Toastmaster Magazine September 2020 PDF

TOASTMASTER
THE MAGAZINE FOR COMMUNICATORS & LEADERS | SEPTEMBER 2020
Meet
Richard E.
Peck, DTM
2020-2021
International
President
The Power of
Body Language
Surveys Speak
Volumes for Clubs
and Members
Did you miss any of
Toastmasters' first-ever
virtual convention?
Catch up on all the

Show Highlights!
Watch now
TOASTMASTERS
INTERNATIONAL.:
2020 VIRTUAL CONVENTION

TOASTMASTER® VIEWPOINT
Publisher 2020–2021 OFFICERS

Daniel Rex International President
Magazine Team Supervisor Richard E. Peck, DTM
Laura Amann International President-Elect
Senior Editor, Executive Margaret Page, DTM
& Editorial Content First Vice President
Paul Sterman Matt Kinsey, DTM
Senior Editor Second Vice President
Undeterred,
Stephanie Darling Morag Mathieson, DTM
Assistant Editor Immediate Past President
Laura Mishkind
Unwavering,
Deepak Menon, DTM
Content Strategy Chief Executive Officer
Suzanne Frey Daniel Rex
Digital Content Editor
Shannon Dewey Unstoppable ...
We Are
Graphic Design
Susan Campbell
2020–2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Naomi Takeuchi, DTM
Region 1
Roy Ganga, DTM
Region 8
Toastmasters!
Karen Lucas, DTM Stefano McGhee, DTM
A
Region 2 Region 9
TK O’Geary, DTM Elizabeth Nostedt, DTM

s we entered 2020, none of us could have imagined that we would witness,
Region 3 Region 10 and be a part of, Toastmasters history. But when the COVID-19 global
Harold Osmundson, DTM Aletta Rochat, DTM pandemic appeared, we were forced to change everything. What we once
Region 4 Region 11
Mohamad Qayoom, DTM Lesley Storkey, DTM considered “normal” had left the building.
Region 5 Region 12
Each of us has had to step into the unknown. This has led to a series of historic
Melissa McGavick, DTM Sudha Balajee, DTM
Region 6 Region 13 firsts for our members and our organization. For the first time since World War
Sal Asad, DTM Dorothy Isa Du, DTM II we had to cancel our in-person International Convention, and for the first time
Region 7 Region 14
in history our Annual Business Meeting was conducted online. We began holding
all meetings virtually. We learned we could travel around the world in a single day,
TOASTMASTERS INTERNATIONAL® visiting clubs without having to empty our bank accounts and experience jet lag!
9127 S. Jamaica St. #400, Englewood, CO, USA 80112
+1 720-439-5050 These unprecedented changes are impressive, but to me the most impressive
www.toastmasters.org part has been the way you, our members, quickly responded to challenges and
found opportunities to overcome them. I view challenges as opportunities in their
CONTACTING WORLD HEADQUARTERS
For information on joining rawest form. They enable us to view things differently … to try new things … to
or building a club, visit: www.toastmasters.org break free from the norm … and to experience change. You proved this to be true.
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to stay so far apart yet needed to be so close together.
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Toastmasters International Mission: As the challenges continued to roll in like waves on a stormy sea, you remained
We empower individuals to become more undeterred in your commitment to helping one another pursue individual goals. You
effective communicators and leaders.
found new ways of staying connected, becoming technology experts in using video-
conferencing platforms. There has never been a time when we have been required to
stay so far apart yet needed to be so close together, and you made it happen.
Despite the weight of the challenges posed by COVID-19, you remained un
wavering in your commitment to the club, District, and Toastmasters International
WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE
www.toastmasters.org missions. You continued to uphold the organization’s four core values: integrity,
respect, service, and excellence.
The Toastmaster magazine (ISSN 00408263) is published monthly by
Toastmasters International, Inc., 9127 S. Jamaica St. #400, Englewood,
Your dedication, diligence, and ability to combat the hardship of this global
Colorado, United States 80112. pandemic prove that Toastmasters are unstoppable.
Published to promote the ideas and goals of Toastmasters Inter
national, a nonprofit educational organization of clubs throughout the In the 2020–2021 Toastmasters year, it is highly likely we will again face unex
world dedicated to teaching skills in public speaking and leadership.
The official publication of Toastmasters International carries autho
pected adversities and will need to look for new opportunities to overcome them.
rized notices and articles regarding the activities and interests of the Your actions have already shown that you’ve got this.
organization, but responsibility is not assumed for the opinions of the
authors of other a rticles. The Toastmaster magazine does not endorse or I look forward to working with and serving you during this program year
guarantee the p roducts it advertises.
Copyright 2020 Toastmasters International, Inc. All rights reserved. and witnessing what we will achieve, as together we write the next chapter of
Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is pro
hibited. Not responsible for unsolicited material.
Toastmasters history.
Toastmasters International, the Toastmaster and the Toastmaster
International Emblem are trademarks of Toastmasters International Richard E. Peck, DTM
registered in the United States, Canada and many other countries.
Marca registrada en Mexico. International President
TOASTMASTER | SEPTEMBER 2020 3

CONTENTS SEPTEMBER 2020 VOL. 86, NO. 9
Articles Features
12 CLUB EXPERIENCE:
Are You Ready to Take on
Toastmaster of the Day?
16
When you serve in this meeting role, four

different leadership qualities will emerge.
By Megan Preston Meyer
14 CLUB EXPERIENCE:
Surveys Speak Volumes
Member-satisfaction polls
lead to valuable club feedback.
By Stephanie Darling
20 LOOKING AT LANGUAGE:
What Does Integrity Really Mean?
Why Toastmasters’ core values matter. 22 26
By Beth Black
26 PROFILE:
Riding Through
Adversity to Victory
Toastmaster and blind equestrian
Deborah McAlexander helps others
open their eyes to life’s possibilities.
By Stephanie Darling
16 Meet Richard E. Peck, DTM

PROFILE:
28 PERSONAL GROWTH:
Oops! The Surprising Gift
of Making Mistakes Toastmasters’ 2020-2021 International
Don’t punish yourself over errors— President is always game to learn—
use them to learn and grow. about himself and his fellow members.
By Caren S. Neile, Ph.D. By Stephanie Darling
Columns
22 The Power of Body Language
COMMUNICATION:
3 VIEWPOINT:
Undeterred, Unwavering,
Unstoppable...
Have something important to say? Make sure
your gestures support your message.
We Are Toastmasters
By Dave Zielinski
By Richard E. Peck, DTM
International President
11 MY TURN:
Savoring the Sounds of Speakers
Departments
By Harry Wolfe
30 FUNNY YOU SHOULD SAY THAT:

Word to the Wise
5 MEMBERS’ FORUM 7 QUICK TAKES
By John Cadley 6 ONLINE MAGAZINE 10 TRAVELING TOASTMASTER
4 WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

MEMBERS’ FORUM
Members celebrate club anniversaries with fun and flair.
u
Members of Lasin
Toastmasters in
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia,
celebrated the club’s
third anniversary in
February 2020. Club
members enjoyed
playing team-building
games to improve their
collaborative abilities
and encourage outside-
the-box thinking.

u
Elite Toastmasters Club
of Quezon City, Metro
Manila, Philippines,
celebrates its ninth
anniversary with District
75 leaders in attendance.
Attendees wore fun hats
to honor the meeting’s
theme: “Tip of the Hat.”
u
In December 2019,
Woodland Toastmasters
of Santa Barbara,
California, celebrated
its 60th anniversary
with a club outing.
Send your fun club photos to [email protected]. Include a description and your club name, number, and location.
Photos must be in jpeg format with a resolution of at least 300 dpi (dots per inch) and size of at least 1 MB (megabyte). Out-of-focus
images cannot be accepted. It is not necessary to include the Toastmaster magazine or other branded materials in your photos, but
if Toastmasters materials are displayed, they must reflect the current brand.
Editor’s Note: All in-person photos were taken prior to any COVID-19 restrictions. TOASTMASTER | SEPTEMBER 2020 5
ONLINE MAGAZINE
www.toastmasters.org/Magazine
Watch informative videos.
Listen to enlightening audio features.
View collections of fun and interesting photos.
Access valuable resources through hyperlinks.
Share articles with prospective members,
friends, and colleagues.
WHAT’S ONLINE THIS MONTH: ONLINE EXCLUSIVE
2020 Virtual
Convention Coverage
In August, thousands of members
connected during Toastmasters’ first-
ever virtual convention. Check the
online edition for highlights, including
the Golden Gavel award presentation,
Meet Our New International President what the education sessions covered,
and who took home the title of 2020
Toastmasters has a new International President! Discover how World Champion of Public Speaking.
Richard E. Peck, DTM, draws on his membership experience to take
on the leadership opportunity of a lifetime. View photos and learn
more about Richard through member-submitted questions.
Enhance Your Voice
In this month’s Toastmasters
Toolbox by Bill Brown, DTM, hear
An Equestrian’s about helpful vocal variety tools,
Endeavors including volume, pitch, pace, pause,
and emotion.
Toastmaster Deborah McAlexander
is a blind para-
equestrian dressage
This icon at the top of a page means an
champion who does online extra is included with the article
not let her impair- at www.toastmasters.org/Magazine.
ment define her.
Get social with us! Click, read, and share:
Learn more
about Deborah’s journey by watching videos and
viewing a photo gallery in the online edition.

