members.toastmasters.org speaking eye to eye toas ......remembering cory my congratulations to you...

members.toastmasters.org Speaking Eye to Eye

Speakingto ChildrenHow professional speakerswork with younger audiences.

Tips for aNew Year’s

Eve Toast

Speaking AboutSocial Responsibility

TOASTMASTER®

Talk Smart

Office Party

at theHoliday

December 2009

2 TOASTMASTER December 2009

V I E W P O I N TPublisher

EditorAssociate Editors

Graphic Design

Daniel Rex

Suzanne Frey

Beth BlackPaul Sterman

Susan Campbell

International President

Senior Vice President

Second Vice President

Third Vice President

Immediate Past President

Executive Director

Gary Schmidt, DTMClackamas, Oregon

Pat Johnson, DTMVictoria, British Columbia, Canada

Michael R. Notaro, DTMAlameda, California

John Lau, DTMKuching, Malaysia

Jana Barnhill, DTM, ASLubbock, Texas

Daniel RexMission Viejo, California

Lyle Appleyard, DTMStonewall, Manitoba, Canada

Sal Asad, DTMRichmond, Virginia

Theo Black, DTMWayzata, Minnesota

Ken Cawley, DTMSan Jose, California

Pamela Christopher, DTMUnion Grove, North Carolina

Susan Dalati, DTMManotick, Ontario, Canada

Kristal DiCarlo, DTMWestlake, Ohio

Emmy Hager, DTMAuburn, Washington

Ron Kirchgessner, DTMGreenwood, Indiana

Pamela McCown, DTMPasadena, Texas

Earleen Norris, DTMTruckee, California

Keith Ostergard, DTMBeijing, China

Michael V. Raffety, DTMChicago, Illinois

Mary G. Russell, DTMTemple City, California

Poh Kim Siong, DTMSingapore

Heath Suddleson, DTMPotomac, Maryland

Tim Swearingen, DTMChandler, Arizona

Annelie Weber, DTMNew Windsor, Maryland

TOASTMASTER

The TOASTMASTER Magazine (ISSN 00408263) is published monthly byToastmasters International, Inc., 23182 Arroyo Vista, Rancho Santa Margarita,CA 92688, U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at Mission Viejo, CA and additionalmailing office. POSTMASTER: Send address change to The TOASTMASTERMagazine, P.O. Box 9052, Mission Viejo, CA 92690, U.S.A.

Published to promote the ideas and goals of Toastmasters Inter national, anon profit educational organization of clubs throughout the world dedicatedto teaching skills in public speaking and leadership. Members’ subscriptionsare included in the $27 semi annual dues.

The official publication of Toastmasters International carries authorizednotices and articles regarding the activities and interests of the organization,but responsibility is not assumed for the opinions of the authors of other articles. The TOASTMASTER magazine does not endorse or guarantee the products it advertises.

Copyright 2009 by Toastmasters International, Inc. All rights reserved.Repro duction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.Not responsible for unsolicited material.

Toastmasters International, The TOASTMASTER, and the ToastmasterInter national Emblem are trademarks of Toastmasters International registeredin the United States, Canada and many other countries. Marca registrada enMexico. Printed in U.S.A.

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TI OFFICERS AND DIRECTORSFounder Dr. Ralph C. Smedley (1878-1965)

2009-2010 OFFICERS

2009-2010 DIRECTORS

TOASTMASTERS INTERNATIONALP.O. Box 9052 • Mission Viejo, CA 92690 U.S.A.

(949) 858-8255 • Fax:(949) 858-1207Voicemail: (949) 835-1300members.toastmasters.org

CONTACTING WORLD HEADQUARTERS

For information on joiningor building a club, visit: www.toastmasters.org

Article submission: [email protected]

Letters to the Editor: [email protected]

To change address,log in to: members.toastmasters.org

Gary Schmidt, DTMInternational President

� When my employer and mentor, United States Senator Mark Hatfield,retired after 45 years in public service, he was asked by many people whathis secret was to longevity and success in politics. His reply: Building personal relationships. Not education, or intelligence, or financial resources.The secret was people.

Of the many benefits we receive in Toastmasters, one of the greatest is thepeople we meet and the friendships we form. Our network of Toastmastersfriends can help us in all aspects of life.

This is certainly true for me. Earlier this year I was between careers. WhenI attended the Toastmasters Board Meeting this past February, in California,Past District 5 Governor Sheryl Roush took my photo and posted it onFacebook, a Web-based social networking site. Lynn Peterson, a commis -sioner for Clackamas County in Oregon, is a Facebook friend of mine whosaw my Toastmasters photo and sent me a message asking if I had appliedfor the job of Clackamas County public affairs manager. I was not aware thejob existed. Because of Toastmasters – where I met Sheryl – and because ofFacebook – where I was connected to Lynn – I found my current career.Thank you, Sheryl and Lynn!

Our Toastmasters friendships can also lead to love. My friend Naomi invited me to my first Toastmasters meeting. I joined Toastmasters becauseof her encouragement. Many years later, I introduced Naomi to my Toast -masters friend Doug, who later married her. You never know where yourToastmasters associations will take you!

These are just a few examples of how Toastmasters, and our connectionsto others, change our lives, and in so many different ways!

At your next club meeting, look around at your fellow members. Are yourbest friends there? Does the meeting include mentors who guide you, speak-ers you emulate or leaders you learn from? Our involvement in Toastmastersis much more than improving our personal communication and leadershipskills. Toastmasters offers us the opportunity to build our network of friends,learn from our peers and discover the rewards of helping others.

Perhaps the club members sitting next to you will help you find yournext job, introduce you to your future spouse or support you when youneed it most. That is the power of relationships. That is the potential ofToastmasters. Your journey of building relationships starts now!

The Secret ofYour Success

TOASTMASTER December 2009 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Toastmasters Vision:Toastmasters International empowers people to achieve their full potential and realizetheir dreams. Through our member clubs, people throughout the world can improve

their communication and leadership skills, and find the courage to change.

The Toastmasters Mission:Toastmasters International is the leading movement devoted to making

effective oral communication a worldwide reality.

Through its member clubs, Toastmasters International helps men and womenlearn the arts of speaking, listening and thinking – vital skills that

promote self-actualization, enhance leadership potential, foster humanunderstanding, and contribute to the betterment of mankind.

It is basic to this mission that Toastmasters International continuallyexpand its worldwide network of clubs thereby offering ever-greater numbers

of people the opportunity to benefit from its programs.

Give Thema Great GoodbyeGood eulogies give new meaning to life.By Cyrus M. Copeland

PAGE 8

Speaking to ChildrenHow professional speakerswork with younger audiences.By Linda McGurk

PAGE 14

Delivering BadBusiness NewsHow to be clear yet comforting.By Kathy S. Berger

PAGE 24

& 2 Viewpoint: The Secret of Your Success By International President Gary Schmidt, DTM

4 Letters to the Editor

5 My Turn: My Ice Breaker Surviving the roller-coaster ride

of that first speech. By Richard Stanley

6 Profile: As if They Were His Own How TI gave a humanitarian the courage

to transform the world’s orphanages. By Julie Bawden Davis

12 The Most Difficult Speech: the Eulogy The remembrance of a loved one

provides comfort and closure. By Theodore Lustig, DTM

17 How To: Tips for a New Year’s Eve Toast When toasting, remember your ABCs. By Michael Varma, ATMG, ALB

19 Funny You Should Say That! Clink, Clink, Clink. (Gulp) How to be first-rate when you celebrate. By John Cadley

20 Talk Smart at the Holiday Office Party Stay clear of conversation faux pas

that can derail your career. By Don Gabor

22 Manner of Speaking: SpeakingAbout Social Responsibility

Use your communication skills toinspire, educate and help others.

By Heather O’Neill, CC

28 Speaking Eye to Eye A meeting of the eyes denotes

a meeting of the minds. By Mike Landrum

30 2009 Article Index

ARTICLESDEPARTMENTS

FEATURES

December 2009Volume 75, No. 12


LETTERS

Aquino, and showed how inspiringit was that even a plain-spoken per-son can make a difference in theworld, earn the admiration of greatspeakers and be respected by others.

This article is a good motivatorto speak up, and where else can wefind a safe place to practice otherthan in a Toastmasters club, withpeople around us who are dynamic,encouraging and supportive.

The article made us Filipinosproud. Cheers!Maribeth Young • El Presidente Toastmasters Mandaluyong City, Philippines

Ecstatic About Evaluation ArticleCarol Dean Schreiner’s article“The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”(August) is the best magazine articleI have read since I joined Toast mas -ters in 2006.

I read it twice in one go withgreat interest as it capsulized theessence of the Toastmasters evalua-tion process. Immediately, I scannedthe “Handy Evaluation Checklist”that ran with the article, which Icould use for my future evaluationsof impromptu as well as preparedspeeches. Being the current VPE ofmy club, I will promptly adopt Ms.Schreiner’s suggestion that evaluat-ing the speech evaluators becomea standard feature of the GeneralEvaluator’s meeting role.Gamini Senanayake, CC, CL • Wayamba ToastmastersKurunegala, Wayamba, Sri Lanka

vertical printout, because somelecterns are very difficult to use.

For over 40 years I’ve tried justabout every style Bill Matthewsmentions and settled on the use offull notes, as it gives me powerover the creative use of word choices. To “turn a phrase” whilead-libbing is very difficult. Thanks,Bill, for the four tips for success.They are noteworthy.Larry Hurley • Bay of Quinte Toastmasters • Trenton, Ontario, Canada

Looking from the Outside InI was captivated by the article“Know Thy Culture” (October). Somany articles about understandingcultural differences contain recycled,heard-it-all-before information. Thiswas a great look at listening to a“typical” American speaker from anoutside perspective. I laughed,learned a lot and came away feelingenriched for having read the piece.

