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The ToastFebruary 2010

Toastmasters: Public Speaking

and More

January Rewind

News from Toastmasters International

District News

Jerson Lopez: Behind the

humor

And much more...

Power Speakers of Manatee County Government News Mag

ToastmastersDistrict 47, Division F, Area 61Club #1197988Power Speakers of MCG

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February 2010 Issue2

Letter from the Vice President of Public RelationsHello and welcome to The Toast!

The Toast is the official Power Speakers of Manatee County Government news magazine. In The Toast you will find an eclectic mix of information such as Toastmasters International news, local club news and interactive links, which can be found in the blue rectangles.

Along with The Toast, another avenue avail-able to you for general information is the Power Speakers of MCG brand new iNet site. You can find information on how to join, the resolu-tion, tidbits and more. If you’re a member you can find role descriptions that you may need to perform for meetings, minutes and coming soon agendas.

I hope you enjoy reading The Toast. If you have any questions or suggestions don’t hesitate to contact me or another officer. Until the next issue, remember:

“If it’s not fun, it’s not Toastmasters!”

Simone P etersonSimone PetersonVice President of Public Relations (VPPR)

Power Speakers of MCG NewsNew OfficersWith the New Year, come new officers. Your officers for January 2010 – June 2010 are:

President: Allen BentleySecretary: Becky CresswellSergeant at Arms: Mike HilleshiemTreasurer: Rossina LeiderVP of Education: Sharon TarmanVP of Membership: Mary MoellerVP of Public Relations: Simone Peterson

Upcoming Meeting LocationsTo prepare Toastmasters to speak in a variety of settings aside from the standard confer-ence room, Power Speakers of MCG will be conducting their weekly meetings at different work sites in the County. Come by and visit us on:

February 26, 2010 Board of County Commissioners Chambers1112 Manatee Avenue WestBradenton, Florida 34205

March 26, 2010Utilities Building4410 66th Street WestBradenton, Florida 34210

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February 2010 Issue 3

January RewindJanuary 8Best Speaker: Renee IsomBest Table Topics: N/A Best Evaluator: Deborah Carey Reed

January 15Best Speaker: Allen BentleyBest Table Topics: Sharon Tarman Best Evaluator: Paul Johnson

January 22Best Speaker: Liz JonesBest Table Topics: Chad ButzowBest Evaluator: Mary Moeller

January 29 Best Speaker: Renee IsomBest Table Topics: Paul JohnsonBest Evaluator: Paul Johnson

Renee Isom Deborah Carey-Reed

Liz Jones

Chad ButzowSharon Tarman

Allen Bentley

Paul Johnson

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February 2010 Issue4

Teach. Learn a new skill and share it with the audience. Outline interesting points,

tips and techniques. Show your enthusiasm.

What do you get lost in? What are your interests or hobbies? Do you know a lot about model-mak-

ing, knitting or catering?

Enter another world. Choose a trade, specialty, industry, association or nonprofit and look

up the sources they make available on the Internet.

Check out community resources at your nearby library. You may have access to databases

and electronic services, including the full text of magazines and newspapers as well as myriad other resources.

Talk to friends and family. What speech ideas do they have? What speeches or subjects influ-

enced them or have remained relevant? Quiz them and see what you come up with together.

Put yourself in someone else’s place. Be a refugee, a farmer, or a sculptor

commissioned to do public art for your city. An experiment with perspective can start from a photograph, an interview or a story. Use your imagination and research!

Be sure to consider your audience and each of the manual’s 10-project objectives, tips and evaluation guides – and then put these 10 ideas to the test. With a little practice, you’ll soon produce speech ideas that are intriguing, unique and unforgettable. Enjoy the payoff!

MeMber Corner

Eureka! A Speech Idea!How to find a goldmine of topics.by sandy jaCobson, CCDo the 10 required speeches for your Com-petent Communicator award seem insur-mountable? Think about it: 10 talks on 10 topics. To some of us, that’s not only a lot of talk, it’s a lot of topics. Some survive the 10-speech challenge by giving presentations that can all be traced back to a single theme. That’s not advised, because variety is a cor-nerstone of the Toastmasters program. Topics are as diverse as the club members them-selves. Wide-ranging and engaging speech subjects will keep you vibrantly human… and talking!

So here are 10 tips for generating some great speech ideas:

What would you like to know more about? Ecology? Leadership? The history of luxury? Now is your chance! Writing

and presenting a speech is a great way to bring your interest to life. Look into an intrigu-ing concept and figure out what you have to say about it.

Observations – do you see trends? What are people looking for on the Internet? Search engines like Google

provide search-trend analysis. Another trend source is new words in our living language. Consider checking out Web sites that monitor the origin of new words.