QUICK TAKES
4 MEMBER RECOGNITION
Meet Some Masters

of Online Meetings
These members were nominated for their outstanding contributions in helping others
adapt and excel in a virtual environment. This is part of a reoccurring series.
Darren Lauser • Cork, Ireland

A Personal Touch
Members of VMware Toastmasters—a
corporate club in the information technology
sector in Cork, Ireland—are no strangers to
online meetings. From a technology perspec-
tive, that would seem like an advantage, but Cynthia Coleman • Omaha,
going online with our Toastmasters meetings Nebraska
could have been a disaster. In-person meetings
were a welcome break from our screens. Toastmasters was where members saw Connecting Comfortably Online
faces and chatted casually—something hard to translate to the virtual world. Cynthia Coleman, DTM, doesn’t have a
The 2019-2020 President, Darren Lauser, wasted no time figuring out how to background in technology, but when the
make online meetings as social as in-person meetings. Darren is the first to log on pandemic hit, she knew she had to find a
and has his camera on at every meeting; he welcomes members by name as they way to keep members and guests active.
join and chats with everyone while waiting for others. This is a huge difference She helped her club, Why Not Speak, meet
from a work meeting where everyone waits silently until the attendees have joined on Zoom and held practice meetings with
and jump straight into the content. More people tend to speak up during the hesitant club members. Her dedication to
chat at the start of the meeting or during Table Topics® if they have been greeted helping members feel comfortable using
personally at the beginning of the meeting. Zoom inspired many to embrace the joy of
As a corporate club, the challenge was to make sure that online Toastmasters connecting online. One member attributed
meetings didn’t fall into the humdrum flow of everyday work meetings, but that they her ability to compete in an online Division
were different, friendly, and interactive. Thanks to Darren, they’ve been a success! speech contest directly to Cynthia.
Cynthia always displays a positive and
Nominated by Orla Dowling, VMware Toastmasters of Cork, Ireland.
supportive attitude and truly leads by
example. She visits online clubs, identi-
fying those holding successful meetings
Tanay Rajwal • Pune, Maharashtra, India and those needing help, and she connects
A Virtual Warrior fledgling clubs with District leaders who
Tanay Rajwal quickly became the go-to person for can help them.
technology questions in his Bibvewadi Toastmasters But she didn’t stop there. Cynthia saw
Club and clubs all over District 98. He introduced the need for Pathways training and for
an online voting platform for his club to make the people to have more speaking opportuni-
meeting hassle free when counting votes. Tanay ties. While Cynthia admits she doesn’t
also recorded club meetings and uploaded them to know all the answers, she works with
a shared drive where members who were unable others to provide training and establish
to attend, or were curious to watch the meeting speak-a-thons for those needing to
again, could do so. Soon, his help was requested for complete educational goals. Cynthia sets
recording several joint club meetings and speech contests. up District training based on identified
Tanay even served as the “Zoom Master” for a District 98 event with 300 needs and finds the appropriate people to
attendees, and it went as smoothly as it possibly could! He has been a true virtual do the actual training. Cynthia Coleman is
warrior for a seamless meeting experience for all Toastmasters. an inspiration to her club and District 24.
Nominated by Nigel Gomes, Ana Fonte Speakers Club of Margao, Goa, India; Nominated by Jessica Codr, DTM, Rail
Pranav Kalaskarof, Bibvewadi Toastmasters Club of Pune, Maharashtra, India; Ravi Talkers Club and Toastmasters Club
Sharma, DTM, Andheri Orators Toastmasters of Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Omaha 229 of Omaha, Nebraska.

QUICK TAKES
4 NEWS FROM TI
Remember to Renew Your Dues Did You Know?

To ensure your club is in good standing and receives credit New Look on Base Camp! – The Base Camp homepage has a
for the Distinguished Club Program, log in to Club Central brand-new look. Recently, this page got a refresh to make it easier
and process member dues on or before October 1. Per Policy to find your paths and the resources you use most. Log in to Base
2.0: Club and Membership Eligibility: The minimum renewal Camp to explore the changes and share this video with anyone
requirement is eight paid members—at least three of whom who wants an overview of the new design.
were members of the club during the previous renewal period.
Don’t forget: Unpaid officers lose access to Club Central 30 Pathways Resources – With the traditional education
days after their membership expires. program having ended on June 30, 2020, here are some resources
For questions, please contact the Club and Member to help you make the transition.
Support team at [email protected] or call +1
720-439-5050 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mountain Time, Rotary Course Flash Sheet – Are you curious about the
Monday through Friday. educational content being developed for Rotary by Toastmasters
as part of the alliance? You’re not alone! Use this Toastmasters/
Rotary Educational Course Flash Sheet to be more prepared
with information for yourself, other Toastmasters members,
New Brand
Manual Brand and Rotary members who might visit your club. It will help you
quickly and easily familiarize yourself with the new Rotary educa-
tional curriculum. Remember, these courses are not available
The Toastmasters Brand Manual to Toastmasters members, because the content is taken directly
Manual has been updated from the more comprehensive Pathways program, already avail-
to reflect the look and feel able exclusively to Toastmasters.
of existing templates and
marketing materials and New Rotary Alliance Presentation – Share more informa-
is easier to use and follow. WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE
tion with members about the Rotary alliance by delivering the
Take some time to get Rotary Alliance Presentation. This can be conducted in your club
acquainted with basic Toastmasters International brand guide- or during a training program. Be sure to check the notes on each
lines, as well as the current design elements. slide for details.
4 MEMBER
CONNECTIONS
We Are
Global
In May, three clubs in three
different countries hosted a
joint meeting with the theme
of “We are Global.” Members
of Kota Kinabalu Club of Kota
Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia;
Wake Up Chennai Toastmas-
ters Club of Chennai, Tamil
Nadu, India; and Pekanbaru
Toastmasters Club of Pekan-
baru, Riau, Indonesia, found
the meeting to be a positive
experience, and look forward
to virtually connecting with
others around the world.

QUICK TAKES
4 SNAPSHOT
In honor of International Women’s Day on March 8, 2020, members of Deshpande Educational Trust Toastmasters Club of
Hubballi, Karnataka, India, pose with their arms in an equal sign. Members are dedicated to ensuring their meeting space is safe
and welcoming for all.
4 PATHWAYS TRANSLATIONS
More Paths Available in Korean and Tamil

Two more paths in the Pathways learning experience are now Simplified Chinese,
available in Korean and Tamil. In all, four paths have been trans- Spanish, and Tradi-
நேரத்தத
lated into those two languages: Presentation Mastery, Leadership tional Chinese. ்
நிர்வகித்தல
நிலை 2 செய
் திட்டம்
ை
Development, Visionary Communication, and Effective Coaching. Translation

Korean and Tamil—an official language in India, Sri Lanka, Review Teams,
Singapore, Malaysia, and Mauritius—are the latest non-English consisting of
languages that Pathways materials have been translated into. All members around the world, ensure
11 paths in the program have been translated into Arabic, French, that all Pathways translations are accurate and
German, Japanese, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, authentic to local cultures. The members, who all volunteer their
and Traditional Chinese. That’s one of the best things about the time, review the professional translations, help develop Pathways
Pathways learning experience: So many people can work in their glossaries of frequently used terms, and ensure the translated
native language. content accurately reflects the Toastmasters experience.
In addition, the online Navigator is available in Korean and Visit the Pathways Translations webpage to learn more about
Tamil. (The other languages are expected to be translated to an members of the Korean and Tamil Translation Review Teams as
online version before the end of the year.) The digital Navigator well as the other Translation Review Teams.
provides new members with an overview of Toastmasters, the For more information, you can email the Translation
club experience, and Pathways. It can also be downloaded as a Team at Toastmasters World Headquarters:
PDF in English, Arabic, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, [email protected].

TRAVELING TOASTMASTER
GET CREATIVE! Traveling Toastmaster wants to highlight creativity in quarantine! Take a picture in your home or socially
distancing with your magazine or other Toastmasters memorabilia. Send your fun photos to [email protected].
1
1 | SANDRA FÉNELON of Montreal,
Quebec, Canada, visits Mirador
de Catalina, which overlooks the
Apoyo Lagoon in Nicaragua in
January.
2 | CURTIS HELT, DTM, and

CRISTINA SCOBLE, DTM, of
Las Vegas, Nevada, didn’t travel far
with their Toastmaster during the
COVID-19 pandemic.
3 | MARIANA CARRASCO of Parlin,

New Jersey, is thankful she could
get some entertainment from her
Toastmaster while quarantining in
Valparaiso, Chile, after her flight
home was canceled.
4 | ZAFAR AGHA of Spring, Texas,

spent five weeks traveling through
New Zealand earlier this year.
2 3
View additional photos in this month’s

Traveling Toastmaster photo gallery at
www.toastmasters.org/Magazine.

MY TURN
Savoring the Sounds of Speakers

Arizona club enables those with hearing loss to enjoy Toastmasters.
BY HARRY WOLFE
O ctober 17, 2018, was a frightening

day for me. On that day, I struggled
to hear the speakers at my Toastmasters
of America. “I had always wanted to be in
Toastmasters but because of my hearing
loss, I was fearful of attending a meet-
club, Park Central in Phoenix, Arizona. ing and not being able to hear and fully
I feared I would have to drop out of an participate,” she said.
organization that I have enjoyed for more Word about the club spread, and
than 30 years. in November 2019 we reached the 20
Preparing and delivering speeches members necessary to become an official
offered me mental stimulation, enhanced Toastmasters club. Half of the members
my communication skills, and allowed me were hard of hearing.
to share my experiences with a group of In the first three months of 2020, mem-
people who had become my friends. bers registered for Pathways, learned the
But that day my hearing aids failed to roles of meeting functionaries, delivered
compensate for my hearing loss. speeches, and participated in various
I needed to find a system that worked Toastmasters speech contests. Our Tall
for the hard of hearing—people with Tales representative at the Area Contest,
hearing loss who rely on audible com- Harry Wolfe discusses the Audible Talkers Minerva Gutierrez, who has cochlear
munication and not sign language. With Toastmasters club in a District 3 podcast. implants in both ears, credits the Audible
more than 800,000 people with hearing Talkers club for her ability to participate in
loss in Maricopa County, where Phoenix with a special type of sound system used a speech contest for the first time.
is located, I thought many others would by people with hearing loss. When our club began holding virtual
likely share my experience. (More than Why was Michele so eager to help? meetings via Zoom because of the
360 million people worldwide experience “I am a former Toastmaster who has pro- coronavirus pandemic, participating in
hearing loss.) found hearing loss,” she told me, “and I online meetings offered more benefits:
I decided to establish a club accessible firmly believe in the strategies that Toast- We were fortunate to use a free cap-
for the hard of hearing: Audible Talkers masters uses to improve public speaking.” tioning service provided through the
Toastmasters. The Tempe Commission on Disability Arizona Commission for the Deaf and
It’s been about a year since we formed. Concerns sponsored the club. Hard of Hearing.
Because of this club, located in Tempe, Ari- The development of captioning
zona, I didn’t have to quit Toastmasters—I options for Zoom and other video-con-
have been able to continue my journey of Because of this club, I ferencing platforms provides an oppor-
listening to and learning from fellow mem- didn’t have to quit Toast- tunity for Toastmasters clubs around
bers. In fact, being a member of Audible the world to add captions to their video
Talkers has inspired my goal of becoming a masters—I have been able meetings, making them accessible to hard
Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM). to continue my journey of hearing people.
Our club uses assistive hearing Although the coronavirus pandemic
technology. When I set out to start the listening to and learning has changed how the world operates,
Audible Talkers, I called several organiza- from my fellow members. the Audible Talkers Club is ready for the
tions to ask if we could use their meeting challenge. The club has shown that hear-
rooms, which had the particular technol- ing loss doesn’t need to mean the loss of
ogy we needed. I didn’t have much luck On July 1, 2019, we held our first Toastmasters in our lives. T
until I reached Michele Stokes, the Amer- meeting: a demonstration meeting, with
icans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compli- Toastmasters from other clubs filling HARRY WOLFE has been a Toastmaster
ance specialist for the city of Tempe. She the functionary roles. One of our guests for more than 30 years and is currently a
happily allowed Audible Talkers to use a was Peggy Staples, president of a local member of the Audible Talkers Toastmas-
room in the city’s public library equipped chapter of the Hearing Loss Association ters in Tempe, Arizona.

