Know the three I's of storytelling

MANNER OF SPEAKING

Allen Schoer

MASTERING STORYTELLING

Know the three I’s: invitation, imagination and impact.

You’re on the road to becoming your company’s Chief Storyteller. Let’s begin with some good news: You’re already better than you might think. You tell stories every day. Here, we’ll explore three capabilities that will take you well on your way to becoming a professional storyteller. Remember the “three R’s” of your early education: reading, writing and ’rithmetic? Now consider the “three I’s” of storytelling: invitation, imagination and impact. Here’s how you can master them:

1 Invitation. Remember Steve Jobs’ famous invitation to Pepsi’s then- CEO John Sculley when he lured him to Apple by asking, “Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water, or do you want a chance to change the world?” Engage your listeners by stimulating their curiosity and asking them to share in something exciting with you.

2 Imagination. Enlivening people’s imaginations is easy. What happens before you visit the doctor? Or when you’re waiting for the board’s reaction to your latest strategic plan? Your imagination puts on quite a show. Who needs PowerPoint or technological wizardry?

In 1961, U.S. President John F. Kennedy recognized the need for a new narrative to galvanize the space race. Before a joint session of the U.S. Congress, he boldly announced that by the end of the decade the country would be dedicated to “landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth.” Despite widespread doubts, and the fact that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) had not yet even sent a man into orbit around the Earth, he electrified the collective imagination of the country.

Imagination is the direct access point to our creativity. Simply say “Imagine this ...” and people’s creative juices start flowing. They’re transported to a different and vivid new reality without leaving their seats.

3 Impact. We crave impact. We want to be seen and know that what we do has meaning. In baseball terms, it’s called “looking the ball to the bat.” As a storyteller, that means watching your audience closely to see how your content is affecting them.

In 1995, South African President Nelson Mandela knew he had to shore up his government’s tenuous hold on post-apartheid unity. Adopting the strategy of “Don’t address their brains. Address their hearts,” Mandela convinced the Springboks rugby team, until then the country’s symbol of white supremacy, to join him. At the commencement of the Rugby World Cup final being held in South Africa, Mandela and the team symbolically broke all barriers by singing “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika,” the anthem of the black resistance movement, to a still divided nation and a worldwide television audience. The Springboks won the World Cup, and South Africa moved toward reconciliation.

Brilliant ideas without brilliant human connection usually die fast. That connection builds trust and cultivates relationships. When you see how you move others and are moved by them, you grow in stature and authority.

Keep this in mind: What you’re saying isn't  for you. It’s for your team.

Practice Time
Try these techniques at your next team or client meeting and note what happens:
• Be an “investigator” — not a content dumper. Ask, don’t tell.
• Watch carefully how what you’re saying impacts your team.
• Don’t leap to the next point until you see people absorb the previous one. Don’t assume everyone’s with you. Ask questions like “Are you with me?” or “How do you relate to this?”
• Slow down. Don’t race your narrative simply to get to the end. Consider practicing on someone first.
• Create images to get the client engaged in your story: “Imagine this ...” or “Picture that ...”
• Stop occasionally and observe your effect on everyone in the room.

Remember, your team and your clients are your creative partners. Actress Katherine Hepburn said, “If you give audiences half a chance, they’ll do half your acting for you.”

This article was originally publish at the Toastmasters International website. You can find free resources and more articles like this at Toastmasters International Free Resources .

Reasons speakers fail to connect

COMMON SPEAKER PITFALLS

Craig Valentine

As a speaker, you may have the greatest content in the world, but if you do not connect with your audience, it can all go to waste. It’s like being on the phone and having something important to say, but there is static on the line and you can’t hear the other person. No matter what you have to say, your message won’t get through.

By understanding what stands in the way of connecting with an audience, you can make small adjustments that will lead to deeper and greater connections. Below are 20 reasons many speakers fail to connect.

1 The audience does not relate to the speaker.
When the speaker talks about success after success after success, audience members may think to themselves, Well, of course these strategies work for him. He’s special. These strategies would never work for me. Whenever audience members feel the speaker is too special, they tend to cast off his or her advice.

2 Audience members are not sold on why they should listen to the speaker.
Your biography, speech description and introduction should clearly show how the audience will benefit from your presentation. They should be excited before you even take the stage.

3 Audience members are not sold on why they should take the next step the speaker suggests.
If you do not sell the results that people can gain by following your advice (e.g., happiness, joy, recognition, money, saving time, reducing effort or doing more with less), they will not act on it.

4 The audience is given too many steps to take.
“A confused mind says no” is an old saying. I’ve added to it: “A clear mind says go.” Giving one exact next step to take helps you connect with your audience during and after your speech. For example, in one of my speeches I ask people to visit my website, and I stay connected with them. Because I don’t give several next steps, I can use my entire speech to build the case for getting them to take that one step. That’s a powerful and clear message.

5 The audience does not feel involved.
I remember watching the movie Lean On Me decades ago and hearing the line “No involvement, no commitment.” Hearing that line has produced change in every aspect of my life. People buy into what they help create, so in speaking it pays to make them part of the speech creation. How? By asking questions. Engage your audience members in quick activities. Listen to them as you speak. Involve them in your stories. Jump on spontaneous moments. Find ways to get and keep audience members involved.

6 The audience does not feel this is the only time you have given your speech.
In other words, they don’t feel it’s fresh. Instead, they feel like it’s something you have rehashed time and time again. Perhaps it is, but your audience shouldn’t get that impression. As a speaker, it’s important to find ways to make the speech fresh for you so it will be fresh for your audience.

