TIPS FOR GUESTSA typical Toastmasters Meeting

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1. Relax! You will not be called upon to speak unless you wish to speak. However, you willprobably be asked to introduce yourself and share such information how you heard about Toastmasters. Each meeting has an agenda in which tasks are assigned to various members and each meeting has an emcee called a Toastmaster of the Day (TMOD).

2. You might hear the following terms (some of the roles are not filled in every club):

The PRESIDING OFFICER, or SERGEANT-AT-ARMS, ( SAA) opens and closes the meeting.

The INVOCATION, INSPIRATIONAL OPENING, or OPENING THOUGHT is a motivational way to begin the meeting. The INSPIRATIONAL CLOSE or CLOSING THOUGHT presents a similar thought, story, or saying at the end of the program.

The TOASTMASTER OF THE DAY introduces the various participants on the agenda.

The SPEAKER gives a prepared speech using one of the many Toastmasters manuals, usually 5 to 7 minutes.

The EVALUATOR provides oral, effective feedback to the speaker by praising what worked well and giving tactful suggestions for improvement (also gives a written evaluation in the manual).

The TABLE TOPICS MASTER selects a topic or topics of general interest and asks questions of those in the audience that do not have major speaking roles; the answer to the question should be given in 1 to 2 minutes. A guest may be asked to volunteer, but it is not mandatory to respond.

The MASTER EVALUATOR or GENERAL EVALUATOR provides constructive suggestions for all who participated and evaluates the evaluators, but should never evaluate the speakers.

The GRAMMARIAN introduces the Word of the Day,( WOD) and gives a report regarding usage of the WOD and points out the grammatical errors and filler words used etc. and praises creative language usage such as a colorful phrase.

The AH COUNTER counts audible pauses such as ah, uh, and um.

The TIMER records the number of minutes used by each speaker, evaluator and Table Topics respondent. Timing cards, or lights, are used to signal speakers as to time used. A green light or card is shown when the speaker has met the minimum time allotted, a yellow light or card is shown when the speaker is half way between the minimum and maximum time allotted, and a red light or card is shown when the speaker reaches the maximum time allotted. All speakers have a 30-second grace period to wrap up once the red light or card appears.

TIPS FOR GUESTSA typical Toastmasters Meeting

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3. You might hear the following acronyms:

TM Toastmaster, granted to every member when they first join a club.CC Competent Communicator (finished 10 speeches from the 1st manual)ACB Advanced Communicator BronzeACS Advanced Communicator SilverACG Advanced Communicator GoldCL Competent Leadership ( finished the 1st leadership manual)ALB Advanced Leadership BronzeALS Advanced Leadership SilverDTM Distinguished Toastmaster, granted to every member who completes the entire

Toastmasters Communication and Leadership program. VPE Vice President of Education for the clubVPPR Vice President Public Relations for the clubVPM Vice President MembershipAG Area Governor ( Appointed by District Governor for 1 year term)LGET Lt. Governor Education & Training (elected for 1 year term )LGM Lt. Governor Marketing (elected for 1 year term )DG District Governor ( elected for 1 year term )IPDG Immediate Past District GovernorPDG Past District GovernorRA Regional AdvisorID International DirectorIP International PresidentAS Accredited SpeakerATM Able Toastmaster*ATMB Advanced Toastmaster Bronze*ATMS Advanced Toastmaster Silver*ATMG Advanced Toastmaster Gold*CTM Competent Toastmaster*DCP Distinguished Club PlanPID Past International DirectorPIP Past International PresidentTLI Toastmaster Leadership InstituteWHQ World Headquarter

YOU ARE INVITED TO:APPLAUD after the introduction of each participant and at the conclusion of the duty performed.TELL the presiding officer about your perception of the meeting or tell the person who invitedyou.JOIN the Club or continue to visit as often as you like. If you would like to join, contact any member of the club, or the member who invited you.