CLUB EXPERIENCE
Are You Ready to Take on

Toastmaster of the Day?
When you serve in this meeting role, four
different leadership qualities will emerge. BY MEGAN PRESTON MEYER
T he Toastmaster of the Day keeps

everything running smoothly. They
manage the meeting, adhering to the
In this role, you may want to check
with a club officer, such as Vice President
Education, to make sure all the meeting
tasks as Toastmaster of the meeting is to
guide everyone comfortably and happily
through the session. Public speaking is
agenda and ensuring that transitions roles are filled well in advance, or reach nerve-racking enough; no one should
between speakers are seamless and the out to the meeting evaluators to see how worry about doing the wrong thing at the
session stays on time. the speakers would like to be introduced. wrong time and feeling silly.
We often think of the role as a master If structured and detailed is not your Lay out exactly how the meeting is
of ceremonies, but it is much more than natural style, even better! It’s an oppor- structured, and let guests know what is
that. To be successful in the role you’ll tunity to stretch yourself. Check all the expected of them. Of course, they are
need to pull from four different personas: details—especially those you might be encouraged to take part in Table Topics®,
the Event Planner (master organizer), the tempted to gloss over. Are you familiar with but are they allowed to vote for Best
Tour Guide (gracious host), the Engaging all segments of the meeting agenda? Can Speaker? Should they give individual
Emcee (keeping the audience interested), you pronounce everyone’s name correctly? feedback to speakers when club members
and the Efficient Administrator (punctu- And how about speech titles—is Chasing are asked to provide that? Anticipate
ality is pivotal). When you serve in this the Bass about fishing or hip-hop? Touch their questions.
meeting role, you can draw on qualities base with the speaker so you’re 100% sure. It’s not just guests who need answers,
from all four of these personas. You will though. For instance, when our club
benefit immensely from practicing and As Toastmaster of the started meeting in person again after the
honing these diverse leadership skills. COVID-19 lockdown, we knew that some
The Toastmaster of the Day is a mul- Day, you speak more than people would be worried about hygiene.
tifaceted and demanding role. Because anyone else at the meeting, The Toastmaster of the Day announced up
you get to use several different skill sets front that it was a “contactless” meet-
as you prepare and lead the session, it’s an and every utterance is ing and he would forego the traditional
incredible opportunity to improve leader- an opportunity. handshake when welcoming a speaker to
ship skills across multiple dimensions. the stage. It was a graceful way to make
Read on to learn more about these four When the big day comes and the spot- sure that no one was put in a potentially
leadership types. light is on, it’s easy to forget the details. uncomfortable situation.
You’ll be glad your inner event planner left Explain things clearly, set expectations,
The Event Planner you so well prepared. Follow your agenda and eliminate ambiguity. Ease the way for
You may know the type—these people are closely—and leave no box unchecked. members and guests to enjoy the journey.
ruthlessly organized, dogged on details,
and utterly in control. They have lists The Tour Guide The Engaging Emcee
of lists (like this one) and leave no box Toastmasters meetings—and clubs— Eager to practice connecting with an
unchecked. That’s the Toastmaster as they each have their own culture. This can be audience? Giving club speeches isn’t the
prepare for the meeting, making sure the intimidating, especially for guests who are only way—the Toastmaster of the Day
agenda is planned down to the minute and not yet familiar with the jargon, norms, does a lot of speaking, and a good one
the meeting runs accordingly. and unwritten rules. One of your main engages all listeners.

Once the Club President hands the
meeting over to you, the stage is yours for a
mini monologue. Depending on your per-
sonality type, this may be energizing or ter-
rifying (or both), but use the opportunity
to go outside of your comfort zone. Don’t
be afraid to seize the spotlight as the emcee
(also known as master of ceremonies) and
put your personal stamp on the role.
The opening is not your only chance to
engage the audience though. As Toast-
master of the Day, you speak more than
anyone else at the meeting, and every finished or transitioning to the next phase daunting, depending on how much expe-
utterance is an opportunity. Come up of the meeting. Anyone can read from a rience you have, but that’s what Toastmas-
with a subtle theme for the meeting and printout of the agenda; your job is to add ters is all about—putting yourself in tough
sprinkle it throughout the session, whether some pizzazz! situations and proving to yourself that you
you’re thanking the speakers after they’ve As Toastmaster, you will be the most can soldier through them.
visible representative of the club, so don’t Act decisively, lead with authority,
be surprised if guests approach you after and—above all—stick to the agenda.
LEADING AN the meeting with questions. They might be
Putting It All Together
ONLINE MEETING asking for an autograph, but more likely,
they’re wondering about the club. Brush Because the duties are so varied, serv-
up on the membership process so you can ing as Toastmaster of the Day is one of
T he Toastmaster role will not

change much other than
needing a camera and making
answer basic questions, and make sure you
know who the Vice President Membership
the most valuable ways to level up your
leadership. You get to organize, guide,
is in case you need to defer to the expert. engage, and command, all in the space of
sure that the other meeting roles one session.
and speakers are prepared to The Efficient Administrator Some of these leadership styles may
participate in an online meeting. From the time the meeting starts, the come naturally, but others will not—
Here are a few tips to get you Toastmaster is a taskmaster (albeit a providing a great excuse to get out of
started: friendly one), keeping everyone on track your comfort zone. If you’re more of
þ Join the meeting 15 minutes and moving forward. Meetings are sched- an Event Planner, plan to pull from the
early to greet members as they uled down to the minute, and your job is Engaging Emcee. If you’re more of an
arrive on the screen to make sure you end on time. Efficient Administrator, decide to guide
þ Help with technical issues if That doesn’t mean it will be easy. No your group graciously.
you can matter how scrupulously you’ve prepared, Determine which of these personas you
þ Display the agenda on the something will always go wrong. When want to work on, and use this opportunity
screen the unexpected occurs, assess the situation to improve your skills. When the gavel
þ Explain the process of meeting and determine the best course of action. drops at the end of the meeting, you’ll have
online, especially for first-time Is the second evaluator stuck in traffic? mastered more than just the ceremony. T
guests and new members Shuffle her speaker to the end to buy a
little time. Has the red timing signal been Megan Preston Meyer is a member
Visit the Online Meetings page showing for more than a minute? Cut in of TM International Club Zug in Zug,
on the Toastmasters website for and point out that Table Topics are short Switzerland, and a regular contributor to
additional resources and watch impromptu speeches and that all attend- Toastmaster magazine. She holds an MBA,
this video for tips on taking on ees would like a chance to participate. worked for nearly a decade in analytics and
meeting roles in a virtual setting. For the duration of the meeting, you insights, and now focuses on the stories that
are the ultimate authority. This may be data doesn’t tell.

CLUB EXPERIENCE
Surveys Speak Volumes

Member-satisfaction polls lead to valuable club feedback. BY STEPHANIE DARLING
T o pilot a thriving Toastmasters club,

leadership teams need a clear vision
of the purpose of their club and how
þ Members will ultimately be more
invested in club initiatives they help
create. Surveys also send a clear mes-
Whether your club already has a sur-
vey process in hand or you’re looking for
new ways to gather feedback, Toastmas-
they can best help members achieve sage that leaders want to understand ters offers plenty of resources, which are
their goals. Leaders should be backed members’ goals and opinions, and are all suited for online or in-person use.
by enthusiastic member support and open to hearing ideas, changes, and
eagerness to participate—something even constructive criticism. Where to Start
that can often be easier said than done. þ Understanding what makes your If you’re looking for baseline member
So how can your club create and sustain members tick adds clarity to nearly feedback, distribute the Toastmasters
an energetic and successful culture that every club function, including rele- Member Interest Survey and/or the New
benefits everyone? vant programs, succession planning, Member Profile Sheet. Questions focus on
Start by asking questions. Survey your new member recruitment, fun, and an individual’s goals, leadership aspira-
members at least once a year, if not more best of all, retaining members in a tions, club likes and dislikes, and fresh
often. Some club leaders may be looking vibrant club. “One of the most over- ideas. Members can email the fillable
for specific individual input to enhance looked keys to member retention is PDF to a designated person, often the
new member experiences, assure they are reading member interest surveys,” says Vice President Membership or Education
helping members grow, or better match Craig Harrison, DTM, a member of (VPM/VPE).
mentors and mentees. Other club leaders Silicon Valley ImprovMasters in San For members who may be reluctant to
may want broad, whole-club responses to Jose, California. address problems in the club, try the Club
help them develop an annual Club Success þ When conducted regularly, surveys Quality Checklist. It can be done anon-
Plan, which, in turn, can make achieving provide a club quality benchmark. In ymously and will give leaders an idea of
Distinguished Club status an easier goal. essence, member surveys are a form some adjustments they may want to make.
Hopefully, member surveys will help you of evaluation, a practice clubs already Club leaders can refer to the Moments
improve both members’ experience and value highly. Sometimes, as clubs grow of Truth module in the Successful Club
your overall club quality. bigger and busier, and as leadership Series. It guides a current leader or a club
As a leader, you want to understand turns over every year, officers aren’t coach in objectively evaluating how a
the interests and goals of individuals, and able to keep in close touch with every club is running—from first impressions
how those personal objectives align with member. Surveys help fix unintended to fellowship to meeting organization.
and support overall club excellence. Reg- communication gaps. While designed for the broader purpose
ular member feedback will help ensure þ Finally, surveys can help track the of creating the annual Club Success Plan,
you are on the right track to successfully evolving interests of each member, a it’s a good way to evaluate the workings of
engage each person and channel that sat- key factor in retention. While people your club.
isfaction back into a vibrant club setting. join your club for certain reasons, they Many clubs craft their own surveys,
Need more reasons to survey your belong because they are enjoying ongo- drawing from the above suggestions and
members? ing value. their own needs and questions. Leaders

Toastmasters International
MEMBER INTEREST SURVEY
Member Name ________________________________________________________________________________________________
Club Name ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