Thanks for an A+ article. Dena Harris, ATMB • Blue Moon ToastmastersGreensboro, North Carolina

Remembering CoryMy congratulations to you foranother exciting issue of Toastmastermagazine and to Corin Ramos forher fantastic article, “Cory Aquino:The Philippines’ Plain-SpokenLeader” (October). I was moved andimpressed by the content. It was atribute to our dear president Cory

Enjoying the Fun for the Long RunIt was quite refreshing to read theletter written by Steve Richards fromLuxembourg (“Am I the Only One?”,June). There are members out there,like Steve and I, and hopefully manymore, still enjoying the Toastmastersexperience out of sheer fun. This ismy first year in a Toastmasters cluband I love to attend the friendlymeetings. Not only have I met lovelyand supportive people with whomI can easily chat – I also go therefor the fun and laughter.

Last but not least, I go there togain confidence in public speaking.While I understand that for some theprofessional benefits brought to themby Toastmasters are outstanding, formany others the benefits of socialinteraction, the enjoyment of listeningto the stories of their fellow Toast -masters, and the laughter and funfar exceed any other expectations.Andrea Daniel • Western Lectern Toastmasters Baulkham Hills, Australia

A Note of PraiseAs soon as I noticed the headline“In Defense of Using Notes” on thecover of the August Toastmaster, myheart rate increased. Cheers for BillMatthews’ article, “The Script asFriend and Foe,” for his guidingpoints on using full notes for publicspeaking. It’s about time someonestepped outside the Toastmasters’mantra-like call for speaking awayfrom the lectern and avoiding theuse of notes.

As I teach a yearly course onpublic speaking and presentationskills, I always encourage writingout a full script and speaking fromit (even when using a PowerPointpresentation). I show how to printout your script at 18-20 point size,and I urge bringing a horizontal and

Do you have something to say? Write it in 200 wordsor less, sign it with your name, address and clubaffiliation and send it to [email protected].

Professional Photographers NeededWe’re seeking professional photographers’ submissions foruse in Toastmasters publications and PR materials. Pleasesubmit photos of real Toastmasters speaking at a lectern,applauding in an audience, pounding a gavel, answeringTable Topics or performing other TI-related activities. Formore information, visit www.toastmasters.org/prophotos.

T

By Richard Stanley MY TURN

December 2009 TOASTMASTER 5

My Ice Breaker� Okay. Here I go. The Toastmasterof the Day has completed my intro-duction and the last few preciousmoments of safety are gone. It’s timeto rise and walk to the podium .. .I mean, lectern.

I feel a sensation. I recognize itas the same feeling I get when theguard rail clicks in front of me on aroller coaster just before it starts tomove. Whatever happens, I am nowcommitted to seeing this speechthrough. Feelings of excitement, fearand acceptance of the inevitablewell up within me.

I scan the audience of eager facesfull of anticipation. They all look atme, smiling with encouragement.

That’s right, smile – I shoulddo that. Now words. I should saysome words. What was that cleverintroduction I had written out? Ican’t remember. I stare at my notesand they look like ants crawlingon a page. Time is ticking by.Say something!

“Hello, my fellow Toastmasters ... ”Not original, but good enough. Itended the silence.

The words are starting to flow.They are similar to what I wrote andrehearsed, but not exactly the same.I keep paraphrasing all the eloquentand meaningful sentences I hadlabored to perfect. I was not expect-ing that, but it’s okay. I am speaking.Yes, actually speaking! I was doingwhat I thought I could never do.

A few weeks ago, after monthsof watching others speak, I finallyworked up the courage to give myfirst speech. Between then and now,I’ve paddled through swells of enthu -siasm and tidal waves of self-doubt.

But now I am speaking, and it’snot bad. I can talk and the audience

Red. I see a flashing red. Thatmeans something. I am out of time.How?! I just started, and I wantmore time.

“In conclusion . . . ”Unoriginal and awkward. Again.

Maybe I am not Abraham Lincoln yet.I leave the lectern, exhale in relief

and decide that speaking is reallylike riding a roller coaster: It’s scaryand thrilling at the same time; fullof ups and downs. And just like allgreat roller-coaster rides, I want torun back in line for another go. Butmaybe with a better planned joke.

That’s the story of my firstToastmasters speech. Now I’m thepresident of my club, but parts ofthat experience have been repeatedin nearly all my speeches.

When new members ask me foradvice about their Ice Breakers, Itell them not to worry about sharingpearls of wisdom, because that’snot the important part. The impor-tant part is realizing that you havesomething worth saying, and sayingit will not kill you.

So don’t be discouraged whenyour speech stalls as your mindgoes blank or a joke falls flat. Ithappens to all of us and we allknow what it’s like.

Richard Stanley is president of FluorDiscovery Toastmasters and a pro -cess engineer at Fluor Corporationin Irvine, California. You can reachhim at [email protected].

seems to be listening. It’s time forthe joke. I’ve rehearsed this joke.It is perfect and will really put meover the top. I tell it. Blank expres-sions from the audience. Politelaughter maybe, but mostly nolaughter. What happened?

I remind myself not to panic.Keep going. I look at my notes, try-ing to find the right spot. Just keeptalking; get back into the rhythm.

Okay, I’m back on track.Suddenly, my mind goes blank.

Everything is gone. The universestops and empties. It refills withaudience. Lots ofaudience, butno words. I canonly blink.

“Uh . . . um .. . yousee . . . like. . . uh,” mymouth continuessaying, while my mind tries to figure out what to do.

Stop! Calm down. Breathe.Breathe deeper.

Time is ticking. Expectant faceskeep looking at me. Those encour-aging smiles reappear. I look at mynotes again and pick another spot.“Another thing is . . . ”

Awkward, but it will have todo. I missed some important points,some great stories, but it can’t behelped now. At least the words areback and flowing.

The audience is engaged again.I’m feeling it now. The words arecoming easily and I am going in adirection I hadn’t planned to. Ajoke comes out of nowhere. Every -one laughs loudly. How did thathappen? I tell another joke and theylaugh again. This is great! I havethem in the palm of my hand.Abe Lincoln has nothing on me.

Surviving theroller-coaster

ride of thatfirst speech.

“The important part is

realizing that you have

something worth saying.”

PROFILE


By Julie Bawden Davis

As if They Were His Own

Linda Stanley is a Chicago-basedofficer of Orphans International,as well as a past member of theRoosevelt Island Toastmasters. Shesays the speaking and negotiationskills Luce acquired in Toastmastershelp him on a regular basis.“Jim is very positive and animated

when he speaks, and he inspiresconfidence while sharing difficultissues facing orphans,” Stanley says.“For instance, he is in Sri Lanka todaywriting for the Huffington Post frompersonal interviews he is doing withchildren’s aid workers from the civilwar conflict zone. His speaking andlistening skills are carrying himthrough these challenging discussions.”Luce ran the organization while

working on Wall Street, but in 2004,when Northern Indonesia was dev-astated by an offshore earthquake

For Jim Luce, a trip to Indonesiato help a friend changed hisown life. On a drive through

the countryside in 1995, the formerWall Street investor made a fatefulvisit to an orphanage.“I’m not sure why I stopped,

but I felt compelled to do so,” saysLuce. “The facility was clean but visibly struggling with poverty.There were six volunteers to carefor 200 children.”One of those children, a 10-month-

old boy, stood up in his crib andreached out his arms when he sawLuce. “It was incredible,” says Luce.“Energy flowed between us, and itwas as if he was saying, ‘I’m yourchild.’ I fell madly in love instantly.”Right then and there, Luce decidedto adopt the child, who he namedMathew. Nine months later he tookthe boy home to New York City.As excited as he was about

adopting Mathew, Luce felt hauntedby the other 199 orphans he hadleft behind. After telling his mother,a child psychologist, about his feel-ings, she suggested he stop com-plaining and do something about it. “To humor my mother I began

working on a feasibility studyregarding orphanages, which endedup being 350 pages and took twoyears to write,” he says. “She agreedto edit the proposal, which lookedat how orphanages are built tradi-tionally and how they can be design -ed differently so that the occupantscan bond with adults and becomemore mainstreamed into society. Thedocument also addressed the idea of

starting a nonprofit to build orphan-ages around the world.”Just two weeks after he finished the

proposal, his mother died suddenly.Luce was stunned to learn that shehad willed him part of her estate sothat he could start an organization fororphans. Not long after, his brother,Rick, who had been struggling withcancer, also passed away. But beforehe died, he made Luce promise thathe would realize his dream.“On his deathbed, Rick said he

took my vision seriously, and hewas leaving money in his will forthe project. He also made mepromise to become a Toastmasterso that I could learn to effectivelycommunicate my vision.” Keepinghis word, Luce joined the RooseveltIsland Toastmasters in New YorkCity, where he was a member from2001 to 2008.

Taking ActionToday, Luce credits Toastmastersfor giving him the direction andcourage to make his dream a reality.He heads up the New York City-based nonprofit Orphans Interna -tional Worldwide, which has openedorphanages around the world incountries such as Haiti, Indonesia,Tanzania, Sri Lanka, the DominicanRepublic and India. The group’smission is to help orphaned andabandoned children grow to becomesolid citizens of the world, and itsbasic principle is simple: Everyoneinvolved in the organization musttreat each child in their care as ifhe or she were their own.

How TI gave a humanitarian the courageto transform the world’s orphanages.


that created the deadlyIndian Ocean tsunami,the need for orphanagesskyrocketed.

