Why Should I Join?
We all admire those who can speak well in front of an audience. They come across as confident and natural leaders, and we instinctively look to them for guidance and direction.
Whether we aspire to become a great leader or not, we all have a need to speak publicly at some point in our lives. At a celebration, we may be asked to stand up and say a few words. At work, we may be offered opportunities to present our ideas or projects. At a funeral, we may be asked to share our memories of the deceased. In these situations, Toastmasters can be the difference between mumbling “no, thanks” and looking around for a side door to make a hasty exit, or standing up and giving it a shot, and having enough confidence to know we’ll do ourselves proud.
But why is Toastmasters so effective at teaching us to become better speakers? Here are five reasons we reckon you’ll get more out of Toastmasters than any training programme.
1
Learn by doing
If you wanted to learn to ride a bicycle, is it better to read a bike user manual or simply hop on and give it a try? The answer is obvious, but it’s surprising how many people think they can become a better speaker without doing any speaking. In Toastmasters the emphasis is on practical learning because we know that the more you do it, the easier it becomes.
2
Low Pressure
Unlike a training course where you (or more likely your boss) may be paying by the hour, in Toastmasters, you can start slow and build up confidence gradually. When you first join, you will be assigned smaller speaking roles to help you get the hang of things. You are then able to progress at your own pace depending on what your personal goals are and how much time you have available.
3
Lightening the mood
A well known quote from Toastmasters founder Ralph Smedley says “people learn best in moments of enjoyment” and that’s definitely a key tenet of ours at Three Kings Toastmasters – the fun, friendly club! Delivering and listening to speeches doesn’t have to be boring and serious. You can make some great friends and have a bit of fun in the process.
4
Looking beyond yourself
In Toastmasters, everything gets evaluated. With so much friendly advice and constructive feedback, you’ll be amazed at how quickly you improve! But, potentially even more valuable is the fact that you’ll be learning to give feedback as well as receive it. Research shows that the best way to really master something is to teach it to somebody else, and in Toastmasters, that’s a major part of the learning process.
5
Lowering the cost
Your 6-monthly membership fee is a small price to pay for all the opportunities you’ll get to develop your speaking and leadership skills. Add to that the fact that we’ll feed you dinner and it’s almost cheaper than staying at home!
Still not convinced? We invite you to come along to our next meeting and see for yourself. It’s free to visit and we’d love to show you how Toastmasters can help in your situation.
Contact
Have a question? Email us at: threekings@d112tm.org.nz
Visit
Fortnightly on Thursday, 7:00 – 9:30pm
Fickling Centre, 546 Mt Albert Rd, Auckland.
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