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Toastmasters Help People Conquer Fears

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By Cheryl  Bentley | The Suncoast News

Published: November 3, 2007

Before joining Palm Harbor Toastmasters Club 8248, Tony Santarsieri says he would have been too nervous to share his passion about the club.

A member of Toastmasters herself, Santarsieri's boss suggested he join the organization several years ago when she noticed he became tense speaking before groups. At the time Santarsieri was production manager of a Clearwater firm.

Toastmasters International, based in Mission Viejo, Calif., is a nonprofit organization designed to help members improve communications and leadership skills. It is known for the public speaking by its members at club meetings.

Toastmasters has more than 220,000 members in 11,300 clubs in 90 countries, according to the organization's Web site.

Organizations have also gotten on the Toastmasters bandwagon. More than 1,000 of them, including corporations, government agencies, non-profits and the military, have in-house Toastmasters clubs as communications training for their employees and members.

Santarsieri now shows only self-assurance when speaking.

"I've gained confidence," he said. "When you're not nervous, people stay focused on what you're saying instead of how you're presenting it."

Flex speaking muscles

With Toastmasters members practicing a number of public speaking roles at meetings, including master of ceremonies, speaker, evaluator, grammarian and timekeeper, Santarsieri has had the opportunity to flex his speaking muscles in a variety of situations.

While his goal was to deal with the almost universal fear of public speaking, the organization has also honed additional abilities for Santarsieri. He says he has learned listening and leadership skills and to think on his feet.

He has also learned how to run meetings.

Toastmasters meetings start and stop on time.

They are also lively.

That is no accident. Members strive to make their gatherings engaging as well as efficient. Thus, emcees add their own personal touch, such as sharing short anecdotes or humor, as they keep the meetings moving.

Speaking a laughing matter

Judging from recent gatherings of the Palm Harbor club, Donoghue-Dunedin Toastmasters 2166 and the West Pasco Toastmasters Club 2824, learning to be good speakers and leaders is a laughing matter.

Laughter, camaraderie and a light touch appear to be inherent parts of meetings.

The cheerful air of members is no accident. Toastmasters' mission statement notes the organization gives them a chance to practice their communications skills in a "mutually supportive and positive learning environment."

They also learn to think on their feet.

During the segment at the Dunedin club in which members speak extemporaneously for one to two minutes, Carol Hajdinak was given the topic of the Fifth Inn, which was later explained, referred to the Fifth Inn of Court in the English legal system.

"The Fifth Inn makes me think of the fifth inning, and that makes me think of the Yankees," she replied, without missing a beat.

Talked about baseball

She then proceeded to talk about baseball and concluded, "I think I should take the Fifth regarding talking about the Yankees."

During the extemporaneous segment, speakers can choose either to stick to the topic or change the subject, as did Hajdinak.

"The goal is to be able to speak in a structured manner, to entertain and to educate to fill the time without getting lost," explained Hubert Fladung, vice president of membership in the West Pasco club. The club meets in New Port Richey.

Beginners also practice longer, prepared speeches working at their own speed using the "Competent Communicator Manual."

The manual contains 10 speech projects that emphasize a different speaking skill, such as body language, research, visual aids and voice.

Once finished with that manual, members can go on to 15 advanced books that focus on specific types of speeches.

Mastering second level

Lupe Villarreal, a member of the Palm Harbor group, recently gave a speech about his mother from an advanced manual, "Special Occasion Speeches." He is now working on mastering the second level of the organization's advanced communicator division.

"People join Toastmasters for many reasons – mostly to improve in public speaking," Villarreal wrote in an e-mail. "I joined because I thought it would be fun. So far, I'm having a ball."

Members get further practice in speaking by entering area, divisional, district and regional Toastmasters contests.

In the West Pasco group, cosmetologist Michele Bradford recently practiced a humorous speech about the various clients with whom hairdressers contend. She will give the talk at a district contest.

Members were familiar with the speech because Bradford had previously given it at the club on three other occasions, honing it each time to reflect her fellow Toastmasters' suggestions for improvement.

Assigned evaluators make comments about every speech. Evaluators themselves strive to provide entertaining, informative evaluations. Criticisms are always on a positive note.

Written comments

In addition, attendees write comments about the speeches that are given to both speakers and evaluators at the end of meetings.

Thoughts about public speaking are almost always scarier than the actual experience, say Toastmasters members.

She was nervous, said newcomer Vicki Jackson, during her recent maiden speech at the Dunedin club. But she was also buoyed by the encouraging comments of other Toastmasters about the talk.

These days, Jackson focuses on the areas Toastmasters is opening up for her, rather than on her fear of public speaking.

"I want to be able to share some of the things I've learned," she noted. "If I want someone to listen to me, I need to present it in a fashion so that they want to listen."

Semi-annual dues are about $37, depending upon the club. For more information on Toastmasters and locations of nearby clubs, go to the Toastmasters International Web site.

For more information on Donoghue-Dunedin Toastmasters Club, visit its Web site.

For more information on the Palm Harbor Club, visit its Web site.

For more information on the West Pasco Club call 727-375-0879.

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