“Two weeks after the 2004 tsuna-mi, I was in Indonesia standing inthe mud trying to figure out what todo with all of the orphans,” he says.“We found a village that wasn’thurt, talked to the village elders andgot them to agree to build a projectthere.” During that trip he realizedthat he could no longer divide hisloyalty between Wall Street andhelping orphans, so he made a life-altering decision to quit work anddonate all of his money, includinghis 401K, to Orphans International.“I wanted to commit myself to

helping orphans for the rest of mylife, and I couldn’t do so halfheart-edly,” he says. “By giving away allof my money, I knew that I was init all of the way.”Initially, Luce created orphanages

from small homes that could house

for Humanity, while his motherwas a leader in the Civil Rightsmovement.Luce’s energy and capacity to help

others seems to know no bounds.Stephen Chen, co-founder of Green -Soul Shoes, which strives to put shoeson underprivileged kids throughoutthe world, says Luce has been amentor and a powerful influence.“I’ve been inspired by Jim’s

passion and his mission,” says Chen.“The fact that he took a vow ofpoverty is amazing in itself. I admirehis concept of global citizenship,which really resonates with me.He has a good macro-view of theworld, and he’s as adventuroustoday as when he started.”When asked what keeps him

motivated, Luce says, “If this weremerely academic, I would never beable to sustain the energy neededto move forward. But it is all tooreal. I have come out of airportsaround the world, and been greet-ed by a dozen kids holding ban-ners that say ‘Welcome Home,Uncle Jim.’ To know these childrenwhen they come into OrphansInternational – often in poor physi-cal and emotional health – and seethem year after year, growing intohappy, well-adjusted individuals,is my greatest reward.“My ultimate dream is to see an

end to orphanages in my lifetime,with all children in need placedwith extended families.”For more information about

Orphans International Worldwide,visit www.oiww.org. The JamesJay Dudley Luce Foundationwww.lucefoundation.org fundsthe administration of orphanages.For information about Jim Luce,visit www.jimluce.com.

Julie Bawden Davis is a freelancewriter based in Southern Californiaand a longtime contributor to theToastmaster. You can reach her [email protected].

T

four children. While these were successful, he eventually found thata full-care model works better inmany countries. Such a systemincorporates extended family care-takers in a community-center settingthat includes vocational training forthe caretakers so that they can theo-retically afford to pay for the chil-dren in the future. Health support isalso offered, as well as computer lit-eracy and English language training.Luka Martin is director of

Orphans International Tanzania. Anative of the country, he has beenimpressed with the organization,and especially Luce. “Jim is a greatman,” he says. “He is open toeveryone and has offered his life tohelp others. The world needs a lotmore Jims.”

Learning Compassion EarlyBorn and raised in Ohio, Lucewas – not surprisingly – the type ofkid who picked up stray animals;his first was a mutt that he got fromthe animal shelter when he was 7.Both of his parents were highlyactive in social change: His fatherled protests against the VietnamWar and was involved in Habitat

Jim Luce, with youngstersin a Haiti orphanage. Theformer Toastmaster headsup Orphans InternationalWorldwide.

T


By Theodore Lustig, DTM

The Most Difficult Speech:the Eulogy

improved the organization or theworkplace environment.

You, as the speaker, shouldaccept that the audience is not thereto judge you, but rather to payrespects to a loved one or friend.Your delivery should be brief, butclear; appropriate, but not trite. Ifyou are so overcome that you can’tcontinue, there is no shame instopping to regain your composure.As Shakespeare once wrote, “Tearswater our growth.”

“Don’t worry about deliveringa perfect speech,” writes GarrySchaeffer, author of A Labor of Love:How to Write a Eulogy. “No oneexpects you to have the deliveryof a great orator or the stage pres-ence of an actor. Just be you; thatis enough.”

“Writing and delivering a eulogyis a noble gesture worthy of thoughtand effort,” adds Schaeffer. “This isan opportunity to make a contribu-tion to a memorial service; a contri-bution your friends and family willremember for a long time.

“Think of a eulogy as a gift toyourself and others. Embrace theopportunity to brighten an other-wise dark time.”

Theodore Lustig, DTM, is a memberof the Round Rock Chambermastersclub in Round Rock, Texas. He canbe reached at [email protected].

Even for those used to speakingin public, delivering a eulogy

can be overwhelming. If the deceasedis a beloved relative, close friend orco-worker, personal emotions cancloud clear thinking and self-con-trol. But if asked, it is an honor anda challenge that should be accepted.

At many funerals, the religiousleader presiding over the service isthe person giving the eulogy, yettoo often it’s painfully apparent thatthis person, though well-intentioned,did not know the deceased well –or at all. Thus, his words may offerlittle comfort or closure to grievers.A more personal and knowledge-able approach is required. But howdoes one choose the words anddemeanor that will fulfill the purposeof a eulogy?

Having given eulogies for bothmy father and mother, and perhapsa dozen close friends, I know how

daunting this responsibility canbe. Here are a few suggestions for delivering what may well be themost difficult speech one couldever give:

As with any other type of speech,how you organize the eulogy is critical. Among the first things todecide is the purpose you wish toachieve. To best attain that purpose,should the tone be solemn, light orsomething in between? Sometimesa unifying theme, built around aspecific period in the individual’s

life (youth, workingyears, old age, etc.) ora partic ular character-istic (sense of humor, generosity, artisticability, etc.), can helpin finding a focus.

The best eulogiesare sincere in thought, purposefulin language, well paced and justlong enough to achieve yourdesired goals. Mean ingful anec-dotes drawn from your own experience, or from family and others who knew the person,add valuable perspectives.

Provide Insights, Not ChronologyA eulogy should be an evocativeremembrance of the deceased’slife. Avoid presenting a simplisticchronology from birth to death;rather, talk about what that lifemeant to those who loved or

knew the person. In one of his lastspeeches, Martin Luther King Jr.prophetically noted that, “the quality,not the longevity, of one’s life iswhat is important.”

If you’re a relative, address theindividual’s contribution to familylife, stressing what characteristicsor personal qualities will be mostmissed. If you’re a friend, talk abouthow the friendship started, its basisand what you gained from that relationship. If you’re a work col-league, illustrate how this person

The remembrance of a loved oneprovides comfort and closure.

“No one expects you to have the delivery

of a great orator or the stage presence

of an actor. Just be you; that is enough.”


toSpeakChiBrutally honest and

easily distracted,

children have a

way of unnerving even the most

experienced speakers. But professional

classroom speakers know that with the

right preparation and an open mind,

there’s no need to fear a young audience.

By Linda McGurk


kingildren

How professional speakerswork with younger audiences.

them to feel like you’re an equal, but not like you’re trying to be like them.”

Paul has presented his anti-bullying and character-building school assembly programs to more than 600,000children, and says his own kids, who range from ages 11to 21, have helped him develop his puppet show overtime. By stepping into their world – watching shows onNickelodeon and the Disney Channel, finding out whatmusic they listen to and doing a lot of research on theInternet – Paul has been able to create school-assemblyprograms that kids relate to and that effectively tie in withthe appropriate age group. He also stays up-to-date withnew technology and communicates his message througha Web site, a Facebook page, a blog and Twitter. Keepingup with the times, he explains, is absolutely necessary ifyou are to succeed when speaking to children.

“You’ve got to keep your eyes and ears open forwhat’s going on. For example, my characters don’t talkabout CD players anymore – they talk about iPods,”Paul says. “When I started out, Power Rangers were really big. Today it’s SpongeBob SquarePants.”

Make It Fun and Use VisualsKids are ready to be entertained and are more likely totake your message to heart if they’re enjoying them-selves in the process. And frankly, they don’t have theattention span required to sit quietly and listen to astranger tell his story from behind a lectern. Jim Jordan,a motivational speaker specializing in educationalschool-assembly programs, says a sense of humor isessential for anybody wanting to succeed as a speaker in an elementary-school setting: “Kids love to laugh.They laugh like 200 times per day, while adults onlylaugh 15 times a day. When I come into the classroom,the first words that come out of my mouth are, ‘I hopeyou guys are ready to have fun!’”

Jordan was a professional clown for 20 years beforebecoming a motivational speaker, and he uses magictricks to get his message across because they help keepthe younger children stimulated and entertained. “ForK–3 students, pretty much everything is visual, becauseif you speak to them for two or three minutes on endthey’ll end up in a coma. As the age bracket moves up,I use less magic.” However, Jordan points out that themagic is only a tool to communicate his character-building and anti-bullying messages, and he is carefulnot to sacrifice content for entertainment.

Jerry Jacoby, a professional speaker also dubbed, “theKid Motivator,” uses comical stories and music to deliverhis program “Real Character is No Accident,” which teacheschildren about honesty, integrity, respect and responsi -bility. “My contents are never presented in a serious,teaching way. The kids don’t want to be preached at,”

So shed your adult clothes, bring out your best propsand get ready to entertain. This is how you speak to theprimary-grade crowd and have fun doing it.

Whether you’re considering a career as a motivationalspeaker for kids or just want to make an occasional pre-sentation at your local elementary school, many lessonscan be learned from those who specialize in speaking tochildren. They’ll tell you that young audiences can beunpredictable, boisterous and demanding. More oftenthan not, the kids are only attending your presentationbecause they have to and, unlike adults, a group of first-graders are unlikely to pay attention to you or laugh atyour jokes out of sheer politeness. That doesn’t neces-sarily make them a more difficult audience, but definitelya different one.

Put Yourself in Their ShoesIf you’re like most adults, you probably don’t rememberwhat it was like to be seven years old and dreamingabout becoming an astronaut or a pop star. When we’reyoung, we have the whole world at our feet, but as wegrow older and are bombarded by messages about whatwe can and can’t do, our youthful innocence slowly dissipates and we start living our lives in our headsrather than following our hearts. If you’ll be speakingto elementary-school children, then reconnect with yourkid instincts, advises Richard Paul, an award-winningmotivational speaker and ventriloquist.

“When you talk to kids, you’ve got to think like a kid.You’ve got to be a little goofy and take off your adulthat,” Paul says. “Remember what it was like to be a kidand let it come out through your adult self. You want


(Continued on page 18)

he says. “My pieces are all short and full of comedy. Youdon’t want to give the kids too much time to think.”