I use what I call the Fabric Softener Approach. When you include a fabric softener sheet while doing the laundry, it refreshes the entire load. In speaking, I rarely give a speech without trying out at least one new line or story. In doing so, that new piece becomes like the sheet of fabric softener—it actually makes the entire speech fresh for me, and that helps keep it fresh for my audience. I also dedicate every speech I give to someone somewhere so that it’s just as important every time I give it.

7 The speaker is not all there.
If you are not emotionally involved in your stories during your speech, you do not stand a chance in connecting with your audience.

8 The speaker has not done the pre-speech research necessary to meet audience members where they are. Too many speakers give what they want to say rather than what the audience needs to hear. That’s a recipe for trouble.

9 The speaker does not match the energy of the audience.
Have you ever seen a speaker come out way too energetic and loud for the laidback audience in front of him? Have you ever been that speaker? It’s not about bouncing off the walls. It’s about matching your energy to the energy of your audience members, and then moving them to where you want them to be.

10 The speaker does not tease audience members before sharing the message.
Get your audience to thirst for your message before you quench their thirst. Otherwise they won’t value what you’re saying as much, and they won’t have enough curiosity to stay connected.

11 The speaker favors a side of the room and does not look at everyone in the audience. I
have seen so many speakers turn slightly and face one side of the room for most of their speech. Each person must feel you are speaking to him or her, or you will not connect. Look at everyone throughout the entire speech.

12 The speaker does not respond (at least visually) to the audience’s reactions.
There will be many moments during your speech where audience members will react in certain ways. If you keep talking without at least visually acknowledging their reactions, you will not connect with them. Instead, it will seem as if you could give the same exact speech without your audience even being there. Speaking involves a back-and-forth flow of energy. Blocking that energy is like blocking the blood flow in a person’s body. The results are disastrous.

13 The speaker “tells us” instead of taking us back to her story.
Don’t tell a story from the past; let your audience experience your story in the present. You can do that with dialogue, expressions, reactions and involvement.

14 The speaker does not use relatable characters.
If your stories are about climbing Mount Everest and doing things your audience has never done and never wants to do, you might have a problem connecting, unless you use journey-related universal principles that can bridge that gap.

I remember speaking to a group in a nursing home early in my career and wondering, How will these older folks relate to me? The answer is they didn’t have to. I told stories about advice I received from my grandfather and they, being grandparents and great-grandparents, related to him. So they related to me indirectly through my characters.

15 The speech is a verbal autobiography that leaves audience members wondering what they should get out of it. Don’t make people work that hard. They need to know what they’ll get out of your speech from the beginning—not just at the end. The speech can’t be, “I did this and I did that and I did this other thing … and you can do it too.” That’s not audience-focused enough to connect. You need to be audience-focused from the very beginning.

16 The speaker does not come out with a bang.
Audience members realize in 30 seconds whether or not they want to hear more. Make those 30 seconds count.

17 The speaker sounds like someone else.
You must be yourself or you’ll never connect. I remember watching a speaker who had great content—but there was a problem with his delivery. He faked a Southern accent. It seemed as though he was trying to have a Zig Ziglar-type drawl. This completely destroyed his connection. Why? Because it wasn’t his way; it was Ziglar’s way. Only Zig Ziglar can be Zig Ziglar. The rest of us need to be ourselves on stage.

18 The content is not original enough.
As soon as someone starts talking about the starfish or the bricklayer, many people will think they have heard this before, and they will tune out.

19 The speaker’s stories don’t stir anything in the audience.
If a speaker’s stories are one-dimensional and flat, he will not provoke any emotion (tears and regret, happiness and joy, etc.) in the audience and, therefore, the speaker will not connect.

20 The speaker does not get the audience to reflect.
If the audience does not reflect, the speaker will not connect.

Perhaps you have been guilty of some of the above-mentioned mistakes. I know I have. This list is in no way exhaustive—there are many other reasons speakers fail to connect with their audiences.

Which ones can you think of?

This article was originally publish at the Toastmasters International website. You can find free resources and more articles like this at Toastmasters International Free Resources .

Toast with taste

How To: Tips for a New Year's Eve Toast

When toasting, remember your ABCs.
By Michael Varma, ATMG, ALB

As a professional magician I’m constantly asked, “Can you show me a magic trick?” I smile and consent to conjure up a miracle or two. It’s an occupational hazard. Toastmasters are constantly faced with requests for similar command performances – for instance, to stand up and “say a few words” at family gatherings, or holiday meals, or to give a toast to the New Year. To avoid a real-life, spur-of-the-moment Table Topics test, remember to be prepared and follow the ABCs of toasting. To begin a well-thought-out toast, consider the following three A’s: audience, agenda and ability: 

Audience
Parties and gatherings are a melting pot of ages, genders, relationships, educational levels and ethnicities; all these folks carry high expectations for Toastmasters to speak with poise and confidence. Feeling the pressure? Take a deep breath... exhale. Release that mental stress by asking yourself some questions beforehand about the audience you’ll be facing. Answer those questions and your anxieties will vanish as fear of the unknown dissolves, especially when you stress the positive. 

For example, you might ask, “What is the age range of this audience?” Answer: 20- to 40-year-olds. So you say to yourself, “Yeah, no kids!” Or you ask, “What’s my relationship to the people here tonight?” Answer: They’re friends and family. So you say to yourself, “Great – no co-workers or boss!” 

