DIC Toastmasters : Guest OrientationPacket

The mission of DIC 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.

Welcome to our club!
Greetings Dear Guest!
Do you wish . . .
you could express your viewpoints more effectively?
you could have more confidence giving presentations?
you could provide constructive feedback in a variety of situations?
you could comfortably think on your feet both socially and in work settings?

Then Toastmasters is the place for you! By joining DIC Toastmasters you will be one of over 200,000 members world-wide in a proven program that’s been in existence since 1924.

Verbal communication is at the heart of all of life’s accomplishments. To the degree you are willing to commit your time and some work, you will become a more vital person to yourself and in your world. DIC Toastmasters can guide and support you in making that happen.

What can our club offer you? You will be a part of a diverse group of individuals dedicated to improving their communication skills, enhancing their leadership abilities and in the process acquiring a new level of confidence. The Toastmasters program meets the self-development needs of all levels of communicators due to its individually paced, multi-faceted format.

As a result, you will…

• Be more comfortable speaking in public.
• Become a better listener.
• Perform better in interviews.
• More easily lead teams and conduct meetings.Practice giving and receiving constructive feedback.

And, in the process, you’ll experience one of the important secrets of our success: being part of a safe and supportive atmosphere of camaraderie and fun at DIC that underlies every meeting and nurtures the very growth you are seeking.

We are so glad you chose to join us this evening. Come find me or any one of our members and we will show you how you can become a member, or simply feel free to visit us for another meeting.
You are welcome here. We look forward to seeing you again.

Sincerely,
Jose Poovathinkal
President, 2007/2008

What Toastmasters Is
The DIC Toastmasters Club applauds your interest in self-improvement.Toastmasters International is an
organization devoted to helping people much like yourself to develop their leadership and communication skills. We do this by offering a proven plan to improve your speaking, listening, and
leadership skills.
• Toastmasters International has 170,000 members in 8,000 clubs around the world.
• And one club within a short distance from your home or office that is just right for you
- the DIC Toastmasters Club!
Toastmasters is a fun way to build your speaking and presentation skills. Each meeting provides an opportunity to practice impromptu speaking, as well as prepared speeches.
Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a nervous novice, you will gain valuable skills and insight. In addition to club meetings, there are many other learning events during the year.
We have several contests, seminars, and conferences each year to meet your communication needs. These events are great for networking and taking your new found skills into the community. You will be pleased to find your speaking will go from “near petrified” to “near perfection” in just a few short months.

Club Etiquette
IIn order to fully benefit from your first meeting, please follow these rules:
• Applaud at the introduction of each speaker and again at the end of the speech (this is the Toastmaster equivalent of a group hug). It is part of the nurturing environment that grows personal progress.
• Speak in response to table topic questions.
• Vote for: Best Table Topics, Best Speaker, Best Evaluator
• Ask questions of the members before and after the meeting, and during the break.
• Let us know how our Club can help you achieve your goals.
• Tell how you felt attending our meeting.
• Plan to return for a second time.
We welcome your questions and your input.

TOASTMASTERS INTRODUCTION
Our Club is the center of the Toastmaster learning experience. The following is information about what you will see and hear tonight. We’ve also included some of the meeting participants’ roles.
A typical Toastmaster meeting consists of four parts.

1. BUSINESS SESSION This provides an opportunity to learn how to conduct a productive business meeting, and deal with motions, etc., using basic parliamentary procedures.
2. PREPARED SPEECHES These usually last from 5 to 7 minutes and are based on projects contained in the Toastmaster manuals. One speech objective may be to improve body language, another to organize thoughts in a logical manner. The subject matter of the speeches is always up to the individual’s choice. Completion of the various manuals leads to Toastmaster awards, such as Competent Communicator (CC), Advanced Toastmaster (ATM), and Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM).
3. EVALUATIONS The major participants in the meeting are given positive and constructive feedback on their roles and speeches.
Each prepared speech is orally evaluated by a fellow member in a helpful, constructive manner using given evaluation criteria. In addition, the evaluator prepares a written evaluation for the speaker, and all members are invited to submit written comments to the speaker.
A Grammarian reports on the overall use of language during the meeting and the Ah Counter reports on our filler words. A General Evaluator then critiques the meeting as a whole. The function of evaluation is not to scare anyone off or make anyone feel bad! At Toastmasters, we find evaluations to be a most effective way to gain feedback about our progress as speakers.
4. TABLE TOPICS This is an opportunity to “think on our feet” and respond spontaneously for 1 to 2 minutes to a question or subject given to you with little or no notice. As a guest, you may join in the fun – or feel free to pass.