She designed an interest questionnaire to
print and give to club guests, with every
Goals
List two goals you wish to accomplish this year as a Toastmaster:
1. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CLUB QUALITY CHECKLIST
2. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
List two objectives you want to accomplish in the next few months in support of those goals:
1. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Evaluate your club with this easy tool.
We all have ideas on what a perfect Toastmasters club is like. It involves enjoyable meetings, unlimited learning
opportunities, friendly members … and what else?
box in the brief survey representing a skill
Interests
Personal and Vocational
Improve critical-thinking skills
High Interest Some Interest No Interest
This checklist offers you the chance to rate your club’s strengths and weaknesses against the “ideal.”
Complete this questionnaire, then give it to your club president, who will discuss the answers with the club’s officers. Toastmasters teaches.
“It’s a good conversion tool,” she says.
Improve meeting-management skills
Club Meetings
Improve listening skills
Improve leadership skills. If so, what? __________________________ 1. Is your meeting location conveniently located, accessible and user friendly? Yes No
“When people check almost every box,

Improve communication skills. If so, what? ______________________ 2. Are the program and agenda publicized, via email or a club website, in advance? Yes No
Improve evaluation skills 3. Do club meetings start and end on time? Yes No
Club Involvement High Interest Some Interest No Interest
4. Does the meeting follow an agenda? Yes No
Serve as a mentor for a new member
then they are clear on how much they

5. Does every member wear a name badge? Yes No
Help increase club membership
Serve as a club officer. If so, which role? ________________________ 6. Are all guests and members warmly greeted and welcomed? Yes No
Help the club with public relations or publicity 7. Are all guests introduced to others? Yes No
Contribute to or edit the club newsletter or website
Learn about parliamentary procedure
Outside the Club High Interest Some Interest No Interest
8. Is the meeting atmosphere friendly, pleasant and enjoyable?
9. Is your meeting location easy to find, with signs posted?

Yes
Yes
No
No need and want this training. This survey

10. Is your club’s meeting location and time listed accurately on Yes No
was highly effective and helped VPEs

Lead or help with a Speechcraft program www.toastmasters.org/Find-a-club ?
Lead or help with a Youth Leadership program
11. Is the business meeting conducted quickly and efficiently? Yes No
Lead or help with a youth communication module
12. Are programs interesting and varied? Yes No
encourage progress that met the specific

Visit other Toastmasters clubs
Compete in a speech contest 13. Are speakers, evaluators and other meeting participants reminded of their Yes No
responsibilities well in advance of the meeting?
Within the District High Interest Some Interest No Interest
14. Are speeches well-prepared and based on projects in Pathways? Yes No
needs of each member.”

Judge a speech contest
Organize a new Toastmasters club 15. Are evaluations positive, helpful and constructive? Yes No
Serve as a district leader. If so, which office? ____________________ 16. Is everyone given an opportunity to participate in the program? Yes No
Other (specify): __________________________________________
17. Are your officers effective in their roles as leaders? Yes No
18. Do officers report on the club’s progress in the Distinguished Club Program? Yes No
19. Are you using branded marketing materials from the Logos, Images and Templates Yes No
Member Retention
page on the Toastmasters website?
Draw on feedback from member

As noted earlier, member surveys offer
Rev. 1/2019 1
surveys to create a high-quality

insight and ideas for changes that are key
club that people will want to
to successful member retention. Harrison,
join—and rejoin.
the ImprovMasters club member, says
if you monitor your members’ changing
interests, you can keep them aware of all
that Toastmasters offers.
“Once most members achieve their
initial goals, they need new challenges.
can design a custom Word document, a (which offers forms to survey and collect But they may not be aware of additional
fillable PDF form, or Google doc. information). “We follow up to ensure we growth opportunities in Pathways,
get a 75% response rate,” she notes. “It’s a leadership, and other pursuits to glean or
Follow up for Feedback good pulse check.” hone new skills,” he says, noting that the
Distributing the surveys may not be alliance between Toastmasters and Rotary
difficult, yet reeling in responses is not New Members, Mentors, and International is a good example of all-new,
always easy. Prospects intriguing possibilities.
“We do a member interest survey and Surveying new members right away is a “You can keep members for life if you
yes, sometimes it’s like pulling teeth to get must, says Kevin Markl, a member of Prep support a learner’s mindset. There’s so
responses back. We encourage mentors Squad in Dublin, California, and Hacienda much more to experience once members’
to remind their mentees to respond and Park Toastmasters in San Ramon, Califor- initial fears are conquered and goals met,”
ask that club officers lead by example and nia. “It’s important for them to understand he says.
return their responses in a timely manner,” how our self-paced learning program can Your leadership team may discover
says Greg Gazin, DTM, a member of Go help them,” he notes. that member surveys speak volumes—and
Pro Speakers and New Entrepreneurs The Member Interest Survey can be provide an invaluable earpiece in learning
Club in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. “One helpful not only to club leaders for gauging what members need to join—and stay.
thing we did that helped the response goals but also for engaging conversation As your club accelerates into the
rate was to give members an example of a between mentors and mentees. The form 2020–2021 program year, be sure there are
completed survey to review,” he adds. helps clubs find the best mentor to “hold plenty of member voices supporting your
Diligence is a tactic favored by Megha [mentees] accountable as they work toward efforts. If you’re not sure about your mem-
Jindal, a member of Empower Toastmas- those goals,” while also allowing men- bers’ goals or what they’re looking for, ask
ters in Bangkok, Thailand, and Feedback- tees to share their goals and ask for help, them. It’s never too late. T
ers Toastmasters Club in Forest Grove, Markl adds. Cassandra Cockrill, DTM, a
Oregon. Club Presidents start each new former District 57 (Northern California) Stephanie Darling is senior editor for the
year surveying members via Google leader, believes in surveying prospects. Toastmaster magazine.

PROFILE
Meet
Richard E.
Peck, DTM
Toastmasters’
2020-2021
International
President is
always game to
learn—about
himself and his
fellow members.
BY STEPHANIE DARLING
A
s a lifelong
learner,
Richard E.
Peck, DTM, is quick
to embrace all types of
engaging experiences,
especially when it
comes to supporting
Toastmasters around
the world.
Peck asked to wear the white robe and keffiyeh headpiece, traditionally worn by men
throughout the Arabian Peninsula, when attending the 2019 District 20 Annual
Conference in Bahrain.
He’s ridden go-karts on an international karting track with Peck is

members of District 20 in Bahrain; enthusiastically accepted an exhilarated
unexpected mentor request in the middle of an online meeting by the
sponsored by the Shanghai Xujiahui Toastmasters Club; dropped connective
by a club meeting to virtually support a new member giving her opportu-
first Ice Breaker in District 26; and worked diligently to learn the nities for Richard and Bettyann Peck, at the 2019 Inter
proper pronunciation of each Chinese name prior to installing Toastmas- national Convention in Denver, Colorado.
District 85 officers, although he’s not sure how well he did. ters clubs
In the months before taking office, Peck anticipated a year no longer constrained by geography.
of stability, along with plenty of the planned and serendipi- “As an organization, I feel that we will come out of this current
tous member engagement and learning experiences he has situation wiser, our members will come out of this as a more
enjoyed since joining his home club, Nutmeg, in Woodbridge, closely knit community, and there will be a greater realization
Connecticut, in 2006. He is currently the club’s Vice President that the borders between us, real or imagined, can be overcome
Education, and also a member of Park City Toastmasters of with just a little ingenuity. I also feel that our members are
Stratford in Stratford, Connecticut. becoming more culturally aware through their ability to join club
meetings around the world and experience a different culture,
“When I first joined as a club member, even if just for a short time,” he says.
“In the years to come we will look back on decisions made
I quickly realized that I could talk, but I in difficult times and know that we rose to the challenge, that
couldn’t communicate.” we put our members first, and that we faced the unknown and
stood strong.”
“As I looked at my coming term, Toastmasters was trending Keep reading to learn more about Toastmasters International
well. I wanted to build on that and yet also give members a President Peck.
time to be settled, to work on personal growth, with no major
organizational changes,” he laughs. Why did you join Toastmasters and why have
Then came the coronavirus pandemic, threatening the very you stayed?
viability of Toastmasters’ long-standing, in-person club struc- I met Les Brown, who received Toastmasters’ Golden Gavel
ture and self-driven education program. Peck quickly realized award in 1994, at a workshop. He asked if I’d ever thought about
there would be hard decisions, rapid change—and astounding public speaking. I hadn’t, as I was well into my career with AT&T
opportunity on a worldwide scale. at that point.
“We were dropped into this situation, and we have to find But later I wondered, why did he ask? So I called and asked his
ways to work within it and still give our members what they recommendations for taking such a step. The first suggestion out
need. Fundamentally, there will be some organizational shifts of his mouth was to join Toastmasters. So I did.
and we still don’t know precisely what the end result will look When I first joined as a club member, I quickly realized that
like,” he says. I could talk, but I couldn’t communicate. I hadn’t had to worry
However, as an electrical engineer with an MBA degree about those skills for much of my career until Toastmasters
and an ardent interest in international business and culture, showed me totally different learning avenues to pursue.

PROFILE
What really hooked me was quickly realizing that because we title or credit, you’re there for the right reasons. If not, a title is
are club- and member-based, we can actually witness change in leading you.
individuals. Someone is terrified in their first few speeches, and 10 As for leadership style, a Past International President once
speeches in they are commanding the room because they’ve had jokingly referred to me as “the lawyer,” for my tendency to listen
that metamorphosis about who they are. That’s kept me hooked. carefully and not be the first to jump into a discussion. I function
best when taking time to formulate my thoughts before acting—
How would you describe your leadership but as with any personality trait, not everyone perceives it the
philosophy and leadership style? way you mean it. We all have primary traits, yet they don’t work
I’ve used this phrase in some of my keynotes—leadership is not in every situation, so I’ve learned to be adaptable. Basically, as
about being the center of attention, it’s about being the epicenter a leader you are never, ever going to have full knowledge of the
of action. If you are willing to take a leadership role with no skills needed for every situation. Just when you think you have
MR. PRESIDENT, I HAVE A QUESTION

In this brief Q&A, International President Richard E.
Peck, DTM, answers a few questions from members
around the world.
necessarily try to overcome anxiety but rather use it
as a motivator to be at my best for the job at hand.
How can Toastmasters clubs optimize the value of

I believe corporate and community clubs have remote and in-person meetings?
different needs and priorities, especially during Carrie Webster
COVID-19. Now that Pathways is the official educa- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
tion program, will Toastmasters International
This will be the subject of considerable conversation
revamp the way it helps to grow clubs in the
by the Board in the coming months. As a result of
corporate setting?
COVID-19, we have adapted our traditional ways of
Sudha Krishnamoorthy, DTM doing things to the current environment. It’s possible
Fremont, California that some clubs may now want to function as hybrids,
I absolutely agree that corporate clubs, regardless offering both meeting formats. As we move forward,
of COVID, have different needs. The Corporate the most important issue will be to evaluate inno-
Relationships Committee presented a series of vative ways to meet the needs of our members and
recommendations to the Board of Directors to continue to grow our organization. The use of online
help strengthen the support for corporate clubs. meetings will be just one of many things to consider.
Unfortunately, due to the virus, we have had to delay
implementation of these recommendations but hope
Will virtual Club Officer Training be allowed once
to address them in the near future.
the COVID-19 crisis is over, without having to obtain
special permission?
Do leaders have anxiety? If so, how do they Stephanie Srader, DTM
overcome it? Blue Spring, Missouri
Sethupathy T.S., DTM
Mesaieed, Qatar I was part of a conversation on this topic recently
and learned there are no policies or documents
Speaking for myself, yes! Anxiety comes from that prevent or require permission for virtual/online
wanting to deliver your very best in every situation. training. Training needs to be presented in a “live”
I also think having anxiety shows you have a passion format and offer more than just watching a video. Of
for what you’re doing. If I am visiting a District, I course, because of the experiential learning value,
want to ensure that everyone benefits and sees in-person training is always encouraged. Districts
value. If I’m visiting a corporation or doing a media planning online training should contact World
spot, I want to make sure that I am representing Headquarters to ask questions and get suggestions,
Toastmasters International properly. However, I don’t ideas, and best practices for optimal training results.

