District ONE

1. The Ice Breaker
For your first speech project, you will introduce yourself to your fellow club members and give them some information about your background, interests, and ambitions. Practice giving your speech to friends or family members, and strive to make eye contact with some of your audience. You may use notes during your speech if you wish. Read the entire project before preparing your talk.

Time:	4 - 6 minutes
Objectives:	•	To begin speaking before an audience.
	•	To discover speaking skills you already have and skills that need some attention
	•	To introduce yourself to your fellow club members.

2. Organize Your Speech
Good speech organization is essential if your audience is to understand your presentation. You must take the time to put your ideas together in an orderly manner. You can organize your speech in several different ways; choose the outline that best suits your topic. The opening should catch the audience’s attention, the body must support the idea you want to convey, and the conclusion should reinforce your ideas and be memorable. Transitions between thoughts should be smooth.

Time:	5 - 7 minutes
Objectives:	•	Select an appropriate outline which allows listeners to easily follow and understand your speech.
	•	Make your message clear, with supporting material directly contributing to that message.
	•	Use appropriate transitions when moving from one idea to another.
	•	Create a strong opening and conclusion.

3. Get to the Point
Every speech must have a general an a specific purpose. A general purpose is to inform, to persuade, to entertain, or to inspire. A specific purpose is what you want the audience to do after listening to your speech. Once you have established your general and specific purposes, you’ll find it easy to organize your speech. You’ll also have more confidence, which makes you more convincing, enthusiastic, and sincere. Of course, the better organized the speech is, the more likely it is to achieve your purpose.

Time:	5 - 7 minutes
Objectives:	•	Organize the speech in a manner that best achieves those purposes.
	•	Ensure the beginning, body, and conclusion reinforce the purpose.
	•	Project sincerity and conviction and control any nervousness you may feel.
	•	Strive not to use notes.

4. How to Say It
Words are powerful. They convey your message and influence the audience and its perception of you. Word choice and arrangement need just as much attention as speech organization and purpose. Select clear, accurate, descriptive and short words that best communicate your ideas and arrange them effectively and correctly. Every word should add value, meaning, and punch to the speech.

Time:	5 - 7 minutes
Objectives:	•	Select the right words and sentence structure to communicate your ideas clearly, accurately and vividly.
	•	Use rhetorical devices to enhance and emphasize ideas.
	•	Eliminate jargon and unnecessary words. Use correct grammar.

5. Your Body Speaks
Body language is an important part of speaking because it enhances your message and gives you more credibility. It also helps release any nervousness you may feel. Stance, movement, gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact help communicate your message and achieve your speech’s purpose. Body language should be smooth, natural, and convey the same message that your listeners hear.

Read: Gestures: Your Body Speaks (Catalog #201), which you received in your New Member Kit.

Time:	5 - 7 minutes
Objectives:	•	Use stance, movement, gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact to express tour message and achieve your speech’s purpose.
	•	Make your body language smooth and natural.
	•	Focus on methods of delivery, but do not overlook speech content.

6. Vocal Variety
Your voice has a major effect on your audience. A lively, excited voice attracts and keeps listeners’ attention. A speaking voice should be pleasant, natural, forceful, expressive, and easily heard. Use volume, pitch, rate, and quality as well as appropriate pauses to reflect and add meaning and interest to your message. Your voice should reflect the thoughts you are presenting.

Review Your Speaking Voice (Catalog #199), which you received in your New Member Kit.

Time:	5 - 7 minutes
Objectives:	•	Use voice volume, pitch, rate, and quality to reflect and add meaning and interest to your message..
	•	Use pauses to enhance your message.
	•	Use vocal variety smoothly and naturally.

7. Research Your Topic
Your speech will be more effective if you can support your main points with statistics, testimony, stories, anecdotes, examples, visual aids and facts. You can find this material on the Internet, at a library, and in other places. Use information collected from numerous sources and carefully support points with specific facts, examples and illustrations, rather than with just your own opinions.

Time:	5 - 7 minutes
Objectives:	•	Collect information about your topic from numerous sources.
	•	Carefully support your points and opinions with specific facts, examples, and illustrations gathered through research.

