Because Public Speaking Skills Aren’t Debatable
If you are like most people, public speaking is not your
favorite pastime. Yet survey after survey shows that presentation
skills are crucial to success in the work place. The person
with strong communication skills has a clear advantage over
tongue-tied colleagues – especially in a competitive
job market. Many people pay thousands of dollars for seminars
to gain the skill and confidence necessary to face an audience.
But there’s another option that is less expensive and
held in high regard in business circles – Toastmasters
International. This organization has been around for nearly
80 years and offers a proven – and enjoyable –
way to practice and hone the communication and leadership
skills of its members. From one club started in 1924 at the
YMCA in Santa Ana, California, in 1924, Toastmasters has grown
to become the world’s leading organization helping people
conquer their pre-speech jitters. Since that first club was
organized by Ralph C. Smedley, more than 4 million men and
women have enjoyed the benefits of Toastmasters membership.
The nonprofit organization now has approximately 200,000 members
in more than 10,000 club in 78 countries.
The Toastmasters Advantage...
By participating in the Toastmasters program, you can realize
dramatic improvements in many areas of your life:
- On the job, communication with your employer, associates,
and subordinates will become more effective and productive.
- At home, you will find interactions with family and friends
easier, more enjoyable, and more fulfilling.
- In your community activities, you will become more effective
in getting things said, planned and done.
Toastmasters is the best way to improve your communication
skills. Lose your fears of public speaking and learn skills
that will help you be more successful in whatever path you've
chosen in life.
- Deliver great presentations
- Easily lead teams and conduct meetings
- Give and receive constructive evaluations
- Be a better listener
Toastmasters is your key to success in...
- Business meetings
- Motivating people
- Job interviews
- Making formal presentations
- Telephone conversations
- Problem Solving
- Community affairs
The purpose of Lagoon Toastmasters is to help members overcome
apprehensions about speaking in public and to improve communication
skills. This goal is accomplished by providing a self-paced,
focused speaking program and a supportive, experienced group
of people to assist you.
How Does Lagoon Work?
Lagoon Toastmasters club is a “learn-by-doing”
workshop in which men and women hone their skills in a comfortable,
friendly atmosphere. Our club has more than 40 members, who
meet biweekly (alternate Mondays) to learn and practice public
speaking techniques. The club meeting lasts approximately
two hours & fifteen minutes.
Membership is affordable; total annual fee is AED 800 paid
in four installments. Upon joining a Toastmasters club, member’s
progress through a series of 10 speaking assignments designed
to instill a basic foundation in public speaking. When finished
with the first speech manual, members can select from among
15 advanced manuals to develop speaking skills that are geared
to specific interests. (Link to Education
in TMI for more details).
Members also have the opportunity to develop and practice
leadership skills by working in the High Performance Leadership
Program and serving as leaders at various organizational levels.
There is no instructor in a Toastmasters club. Instead,
members evaluate one another’s oral presentations. This
evaluation process is an integral component of the overall
educational program. Besides taking turns delivering prepared
speeches and evaluating those of other members, Toastmasters
give impromptu talks on assigned topics. They also develop
listening skills, conduct meetings, serve as officers in various
leadership roles and learn parliamentary procedure.
You learn by doing! - You gain confidence by practising basic
communication skills comprising of prepared presentations,
impromptu speaking, the use of audiovisual aids and body language,
and the art of effective listening.
A typical Toastmasters meeting is divided into three segments,
each one offering you ample opportunity to improve your speaking
skills:
- Table Topics gives members the opportunity to practice
impromptu speaking skills by responding to questions or
suggestions prepared by the toastmaster in charge of this
segment.
- Prepared speeches from the Communication and Leadership
program are presented by members to improve particular aspects
of their public-speaking capabilities.
- Evaluations by club members provide feedback to both
prepared speakers and meeting leaders. An evaluator, usually
a more experienced club member, gives an oral evaluation
and provides written comments to each speaker.
Each meeting is supported by members who take turns serving
in the various roles necessary to conduct meetings, including:
- Toastmaster - Prepares and leads the
overall meeting
- Table Topics Master – Leads the
impromptu speaking segment
- General Evaluator - Conducts the evaluation
segment
Link to a Typical Lagoon Meeting
Agenda
Toastmasters is a unique learning environment, a step-by-step
program to develop your speaking and leadership capabilities
in a friendly, supportive atmosphere. The more experienced
Toastmasters are role models demonstrating the fundamentals
of verbal communication. You practice and improve your skills
by following the assignments in the Communications and Leadership
manuals, provided to you at no additional charge when you
join.
You have the opportunity to practice your leadership skills
in a wide variety of leadership roles: as a meeting leader,
club officer, and over the entire spectrum of leadership positions
integral to an international organization with more than 200,000
members.
The effectiveness of this simple learning formula is evidenced
by the thousands of corporations that sponsor in-house Toastmasters
clubs. These clubs serve as public-speaking and leadership
training workshops for employees. Every year, more and more
business and government organizations are discovering that
Toastmasters is the most effective, cost-efficient means of
satisfying their communication training needs. Toastmasters
clubs can be found in the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives,
as well as in a variety of community organizations, prisons,
universities, hospitals, military bases and churches.
You are always welcome at our meetings. You may take part
if you wish, or just watch, listen and enjoy. As a guest you
will be introduced so that the members of the club know who
you are, and we encourage you to join us. The decision to
become a better speaker, however, is up to you.
PLEASE BE OUR GUEST IN THE NEXT MEETING!
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