Adopt the inquisitive qualities of journalists. Do you read another language? Check

out the wealth of topics in world newspapers.

Ask, “What moves me forward at work?” Mentoring, teamwork, how to make good decisions, entrepreneurship,

negotiating? Write a speech about an im-provement you’d like to achieve. Break it down into steps and perhaps include how you’ll measure your success.

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Sandy Jacobson, CC (Competent Communicator), is a member of

Michigan Avenue club in Chicago,

Illinois.

These 10 tips can also work

for Table Topics and other situations

where you want to liven up the group

and stimulate new ways of

thinking.

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February 2010 Issue 5

Guest Corner

Because Communication Isn’t OptionalWhether verbal or nonverbal, let’s face it--communication isn’t optional.

Every day we are tasked with a variety of situ-ations where communication comes into play. How many times have you heard, “I could see it on your face” or, “Your body language speaks volumes”? How many times have you spoken off-the-cuff and then later wished you’d said something else?

Developing and honing this important skill, along with the other skills you gain in Toastmasters, will give you the confidence you need in a vari-ety of areas, both personally and professionally.

In these tough economic times, your skills are even more important. Maybe you are looking for a job? Having the competitive edge may be what lands you the position. In Toastmasters, you practice thinking on your feet. The more you practice, the more self-confidence you gain, which will give you the advantage you need.

Does your current job require you to give busi-ness presentations? You can develop and polish these skills by working through the Com-munication Track in the Toastmasters educa-tional program. By continuously practicing your speeches, as well as the components, such as speech organization, timing, vocal variety and gestures, you will have gained the ability to present a powerful presentation.

Toastmasters training also creates great teacher the kind who lead classes or training sessions effectively. You’ll be able to perfect new instruc-tional techniques, gain experience and develop the confidence to become a great teacher.

Maybe you are an attorney or in law school? Toastmasters is the ideal place to perfect your persuasive speaking skills so that you are able to present persuasive opening arguments, summations or cross-examinations and conduct yourself in a clear and concise manner in the courtroom.

Whatever the case may be, Toastmasters is the answer!

As a result of joining Toastmasters and actively taking part, you will: Learn to communicate more effectively. Become a better listener. Improve your presentation skills. Increase your leadership potential. Become more successful in your career. Build your ability to motivate and persuade. Reach your professional and personal goals. Increase your self confidence.

Visit a meeting today and start taking advan-tage of all that Toastmasters has to offer.

The Power Speakers of Manatee County Government usually meet every Friday from 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at the Public Works Building located at1022 26th Av-enue East Bradenton, Florida 34208.

Check out the official

Toastmasters video.

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February 2010 Issue6

MeMber Profile

Jerson LopezHow long have you worked for Manatee County?7 Years and 5 Months.

Title and department?Fleet Maintenance Tech Supervisor/Public Works, Fleet Services.

How long have you been a member of Toast-masters?Three months.

How did you find out about Toastmasters?Co-workers told me about it.

Why did you join Toastmasters?Looking forward to improve my commu-nications, public speaking and leadership

skills.

What do you like about the Club?So far, everything, in particular the “TEAM WORK” is exceptional.

What is your goal?To become a great communicator and leader.

Any awards received or working on?I’m working on my first “best speaker” award.

Why should employees join the Toastmasters?Because it is an excellent program to improve many different skills.

What tip would you give regarding public speaking?Speak with the truth and take your time when delivering a speech.

What do you do in your leisure time?Enjoy time with my family playing soccer,

table tennis, and some board-games like Monopoly and chess.

Favorite type of music?I listen to all kind of music, depends on

the place and the moment.

toastMasters international news

Completing Your CCA Practical Guide to Getting it DoneFor many new Toastmasters, the first compel-ling goal of the educational program is the Competent Communicator award. It’s clearly defined in the Competent Communication manual that’s included in the New Member Kit, and it’s a requirement for most of the advanced awards that Toastmasters offers. But what’s the best way to earn your CC? How can you harness your initial enthusiasm and complete those ten speech projects with a minimum of hassle and procrastination?

Schedule It One very important step is to give yourself a set of deadlines—one for the completion of the entire manual, and one for each of the 10 projects. Without deadlines, tasks of this scope usually move to the bottom of the priority list, where they have a tendency to stay for a long time.

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February 2010 Issue 7

Strict deadlines aren’t for everyone. As Douglas Ad-ams, author of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series, puts it: “I love deadlines. I like the whooshing noise they make as they fly by.” But the important les-son here is to decide how much time you want to give yourself to complete the manual, and monitor your progress as you go.