Peck joined the Lisbon MBA Toastmasters Club as a guest speaker
at the NOVA School of Business and Economics in Carcavelos,
Portugal, during a 2018 visit to District 107.
Peck, an avid drag racing hobbyist, stands with his 1963 Front Engine
Dragster, also known as a slingshot, due to its shape.
it all figured out, something new comes along—and so you add

something into your skill set. Beyond the Boardroom:
The Personal Richard Peck

What is your advice to Toastmasters interested
in pursuing leadership roles, especially at the Spouse: Peck describes his wife, Bettyann Peck, DTM, as “my
international level? rock and support throughout my leadership journey.” She is
I can only speak for myself as I didn’t join Toastmasters with the a member of Park City Toastmasters of Stratford in Strat-
mindset of becoming International President. However, I’d advise ford, Connecticut, and serves as District 53 Public Relations
building and practicing skills at each level you achieve. Look for Manager. Bettyann is a former Area Director who teases her
evaluators, someone who can give you a sense of your strengths husband at times that she earned her DTM before he did.
and weaknesses. Find a mentor—in fact, find ones that specialize
in every expertise you’d like to learn, and mentors in different Around the House: Peck enjoys cooking. He’s especially
parts of the world if possible. fond of baking since it’s an exacting science that requires
attention to detail. Both Pecks are adventurous foodies,
having tried foods ranging from fried ants and chili crab, to
“Leadership is not about being the center the local cuisine at a hawker center in Singapore.
of attention, it’s about being the epicenter Picturesque: As an amateur photographer, Peck enjoys
sharing the hobby with fellow Toastmasters around the
of action.” world. One of his favorite stops recently was virtually joining
the Lensmasters Toastmasters Club in Costa Mesa, Cali-
fornia. Combining speaking and artistic skills, this club’s
Be self-aware. You may think you’re a great leader because you amateur and professional photographers craft their Table
keep moving up—but is that because no one is running against Topics® sessions around photos provided by members.
you? Road test those skills. When I lost my first run for 2nd Vice
President in 2016, I was devastated. I’d never lost before. Then Fast Times: Peck jokes that he learned the meaning of lead-
I realized I hadn’t really won anything because I’d been relying ership after assembling a dragster car racing crew he could
on existing skills. I was pushed hard in that election but hadn’t trust with his life. The crew oversees the automotive details
allowed myself to increase the skills I needed for the position. while Peck buckles into the cockpit, hits the gas, and rockets
The voting members were right—I hadn’t risen to the level of the the car down a quarter-mile strip, reaching 157 miles per
leader they saw the organization needed. hour in 8.1 seconds. A parachute fires out of the back end to
First, be the great leader in the role you are in. Then, if the stop the car. He and Bettyann are the only two people allowed
opportunity arises, build the skills to continue. It may be that to pack the parachute, Peck notes, wryly. T
you can have far more impact as, for example, an Area Director
on the individuals you work most closely with. An International
President has to see and do things differently at that level. Stephanie Darling is senior editor for the Toastmaster magazine.

LOOKING AT LANGUAGE
What Does
Integrity Really Mean?
Why Toastmasters’ core values matter. BY BETH BLACK
I n Toastmasters, all members are

guided by a set of essential core values:
integrity, respect, service, and excellence.
incorruptibility (adhering to the club
mission and all rules), soundness (a solid
foundation), and completeness (collab
asking: What does integrity mean to our
club? From there, you can build ques
tions around each of the values and their
These values enable member achievement oration and participation) in order to meanings.
through club excellence. In fact, through survive and thrive through any challenge. Tip: Your club members will benefit
the process of practicing and learning in Whether it’s the classic struggle to attract when the rules to speech contests are
Toastmasters clubs, we discover that the more club members or the recent effort to clearly understood and followed. Vio
fourth value—excellence—cannot exist conduct meetings and education projects lations of contest rules can cause dis
without adherence to the first three. And online, the solutions that champion club qualifications and are not fair to fellow
of those, the very first value is perhaps the integrity lead to personal and professional participants. Begin by reading, sharing,
most important. Let’s take a closer look at growth. For example, when we adhere to a discussing, and observing the detailed
integrity. It’s a key value for good reason. code of values when competing in speech guidelines presented in the Speech Con-
contests, we strengthen our powers of test Rulebook. Every time you make an
Three Meanings of Integrity communication and persuasion. effort to learn the rules of any activity,
As Toastmasters International Chief Exec you’re more likely to get them right and
utive Officer Daniel Rex has said, “The Know the Rules So adhere to the agreed-upon code of moral
entire Toastmasters program depends You Can Follow Them or artistic values.
on the integrity of each member; that is Toastmasters Past International President
why it is our first core value.” Through our Jim Kokocki (2015-2016), DTM, places Protect Your Club’s Reputation
experiences in Toastmasters, we become high value on having a code of conduct Unethical behavior has the power to
better people who take the lessons we learn in Toastmasters and in life. “When our destroy the structural integrity of an
in the club and apply them in our families, members learn to communicate organi entire organization. This is one reason
communities, and careers. Integrity leads to zational goals with people who can help Toastmasters International lists integ
success in the wide-ranging landscapes of our achieve them, and then pursue the goals rity first in its core values. As Michelle
lives. But what does integrity really mean? guided by core values, they become well- Alba-Lim, DTM, of Sutherlin, Oregon,
The Merriam-Webster Online equipped to serve their organizations puts it: “I have come to understand why
Dictionary offers three definitions: and the world,” he says. Kokocki sees that we state Toastmasters’ core values as
definition as an excellent starting point integrity first. The acronym [for “integrity,
1. firm adherence to a code of
for developing personal integrity. “With respect, service, and excellence”] is ‘IRSE.’
especially moral or artistic values
out people who are dependable, honest, Even though ‘RISE’ would make a better
2. an unimpaired condition
and forthright, no organization co®uld acronym, without integrity the other core
3. the quality or state of being
continue to grow and thrive in today’s values would lose their true meaning. …
complete or undivided
world,” he says. We put its letter first, because integrity
Each form of integrity builds suc Kokocki suggests a discussion around is more than just a value we teach—it’s
cess in its own way. A club must have core values for Table Topics®. Start by critically important to the credibility and

“The entire Toast-
masters program
depends on the
integrity of each
member; that is
why it is our first
solidity of any organization in which our core value.” find their way online? You can preserve
members participate.” — TOASTMASTERS CHIEF your club’s integrity by respecting its
Tip: Once your club members EXECUTIVE OFFICER individuals.
understand the rules, a good means of DANIEL REX Also, seize the opportunity to serve
preserving the condition of your club is your club members as they grow and
displaying transparency in your attempt to adapt in a changing world. The skills they
follow those rules. Be open with every develop will benefit them personally and
one about expectations and outcomes. professionally through society’s shift
For example, you can create a poster toward the new normal of online
that shows time restrictions on interconnectedness. As leaders, you
speeches in all categories. If your can build on the experience of
club meets online, you can setting up and participating in
create a shared document online meetings. Even after
that displays time require you return to in-person club
ments. When the club meetings, you’ll have gained
timer reports exact times, effective skills to help
it aids transparency, so promote your club online.
that no one questions the Through Toastmasters’
condition of your club’s core values, starting with
integrity. Follow these integrity, we can make a
steps with all the rules, so real difference in our clubs
that everyone understands and in the world.
all speech requirements and Tip: Integrity in this
how well they were met. form is not just about your
club or District. More impor
Completeness of tantly, it’s about helping each
Individuals Leads to individual member reach their
Completeness of Clubs personal and professional goals. Are
Currently, this application of integrity the leaders of your club checking in
is the most relevant to the success of with all members to confirm that they’re
all members. With the advent of making progress toward achieving their
COVID-19, a high percentage of clubs goals? If you haven’t already done so,
have been forced to move their meetings make sure to take full advantage of the
online for safety’s sake. While it’s likely Pathways Mentor Program. Club leaders
a temporary situation, this offers both can go a long way in assisting mentor
challenges and opportunities. ship, even among seasoned members. By
While many clubs have been success making mentoring a regular club activity,
ful in transitioning to meeting online, you’re supporting the integrity—the jour
others have hesitated. It’s a call to action ney toward reaching one’s full potential—
for every club leader to ensure that all of your fellow members. T
members have access to club meetings,
understand the technical requirements, Beth Black is a freelance writer and
and continue to participate. Are you former Toastmaster who lives in Orange
persistently reaching out to those who County, California. Learn more about her
haven’t connected and helping them at www.PracticalPoet.com.