In addition, the more you know about your audience, the easier it is to create the appropriate content for your toast. 

Agenda
Toasts are most engaging when three primary elements are clearly defined: Why are we celebrating? Who are we honoring? And what is the point you as the toaster want to make? Knowing what you want to say keeps you calm, even while standing in front of a party of people with all eyes focused on you.
 

                    “Say something pithy and spirits remain light; say something serious and
                    people become reflective. Take advantage of this precious time and use it

                   wisely.”

Use a succinct sentence to explain the agenda and set the foundation for your toast. For example, “I find when families pause their busy lives to gather from five different cities and share stories, our holiday meal times become magical.” 

Ability
Whether you’re an executive used to talking to a crowd or just starting out in Toastmasters, be sure to evaluate your skill level. Practice one or all of the Special Occasion Speeches (Item 226N) at your club and you’ll no doubt receive valuable feedback. Some people get very nervous when they have to talk in front of a group. Even seasoned speakers frequently talk too fast, causing spectators to ask their neighbor, “What did he say?” By honing in on your skills through practice, you can build the experience and self-confidence necessary to communicate effectively. 

As the author of the book Tasteful Toasts, the question I’m asked the most is, “How long should a toast be?” In a word: short. Be as brief as possible. It may seem like a cliché, but leave them wanting more. If you are going to speak for as long as five minutes, you’d better be outstanding and bring your Grade-A material. For first-time toasters and experienced speakers alike, I recommend following the three B’s: be brief, be bold, be done. 

Be Brief
Two minutes is a terrific target time for a tasteful toast. Keep your remarks short and simple and your toast will have a greater effect. If you hit five minutes, the snore bore alarm will begin to sound. 


Be Bold
Enunciate clearly and project your voice to the back of the room to ensure everyone can hear your words. Display poise and confidence. 

Be Done
When finished, sit down. Avoid the urge to take a bow or return for an encore performance. Remember, the purpose of a toast is to shine a gentle spotlight on, and pay tribute to, a specific person or event. Say your toast and then return the attention to the honored guest and festivities. 

Dec. 31 will soon be here and Toastmasters across the globe will be called to convey, with conviction, a reflection on 2009 and a vision of prosperity for 2010. Yes, I am referring to the New Year’s Eve toast. And as promised, it’s as easy as A, B and now C: communicate, commemorate and celebrate. 

Communicate
Your first remarks before the midnight hour will slow the hands of time, and party participants will gather round for a message of inspiration. A short joke will bring laughs followed by a few seconds of silence. These golden ticks of the clock are when people will look to you for your next witty comment – it’s human nature. In this pivotal moment you control the room and set the mood. Say something pithy and spirits remain light; say something serious and people become reflective. Take advantage of this precious time and use it wisely. Know what you want to say before you say it. 

Commemorate
The new year means a fresh start for many people. It’s a time to remember the past before stepping into the future. It’s also a time to acknowledge the struggles you’you've encountered and obstacles you've’ve overcome. Place your thoughts on paper and you will be poised with words that honor the sacrifices and commemorate the victories.

Celebrate 
When both hands of the clock point to 12, you can celebrate the fact that everyone’s goals will be established and resolutions made. Give a toast to motivate listeners to be better in their personal and professional endeavors and to face the future with confidence. Raise your glass to celebrate the achievements to come. 

Merely reading this article will not make you an expert or smooth-talking toasting machine, but it will start you on the right path. Similarly, I can read how to perform a magic trick but it requires practice until polished to a quality performance level – that’s no illusion. Make a resolution to follow the three ABCs of toasting and practice in front of friends or family, and your audience will cheer as you bring in the new year.


Michael Varma, ATMG, ALB, is a member of BergenMeisters Toastmasters club in Orange, California, and the author of the book, Tasteful Toasts, available from www.toastmasters.org/shop. Reach him at www.michaelvarma.com.

This article was originally publish at the Toastmasters International website. You can find free resources and more articles like this at Toastmasters International Free Resources .

How to use stand up comedy techniques to get laughs

LIGHTEN UP YOUR SPEECH

Judy Carter

How to use stand-up comedy techniques to get laughs.

I recently got a call from a humorist who wanted coaching on his speech for the Toastmasters Humorous Speech Contest. I listened as he presented his material, which was a collection of jokes, half-baked comedy ideas and funny stories about himself. I knew immediately he had three major problems: One, his jokes were funny but they weren’t his; he’d lifted them off the Internet.

Two, his funny stories were about an audience’s least favorite topic — the speaker. And three, his speech didn’t have a message.

Before I write one joke for a speaker, I have to make sure he or she has a message that makes sense, because a confused audience doesn’t laugh. Once a speech is coherent, then I do a comedy pass. Making a great message funny isn’t as hard as it sounds.

I spent 17 years on the road as a headlining comic before I started speaking professionally. Using a few basic comedy formulas, you can add clean, observational punch lines to your speeches. Clean because you want to get paid, and observational because you want to convey confidence and spontaneity.

I can already hear you protesting: “Spontaneous observational humor?! But I’m not a comic!” Here’s the good news: Getting laughs as a speaker is a lot easier than doing stand-up. Speakers aren’t expected to get laughs every 10 seconds, so when you do deliver a funny line, it’s a happy surprise. Plus, using real-time observations wins an audience over. They appreciate being in on the joke. They appreciate your awareness of their surroundings. If you know how to look for it, there’s “funny” happening all around you. There’s funny in the parking lot of the conference center. There’s funny in the hallway as you prepare to go on stage. Hey, take a look in the mirror! Now that’s funny.

