Communication and Leadership Manuals

The mission of a Toastmasters Club is to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every member has the opportunity to develop communication and leadership skills which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth. One of the methods used to accomplish this goal is to use speech manuals which contain specific speaking requirements for each speech.

Each new member to Toastmasters is given a speech manual entitled "The Toastmasters Communication and Leadership Manual". This is the first manual and contains ten speech projects: (1) Ice Breaker - introducing yourself to the club; (2) Be In Earnest - a speech for you to get excited about something you feel strongly about; (3) Organize Your Speech - stresses an opening, a body and a conclusion; (4) Show What You Mean - encourages the use of body language and gestures; (5) Vocal Variety - the use of good vocal variety is emphasized; (6) Work With Words - focuses on improving your language to communicate what you mean; (7) Apply Your Skills - requires use of all of the skills learned in the first six manuals; (8) Make It Persuasive - stresses skills of persuasion directed to a particular audience; (9) Speak With Knowledge - the objective is to read a speech aloud with a lot of eye contact; and (10) Inspire Your Audience - a lesson in motivation as a powerful speaking tool. After completing the ten speeches in this manual, you will be certified as a Competent Toastmaster (CTM), and will receive a formal certificate from Toastmasters International confirming your CTM status and a large CTM Toastmasters pen to wear.

Beyond the basic manual are approximately 15 Advance manuals consisting of five speeches each, the completion of various numbers of which, along with other specific speaking requirements, lead to Advanced Toastmaster (ATM) certifications divided up into bronze, silver, and gold levels. The advance manuals focus on humor, public relations presentations, handling group discussions, using overhead projectors, speaking on radio and television, conducting sales presentations, story telling and interpretive reading, to name a few. The systematic completion of some of these manuals, along with outside-of-Toastmaster speaking requirements, and participation in Toastmaster speech contests will lead to ATM certifications at the bronze, silver, and gold levels.

Thereafter, or in conjunction with these speaking requirements, one may seek to obtain the ultimate certification of Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) which requires a number of leadership requirements in addition to certification as an ATM (gold). These requirements include serving as an officer at the club, area, division and district levels; helping to form a new club and revive an old defunct one; being in charge of a number of teaching and educational programs, as well as conducting a speechcraft program for school children; and other leadership oriented requirements.

Attractive certificates suitable for framing, congratulatory letters from various Toastmasters leaders and high quality lapel pins accompany completion of each CTM, ATM and DTM designation. Along with these kudos and things goes the knowledge that you have become a better speaker through Toastmasters, and helped others become better communicators at the same time.

In addition to these multiple speaking manuals and their requirements, you will also perform several different positions during our weekly Monday morning meetings, all of which will further expand your speaking abilities and skills. As a member of Dixie Tub Thumpers of St. George, Utah, you will enjoy the following as part of your club membership:

* Hilarious meetings that spark your creativity

* A new rip-snorting joke every week

* A memorable weekly story with an uplifting message

* A new word each week to increase your vocabulary

* Periodic contests to challenge your speaking skills

* A pithy thought for the day or pearl of wisdom

* A monthly magazine from Toastmasters International

* A report each week of a new book to consider reading

* A nifty membership pin

* Club, Area, Division and District Newsletters

* And, unmatched camaraderie with other fascinating and interesting people who understand how important it is for us all to be better speakers, listeners and thinkers; who appreciate the fact that it is important to enjoy yourself while you learn; and who are convinced that Toastmasters is absolutely the best organization to help you become the speaker you really want to be.

Drop us a line by e-mail at dixietubs@sginet.com - unless, of course, you are already the best speaker you know you can be.

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© 1998 Dixie Tub Thumpers Toastmasters Club
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