Toastmasters … It’s Not Just for Toasting! L I SA J O N E S MA, RDN, LDN, FAND GUEST AUTHOR
“A speech without a specific purpose is like a journey without a destination.” RA L P H C . S M E D L E Y
Toastmasters is an international, nonprofit educational organization with over 300,000 members in more than 149 countries. There are many reasons for joining this diverse organization, such as becoming a more confident communicator, speaker and leader. Imagine listening to an educational webinar. Do you notice the speaker using filler words such as “like,” “um,” “uh,” “you know” and “so”? Do you start to pay less attention to what they are saying? Most likely, you become distracted by filler words. Or maybe you have seen a speaker using her or his hands too much and it wasn’t connected to a reason to move. Using your hands excessively is what I refer to as “filler gestures.”
Too much of anything isn’t good. Here is a speech outline about my speaking journey with Toastmasters, and how it helped me to become a better communicator, and improve my leadership and speaking skills. A great opening starts with building better relationships through better communication. In 2015, I saw an ad in my local paper for a Toastmasters group and I attended the open house. Even though I already spoke frequently, the speakers I saw that night taught me a few lessons. They didn’t use a slide deck but were still able to easily maintain audience engagement. The speakers accomplished their goal of having the listener hear more about their particular topics. I was captivated, and wanted to learn more about how to master the craft of speaking. I joined my local chapter and never looked back. The body of the speech contains the evidence to support the main message. How does Toastmasters support its main message? It provides a learning experience called Pathways that features five core competencies: public speaking, interpersonal communication, strategic leadership, management and confidence. In addition to these core subjects, there are 11 other pathways one
can take to individualize her/his experience. The many pathways provide an infinite number of possibilities to keep learning. The conclusion of the speech wraps everything up in a memorable way. Eventually, I obtained my Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) recognition, the highest honor that can be earned by a member of Toastmasters International. I completed both the leadership and communication tracks, and remain involved in several clubs today, including Nutritionally Speaking, our new NE DPG Toastmasters Club.
I was captivated, and wanted to learn more about how to master the craft of speaking
Are you interested in learning more about what Toastmasters has to offer? Check out the new NE DPG Toastmasters Club, and join us for a fun meeting to learn how to increase your communications and leadership skills. Start counting your filler words today!
Lisa is an entrepreneur and owner of Lisa Jones LIVE. She is a speaker and author specializing in fueling messages with humor for connection that will motivate, educate and activate. Lisa has a Master of Arts in nutrition education from Immaculata University and a Bachelor of Science in dietetics from West Virginia University. In 2014, Lisa was recognized as Outstanding Dietitian of the Year by the Pennsylvania Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the highest honor bestowed upon a Pennsylvania dietitian.
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