So be brave and add these comedy formulas to your speeches.

Formula One: The First 10 Seconds The second you’re introduced, you can go for your first observational laugh by thanking the emcee and pointing out an obvious (and positive) feature about him or her. One time, my emcee had a deep voice. As I walked onstage, I looked right at him and said, “Thank you, Tom. That was a great intro. Let’s give him a hand. (Applause) You have a beautiful voice. I realize now it was you who played Darth Vader.”

You can pretty much ask the audience to applaud anything — and they will. “Let’s have some applause for the dessert chef who gave us cake and pie!”

Like I said earlier, people like to be in on the joke, so mentioning something obvious and inclusive accomplishes that goal. When the audience knows you just made something up, they give you a lot of leeway. So, don’t always plan the first thing you’ll say. Allow for spontaneity as a result of what you observe before you step on stage. It might scare you, but your audience will love you — and that’s a great way to start off your keynote.

For your spontaneous moment, consider the following examples: “Let’s have some applause for …”

•The guy who just fixed the air conditioning, the clogged toilet or the microphone that was squealing a moment before.
•The generous bartender from the party last night.
•The guy on the spotlight who is awake and able to follow me.
•The audience, for surviving three days of meetings.
•The people from Canada, for always being so nice.

Spontaneity is a skill of an experienced speaker. Your ability to risk being spontaneous in the first minute will grow with stage time. But eventually you will need to take this courageous step and trust your instincts. With that said, here’s a quick warning: Always remember you’re the outsider. Be respectful of where your clients live, how they talk and how they may be different from you. You need to be the butt of your own jokes — not your audience. Don’t use your opening for cruel or sarcastic jokes. Like your mother said, “If you can’t say something nice, then don’t say it.” And never, ever diss the person who signs your check.

Formula Two: You Are the Joke Make fun of what the audience is looking at — you! Let’s face it, when a speaker steps onstage, he faces an inherent hostility toward “know-it-alls.” The best way to curb that judgment is to engage in some light-hearted self-mockery. Having the guts to get a laugh at your own expense not only creates laughter, it creates likeability.

Here are a few steps to make light of yourself for laughs:

•Make a list of obvious physical attributes that an audience will notice when you walk onstage; for example: your weight, hairline, age, gender or clothes. Choose something that could be seen as a negative trait. That expanding waistline? It’s your punch line! Anything that makes you different can be comedy gold.

Note that none of these things should be funny, but they should all be authentic. Keep your list focused on things the audience can actually see or notice. “I’m short” is better than “I’m lactose intolerant.”

•Now make a list of the advantages of these negative attributes. For example, looking nerdy: “Ladies, why go for tall, dark and handsome when a nerd like me can fix your computer in a flash?”

Using the lists above, fill in the “I know what you’re thinking” formula: Say “I know what you’re thinking,” act out what the audience is thinking, and then give the advantages of what you’re poking fun of. For instance: “I know what you are thinking. ‘Does she realize her hair’s the same color as a bag of Cheetos?’ Well, there are advantages to having bright orange hair. On the weekends I donate my head to guide planes into the gates at the airport.”

Formula Three: The Mash-Up
This formula is excerpted from my forthcoming book, The Message of You: Turn Your Life Story into a Money-Making Speaking Career.

It’s hard to listen to speakers who drone on and on with lists of information that don’t include a laugh. “I’m from blah blah, I went to school in blah, blah, and I got a degree in blah, blah.” Boring! This is a lost opportunity for a laugh! Here is a way to introduce your credentials that I call “The Mash-Up.” Let’s say you want to tell the audience you’re a nurse and a stand-up comic. All you have to do is add the words “so that means I …” and then add the mash-up of the stereotype.

Let’s do some brainstorming:
Make a list of your ethnicity, parents’ nationalities, your hobbies and your current and past professions.

Pick two of the items you wrote and insert them into the following formula:

“You may not know this, but I’m ______________ and _____________ (or “I’m part this and part that”), so that means I ___________________________.”

For example, “My father is from New York and my mom’s from Texas, so that means … I like my bagels with gravy.” Or,

“I have a degree in astronomy and I’m an actress, so that means … I know exactly why the sun revolves around me.”

Formula Four: The List of Three Three is a magic number in comedy. Using the “List of Three” formula, a comic sets up a pattern with two serious ideas, and then adds a twist on the third. For this formula to work, it’s an absolute necessity that your first two statements be real and serious. You want to lead the audience down a path of sincerity and then surprise them with a joke! You never want them to see the funny coming. The surprise is what makes people laugh. Two easy ways to set up this formula are “Big- Big-Small” and “Small-Small-Big.”

Set Up: Big-Big-Small
“It’s a scary world out there: We’ve got terrorism, the war in Iraq, and ... Lindsay Lohan is out of jail.”

Set Up: Small-Small-Big
“There are three subtle clues that your marriage might be over: You’ve stopped sending each other love notes. You’re not kissing as much. Your husband’s new girlfriend has issued a restraining order.”

This formula saved me when I was hired to speak to a cosmetics company and I was told that management had announced there would be no bonuses that year. Management actually asked me to do “something funny with that.” That was a tough assignment! But using a List of Three helped me get a laugh. I observed that right before my keynote, the audience participated in a workshop on conceptual selling. So my list was:

“I understand that you learned today about conceptual selling. That means you aren’t selling lipstick but rather the concept of beauty. It’s not about the mascara but the concept of glamour. And I guess it’s not about the money but the concept of a bonus.”

