Speech Craft

Cottonwood Toastmasters is hosting a Speech Craft, which is a short, seminar-style presentation that teaches basic Toastmasters skills: speaking and evaluating, with a focus on interviewing skills. 

Please join us in this mutually supportive and positive learning environment, where every member and guest will have the opportunity to develop valuable communication and leadership skills necessary in seeking employment.

Where: Cottonwood Village

             201 E Mingus Avenue

             Cottonwood, AZ 86326

When:  January 16^th, 23^rd and 30^th  2012

          

Time:   12:00 to 1:00 pm 

Cottonwood Toastmasters:

Meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 634-6540

HUGS!

Congratulations are in order to Tara for completing her third speech in our Cottonwood Toastmasters Club! We will miss you when you leave Tara. You have been a wonderful addition to our club. Hopefully you won't be absent too long, however we wish you abundance and joy in your new adventure!

Tara taught us how hugs are important to a sense of well being. Psychologists have done case studies on babies in orphanages to determine that if these children are not held they show a failure to thrive and usually die. In a study of monkey types, monkey infants chose an empty feeding bottle covered with soft terry cloth over a full bottle left uncovered. The need for touch, gentleness, comfort and softness was preferred.

Adults will wait in line for hours to receive a hug. As an example, Tara once went to a lecture on Love by Leo  Buscaglia, a famous author and motivational speaker known as "Dr. Love"  who said he would stay after the meeting to hug anyone that came to him. Tara herself stood in line for forty minutes to receive a hug, others stood in line much longer.

There is a woman in India known as the "Hugging Saint", lovingly called Amma, which means "mother", who, according to Wikipedia, has hugged over thirty one million people throughout the world. People go to her to share their troubles. Amma holds them, wipes away their tears, and hugs them. This one woman's actions are evidence alone that we human beings desire hugs to assist us in achieving a sense of well being.

	"There is one truth that shines through all of creation. Rivers and mountains, plants and animals, the sun, the moon and the stars, you and I—all are expressions of this one Reality." --- Amma

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 634-6540

Did You Know About Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer?

Rudolph came to life in 1939 when the Chicago based Montgomery Wards asked one of their copy writers, Robert May, to come up with a Christmas story they could give away in booklet form to their shoppers. Wow, look at what happened from there! Who would have imagined? This is something we learned in Toastmasters, which is not only a public speaking arena, but also an educating one. We learn all sorts of interesting tid bits of history. 

This past Monday we also learned about a horse named Robert who overcame his allergies to Roses and went on to be an amazing and heroic police horse! 

Fun and folktales at Toastmasters! 

It doesn't get much better than that!

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:00
at the Cottonwood Village  located at 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome.

For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638
or Dave Ellison at 634-6540

Elevator Speech

The following information is taken from the Toastmasters International Branding Manual:

What is an “elevator pitch”? An “elevator pitch” is an exceptionally brief (5 seconds/3-floors per statement), unassuming summary used to define the organization and its value proposition with the intent of simply getting the audience to ask for more information, ride another floor, request a business card, etc. Each statement of an elevator pitch lasts about five seconds, or three floors of an elevator ride.

Preparation is key. Be ready with three key things you can say about the Toastmasters organization. Your three key messages should be authentic; therefore, each pitch will be a little different. The only thing that should remain consistent is that you clearly explain what Toastmasters International does, and frame it in a way that relates to the interests of your listener. Stuck on what your key messages should be? Here are two ideas to get you thinking:
1. Describe three things that the Toastmasters International program
helped you accomplish over the past year and the impact of these
accomplishments.
2. Tell one great story about the work you do in Toastmasters that
is personal, compelling and representative of the Toastmasters’
organizational purpose.

Being prepared means being ready to go further. In other words, if someone is really interested in what you just told them, you need to be ready to expand on the conversation with more information. You also need to know how to help your listener find more information and contact someone who can guide them through a welcoming engagement.

