, you will encounter many obstacles such as high mountains to climb, you are a tiny mechanism on the same track as the entire train, you will chug, huff and puff but your steam must spread upward not sideways, sometimes pushing and sometimes pulling, and at some point on the journey you will see the light at the end of the tunnel and things will begin to roll smoothly downhill and that is when 'I think I can' transforms into 'I knew I could'
2. Challenge yourself by resolving to visually and/or verbally share at least one new item at each meeting. Select one-by-one from the lists that follow which are in no particular order i.e. cannot be done in one meeting
3. If you want things to stick, always, always, always stress the 'why' behind new items or items taken for granted e.g. each role, applause, meeting themes, protocol, growth, etc
4. Brush up on dealing with difficult people
5. Master the arts of validation, evaluation, facilitation, persuasion, motivation and inspiration
6. Discover how little you really know without looking it up
7. Understand the differences between perfect, excellent and exemplary
8. Learn restraint and delegation
9. Accomplish several CL projects along the way

1. Take stock of TI items the club may need to order so that members have all the tools to be their best e.g. the new CL manual, set of the Successful club series, ribbons
2. Order from TI or create measurement charts of: individual member progress; DCP; meeting dates and functionaries. Begin to display these at every meeting and encourage members to keep them up-to-date
3. Present an educational to encourage members to use ten promo tools (wear their pins/badges, display certificates/trophies, Toastmasters magazine, guest packs, press releases, club website/organization intranet, club newsletter, TI/customized flyers, member business cards, strategically placed posters)
4. Discuss and vote on possibly changing meeting time, venue, day, length, frequency of meetings, frequency of Officer elections, etc. Ensure changes, if any, are sent to TI
5. Mix up the meeting format e.g. demo how to do a Toast and introduce it as a regular item on the agenda; or alternate it with another fun item such as Joke Master or Quiz Master
6. Ensure minutes of the meeting are being sent out so that those who miss a meeting get the sense that they missed something great
7. When you identify an issue, center the subject of TT around it to get members to understand the problem and solve it in an enjoyable way
8. Introduce member incentives for excellence and new members e.g. Bright Spark Award, ribbons, TI stock items, surprise lucky-packet-type items
9. Ensure a 'sign-up for a role' (prompt VPE to do) sheet is passed around at each meeting

1. Spur action by showing how many meetings remain for the TI year and compare this to their personal goals of CL achievements and club goal of members
2. Organize a Demo meeting and set attendance goal at fifty with each member to bring guests i.e. 50 divided by number of active club members (invite ex-members & member partners) (source potential members from other associations that members attend, church, workplace, residential neighbors, businesses geographically close, family, customers, suppliers, etc.)
3. Organize a joint meeting with a club that is either similar in nature or meets close to venue
4. Conduct a Speechcraft during club meetings
5. Organize that the club form a team to take part in a community event e.g. BBQ contest; run/walk for a charity; canned goods or used clothing donation, etc.
6. Encourage all members to attend TI events outside their own club e.g. contests, conferences, TLI
7. Introduce a testimonial segment where members share how TI has helped them personally or professionally and relate experiences of giving a presentation outside the club
8. Connect members who cannot physically attend the meeting via speakerphone (e.g. unable to drive due to operation / cancelled baby-sitter, etc.)
9. Invite a guest Toastmasters to present an educational or assist with contest e.g. Area Governor