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At Toastmasters, members learn by speaking to groups and working with others in a supportive environment. A typical Toastmasters club is made up of 20 to 30 people who meet once a week for about an hour. Each meeting gives everyone an opportunity to practice. Conducting meetings Meetings usually begin with a short business session, which helps members learn 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 International Communication and Leadership Program manuals. Projects cover such topics as speech organization, 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. The Tools You Use. Upon joining a Toastmasters club, each new member receives a variety of manuals and resources on speaking. Members also have access to other books as well as audio and videocassettes on speaking and leading. They also receive the award-winning The Toastmaster, a monthly magazine that offers the latest insights on speaking and leadership techniques. Toastmasters and Leadership. Leadership cannot be learned in a day. It takes practice. In Toastmasters members build leadership skills by organizing and conducting meetings and motivating others to help them. Club leadership roles and a leadership development program also offer opportunities to learn and practice. Just as Toastmasters members learn to speak simply by speaking, they learn leadership by leading. Company Benefits. A company's success also depends on communication Employees face an endless exchange of ideas, messages, and information as they deal with one another and with customers day after day. How well they communicate can determine whether a company quickly grows into an industry leader or joins thousands of other businesses mired in mediocrity. Toastmasters provide the tools that enable employees to become effective communicators and leaders - all at a very low cost. Toastmasters training help employees: 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 produce results. Around the world more than three million men and women of all ages and occupations have benefited from Toastmasters training, and more than one thousand corporations, community groups, universities, associations, and government agencies now use Toastmasters training. Community Benefits. 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 organizations. Toastmasters’ members are able to organize activities, conduct meetings, and speak in public as their organization's representative. Some even become active in local, state or national government. Becoming a Member Toastmasters is for individuals 18 years or older. The more than 170,000 members are from a variety of occupations and backgrounds. They include doctors, auto mechanics, executives, teachers, homemakers, artists, college students, supervisors, attorneys, engineers, salespersons, and more. Joining a Toastmasters club is easy. With more than 8,000 clubs around the world, there is sure to be one near you. Many clubs are listed with Chambers of Commerce or can be located by contacting Toastmasters International. Once you receive a listing of clubs in your area, simply select one most convenient for you, attend a meeting, and then apply for membership. If there is no club in your area, you can form one with permission and assistance from Toastmasters International. Better Communication Is One Meeting Away Whether you're a professional, student, stay-at-home parent or retiree, Toastmasters is the best way to improve your communication skills. Toastmasters can help you lose the fear of public speaking and learn skills that will help you be more successful in whatever path in life you've chosen. You'll be a better listener. You'll easily lead teams and conduct meetings. You'll comfortably give and receive constructive evaluation. You already have some or all of these skills. In Toastmasters, you will enhance them. About Toastmasters International Toastmasters International is a non-profit organization governed by a Board of Directors elected by the membership. Dr. Ralph C. Smedley, who conceived and developed the idea of helping others to speak more effectively, established the first Toastmasters club on October 22, 1924, in Santa Ana, California. More club were formed, and Toastmasters International was incorporated under California law on December 19, 1932. Its World Headquarters, located in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, administers toastmasters International’s business and services. It employs no paid promoters or instructors. It has no salaried staff except the Executive Director and World Headquarters staff, which provides services to the clubs and Districts. Visit Toastmasters International website at http://www.toastmasters.org for further reference.