8. Get Comfortable with Visual Aids
Visual aids help an audience understand and remember what they hear; they are a valuable tool for speakers. The most popular visual aid are computer-based visuals, overhead transparencies, flip charts, whiteboards, and props. The type of visual aid you choose depends on several factors, including the information you wish to display and the size of the audience. Visuals must be appropriate for your message and the audience, and be displayed correctly with ease and confidence.

Time:	5 - 7 minutes
Objectives:	•	Select visual aids that are appropriate for your message and the audience.
	•	Use visual aids correctly with ease and confidence.

9. Persuade with Power
The ability to persuade – to get other people to understand, accept, and act upon your ideas – is a valuable skill. Your listeners will be more likely to be persuaded if they perceive you as credible, if you use logic and emotion in your appeal, if you carefully structure your speech and if you appeal to their interests. Avoid using notes because they may cause listeners to doubt your sincerity, knowledge, and conviction.

Time:	5 - 7 minutes
Objectives:	•	Persuade listeners to adopt your viewpoint or ideas or to take some action.
	•	Appealing to the audience’s interests.
	•	Use logic and emotion to support your position.
	•	Avoid using notes.

10. Inspire Your Audience
An inspirational speech motivates an audience to improve personally, emotionally, professionally, or spiritually and relies heavily on emotional appeal. It brings the audience together in a mood of fellowship and shared desire, builds the audience’s enthusiasm, then proposes a change or plan and appeals to the audience to adopt this change or plan.

This speech will last longer than your previous talks, so make arrangements in advance with your VP Education and meeting Toastmaster for extra time.

Time:	8 - 10 minutes
Objectives:	•	To inspire the audience by appealing to noble motives and challenging the audience to achieve a higher level of beliefs or achievement.
	•	Appeal to the audience’s needs and emotions, using stories, anecdotes and quotes to add drama.
	•	Avoid using notes.

Communicating on Television

1. Straight Talk

Time:	3 minutes +/- 30 seconds
Objectives: To effectively present an opinion or viewpoint in a short time. To stimulate giving a presentation as part of a television broadcast.

2. The Talk Show

Time:	10 minutes +/- 30 seconds
Objectives: To understand the dynamics of a television interview or "talk" show. To prepare for the questions that may be asked of you during a television interview program. To present a positive image on the television camera. To appear as a guest on a simulated television talk show.

3. When You`re the Host

Time:	10 minutes +/- 30 seconds
Objectives: To conduct a successful television interview. To understand the dynamics of a successful television interview or "talk" show. To prepare questions to ask during the interview program. To present a positive, confident image on the television camera.

4. The Press Conference

Time:	4-6 minutes, plus 8-10 minutes (Q&A)
Objectives: To understand the nature of a television press conference. To prepare for an adversary confrontation on a controversial or sensitive issue. To employ appropriate preparation methods and strategies for communicating your organization`s viewpoint. To present and maintain a positive image on television.

5. Training On Television

Time:	5-7 minutes, plus 5-7 minutes for video playback
Objectives: To learn how to develop and present an effective training program on television. To receive personal feedback through the videotaping of your presentation.

Note: For some speech projects, the presentation time may also include additional segments for such activities as question-and-answer periods, depending on the project.

Humorously Speaking

1. Warm Up Your Audience

Time:	5-7 minutes
Objectives: Prepare a speech that opens with a humorous story. Personalize the story. Deliver the story smoothly and effectively.

2. Leave Them With A Smile

Time:	5-7 minutes
Objectives: Prepare a serious speech that opens and closes with humorous stories. Prepare a closing story that reemphasizes the speech's main point. Deliver the stories smoothly and effectively.

3. Make Them Laugh

Time:	5-7 minutes
Objectives: Prepare a speech that opens and closes with humorous stories. Include jokes in the speech body to illustrate points or maintain audience interest. Deliver the jokes and stories smoothly and effectively.

4. Keep Them Laughing

Time:	5-7 minutes
Objectives: Prepare a speech that opens with a self-depreciating joke. String together two or three related jokes in the speech body. Close the speech with a humorous story.

5. The Humorous Speech

Time:	5-7 minutes
Objectives: Use exaggeration to tell a humorous story. Entertain the audience. Effectively use body language and voice to enhance the story.

