A Brief History of the Toastmasters Program In October 1924, a group of men assembled by Dr. Ralph C. Smedley met in the basement of the YMCA in Santa Ana, California, U.S.A., forming a club “to afford practice and training in the art of public speaking and in presiding over meetings, and to promote sociability and good fellowship among its members.” The group took the name “Toastmasters.”

A Brief History of the Toastmasters Program By 1930, a federation was necessary to coordinate activities of the many clubs and to provide a standard program. When a speaking club in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada, expressed interest in forming a Toastmasters club, the group became known as Toastmasters International.

A Brief History of the Toastmasters Program In 1962, the Toastmasters International staff moved to its first World Headquarters building in Santa Ana, California, not far from where the first club began.

A Brief History of the Toastmasters Program In 1990 World Headquarters relocated to a new building in Rancho Santa Margarita, designed to accommodate Toastmasters International’s expected growth well into the 21st century.

A Brief History of the Toastmasters Program Toastmasters International enters the new century as the undisputed world leader in public speaking training, with over 10,500 clubs and more than 200,000 members in approximately 90 countries.

How Toastmasters Can Help You Your success in business is based on how effective you are. Through participation in the Toastmasters program, people from all backgrounds learn to effectively speak, conduct meetings, manage a department or business, lead, delegate and motivate.

How Toastmasters Meets Your Needs Toastmasters International uses time-tested programs that are continually updated to meet participants’ needs. Self-paced programs allow you to progress as rapidly or as gradually as your needs dictate. The hands-on Competent Communication and Competent Leadership programs provide the “how-to” and the practical experience so critical to progress.

How Toastmasters Meets Your Needs Toastmasters clubs meet at various locations in the morning, at noon and in the evening. You’re sure to find a club that fits your schedule. The Toastmasters program is cost-effective, especially when compared to seminars charging hundreds of dollars per day. There is a U.S. $20 new member fee and $27 dues every six months. Clubs may also assess local dues to cover local expenses.

How Toastmasters Meets Your Needs An atmosphere of professional camaraderie makes your Toastmasters club a unique learning environment—informal, yet dedicated to learning. The Toastmasters program can be tailored to meet your personal objectives. Whether you want improvement in prepared or impromptu speaking or greater skill in the use of visual aids, you’ll gain experience and knowledge.

How Toastmasters Works As your improved communication skills become obvious within the workplace, increased visibility, recognition and promotion will follow. Your improved presentation skills will win you the respect and admiration of your colleagues and employees—and make them wonder what you did to change!

How Toastmasters Works Leadership skills acquired through participation in Toastmasters will increase your management potential. You will acquire an increased ability to motivate and persuade, making you more effective as a supervisor or manager. You’ll have access to a wide range of educational materials, including books, CDs, DVDs and seminar programs, available at reduced cost through the Toastmasters International Supply Catalog.

Become the Speaker and Leader You Want to Be Toastmasters offers a proven way to improve your communication skills. By participating in a fun and supportive Toastmasters group, you'll become a better speaker and leader and gain confidence to succeed in whatever path you've chosen in life.

Become the Speaker and Leader You Want to Be Deliver great presentations Easily lead teams and conduct meetings Give and receive constructive evaluations Be a better listener

How the Program Works The Toastmasters program exposes each participant to a wide range of communication and leadership experiences. Each new member receives a New Member Kit which includes the Competent Communication and Competent Leadership manuals, general orientation materials, and helpful booklets on evaluation, using gestures and vocal variety.

How the Program Works If you want to focus on improving your speaking skills, you’ll want to work in the Competent Communication manual. If you prefer to develop your leadership skills first, you may work in the Competent Leadership manual. Or you may work in both manuals at the same time. The choice is yours.

How the Program Works Each of the projects in the Competent Communication and Competent Leadership manuals focuses on developing a specific speaking or leadership skill. After completing each project in the manuals, you’ll receive a constructive evaluation that will recognize your strengths and offer suggestions for improvement.

How the Program Works You’ll have the opportunity to participate in the advanced communication and advanced leadership programs, where you can further refine your communication and leadership skills. The advanced communication program features 15 manuals on such topics as public relations, management and technical presentations. The advanced leadership program gives you the opportunity to serve in leadership positions at the club and district levels, where you learn how to motivate and lead others to achieve goals.

The Vision of Toastmasters International Toastmasters International empowers people to achieve their full potential and realize their dreams. Through our member clubs, people throughout the world can improve their communication and leadership skills, and find the courage to change.