Keep It MovingOne of the primary differences between a presentationgeared to kids in a school assembly and one for adultsin the workplace or corporate conference is the paceand energy level. As a general rule, the younger theaudience, the faster the program needs to move and themore animated the speaker has to be. “If I have a char-acter out, I use it for four to five minutes and then Imove on to something else,” says Paul, the ventriloquist,about presenting to kids in the primary grades. “The stories are shorter and I get to the point more quickly.”

While adults may happily sit through a 90-minute presentation, Paul usually caps his elementary-schoolprograms at 45 minutes, and keeps it even shorter thanthat if the presentation is outside, where he has to compete with more distractions. The key is keeping theprogram action-packed and varied. “Never stop talkingand never go backstage to get something, or you’ll totally lose the kids,” he says. Keep in mind that moving the program along swiftly

doesn’t equal speeding up your speech. In fact, the aver-age adult speaks at a rate of 160 – 170 words per minute,whereas children from ages five to seven only can processabout 124 words per minute, according to a study by RayHull, an audiology professor at Wichita State University. Ifyou speak too quickly and don’t articulate the words clear-ly enough, you risk overloading children’s central nervoussystems and impairing their ability to absorb and processnew information. That means a child who appears inatten-tive could, in fact, be having difficulty understanding you.

Let the Kids ParticipateKids are egocentric, and successful speakers often tapinto the youngsters’ desire to be seen and heard. Engagingthe children in the presentation is one surefire methodto grab and keep their attention It can be done in anynumber of ways.When Jacoby enters a school assembly, he’s already

got a student lined up to help introduce him. Then he’ll

plunge right into his program, telling real-life and fiction-al stories, playing the guitar and singing songs that tieinto his character-building and anti-bullying themes. “Iget the audience involved with echoing [the messages],and I bring a lot of kids up to help me. That’s always awinner; they love to volunteer. I never pick a child whodoesn’t want to participate,” Jacoby says. “I always wantthe first row of kids to be seated close, about five feet in front of me. I prefer not to be on a stage, unlessthere’s a huge audience. Most of the time I’m on thefloor, because I want the kids who are supposed to helpout to be able to come up really quickly.”Jordan also uses audience participation to reiterate his

message. For kindergartners, for example, he illustrateshow to rise above the otherschools and glow in the com-munity by letting the kidspass around a magical floatingball. For the primary-gradestudents, he’s found thatquizzes work well for review -ing the message, and thekids love the animal balloonshe hands out for prizes. “It’sgot to be about them, you’ve

got to dangle a carrot in front of them,” he says, because“they ask themselves, ‘What’s in it for me?’”

Tell Them the RulesA common fear among those who don’t have experiencespeaking to kids is that the audience will become dis-tracted or rowdy. This problem can be avoided by takingtwo actions: Keep a good command of the stage and beprepared to present yourself with authority. Kids needboundaries and it’s important to let them know inadvance what the rules are, and that you will be thecenter of attention during the presentation.“I tell the kids that if they want to say something,

they need to raise their hands,” says Melanie Jones, aprofessional classroom speaker and founder of the non-profit organization Speak to Children. Jones, who left acorporate career 10 years ago to speak to children aboutpersonal values, adds that she asks the kids to keep theirhands on their desks and their eyes on her.During the presentation, Jones moves around the

classroom and makes frequent eye contact with the chil-dren to make sure they are paying attention. “Sometimesyou’ll have kids who are unhappy, maybe because theirparents are going through a divorce, and they’re actingout. A child might throw a fit and you don’t know why.When I have kids who don’t follow the rules, I give

“Kids love to laugh. They laugh like 200 times

per day, while adults only laugh 15 times a

day. When I come into the classroom, the

first words that come out of my mouth are,

‘I hope you guys are ready to have fun!’”

HOW TO


Tips for a New Year’s Eve ToastAs a professional magician

I’m constantly asked, “Canyou show me a magic trick?”

I smile and consent to conjure up amiracle or two. It’s an occupationalhazard. Toastmasters are constantlyfaced with requests for similar com-mand performances – for instance,to stand up and “say a few words”at family gatherings, or holidaymeals, or to give a toast to theNew Year. To avoid a real-life,spur-of-the-moment Table Topicstest, remember to be prepared and follow the ABCs of toasting. Tobegin a well-thought-out toast, consider the following three A’s:audience, agenda and ability:

AudienceParties and gatherings are a meltingpot of ages, genders, relationships,educational levels and ethnicities;all these folks carry high expecta-tions for Toastmasters to speak withpoise and confidence. Feeling thepressure? Take a deep breath .. .exhale. Release that mental stressby asking yourself some questionsbeforehand about the audience you’llbe facing. Answer those questionsand your anxieties will vanish asfear of the unknown dissolves, espe-cially when you stress the positive.For example, you might ask,

“What is the age range of this audience?” Answer: 20- to 40-year-olds. So you say to yourself, “Yeah,no kids!” Or you ask, “What’s myrelationship to the people heretonight?” Answer: They’re friendsand family. So you say to yourself,“Great – no co-workers or boss!”In addition, the more you know

about your audience, the easier it isto create the appropriate contentfor your toast.

Ability Whether you’re an executive usedto talking to a crowd or just start-ing out in Toastmasters, be sure toevaluate your skill level. Practiceone or all of the Special OccasionSpeeches (Item 226N) at your cluband you’ll no doubt receive valuablefeedback. Some people get verynervous when they have to talk infront of a group. Even seasoned

speakers frequently talktoo fast, causing spectatorsto ask their neighbor,“What did he say?” By honing in on your skillsthrough practice, you canbuild the experience andself-confidence necessaryto communicate effectively.

V V

As the author of the bookTasteful Toasts, the

question I’m asked the mostis, “How long should a toastbe?” In a word: short. Be asbrief as possible. It may seemlike a cliché, but leave themwanting more. If you aregoing to speak for as longas five minutes, you’d betterbe outstanding and bring

AgendaToasts are most engaging whenthree primary elements are clearlydefined: Why are we celebrating?Who are we honoring? And whatis the point you as the toaster wantto make? Knowing what you wantto say keeps you calm, even whilestanding in front of a party of peoplewith all eyes focused on you.Use a succinct sentence to

explain the agendaand set the foundationfor your toast. Forexample, “I find whenfamilies pause theirbusy lives to gatherfrom five differentcities and share stories,our holiday meal timesbecome magical.”

When toasting, remember your ABCs.

By Michael Varma, ATMG, ALB

“Say something pithy

and spirits remain light;

say something serious

and people become

reflective. Take advantage

of this precious time

and use it wisely.”


Speaking to Children(Continued from page 16)

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your Grade-A material. For first-timetoasters and experienced speakersalike, I recommend following thethree B’s: be brief, be bold, be done.

Be Brief Two minutes is a terrific targettime for a tasteful toast. Keep yourremarks short and simple and yourtoast will have a greater effect. Ifyou hit five minutes, the snorebore alarm will begin to sound.

Be Bold Enunciate clearly and project yourvoice to the back of the room toensure everyone can hear your words.Display poise and confidence.

Be DoneWhen finished, sit down. Avoidthe urge to take a bow or return foran encore performance. Remember,the purpose of a toast is to shine agentle spotlight on, and pay tributeto, a specific person or event.Say your toast and then returnthe attention to the honored guestand festivities.

V V

Dec. 31 will soon be here andToastmasters across the globe

will be called to convey, with con-viction, a reflection on 2009 and a

vision of prosperity for 2010. Yes,I am refering to the New Year’s Evetoast. And as promised, it’s as easyas A, B and now C: communicate,commemorate and celebrate.

Communicate Your first remarks before the mid-night hour will slow the hands oftime, and party participants will gather round for a message of inspi-ration. A short joke will bring laughsfollowed by a few seconds of silence.These golden ticks of the clock arewhen people will look to you for yournext witty comment – it’s humannature. In this pivotal moment youcontrol the room and set the mood.Say something pithy and spirits remainlight; say something serious and peo-ple become reflective. Take advan-tage of this precious time and use itwisely. Know what you want to saybefore you say it.

Commemorate The new year means a fresh startfor many people. It’s a time toremember the past before steppinginto the future. It’s also a time toacknowledge the struggles you’veencountered and obstacles you’veovercome. Place your thoughts onpaper and you will be poised withwords that honor the sacrifices andcommemorate the victories.

Celebrate When both hands of the clockpoint to 12, you can celebrate thefact that everyone’s goals will beestablished and resolutions made.Give a toast to motivate listenersto be better in their personal andprofessional endeavors and to facethe future with confidence. Raiseyour glass to celebrate the achieve-ments to come.

V V

Merely reading this article willnot make you an expert or

smooth-talking toasting machine,but it will start you on the rightpath. Similarly, I can read how toperform a magic trick but it requirespractice until polished to a qualityperformance level – that’s no illu-sion. Make a resolution to followthe three ABCs of toasting andpractice in front of friends or family,and your audience will cheer asyou bring in the new year.

Michael Varma, ATMG, ALB, is amember of BergenMeistersToastmasters club in Orange,California, and the author of thebook, Tasteful Toasts, available fromwww.toastmasters.org/shop.Reach him at www.michaelvarma.com.

Whether your aim is to talk at alocal elementary school or becomea professional motivational speakerfor kids, these tips will help you getyour message across. You can helpyoung people grow up stronger,smarter and better prepared to facethe future.

Linda McGurk is a communicationsspecialist and freelance writerbased in Indiana. Reach her atwww.mcgurkmedia.com.

them a choice: They can either stayor leave, and I tell them that wecan talk about it afterward.”

The good news is that a speakerwho’s engaging, entertaining andenergetic rarely needs to worryabout losing the kids’ attention orrespect, at least not on the elemen-tary-school level. Speaking to chil-dren definitely requires a certain

mindset and may not be for every-one, but successfully using your tal-ent to help kids make the rightchoices in life can be a rewardingexperience. “Go out there and havefun,” Paul suggests for those whowant to tackle a young audiencefor the first time. “Know that youtouched the heart and soul of achild today. If I can get a kid tostop bullying or to want to dosomething with his life, then Ihave accomplished my goal.”

