What’s in it for you?
Toastmasters offers a terrific opportunity to improve both your speaking skills and your confidence in dealing with a variety of situations. According to many surveys, most people are more fearful of speaking in public than of death. Toastmasters gives you the opportunity to learn how to speak in public in a mutually supportive atmosphere — with no risk to life and limb!
By participating in Toastmasters, you can realize dramatic improvements in many areas of your life.
- At work, your communication with employer, associates, and subordinates will become more effective and productive.
- At home, interactions with family and friends will be easier, more enjoyable, and more fulfilling.
- In your community, you will become more effective in getting things said, planned, and done.
Whether you’re a professional, student, stay-at-home parent or retiree, Toastmasters is the best way to improve your communication skills. Toastmasters can help you lose the fear of public speaking and learn skills that will help you be more successful in whatever path you have chosen. You’ll comfortably give and receive constructive evaluation. If you already have some or all of these skills, you will enhance them at Toastmasters.
We all need it!
How Toastmasters works
At Toastmasters, members learn by speaking to groups and working with others in a supportive environment. A typical Toastmasters club is made up of 20 to 30 people who meet once every second or third week for about an hour. Each meeting gives everyone an opportunity to practice.
Conducting meetings
Meetings usually begin with a short business session which helps members learn meeting procedures, followed by a Thought of the Day.
Giving impromptu speeches
Members present one-to two-minute impromptu speeches on assigned topics, so called Table Topics.
Presenting prepared speeches
Three or more members present speeches based on projects from the Toastmasters International Communication and Leadership Program manuals. Projects cover such topics as speech organization, voice, language, gestures and persuasion.
Offering constructive evaluation
Every prepared speaker is assigned an evaluator who points out speech strengths and offers suggestions for improvement.
The tools you use
When joining a Toastmasters club, each new member receives a variety of manuals and resources on speaking. Members also have access to other books as well as audio and video cassettes on speaking and leading. They also receive the award-winning The Toastmaster, a monthly magazine that offers the latest insights on speaking and leadership techniques.