The Mission of Toastmasters International Toastmasters International is the leading movement devoted to making effective oral communication a worldwide reality.

The Mission of Toastmasters International Through its member clubs, Toastmasters International helps men and women learn the arts of speaking, listening and thinking – vital skills that promote self- actualization, enhance leadership, foster human understanding and contribute to the betterment of mankind.

The Mission of Toastmasters International It is basic to this mission that Toastmasters International continually expand its worldwide network of clubs, thereby offering ever-greater numbers of people the opportunity to benefit from its programs.

The Mission of the Club The mission of a Toastmasters club is to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every member has the opportunity to develop communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth.

The Mission of the District The mission of the district is to enhance the performance and extend the network of clubs, thereby offering greater numbers of people the opportunity to benefit from the Toastmasters educational program by: Focusing on the critical success factors as specified by the district educational and membership goals. Ensuring that each club effectively fulfills its responsibilities to its members. Providing effective training and leadership opportunities for club and district officers.

The Values of Toastmasters International Toastmasters International’s core values are integrity, dedication to excellence, service to the member and respect for the individual. These are values worthy of a great organization, and we believe we should incorporate them as anchor points in every decision we make. Our core values provide us with a means of not only guiding but also evaluating our operations, our planning and our vision for the future.

6 OBJECTIVES, 30 STRATEGIES, 5 LONG-TERM ENABLERS (long-term enablers are in italicized text) 1. Consistently achieve membership growth. 2. Increase the recognition of Toastmasters International as expert in the fields of communication and leadership. 3. Become as well known for leadership development as for communication development.

6 OBJECTIVES, 30 STRATEGIES, 5 LONG-TERM ENABLERS (long-term enablers are in italicized text) 4. Provide programs that are adaptable for different generations and cultures, and for emerging technologies. 5. Achieve global market penetration. 6. Achieve excellence in the quality and consistency of programs, products, processes and services throughout the organization.

1. Consistently achieve membership growth. 1. Increase retention of existing members. 2. Increase recruitment of new members. 3. Explore new mechanisms for building new clubs. 4. Increase retention of existing clubs. 5. Explore opportunities for the youth market. 6. Increase visibility and accessibility of clubs.

2. Increase the recognition of Toastmasters International as expert in the fields of communication and leadership. 1. Devise mechanisms to partner with corporations. 2. Develop new models to provide materials to human resource professionals. 3. Create strong branding and consistent marketing initiatives. 4. Explore the creation of certificate programs for communication and leadership skills. 5. Devise mechanisms to create awareness of our expertise.

3. Become as well known for leadership development as for communication development. 1. Develop a structured leadership skills program. 2. Explore the opportunities for marketing selected materials outside the organization. 3. Explore licensing of materials to universities and other organizations. 4. Develop mechanisms to create awareness of leadership program.

4. Provide programs that are adaptable for different generations and cultures, and for emerging technologies. 1. Explore new materials and varied media. 2. Explore different models of delivering program for various markets, including youth, corporations, etc. 3. Develop strategic alliances with organizations and associations. 4. Update existing materials to reflect contemporary usage and expectations. 5. Use technology to provide online resources and support.

5. Achieve global market penetration. 1. Create alliances with major international corporations and associations to grow Toastmasters outside North America. 2. Leverage relationships with individuals and organizations (e.g. existing Toastmasters who work or live in other than their home country). 3. Seek nontraditional approaches to promoting TI program in developing nations. 4. Work with governments that have declared English as a second language. 5. Send ambassadors to emerging markets to stimulate growth.

6. Achieve excellence in the quality and consistency of programs, products, processes and services throughout the organization. 1. Ensure that programs, products, processes and services evolve to meet strategic objectives. 2. Create a culture of continuous improvement. 3. Create a service orientation at every level of the organization. 4. Core values, integrity, dedication to excellence, respect for the individual, service to the member, will permeate all our activities. 5. Enhance the culture of teamwork among volunteer leaders, members and World Headquarters staff.

Big Audacious Goal Toastmasters International is recognized throughout the world as the undisputed expert in communication and leadership skills development.

Mega Issues Time Generational Differences Cultural Differences Technology

How Toastmasters works. Conducting meetings. Short business session Impromptu speeches Prepared speeches Offering constructive evaluation. Every prepared speaker is assigned an evaluator who points out speech strengths and offers suggestions for improvement.