People literally fell off their chairs. Now, that was observational humor at its most potent! The List of Three is also a great way to make your PowerPoint slides more entertaining. Break your learning points into lists of no more than three bullets, and always have the third slide be a funny surprise.

So when adding humor to your speech, first have a good message, and then look for opportunities to add laughs using these formulas. After all, laughter is the best medicine for every audience. It’s a feel-good, legal drug. It makes people happy, you don’t need a prescription to use it, and you’ll never get arrested for driving under the influence of it. But best of all, speakers who get laughs connect with their audience, win contests and get booked.

This article was originally publish at the Toastmasters International website. You can find free resources and more articles like this at Toastmasters International Free Resources .

Benefits of participating in speech contests

Is it a test? Or is it play? Have some fun on contest day!

You can enjoy speech contests 

When Nahid was asked to compete in her club’s humorous speech contest, she was mortified. “I – I’m not funny!” she exclaimed. Indeed, her manual speeches had been heartfelt and serious discussions on the meaning of life. But her fellow club members insisted that she was funnier than she realized. She decided to take up the challenge and try the contest. Much to her amazement, Nahid learned that she is more than funny – she’s hilarious. She won the club contest and found herself looking forward to the area level competition with a new sense of excitement and pleasure. Her fear of “funny failure” had been banished.

Now, when someone asks Nahid what she wants to do with her life, she responds without hesitation, “I want to be a comedian.” And she admits she owes it all to a speech contest, because it made her try something outside her comfort zone.

Speech contests present many opportunities. Those who benefit in the most obvious way are the competitors. Being a contender gives you a chance to try a new style or type of speech. The result can be amazing, as in Nahid’s case. And even if you stay with a topic that you've given before, you know you’ll have to take it to the next level in order to compete. This is a terrific way to confirm your skills.

Garry thought his evaluations were solid, but he wasn't completely sure until he won an evaluation contest. He had worked hard to make his evaluation skills shine, and the results of the contest confirmed his belief in himself.

On the other hand, it’s not always about winning. Evan was able to learn from watching expert speakers competing at higher and higher levels. He picked up several tips and tricks for performing that improved his own speeches and work-related presentations.

The best news is, speech contests benefit everyone who takes part. There are many roles to try, all offering some sort of leadership experience. You can improve skills such as organization, teamwork, written and verbal communication, and event coordination.

Of course, a lot of people are merely looking for an enjoyable way to use their Toastmasters skills. And while volunteering as a timer, counter, sergeant at arms, contest chair, or other role affords Toastmasters the opportunity for growth, adventure and a sense of team membership –you must remember that it’s also just plain fun.

And though you might not think it possible right now, there may come a time when you find yourself volunteering for the role of speech contest judge. Don’t be afraid to try it. Experienced speakers can learn so much by participating as speech contest judges. The judging criteria for great speeches is printed on the back of every Judge’s Guide and Ballot. It’s like having your own personal cheat sheet for making a good speech great. And the more experience you gain in using these criteria to judge the participants’ speeches, the better your own speeches will become.

That’s the great thing about Toastmasters speech contests. The more you put into them, the more you take away.

This article was originally publish at the Toastmasters International website. You can find free resources and more articles like this at Toastmasters International Free Resources .

Don't miss club meetings during the holidays!!

Keeping the Holidays Happy

You need your meetings more than ever!

It’s a few weeks before the end of the year and you’re falling behind in preparations. Your boss needs that year-end report, your kids need costumes for the school play, and your mother needs you to arrange her travel for the holidays.You need a 30-hour day! Some Toastmasters members try to reduce their holiday hassles by missing club meetings during these busy weeks. That’s the last thing they should do!

Remedy for the Holiday Rush 
Spending time with fellow Toastmasters is an ideal antidote to holiday pressures. As a club leader, it’s your job to remind members of the stress-busting benefits of attendance. Get the word out by email, phone call, postcard or a posting on your club’s website. By keeping up with their meetings, they’ll have the chance to:

• See friends
• Share some fun and laughs
• Discover more about their fellow members’ expertise
• Enjoy well-earned time for self-improvement
• Escape the demanding world for a while

Their schedules may be telling them that they don’t have time – but for their own health and well-being – be sure to recommend that your club members attend every meeting.

Reaping the Benefits If you happen to be a club member who steadfastly attends meetings throughout the season, pat yourself on the back. Not only have you been helping yourself, you’ve been helping your fellow Toastmasters to continue their pace of steady improvement while enjoying all the benefits listed above.

Missing In Action 
Perhaps you’re missing some of your friends from your club. They've skipped meetings and maybe sent you an email stating that they’d be back after the holiday season. What can you do? Remind them of all that you’re getting for attending this season. Send your friends an email and share the list of benefits.

More ideas 
You might schedule some holiday-themed meetings, with special treats and surprise guests. Wouldn't it be fun to get together with some former members from years gone by? Send out the invitations and prepare yourself for a wonderful reunion with your Toastmasters friends.

This article was originally publish at the Toastmasters International website. You can find free resources and more articles like this at Toastmasters International Free Resources .