� A self-paced program

� Speech writing and presenting

� Weekly interactive meetings

� Table Topics™

� Evaluations

� Participation in meeting roles

� Opportunity to conduct meetings

� Small groups

� Opportunity to fulfill officer roles

� Affordable dues

� Flexibility

� Critical thinking� Effective presentation

delivery

� Ongoing experience� Overcoming fears

� Thinking quickly

� Keen listening skills� Constructive feedback

� Ease in front of a group

� Time management skills� Self-confidence

and poise

� A supportive environment

� A positive atmosphere

� Leadership development opportunities

� Cost effectiveness

� Unlimited personal growth

� Clear communication� Confidence

� Skill reinforcement

� Self-confidence

� Increased self-awareness� Positive mentoring

� Improved leadership skills

� Effectively lead meetings

� Relationship-building

� Leadership growth� Career advancement

� Positive return on investment

� Employee goal achievement

� Effective employee communication

� Better leaders

� Improved morale� Enhanced performance

� Better customer communication

� More productive teams

� Effective meetings

� Increased productivity

� Better teamwork� Improved retention

� Better leaders

� Positive return on investment

FEATURES, BENEFITS AND VALUE

Features Benefits Value to the Individual Value to the Organization

MAP OF SERVICE TO MEMBERSMembers are the heart and foundation of Toastmasters International. Below is a representation of each service level in support of the member.

Members

Clubs

Areas

Divisions

Districts

Regions

Board of Directors

World Headquarters

Club Executive CommitteePresidentVice president educationVice president membershipVice president public relationsSecretaryTreasurerSergeant at armsImmediate past president

Area Council(Recommended structure)

Area governorAssistant area governor education and trainingAssistant area governor marketingSecretaryClub presidentsClub vice presidents educationClub vice presidents membership

District CouncilDistrict executive committeeClub presidents and vice presidents education

District Executive CommitteeDistrict governorLieutenant governor education and trainingLieutenant governor marketingPublic relations officerSecretaryTreasurerDivision governorsArea governorsImmediate past district governor

Division Council(Recommended structure)

Division governorAssistant division governor education and trainingAssistant division governor marketingArea governors of the division

International OfficersInternational PresidentInternational President-ElectFirst Vice PresidentSecond Vice PresidentImmediate Past International President

International Directors

Region advisors

Achieve Competent Leader award Achieve Competent Communicator or Competent

Toastmaster award Serve at least six months as a Club Officer (President, Vice

President Education, Vice President Membership, Vice

President Public Relations, Secretary, Treasurer, Sergeant at

Arms) and Participate in the preparation of a Club Success

Plan while serving in this office Participate in a District-sponsored Club Officer training

program, while serving as a Club Officer Conduct any two programs from the Successful Club Series

and / or The Leadership Excellence Series

Advanced Leader Bronze (ALB)

New Member(the journey begins)

1 The Ice Breaker 6 Vocal Variety2 Organize your Speech 7 Research Your Topic3 Get to the Point 8 Get Comfortable with Visual Aids4 How to Say It 9 Persuade with Power5 Your Body Speaks 10 Inspire Your Audience

Competent Communicator – (CC)

Achieve the CC award

Complete two Advanced Communication Manuals

Achieve the current AC-B award or the old ATM-B award

Complete two additional Advanced Communication

Manuals

Conduct any two programs from the Better Speaker Series

and/or The Successful Club Series

Advanced Communicator Silver (ACS)

Achieve the current AC-S award or the old ATM-S award

Complete two additional Advanced Communication

Manuals

Conduct a Success/Communication Program, Success

Leadership Program, or a Youth Leadership Program

Coach a new member with the first three speech projects

Advanced Communicator Gold (ACG)

Communication Track

Achieve Advanced Leader Bronze award (or “old”

Competent Leader award Serve a complete term as a District Officer

District Governor Lieutenant Governor Education and Training Lieutenant Governor Marketing Public Relations Officer District Secretary District Treasurer Division Governor Area Governor

Complete the High Performance Leadership Program Serve successfully as a Club sponsor, mentor or coach

Leadership Track

Complete the Competent Leadership manual

Advanced Communicator Bronze (ACB)

Competent Leader (CL)

Advanced Leader Silver (ALS)

New

Member

TI’s Educational SystemCompetent

Communicator

Competent Leader

AdvancedLeader Bronze

Advanced Communicator

Bronze

Advanced Communicator

Silver

DTMAdvancedLeader

Silver

Advanced Communicator

Gold

To qualify for Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) recognition, you MUST

complete the Communication Track AND the Leadership Track.

ADVANCED MANUALS

There are 15 Advanced Manuals1. Communicating on Television: Television presentations differ from other

presentations, and they require special considerations. With this manual, you'll learn to

present editorials, appear as a guest on an interview program, conduct a press

conference and use television to train.

2. Humorously Speaking: Audiences love to laugh. This manual shows you how to use

humorous stories and jokes throughout your speech to grab and keep listeners’

attention and illustrate your points. You also learn how to give an entirely humorous

speech.

3. Interpersonal Communications: Topics covered include conversing with ease,

negotiating, handling criticism, coaching someone to improve performance, and

expressing dissatisfaction effectively.

4. Interpretive Reading: Provides instruction in developing your interpretive reading

skills. Projects include presenting stories, poetry, monodrama, plays and oratorical

speeches.

5. Persuasive Speaking: The ability to influence and persuade others to accept your

ideas, products, or services is vital. The projects in this manual are all designed to help

you develop excellent persuasive techniques and expand your presentation skills.

6. Public Relations: Covers building goodwill through a speech, persuading an

audience, speaking to a hostile audience, and speaking to the media.

7. Speaking to Inform: Contains information and ideas on the demonstration talk, the

fact-finding report, the abstract concept, and resources for informing.

8. Special Occasion Speeches: Provides instruction in giving toasts, speaking in praise,

“roasting” someone, and presenting and accepting awards.

9. Specialty Speeches: Covers impromptu speeches, sales presentations, introductions,

inspirational speeches, and oral interpretations.

10. Speeches by Management: How to handle a variety of speaking situations managers

encounter in the work environment. Topics covered include giving briefings, technical

speeches, motivational speeches and status reports.

11. Storytelling: Types of stories covered in this manual include the folk tale, the personal

story, stories with morals, the touching story, and the historical story.

12. Technical Presentations: A complete guide to preparing and presenting briefings,

proposals, technical papers and team presentations.

13. The Discussion Leader: Provides instruction in the four different methods of leading

a group discussion. An ideal manual for managers, trainers, teachers and

administrators.

14. The Entertaining Speaker: Includes valuable information on how to give an

entertaining or dramatic speech, where to find material, how to make an audience

laugh, and what to do when you're asked to speak after dinner.

15. The Professional Speaker: A guide to preparing and presenting the five kinds of

speeches professionals give most often. Covers the keynote address, the entertaining

speech, the sales training speech, the seminar and the motivational speech.

CLUBS WITHIN DISTRICTSMEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONFor faster service, add and pay for your new members online at www.toastmasters.org/members

Club Number: ____________________________ District Number: __________

Club Name: _______________________________________________________ City: _________________________________________

Membership Type: � New � Reinstated (break in membership) � Renewing (no break in membership) � Dual

� Transfer from club number /name _______ /___________________ Member Number (if known) __________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________Last Name / Surname / Family Name First Name / Given Name Middle Initial / Name

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Address Line 1

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Address Line 2

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________City State/Province Country ZIP/Postal Code

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Home Phone Number Mobile Number Work Phone Number

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Email

� Please do not send promotions to me from Toastmasters International’s partners.

1. NEW MEMBER FEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . U.S. $20.00 $ ________ Paid only by new members. Covers costs of the New Member Kit and processing.

1a. California clubs add 7.75% sales tax ($1.55) $ ________

2. Membership Dues (all members) Begin Date ______________________________ Pro-rated at $6.00 per month.

� October or � April U.S. $36.00 $ ________� November or � May 30.00 � December or � June 24.00 � January or � July 18.00 � February or � August 12.00 � March or � September 6.00

3. Total of 1, 1a, and 2 $ ________

PAYMENT INFORMATION Choose one:Check or money order in U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank, or credit card payment, must be included. Line 3 is the amount payable to Toastmasters International.

Note: Your club may also charge dues to meet club expenses. Unfortunately, WHQ is unable to charge club dues on the credit card submitted. Club dues must be paid directly to the club. Dues and fees are payable in advance and are not refundable or transferable.