Note: For some speech projects, the presentation time may also include additional segments for such activities as question-and-answer periods, depending on the project.

Interpersonal Communications

1. Conversing with Ease

Time:	10-14 minutes
Objectives: Identify techniques to use in conversing with strangers. Recognize different levels of conversation. Initiate a conversation with a stranger. Use open-ended questions to solicit information for further conversation.

2. The Successful Negotiator

Time:	10-14 minutes
Objectives: Employ win/win negotiating strategies to achieve your goals. Enjoy the benefits of win/win negotiating.

3. Diffusing Verbal Criticism

Time:	10-14 minutes
Objectives: Respond non-defensively to verbal criticism. Employ a five-step method to identify the problem, diffuse the attack and arrive at a solution.

4. The Coach

Time:	10-14 minutes
Objectives: Determine reasons for someone's substandard performance. Coach the person to improved performance.

5. Asserting Yourself Effectively

Time:	10-14 minutes
Objectives: Enjoy the mental and physical benefits of being assertive. Employ the four-step method for addressing a problem and asking for help. Overcome resistance to your requests.

Note: For some speech projects, the presentation time may also include additional segments for such activities as question-and-answer periods, depending on the project.

Interpretive Reading

1. Read A Story

Time:	8-10 minutes
Objectives: To understand the elements of interpretive reading. To learn how to analyze a narrative and plan for effective interpretation. To learn and apply vocal techniques that will aid in the effectiveness of the reading.

2. Interpreting Poetry

Time:	6-8 minutes
Objectives: To understand the differences between poetry and prose. To recognize how poets use imaginary, rhythm, meter, cadence and rhyme to convey the meanings and emotions of their poetry. To apply vocal techniques that will aid in the effectiveness of the reading.

3. The Monodrama

Time:	5-7 minutes
Objectives: To understand the concept and nature of the monodrama. To assume the identity of a character and to portray the physical and emotional aspects of this character to an audience.

4. The Play

Time:	12-15 minutes
Objectives: To adapt a play for interpretive reading. To portray several characters in one reading, identifying them to the audience through voice changes and movement.

5. The Oratorical Speech

Time:	10-12 minutes
Objectives: To understand the structure of an effective speech. To interpret and present a famous speech.

Note: For some speech projects, the presentation time may also include additional segments for such activities as question-and-answer periods, depending on the project.

Persuasive Speaking

1. The Effective Salesperson

Time:	8 to 12 minutes => 3-4 min speech, short scenario intro, 3-5 min role play
Objectives: Learn a technique for selling an inexpensive product in a retail store. Recognize a buyer's thought processes in making a purchase. Elicit information from a prospective buyer through questions. Match the buyer's situation with the most appropriate product.

2. Conquering the "Cold Call"

Time:	10 to 14 minutes => 3-4 min speech, short scenario intro, 5-7 min role play, 2-3 min discussion
Objectives: Learn a technique for "cold call" selling of expensive product or services. Recognize the risks buyers assume in purchasing. Use questions to help the buyer discover problems with his or her current situation. Successfully handle buyer's objections and concerns.

3. The Winning Proposal

Time:	5 to 7 minutes
Objectives: Prepare a proposal advocating an idea or course of action. Organize the proposal using the six-step method provided.

4. Addressing the Opposition

Time:	7 to 9 minutes speech; 2-3 minutes Q&A
Objectives: Prepare a talk on a controversial subject that persuades an audience to accept or at least consider your viewpoint. Construct the speech to appeal to the audience's logic and emotions.

5. The Persuasive Leader

Time:	6 to 8 minutes
Objectives: Communicate your vision and mission to an audience. Convince your audience to work toward achieving your vision and mission.

Note: For some speech projects, the presentation time may also include additional segments for such activities as question-and-answer periods, depending on the project.

Public Relations

1. The Public Relations Speech

Time:	5-7 minutes
Objectives: Prepare a talk that will build goodwill for your organization by supplying useful information of interest to the audience.

2. Resources for Goodwill

Time:	8-10 minutes
Objectives: Research the operation and benefits of an organization or company. Prepare a talk designed to build goodwill toward it by presenting factual information. Analyze the common interests of your audience and focus your presentation on those interests. Effectively use at least one visual aid to enhance the audience's understanding.

