Sean Ryan Communications

After 28 days of confinement the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, gave a formal address on Monday, April 13, 2020 to the nation for the third time. During his 27 minutes allocution he gave an update on the progress in tackling this rampant Covid-19, acknowledged the failures and lack of essential materials, and announced a series of measures to begin the deconfinement from May 11, 2020.

An estimated 36.7 million citizens watching 11 television stations (TFI, France 2, France 3, Canal+, M6, C8, TMC, BFMTV, CNews, LCI and Franceinfo) heard President Macron announce the extension of the confinement/lockdown and strict regulations until May 11. A very gradual reduction in confinement is expected to happen during the following two months into June and July.

Here are the main announcements from President Macron:

Confinement

• Citizens will continue to maintain the strictest confinement and regulations that have been in place for the previous four weeks until May 11 (eight weeks in total).
• Those who are most at risk (elderly, handicapped, chronic illness) will continue to remain in confinement after May 11.
• Restaurants, cafés, hotels, cinemas, theaters, concert halls and museums will remain closed.
• People will gradually be able to return to work following consultations with all the relevant organizations so that employees will return to safe working environments.
• Festivals and events with large numbers of the public will not be allowed until at least mid-July.
• There will be weekly reviews from mid-May for returning to normal business.

Education

• The progressive reopening of creches, schools, colleges and lycées will be possible after May 11. This will allow students to return to classes and for parents to be able to return to work.
• Students at higher education institutions will not be able to have physical courses until the summer. Exams and “concours” will be organized as per institution.

Borders

• