Fellow Toastmasters and Dear Guests,

This Monday we are going to have a contest in our club! We would be delighted to see you there to see one of the Toastmasters great experiences. Either if you are a first comer, a member from another club or a visitor we would be delighted to see you there.

Speech Contests are an important part of the Toastmasters educational program. They provide an opportunity for Toastmasters to gain speaking experience, as well as an opportunity for other Toastmasters and guests to learn by observing proficient speakers.

Contests are a key component of Toastmasters International’s member experience. Contests offer an opportunity for members to step outside of their comfort zone, test their skills, and receive recognition for their accomplishments both inside and outside of the club meeting environment.

Competition begins at the club level, and winners advance to the area level (all clubs of Greece) which will take part on the 13th of June.

Hope to see you soon this Monday!

When: Monday, May 25, 2015 7:00 PM

Where: BCA College Glyfada
Leoforos Poseidonos 95, Glyfada 
Glifáda

The Advanced Communication manuals train you for different speaking situations that Toastmasters can encounter outside the club environment.

There are 15 Advanced Communication manuals each of which includes five speech projects. The individual projects focus on a single, specific theme to help Toastmasters improve their communication skills in a particular area.

The chart below lists the titles of the Advanced Communication manuals.

Presentation of two Advanced Communication manuals can help fulfill the requirements for the Advanced Communicator Silver (ACS), Advanced Communicator Bronze (ACB) or Advanced Communicator Gold (ACG) awards.

1. The Entertaining Speaker.
Entertaining speakers are always in demand. Projects address preparing and delivering an entertaining speech, finding good stories and anecdotes to include in speeches, using humor, incorporating drama into presentations and presenting an after-dinner speech. 
 
2. Speaking to inform.
Informational speeches are one of the most common types, so most likely you will be asked to present one sometime. This manual contains information about organizing an informational speech, tailoring your speech to the audience, conducting a demonstration, presenting a report and delivering a speech about an abstract subject.  

3. Public relations.
Everyone benefits from the ability to present a good public image. Projects cover preparing a speech that will generate a favorable attitude toward you and your product, company or service, presenting a positive image of yourself and your company or organization on a radio talk show, persuading an audience to accept your viewpoint, addressing a hostile audience and communicating with the public during a crisis situation. 

4. Facilitating discussion.
Group discussions are common, and this manual provides instruction in facilitating the most common types of discussions. Learn about moderating a panel discussion, facilitating a brainstorming meeting, leading a problem-solving discussion, handling challenging people during discussions, and helping a problem-solving group achieve a consensus. 

5. Specialty speeches.
Speakers are often called upon to give different kinds of talks. This manual contains information about giving the most common ones, and it covers impromptu talks, preparing inspirational speeches, selling a product, reading out loud and introducing a speaker. 

6. Speeches by managers.
Managers encounter a variety of speaking situations in the work environment. This manual offers instruction in giving briefings, preparing and presenting technical speeches, motivating a team, giving a status report and speaking to a hostile group.  

7. The professional speaker.
Professional speakers can give a variety of presentations to a variety of audiences. This manual offers guidance in preparing and presenting a keynote address, an entertaining speech, a sales training speech, a seminar and a motivational speech. Includes information about marketing yourself as a professional speaker.  

8. Technical presentations.
Presenting technical information in a way that doesn't bore the audience is challenging. Learn how to prepare technical briefings, design and present a proposal, talk about a technical subject to a nontechnical audience, present a technical paper and enhance a technical talk with the internet.  

9. Persuasive speaking
Successful people know how to influence and persuade others to accept their ideas, products or services. Projects cover selling a product, making "cold calls," preparing a winning proposal, convincing an audience to at least consider your side of a controversial issue or subject and persuading listeners to help bring a vision and mission to reality. 

10. Communicating on video.
Video presentations require special preparation and attention to details. Learn how to present an editorial, appear as a guest on an interview program, be the host of an interview program, conduct a press conference and use video to train.  

11. Storytelling.
A good story enhances your speech and makes it memorable. This manual offers instruction in telling folk tales, personal stories, stories with morals, emotional stories and stories about historical events or people. 

12. Interpretive reading.
Reading words written by someone else requires a special set of skills. Projects include reading stories, poetry, monodramas, plays and famous speeches. 

13. Interpersonal communication. 
Everyday life presents challenging communication situations. Topics in this manual include conversing with ease, negotiating, handling criticism, coaching someone to improve performance and expressing dissatisfaction effectively. 

14. Special occasion speeches.
Special events present special speaking opportunities. This manual provides instruction in giving toasts, speaking in praise/giving a eulogy, "roasting" someone and presenting and accepting awards. 

15.  Humorously speaking.
Every speaker benefits from using humor. Learn how to begin a speech with a humorous story to get listeners' attention, end a speech with a humorous story, use humorous stories and anecdotes throughout the body of your speech to emphasize points, incorporate jokes into presentations and prepare and present an entirely humorous speech.  (order manual)

Cultural intelligence (CQ) is a concept based on years of academic research across dozens of cultures, says David Livermore, president of the Cultural Intelligence Center in East Lansing, Michigan. That research shows leaders with high CQ have strength in four distinct areas, all of which are required to lead effectively in culturally diverse situations. 

Drive. This is a leader’s level of interest and motivation to adapt cross-culturally. Conventional thinking holds that most people are naturally motivated to acquire cross-cultural capability, Livermore says, but that’s not always the case. Drive determines whether leaders have the confidence and resilience to deal with the challenges presented by intercultural work. 

Knowledge. This dimension captures a leader’s level of understanding about culture and how that knowledge is applied to conduct business across borders. CQ knowledge not only is about grasping how a distinct culture influences the way you think and behave, Livermore says, it also includes overall understanding of the ways cultures vary from one context to another. It requires a macro-level understanding of ways that communication styles, prevailing religious beliefs, gender role expectations and more differ across cultures. 

Strategy. This refers to leaders’ level of awareness and ability to strategize across cultures. Livermore says this capability requires “slowing the pace long enough to carefully observe what is going on inside our own and other people’s heads.” While many leaders can “wing it” in meetings with their own cultures, they need more forethought in cross-cultural contexts since many of the rules change. 

Action. This is a leader’s ability to act appropriately in a range of different cultural scenarios. One of the most important components of this capability is knowing when to adapt to another culture and when not to, Livermore says. Leaders with high CQ learn which actions will—and won’t—enhance effectiveness in certain cultures and then act on that knowledge.

                                       (TOASTMASTER magazine   |  MAY 2014    Page 25)




"I could never use humor in my speech!" 

Using humor in a presentation is a challenge for most presenters. 




In most cases humor can do a lot more than make people laugh. 

It brings attention to the point we are making as a speaker.
It helps the audience remember our point! 
It breaks down barriers so that the audience is more receptive to our ideas.

When humor is used correctly, it can improve performance, promote creativity, energize meetings and encourage positive thinking. Appropriate humor relaxes audience and makes people feel more comfortable with us as a speaker. 

Humor helps people to get acquainted, groups to bond into teams and strangers to feel welcomed. 

Watch how you can use humor in your public speeches!