COMMUNICATION
The
Power of
Have something important to say?
Make sure your gestures support
your message.
BY DAVE ZIELINSKI
W
hat’s the difference between
a memorable speech and
one that is quickly forgotten?
Researchers say hand gestures are key.
Speakers should strive to convey confidence and expertise

through their stage presence. Nonverbal messaging—body
language—is a key part of public speaking and has been a hot
topic of research. What is it about a speaker’s gestures and
posture that make audiences transition from being indifferent
to engaged?
A few experts in particular have studied the effects of body Van Edwards agrees with the Toastmasters philosophy that
language. Vanessa Van Edwards, David JP Phillips, and Jesse effective use of body language helps speakers gain confidence,
Scinto, DTM, have spent years analyzing the impact of body increases their influence, and allows them to become better
language on speeches. Van Edwards researches human behavior, presenters and professionals.
communication, and the science of relationships, and delivered
a TEDxLondon talk, “You Are Contagious.” She is the founder The Surprising Power of Body Language
of Science of People, an organization based in Portland, Oregon, In Van Edwards’ study of body language, 760 volunteers rated
and author of Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People. hundreds of hours of TED Talk videos posted on TED.com
When Van Edwards set out to study the factors separating in 2010 to examine speakers’ body language and nonverbal
viral TED Talks from other, less popular TED Talks, she learned patterns. Edwards discovered one eye-opening finding that
that body language and nonverbal behaviors played a key role in stood out: There was no difference in the ratings of researchers
how well speakers’ messages resonated with audiences. who watched the TED Talks on mute with no text displayed

What is it about a
speaker’s gestures
and posture that
make audiences
transition from
being indifferent
to engaged?
and those who watched the talks with sound. Van Edwards says says. But the top-rated TED Talks had an average of 7.3 million
that discovery suggests that the nonverbal behaviors speakers views and used an average of 465 hand gestures.
employ—how they use their bodies to communicate rather than It wasn’t just the number of hand gestures that separated the
simply what they say—has more impact on audience perception best TED Talks from the others, Van Edwards found, but rather
than previously thought. the type of gestures speakers selected and how they were used.
“We wanted to know if there were any big differences between “The best speakers used congruent gestures,” she says. “Those
the most popular TED speakers and the least popular, according were gestures that added meaning or depth to words. If a TED
to view count,” she says. “The biggest thing we noticed in the speaker said they had a big idea, they held their hands out wide
study was the correlation of the volume of hand gestures to high like carrying a heavy load. If a speaker said they had three ideas,
speaker ratings.” The lowest-rated TED Talks in her particular they held up three fingers.”
study had an average of 124,000 views and speakers used an Van Edwards has observed many speakers using various
average of 272 hand gestures during their 18-minute talks, she nonverbal techniques in her Science of People laboratories.
Photo courtesy of Science of People and Maggie Kirkland. TOASTMASTER | SEPTEMBER 2020 23
COMMUNICATION
“The biggest mistake While you’re interacting with the audience before
people can make a speech, Van Edwards advises having “visible hands,”
is thinking about making eye contact with people as you walk by, relaxing
nonverbals like an your shoulders, and keeping your head and chest high.
interpretive dance,”
she says. “While
hand gestures are
The details of posture—

how we stand and move
onstage, even tilting our
incredibly powerful David JP Phillips
for comprehension,
head—not only helps the
charisma, and fluency, there is such a audience to pay attention
thing as too much of a good thing.”
Rather than scripting speeches
but also helps us feel more
with nonverbal signs and interpreting confident onstage.
every point with their hands, Van
Edwards’ advice to speakers is “watch
a video of yourself speaking to see
where you naturally add hand gestures. Importance of Synchronizing
These are where you can dial it up. If Nonverbals and Speech
you feel unnatural doing a hand gesture, Other researchers around the world have
don’t do it. The audience picks up on conducted their own studies on the use of body
that as well.” language and nonverbal patterns in public
Another nonverbal message also speaking. David JP Phillips, an international
stood out as important: smiling. speaker, author, and CEO of a presentation-skills
Whether or not a speaker had a funny or training company in Västerås, Sweden, spent
more serious topic, she says, “The more seven years studying 5,000 speakers around the
smiling, the higher the views.” world. From that research, Phillips was able to
This finding helped free her as a distill 110 separate skills that help separate great
speaker. “In the past I thought if I’m from good speakers. The study is fully detailed in
Vanessa Van Edwards
speaking about a serious topic, I’d better Phillips’ TEDxZagreb Talk, “The 110 Techniques
look serious,” she says. “Now I know we of Communication and Public Speaking.”
always want something to smile about, and [that] a little bit of While hand and arm gestures are a key part of body
laughter helps with retention and learning.” language, Phillips says the details of posture—how we stand
and move on stage, even tilting our head—not only help the
Body Language and “Thin Slicing” audience to pay attention to your message but also help us feel
The term “thin slicing” refers to the tendency to judge others more confident onstage. He emphasizes using “open” versus
within moments of meeting them or seeing them walk onstage “closed” body language. So rather than crossing your arms or
to speak. Van Edwards’ TED Talks research found that nonverbal placing them in pockets, or taking a step back when speaking,
behaviors have an outsized impact on these first impressions. focus on keeping your arms by your side when not using them
Viewers decide if they like a TED Talk within the first seven to gesture, lean slightly forward to make a point, and have your
seconds, she says, and that impression has very little to do with body weight equally centered over both legs. Even how the
the words speakers use. head is positioned matters: Tilt it slightly forward toward the
“As speakers, we often forget that our first impression happens audience as part of your open body language, and tilt it slightly
before we even start speaking,” Van Edwards says. “It happens to one side to show empathy.
when you are doing your technology check or even when you’re Phillips agrees with Van Edwards that hand gestures should
in the audience waiting for the event to start. Don’t forget that have a specific purpose and match the message. “The best
your stage presence starts the moment you walk into the room.” speakers also used a distinct stop to hand movements they

HOW BODY LANGUAGE MATTERS WHEN SPEAKING ONLINE
J oe Navarro, a body language expert who has

studied nonverbal behavior for more than four
decades, says not to overlook the importance of
þ Adjust your use of hand gestures for the new
medium. Use hand gestures in a way that empha-
sizes your messages but doesn’t distract viewers.
body language in virtual settings where speakers “Human beings as a species have a need to see
are often stationary and only their upper torsos are hands,” Navarro says. “But gestures that are
projected on screen. too broad won’t be seen on webcam, so ideally
Navarro, co-author of What Every Body is Saying: they should be made in front of you somewhere
An Ex FBI Agent’s Guide to Speed-Reading People, between your breastbone and chin, and no wider
says body language becomes even more important than your shoulders.” When not using your hands
during videoconferences where fewer contextual cues to gesture, place them on a desk or table where
are generated by speakers or audiences to help inter- they can still be seen.
pret how messages are being delivered or received. þ Continue to use nonverbal cues to show listening
Here are his tips for presenting or leading meetings and interest. “You should still nod or tilt your
online: head on camera to acknowledge you’re actively
listening and are engaged,” Navarro says.
þ Pay attention to how you position your face. “You
want to fill no more than one-third of the screen Finally, lean in slightly to the camera when
when speaking online,” Navarro says. “Many people someone says something compelling, and avoid
place the camera too close to their face. If you watch looking off to the side of the screen to check emails
the best television broadcasters, you’ll see they never or texts, which signals disinterest.
fill more than a third of the screen with their face.”
made either out to the left or right, rather than a ‘sloppy’ stop,” Scinto, who also is CEO of the company Public Sphere, which
he says. “That distinct ending of a gesture was associated with conducts presentation skills training, classifies gestures in three
higher credibility.” different categories: dramatic hand gestures that should be used to
Phillips also found that many speakers struggled with effec- act out scenes or actions being described; emphatic gestures to drive
tively using facial expressions to support their spoken messages. home or underscore a point; and orchestrated gestures, the scripted
“It was unusual in the research to see a well-animated face,” he kind often used by television broadcasters to help clarify or highlight
says. “That is problematic because it’s the part of your body an messages. “It’s important to make a conscious decision about which
audience tends to look at the most.” Besides the benefits to the of the three gestures you’ll use for specific purposes,” he says.
audience of a speaker’s warm smile, Phillips points out it delivers Scinto recommends being intentional about how you move
benefits to the speaker as well. In an Ideas.TED.com article he on stage or in front of an audience. “Some speakers like to walk
says, “As our emotions work from the inside out and the outside while they speak, but there is a risk of looking like a caged tiger
in, it means that you can affect your own emotional state in a if it’s not done right,” he says. Instead, he recommends to stand
positive way by smiling on stage.” still and plant your feet before delivering a thought or point. “The
Those speakers in his research who mastered the use of body more settled you look, the more authoritative you usually look,”
language demonstrated a high level of synchronicity between Scinto says. “If you do need to move, pause your speech, walk to
their gestures, mannerisms, and words. “If your movements where you’d like to go, and only then start speaking again after
aren’t carefully synchronized with what you’re saying, it causes a you’ve stopped moving.”
disturbance for your audience.” Consider how this research on body language can help you
perfect your craft. By studying lessons from these findings, you
Using Three Types of Gestures Effectively can choose and apply the nonverbal behaviors proven to have the
Jesse Scinto, DTM, a member of Greenspeakers Club in New biggest impact on audience perception and content retention. T
York, New York, and a professor of strategic communication at
Editor’s Note: “Effective Body Language” is a Level 3 elective
Columbia University in New York City, also is an expert in the
project available in all 11 paths in the Pathways program.
use of body language in public speaking. Scinto says while it’s
common for people to group all hand gestures in one category, in
reality three different types of gestures should be used selectively, Dave Zielinski is a freelance business writer based in Minneapolis,
based on the intent of spoken words. Minnesota, and a frequent contributor to the Toastmaster magazine.