3. The Persuasive Approach

Time:	8-10 minutes
Objectives: Direct a persuasive appeal to the audience's self-interests using a combination of fact and emotion in a speech delivered in such a manner that it appears extemporaneous. Persuade the audience to adopt your viewpoint by the use of standard persuasive techniques.

4. Speaking Under Fire

Time:	6-8 minutes, plus 8-10 minutes (Q&A)
Objectives: Prepare a talk to persuade a hostile audience at least to consider your position on a controversial issue. Conduct a question-and-answer period on the speech subject.

5. The Media Speech

Time:	8-10 minutes, plus 30 seconds
Objectives: Write a speech script behalf of a social cause. Using the script, present the speech to persuade a general television audience.

Note: For some speech projects, the presentation time may also include additional segments for such activities as question-and-answer periods, depending on the project.

Speaking to Inform

1. The Speech to Inform

Time:	5-7 minutes
Objectives: Select new and useful information for presentation to the audience. Organize the information for easy understandability and retention.   Present the information in a way that will help motivate the audience to learn.

2. Resources for Informing

Time:	8-10 minutes
Objectives: Analyze the knowledge level of your audience regarding your chosen subject.  Focus your presentation at the audience's level of knowledge.   Build a supporting case for each major point through use of explanation, examples and information gathered in research.   Effectively use at least one visual aid to enhance the audience's understanding.

3. The Demonstration Talk

Time:	10-12 minutes
Objectives: Prepare a demonstration speech to clearly explain a process, product, or activity.  Conduct the demonstration as part of a speech delivered without notes.

4. A Fact Finding Report

Time:	10-12 minutes
Objectives: Prepare a report on a situation, event, or problem of interest to the audience.  Deliver sufficient factual information in your report so the audience can base valid conclusions or a sound decision on it.

5. The Abstract Concept

Time:	10-12 minutes
Objectives: Research and organize the thought of experts on an abstract concept, theory, historical force, or social/political issue.  Present the ideas in a clear and interesting manner.

Note: For some speech projects, the presentation time may also include additional segments for such activities as question-and-answer periods, depending on the project.

Special Occasion Speeches

1. Mastering the Toast

Time:	2-3 minutes
Objectives: Recognize the characteristics of a toast. Present a toast honoring an occasion or person.

2. Speaking in Praise

Time:	5-7 minutes
Objectives: Prepare a speech praising or honoring someone, either living or dead. Address five areas concerning the individual and his/her accomplishments. Include anecdotes illustrating points within the speech.

3. The Roast

Time:	3-5 minutes
Objectives: Poke fun at a particular individual in a good-natured way. Adapt and personalize humorous material from other sources. Deliver jokes and humorous stories effectively.

4. Presenting an Award

Time:	3-4 minutes
Objectives: Present an award with dignity and grace. Acknowledge the contributions of the recipient.

5. Accepting an Award

Time:	5-7 minutes
Objectives: Accept an award with dignity, grace and sincerity. Acknowledge the presenting organization.

Note: For some speech projects, the presentation time may also include additional segments for such activities as question-and-answer periods, depending on the project.

Specialty Speeches

1. Speak Off The Cuff

Time:	5-7 minutes
Objectives: Develop an awareness of situations in which you might be called upon to deliver an impromptu speech. Understand how to prepare for impromptu speaking. Develop skill as a speaker in the impromptu situation by using one or more patterns to approach a topic under discussion; for example, comparing a past, present, and future situation, or before and after.

2. Uplift the Spirit

Time:	8-10 minutes
Objectives: Identify and understand the basic differences between inspirational speeches and other kinds of speeches. Learn how to evaluate audience feeling and develop emotional rapport. Develop a speech style and delivery that effectively expresses inspirational content by moving the audience to adopt your views.

3. Sell a Product

Time:	10-12 minutes
Objectives: Understand the relationship of sales technique to persuasion. Skillfully use the four steps in a sales presentation: attention, interest, desire, action. Identify and promote a unique selling proposition in a sales presentation.

