The first speech given by a new Toastmaster is the Icebreaker. In this 4-6 minute speech, the new member tells the rest of the club about himself. The two main goals are for the new member to start to feel comfortable in front of the club and for the club to learn something about the new member.
There are many Toastmaster meeting roles. A few of these are Grammarian, Timer and
General Evaluator. For example, the Timer keeps time on all speeches, evaluations and Table Topics. This keeps meetings running smoothly and teaches us to judge the lengths of our own presentations.
In addition to teaching you to speak more effectively, Toastmasters will also teach you to
listen more effectively.
Some clubs vary the "traditional" meeting, with other meeting "types." One of these is the
Reverse Meeting, where the meeting starts with the close and ends with the beginning. Evaluations are given before speeches and so on. These are fun and a nice diversion from the traditional meeting format.
Another variety meeting is the Debate Meeting. Debate participants do not know which "side" they will be on, ahead of time. The debate leader divides the members into teams at the meeting and tells each team which debate position they will argue.
If you are a guest at a Toastmasters meeting, you are the most important person at the meeting. We will welcome you at the beginning and ask you for comments at the end of the meeting. We hope you join our club, but you are welcome to attend as a guest, as often as you wish.
There are thousands of Toastmasters clubs, all over the world - and on all continents! In
District 10 alone (Northeastern Ohio), there are about 100 clubs. Visit different clubs, until you find one that is right for you!
Find a club in your area at
Toastmasters International.
Millions of people have benefited from Toastmasters training. Surprisingly, women were first allowed to join Toastmasters in 1973!
Many employers recognize the career value of Toastmasters, by paying club dues. Ask your manager, you may be surprised! Furthermore, when you achieve your CC (or any other Toastmasters educational level), Toastmasters will
notify your employer, if you wish.
There are many kinds of Toastmasters clubs. Besides the corporate club and the community club, there are a number of "specialized" clubs. Some examples are singles clubs, college clubs, military clubs and ... surprisingly, prison clubs.
The names "Toastmasters International", "Toastmasters" and the Toastmasters International emblem are trademarks protected in the United States, Canada and other countries where Toastmasters Clubs exist. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited.