We do hope that you enjoy the meeting
and give serious thought to joining Toastmasters!!!!!
MEETING ROLES DEFINED
In Toastmasters, we learn by participating. During Club meetings there are many opportunities to practice speaking, leading and communicating. Here are descriptions of the Roles:
TOASTMASTER: The Toastmaster’s duty is to act as a genial host and conduct the entire program, including introducing participants. The Toastmaster creates an atmosphere of interest, expectation, and receptivity. The Toastmaster also prepares the agenda.
SPEAKER: A major portion of each meeting is centered on 2 or three speakers. Their speeches are prepared based on Toastmasters International manual project objectives and often last from five to seven minutes in length.
EVALUATOR: After every prepared speech, the speaker receives an evaluation. In addition to an oral evaluation (2 minutes or so), the speaker will also be given a written evaluation using the guide in the Communication and Leadership Manual, which is part of the New Member Kit. The purpose of the evaluation is to help the speaker become less self-conscious and a better speaker.
TIMER: One of the lessons to be practiced in speech training is that of expressing a thought within a specific time. The Timer is the member responsible for keeping track of time. The Timer also practices communicating instructions as she/he explains the duties and reports to the Club clearly and precisely.
GRAMMARIAN: Being Grammarian is truly an exercise in expanding our listening skills. Grammarians have two basic responsibilities: first, to introduce new words to members and second, to comment on the use of English during the course of the meeting.
AH COUNTER: The purpose of the Ah Counter is to note words and sounds used as a “crutch” or “pause filler” by anyone who speaks during the meeting. Examples of these are: the words ‘and’, ‘but’, ‘so’, ‘well’, ‘you know’ and the sounds ‘ah’, ‘um’, ‘er’, etc.
GENERAL EVALUATOR: The General Evaluator evaluates anything and everything that takes place throughout the meeting and is also responsible for the evaluation team: Evaluators, Timer, Grammarian and the Ah Counter.
The Ten CTM Speeches and Objectives
During your membership in Toastmasters, you will be encouraged to complete the 10 speeches from the Communication and Leadership Program manual.
Although you will pick the specific topic yourself for each of those speeches, each speech has several objectives. The manual and other materials that you will be given will help you achieve
these objectives. We have listed them below - so that you can see for yourself the types of
skills you will be striving to improve.
Each speech's objectives build on the skills you learned in the previous speeches, so it's very important that you do them in order.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did Toastmasters begin?
Toastmasters International is a non-profit organization governed by a Board of Directors elected by the membership. The first Toastmasters club was established on October 22, 1924, in Santa Ana, California, by Dr. Ralph C. Smedley, who conceived and developed the idea of helping others to speak more effectively. More clubs were formed, and Toastmasters International was incorporated under California law on December 19, 1932.
Toastmasters International's business and services are administered by its World Headquarters, located in Rancho Santa Margarita, California. It employs no paid promoters or instructors. It has no salaried staff except the Executive Director and World Headquarters staff, who provide services to the clubs and Districts.

Can Toastmasters improve my leadership skills?
Leadership cannot be learned in a day. It takes practice. In Toastmasters, members build leadership skills by organizing and conducting meetings and motivating others to help them. Club leadership roles and a leadership development program also offer opportunities to learn and practice. Just as Toastmasters members learn to speak simply by speaking, they learn leadership by leading.

How might my work setting benefit from my involvement in Toastmasters?
A company's success also depends on communication. Employees face an endless exchange of ideas, messages, and information as they deal with one another and with customers day after day. How well they communicate can determine whether a company quickly grows into an industry leader or joins thousands of other businesses mired in mediocrity.
Toastmasters provides the tools that enable employees to become effective communicators and leaders all at a very low cost. Toastmasters training helps employees:
• give better sales presentations hone their management skills work better with fellow employees effectively develop and present ideas offer constructive criticism
• accept criticism more objectively

How can Toastmasters benefit the community?
Toastmasters has helped many members in their community service activities. Using the speaking and leadership skills developed in Toastmasters, people have become more active in business, churches, and service and charity organizations. Toastmasters members are able to organize activities, conduct meetings, and speak in public as their organization's representative. Some even become active in local, state or national government.

How much does it cost to join?
There is a one-time fee to join of $20, which covers the processing of your membership and the New Member Kit which is mailed to you. The New Member Kit contains several helpful manuals, including:
• Competent Communication Manual (ten speech projects)
• Competent Leadership Manual (ten leadership projects)
• “Your Speaking Voice” pamphlet
• “Effective Speech Evaluation” pamphlet
• “Gestures: Your Body Speaks” pamphlet

How much are dues?
Toastmasters International dues are $27 semi-annually and DIC Toastmasters Club dues are AED.800/Annum.
Included with your semi-annual dues is a subscription to the monthly “Toastmaster” magazine, which is an excellent publication with interesting and useful articles each month on various aspects of speaking, leadership and Club management.

Where does the money go?
The majority of the funds that we collect go to Toastmasters International to support the generation of all the materials that they make available to local clubs worldwide. Our Club’s Officers approve an annual budget.