Become the leader and speaker you want to be

 

Toastmasters is a non-profit organization that provides the opportunity for members to practice and hone their communication and leadership skills. Most Toastmasters meetings are comprised of around 15-20 people who meet weekly for two to three hours. Participants are given roles for each meeting such as Toastmaster of the evening, Table Topics master, evaluator, timer, or grammarian. Through active participation in club activities, members learn to

• Become better public speakers
• Be better listeners
• Easily lead teams and conduct meetings
• Give and receive constructive evaluations

Toastmasters helps build your communication skills by exposing you to speaking opportunities and therefore helping you relax and build confidence. It also provides a systematic way of developing your skills through time-tested educational programs:

 

Competent Communicator Program (CC)

This helps you develop your speaking skills one step at a time. Every project builds upon what you have learned in the preceding project. As you complete the projects you’ll learn:

• the importance of sincerity in speaking

• how to effectively organize a presentation

• how to get your point across effectively

• how to choose the proper words for your audience

• how to use body language and voice to convey your message

• how to support your topic through research

• how to deliver a persuasive speech and

• how to inspire others

 

Table Topics Session

This helps fine-tune your ability to think on your feet and express your thoughts without any preparation. In these sessions, members are asked to respond to a topical question, not unlike the Miss Universe question and answer portion. The Toastmasters advantage is that we don?t have to answer wearing a long gown and 4-inch heels, and we are given a number of methods or techniques by which we can easily respond.

 

Advanced Program

After receiving CC recognition, you can enter the Advanced Communication and Leadership Program where you can refine and enhance your basic skills.

This program consists of 15 manuals, each containing five speech projects. Many of the manuals are career-oriented, several are not.

You choose the manuals you want to complete and the skills you want to learn.

 

Summary

Communication and Leadership are critical skills that everyone depends on for their work and personal state of affairs.

Toastmasters’ self-paced programs allow you to progress as rapidly or gradually as your needs dictate. The hands-on Communication and Leadership program provides the “how-to” and the practical experience critical to progress.

The Toastmasters program can be tailored to meet your personal objectives. Whether you desire improvement in prepared or impromptu speaking, or greater skill in the use of visual aids, the opportunity is there for you to gain experience and knowledge in the areas that most interest you.

For more information, you may visit the website of Toastmasters International at www.toastmasters.org.