Here is an example of a 250 word Elevator speech:

“For more than 86 years, Toastmasters International has been recognized as the leading organization dedicated to communication and leadership skill development. Through its worldwide network of clubs, each week Toastmasters helps more than a quarter million men and women of every ethnicity, education level and profession build their competence in communication so they can gain the confidence to lead others. The world needs leaders. Leaders head families, coach teams, run businesses and mentor others. These leaders must not only accomplish; they must communicate. By regularly giving speeches, gaining feedback, leading teams and guiding others to achieve their goals in a supportive atmosphere, leaders emerge from the Toastmasters program. The organization answers a new generation’s plea: Where can I go to become a better communicator and ultimately, a stronger leader?

Toastmasters continues to build on its legacy by providing a strong foundation for the future. Its proven educational program continually evolves to address the needs of the world’s communicators and leaders both today and tomorrow. Toastmasters members learn to tell their stories. They listen and answer. They plan and lead. They give feedback — and accept it. Through our community of learners, they find their path to leadership.”

Toastmasters International. Where leaders are made.

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 634-6540

Holiday

'Tis the holiday season and for the first time since I have been a member of the Cottonwood Toastmaster's club, we had a holiday this past Monday. It felt strange not going to meeting and participating. I thought since there would be no club entry for this weeks blog, that some interesting tid-bits on effective speaking would be appropriate. The following comments on "Empowerment" are taken from the book "The Challenge of Effective Speaking" by Rudolph F. Verderber

Public Speaking is Empowerment!

First, public speaking is a form of empowerment because mastery of public speaking skills enables you to communicate even complex information in a way that all members of an audience can understand.

Second, public speaking is a form of empowerment because mastery of public speaking skills enables you to influence people's attitudes and behavior.

Third, public speaking is a from of empowerment because mastery of public speaking skills will help you in your search for a job.

Fourth, public speaking is a form of empowerment because mastery of public speaking skills is necessary to help you achieve positions of leadership. 

***Teaching tip: A primary teaching strategy is role modeling. Make sure your lectures are organized and employ good introductions, strong previews, and use of transitions. Model strong delivery skills, such as volume, posture, movement, eye contact and rate. 

To increase you public speaking skills and become empowered, join us at Cottonwood Toastmasters. We would love to have you! Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 634-6540

Pets on Parade

One day I heard someone say that they thought the Table Topics portion of Toastmasters was the dessert of the meeting. I would have to agree. We have oodles of fun with our Table Topics time and this weeks was not a disappointment! 

Our theme of the day was "Pets on Parade" and our Table Topics Master did a great job incorporating that theme into the meeting. One of the first questions he asked was "There has been a reversal in our the society, humans are the pets, and the pets are the masters. Your pet has taken you to a parade. Tell us what you are doing." This was too funny and quiet the challenge! Our speaker talked about her experience of being put in a wagon to juggle all different types of balls using her hands and her feet. She had to "Juggle, juggle, and juggle some more!" 

The next question was "You have recently written a book called "Pets on Parade". Tell us how you chose the title and who your intended audience is." Okay readers, why don't you answer this one? I'd like to know!

The last question was "Us earthlings have contacted an alien world. You have been chosen as a delegate to this alien world and have been asked to pick ten animals that best represent our earth. What ten animals would you choose, and why?" Wow! That's a difficult one. There are so many amazing creatures on our planet. The speaker did a great job and mentioned that he would start with a fish as it represents the life in the waters on our earth. The next would be the turkey, for it's intelligence, being smarter than the eagle. What animals would you choose? I think I would choose the lion for it's majesty and strength. To me it would represent us, the people. We are strong and courageous, having faced many challenges in our existence. We are mighty! Hear us ROAR!!

 

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 634-6540

Cottonwood Toastmasters would like to say goodbye to our Toastie and friend, Helen. Today was her last day as a member of our Cottonwood Toastmasters and with sadness, we say good bye. We wish you well on your new adventure. 

