Toastmasters 101

Jenilee Taylor’s TED Talk link JenileeTaylor.com Welcome back to Toastmasters 101.  We kick off this season with an interview with Jenilee Taylor, DTM, about her experience stepping into the red circle on the TEDx stage. Kim (00:01):  Do you want to get on the Ted stage? The Ted platform has a huge audience in person. And … Continue reading "Getting On the TED Stage: A Toastmaster’s Story" The post Getting On the TED Stage: A Toastmaster’s Story appeared first on Toastmasters 101.

What do you do at the end of your speech? When judging speech contests, it’s a recognized phenomenon that the first and last speakers are the ones that get the most brain space in the judge’s mind.  It’s the same with our speeches.  People remember the opening and the conclusion.  We hope they will remember … Continue reading "The End of Your Speech" The post The End of Your Speech appeared first on Toastmasters 101.

Have you ever walked into a situation where “pandemonium” and “disorganization” and “Who’s running this mess?” crosses your mind?  (I hope it wasn’t a Toastmasters meeting.)  You know there’s a leadership problem when you find yourself in this place.  People aren’t doing the work, or it’s unclear what they’re supposed to do.  Fortunately, in Toastmasters, … Continue reading "How Toastmasters Clubs Work" The post How Toastmasters Clubs Work appeared first on Toastmasters 101.

Why You Should Look at Toastmasters Debate Clubs We’ve all been there.  That discussion that you want to have, that we need to have.  Whether it’s politics, society norms, or the intrinsic value of moosetracks ice cream – you want to discuss it.  You want to explore it with friends, family, or the person in … Continue reading "Toastmasters Debate" The post Toastmasters Debate appeared first on Toastmasters 101.

Great Toastmasters Speech Evaluations don’t happen by accident. How do you get them and how do you keep them? Toastmasters speech evaluations are the key tool to improving your public speaking. I just came across a speech evaluation that I have a picture of on my phone. I don’t know why I had it.  It … Continue reading "Great Toastmasters Speech Evaluations: How to Get and Keep Them" The post Great Toastmasters Speech Evaluations: How to Get and Keep Them appeared first on Toastmasters 101.

Does the Level 4 Create a Podcast intimidate you? Did you ever get a two-fer? Like being in college and writing the same paper for 2 classes. Or discovering that you have a vacation day and being given an extension because the office is closed. I hear people say they don’t have any ideas about … Continue reading "Toastmasters Level 4 Project: Create a Podcast" The post Toastmasters Level 4 Project: Create a Podcast appeared first on Toastmasters 101.

Giving a speech is an art.  That’s my firm belief.  It’s art like singing or dancing – it’s the creation of a moment that has an impact on those who present and those who partake.  When we’re faced with the most important speech we have to give – we need to have that same grace … Continue reading "The Most Important Speech You Have to Give" The post The Most Important Speech You Have to Give appeared first on Toastmasters 101.

Should you say “thank you, Toastmasters” at the end of your speech? We are celebrating Thanksgiving here in the United States this week.  It’s a time to think about the things we’re grateful for and express our gratitude to those who have blessed us. I am extremely grateful to many Toastmasters I have met over … Continue reading "Thanks Giving in Toastmasters “Thank You, Toastmasters”" The post Thanks Giving in Toastmasters “Thank You, Toastmasters” appeared first on Toastmasters 101.

Let’s take a look at the Toastmasters Path final project:  Reflect on Your Path. Reflect on Your Toastmasters Path Have you ever cleaned out a garage or storage shed and had the great sense of completion that one gigantic task is done? It’s so satisfying when you close the door and you know that it’s … Continue reading "Reflecting on Your Path: Toastmasters Finale" The post Reflecting on Your Path: Toastmasters Finale appeared first on Toastmasters 101.

Sometime in the next few months, your Toastmasters club is going to hold a contest.  For new members, a Toastmasters speech contest sounds maybe a bit… childish?  unnecessarily competitive?  waste of time? I suspect that you’ve never seen a Toastmasters speech contest. On today’s podcast, let’s take a look at one of the biggest events … Continue reading "Toastmasters Speech Contest: Are You In?" The post Toastmasters Speech Contest: Are You In? appeared first on Toastmasters 101.