FUNNY YOUSHOULD SAY THAT!By John Cadley


How to be first-ratewhen you celebrate.

him or her in a new light, such as,“Most of you probably don’t knowthat Jack is a CIA operative . . . ”

Technically, you’re not supposedto write your toast out and read itfrom the paper, but I would encour-age you to do it anyway. Then ifyou faint, someone else can read itand you’ll still get the credit.

Don’t try to be funny. Humorrequires talent and timing, whichI have noted to be in short supplyamong the general population.Don’t try it. I once attended awedding where the best man gavewhat he thought was an uproari-ous monologue about the groom’spast romantic exploits. The bridewas furious, her mother was intears and her father was makinga phone call to have his futureson-in-law’s kneecaps broken.That’s not funny.

And please, don’t cry. Yes, it is anemotional occasion but sobbing isnot something people like to watchwhile they hold crystal champagneflutes over their heads, especiallywhen your nose is running and youhave nothing to wipe it with. What’sworse, it makes the toast about you,and it’s not about you.

Avoid clichés. Standing up andannouncing, “I would like to pro-pose a toast” is like saying, “Hi,folks, I’m standing up here in rent-ed, ill-fitting formal wear performinga task I couldn’t avoid, although Idid briefly consider leaving thecountry.” People know that. Saysomething original. (And when youdo say something original, pleasetell me what it is, since – in the

� When you tell someone you’re aToastmaster, they might reasonablyconclude that you are a master atgiving toasts. And yet what Toast -masters really give are speeches,and Rule No. 1 of toasting is that itshould never be a speech. Those listening are poised with variouslibations that they are eager todrink, and if you talk for more thana couple of minutes you are verylikely to become toast yourself.

Lest any Toastmaster suffer thatfate, I offer here a few brief obser -vations that may prove valuable thenext time you’re asked to performthis time-honored ritual.

First, you need a festive occasion.You can’t toast, say, a dehumidifier.Weddings, anniversaries, retirements,baby showers – anything that denotesboth a joyous achievement and thepromise of still better things tocome. I’ve always thought divorcefits that description nicely but youdon’t see divorced people toastingeach other, for some reason.

You also need an audience.You can’t propose a toast in anempty room. It shows you’vemissed the point.

Make sure everyone has a glass.It looks funny when nine peopleare raising one glass, and even morecomical when they all try to drinkout of it at the same time.

Know what you are going to sayahead of time. A memorable toastrarely starts with, “Boy, you’ve reallycaught me by surprise, here . . . ” Itdoes, however, usually contain somelittle-known fact about the honoreethat helps those assembled to see

459,368 toasts I’ve heard so far inmy life – I have yet to hear somuch as an original syllable.)

Finally, honor your butterflies.Everyone says not to be nervous,but what are the chances of that?It’s like standing in front of a firingsquad and having someone say,“Relax, this will only take a minute.”Besides, the very custom of toastingcame into being precisely becauseof nervousness. This was backwhen poisoning was in vogueamong Greek royalty. If the Kingfelt threatened, he’d lure his sus-pected enemies to the castle underthe guise of a friendly feast, slip alittle arsenic into their wine, andhave them carted off to the boneyard. Consequently, any invitationfor a meal with the Big Guy wasgreeted with a certain .. . nervousness.This led to the guests insisting thatthe King take the first sip. Yousee, in those days, “a drink to yourhealth,” had a far more literal mean-ing. Even the clinking together ofglasses was originally meant to spillsome of your wine into the nextguy’s, so if he was poisoning you,you could return the favor.

Hence, if you have to give atoast, here’s my toast to you: Mayyour verbiage lack verbosity, mayyour sentiment be unsentimentaland may your words sparkle likethe champagne (or cider) you’redying to drink.

John Cadley is an advertising copy-writer in Syracuse, New York. Reachhim at [email protected].

Clink, Clink, Clink. (Gulp)

T


By Don GaborHoliday Office Party

your hand when you meet a mem-ber of the opposite sex? You mightbe surprised, but plenty of peopleare confused about this critical partof introductions at office gatherings.Blame it on decades-old etiquettethat instructed a gentleman to waitfor a lady to extend her hand first,but that is as passé as a lady drop-ping a hankie to start a conversationwith a handsome passerby! Today,not offering to shake hands with amember of the opposite sex willpeg a man as sexist and a womanas unsure of herself. Therefore, atoffice celebrations and everywhereelse, for that matter – excludingfor religious, cultural or physicalreasons – both men and womenshould take the initiative to shakehands with everyone they meet.

As a Toastmaster, you know that all speaking is public

speaking – whether you are giving a Table Topics

presentation at your local club or making small talk with

colleagues and clients at the holiday office party. Of course,

if an “ah” or “um” slips into one of your speeches, probably

no one (except perhaps another Toastmaster) will ever know.

party is a sure-fire way to attractattention, but not the kind that willboost your career. This blunder canquickly send your prospects foradvancement into a downward spiral. Never forget that the officeparty is a business – not social – situation, where most of the rulesof business etiquette apply.

2Not shaking hands when theopportunity presents itself

If it is a part of your culture toshake hands when introducingyourself or greeting people youknow, do you hesitate to extend

Stay clear of conversationfaux pas that can derail

your career.

However, make one of the followingconversation faux pas at the holidayoffice party and your career andprofessional image could be headedfor trouble. Here are the most com-mon career-crunching mistakes:

1Making inappropriatecomments – even in jest

Nothing can ruin a budding or evenestablished career faster than, “let-ting your hair down,” in a way thatkeeps your colleagues whispering,“Can you believe what he said?”Using sexual innuendo or tellingoff-color jokes at the holiday work

Talk Smart at the

T


3Talking only withyour officemates

Chatting for a few minutes at season -al office gatherings with your workbuddies is all part of the fun, but ifyou stay ensconced in your closedcircle of friends for too long, newco-workers, prospects or otherswill quickly cast you and your col-leagues as cliquish, disinterestedand not open to outsiders. Stayingin one place too long, whether youare talking to someone or nibblingon the appetizers, will also give theimpression that you’re shy, self-conscious or lacking confidence.Instead, chat with your buddiesfor a few minutes and then moveto different areas of the room tointroduce yourself to others youwant to get to know better.

4Asking more than three closed-ended questions in a row

“Do you work in our office?”, “Howlong have you worked here?” or“Who is your supervisor?” Yikes!You’re at a holiday office party – nota job interview or an interrogation.Asking three or more closed-endedquestions in a row will certainly stifleconversation and make others feeluncomfortable. Instead, show atten-tiveness and a desire to find com-mon ground by asking open-endedquestions that encourage others toelaborate and reveal free informa-tion. Begin questions with “Why .. .”or “What do you think about . . .”to accomplish this. Then based onwhat you hear that interests you,respond with follow-up questionsand information of your own.

5Talking too much ortoo little about yourself

“So, enough about my job! Let meshow you a picture of my kids(cats, car, etc.)!” Sure, people loveto talk about themselves, their pets,kids and grandchildren, but if youare the one doing all the talking atthe office party, you could quickly

lectures about his or her pet socialissues. The trap often begins withthe seemingly innocent words,“Don’t you think that . . . ?” or “Inmy humble opinion . . . .” However,

if you rebut with even a few wordsyou’ll be in for an earful – and notthe kind of conversation that mostpeople at parties enjoy. Further -more, discussing controversial top-ics in this situation often polarizes people who otherwise get along.The best thing to do when someonebrings up a political or controversialsubject is say, “I never discuss suchtopics at parties.” Then it’s up toyou to change the discussion to aless volatile subject.

Holiday Office Parties OfferGolden Opportunities to HoneYour Communication SkillsThe holiday office party is a greatplace to make small talk, establishrapport and build better relation-ships with your colleagues, acquain-tances and clients. As long as youfocus on upbeat subjects that leadto sharing common professional andpersonal interests, goals and experi-ences, you’ll have plenty to talk aboutwhile boosting your career and honing your communication skills!

Don Gabor is a professional speakerand author. His newest book isTurn Small Talk into Big Deals:Using 4 Key Conversation Stylesto Customize Your NetworkingApproach, Build Relationships,and Win More Clients (McGraw-Hill Professional). Reach him atwww.dongabor.com.

become a bore to the other guests.On the other hand, if you are tootight-lipped, then people may seeyou as secretive, defensive or lacking interest and enthusiasm.

The remedy is to exchange infor -mation about various light subjectsat about the same rate so that youboth know what the other enjoysand likes to talk about. Offer someinformation and then allow the otherperson enough time to fully respondwith information of their own.

6Complaining or gossipingabout colleagues or clients

You might be tempted and it mayeven be well-deserved, but neverget involved in a gripe sessionabout a colleague or client whileattending a holiday office party.As obvious as this faux pas is, people seem to do it all the time,especially after a few drinks. Evenif you’re not the one making thecrass remarks, if word gets back tothe “offending person” you will stillpay the price long after the partyis over. If possible, politely excuseyourself from the conversation asquickly as you can. However, ifyou find yourself stuck with thisgroup, then take the initiative andbring up something that moves thediscussion to a more positive topic.

7Talking about politics orcontroversial subjects

It never fails – there always seemsto be at least one person at theoffice party who likes to snag colleagues into heavy political“discussions” or offer long-winded

“The holiday office party is a great place

to make small talk, establish rapport and

build better relationships with your

colleagues, acquaintances and clients.”

MANNER OF SPEAKING


By Heather O’Neill, CC

Speaking About Social Responsibilityskills and become financially literate and work-ready. It givesme the opportunity to see howmuch fun kids have while theylearn valuable life skills. As anadded bonus, my sons think I’mpretty cool for doing it!