"The hardest part of any friendship is when it's time to say goodbye. As much as we might like things to stay the same, change is an inevitable part of life. The universe may seem huge and the rift between friends on opposite side of the world may seem a great distance. There are many tools available with which we can communicate, but even without these tools there is a secret that only real friends know, and it is this. All the mountains and valleys in the world cannot separate friends whose hearts are as one." --anonymous

Source: Goodbye Friend Poems http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/friend/goodbye-friend-poems.asp#ixzz1d4ReLgiw 
Family Friend Poems 

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 634-6540

Happy Halloween!

The holidays are now upon us and most everyone is in the celebrating spirit. This week in our Cottonwood Toastmasters club our Table Topics Master outdid herself! She began by handing out sealed envelopes to everyone in the room. In the sealed envelopes was a message. You either received a paper saying "Treat", "Trick", or "Trick or Treat". If you received a paper that said "Treat" then she threw you a bag of candy. If your paper said "Trick", then she read you a question, Halloween related of course, and you had to do your Table Topics on that subject. If you received a paper that said "Trick or Treat" you got to choose what you wanted, a treat or to do a trick. 

All of the impromptu speeches were fun and entertaining! Congratulations go to our winner, although, we were all winners this day!

Happy Holidays from your Cottonwood Toasties!

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 634-6540

To Make a Difference

Congratulations to Shannon on giving her first speech in Cottonwood Toastmasters. The project "Ice Breaker" was titled "To Make a Difference". Shannon works at the Verde Valley Sanctuary where she is a great example to those she serves and is truly making a difference in the lives of others. Below is a poem she shared with us that has influenced her life for many years. Good job Shannon! We are lucky to have you in our club!

THE  STARFISH  POEM

Once upon a time there was a wise man

who used to go to the ocean

to do his writing.

He had a habit of walking

on the beach

before he began his work.

One day he was walking along

the shore.

As he looked down the beach,

he saw a human

figure moving like a dancer.

He smiled to himself to think

of someone who would

dance to the day.

So he began to walk faster

to catch up.

As he got closer, he saw

that it was a young man

and the young man wasn't dancing,

but instead he was reaching

down to the shore,

picking up something

and very gently throwing it

into the ocean.

As he got closer he called out,

"Good morning! What are you doing?"

The young man paused,

looked up and replied,

"Throwing starfish in the ocean."

"I guess I should have asked,

why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?"

"The sun is up and the tide is going out.

And if I don't throw them in they'll die."

"But, young man, don't you realize that

there are miles and miles of beach

and starfish all along it.

You can't possibly make a difference!"

The young man listened politely.

Then bent down, picked up another starfish

and threw it into the sea,

past the breaking waves and said-

"It made a difference for that one."

  

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 634-6540

The Moral of the Story

Today I gave a speech titled "The Curious Frogs" and hopefully entertained a room full of Toastmasters. It was a lot of fun. I have put this shortened version in this blog for those of you who may need to hear the "Moral of the Story" or who may need a good speech for a Story Telling project. Feel free to embellish the story and have fun with it. I sure did!  
Enjoy, from you Toastie Laina!

Once upon a time there was a pair of little green frogs who were looking to have an adventure. They decided to pay a visit to a farm house in the big village near the beautiful pond where they lived. As they happily hopped in through the kitchen door, the little green frogs saw a large bucket. They were curious about what it contained. "A-goong, let's jump up and see!" suggested the first little green frog. "A-goong, yes, let's," replied the second little green frog excitedly. So, both little green frogs took a giant leap and landed right inside the bucket. 

The little green frogs soon discovered that the bucket was full of rich cream. The little green frogs floundered in the thick, frothy mass, trying to climb out. They kicked and splashed in the rich cream as they tried to get out of the bucket, but their legs slipped and they fell right back into the bucket of rich cream. "A-goong! Oh, no, now what shall we do?" cried the first little green frog. "A-goong! We'll just have to keep trying,' replied the second little green frog

The first little green frog made a few more attempts, but they were half-hearted. He was too discouraged to keep trying to get out of the bucket of rich cream. "A-goong, I can't carry on any longer," he sighed and went down and drowned. The second little green frog kept on trying, kicking his hind legs strongly and stretching out his forelegs to get a foothold on the rim of the bucket. Finally, after more than an hour, he found his hind legs strike something solid. To his amazement the cream turned into butter and the little green frog simply gave one more gigantic kick, leapt out of the bucket and hopped gratefully away back to his pond.

