About Toastmasters

What is Toastmasters?

Toastmasters International is a nonprofit organization which offers its members the opportunity to develop communication and leadership skills through local club meetings, education and training opportunities, and speech contests. There are over 11,000 clubs in 92 countries.

I don't plan on being a public speaker, so how can Toastmasters benefit me?

Toastmasters will give you the skills and confidence you need to effectively express yourself in any situation. Anyone over 17 is welcome to join Toastmasters. Marshwinds Toastmasters is open to members of the public. For 17 and under, contact the Youth Leadership Chair via http://www.d6tm.org/contact.

Men and women of varying ages, education, jobs, races all take advantage of the Toastmasters program. By learning to effectively formulate and express your ideas, you open an entirely new world of possibilities. You’ll be more persuasive and confident when giving presentations and you’ll improve your one-on-one dealings with others. Through active participation in the Communication and Leadership Program, you will learn to:

- Effectively present planned speeches
- Conduct a meeting
- Utilize visual aids
- Speak "off the cuff"
- Lead people and processes
- Delegate
- Motivate and persuade
- Effectively listen

As you learn and refine these valuable skills, your self-confidence will shine through, and recognition will follow. We are all leaders so these are skills everyone can benefit from. You will learn to be a better and more effective communicator at home, school, church, or in just about any other social situation.

What is a typical meeting like?

The best way to learn about Toastmasters is to visit a meeting, but you can also click recap in the labels section to see summaries of some our past meetings and events. Here is a typical meeting at Marshwinds Toastmasters:

First, there will be an introduction and welcome given by the Toastmaster, the leadership duties of meeting participants will be explained, prepared speeches (with specific objectives) will be presented, and then there will be a Table Topics session where members (and guests if they choose) can practice thinking and speaking on their feet.

Following speeches and Table Topics, there is an evaluation portion of the meeting. The evaluation team will typically consist of a General Evaluator who leads the evaluation team and monitors and reports on how well the meeting flows overall, an Evaluator for each prepared speech, a Timer that keeps speech times on track, a Grammarian who will report exemplary word usage, and an Ah Counter who tracks filler words such as "ah's" and "ya know's". There is also a Word of the Day which members are encouraged to learn and use as well.

How much does it cost to join?

There is never a cost to visit. You can join anytime; there is no need to wait for a specific date to join as dues are pro-rated. New members pay a new member fee of $20 for materials and membership, and dues are $39 every 6 months.

What do you get for your money? Shortly after joining, you will receive a New Member Kit in the mail from Toastmasters International. This contains the Competent Communicator manual, the Competent Leader manual, and additional informational materials to help you get acquainted with the Toastmasters Educational Program. In addition, you will receive a subscription to the Toastmaster magazine, published monthly. Materials are not the only thing you will get with your membership. Marshwinds will make sure you receive all the support you need to be successful, which includes support and mentoring from your fellow club members.

The Educational Program

The first goal of most Toastmasters is to complete the Competent Communicator Award. To earn the award, one must complete the ten speeches in the manual. In addition to a certificate, Toastmasters will send a letter to your employer outlining your successful completion of the Competent Communicator Award. Here are the first ten projects:

The Ice Breaker

Organize Your Speech

Get to the Point

How to Say It

Your Body Speaks

Vocal Variety

Research Your Topic

Get Comfortable with Visual Aids

Persuade with Power

Inspire Your Audience

Note that while Toastmasters provides the structure YOU decide what topics to speak on. Some Toastmasters give speeches to practice for work, other for hobbies, to inform, or to research and learn something new. Come visit us for free to see what it is all about!

Marshwinds Toastmasters meet Thursdays 9:15am to 10:30am at The Marsh, 15000 Minnetonka Blvd in Minnetonka, MN.