� Check: No. ____________________ Amount $ ________________________

� Credit Card: � MasterCard � Visa � AMEX � Discover

Card No. _________________________________________ Exp. Date ________________

Signature / Name on Card ____________________________________________________

� Other __________________________________________________________________

� Male� Female

New Member Kit preference for new members only:� English� French� Spanish� Japanese� Chinese (Traditional)� Chinese (Simpli ed)� German� Arabic� PDF on CD (visually impaired only)Selected materials in the new member kit are available in English only.

Club Dues Worksheet F N

International fees and dues: $ _______(from Line 3 on left)

Club New Member Fee: _______

Club Dues: _______

Total: $ _______

Month/Year

New / Reinstated / Dual Member Sponsor: The person who recruited and/or encouraged the member to join.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Last Name / Surname / Family Name First Name / Given Name Middle Initial / Name

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Sponsor’s District Number Sponsor’s Home Club Number Member Number (if known)

Member’s Agreement and Release:Consistent with my desire to take personal responsibility for my conduct, individually and as a member of a Toastmasters club, I agree to abide by the principles contained in “A Toastmaster’s Promise” and the governing docu-ments and policies of Toastmasters International and my club. I will refrain from any form of discrimination, harassment, derogatory, illegal, or unethical conduct, and I understand that if I engage in such conduct, I may be re-sponsible to reimburse Toastmasters Inter national, my club or other clubs, or other individuals involved with Toastmasters, for any damages, losses, or costs resulting from my conduct. Understanding that Toastmasters programs are conducted by volunteers who cannot be e ectively screened or supervised by Toast masters International or its clubs, I release and discharge Toastmasters International, its clubs, governing bodies, and representatives from any liabil-ity for the intentional or negligent acts or omissions of any member or o cer of my club or other clubs, or any o cer of Toastmasters International.

By submitting this application, I agree to the collection, use and processing of the personal information I provide to Toastmasters in this Membership Appli-cation for the purposes of organization administration, payment of my dues, and inclusion of my contact information in a members’ directory that will be distributed to members and employees of Toastmasters. By submitting my personal information to Toastmasters, I also agree that my information may be accessed and used by Toastmasters and its employees and agents, and will be transferred to countries that are not regarded as having adequate data pro-tection, including to Toastmasters’ headquarters in the United States. I agree to notify addresschanges@toastmasters.org of any change to my personal information, including making any requests to check, delete or correct my personal information, so that it is accurate and current. I understand that the majority of the data requested in this application is necessary for administra-tive and planning purposes, and that the failure to provide this information may prevent my application from being properly processed or inclusion of my contact information in the members’ directory.

A Toastmaster’s PromiseAs a member of Toastmasters International and my club, I promise...

` To attend club meetings regularly; ` To prepare all of my speech and leadership

projects to the best of my ability, basing them on projects in the Competent Communication, Advanced Communication or Competent Leader-ship manuals;

` To prepare for and ful ll meeting assignments; ` To provide fellow members with helpful, con-

structive evaluations; ` To help the club maintain the positive, friendly

environment necessary for all members to learn and grow;

` To serve my club as an o cer when called upon to do so;

` To treat my fellow club members and our guests with respect and courtesy;

` To bring guests to club meetings so they can see the bene ts Toastmasters membership o ers;

` To adhere to the guidelines and rules for all Toast masters educational and recognition programs;

` To maintain honest and highly ethical standards during the conduct of all Toastmasters activities.

I con rm that a completed new member application for this member is on le with the club and will be retained by the club. The applica-tion contains both the signature of the new member and the signature of a club o cer. Questions should be directed to the Membership department: membership@toastmasters.org.

By my signature below, I agree to the terms of A Toastmaster’s Prom-ise, and the Indemni cation and Release stated above, and certify that I am 18 years of age or older, in compliance with the Toastmas-ters International Club Constitution.

I acknowledge that my electronic signature on this document is legally equivalent to my hand-written signature.

Signed: ________________________________________________

By my signature below, I certify that this individual has joined the Toastmasters club identi ed. As a club, we will ensure that this member receives proper orientation and mentoring.

I acknowledge that my electronic signature on this document is legally equivalent to my hand-written signature.

Signed: ________________________________________________

In order for this application to be valid both signatures are required.