The moral of the story is that even if we stumble and others try to pull us down, we’ve got to keep on swimming because eventually the cream will turn into butter and we'll make it out of the pail stronger and wiser than before.

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 634-6540

Too Much FUN!

You would LOVE our Cottonwood Toastmasters group. We have too much fun! It's a great thing seeing each of us progress in our public speaking goals and the learning of leadership skills. Here are just a few highlights of the past month of meetings:

Tara, our newest member, gave her first speech from the competent communicators manual, project one, titled "Ice Breaker". She did a fantastic job. A quote from the beginning of her speech is "How do you make God laugh? You tell Him your plans." We learned a lot about Tara and appreciate her courage!

Laurie gave us a speech on learning to drive and her experiences with her children. How fun to relive those memories!

Helen gave a wonderful speech from her competent communicator manual, the project titled "Vocal Variety". We learned about her many travels with her sister and their surviving each other in long distances and in close quarters. Excellent speech Helen!

AND last, but not least, our Table Topic for today was about a carnival caravan having an accident (the theme of the day was "Road Rage"). What a hoot! We had witnesses to the accident. There was Donald Duck, a little five year old girl, an old man, a Ring Master, and more. Everyone did a great job!

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 634-6540

Toastmasters International Enters a New Era with Updated Brand

The following article was taken from Toastmasters International Web site:


The organization modernizes its look and strengthens its focus on leadership

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif., Aug. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — For the first time in 70 years, Toastmasters International, the world’s largest non-profit organization dedicated to teaching communication and leadership skills, is updating its brand. The organization unveiled its new brand identity at its International Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, today. As part of the rebranding effort, the organization has updated its logo, colors, fonts, imagery and messaging to make Toastmasters’ identity clearer, increase awareness of its impact around the world and focus more on leadership.

“Despite the fact that Toastmasters International is a global organization, we have suffered from an inconsistent understanding of what we do and how members benefit,” says Pat Johnson, Toastmasters International President. “For many people, Toastmasters is synonymous with public speaking, but we are much more than that. We are not your grandfather’s Toastmasters.”

The Toastmasters members of today are culturally and ethnically diverse, representing all ages and professions, meeting in communities and corporations in 116 countries.

While more than a quarter of a million members attend approximately 13,000 club meetings each week, how they experience those meetings and describe their experiences vary widely from member to member and club to club. It’s important to note that the brand refresh does not affect or alter the organization’s core programs of communication and leadership skill-building; rather, it provides potential members with a clearer picture of what to expect when visiting any club in the world.

“The refreshed brand reflects the organization’s evolution while honoring its heritage,” says Johnson. “It allows us to unite and grow in exciting new ways."

Toastmasters: Where Leaders Are Made

In 2009, Toastmasters and its branding partner, Innovation Protocol, conducted research to better understand the organization’s position in the market.

“We heard loud and clear from the members and leaders we spoke with that the Toastmasters program helped them gain the competence in communication that gave them theconfidence to lead others. It is the foundation of our program,” says Daniel Rex, Toastmasters International’s executive director. That powerful combination of strengthening one’scompetence in communication and leadership skills – thereby gaining the confidence to lead – is what differentiates Toastmasters International from other skill-building programs.

The Look

Along with the new logo, which is an evolved version of the Toastmasters globe emblem, the organization is now represented in bolder colors and imagery.

Mark Scoggins , a Los Angeles based photographer and videographer, contributed to the newly branded photo and video libraries. These images are unique to Toastmasters and represent all members. The photos reflect the Toastmastersexperience.

For more information about the history of the logo and the brand refresh, please visit: www.toastmasters.org/vbp

About Toastmasters International

Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. Founded in October 1924, the organization currently has more than 270,000 members in 13,000 clubs in 116 countries. Each week, Toastmasters helps more than a quarter million people of every ethnicity, education and profession build their competence in communication so they can gain the confidence to lead others. For information about local Toastmasters clubs, please visitwww.toastmasters.org.