Break it Down Feel like you’re too busy to work on your speech projects? It may help to think of each project as a series of small, discrete tasks, and devote whatev-er time you have to completing those tasks when-ever you can. You don’t have to complete all of the preparation for a speech in one sitting; often, five or ten minutes are enough to make significant progress on an upcoming speech.• Taking a break at work? Jot down a few ideas and then send them to your home e-

mail address. • Practice your speech in the car on the way to work. • As soon as you finish a speech, immediately begin writing down ideas for the next one.

Ask for Help Ask your mentor for advice. Seek out other club members who have completed several Toastmasters awards, and find out how they got the job done. Also, the club’s vice presi-dent education will be particularly interested in helping you complete your educational goals. Other club officers also have a stake in your success, so be sure to ask them for help if you need it, too.

Have Fun! Membership in Toastmasters reaps many rewards, not the least of which is the pure en-joyment of sharing your ideas, making connections and improving your speaking skills. So remember to have a good time planning and delivering your speeches, and before you know it you’ll have that CC award you’ve been dreaming about, and be well on your way to the next goal.

toastMasters 47 distriCt news

It’s not too late!Pamela D. Rolle, DTm

lieuTenanT GoveRnoR maRkeTinGDuring the last few weeks of 2009, many of us took time to reflect on the events of the past year. There were many wonderful memories to excite us about what the New Year would bring. Other memories perhaps were not so great. Whatever

the memory, one thing is certain, we cannot change the

past; we can however, control

the decisions that affect our future.

Take a few moments during these first few weeks of the New Year to identify your long and short term goals. Make plans achieve your goals. If you already have a plan, take a few moments to assess the current situ-ation to determine whether or not you are still on track. The results of your assess-ment may be disappointing; you may realize you are not on target to achieving your goals. Whatever, the situa-tion, it’s not too late!

Failure to meet a goal in 2009 does not mean you should give up and stop working

DTM=Distinguished Toastmaster

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February 2010 Issue8

toward success. It simply means you need to refocus and develop a new strategy. It’s not too late to reassess, reorganize and implement a revised plan.

Decide what are the most important things to you at this time, think about

your current responsibilities and determine your priorities. It could be actions item at work or at home. It’s not too late to get involved!

If you are a Club Officer, take a few moments to assess your current goals. What did you want to accomplish in 2009? What did you achieve? How will your Club become Distin-guished before June 30? The Club Success Plan (CSP) is your blueprint to a successful Club and will help you get back on track.

As you reflect on the past year, take a few moments to develop a plan for the New Year. Your colleagues, family, friend and fellow Toastmasters will thank you for it.

Have a successful second half.

Toastmasters: Public Speaking and MoreThe first thing most people hear about Toast-masters is that membership can help them become better presenters and conquer public speaking fears. That’s true, but it’s also true that Toastmasters offers much more. By participating in the meetings, members enjoy learning and practicing skills in various areas that can improve not only their social lives, but their professional lives as well.

If you’ve never attended a Toastmasters meeting, you may be puzzled by the assort-ment of activities available to members. Not everyone gives a prepared speech at every meeting. Volunteers enjoy sev-eral roles that help them develop confi-dence in other areas. Furthermore, a member can develop skills without ever volunteering – simply showing up and having fun can bring surprising benefits.

For example, time management is a skill that is prized in many avenues of life – particularly in the workplace – and members enjoy plenty of practice in this area. Several key events in each meeting are timed, and everyone re-ceives feedback with notes on their success-es as well as tips for improvement in working with the clock. It’s amazing how quickly a new member learns to keep the time limits on presentations.

A Cordial AtmosphereAnother benefit of membership is the ca-maraderie that develops between the mem-bers. Many people join for similar reasons – perhaps they’re overcoming a fear of public speaking or they want to move up the corporate ladder. Because of their shared circumstances, it’s hard not to form friend-ships. When you’ve applauded your fellow Toastmaster for presenting her first speech, you’ll recognize that look of gratitude on her face. The bond of friendship that forms be-tween people who are learning and enjoying fun times together can last a lifetime. And the opportunities for networking abound.

But what about the fun? Some parts of a meeting seem to draw laughter. For example, Toastmasters often practice their impromptu speaking skills. Just watch the antics of volun-teers who boldly stand and answer surprise questions in one- to two-minute sessions. This might seem like a game – and to some degree, it is – but it’s a game with hidden benefits. Everyone who participates learns to think and speak coherently and without hesitation. They build confidence each time they master a topic – which really helps later with such challenges as job interviews. Even a member who simply watches and applauds will develop critical thinking skills while hav-ing fun trying to figure out how he might have answered that last question.

Look forward to the continuation of this story in the February 2010 Toast.

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