Toastmaster will help you get through unemployment

Help in Hard Times

How Toastmasters training can see you through

There’s no doubt that many Toastmasters are facing challenging times. With corporate cutbacks, Wall Street woes and other worldwide financial difficulties, we’re all feeling the stress of the day. If you find yourself squeezed by some belt-tightening tactics, it’s tempting to retreat from long-term goals and instead focus on short-term survival strategies.

That may be a mistake.

Maintaining your progress toward a goal by setting a course that includes daily, weekly and monthly objectives can help you navigate your way through the troubled waters of today and prepare you for better times ahead. What better place to do this than at your regular Toastmasters meetings?

He got through it
Consider the example of Tom Oh, of Rancho Santa Margarita, California. Tom works for an interactive marketing media company in the nearby town of Irvine. Before he landed this job, he spent what he describes as “seven long months” unemployed and job hunting. It was the longest period of time Tom had ever been out of work, and rather than panic, he chose a path that set him in the direction of reconnecting with his career and his future. He decided to use part of the time constructively by joining a Toastmasters club and improving his job skills.

Tom says two things became apparent when he was out of work: First, he needed to hone his public speaking skills. Second, he had no excuse to delay it any longer. This was a job skill he knew he would eventually need again and now his time was finally free to work on it. “No excuses!” says Tom with a laugh.

Encouraged by a Toastmasters friend, Tom attended a meeting in July and was hooked. He attended only five meetings before finding a new job – but in that time he pushed himself to give two speeches.

Tom especially wanted to improve his skills in speech writing and preparation. So he made the most of the Competent Communication manual’s features allowing members to focus on certain aspects. For him, it meant working through the Ice Breaker and then the project on organization. He enjoyed putting together a speech, following instructions on how to improve its organization. Re-evaluating his work and writing a more-focused speech – even before presenting it to the club – gave Tom extra confidence in his skills.

The meetings offered Tom emotional benefits as well. During a stressful time in his life, his club activities allowed him to escape to a place of camaraderie and support. Getting to know his fellow Toastmasters through their speeches made networking fun and easy. He relished the opportunity to network with all kinds of people. Tom says, “I met people working in different industries and enjoyed the opportunity to meet a diversified group.”

And the speeches – even those that were not work-related – really affected him. “People shared about their personal lives,” he says, “with wonderful quality and content to their speeches.” He learned that these personal perspectives make speeches more compelling and engaging. “They were passionate about their subject matter. It worked for the speakers and us, the audience.”  He soon discovered the lessons learned in the club improved his job-related speaking, as well.

To his own amazement, Tom had fun and learned a lot during his seven-month break from a job. And while he says it was uncomfortable to be job hunting in a difficult economy, he looks back at his experiences in Toastmasters with fondness. His new job doesn't allow the time to attend the morning meetings of his old club. But he wonders about finishing those other eight projects in the Competent Communication manual. Who knows? Maybe he’ll start a corporate club in his new company!

She’s getting through it
Another example is Paula Harris, a “local market sales manager” with Avis Budget Group before she was laid off along with a thousand other employees in a cost-cutting measure last September. Paula joined Toastmasters a few weeks later with a plan to become more confident and an effective speaker. “I did have to do some public speaking at my last job and want to feel more comfortable and confident when I am speaking in front of others.”

Paula hopes to soon land another job in marketing or account management and is preparing herself for the position by attending club meetings. “I want to increase my self-confidence and leadership skills and feel comfortable speaking in front of an audience,” she says.

Though Paula’s journey is just beginning, she appears positive and confident when speaking in her new club. Recently, she gave her Ice Breaker speech and stood in front of the lectern, presenting her story without the use of notes. She performed well and received a round of well-deserved applause at the end. Beaming, she returned to her seat and was all smiles for the rest of the meeting. Though Paula hasn't yet taken advantage of any networking opportunities, she does see the benefit of being in the group. She says, “Everyone is so friendly and supportive that I believe this is a group I can learn from.”

With that kind of attitude, Paula will no doubt make it through this trying time and move up to the next step in her career. And with the support of her friends in Toastmasters, she will definitely be smiling when she gets there.

This article was originally publish at the Toastmasters International website. You can find free resources and more articles like this at Toastmasters International Free Resources .

Benefits of Toastmasters paid membership

Why We Avoid the Dues Blues

Imagine that you're competing in the International Speech Contest. You've emailed your speech to friends and mentors for comments. You've practiced for weeks in front of your club, spouse and goldfish. Everyone’s rooting for you to win.

But it’s not easy. First, one competitor’s speech about his mother leaves no dry eye in the house, and you're sure he’s going to win. Then another club member makes everyone laugh, and you're sure she’s going to win.

Finally, after many anxious moments...the winner is announced.

It’s you! Your club is thrilled to send you to the next level.

A few weeks later – after much more practice and polishing – you step onto a larger stage and approach the lectern. The contest chairman starts to announce your speech – but a booming voice from the audience interrupts her. Marching down the aisle with arms waving, a competitor bellows, “THIS SPEAKER IS INELIGIBLE!” In the coming moments, you learn that your club has not kept up all its dues payments to World Headquarters. As a result, you’re disqualified from competing. You go home in shame, ruin and defeat.

Don’t let this happen to you!

The truth is, members who pay their dues on time and who belong to clubs in good standing enjoy a variety of benefits. Contest participation is only part of the package.