Pat Kelly is a member of myToastmasters club – the BarnumSquare Toastmasters. She hasinspired me and many others as ateacher and Toastmasters mentorfor an amazing 50 years. A longtime

What is the differencebetween Superman andBizarro? How about

Wonder Woman and Catwoman?Spider-Man and Venom? All of thesecomic book characters have similarpowers, but the hero in each pairuses those amazing powers forgood while the villain uses his orhers for evil. While I’m sure thatno Toastmaster uses their speakingabilities for dastardly deeds, wemight want to ask ourselves: “Am Idoing enough good with the skillsand resources I’ve been given?”

We have a responsibility to our-selves and to our audiences to takeour message to a new level – tohelp people grow, give, be . . . better.As U.S. President Barack Obamasaid in his inaugural address, “Whatis required of us now is a new eraof responsibility – a recognition . . .that we have duties to ourselves,our nation and the world . . . ”

Whether you speak to corpora-tions, small businesses, locallibraries, schools, others in yourown company or simply to thoseat your Toastmasters meetings,there are ways to incorporate analtruistic message.

These days, corporate socialresponsibility is highly valued inthe business world. Many compa-nies strive to be environmentallyconscious, donate to a roster ofcharities or ask their employees tovolunteer for various nonprofits.Can you use your super speaking

powers to save the environment,or is there another worthy causeyou can champion? Ask yourselfhow you can encourage, educate,inspire and motivate people withyour presentations. Here are a fewideas to consider for your companyor for you, personally:

Serve the CommunityIf you work for a company, give apresentation that encourages yourfellow employees to band togetheron a project you are passionateabout. You could center your talkon positive ways to benefit yourcommunity. The camaraderie, -positive energy and constructiveresults will stimulate future action.When people work together, thepossibilities are endless.

Help Those in SchoolYou can help people not just by thespeeches you give, but by theactions you take. For exam-ple, many have drawn ontheir Toastmasters experi-ence to work with youngpeople, volunteering asteachers, tutors andmentors. I volunteerwith JuniorAchievement,a program tohelp K-12studentsdevelopentrepre-neurial

Use your communication skills toinspire, educate and help others.


elementary school teacher in Con -necticut, Pat uses her communicationskills – sharpened over years ofToastmasters training – to help students, and she happily givescountless hours beyond her normalclassroom time. One experience inparticular stands out for Pat whereshe made a difference in a youngman’s life as well as her own. Thehigh school student wasn’t allowedback into his school due to behaviorissues, so Pat tutored him two hoursa day for six months.

“He worked hard, one-on-one,without the distractions of a regularschool day,” she says. “He went onto graduate with his class and thatwas a proud moment for him andfor me.” The extra time she spentworking with this student made allthe difference.

Another longtime Toastmaster,Bryson Dean, is helping young people as well. The 70-year-oldretiree from Iowa City, Iowa, volun-teers her time and efforts to SpeakUp!, an eight-week non-Toastmastersprogram that teaches the basics ofpublic speaking to fifth graders.“We explain what a lectern is, wetalk about how to organize aspeech, brainstorm ideas with thekids, have them write down theirideas, and then after about three orfour sessions they start giving theirspeeches,” says Dean, a member ofthe Old Capitol Toastmasters in

Iowa City. Noting that she was a very

shy youngster in school, Deansays the most important Toast -

masters principle she drawson is the value of giving

encouragement andsupport. “Some of

the previous volunteers

in theSpeak Up!programhad ap -parently

� What are you grateful for?Tell yourself.

� Who and what inspires you?Tell the world.

Nourish the IndividualI am always reading. I believethat if I can learn even one bitof information that can help me,my family or an audience I’ll bespeaking to, then the effort isworthwhile. We can think thatway about our presentations too:If we can help just one individual,then we have provided a valuableservice. What might your audienceneed from you? Perhaps a chanceto think about how they can over-come personal challenges. Or

some ideas on ways they canimprove themselves. Or inspira-tion to create change.

Find your passion – yoursuperpowers, if you will. Speakingfrom the heart will make for morepersuasive, commanding presenta-tions. And remember this: Whetheryou’re giving a speech, doing volunteer work or fighting for aparticular cause, your influencecan improve one person’s life orrally an entire community to takeaction. Toastmasters are often in theenviable position of truly making adifference in the world. And theydon’t even have to wear tights.Now, that’s super!

Heather O’Neill, CC, is a memberof the Barnum Square Toastmastersin Bethel, Connecticut. She is awriter, speaker and environmentaladvocate. Reach her at [email protected].

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been overly critical,” she says. “WhenI evaluate the kids’ speeches, Ialways congratulate them just onthe fact that they did it! They gotup there and spoke. Some of thestudents are more confident thanothers, so you really want toencourage the others.”

Dean volunteers through Retiredand Senior Volunteer Program(RSVP), which presents Speak Up! It is a large volunteer network inthe United States for people 55 andover. (For more information, visithttp://www.seniorcorps.gov/home/site_map/index.asp.)

Toastmasters like Pat Kelly andBryson Dean have used their talentsand time to positively impact young

people. Whether you mentor some-one as a volunteer or simply focuson benevolence in your paidengagements, your attention to theindividual can make a difference.

Stay Positive During Tough Times Author and former Toastmaster,Mary Marcdante, explores many uni-versal and positive subjects throughher books, blogs and presentations.During these often-difficult days,she notes, “It’s so important to keepyourself and the people around youin a mindset that ignites inspiration,appreciation and enthusiasm – thethree key qualities that help yougenerate inspired action duringchallenging times.”

For a practical tip on stayingmotivated and passionate about life,Marcdante suggests asking yourselfthese three questions each day:

� Who do you appreciate?Tell them.

“Toastmasters are often in the

enviable position of truly making

a difference in the world.”


Delivering BadBusiness News

Ihave some good news and some bad news . . . ”

You know the joke. Someone offers upbeat information.

“The good news is that a customer asked if yourwork will appreciate after your death. When I toldhim it would, he bought all your paintings.”

The punch line follows, often involving health,law or religion.

“The bad news is that he was your doctor.”

How to be clearyet comforting.

By Kathy S. Berger

The good news/bad newspair has been a staple of comedyfor years, but it’s not a lesson incommunication.

Delivering bad news toemployees, customers or clientsis far from funny. It is usually adifficult task, making even the bestcommunicators uncomfortable.Unfortunately, it is also becomingmore frequent in today’s tryingeconomic times. Leaders and

“


The Neutral BeginningStart with a simple statement of relevant informationthat everyone in the audience can agree to. This neutralsentence helps draw in the audience and set the stagewith facts about the environment that led to the circum-stances at hand.

“Our business has been affected by the closure of thefactories on Second Street,” is an example. The statement

should be a fact that everyone recognizes. Dependingon the situation, you may state the importance of someelement, such as customer satisfaction, or point out achallenge that everyone can recognize as being difficult.

The neutrality encourages listening; if the first sen-tence is not something most people will readily agreewith, they will form arguments in their head or stop listening. Delivering the bad news in the first sentenceis usually too abrupt and doesn’t give the audienceenough time to anticipate and prepare for the message.Those listening may reject the message or start distancingthemselves from it and fail to absorb it.

Briefly stating a significant, evident fact also sends asignal that the message is serious and has been well-considered. This sets the right tone and gives the audi-ence time to prepare for a serious message. One sentenceis all that is needed – don’t drag it out.

Phyllis Davis Hemphill, co-author of BusinessCommuni cation, calls this neutral beginning a “buffer,”because it helps cushion the blow.

Boiled-Down Bad NewsOnce you’ve set the stage, immediately deliver the badnews in a simple, clear statement. Avoid building sus-pense, and leave no doubt about your message. Choosewords that are not likely to stir emotions.

“The negative should be given once, clearly and notrepeated,” advises Nancy Schullery, professor of business

managers are an nounc- ing layoffs, acquisitions, re organizations,changes in benefits,budget overruns,schedule delays andlow returns. The mes-sages are delivered to

large groups, to smallgroups and in one-on-one conversations.

Is there an easyway? No. But thereare techniques tomake the delivery ofbad news more effec-tive, and knowing thetechniques makes thedelivery easier.

As with any communication, start by analyzing youraudience and identifying information the audience willunderstand and accept. One easy way to pull the entiremessage together is to follow a standard outline. It isn’tthe one-two punch of the good news/bad news joke:Few people appreciate humor in serious situations thatinvolve undesirable outcomes. Instead, effective deliv-ery often contains these four elements:

� A neutral statement both the speaker and audiencecan agree on

� The bad news in one sentence� The impact of the news on the audience� Supporting details and facts

Each element is important; together they can helpyou deliver bad news to an audience of any size.

“Delivering the bad news in the first

sentence is usually too abrupt and doesn’t

give the audience enough time to

anticipate and prepare for the message.”


information systems at Western Michigan University.Schullery, a member of the board of directors of theAssociation for Business Communication, suggestsavoiding negative terms such as “unfortunately,”“dismal,” “mistake” and “misunderstanding.”

“We will be closing this store in four months,” isan example of a simple, clear statement of bad news.

The Connection to the AudienceYour next job is to answer the question that haspopped into the audience’s head: “What does this meanto me?” Many times this portion of the message literallycontains the word “you.” This may not be possiblewhen you are speaking to a large group, but it’s impor-tant to be specific. Use numbers to quantify the situa-tion and provide dates to answer, “When?”

For example: “About 60 percent of you will be relo-cated to other stores. The other 40 percent will receivelayoff notices at the end of next month.”

Supporting FactsFollow up with details, reasons and projections aboutthe future. This supporting information often becomesthe substance of your delivery, showing that the mes-sage is realistic and grounded in fact. You can provideimplementation details. If appropriate, explain otheroptions that were considered and the reasons why theywere rejected.

