Project managers use a powerful tool to help teams continuously improve their performance: the project retrospective. A retrospective creates space for honest reflection, shared learning, and meaningful action. When done well, it transforms a group of individuals into a high-performing team that delivers exceptional results.
What if your Toastmasters club applied the same approach?
By holding a club retrospective, your leadership team can step back, reflect, and intentionally shape the future of your club. A club retrospective is a facilitated discussion that helps members identify what is working, what needs to change, and where new opportunities exist.
A simple and effective framework to guide the conversation includes three questions:
- What should we keep doing as a club?
- What should we stop doing as a club?
- What should we start doing as a club?
These questions encourage learning, not blame. They help your club recognize its strengths, uncover improvement opportunities, and make thoughtful decisions about where to focus next. The result is clarity, alignment, and renewed energy.
Toastmasters International already provides an excellent evaluation resource called Moments of Truth. This educational tool mirrors the spirit of a retrospective by guiding members to review the club experience through the eyes of guests and members alike.
By incorporating Moments of Truth into a regular club retrospective, your leadership team can:
- Gain valuable member feedback
- Strengthen meeting quality and member experience
- Build a culture of continuous improvement
Clubs that reflect regularly don’t just maintain standards — they elevate them. A club retrospective is a practical, proven way to keep your club relevant, engaging, and positioned for long-term success.
Take time to reflect. Learn together. Improve with intention.
That’s how strong clubs are built — and sustained.