Club Contests Club Contests TheThe Special Events Special Events

Helen Carothers and Emily AhernHelen Carothers and Emily Ahern

January 2013 Toastmasters Leadership InstituteJanuary 2013 Toastmasters Leadership Institute

AgendaAgenda

Why Should We Have Club Contests?Why Should We Have Club Contests? The ChairThe Chair The ToastmasterThe Toastmaster The Chief JudgeThe Chief Judge The ContestantsThe Contestants Q & AQ & A

Practice competitive speakingPractice competitive speaking

Speak before larger audiencesSpeak before larger audiences

Publicity for your club and ToastmastersPublicity for your club and Toastmasters

Learning experienceLearning experience

RefinementRefinement

OpportunitiesOpportunities

Why should we haveWhy should we haveclub contests?club contests?

The ChairThe Chair

Choosing A Contest ChairChoosing A Contest Chair

Biggest responsibilityBiggest responsibility Professional, organizedProfessional, organized Understands contest rulesUnderstands contest rules Experience with Toastmasters Experience with Toastmasters

contests is an asset but not a contests is an asset but not a requirement requirement

ChecklistChecklist

Before the ContestBefore the Contest

Read the Speech Contest RulesRead the Speech Contest Rules Marketing – Notify and inviteMarketing – Notify and invite Download all contest materials Download all contest materials Draft contest agendaDraft contest agenda

Timing, sequence, roles, dutiesTiming, sequence, roles, duties Recruit teamRecruit team

Week Before ContestWeek Before Contest

Confirm all participants Confirm all participants Verify contestant eligibilityVerify contestant eligibility Send Contestants Packet to participantsSend Contestants Packet to participants Verify venue including timing equipmentVerify venue including timing equipment Finalize the agendaFinalize the agenda Prepare contest forms, awards, and gifts Prepare contest forms, awards, and gifts

(include extras)(include extras) Final marketing campaignFinal marketing campaign

During the ContestDuring the Contest Do not assign yourself an official role. Do not assign yourself an official role. Assure that all participants are present, Assure that all participants are present,

prepared, and briefed. prepared, and briefed. Make sure that recognition and awards are Make sure that recognition and awards are

presented in a ceremony that will make presented in a ceremony that will make recipients proudrecipients proud

After the ContestAfter the Contest Make sure you have the name and contact Make sure you have the name and contact

information for the winner and runner-up.information for the winner and runner-up. Ensure that the Chief Judge notifies the Area Ensure that the Chief Judge notifies the Area

Governor of results. Governor of results. Plan workshop(s) to assist winners prepare for Plan workshop(s) to assist winners prepare for

next level.next level. Act on feedback.Act on feedback. Provide feedback and recognition to the team. Provide feedback and recognition to the team.

The ToastmasterThe Toastmaster

The Contest ToastmasterThe Contest Toastmaster

1.1. Choosing a ToastmasterChoosing a Toastmaster

2.2. Tips For Your Contest ToastmasterTips For Your Contest Toastmaster

3. The Contestant/Target Speaker 3. The Contestant/Target Speaker InterviewsInterviews

Choosing A Contest ToastmasterChoosing A Contest Toastmaster

Personable, yet professionalPersonable, yet professional

NeutralNeutral

Consistent, Consistent, ConsistentConsistent, Consistent, Consistent

Time/tenure with Toastmasters is not Time/tenure with Toastmasters is not as important as the other factorsas important as the other factors

Tips For Your Contest ToastmasterTips For Your Contest Toastmaster USE NOTECARDS!! USE NOTECARDS!!

Write phonetic spellings on notecards.Write phonetic spellings on notecards.

Double check speech titles and write them on Double check speech titles and write them on notecards.notecards.

Respect the minutes of silence.Respect the minutes of silence.

Tips For Your Contest ToastmasterTips For Your Contest Toastmaster(continued)(continued)

Have a few intro and closing remarks prepared.Have a few intro and closing remarks prepared.

Punctuality is a priority!Punctuality is a priority!

Smile and HAVE FUN!!Smile and HAVE FUN!!

Don’t worry about making mistakes.Don’t worry about making mistakes.

The Contestant/Target The Contestant/Target Speaker InterviewsSpeaker Interviews

Look at contestants’ bio forms ahead of time.Look at contestants’ bio forms ahead of time.

If something is written in all capital letters on bio form, they If something is written in all capital letters on bio form, they want you to talk about it.want you to talk about it.

Channel Jay Leno, not Larry King.Channel Jay Leno, not Larry King.