Media Contact:
Katie Ferguson
949-858-8255
Kferguson@toastmasters.org

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 634-6540

Goodbye To One of Our Members

We are sorry to say goodbye to Lisa, one of our amazing Cottonwood Toastmasters. May you and your family be blessed with abundance and joy in your new journey. Thank you for your great contributions and wonderful spirit. You will be missed! 

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 634-6540

Humorous Speech Contest

Toastmasters had many opportunities to participate in speech contests each year. My favorite is the humorous speech contest. "What is it's purpose?" you ask. Below is a brief outline of the humorous speech contest. By clicking on the word "Purpose" you can go to a link that gives detailed information about the contest and how it is organized. 

• PURPOSE
  To provide an opportunity for speakers to improve their speaking abilities and to recognize the best as encouragement to all.
  
  
  To provide an opportunity to learn by observing the more proficient speakers who have benefited from their Toastmasters training.
  
  
  To recognize the value of humor in speaking.
  
  
  *********************************************
  This past Monday we had our Cottonwood Toastmasters Humorous speech contest. Our winner was Dorothy. She did an excellent job talking to us about getting old. The title of her speech was "On Getting Older".  
  
  
  Dorothy started out by mentioning that when we are children we can  hardly wait to grow up. We often imagine how things are going to be. When we finally grow up, reality sets in and we learn about the many responsibilities we have as an adult. One day Dorothy's fourteen year old daughter asked her "Why don't you stop dying your hair and grow old gracefully?" That didn't go over very well!
  
  
  She talked about how quickly we become senior citizens. In some places a citizen is considered senior at the young age of fifty five. Getting a cup of coffee for twenty six cents might sound like a great deal, however, Dorothy portrayed through her emotions and experiences that many of us don't want that discount and would prefer to pay the normal amount and hang on to our dignity! 
  
  
  
  We learned from Dorothy that in other countries, for example Korea, the older people are treated with respect. However, when Dorothy was told by a native of Korea that she was "old", all she could do was say "Thank you". 
  
  
  
  Then there are the terms that come with old age. Terms such as "Old Hen", "Old Bat",  Old Battle Ax", "Old Goat", "Geezer", and "Old Coot".  We learned that a coot is a bird. Dorothy asked us to remember that the next time we hear an old Geezer called an old Coot,  we are to "Please, straighten them out". 
  
  
  Thank you Dorothy. You will represent us well at the Y6 Area contest. For those of you who are interested, the contest will be held on Sunday the 18th of September at the Flagstaff Medical Center Auditorium. This is located at 1200 North Beaver Street in Flagstaff. The contest will begin at 1:00 pm. For more information contact Roger E. Eastman, Contest Chair, at 928-451-2127. 

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 634-6540

Our Bodies and Non Verbal Communication

We would like to thank Helen for giving her speech on Monday at Cottonwood Toastmasters. She has graciously given us this summary of her speech to assist us in remembering her teaching words.Thank you Helen! 

We all use body language to facilitate our verbal communication.  Gestures, which is the form of non-verbal communication we’re most aware of using, is when visible bodily actions are used to emphasize or communicate particular messages.  But gestures are only a partof what we call body language.  Some experts contend more than 90% of communication is non-verbal: posture, gestures, voice tone, eye movement, and facial expressions.

The interesting thing is that we humans tend to send and interpret such signals almost entirely subconsciously.  Which means our bodies may well be telling a different or deeper story than our words.  We give away information through gestures and other body language.  Have you ever seen someone saying “great idea!” but their head is shaking “no?" 

As a speaker, using gestures and body language with purpose and intention can enhance your communication.  And as a listener, paying attention to those clues can help you get the whole story.

Something wonderful is happening through you!

    -Helen

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 634-6540

Membership Dues for October 1, 2011

The following is an important announcement from Toastmaster's International:

Dear Toastmaster Member,

  

As directed by policy, the Board of Directors periodically reviews membership dues to ensure that the organization can satisfy member needs while continuously enhancing their experience and the services and programs provided. After a review of the organization's five-year financial forecast of activities compared with forecasted revenue, the Board has voted to increase membership dues.