CLUB OFFICER – Please keep a copy for your club’s records. If paying online, go to www.toastmasters.org/members, and log in.If mailing, send to: Membership Records, Toastmasters International, P.O. Box 9052, Mission Viejo, CA 92690 USA.If faxing, send to: 949-858-1207. Note: Please submit information via one method only to avoid duplication. For fastest results, enter new members online.

Rev 6/2011 Item 400

APPLICANT CLUB OFFICER

N : ENS E P PE C E , E SP NS ’S LL S AN LAS NAME AN ME CL N M E M S APPEA .

PROJECT 1

Competent Communicat ion 9

The Ice Breaker EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:For your first speech project,you will introduce yourself to your fellow club membersand give them some informa tionabout your background, interestsand ambitions. Practice givingyour speech to friends or familymembers, and strive to makeeye contact with some of youraudience.You may use notesduring your speech if you wish.Read the entire project beforepreparing your talk.

OBJECTIVES:4To begin speaking before

an audience.

4To discover speaking skillsyou already have and skillsthat need some attention.

Time: Four to six minutes

By now you’ve heard speech-es by club members andhave probably participated

in Table Topics. This is youropportunity to give your first pre-pared talk and “break the ice.”

The best way to begin yourspeaking experience is to talkabout a familiar subject – yourself.Of course, this subject is toobroad for a short four- to six-minute presentation. You mustnarrow it by selecting three orfour interesting aspects of yourlife that will give your fellow clubmembers insight and understand-ing of you as an individual. Thesemight include your birthplace,education or family. You couldexplain how you came to be inyour present occupation and tellthe audience something aboutyour ambitions. Or you couldexplain the effect an incident fromyour youth has had on your life.One speaker donned hats as shetalked about her life. She wore achauffeur’s hat as she talked aboutdriving her children to their activities, a fireman’s hat as shediscussed the crises or “fires” sheencountered daily at her work,and a chef ’s hat as she told ofher love of cooking.

Once you have the highlightsof your talk in mind, weave theminto a story, just as if you were

telling it to friends around thedinner table. Share significant personal experiences. The morepersonal your talk, the warmerthe relationship will be betweenyou and the audience.

Opening, Bodyand Conclusion Like any good story, your talkneeds a clear beginning and end-ing. Create an interesting openingsentence that captures the audi-ence’s attention. Memorize it, ifnecessary, and use it even if a bet-ter idea occurs to you just beforeyou speak. Then devise a goodclosing and memorize it, too.

A memorized beginning andending enable you to start andfinish your talk with confidenceand ease. In any speech, it’s best toselect a few main points (three orfour at the most) and emphasizethem by using examples, storiesor anecdotes. If you merely statea fact and then continue, most ofyour audience will miss the point.You should make a point, say itagain in different words, illustratethe point, and then state it oncemore in order to be clearly under-stood. This is a good skill tolearn. Choose your points andillustrations carefully. Too muchinformation may overwhelmthe audience.

1

Competent Communicat ion10

If you think you will need notes, write a briefspeech outline on note cards, which you can placeon the lectern. Refer to them only when you needthem. Remember, you’re speaking, not reading.Many speakers begin by writing out an entirespeech, then breaking it into parts, with a keyword for each part, and finally writing just thekey words on one note card.

Preparing YourselfNow the talk is ready, but are you ready to presentit? Practice the talk until you are comfortable withit. You won’t need to memorize the body of thetalk, since you already know all about the subject.As mentioned earlier, you should memorize theopening and conclusion.

Present the talk to a family member, a friendor your Toastmasters mentor. Ask for comments.They may give you some helpful suggestions. Ifyou have a tape recorder, record the talk and listento it carefully, making any necessary improvements.Using a tape recorder is one of the best ways toimproving your speaking ability.

Instead of thinking of this presentation as“making a speech,” think of it as a talk before agroup of friends, sharing information of interest.Don’t be afraid of the audience. They have alreadyexperienced the same feelings you’re having. Theywant you to succeed and they’re eager to help you!

Appearance is important. Be well-groomedand appropriately dressed for your presentation.When you look right, you feel good about your-self. You’ll then forget about your appearance andconcentrate on your talk. You will have increasedconfidence because you know you’ve made a goodfirst impression with the audience.