Avoid all religious or political questions, even if the Avoid all religious or political questions, even if the contestant talked about them or write them on the bio contestant talked about them or write them on the bio form.form.

The Contestant/Target The Contestant/Target Speaker InterviewsSpeaker Interviews

Try to equally balance the number of questions (this Try to equally balance the number of questions (this can be tricky).can be tricky).

Provide contestants with their certificates of Provide contestants with their certificates of participation after each interview.participation after each interview.

If a contestant is double entered, do not interview If a contestant is double entered, do not interview them after the first contest.them after the first contest.

The Chief JudgeThe Chief Judge

The Role of the Chief JudgeThe Role of the Chief Judge Oversees the SAAs, the ballot counters, the judges, and the timers. Oversees the SAAs, the ballot counters, the judges, and the timers.

The chief judge is in charge of briefing all of these roles before the The chief judge is in charge of briefing all of these roles before the contests.contests.

Assists the Toastmaster with running the contest in a timely manner.Assists the Toastmaster with running the contest in a timely manner.

Oversees and monitors the ballot counting process for accuracy.Oversees and monitors the ballot counting process for accuracy.

Destroys the ballots off-site at the conclusion of the contest.Destroys the ballots off-site at the conclusion of the contest.

Provides the contest results to the contest chair.Provides the contest results to the contest chair.

Choosing A Chief JudgeChoosing A Chief Judge

If possible at the club level, choose someone that does not If possible at the club level, choose someone that does not have any deep personal ties to any of the contestants.have any deep personal ties to any of the contestants.

You want someone who is completely neutral and will keep You want someone who is completely neutral and will keep judges’ results completely confidential both during and after the judges’ results completely confidential both during and after the contest.contest.

I would pick someone who is very organized.I would pick someone who is very organized.

Someone with more experience/tenure with Toastmasters Someone with more experience/tenure with Toastmasters might be preferred for this role.might be preferred for this role.

The ContestantsThe Contestants

Tips for ContestantsTips for Contestants HAVE FUN!!!HAVE FUN!!!

Fill out your bio form thoroughly – Help the TM out!Fill out your bio form thoroughly – Help the TM out!

If you are in the International Speech contest and have props, If you are in the International Speech contest and have props, make sure a SAA knows where to properly place them before make sure a SAA knows where to properly place them before the beginning of your speech.the beginning of your speech.

If you are competing at any level, you cannot be a judge for If you are competing at any level, you cannot be a judge for another contest.another contest.

Ensure your dues payments are up to date with TI.Ensure your dues payments are up to date with TI.

Questions??Questions??

Tools/ResourcesTools/Resources

Toastmasters InternationalToastmasters International Toastmasters.org>Member ExperienceToastmasters.org>Member Experience

Speech ContestsSpeech Contests Speech Contest MaterialsSpeech Contest Materials

Toasmasters.org>OfficerResources>Toastmasters Toasmasters.org>OfficerResources>Toastmasters Learning Connection>Speech Contest ModuleLearning Connection>Speech Contest Module

D2 websiteD2 websited2tm.org>Resources>Downloads>Contestsd2tm.org>Resources>Downloads>Contests

Toastmasters WIKiToastmasters WIKiToastmasters.wikia.com and search on club contestsToastmasters.wikia.com and search on club contests

Tools/ResourcesTools/Resources

GoogleGoogleSearch “Toastmasters club contest how to”Search “Toastmasters club contest how to”

Contacts Contacts Joyce Nugent, D2 Chief Judge - Joyce Nugent, D2 Chief Judge -

joyce.a.nugent@q.comjoyce.a.nugent@q.com Emily Ahern - emilyahern8312@yahoo.com Emily Ahern - emilyahern8312@yahoo.com Helen Carothers – hmc_tm@hotmail.comHelen Carothers – hmc_tm@hotmail.com

Additional Tools/ResourcesAdditional Tools/Resources

GoogleGoogleSearch “Toastmasters club contest how to”Search “Toastmasters club contest how to”

Contacts Contacts Joyce Nugent, D2 Chief Judge - Joyce Nugent, D2 Chief Judge - Emily Ahern - emilyahern8312@yahoo.com Emily Ahern - emilyahern8312@yahoo.com Helen Carothers – hmc_tm@hotmail.comHelen Carothers – hmc_tm@hotmail.com

Plan and preparePlan and prepare

Select the best team you canSelect the best team you can

Have funHave fun!!!!

Let The Contests Let The Contests Begin!!Begin!!