As a result, on October 1, 2011 Toastmasters' annual membership dues will increase from $54 (U.S. dollars) to $72 (U.S. dollars), payable in increments of $36 (U.S. dollars) every six months.

Several factors drive this increase:

1. Member needs are greater than ever.
2. Since 1995, membership has grown nearly 55%, from 169,330 members in 1995 to 262,000 in 2010. In this same period, annual dues increased only once in 2005 from $36 (U.S. dollars) to $54 (U.S. dollars).
3. Toastmasters has passed the economy of scale established a decade ago; its support services must expand in order to better serve its ever-expanding member base.

The increased funding will be used to enhance member support and services, and enable the implementation of the five-year Strategic Plan that was developed by the Board of Directors in 2010.

  

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 634-6540

5 Simple Steps

Our speaker yesterday at Cottonwood Toastmasters was our most loved Marian, our clubs very own DTM (Distinguished Toastmaster). She did an excellent job of teaching us 5 Simple Steps in communication. Marian came prepared with visual aids and a book she wrote titled "Take Charge of Your Life - Now". In a review of what she taught us, we learned the following:

1. Identify the right way to ask a question

-Start with an "I" statement, talking about yourself. Stand up for ones own rights without violating the rights of the other person.

- State your feeling. "I feel ....." If unsure of your feeling, hold your hand over your heart.

-State the behavior "When you ......" 

-State the new behavior. "I would like it if......"

-Ask for a response "Are you willing to do that?"

2. Criticism and Anger

Treat criticism like a hot potato! Get rid of it! Don't internalize it or make it your own! Say "That's how it seems to you." or "From your point of view, you could be right." When you encounter an angry person say "You seem really angry." and watch their response as you call them on their behavior.

3. Vocal Tone

Your vocal tone is always important, make it work for you. Also remember that your word is your bond. When you say something, do it. Relationships are built on trust.

4. Self Esteem

To assist others in achieving a better self esteem, ask "How did you feel about the job you have done?"

5. Words

Delete the following from your vocabulary: Can't, Don't, Won't, nothing works, etc... Replace it with "Up until now". Remember, things CAN change!

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 928-634-6540

If You Were A Mirror

Congratulations to Paula for winning the Table Topics portion of our Cottonwood Toastmasters meeting yesterday. You did a marvelous job answering the following question: "If mirrors could talk, I wonder what they would say. Mirrors capture the images of many things such as people, shower steam, animals, insects whizzing past, and so much more. If you were a mirror, explain to us what travelers you may have seen that have passed your way."

In the Free Dictionary by Farlex, we learn that a mir·ror  (mrr) n, is:

1. A surface capable of reflecting sufficient undiffused light to form an image of an object placed in front of it. Also called looking glass.

2. Something that faithfully reflects or gives a true picture of something else.

3. Something worthy of imitation.

 

 

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 928-634-6540

Times Are Changing

Our speaker at Cottonwood Toastmasters this week spoke about how times are changing. She began her speech by mentioning ways her father entertained himself as a youth with much enjoyment in the out of doors. Then she shared with us her childhood joys of running outside as soon a the sun came up, staying outside until supper in the evening. It sure brought back memories of my childhood. As I listened to her I began to remember the long walks with my mother, gardening and the juicy beef steak tomatoes we grew, swinging on my shinny red swing set, and swimming in my little blue pool. My mother use to put her hot pink blow up air mattress in the pool to sunbathe. What a funny sight that was with the ends of the mattress dangling over the sides of the tiny pool!  

The speaker then mentioned how the youth of today are a lot different to raise than when we were kids or were raising children of our own. Computers, mp3 players, ipads and ipods are the in thing. Playing outside is a thing of the past. Where have their imaginations gone? They truly live in a different world than we did. However, in this technical world of ours, the do come in handy for us older folk. She brought up a good point. "If you don't know how to use a computer, ask a kid."