The Many Benefits of Paid Membership

• Educational Development. All new members receive the Competent Communication and Leadership manuals. The backbone of the Toastmasters program, these practical manuals have brought many nervous speakers into their own as confident, competent speakers and leaders. Plus, members receive three guidebooks: Your Speaking Voice, Gestures: Your Body Speaks and Effective Evaluation. These booklets guide speakers in developing the skills they need to communicate gracefully and feel at home in their Toastmasters meetings.
• Leadership Experience. For those who wish to pursue leadership training, opportunities abound at the club level and beyond. Leadership positions offer members great training at the area, division and district levels...and even higher. In Toastmasters, options are often limited to your dreams and your willingness to work hard in pursuit of them.
• Support the Club. It’s always a good feeling to know that you’re supporting your club. After all, these are the people who supported you when you first stood at the lectern with your knees knocking. By keeping up your dues, you’re helping your club to maintain its status (or work toward the goal) of being a Distinguished Club. It’s important to note that Distinguished Clubs offer the best possible learning environments for their members. Trisha Bridenstine, president of Rancho Speech Masters in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, agrees. “Working toward being a Distinguished Club not only stimulates personal growth and pride but bonds the club by providing a common goal,” she says. “This distinction is also a magnet for new membership, inspiring the club with new ideas, experiences and creative opportunity.”
• The Toastmaster Magazine. Toastmasters around the world look forward, each month, to the arrival of the Toastmaster magazine. Speaking tips, techniques, stories and a sense of community...they all come together in its pages. Included in your membership is a subscription to this helpful and informative magazine.
• Member Pricing on Toastmasters Products. Diana Ewing, president of UniMasters club in Lake Forest, California, enjoys the discounts at Toastmasters.org/shop. “The TI store is an added benefit for both individuals and clubs because it offers members access to – and preferred pricing for – a host of wonderful educational and training materials,” notes Ewing. “Also available are ribbons, pins, certificates and many other items that we use to recognize member achievements and encourage people to strive for even greater success.”

Don’t forget the contests. The rewards of competition, and in particular, the International Speech Contest, can be fabulous: learning opportunities, recognition, adventure, fun and a trip to the International Convention to be crowned the World Champion of Public Speaking.

But if it’s worth doing – it’s worth doing right. The Toastmasters Speech Contest Rulebook states that each contestant must “Be a member in good standing of the club in which he or she is competing. The club also must be in good standing. A new, dual, or reinstated member must have dues and membership application current with World Headquarters.” Colin William, top-ten finalist for the 2008 World Championship of Public Speaking, says, “It's always been reassuring to me when I compete to know that my clubs have had responsible treasurers whom I can trust to submit the dues on time.” Remember: To be eligible to compete in any contest, the speaker must be a member in good standing in a club in good standing. Have you spoken to your club treasurer about paying the club’s dues on time?

When you add them up, you may be surprised at all the benefits coming your way. So take a moment and imagine a new scene:

You’re competing in the International Speech Contest...and you win!

After confirming your paid dues, there’s only one thing left to do: Start practicing – that contest is just around the corner.

This article was originally publish at the Toastmasters International website. You can find free resources and more articles like this at Toastmasters International Free Resources .

Working together equals success!!

Teamwork

A key to success

When you hear the word, “teamwork,” what comes to mind? Do you see a positive image of everyone collaborating and working together? Or maybe you remember a not-so-positive experience when a team project fell on your shoulders because you were the only one who cared if it succeeded? Whatever the case may be, teamwork can be beneficial to all involved, especially if every “team player” respects the other players’ roles. Whether you are the project owner, contributor, collaborator or assistant – as a player, you’re an integral part of the puzzle.

American industrialist, Henry Ford, said, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”

Whether constructing the Eiffel Tower, the Taj Mahal or the Golden Gate Bridge, history proves the importance of working together. Now, whether it’s running a presidential campaign, keeping a business afloat, or building and maintaining a thriving Toastmasters club – teamwork is still the key component for success.

Benefits of Teamwork 
You’ll find many benefits to joining a team. Your team might create a thriving home, community or professional environment. Or they might build a flourishing Toastmasters group. These advantages include:

• Families can take pleasure in a harmonious environment by working together to complete daunting tasks such as housework and chores.
• Community fundraisers or programs flourish when they capitalize on everyone’s individual strengths, knowledge, personal contacts and individual contributions.
• Professional teams thrive by collaborating on assignments, contributing ideas and using the “divide and conquer” strategy to finish large projects.
• In Toastmasters, new club officers enjoy a smooth transition into office when they can work with their predecessors as a team to ensure all duties are covered, questions are answered and best practices are maintained.

In so many ways, a team mentality will enhance your personal and professional life, as well as make your goals and projects more fulfilling and successful. Most importantly, team members enjoy:

• Making the most of individual strengths
• Producing diverse ideas
• Reaping the benefits of collaborative decision-making
• Encouraging involvement
• Improving workload distribution

Sometimes a little extra effort is required to enjoy all these benefits. Is your team experiencing issues with conflict? There are a few ways that personalities might clash in a team, but experienced leaders know how to correct such situations and steer a new course for success. You can Turn Team Conflict into Team Harmony.

Incorporate Teamwork into Your Environment Here are some items from Toastmasters International to aid in your team efforts:

• Competent Leadership
• Working in the Team Environment
• The Leadership Excellence Series Set

This article was originally publish at the Toastmasters International website. You can find free resources and more articles like this at Toastmasters International Free Resources .