I’ve mentioned my friend Terry in previous episodes.  Terry owns a painting company here in Ohio.  Because of his successful business, he was asked to give a 45-minute break-out professional presentation session at an international conference about how he built his business. If you were in his shoes, what would you have done? Many people … Continue reading "A Professional Presentation at Toastmasters?" The post A Professional Presentation at Toastmasters? appeared first on Toastmasters 101.

Get ready for your area director visits now. Toastmasters International is a worldwide organization.  We are seeing massive growth outside of the United States, where Toastmasters is based.   Do you ever wonder how they manage over 300 thousand members and thousands of clubs?  Do they know what’s happening in the clubs?  How do they know … Continue reading "Area Director Visits" The post Area Director Visits appeared first on Toastmasters 101.

What does your online meeting agenda look like to a guest of your club? What?  You don’t have one? Can you imagine trying to cut down a tree with a power saw – without starting it up?  Absolutely ludicrous idea, isn’t it?  The power tool is designed to be used to solve a problem quickly … Continue reading "Your Online Meeting Agenda: The Power Tool You Need" The post Your Online Meeting Agenda: The Power Tool You Need appeared first on Toastmasters 101.

What’s a general evaluator?  What do they do?  Why should you take on the role? As I was chatting with my protege Joy today about tomorrow’s meeting, she told me that it took her 3 weeks to figure out how to spell our club’s name. Yeah, Cuyahoga is not the easiest word to spell or … Continue reading "The General Evaluator Creates Great Meetings" The post The General Evaluator Creates Great Meetings appeared first on Toastmasters 101.

Peole leave Toastmasters clubs for many reasons.  What reasons do we have for them to come back to Toastmasters? In today’s podcast, we have interviewed past District 10 Governor Deonna More Taylor.  She’s a 7.5 time DTM (Distinguished Toastmaster Award) with the next one just one project away from completion. Deonna More Taylor, DTM x … Continue reading "Come Back to Toastmasters" The post Come Back to Toastmasters appeared first on Toastmasters 101.

How do you customize your Toastmasters experience? “At least, they didn’t have to amputate my foot.” That’s how my conversation with Joy, my Toastmasters protege, started yesterday. “What?” I must have screeched into her ear. “I think it might make a good speech at the Toastmasters meeting,” she continued. Ya think? Joy is a gifted … Continue reading "Customize Your Toastmasters Path" The post Customize Your Toastmasters Path appeared first on Toastmasters 101.

How do you show your audience what you want them to see?  How do you add images that support the vision of your speech? The Nature of Communication Like dance, like acting, public speaking is a movement of ideas from the artist to the audience. I believe that public speaking is an art.  It comes … Continue reading "Adding Images and Vision to Your Speeches" The post Adding Images and Vision to Your Speeches appeared first on Toastmasters 101.

How an introduction visit to a different Toastmasters meeting changed my club meeting participation forever. Two shocking changes improved our Toastmasters meetings – you can do these too! Do you get emails with this kind of subject line? Do you see ads with phrases like “You won’t believe what happened next!” Yep, me too. In … Continue reading "Your Speech Introduction: Sell Your Speech First" The post Your Speech Introduction: Sell Your Speech First appeared first on Toastmasters 101.

What are your goals this year in Toastmasters?  Have you given that much thought?  What if you decide to think big and go for a Triple Crown? What’s a Triple Crown, you ask? Today on Toastmasters 101, let’s discuss your work and what you can do to win three awards in this Toastmasters year. Do … Continue reading "Toastmasters Triple Crown and Smedley Awards" The post Toastmasters Triple Crown and Smedley Awards appeared first on Toastmasters 101.

The fear of public speaking is an insidious thing.  It grabs us when we have time to prepare our presentation, and its hold is just as strong when we don’t have time to prepare.  But so much of our communication is impromptu speaking – how do we cope with our fear of public speaking when … Continue reading "Table Topics: Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking" The post Table Topics: Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking appeared first on Toastmasters 101.