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Administrator D64 Blog

March 2015 – Toastmasters Month in Manitoba

Originally published March 3, 2015 in the Winnipeg Free Press

The Province of Manitoba has issued a Proclamation declaring the month of March as Toastmasters Month. To celebrate this, we have challenged all of the Toastmasters
clubs in Manitoba and NW Ontario to open their doors to guests at their Open House. Visit for free. Information on Open Houses can be found at www.district64.ca.

What you will find at an Open House is an example of a regular meeting in a friendly, supportive atmosphere where we share information and practice how to improve our communication and leadership skills. You will hear many topics being discussed, ranging
from family stories, practice for business presentation and even tall tales.

The tall tales speakers will be practicing their outrageous presentations for the upcoming speech contests starting in March. While the World Championship of Public Speaking hopefuls will be starting their path to the Toastmasters International Convention in August
in Las Vegas!

What’s in your future?
Do you have an important presentation to make and are not sure how to do it well?
Perhaps it is a Toast to the Bride, maybe it is a work presentation or it could be a delicate
subject that you want to bring up to a friend or member of your family. Toastmasters can
help.

Through Toastmasters’ self-directed and personalized program, you can practice your
presentation, get feedback on what works and what could be improved so that when the
day comes, you can be a star.
• Special event – March 21, 2015 at Holiday Inn Airport West.
❍ 9:00 am – Hear all about District 64 activities and events from the District 64
leadership.
❍ 11:00 am – Join us for a celebration of our 90th Anniversary at a Showcase
featuring specialty clubs with expertise in all aspects of Toastmasters.

To see how Toastmasters can help, please go to http://www.toastmasters.org/Resources/Video-Library/five-basic-publicspeaking-tips

There are Toastmasters meetings every day of the week (day and evening) in Manitoba and North-West Ontario that would welcome you. Go to www.toastmasters.org/findaclub or call 204-338-7401 to find out more. No experience necessary.

Administrator D64 Blog

What’s in it for me?

Originally published February 3, 2015 in the Winnipeg Free Press

I am often asked , “Why join Toastmasters? I know how to make presentations and I talk to my staff all the time.”! What I have learned is that we don’t always perform the way we think we do, and no matter your skill level, there is always something new that the Toastmasters program can help with.

Our Toastmasters meetings are structured to be a safe place to try something new. Members start out at their own pace, developing the basic skills of communication and leadership. After that, there are many different paths to follow to take their skills to the next level.

Perhaps you have been promoted to a manager position (or would like to be). The five topics shown in the “Speeches by Management” manual provide ways to help with “The Briefing”, “Appraise with Praise”, “Persuade and Inspire”, “Communicating Change”, and “Delivering Bad News”, all situations a manager is sure to find. Having these tools at hand, and being able to practice the relevant techniques, will make the task much easier whenever the situation comes up.

Advanced Manuals vary from “Humorously Speaking”, to “Communicating on Video.” “Facilitating Discussion”, and “Interpretive Reading”. These are just a few of the advanced presentation skills you can develop from the more than fifteen manuals available.

When you consider the positive feedback given after each presentation, coupled with helpful growth points, it’s clear how easy it is to make each meeting interesting, informative and fun. You wouldn’t believe the variety of topics that members share at meetings and we always leave the meeting energized.

For more information about the Advanced Communication manuals, please go to www.toastmasters.org and search for Advanced Manuals. Drop in to a club near you and see for yourself. We’d love to see you.

To hear more comments about Toastmasters, please go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WStG9TnG0Gw

There are Toastmasters meetings every day of the week (day and evening) in Manitoba and North-West Ontario that would welcome you. Go to www.toastmasters.org/findaclub or call 204-338-7401 to find out more. No experience necessary.

Administrator D64 Blog

Speaking Skills or Leadership Skills?

Originally published September 9, 2014 in the Winnipeg Free Press

Which would best help you succeed in your career, in business or in your personal life? Why choose when you can have both! Toastmasters International can help you to develop these “soft skills” that are so necessary in today’s workplace.

Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organization that has been helping people hone these important skills through participation in regular meetings. Guidelines for skill development in both communication and leadership are offered. Prepare and practice at your own pace, while receiving immediate feedback to help identify specific areas for development, in a friendly, supportive and affordable environment.

Picture yourself in this scene. You are standing in front of a group of people, sharing your ideas. The audience is listening intently, nodding in agreement and laughing with you at your stories. Toastmasters can help make this a reality for you.

There are Toastmasters meetings every day of the week (day and evening) in Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario that would welcome you. Go to www.toastmasters.org or call
204-338-7401 to find out more. No experience necessary.
Watch for our upcoming columns with Toastmaster tips that will be appearing bi-monthly in the Tuesday business section of the Winnipeg Free Press.

Administrator D64 Blog

Evaluations: the Heart of the Toastmaster Program

When you strengthen your evaluations, you help your fellow members improve, you develop your skills in delivering feedback, and you build a stronger club. It does not stop there. The techniques you practice in Toastmasters become even more valuable when they ripple out into your home, your workplace and your community. Here are the slides
and handout from the workshop Evaluations: the Heart of the Toastmaster Program delivered February 21, 2015 by Bev Doern, DTM, past District 64 Governor and evaluation enthusiast.

Evaluations – Heart of Toastmasters (slides_handout)