How does Toastmasters work?
At Toastmasters, members learn by speaking to groups and working with others in a supportive environment. The Turbine Talkers club is made up of 20 to 30 people who meet once a fortnight for two hours.
Each meeting gives everyone an opportunity to practice:
- Conducting meetings. Members learn and practice basic meeting procedures.
- Giving impromptu speeches. Members present one-to two-minute impromptu speeches on assigned topics.
- Presenting prepared speeches. Three or more members present speeches based on projects from the Toastmasters Communication and Leadership Program manuals. Project topics include speech organisation, voice, language, gestures, and persuasion.
- Offering constructive evaluation. Every prepared speaker is assigned an evaluator who points out speech strengths and offers suggestions for improvement.
What materials do you use?
Each new Toastmasters member receives a variety of manuals and resources on speaking. The award-winning monthly “Toastmaster” magazine, which provides insight on speaking and leadership technique, is mailed to each member. In addition, members have access to other books and audio/ video cassettes on speaking and leading.
How is leadership training provided?
Leadership cannot be learned in a day. It takes practice. In Toastmasters, members build leadership skills by organising and conducting meetings and motivating others to help them. Club leadership roles and a leadership development program also offer opportunities to learn and practice. In Toastmasters, members learn to lead by leading.
Is there a benefit for my work?
A company's success depends on good communication. Staff handle a continuous exchange of ideas, messages and information as they deal with customers and one another each day. Communication skills can determine whether a company grows into an industry leader or joins thousands of other businesses mired in mediocrity.
Toastmasters provide the tools that enable staff to become effective communicators and leaders at a very low cost. Toastmasters training helps staff members:
- give better sales presentations
- hone their management skills
- work better with fellow employees
- effectively develop and present ideas
- offer constructive criticism
- accept criticism more objectively
Toastmasters produces results. Around the world more than three million men and women of all ages and occupations have benefited from Toastmasters training. More than one thousand corporations, community groups, universities, associations, and government agencies now use Toastmasters training.
What benefits are there to the community?
Toastmasters have helped many members in their community service activities. Using the speaking and leadership skills developed in Toastmasters, people have become more active in business, churches, and service and charity organisations. Toastmasters members are able to organise activities, conduct meetings, and speak in public as their organisation's representative. Some become active in local, state or national government.
Is Toastmasters an international organisation?
Toastmasters New Zealand is part of Toastmasters International. Toastmasters International is a non-profit organisation governed by a Board of Directors elected by the membership. The first Toastmasters club was established on October 22, 1924, in Santa Ana, California, by Dr. Ralph C. Smedley, who conceived and developed the idea of helping others to speak more effectively.
Toastmasters International's business and services are administered by its World Headquarters located in Rancho Santa Margarita, California. It employs no paid promoters or instructors. It has no salaried staff except the Executive Director and World Headquarters staff, who provide services to the clubs and Districts.
Where can I get more information?
The Toastmasters New Zealand website address is: www.toastmasters.org.nz
The Toastmasters International website address is: www.toastmasters.org
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