Here is an example: “We are assessing skills and evaluating the needs at the West Tanner, Centerville andScottsdale stores to determine which employees will beable to move into positions there. The results of the

assessment will help us understand within four weekswhich jobs are in jeopardy.”

Still having the audience’s attention when you givesuch important information depends on the effective-ness of the earlier pieces. If they were not deliveredclearly or seemed overwhelming, the audience mayhave shut down.

A few more examples illustrate the simple outline:

“Our schedule to manufacture and assemble the system has been disrupted by the flooding at oursupplier’s location. The original delivery date hasslipped, and you will have the system on March 10.We have confidence in this date because . . . ”

“The rising cost of health insurance threatensour ability to keep prices competitive. In order tostay in business, the employee contribution to medical benefits will increase in January.Depending on the coverage you elect, yourcosts will range from .. . ”

“The LX-C program was an important part ofour long-term business plan. Losing that proposalmeans leaner years ahead and the possibility oflayoffs in 10 months. The most vulnerable jobsare in . . . ”

“The shortfall in county funds is causing cut-backs in many areas. Each library in the countysystem will have fewer operating hours startingnext month. Beginning May 1, this branch willbe closed . . . ”

Some circumstances – such as issuing reprimandswithin an employee discipline system or handing anindividual employee a layoff notice – may require fol-lowing a prescribed procedure or script. In such cases,be sure to consult with Human Resources or Legal advi-sors. If no guidelines are available, analyze your audi-ence, then use the elements outlined here:

Tips for Delivering Bad News� Be honest. Give accurate information. If you don’tknow the answer to a question, say you don’t know.If you don’t know it off-hand, explain when youcan provide the information accurately and thenfollow through.

� Be open. Avoid “sins of omission” by providing asmuch information as you can. The audience will sensewhen important information is being withheld, even ifeverything said is true. Being open is an important part


T

of earning trust. If you know but can’t share, explainwhy you cannot and reveal when you will be able toprovide the information.

� Keep your message – and language – clear. It is easyto get tripped up in your own words trying to soften theblow, but masking reality is misleading and makes sort-ing out the truth later even more painful. Avoid distort-ing the truth and notice if you are relying on big words– they are often a signal that you are not being direct.

� Acknowledge the emotions and reactions of the audience.Once you state that you understand the anxiety of audi-ence members, for example, you remove their impulseto interrupt and express their emotions. Remember thateven those indirectly affected by the news may need toadapt in some way, and change is usually stressful.Acknowledging such feelings will also put you in theright frame of mind to address the subject appropriatelyand will help you choose language that is most sensitiveto the feelings of others.

� Keep your own emotions in check. Even if you areupset by the news, try to present it without showingyour own distress. To others who are more negativelyaffected than you, a display of emotions may seem insincere or offensive.

� Don’t make the message about you. Don’t say how difficult it is for you to deliver the news or try to playon the audience’s sympathy. One manager, caught up inexpressing how tough the conversation was for him,dragged out the delivery of a layoff notice from 10 min-utes to 45, confusing the employee and unnecessarilyextending the agony for both of them. More messagesshould contain “you” than “I.” You canspeak from the heart, but be awarethat the audience may resent any senti-ments that do not seem sincere.

� “Don’t apologize,” cautions Schullery.“It implies fault,” she explains, and assuch should be avoided in situations where litigationcould become a possibility. Apologies also invite skepti-cism and resentment if the audience disagrees with theaction taken.

� Start early. When provided with even the earliest indi-cations that change may be necessary, employees start tofigure things out for themselves. They begin to preparefor and accept ensuing bad news as more details emerge.Starting early, when sales are first lower than expectedfor instance, fosters trust and minimizes surprises.

� Be specific. Saying that customer orders have droppedfrom 15,000 to 4,200 in one month clarifies the magni-tude of the problem. Details like this also make it evi-dent that the facts have been analyzed and that actionsare based on a clear understanding of the situation. Suchinformation fosters trust that others are taking the bestactions to remedy or at least adjust to the situation.Avoid words like “very”, “dramatically”, “apparently”,“obviously” and even “of course”. Anticipate questionsand be prepared with backup information.

� If there is an upside, share it – but do not dwell on it.Overall, keep the tone of the message positive. Avoidwords such as “bleak” or language that is similarly pessimistic or hopeless. Don’t overdo it or stretch tofind a silver lining. It is difficult for employees, for example, to take comfort in the positive effect their layoff will have on the company.

� Deliver the news face to face. In-person communica-tion is more difficult, but more credible. It allows eyecontact with all audience members in a small group andwith some even in a large group setting. The personaldelivery of bad news signals its importance, suggestsleadership competence, and usually signifies a level ofconcern or care.

As employees become more dispersed globally,the opportunity to deliver bad news face to face maydecrease. Webcasts may help reach geographically dis-persed employees at the same time with bad news, in aforum that at least tries to simulate face-to-face delivery.

Also, the widespread use of computers to communi-cate company news may eventually make sending badnews in an e-mail more acceptable. If you are delivering

the bad news in writing, craft your message using thesame four-part sequence:

1) Get attention with a neutral statement that implicitlygains the audience’s agreement. 2) Deliver the bad newsclearly and briefly. 3) Do what you can to answer, “Howdoes that affect me?” 4) Provide the details and supporting facts. And leave the joke book at home.

Kathy S. Berger is a freelance writer living in Los Alamitos,California. She has written several articles for theToastmaster. Reach her at [email protected].

“Don’t say how difficult it is for you

to deliver the news or try to play

on the audience’s sympathy.”


By Mike Landrum

Eye to EyeBut where eye contact is valued,

make eye contact. Too many speak-ers believe that a constant scan ofthe audience with their eyes, backand forth like a lawn sprinkler,will do the job. I recently visited achurch where the minister read hersermon from the pulpit, glancingup every now and then at the backwall of the room, high above hercongregation’s heads. This tech-nique is taught in some books asa way to reduce stage fright, but inmy experience it seldom diminishesfear and cannot increase under-standing of your message.

Those who just give the audiencea quick glimpse of their baby blues

It’s rush hour on the subways of New York City. People are

jammed together, forced to physically invade each other’s

personal space for an entire journey. New Yorkers know the

only way to cope is to avoid looking at anyone’s eyes. Thus,

well understood. Indeed, many speak -ers who practice what they consider“eye contact” fall short of the truepurpose and meaning of the act.

Of course, speakers also needto respect cultural differences in thisarea. While direct eye contact is valued in the United States, it can beconsidered an invasion of privacyin some places – Asian countries,for example. When speaking tosuch audiences, don’t focus on oneindividual for too long – it couldembarrass them.

A meeting ofthe eyes denotes

a meeting ofthe minds.

we create a psychological barrierto communication, a protectiveshield of intentional indifference.It’s a powerful demonstration inreverse of a vital element of humancommunication: eye contact.

That’s why one of the primaryrules in Toastmasters is to “speak topeople’s eyes.” The importance ofspeaking eye to eye with your listenergoes without question: It’s hard totrust someone who won’t look you inthe eye. But the actual nature of thatexchange of glances is not always

Speaking

“The eyes have one language everywhere.”

GEORGE HERBERT (1593–1633)

T


are not making eye contact. Tryingto talk to everybody is actually talk-ing to nobody. When we sit in anaudience listening to a speaker, wewant to feel spoken to, directly andpersonally. Therefore, the propermindset for the speaker shouldn’tbe, “Let them see my eyes” – butrather,“Use my eyes to see theirs.”

Who is the better judge of effec-tive communication: the transmitteror the receiver? The receiver isthe only one of the pair to knowwhether the ideas being expressedhave landed and are well under-stood. You, the speaker, are thetransmitter, so you don’t know howwell you are doing . . . unless youalso become a receiver. The pur-pose of eye contact is to create agive-and-take relationship withyour audience.

“Every audience is a treasuretrove of experience and wisdomthat no speaker can match,” writesLee Glickstein in his book Be HeardNow. “The way to tap this treasureis to put a priority on the relation-ship with the audience.”

See if They UnderstandHere is how I believe good eyecontact should work: As you trans mit your message – with yourwords, your facial expression, posture, tone of voice, gestures –you watch your listeners’ eyes todetermine whether or not theyunderstand. Just as any telephonehas two elements – one for sendingand the other for receiving – so dopublic speakers. In our case, ourvoices and bodies are sending andour eyes are receiving. No onewould fail to put a phone to theirear and only use the transmitter, sowe must not ignore our receptiondevices – our eyes!

The human eye is extremelyexpressive. There’s a lot to belearned by looking into the eyes ofyour audience. Smiles, frowns, bore-dom, excitement, understanding,

Years ago, I experienced a vividdemonstration of the value of eyecontact. My friend invited me to aparty – a gathering of deaf peopleheld in a school gymnasium. When

we entered, I saw about 50 peoplelining the walls around the perime-ter. I wandered out into the middleof the floor, but my friend pulledme back to the side. “You’re inter-rupting conversations,” he said.

Indeed, I began to realize thatthe room was filled with animateddialogues between people up to50 feet apart. They told stories withtheir hands, their face and theiremotions. Though I didn’t knowAmerican Sign Language well, Icould easily catch the drift of mostof the stories and enjoy the laughteralong with everyone else.

It was a powerful reminder aboutwhat makes successful communica-tion. Toastmasters must establishboth sides of our two-way signals:Too many speakers think their onlyjob is to talk and the audience’sjob is to listen. Wrong! If you wantto be a successful speaker, youmust learn to read the crowd withyour eyes as you speak. In doingso, you take responsibility for thereception as well as the transmis-sion of your speech.

The speaker’s eye is a subtleand powerful tool. Bear in mind thewords of the famed English writerG.K. Chesterton: “There is a roadfrom the eye to the heart that doesnot go through the intellect.”

