Website design By BotEap.comDo you remember the first time you had a big disagreement with your mother? Not that little skirmish over your curfew. You were upset, but my dear mommy was not.
Website design By BotEap.comI’m talking about your first big fight. The one in which your blood boiled. The one in which you proclaimed your adulthood. The one who took her off your Christmas card list!
Website design By BotEap.comYes, that.
Website design By BotEap.comI’m sure that image is very vivid and clear in your mind. Do you remember all the emotions you experienced? If it was something like mine, then you were stunned, confused, upset, livid, and 100% sure you were right.
Website design By BotEap.comThis is how I feel when I sit to the right of this article. I feel like I’m arguing with one of my parents. Toastmasters is the organization that sparked my interest in public speaking. Toastmasters has shaped me as a speaker and leader.
Website design By BotEap.comIn theory, Toastmasters is great. In practice, Toastmasters fails quite a few people. Read on for my take on the CONS of the great organization known as Toastmasters.
Website design By BotEap.comGood boy society
Website design By BotEap.comThe average Toastmaster is a very personable and well-meaning person. They smile from ear to ear when ordered, provide encouraging feedback, and will go out of their way to make you feel at home. This personality is generally good for an organization like Toastmasters.
Website design By BotEap.comThe desire to be friendly often overrides the need for good feedback. Attending Toastmasters meetings has given me the opportunity to experience the extremes of public speaking. I have experienced a small number of high-quality presentations. These were met with rave reviews.
Website design By BotEap.comI have also heard several gruesome speeches. These were also met with rave reviews.
Website design By BotEap.comI see the frown is frowning now, so let me explain. I think it’s great that Toastmasters cheer each other on. It’s great that we want people to keep thinking positive. It may even be noble to protect people from the painful reality of their weaknesses.
Website design By BotEap.comThere is only one problem with that. When you perform poorly in the real world, you find out right away. People give Toastmasters their hard-earned federal reserve tickets. There should be an obligation to provide a valuable speech assessment, not the most popular speech assessment.
Website design By BotEap.comLose the cheese
Website design By BotEap.comYou have to be incredibly mature to put up with Toastmasters. Meetings can be almost cheesy. Sometimes I have to check and make sure I am not at a National Clappers Society meeting. Every meeting has a part that looks like this:
Website design By BotEap.comToastmaster: “Will all of our guests get up and talk a little about them? You, there in the green shirt, we’ll start with you.”
Website design By BotEap.comGreen Shirt Guest: “Hi, my name is Chris and I found out about your group in the newspaper. I decided to come and see it!”
Website design By BotEap.comToastmaster: “Let’s give Chris a round of applause!”
Website design By BotEap.com* Standing ovation *
Website design By BotEap.comToastmaster: “You’re there in the purple shirt. I’ve seen you here before. Stand up and tell us about yourself.”
Website design By BotEap.comPurple Shirt Guest: “Hello, my name is Samantha and I have wanted to join for a while. I have come several times and have finally decided to take the plunge. Today is my first day as a member!”
Website design By BotEap.com* Standing ovation *
Website design By BotEap.comToastmaster: “Now I’ll have the helpers stand up and say what they will do today.”
Website design By BotEap.comTable Topic Teacher: “I’m the Table Topic Teacher and my job is to provide spontaneous speaking topics.”
Website design By BotEap.com* Standing ovation *
Website design By BotEap.comGrammarian / Ah Counter: “I am the grammarian / Ah Counter and my job is to make sure that no one destroys the English language”
Website design By BotEap.com* Standing ovation *
Website design By BotEap.comTimer: “I am the timekeeper and my job is to make sure we are on time with each and every speech.”
Website design By BotEap.com* Standing ovation *
Website design By BotEap.comToastmaster: “Any other announcement”
Website design By BotEap.comMember: “My cat made the transition from wet food to dry food!”
Website design By BotEap.com* Standing ovation *
Website design By BotEap.comToastmaster: “That’s great. Let’s get this meeting started.”
Website design By BotEap.comAfter all that excitement, the meeting begins. Some people say it’s good and it boosts morale. I say it’s over the top and gives the meeting the gloomy feel of a recovery support group. It starts to get a little cheesy when the fireworks go off because a cat is now eating dry food.