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 928-634-6540

Have You Got the Time?

Our theme at Cottonwood Toastmasters today was "Time" and the word of the day was "Integrity".  As the General Evaluator for the day I had an amazing team of helpers. I witnessed many people taking the time to fill dual assignments with willingness and excellence. There was the Grammarian, Ah Counter, Timer and Speech Evaluator. Their leadership titles seem self explanatory, however, maybe a little more information is necessary for the "Ah Counter". This can be a fun job at our Cottonwood Toastmasters for you get to ring a bell whenever you hear the words "ah" or "um". For a more detailed description as to the role of the "Ah Counter" I have taken the following information from Toastmasters International:

Helping members off their crutches

"The purpose of the Ah-Counter is to note any word or sound used as a crutch by anyone who speaks during the meeting. Words may be inappropriate interjections, such as and, well, but, so and you know. Sounds may be ah, um or er. You should also note when a speaker repeats a word or phrase such as “I, I” or “This means, this means.” These words and sounds can be annoying to listeners. The Ah-Counter role is an excellent opportunity to practice your listening skills."

"Throughout the meeting, listen to everyone for sounds and long pauses used as fillers and not as a necessary part of sentence structure. Write down how many filler sounds or words each person used during all portions of the meeting. When you’re called on by the general evaluator during the evaluation segment, stand by your chair and give your report"

*Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 928-634-6540

What A Surprise!

In Toastmasters we have someone assigned to be the Grammarian, with a different grammarian at each meeting. As we all strive to earn our leadership goals, we rotate leadership jobs on a regular basis. This past Monday was my turn to be grammarian. As the grammarian I was responsible to pick the "word of the day". Our theme, yes we have a weekly theme as well, was "Unexpected Gifts". It's probably not a surprise that I picked the word "SURPRISE". What fun to see how everyone uses this word in their speaking roles and comments. Almost everyone there used the word and received a nice little treat. I am proud of my fellow Toasties!

We were also treated to a wonderful speech by Veronica. It was not a surprise that it was wonderful! She spoke about Mice and Traps as part of her Story Telling project. What a great story. We learned that "In the tapestry of life, we are all on the same journey. We are like threads all woven together." I wish you were there to hear her story. I felt like a little kid again, spell bound by what was happening to all the farm animals, and learning an important life lesson at the same time. Thank you Veronica for your great story telling abilities!

Wishing you a day full of surprises!
From your Toastmaster Toastie,
Laina

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 928-634-6540

Gestures

Did you know that" the human body contains more than 700 muscles:? Did you also know that "your effectiveness as a speaker is directly related to your ability to invoke emotion and interest through the use of non-verbal communication"? In the article "Gestures: Get Moving!" located at Toastmasters International, you can read more about body gestures. Just to wet your appetite, listed below are four of the eight suggestions the article teaches us about gestures for public speaking:

• Start with eye contact. Being prepared – having control of your message – is a prerequisite for being able to project and establish a bond with the audience. Don’t just pass your gaze throughout the room; try to focus on individual listeners and create a bond with them by looking them directly in the eyes for five to 10 seconds.
• Express emotion with your facial muscles. For inspiration, take a look at the The Human Face, a BBC documentary narrated by John Cleese of Monty Python fame, now available on DVD.
• Telling a story? Highlight the action verbs and look for ways to act out one or more parts. Speaking about marathon running? Run a few steps.
• Stay true to your personality. Don’t copy gestures from a book or other speaker, but respond naturally to what you feel and say. 

Can you think of what the other four suggestions would be? Fill in your thoughts in the comment box. We'd all like to know. 

To read the full article go to:  
http://www.toastmasters.org/MainMenuCategories/FreeResources/NeedHelpGivingaSpeech/TipsTechniques/GesturesGetMoving.aspx

Cottonwood Toastmasters meets every Monday 12:00 to 1:15 at the Cottonwood Village, 201 E Mingus Ave. Guests are welcome. For more information call Laina Lloyd at 928-300-8638 or Dave Ellison at 634-6540