Learn about other cultures through the Toastmasters experience

Visiting Clubs in Other Countries

Toastmaster Travels 

When Kim Allen took a vacation to China earlier this year, one of the things on her “to do” list was visiting a Toastmasters club. She found one in Beijing – and wasn't disappointed. Allen, a Toastmaster from San Diego, California, was surprised and delighted by many things at the club meeting; for one, all of the 20-plus members delivered their speeches in English – and delivered them beautifully. A few were novice English speakers who struggled at times, but they stayed positive and persevered, she says.

Allen was not only impressed with the quality of the presentations but was touched by the warm and enthusiastic welcome given her by Angela Han, president of the club – which is called, appropriately enough, the Global Communicators.

“It was a wonderful experience!” says Allen, who was also very excited to tell her hometown club – the Great Communicators in San Diego -- about the meeting.

Her cross-cultural connection is typical of the bonds forged when members visit clubs in other countries. And the great thing about Toastmasters is its global reach: Pretty much wherever you travel, there’s likely to be a club somewhere in the vicinity. After all, there are now Toastmasters clubs in 122 countries.

If you make a Toastmasters stop part of your vacation itinerary, it’s bound to be a rewarding experience, say members who have done just that. In a sense, members around the world speak a universal language – the vocabulary of Toastmasters. When you visit a club abroad, you celebrate that spirit of international fellowship.

Jay Davidson knows that feeling well. The retired elementary school teacher from San Francisco, California, has done a great deal of traveling over the years, making forays to Australia, New Zealand, England, Egypt, Africa, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. And almost everywhere he goes, he seeks out local Toastmasters groups.

“It seems like a good connection for common ground,” says Davidson. “It’s a good way to meet people who have similar interests.”

Yet what’s also enriching about such excursions is observing the differences among Toastmasters. Visits to clubs in other countries, say members, allow you to learn about other cultures through the Toastmasters experience.

“Most clubs reflect whatever society they’re in,” notes Davidson, a member of the Rainbow Toastmasters in San Francisco.

A Toastmaster since 1997, Davidson has ventured to clubs in Istanbul, Cairo, Buenos Aires and Sydney, among others. On a vacation to London, he met up with a Toastmasters club called the London Athenian Speakers; the group met in a most appropriate spot – the upstairs room of a London pub. The club took full advantage of the location: During the meeting break, some headed downstairs for a pint of lager.

Taking a Sentimental Journey Vimal Goyle grew up in India and moved to the United States with her husband in 1970. Nearly 40 years later, she had the opportunity to visit a Toastmasters club in her native land. “I was very excited,” says Goyle, who attended a meeting of the Chandigarh Toastmasters this past January.

A gynecologist in Topeka, Kansas, Goyle traveled to India to attend the Indo-U.S. Healthcare Summit in New Delhi. She was in the country for two weeks and went to three different cities, including Chandigarh, where she stayed with a nephew. The Toastmasters club there normally meets on Saturday afternoons, but when Goyle told club leaders she wouldn't arrive in the city until Sunday afternoon, they graciously re-scheduled that particular meeting for Sunday evening so she could attend.

The club -- which was less than a year old — held an installation ceremony for their seven new officers. Taking place in a restaurant, it was an elaborate and lengthy affair — a sign of how seriously the members take their Toastmasters experience, says Goyle. The district governor drove 200 miles to attend the event, she notes, and the officers’ friends and families were present – even their children. Afterward, a lavish buffet of Indian food was served.

The club designated Goyle as its “chief guest” and presented her with a bouquet of flowers and a gift. “It was very nice,” she says. “I was treated with such hospitality.” A member of the Via Christi Toastmasters club in Topeka, Goyle says it was a moving experience to see this new, flourishing Toastmasters club in the land where she grew up.

“I was very amazed and happy to know that all these members were so excited and working very diligently to do things for the club,” she says, adding that she made several friends in the group with whom she plans to keep in touch. “I had never known how Toastmasters exists on such an international level. These club members in Chandigarh have the opportunity to learn and to improve. I’m 67 -- I wish I had that opportunity when I was growing up.”

Goyle, a Toastmaster since 1998, had taken two guests to the meeting in Chandigarh – a family member and a friend. After the meeting, she says, both said they were interested in joining the club.

Think about logistics 
Those who have frequented clubs abroad also have some practical advice to share. They recommend consulting the Toastmasters International website in advance of your trip. Look up clubs located in the areas where you’re traveling. That way you can get contact information, addresses and more. Try to pre-arrange a club visit if possible.

Davidson suggests that a few days before the meeting you call the club’s contact person, so you can confirm the time and location – always a good idea when you’re in a foreign city.

Allen, the San Diego resident, checked the Toastmasters website before she went on her trip to China this past March. She found several clubs in Beijing and Shanghai, the two cities she would be visiting. As it turned out, the Global Communicators club was less than a five-minute cab ride from her hotel in Beijing. (And just to make sure she didn’t get lost, Angela Han, the club president and ever-gracious host, spoke to her guest over the phone before she rode over, describing some landmarks she could note along the way.)

An Assistant Recruitment Coordinator for the District Attorney’s Office in San Diego County, Allen still gushes with enthusiasm when she recalls her visit to the Beijing club. Making an international connection with fellow Toastmasters was a very special experience, she says.

“I’m an avid traveler,” says Allen, “and I will continue to seek out Toastmasters clubs around the world.”

Planning on traveling? 
Here are some Toastmasters items that may interest you:

• Flip Luggage Tag
• Wheeled Backpack
• Leather Luggage Tag
• Leather Travel Wallet

This article was originally publish at the Toastmasters International website. You can find free resources and more articles like this at Toastmasters International Free Resources .