4. Read Out Loud

Time:	12-15 minutes
Objectives: Arrive at an understanding of the elements that comprise oral interpretation and how it differs from preparing and giving a speech. Learn the preparation or planning techniques of effective interpretation. Learn the principles of presentation and develop skill in interpretive reading with regard to voice and body as instruments of communication.

5. Introduce the Speaker

Time:	duration of meeting
Objectives: Focus on the special occasion talk from the standpoint of the introducer (function, chairman, toastmaster, master of ceremonies). Become knowledgeable and skilled in the functions associated with the master of ceremonies. Handle the introduction of other speakers at a club meeting.

Note: For some speech projects, the presentation time may also include additional segments for such activities as question-and-answer periods, depending on the project.

Speeches By Management

1. The Briefing

Time:	8-10 minutes, plus 5 minutes (Q&A)
Objectives: Apply the key steps in the preparation of a briefing and the organization of material. Give a briefing according to a specific objective so the audience will have an understanding of the information. Effectively handle a question-and-answer session following the briefing.

2. The Technical Speech

Time:	8-10 minutes
Objectives: Convey a technical paper or technical material and information into a technical speech. Organize a technical speech according to the inverted-pyramid approach. Write a technical speech as "spoken language," not as an article. Give the speech by effectively reading out loud.

3. Manage and Motivate

Time:	10-12 minutes
Objectives: Understand the concept and nature of motivational methods in management. Apply a four step motivational method with the objectives to persuade and inspire. Deliver a motivational speech to persuade an audience to agree with your management proposal.

4. The Status Report

Time:	12-15 minutes
Objectives: Organize and prepare a status report involving the overall condition of a plan or program, or performance of a department or company in relation to goals. Construct the report according to a four step pattern. Give an effective presentation of the report.

5. Confrontation: The Adversary Relationship

Time:	5 minutes, plus 10 minutes (Q&A)
Objectives: Understand the definition and nature of the adversary relationship. Prepare for an adversary confrontation on a controversial management issue. Employ appropriate preparation methods, strategy, and techniques, for communicating with an adversary group as the representative of your company or corporation.

Note: For some speech projects, the presentation time may also include additional segments for such activities as question-and-answer periods, depending on the project.

Storytelling

1. The Folk Tale

Time:	7-9 minutes
Objectives: To tell a folk tale that is entertaining and enjoyable for a specific age group.  To use vivid imagery and voice to enhance the tale.

2. Let`s Get Personal

Time:	6-8 minutes
Objectives: To learn the elements of a good story.  To create and tell an original story based on a personal experience.

3. The Moral of the Story

Time:	4-6 minutes
Objectives: To understand that a story can be entertaining yet display moral values.   To create a new story that offers a lesson or moral.   To tell the story, using the skills developed in the previous two projects.

4. The Touching Story

Time:	6-8 minutes
Objectives: To understand the techniques available to arouse emotion.   To become skilled in arousing emotions while telling a story.

5. Bringing History to Life

Time:	7-9 minutes
Objectives: To understand the purpose of stories about historical events or people.   To use the storytelling skills developed in the preceding projects to tell a story about a historical event or person.

Note: For some speech projects, the presentation time may also include additional segments for such activities as question-and-answer periods, depending on the project.

Technical Presentations

1. The Technical Briefing

Time:	8-10 minutes
Objectives: Using a systematic approach, organize technical material into a concise presentation. Tailor the presentation to the audience's needs, interests and knowledge levels.

2. The Proposal

Time:	8-10 minutes, plus 3-5 minutes (Q&A)
Objectives: To prepare a technical presentation advocating a product, service, idea or course of action. To present your viewpoint logically and convincingly, using an inverted-pyramid approach. To effectively use a flipchart to illustrate your message. To effectively handle a question-and-answer period.

3. The Nontechnical Audience

Time:	10-12 minutes
Objectives: Understand the principles of communicating complex information to nontechnical listeners. Build and deliver an interesting talk based on these principles. Answer audience questions that arise during the presentation. Use overhead transparencies to illustrate your message.

4. Presenting a Technical Paper

Time:	10-12 minutes
Objectives: Deliver an interesting speech based on a technical paper or article. Effectively use a flipchart, overhead projector or slides to illustrate your message.

