District Conferences & You
I was a brand new Toastmaster when I was approached by Jodie Kay about attending my first District Conference.  Without knowing what I was getting into I said, “Sure, I’ll go.”  I have not missed very many since, including one where I served as a committee chair while 7 months pregnant. Here are a few reasons I’d like you to consider attending this year’s District 3 Fall Conference in Prescott. Networking. Meet other Toastmasters from across the state of Arizona who are looking for the answers to the same questions you are.  However, I prefer to think of it this way… Friendships. I have made so ma

Five Presentation Techniques Taught by Randy Pausch
The following is an excerpt from Andrew Dlugan’s review of “The Last Lecture” video.  To read the full article, visithttp://sixminutes.dlugan.com/randy-pausch-last-lecture/. 1. Introduce the Elephant in the Room Randy Pausch opens his lecture in the best way possible for this lecture, this audience, and this venue — by relieving stress. Following an easy joke about the title of the lecture series, he introduces the elephant in the room; that is, he spends a minute discussing his pancreatic cancer. Then, he raises the emotion in the room by doing a series of push

Public Speaking Trap – Speech Bloat
How Bloated Speeches Are Like Software When writing a speech, we often try to cram as much information into the speech as possible. This is like computer software companies trying to cram as many features into a program as possible. Like a bloated piece of software that needs a new computer to run correctly, information packed speeches need audiences with the exact same experiences as you to understand what you are trying to tell them. Let me let you in on something, no audience is ever going to have the exact same experiences as you, so your information packed speech is going to fall flat. Why Bloated Speeches Happen Your speeches get bloated when you

Evolving Goals & Your Opportunities
My goals were fairly unique when I started seeking out a Toastmasters club.  More than just simple shyness, agoraphobia was on track to ruin my life and I needed a safe, nurturing environment to help me battle it.  I started out with a goal of simply getting out of the house, working on overcome my social handicap, and building my self-confidence. Over the years, however, my goals have evolved, especially since I have achieved those first two goals and the third is an ongoing process.  My current goals are to continuously challenge myself to grow not only as a speaker, but especially as a leader, and to focus on improving my critical thinking skills. Think bac

The Toastmasters Gym
“Often we can achieve an even better result when we stumble yet are willing to start over, when we don’t give up after a mistake, when something doesn’t come easily but we throw ourselves into trying, when we’re not afraid to appear less than perfectly polished. “ — Sharon Salzberg, The O Magazine, The Power of Intention 2004 When I attended Dobson Ranch’s evaluation contest, contestant Paul Brunoforte was asked how long he’d been a Toastmaster.  “Twenty-five years,” Paul responded.  The obvious question followed.  “You’re a fantastic