Toastmasters International

Toastmasters International is a company incorporated in the United States by Ralph Smedley 1924 non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the art of public speaking, effective communication and leadership. Toastmasters organize themselves worldwide in approximately 14,350 clubs in 122 countries around the world with more than 292,000 active members. Toastmasters International is recognized in the USA as a charity, the club's board members and other dedicated members are solely honorary and without remuneration.

Toastmasters International provides a particular rhetorical training program with different levels and projects. This is used by the members of the clubs in various projects, including individual speeches like also may include organizing events, celebrations and meetings. Content Requirements are limited to the avoidance of controversial topics (such as religion and politics ). Toastmasters International is not politically or religiously active also as an organization, but provides its members with the benefits of a global social network.

  • 6.1 Notes and references

Notes to the foundation and founder

Smedley worked from 1904 when Weiterbildungsbeauftrager and other full-time positions at various local YMCA in Illinois and later California. In addition, he founded rhetoric clubs for advanced high school students within the YMCA. The students held temporally narrowly limited short speeches and took alternating minor roles in the course of the event. Smedley and others experienced members took on the individual assessment of the speeches in the context of feedback. The first club that survived the departure of its founder, the club Smedley Club Number 1, which was founded on October 22, 1924 at the YMCA in Santa Ana ( California ) was Thereafter there was a rapid growth of the concept as the associated organization. As a ( non-profit ) organization Toastmasters International was registered in December 1932 in California and broke away with it from its origins in the YMCA. Smedley, who was also a member of the Rotary Club of Santa Ana, was retired in 1941 as the business of Toastmasters International before and wrote manuals and regulations. As chairman, he was replaced in 1945, but was still life member of the board. Throughout his life Smedley was interested in Henry Martyn Robert Robert's Rules of Order. Its specifications of order are widespread on TM also with the management boards (Board of Directors ) of associations and corporate boards, in the English-speaking world.

Access

Toastmasters generally meet publicly. Who is not a member may participate as a guest at any time, the attendance with prepared speeches, however, is reserved to paying members. However, guests may participate in the impromptu speeches also active in the evening. Registered members can participate in other clubs in the entire program, with with guests outside of their own region a previous application is useful or is requested.

The Toastmasters to organize local clubs, mostly on the American model and organizational structure. In Germany there are German -, English-, French-and Italian-speaking as well as multi-language clubs, including some as registered associations or clubs but with just such a carrier, against Toastmasters International she always occur according to American specifications. These include in the board elected to one year a Board of Directors (President) and various Vice Presidents (training, public relations, membership, cashiers ) and responsible for cleaning up and setting up the club room " Sergeant at Arms ".

The only possible exception of so-called closed clubs are sponsored by individual companies in the context of continuing Toastmasters clubs. Among the companies that sponsor Toastmasters clubs belong, according to TM: American Express, Apple, AT & T, Bayer, Boeing, Coca -Cola, Dell, EDS, Federal Express, Hewlett -Packard and IBM.

Practice

In the clubs, regular meetings with 15 to 25 participants. These meetings have a solid, prepared program and value is placed on compliance with the schedule, especially a prompt start and a prompt end. Punctuality is desired, who will come later should be careful not to burst loudly in the middle of a speech and speaker and audience distracting.

The speakers prepare their speech projects with the help of manuals. Each speech project one technique as is "Come to the point ," " body language " or " convince With Passion" in the foreground. The content of the speech is left to the speaker, with controversial topics (politics, religion) are not desired. The prepared speeches take between five and seven minutes, with advanced projects ( sales and criticism calls simulated television and radio appearances, reading and telling stories to the presentation of historical speeches and poems) and training lectures but also up to 20 minutes. Another experienced member rated the speech directly and shows the speaker whose strengths and points to potential for improvement, which has the registered clubs including the nickname Club of the nice judge.

The " Toastmaster of the evening " is derived as a moderator by about 60 - to 90 - minute program, which also includes impromptu speeches and a saying or joke of the day may belong. Usually 2-5 prepared speeches are carried forward and depending on the timing about 3-7 impromptu speeches (ie, spontaneous, extemporaneous speeches) - then there is every speech feedback or review.

In addition to the facilitation of the meeting different roles, the individual assessment, control of the opening hours, the assessment of the grammar and wording as well as the counting of " AEHS " and filler words are taken from individual participants in advance. In some German clubs the role of a " Pub Masters" is also common, which invites the participants after the meeting in a pub while the Tischresevierung (not the bill ) takes over. Because every time they meet another participant may be Toastmaster of the evening, practicing all the members in addition to the speeches and conducting events. If you want to learn more leadership skills can can recognize certain projects under the TM pathways, such as the preparation of events, functions in the organization, the care of individual members or the structure and the mentoring of new clubs.

So that learning can succeed, trusting atmosphere during the meeting is very important. Guests are in Toastmasters meetings always welcome.

Rituals

In Toastmasters is plenty of applause. Perhaps some do not know from everyday life. The reason for the many applause is simple, members and guests to support them in their learning progress and to give self-assurance.

One of the main problems in learning public speaking, moderating, etc. is the nervousness or stage fright. By clapping the speakers and presenters should be encouraged and get signaled: " Go on, we support you, we respect your performance and your efforts ." And even if someone gets in his speech falters or breaks off - yet he gets applause. This respect is expressed for the courage to try it. And it recognized the steps on the path to success - like single points for the walkthrough in the " class work".

Speech contests

About twice a year find the regular club meetings beyond speech contests held in English, German and French. These begin at the club level and go through several instances ( Area, Division, District ) to the international speech contest, which will be held in English. In the spring competitions is the prepared international speech and to evaluation of the speeches in the fall prepared to humorous speeches and to impromptu speeches.

Each year, the Toastmasters International Golden Gavel Award. This is one of the most internationally recognized awards for outstanding orator. Among the most famous winners include Stephen Covey (2004), Zig Ziglar (1999), Deepak Chopra (1997), Anthony Robbins (1995).

Word Meaning

The name " Toastmasters " is derived from the English word for master of ceremonies. A " Toastmaster chalice " is a nearly solid wine glass with low liquid content, which allows the Toastmaster, toasts (English " toasts " ) deploy and to initiate, without itself significantly drunk.

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