Toastmasters Tools, Useful Documents, Resources

  1. Link to Effective Evaluation Tips and Techniques  from Toastmasters International (opens in new tab or window) … Toastmasters used to give this in a booklet form for long time, now it is made available in digital format. Very useful when you are learning how to give evaluations, or simply looking into getting a fresh perspective after giving evaluations for a while.
  2. Handout with technique, ideas to strike direct, personal connection with the speaker while giving evaluation: what to use, what to avoid, how to make it constructive and supportive, etc. Click here to access this one page .PDF handout (it opens in new window/tab).
  3. Guide from Toastmasters International about all different roles at toastmasters. This is very well done and covers every role at the meeting. Click here to get it (opens in new window/tab).
  4. Pathways Experience document from Charlotte Drake – this is very well done guideline to understand how to navigate around in the Toastmasters Pathways portal. If you have questions about how to use Pathways, this can be a very good resource for you. Click here to get the document (opens in new window/tab).

Nervous? Use it to cultivate credibility with your audience.

Public speaking is the second most feared thing based on research and conclusions from a range of sources. (fear of death #1 would be on this list). Here is good news… 🙂

Anxiety, or a little bit of discomfort, or feeling of nervousness, or uneasiness about how to get the audience to understand you and to buy into your viewpoint … can be the best friend you might ever have when it comes to public speaking. It generates energy from inside.

The tools and well developed support structure of toastmasters enable you to channel this energy to your advantage. It is what we call “making your butterflies fly in formation”. 🙂

Even more importantly, it can allow you to speak from the heart connecting with your audience credibly.

See in this video ideas to engage with your audience:

Impromptu speaking: Strike fun conversations and cultivate positive relationships.

Whether it is a job interview, or a conversation with a potential prospect, or a moment of answering a question from a colleague, or responding to a comment, or mingling with others at a social event … it can be your opportunities to shine, to connect, and to cultivate credible relationships.

We call this skill thinking on your feet. The toastmasters meeting format integrates an incredibly powerful tool for you to develop this skill – impromptu speaking using Table Topics.

See in this video useful tips and one empowering technique for impromptu speaking: PREP (Point-Reason-Example-Point):