Website design By BotEap.com* Standing ovation *
Website design By BotEap.comNo participation standards
Website design By BotEap.comToastmasters can do wonders for an energetic and passionate personality. From day one I was able to put my feet first and reap the rewards. I made sure to participate in every meeting. I have always volunteered to speak, participate in table settings, or play a role in a meeting. As the days, weeks, and months passed, I witnessed myself growing by leaps and bounds as a speaker.
Website design By BotEap.comThere were other people who joined at the same time as me and got absolutely nothing from it. They never made a speech. They never participated in table themes. They never took on a role. They never did anything. As a result, they did not receive any benefits from the program.
Website design By BotEap.comMost outsiders view Toastmasters as a structured class that will teach them the ins and outs of public speaking. When they realize that Toastmasters is anything but they often turn around and run away.
Website design By BotEap.comToastmasters is a very flexible organization. You talk when you want. You evaluate when you want. You participate in the topics of the table whenever you feel like it. Flexibility is good for some things. When you’re trying to improve as a speaker, flexibility can lead to ruin.
Website design By BotEap.comIn my opinion, the organization fails each and every one of the people who go the same way they came. The structure should move away from the flexible “do what you feel” to a more structured “do what you should”. In this way, everyone who takes a manual will get the rewards. Most people need structure.
Website design By BotEap.comShow up and we’ll reward you
Website design By BotEap.comWhen you earn a degree from a university, you have demonstrated a certain level of proficiency in a subject. He has taken quizzes, tests, and final exams. He has written papers and thesis papers. You are rated for your production and rewarded accordingly.
Website design By BotEap.comIf you are a musician who aspires to gain recognition, you must create a lot of quality music. Once you’ve created enough material, you can start reaching out to people and working to sign an agreement. After you’ve proven yourself and caught the attention of the right people, you are rewarded with cash and a recording contract.
Website design By BotEap.comI can go on all day listing events and companies that require a proven level of competence before handing out rewards. It is the shape of the world.
Website design By BotEap.comAt Toastmasters, you are awarded titles based on the number of speeches and activities you’ve participated in … not your competition.
Website design By BotEap.comThe levels are as follows:
Website design By BotEap.com1 -> Competent communicator (10 speeches and all have the same manual)
Website design By BotEap.com2-> Advanced Communicator Bronze (10 more speeches. 5 of 2 advanced manuals of your choice along with leadership milestones)
Website design By BotEap.com3-> Advanced Communicator Silver (10 more speeches 5 of 2 advanced manuals of your choice along with leadership milestones)
Website design By BotEap.com4-> Advanced Communicator Gold (10 more speeches 5 of 2 advanced manuals of your choice along with leadership milestones)
Website design By BotEap.com5-> Distinguished Toastmaster (10 more speeches. 5 of 2 advanced manuals of your choice along with leadership milestones)
Website design By BotEap.comSpeakers at the advanced levels are often the cream of the crop. I’ve only seen a few advanced speakers who were poor. I have seen many people receive the Competent Communicator award and be the same nervous speaker that they were when they joined.
Website design By BotEap.comToastmasters does not offer exit tests, quizzes, or exams. You do not need to demonstrate proficiency to move to the next level. You don’t have to do anything but introduce yourself and fill the air with words.
Website design By BotEap.comI, for my part, do not believe that awards should be handed out in that way. The current Toastmasters model gives people the motivation to show up, give 10 speeches, earn the Competent Communicator award, and then ride into the sunset without any improvement.
Website design By BotEap.comIn all other fields, you sign up, show competition, and then receive an award. Toastmasters should follow suit.
Website design By BotEap.comconclusion
Website design By BotEap.comToastmasters is a wonderful organization. I don’t want you to read this article and I think I think of something else. If it weren’t for Toastmasters, I would have no idea what I want to do with my life. That does not mean that the organization does not have much room for improvement.
Website design By BotEap.comThe purpose of Toastmasters is to create better public speakers. The organization would get much closer to this goal if it followed these 4 steps:
Website design By BotEap.com1) Abolish the “Nice Guys Society”
2) lose the cheese
3) Create participation standards
4) Create proficiency metrics
Website design By BotEap.comFellow Toastmasters do not take this article personally. I only say these things because I want Toastmasters to better serve each and every person who walks through the door.