5. The Team Technical Presentation

Time:	20-30 minutes
Objectives: Understand the nature and process of a team technical presentation. Conceptualize a briefing or proposal involving three or more speakers, including yourself. Assemble a team of club members capable of getting the job done. Orchestrate the planning, preparation and delivery of a team technical presentation.

Note: For some speech projects, the presentation time may also include additional segments for such activities as question-and-answer periods, depending on the project.

The Discussion Leader

1. The Seminar Solution

Time:

20-30 minutes

Objectives: Present an introductory short talk or brief lecture describing a theory, model or information about a topic that will be discussed by a group following the presentation. Organize the information so that it is easy to understand and can be remembered. Orient the group to think about the specific goal of the discussion that follows. Use a buzz session discussion technique to promote group participation in deriving information leading to a solution to the problem.

2. The Round Robin

Time:	20-30 minutes
Objectives: Establish the meaning of a question with a discussion group. Using a problem solving pattern, lead the participants in a brainstorming session. Screen the possible solutions and lead the group in deciding what action to take.

3. Pilot a Panel

Time:	30-40 minutes
Objectives: Select a problem for panel discussion. Select not less than three members in advance to speak on the panel. Define the common goals and the purpose of the panel. Acting as moderator, monitor the panel discussion to inform the audience.

4. Make Believe (Role Playing)

Time:	20-30 minutes
Objectives: Understand what role-playing is and how to use it effectively in group communication. Select a problem involving human relations in which you may use the role-playing method to illustrate and explore the problem. Create a plot and characters relevant to the discussion problem and select a cast from among the group members.

5. The Workshop Leader

Time:	30-40 minutes
Objectives: Building group unity, guide the workshop participants in an investigative discussion of the problem. Follow a problem solving pattern to arrive at a solution. Bring the group to an agreement before the discussion ends.

Note: For some speech projects, the presentation time may also include additional segments for such activities as question-and-answer periods, depending on the project.

The Entertaining Speaker

1. The Entertaining Speech

Time:	5-7 minutes
Objectives: Entertain the audience through use of humor and/or drama drawn from your personal experience.   Organize an entertaining speech for maximum audience impact.

2. Resources for Entertainment

Time:	8-10 minutes
Objectives: Draw humorous and/or dramatic material from sources other than your own personal experience.  Adapt your material to suit your topic, your own personality and the audience. Use entertaining material as a means of conveying a serious message.

3. Make Them Laugh

Time:	8-10 minutes
Objectives: Prepare a humorous speech drawn from your own experience.  Strengthen the speech by adapting and personalizing humorous material from outside sources.   Deliver the speech in a way that makes the humor effective.

4. A Dramatic Talk

Time:	10-12 minutes
Objectives: Develop an entertaining dramatic talk about an experience or incident, or give a dramatic reading.   Include vivid imagery, characters and dialogue.   Deliver the talk in an interpretative manner.

5. Speaking After Dinner

Time:	13-15 minutes
Objectives: Prepare an entertaining after-dinner talk on a specific theme.  Deliver the talk extemporaneously, using the skills developed in the preceding entertainment projects.

Note: For some speech projects, the presentation time may also include additional segments for such activities as question-and-answer periods, depending on the project.

The Professional Speaker

1. The Keynote Address

Time:

15-20 minutes

Objectives: Identify the basic differences between keynote speeches and other kinds of speeches. Learn how to evaluate audience feeling and establish emotional rapport. Learn and use the professional techniques necessary for a successful keynote presentation. Develop a speech style and delivery that effectively inspires and moves the audience to adopt your views as a collective reaffirmation of its own.

2. Speaking to Entertain

Time:	15-20 minutes
Objectives: Entertain the audience through the use of humor drawn from personal experience and from other material that you have personalized. Deliver the speech in a way that makes the humor effective. Establish personal rapport with your audience for maximum impact.

3. The Sales Training Speech

Time:	15-20 minutes
Objectives: Tell a sales audience how to sell a product by using a planned presentation. Inform a sales training audience about the human experience of the buyer-seller relationship. Use entertaining stories and dynamic examples of sales situations. Inspire salespeople to want to succeed in selling.