Presenting Your TalkOnce you’ve prepared and practiced your talk,relax. Nervousness is common to every speaker, nomatter how experienced. In fact, you can put thisnervous energy to work for you by using it to addexcitement to your delivery. No one is going tonotice a little quavering in your voice, and it willsoon disappear anyway as you become involvedwith what you’re saying. (More information aboutcontrolling nervousness appears on page 72.)

While being introduced, take a deep breath andslowly exhale. This will help your voice sound res-onant and natural. Begin by facing the Toastmaster

and saying, “Mr. (or Madam) Toastmaster,”then face the audience and say, “Ladies andgentlemen…” or “Fellow members and guests…”Pause, then begin with your memorized opening.

While speaking, make “eye contact” with various members of the audience, first lookingdirectly at one person for a few seconds, thenlooking at another, so people feel included in yourtalk. As you do this, glance periodically at thetimer. If the red light comes on while you’re talking,move smoothly to your conclusion and finishquickly. Observe time limits whenever you speak.

Don’t worry about what to do with your hands.Leave them at your sides if this makes you morecomfortable. You’ll have opportunities to practice“body language” later.

Finish with your memorized conclusion. Somespeakers say “thank you” at the very end to signalto the audience that they are finished, but this isnot necessary. Instead, after you say your conclud-ing words, nod at the Toastmaster of the meetingand say, “Mr. (or Madam) Toastmaster” and enjoythe applause.

Your EvaluationAfter you finish, you’ll probably begin evaluatingyourself even before you return to your seat. Youmay think you left out some of the best parts.Every speaker thinks that. Just congratulate your-self on having delivered your first speech, thenwrite down the things you did well and the thingsyou want to improve to make your next speecheven better.

To supplement your self-evaluation, an experi-enced club member has been assigned to evaluateyour efforts. Before the meeting begins, give thismanual to your evaluator so he or she may makenotes on the evaluation page of this project. Thisgives you a permanent record of your progress. Ifyou want the evaluator to observe something in par-ticular, be sure to inform the evaluator in advance.

Ask other members for additional commentsafter the meeting (some may give you their ownbrief written comments during the meeting). Allof these comments may not be useful to you, butyou should consider them carefully. Remember,each evaluation is an opinion of how that personperceived you and your presentation. These opin-ions usually (but not always) will be helpful toyour self-development.

Competent Communicat ion 11

SPEAKER’S CHECKLIST

4 Bring this manual to the meeting whenever you are scheduled to speak.

4 Review your presentation with your mentor.

4 Discuss any special points with your evaluator before giving the speech.

4 Give the evaluator your manual before you speak, so he or she can make written commentson your performance.

4 Have the vice president education initial the “Project Completion Record” on page 80 afteryou complete each project. This will give you credit toward your CompetentCommunicator (CC) certificate.

4 Don’t be discouraged if your evaluator “missed the point.” Evaluators have varying degreesof experience in speaking, and evaluation is a “learn by doing” skill, just as speaking is.

4 If you have not already done so, read Effective Evaluation (Item 202). It will help youunderstand how to get the most out of the Toastmasters program.

Competent Communicat ion12

Evaluation Guide for

The Ice BreakerTitle __________________________________________________________________________________

Evaluator ______________________________________________ Date __________________________

Note to the Evaluator: In this speech the new member is to introduce himself/herself to the club and beginspeaking before an audience. The speech should have a clear beginning, body and ending. The speaker hasbeen advised to use notes if necessary and not to be concerned with body language. Be encouraging and pointout the speaker’s strong points while gently and kindly mentioning areas that could be improved. Strive to havethe speaker look forward to giving another speech. Your evaluation should help the speaker feel glad aboutjoining Toastmasters and presenting this speech. In addition to your verbal evaluation, please write answersto the questions below.

4 What strong points does the speaker already have?

4 How well did the audience get to know the speaker?

4 Did the speech reflect adequate preparation?

4 Did the speaker talk clearly and audibly?

4 Did the speech have a definite opening, body and conclusion?

4 Please comment on the speaker’s use of notes.

4 What could the speaker have done differently that would have improved the speech?

4 What did you like about the presentation?