 Re: Supporting Toastmasters
Stephen --
I think part of what you describe depends on what abilities you already have to bring to it. My experience of this Toastmaster district (the "Golden Sage District," which covers southern Nevada and central California) is probably pretty common. Both clubs I've joined have been extremely supportive, but my first club more so because it was a general club, rather than a specialized one as the second club is. I basically had to read my first few speeches, and I still have to prepare quite a bit, which doesn't make me a particularly flexible speaker. I've frozen in speeches, and I've seen a woman actually cry because she was so terrified, but she worked through it, and the club was there to help her work through it.
There are two practices within the club environment that help in that regard, "Table Topics" and evaluations. Every meeting usually has a theme for the day, and Table Topics is a part of the normal club agenda where members who don't have speaking roles for the meeting are tapped to speak extemporaneously for 30 to 90 seconds on a subject usually relating to the theme. Evaluations are critiques on the prepared speeches given during the meeting, and doing a good one forces you to organize your thoughts quickly and think on your feet as well.
There are a couple of basic manuals that teach fundamentals of speaking and leadership roles, and then a mess of other manuals that each more advanced projects on both areas. It's a volunteer organization, so if you're interested in leadership skills applicable to a volunteer organization, it's a good opportunity.
There are other programs, including one that points you at speaking outside of the Toastmaster environment, but the one I've enjoyed the most so far is the contest arena, and I've written about that pretty extensively on my site.
Really, Stephen, you can get out of it whatever you want. I've become pretty much inactive because of the time I've been spending writing/blogging, but I know I can go back to it any time I want.
Forgive me if I seem like a Toastmaster shill (believe me, I'm not -- it's not a perfect organization, but what is?) but there's a lot there for you if you want it.
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