4. The Professional Seminar

Time:	20-40 minutes
Objectives: Plan and present a seminar with specific learning objectives. Relate to the audience by using a seminar presentation style. Use seminar presentation techniques to promote group participation, learning and personal growth.

5. The Motivational Speech

Time:	15-20 minutes
Objectives: Understand the concept and nature of motivational speaking. Apply a four-step motivational method with the purpose of persuading and inspiring. Deliver a motivational speech to persuade an audience to emotionally commit to an action.

Note: For some speech projects, the presentation time may also include additional segments for such activities as question-and-answer periods, depending on the project.

Speechcraft Speechcraft is a program designed to develop leadership skills as well as teach speaking skills in a seminar workshop format. In delivering this four-to-eight session program you will help others to gain confidence in communication which includes writing and delivering speeches, impromptu speaking, the use of visual aids and body language and effective listening.

Exercises	•	Developing impromptu speaking skills
	•	Delivering prepared speeches
	•	Learning to evaluate effectively
	•	Practicing parliamentary procedure
	•	Conducting quality meetings
	•	Enhancing leadership abilities
Time:	4, 6 or 8 sessions, 1-2 hours each

How to Listen Effectively When other people talk, do you listen to what they mean or do you just hear what they say? Listening is a much more active skill than some may think. Effective listening requires certain techniques for receiving, organizing and interpreting what has been said. In delivering this program you will help others to recognize and develop these skills.

Exercises	•	Developing skills in active listening
	•	Studying barriers to effective listening
	•	Identifying situations in which active listening is important
	•	Creating an awareness of the need for effective listening
	•	Learning how to avoid distractions
	•	Promoting listening readiness
	•	Eliminating hasty judgments when listening
	•	Practicing listening to understand
Time:	2.5 - 3 hours

The Art of Effective Evaluation To many people, evaluations are the most important aspect of the Toastmaster's program. No matter what your vocation, the ability to effectively evaluate any situation or condition is a necessity. In delivering this program you will teach the finer points of offering constructive criticism.

Exercises	•	Identifying reasons why people need to become more effective speakers
	•	Recognizing the factors that contribute to the club's evaluation climate
	•	Determining overall evaluation strengths and weaknesses
	•	Building self-esteem through evaluation
	•	Practicing evaluation skills
Time:	2.5 - 3 hours

Building Your Thinking Power Part I: Mental Flexibility Mental flexibility can be defined as a way of thinking - an attitude. It's a way of approaching situations that allows you to adapt your behavior so you can achieve the best outcomes. By increasing your mental flexibility, you become a better listener, a keener observer, a more skilled thinker and a more effective problem solver.

Exercises	•	Developing listening and feedback skills
	•	Exercising perceptual skills and mental flexibility
	•	Interpreting information in an open-minded way
	•	Determining what causes people to react negatively
	•	Increasing awareness of varying points of view
	•	Illustrating the importance of suspending value judgments and waiting for more information
	•	Learning semantic flexibility and its impact on the thinking process
	•	Thinking strategically
Time:	2 - 2.5 hours

Building Your Thinking Power Part II: The Power of Ideas People who are skilled at producing new ideas can make a profoundly important contribution to our society. This program will clarify the basic principles of creative thinking and explore specific techniques that can make all of us more effective idea producers.

Exercises	•	Understanding the difference between convergent and divergent thinking
	•	Enhancing imagination
	•	Producing fluent ideas
	•	Exercising the skill of hypothesizing
	•	Creating ideas through brainstorming
Time:	2 - 2.5 hours

From Speaker to Trainer Many businesses and organizations have realized the importance of training. Properly trained people increase productivity and make fewer mistakes. But how do you train people? In this program, you'll teach the five steps involved in preparing and presenting a training program using adult learning principles. You'll also teach the roles of trainers and the differences between public speaking and training while providing practical experience in facilitating discussion and conducting exercises. You'll teach how to make the learning experience enjoyable too.

Exercises	•	Conducting warm up exercises
	•	Determining participant's expectations
	•	Conducting a gap analysis
	•	Writing training objectives
	•	Identifying the characteristics of an effective trainer
	•	Conducting an effective role play
	•	Determining presentation styles
	•	Preparing a lesson plan
	•	Handling difficult behavior
	•	Applying your skills
Time:	4.5 hours