PROFILE
Riding Through
Adversity to Victory
Toastmaster and blind equestrian Deborah McAlexander
helps others open their eyes to life’s possibilities. BY STEPHANIE DARLING
“
T he good news is, you’re here to train,”
the world-renowned riding instructor
told his new client in March 2019. “The
which requires horse and rider to execute
a pattern of complicated movements
using only exquisitely subtle, nonverbal
she was diagnosed with the genetic dis-
ease, retinitis pigmentosa.
It was initially a bitter pill. However, she
bad news is, you don’t do anything right communication between them. was sustained by her lifelong love of music,
in dressage.” realizing that “there is nothing more joyful
Toastmaster Deborah McAlexan- than making sound.” She chose to refocus
der wasn’t bothered in the least by this “Toastmasters teaches us on piano and from that point, there was no
matter-of-fact evaluation. She was an to go into any arena in life looking back, nor any adversity that kept
experienced rider, although admittedly her down for long.
new to the precision equestrian sport of with confidence and the “Adopting the mindset that you will
dressage. However, she had been rising communication skills to conquer and not be conquered will
above life’s challenges for more than 40 ultimately change you,” McAlexander
years after becoming legally blind in her hear and be heard.” says. For her, the term “vision” took on
early 20s. She knew her passion for a –DEBORAH MCALEXANDER a far more important meaning than just
dream—to represent the United States being able to see. “Losing eyesight is far
in para dressage at the 2021 Paralympics less significant than losing vision beyond
in Japan, and the 2022 World Equestrian Now, less than two years later, eyesight,” she adds.
Games in Denmark—would lift her over cAlexander and her equine partner, an
M McAlexander went on to earn a
this challenge too. 11-year-old Bavarian Warmblood named master’s degree in piano performance
Life’s hurdles can be “overwhelming Cornet Noir, are advancing rapidly in the and flourished during a 28-year career as
obstacles or empowering energizers,” sport. They are regularly “in the ribbons” a professional pianist and educator. She
McAlexander notes. “It’s not about what at horse shows and are qualifying for wrote music, created a charitable founda-
happens to you but how you choose to regional and national events. tion to advocate for the disabled, and built
handle it.” And she knew exactly how to a motivational speaking career.
handle her dream of riding in the world’s The Ride of a Lifetime “I try to take that little straw of light
most prestigious equine show rings. In the equestrian world, “para” refers to from what’s preserved of my eyesight and
In spring 2019, at age 64, McAlex- a sport in which riders with a physical use it to open others’ eyes to what’s pos-
ander moved from Missouri to Wylie, impairment compete on a parallel basis sible, to find their dreams,” she explains.
Texas, to train six days a week at the with able-bodied riders at an Olympic Not surprisingly, she finds that equestrian
North Texas Equestrian Center. The facil- level. McAlexander follows the same sport offers powerful lessons in life skills—
ity is considered a center of excellence training and during competition, executes such as discipline, faith, trust, strength,
by the United States Equestrian Federa- the same precise movements required of and compassion—that matter in an often
tion (USEF), which governs equestrian any elite dressage rider. Yet she is legally unpredictable world.
sport in America. She trains with her blind, with no light perception in one
initial “evaluator,” Kai Handt, the only eye and only a tiny straw of center vision The Toastmasters Connection
USEF-recognized para-dressage trainer at in the other eye. She was just 24, and a Toastmasters has had a strong influence
the master level in the U.S. McAlexander scholarship performance violinist at the on her life. McAlexander joined Capital
has grown passionate about dressage, St. Louis Conservatory of Music, when Toastmasters in Jefferson City, Missouri,

Photo by Rachel Zent Handt
in 2016. She was an experienced public flash of color in the crowd—may unnerve
speaker but wanted to polish her talents the performing horse. The rider must
for yet another passion—advocating for react quickly, sending a clear quick mes-
the disabled through her charitable foun- sage to keep the horse confidently on track
dation, Vision Beyond Eyesight, Inc. The with the required movements.
foundation focuses on public education, Her horse, a superbly trained and con-
dispelling stereotypes, and supporting fident athlete, is an excellent “Toastmas-
horseback riding opportunities for dis- ter” colleague, McAlexander laughs.
abled individuals.
“Dealing with negative attitudes and Keep Calm and Ride On
awkwardness toward me as a blind woman McAlexander sees every day as an oppor-
was a tremendous challenge,” she says. “I tunity to rise above challenges meted
wanted to change others by speaking about out in an often inexplicable world and is
it. I wanted to take all my experiences, good passionate about sharing that ideal. She
and bad, and inspire people.” Toastmasters knows this for certain—if you’re bucked
helps her do that, every time she speaks. off the horse, get back on.
“Toastmasters teaches us to go into any “I’ve learned that victory is not
arena in life with confidence and the com- measured by the color of the ribbon, the
munication skills to hear and be heard,” wealth or position of the individual,” she
she explains. says. “Victory is measured by the adver-
As one who is quick to see connecting sities, obstacles, and failures that one
concepts, McAlexander likens the nonver- overcomes in trying to achieve victory.”
bal communication practiced in dressage It’s a parable she’s had a lifetime to
to what she’s learned in Toastmasters. prove. T FROM TOP LEFT:
Dressage builds on learning progressively Deborah McAlexander and Cornet Noir
difficult skills, just as the Pathways learn- Editor’s Note: Read more about sport a regional U.S. dressage championship
ing experience does. McAlexander on her website. ribbon, won in a class of sighted riders.
Quick thinking, the kind perfected
McAlexander and top para-equestrian
through Table Topics®, has been especially Stephanie Darling is senior editor for the
trainer Kai Handt.
useful in dressage, McAlexander explains. Toastmaster magazine. Linda Sullivan,
Any unexpected action near the ring—a DTM, of Capital Toastmasters in Jefferson Two partners bond in the Texas sun.
loud noise, an unexpected gust of wind, a City, Missouri, contributed to this article.

PERSONAL GROWTH
Oops! The Surprising Gift

of Making Mistakes
Don’t punish yourself over errors—use them to learn and grow. BY CAREN S. NEILE, PH.D.
A lthough the worst mistake I ever

made occurred nearly 25 years ago,
it feels like yesterday. Somehow I edited a
on. I typed back to everyone, ‘We’re all
learning this virtual technology together.
It’s harder than it looks. We aren’t used to
Too often we are so afraid of making a
mistake that we don’t dare take a chance
and try something new. A veteran Toast-
book under a tight deadline and managed being on camera in our homes.’ And that master I knew used to say, “Toastmasters
to inadvertently indicate that it was okay was that. It never happened again.” is a great place to make mistakes.” Harris,
to put acid into one’s eyes. An ophthal- People who make mistakes don’t need the Toastmaster in Pennsylvania, says a
mologist complained, and the books had to be told in great detail, least of all by founding member of her club (the dish
to be pulled. The publishing company themselves, what they did wrong. Ange- washer in the earlier example), Chana
I worked for was lucky that no one got lika Kofler, Ph.D., a social psychologist Gittle Deray, DTM, emphasizes at almost
hurt. I was lucky I didn’t lose my job. and certified life coach in Vienna, Austria, every meeting that “Toastmasters is our
The story has an interesting ending. says such a process is counterproductive. gym: It’s where we come to practice, to
Rather than berate me, my boss told me make mistakes, to stay curious.”
the worst mistake he ever made. As a Think about it. You are working with
young journalist, he was told to deliver
“Toastmasters is our gym: supportive individuals who are also
sensitive material to an editor across It’s where we come to learning, you are there to spread your
town. (This was before the days of email wings, and you are not fiddling with
or faxes.) He handed the man just one
practice, to make mis- nuclear materials. In other words—it’s a
document, totally missing the second takes, to stay curious.” safe space!
piece of paper in the envelope, which he Artists, in particular, tend to welcome
promptly discarded. Oops! — CHANA GITTLE DERAY, DTM mistakes, probably because they are
Let’s face it: Mistakes happen to naturally open to new things. “Forget
everyone. The 18th century English poet “Where does it get you?” she asks. your perfect offering,” wrote the famed
Alexander Pope wrote, “To err is human; “Just more of the same. It’s better to focus Canadian poet and songwriter Leonard
to forgive, divine.” This reminds us that on what the mistake or problem might be Cohen in his song “Anthem.” “There is a
forgiveness is a good response to a mis- good for [in terms of growth], and then crack in everything. That’s how the light
take. So is learning from it. direct your gaze to possible solutions.” gets in.”
Emily Harris, a member of Woman By definition, a mistake is something It’s not just artists who can benefit
2 Woman Toastmasters in Pittsburgh, we know isn’t right. We just need to learn from missteps. Richard Jones, who runs a
Pennsylvania, saw the importance of both how to not do it again. Along these lines, financial advisory business in Los Ange-
forgiveness and learning from mistakes at many Native Americans don’t punish les, California, knows that mistakes can
a recent online club meeting. their children for their misdeeds. Instead, be a necessary byproduct of innovation.
“One of the members was washing they tell them stories, real or imagined, “We’ve tried different portfolio strat-
dishes in her kitchen when the meeting of the child who made a similar mistake egies,” he says, “and some didn’t work
began,” she says. “I typed a private mes- and got hurt, or hurt someone else. That’s well. But I’m glad we tried. We just had
sage in the chat box: ‘Please mute your- what my boss did. Now not only do I tri- to recognize that we made a mistake, and
self.’ She did. Then she typed an apology ple-check my work, but to this day, every change our course of action.”
to everyone for making the mistake of time I open an envelope, I look to make If we try not to punish ourselves
washing her dishes with the microphone sure there’s nothing else inside! or anyone else for making an honest

HOW TO BENEFIT
FROM MISTAKES
1 Pay attention. While some of

us may fixate on mistakes, too
often we try to put them out of
our minds because they’re too
painful to think about. But if
we focus—for a limited amount
of time, without judgment—on
exactly what went wrong, we
will be more apt to take the right
approach in the future. mistake, we will not only overcome it, we and the audience loved it—but this time
may also thrive. he spoke in the last slot of an evening
2 Unpack the mistake. How did Even Toastmasters World Champs event and was greeted by a group that
it happen in the first place? have stories of painful slip-ups. When Ed was visibly sluggish and disengaged, some
Were you moving too fast? Did Tate, the 2000 World Champion of Public audience members almost falling asleep.
you rely on emotions instead of Speaking, took the stage to deliver the Vasudevan says he was embarrassed and
facts, or did you neglect your keynote speech at the 2016 Toastmasters had erred in not anticipating a different
intuition, that little voice that International Convention, he experienced dynamic because of the time of day.
told you, “Stop!” every speaker’s worst fear: He blanked out, But, ultimately, he benefited from the
unable to remember his opening line. For experience: In 2017, for the first time
3 Analyze the pattern. If you seven long seconds, Tate’s memory failed ever, the Toastmasters World Champi-
find yourself repeating the him—and it was agonizing, he recalls. onship of Public Speaking® was held at
same mistake, or the same kind But he took a few deep breaths, refo- night—and Vasudevan came prepared.
of mistake, it’s time to figure out cused, remembered the line, and went on “When things go wrong it’s difficult to
how to change up your modus to give a triumphant speech, earning a see the light at the end of the tunnel,” notes
operandi. Maybe, for example, standing ovation and learning lessons that Kofler, the psychologist in Austria. “But
you need to run your work by a served him well going forward. one thing is for sure. Everybody has more
second pair of eyes. Or maybe “So, yes, I forgot my opening line in resources than they realize. If we manage
you need to learn a new skill. front of over 2,000 people,” Tate wrote in to focus our creativity on those resources,
the Toastmaster magazine earlier this year. good things will start to happen. All it
4 Let the light in. Sometimes, “I didn’t die. It wasn’t fatal. In fact, forget- takes is already there. It’s in you.”
a mistake may be the way ting my line had many positive unintended And if, by chance, it’s not in you? Don’t
our subconscious tells us there consequences that I never imagined.” despair. It’s almost definitely in your
is a better way to do something. Manoj Vasudevan, the 2017 Toastmas- Toastmasters club. T
You know the term “accidental- ters World Champ, also tells of an agoniz-
ly on purpose”? Listen to your ing learning experience. Six years ago, he Caren S. Neile, Ph.D., is a frequent
mistakes. They may know some- gave a presentation at a showcase event contributor to the Toastmaster magazine
thing you don’t! promoting Toastmasters. The Singaporean and has presented at two Toastmasters
had given the same presentation before International conventions.

