Communication and Leadership Skills are
the Driving Forces of Success
Getting the
Most Out of Toastmasters
Whatever your goals in life may be, your
success depends on your ability to communicate. Individuals who can verbalize
their ideas - so that they are heard, understood and acted upon - possess one
of the primary qualities of leadership.
By joining our Toastmasters club, you will embark on a program that will
multiply your communication and leadership skills.
Over two million people have benefited
from participating in Toastmasters. You
can easily gain these same benefits - benefits that can change your life. As a Toastmaster you'll learn to overcome the
initial nervousness everyone feels when called upon to speak before an
audience. You will learn how to organize
and present your ideas logically and convincingly. You will improve your ability to listen to
other people's ideas and evaluate them.
And you'll develop self-confidence that will radiate in every situation
involving other people.
Learn By
Doing
The key to getting the most out of
Toastmasters' Communication and Leadership Program is active
participation. People learn best by
doing. No method of skill development
can match the power of actually experiencing what you're learning. That's how the Toastmasters program works,
and that's what makes it so effective in helping people like you become more
successful.
The Toastmasters program is not a formal
course in public speaking. It is an ongoing series of experiences that will
directly involve you in a variety of communication situations. The principles
you will learn are basic to any form of interpersonal communication, whether
your audience consists of one person or one thousand.
In addition to presenting prepared
speeches, you will participate in Table Topics - an impromptu speaking exercise
that will develop your ability to "think on your feet" in such
situations as interviews, seminars, business meetings and conversations. You will also serve in various key roles at
club meetings, including Toastmaster, Topicmaster,
Evaluator, General Evaluator and others.
Each of these roles has a specific educational purpose and will aid in
your self-development. Another benefit
of attending club meetings is the opportunity to watch other speakers and learn
from them.
How the
Program Works
The speeches you will present are part of
a system designed to develop your skills one step at a time. Each will build upon what you have learned in
your preceding speeches.
You'll begin with an "Ice
Breaker" speech. This is an
opportunity for you to gain a feeling for public speaking while talking on a
subject about which you are the world's greatest expert - yourself. Next, you will learn the importance and
principles of speaking with sincerity and conviction. In your third speech, you will concentrate on
organizing your ideas into a clear, logical outline. Your next three speeches will focus on body
language, vocal variety and proper word usage - vital aspects of effective
speaking. Then, with your seventh
speech, you'll have an opportunity to review and apply all of the skills you
have learned. At this time you will
pause to evaluate your progress, reexamine your self-development goals, and
perhaps set new ones that are even more challenging.
Next,
you will present a talk designed to persuade your audience to accept your views
on a subject of importance. This is
followed by a speech you will read from a prepared script. Then, for your tenth speech, you will bring
together all of your communication skills into a powerful presentation that
inspires your audience.
Most of the projects in this program
call for talks of five to seven minutes in length. This is not aimed at making you a master of
the seven-minute address. Rather, it is
designed to give you adequate time to develop your topic while still keeping
club meetings within a reasonable time frame.
By learning to effectively present a seven-minute talk, you'll also be
able to deliver a 40-minute address or a two-minute statement of your views at
a business meeting. And you'll be able
to do so with confidence, clarity, persuasiveness and enthusiasm.
You’re Among Friends
Our Toastmasters club is not a classroom. It's a workshop in which you will develop
your communication and leadership skills among a group of friends - people who
are there for the same reason you are.
This shared commitment to a worthwhile goal gives our Toastmasters club
a special energy. Members draw strength
from one another and take pride in helping each other grow and develop. This spirit of camaraderie and mutual support
is one of the most satisfying benefits of Toastmasters membership. It also makes learning fun.
As you get started, our club will provide
you with a coach/mentor to help you with your first few projects. Rely on this experienced Toastmaster for
advice and guidance; he or she has faced the same challenges you're facing and
understands how you feel. Like your coach/mentor,
the other members of our club are there to help you become the communicator you
want to be. Toastmasters International
also has a wealth of material available to help you in your self-improvement
efforts. Ask to see our club's copy of
the Toastmasters International Supply Catalog.
You'll get out of Toastmasters what you
put into it. If you participate actively
and apply what you learn to your business, home and social life, your
opportunities for self-development will be endless... and richly rewarding.
What
Toastmasters Will Do For You
Communication and leadership skills are
your keys for career advancement. Skilled Toastmasters and their obvious
success will inspire you to do the seemingly impossible. This is accomplished by members participating
in the following tasks:
·
Learning to Speak –
Speeches, Reports.
·
Learning to Listen –
Evaluator, Grammarian / “Ah” Counter, Timer.
·
Learning to Lead –
Toastmaster of the Day, Topics Master.
·
Learning Responsibility –
Club Officers.
New
Members Receive:
·
Communication and Leadership Program
Manual. It includes instructions for
your first ten speeches.
·
“Toastmasters”, a monthly magazine on
speaking and leadership tips.
·
·
You Are
Invited to Attend
Membership is open to anyone who has the
desire for self-improvement, beginner and advanced. To learn more about Toastmasters, you are
invited to be a guest at our regular meetings (1st & 3rd Monday of each
month,
Cost
Membership is extremely reasonable. Semi-annual club dues are only $26.00. Where else can you increase your speaking
ability, leadership skills and confidence so reasonably?