Mike Landrum is an executive speak-er’s coach and speechwriter in NewYork. He has recently published avolume of essays titled The Best ofthe Passionate Speaker. Reach himat www.CoachMike.com.

empathy – all these and countlessother messages are being sent yourway as you speak. The process ofreceiving these messages is called“reading your audience,” and it’s acrucial skill ifyou want to per-suade or inspirethem. Read theeffectiveness ofyour communi-cation with the audience as youspeak, and if need be, change yourtactics to engage them more.

In her book It’s Not What YouSay, It’s How You Say It, masterspeechwriter Joan Detz writes,“Good eye contact builds rapport,fosters trust and creates a more likeable persona . . . . We rely on eyecontact [from a speaker] to judgetruthfulness.”

When you think of your eyes asreceivers rather than transmitters, itchanges your style as a speaker.Now you can become interested inyour audience as a group of indi-viduals and speak to them one ata time. How? Deliver a full thoughtto each person you look at. Lockeyes with that listener and see theresponse in her eyes. Then pause,find another person and deliver thenext thought. Read his eyes as youspeak. If you feel that method slowsyou down, all the better – mostspeakers tend to rush.

One description of a successfulspeech is “a conversation, ampli-fied.” It’s useful to remember whenconsidering eye contact that agood, steady meeting of the eyesin conversation denotes a meetingof the minds.

Eyeing a More Relaxed StyleAn added bonus to good eye contact is that it throws your attention off yourself and ontoyour listener. Self-consciousnesshinders a speaking performance.Focusing on others can help yourelax and perform naturally.

“Trying to talk to everybody is

actually talking to nobody.”

2009Article Index


Disarm Them With Debate SkillsDave Zielinski . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April

Speech Project #2: TV Star!Diana J. Ewing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June

Turning Accents Into AssetsSher Hooker, CC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June

Here’s How to Work a RoomLin Grensing-Pophal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June

Effective Solutions for Team ConflictRenée Evenson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . July

Call Me CouncilmanDan Winterburn, DTM . . . . . . . . . . September

Helping Others Speak Scotty Burch, ATMB, CL. . . . . . . . . . September

Breaking Down StereotypesCorin Ramos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . October

Know Thy CultureForence Ferreira, ACB, CL. . . . . . . . . . October

Speaking of BusinessJanelle Thomas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . October

Speaking About Social ResponsibilityHeather O’Neill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . December

Talk Smart at the Holiday Office PartyDon Gabor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . December

Speaking Eye to EyeMichael Landrum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . December

HumorBig Words? Big DealJohn Cadley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . January

Humor Can Help You ThroughFran Capo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . January

Club Meetings & ContestsNo One Loses in this Speech CompetitionColin T. William, DTM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . March

Thinking Like a LoserJohn Kinde, DTM, Accredited Speaker. . . March

How I Conquered My Contest FearsAngie Palmer, ACS, ALB . . . . . . . . . . . . . March

Speechcraft SuperheroesEleanor Guderian, ACG, CL . . . . . . . . . . . July

The Good, the Bad and the UglyCarol Dean Schreiner, DTM . . . . . . . . . August

Mind Your ToastmannersDee Dees, DTM, PID . . . . . . . . . . . . September

How a Hunter Captured His GameBeth Black, CC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . November

CommunicationA Better “I” ContactJanet Perez Eckles, CTM . . . . . . . . . . . . January

Selling My Skills to a SchoolKealah Parkinson, ATMB . . . . . . . . . . February

Leading by a TaleCaren Neile, Ph.D., ATMS/CL . . . . . . . February

Give the Gift of ListeningPatrick Mott . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . February

The Art of BraggingJohn Spaith, ACS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . February

Crucial ConversationsBarbara Neal Varma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . March

When Table Topics are RealFlorence Ferreira, ACB, CL. . . . . . . . . . . . April

As Ol’ Will Would Say…John Cadley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . February

Let’s Talk SportsJohn Cadley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . March

Filled with FunnyPaul Sterman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . March

Aristotle, Syllogistically SpeakingJohn Cadley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April

Technically SpeakingJohn Cadley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May

No Parking Any TimeJohn Cadley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June

In Times Like TheseJohn Cadley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . July

Make Your Roast a Tip-Top ToastGene Perret . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . August

Something CatchyJohn Cadley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . August

Mad About YouJohn Cadley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . September

Enjoy a Refreshing Wax TadpoleJohn Cadley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . October

It’s AcademicJohn Cadley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . November

The Power of Observational HumorJohn Kinde, DTM, AS. . . . . . . . . . . . November

Clink, Clink, Clink (Gulp)John Cadley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . December

Language/Speech WritingTips From a Legendary SpeechwriterPaul Sterman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . January

Walking a Fine LineJudith Tingley, DTM, Ph.D. . . . . . . . . . . March

Route 66-SpeakPatrick Mott . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June

Who Said That?Fred Shapiro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . August

Nelson Mandela: Expert on Adaptinga Speech to an AudienceWilliam H. Stevenson, III. . . . . . . . . September

What’s Your Hook?Kevin Caroll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . November

Easy as ABCsMichael Varma, ATMG, ALB. . . . . . . December

LeadershipDifferent by DesignDavid Brooks, DTM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . March

Toastmasters’ 2009 Gold Gavel Recipient:Bruce TulganStaff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May

Talking Through Tough Times at WorkDave Zielinski. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . July

Cory Aquino: The Philippines’Plain-Spoken LeaderCorin Ramos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . October

Reflecting on Ralph Smedley’s WordsWatt Pye, DTM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . October

Delivering Bad Business NewsKathy Berger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . December


Membership/Club BuildingA Little Creativity Goes a Long WayEleanor Guderian, ACG, CL . . . . . . . . . January

Lift Your Club’s Quality BarJanet Reese, ACS, CL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . January

Infuse Your Club With Vitamin C… CreativityCraig Harrison, DTM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . January

It’s All in the NameTammy A. Miller, DTM, PID . . . . . . . . February

Be a Champion of ChangeNarges Nirumvala, ACB, CL . . . . . . . . . . . July

Help in Hard TimesBeth Black, CC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . July

Cooking Up a Learning LabCraig Harrison, DTM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . August

Ventura Club #24: Going Strong Since 1934Katherine Wertheim, CC, CL . . . . . . . . October

Broadening Your HorizonsPaul Sterman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . October

Personal GrowthStep Away From Self-SabotageJudi M. Bailey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . January

A Long Walk On a Short PlankJohn Efraimson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . March

Bringing Comfort and HopeNatalie Bourré . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June

Finding Sunshine in SecheltMargaret Page, ACS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June

Aiding AustraliaJudy Murphy, DTM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June

Where’s the Proof?Ann Maxfield, ATMB. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . July

Cultivating HopeVictor Parachin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . July

Presentation SkillsSpeak Up!Rick Moore, ATMB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . February

That’s Not My Voice - Is It? Nancy Sebastian Meyer, ATMB, CL . . . February

How to Handle a HecklerFrank King and Jan McInnis . . . . . . . . . . April

The Equation for PersuasionJohn Coleman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April

Lessons from the Ancient GreeksRobert Oliver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April

Be the Star of the ShowPatricia Corrigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June

When the Ace of Hearts Refuses to FlutterDean Sheetz, ACS, CL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . August

The Script as Friend and FoeBill Matthews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . August

Getting an EducationRich DiGirolamo, ATMB . . . . . . . . . September

Emotional IntelligenceSushma Subramanian . . . . . . . . . . September

10 Tips to Finding Your StyleMoira Beaton, ACB, CL . . . . . . . . . . September

CCs and Other ABCsBeth Black, CC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . August

Meet Toastmasters’ 2009-2010 InternationalPresident: Gary Schmidt, DTMStaff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . September

Toastmasters…Then and NowStaff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . October

View From the TopStaff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . October

A Few Words From Famous ToastmastersStaff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . October

Memories of MashantucketStaff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . November

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Toastmaster ProfilesScaling SummitsJulie Bawden Davis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . January

Molding Future LeadersJulie Bawden Davis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . February

Fighting the FloodsJulie Bawden Davis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . March

Giving Hope to the HomelessJulie Bawden Davis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April

On the Road to Self-DiscoveryJulie Bawden Davis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June

When Public Speaking Is No Cake Walk…Paul Sterman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . July

Silencing the DoubtersJulie Bawden Davis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . August

Speaking for AnimalsMichele Long . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . September

Staying With ItKatherine Wertheim, CC, CL . . . . . . . . October

Overcoming a Unique ChallengeCarl Duivenvoorden, DTM. . . . . . . . November

As If They Were His OwnJulie Bawden Davis . . . . . . . . . . . . . December

Be (A)ware of ‘The Room’Gene Perret. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . November

It’s Not Just a RoomAngela Hatton, ATMS, CL . . . . . . . . November

Eulogies 101Cyrus Copeland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . December

Speaking to ChildrenLinda McGurk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . December

My Ice BreakerRichard Stanley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . December

The Most Difficult Speech: the EulogyTheodore Lustig, DTM . . . . . . . . . . . December

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Tech TopicsDo You Blog?Lin Grensing-Pophal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May

Toastmasters in the Social NetworksJoe McClesky. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May

PowerPoint Made EasyNarges Nirumvala, ACB, CL . . . . . . . . . . . May

Sidestep the PowerPoint TrapEllen Finkelstein . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May

What’s New with Web 2.0?Dave Zielinski . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May

Presenter RemotesDave Zielinski . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . August

Offering Pointers on PowerPoint 2007Dave Zielinski. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . September

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TI InfoIn Memory of William “Bill” O. Miller (1924-2008)Bennie Bough, DTM, PIP . . . . . . . . . . . . March

Global Representation & Support ArticlesStaff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April, May, July, August

Everyone is Talking About theInternational ConventionStaff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April

2009 Mailing Statement – For U.S. Post Office Use Only

members.toastmasters.org speaking eye to eye toas ......remembering cory my congratulations to you...

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