FUNNY YOU SHOULD SAY THAT
Word to
the Wise
Don’t gobblefunk around
with words. You just might
cause a crisis.
BY JOHN CADLEY
O kay, let’s say you’re taking a nice

walk in the woods and a black bear
appears about 30 yards up the trail. You
Eastern wisdom. Your fear is replaced with
that good old entrepreneurial spirit. If
there’s an opportunity here, you’re going
but I prefer the credible kind.” You are
not being a wise guy; you are being ety-
mologically correct.
are, quite naturally, afraid, causing your to take it, so you decide to walk toward the Another fraught word is “downhill,”
body to release pheromones that have bear, who jumps on you and kills you and which has both a literal meaning—i.e.,
a subtle but distinct odor. You can’t you’re dead. physically going down a hill—and at least
notice them, but the bear—having a What happened!!?? Well, to put it two metaphorical ones. If you say, “It’s all
sense of smell 2,100 times sharper than briefly, you were misinformed. That downhill from here,” it means you’ve fin-
yours—most certainly does. And fear, to famous management guru with the best- ished the hardest part of some task and
the Ursus americanus olfactory system, selling books and the monogrammed laser the rest will be easy. On the other hand,
smells like a rib-eye steak with sautéed pointer wasn’t telling you anything new. if you mention that a friend is “going
mushrooms and onions. You could run, He wasn’t even telling you the truth. He downhill,” it means the opposite—he or
but you have two legs and he has four. was simply repeating a gross misunder- she is in some form of decline, which
What are your odds? If you freeze, he standing of Mandarin and other Sinitic is anything but easy. So let’s say you’re
can still smell the fear, which only means languages, which, as Victor H. Mair, a pro- in a car with a driver and two other
you’re saving him the trouble of chasing fessor of Chinese language and literature passengers, one of whom is critically ill.
his lunch. Or you could wave your arms at the University of Pennsylvania, points Cresting the top of a steep incline, the
and yell, which will either scare him off out, has been perpetrated for years by driver says, “We’re going downhill now.”
or make him angry. How do you feel people who want to appear wise when in The healthy passenger, feeling the sick
about gambling? fact they are displaying complete igno- passenger’s weakening pulse, says, “He’s
Things are looking grim. But wait! rance. The Chinese, on the other hand, are going downhill.” And then the sick pas-
You’ve just been to a business leadership wise. They know danger when they see it senger suddenly recovers, sits up, and
conference where a famous management and they don’t pretend it’s anything else. says he feels so good “it’s all downhill
guru gave a lecture on “out of the box” Yes, the Chinese do spell “crisis” with two from here.” At this point it would be
thinking. You weren’t expecting much. characters, but they both mean roughly perfectly acceptable to say: “Why are you
Every time you think out of the box, your the same thing—Danger! Peril!—just so all repeating yourselves?” It would also
boss says it’s too far out of the box. But you get the point. be understandable if you got out and
suddenly the famous management guru I use this example to warn our interna- took a bus.
punctured your apathy with a PowerPoint tional readers that English, too, has words I hope you get my point. If not, then
slide showing the Chinese word for “crisis,” that are not always what they seem, and British children’s author Roald Dahl
explaining how the word consists of two in the interest of keeping people from certainly clears it up with this sagacious
symbols, one meaning “danger” and the being eaten by a bear, I’ll give a couple advice: “Don’t gobblefunk around with
other “opportunity.” Suddenly, you’re wide of examples. If an English speaker tells words.” I couldn’t say it any better. T
awake. This is a revelation, an epiphany—a you they have some “incredible news,”
perceived danger containing the possibil- and if you know, through diligent study John Cadley is a former advertising
ity of rich reward! What a concept! And of English vocabulary, that “incredible” copywriter, freelance writer, and musician
here you are, in a crisis, facing danger—the means “impossible to believe,” you would living in Fayetteville, New York. Learn
perfect time to prove the truth of this Far be well within your rights to say, “Thanks, more at www.cadleys.com.
30 WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE Illustration by Bart Browne

TOASTMASTERS TOOLBOX
Why Vocal Variety Is So Valuable

Use this skill to bring emotion and personality to your speech.
BY BILL BROWN, DTM
W hy is vocal variety such an impor-

tant tool for the speaker? Many
reasons. Vocal variety is more than merely
1 Vocal variety makes you more inter-
esting to listen to. You have, no doubt,
heard many speakers of different skill lev-
also produce in others the emotions you
are conveying.”
avoiding the dreaded monotone. It is, at its

foundation, the life that you breathe into
what you say and do onstage.
els over the years. Some of them are just
plain boring. A couple of my university
professors come to mind.
2 Vocal variety is important because it
conveys your emotion to the listener.
If you have ever taken a training course in
More specifically, it involves your level Most speakers are passable. They get sales, you have no doubt been challenged
of expressiveness. This includes your basic the job done. But from time to time, you to tap into the emotions of the buyer. This
energy level. While your energy level is a have probably heard a speech where you is where the real buying decision is made.
variable, at a minimum you must avoid said, “Wow!” and hung on to the speaker’s If you are listening to a motivational
sounding boring. every word. What made you react that speaker who is very excited, are you not
In addition, vocal variety is your style way? Was it because of the speaker’s vocal also excited? The same is true for sympa-
of expressiveness. An effective speaker variety and level of expressing their per- thy, anger, and other emotions. If strong
allows their unique personality to shine. sonality onstage? wording is accompanied by expressive
In a way, vocal expression is your speaking delivery, the effect of the words can be
personality. Vocal variety is key magnified.
In Pathways, “Understanding Vocal
Variety” is an elective project in Level 3 of
all 11 paths—in some ways, a sign of how
fundamental this skill is considered to any
to expressiveness.
Strive to get to the point where your
3 Effective vocal variety can magnify
the meaning and significance of your
message. It can powerfully make your
kind of communication success. It, like the listeners truly want to hear what you have point. I mentioned earlier that vocal variety
other Pathways electives, is available to all to say—and to act upon it. You can do involves emphasis. By effectively emphasiz-
members regardless of which path they are it. You can be that speaker. The key is to ing the key elements of your message, you
working in. (In the traditional education learn the vocal variety techniques and can enhance the listeners’ understanding
program, “Vocal Variety” was project 6 in then give yourself permission to give them of it. Each sentence contains key words or
the Competent Communication manual.) full expression. Let loose and have fun on phrases that carry your point. Good vocal
It is an elective, but my strong recom- stage. The audience members will love variety points to them and says, “This is
mendation is that you choose it. Vocal it. As stated in the “Understanding Vocal what is important. Pay attention to it.”
variety is key to expressiveness, and Variety” project, “With time and practice, Communication is an important com-
expressiveness is essential for a speaker. every Toastmaster can become skilled at ponent of leadership. Strong vocal variety
A significant component of vocal using [their] voice to move an audience.” can greatly enhance your effectiveness as
variety is how you emphasize what you Voice inflection is vital. Sales trainer a communicator. I strongly urge you to
say. You have various tools to affect this, David Hoffeld, in his book The Science of learn more about it, especially by selecting
including volume, pitch, pace, pause, Selling, says, “Those who use strong inflec- “Understanding Vocal Variety” in Level 3
and emotion. They can be used to build tions are always able to hold the buyer’s of your path. T
tension or add impact. Make an effort to attention better than those who use weak
master all of them. inflections, even when saying the exact Bill Brown, DTM, is a speech delivery
You gain many benefits from using same words. Voice inflections convey coach from Las Vegas and a member of
vocal variety. Those benefits boil down to your passion and make you seem more Ahead of the Curve Toastmasters. Learn
three key principles. interesting and engaging. Moreover, they more at www.billbrownspeechcoach.com.

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Toastmaster Magazine September 2020 PDF

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TOASTMASTER

THE MAGAZINE FOR COMMUNICATORS & LEADERS | SEPTEMBER 2020

Catch up on all the

2020 VIRTUAL CONVENTION

Publisher 2020–2021 OFFICERS

2020–2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

TK O’Geary, DTM Elizabeth Nostedt, DTM

TOASTMASTER | SEPTEMBER 2020 3

When you serve in this meeting role, four

16 Meet Richard E. Peck, DTM

30 FUNNY YOU SHOULD SAY THAT:

By John Cadley 6 ONLINE MAGAZINE 10 TRAVELING TOASTMASTER

4 WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

Members celebrate club anniversaries with fun and flair.

WHAT’S ONLINE THIS MONTH: ONLINE EXCLUSIVE

6 WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

Meet Some Masters

Darren Lauser • Cork, Ireland

TOASTMASTER | SEPTEMBER 2020 7

Remember to Renew Your Dues Did You Know?

8 WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

More Paths Available in Korean and Tamil

Development, Visionary Communication, and Effective Coaching. Translation

TOASTMASTER | SEPTEMBER 2020 9

2 | CURTIS HELT, DTM, and

3 | MARIANA CARRASCO of Parlin,

4 | ZAFAR AGHA of Spring, Texas,

View additional photos in this month’s

10 WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

Savoring the Sounds of Speakers

O ctober 17, 2018, was a frightening

TOASTMASTER | SEPTEMBER 2020 11

Are You Ready to Take on

T he Toastmaster of the Day keeps

12 WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

T he Toastmaster role will not

TOASTMASTER | SEPTEMBER 2020 13

Surveys Speak Volumes

T o pilot a thriving Toastmasters club,

14 WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

Club Name ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

“When people check almost every box,

then they are clear on how much they

9. Is your meeting location easy to find, with signs posted?

No need and want this training. This survey

was highly effective and helped VPEs

encourage progress that met the specific

needs of each member.”

Draw on feedback from member

surveys to create a high-quality

TOASTMASTER | SEPTEMBER 2020 15

He’s ridden go-karts on an international karting track with Peck is

TOASTMASTER | SEPTEMBER 2020 17

MR. PRESIDENT, I HAVE A QUESTION

How can Toastmasters clubs optimize the value of

18 WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

it all figured out, something new comes along—and so you add

The Personal Richard Peck

TOASTMASTER | SEPTEMBER 2020 19

2 | CURTIS HELT, DTM, and

3 | MARIANA CARRASCO of Parlin,

4 | ZAFAR AGHA of Spring, Texas,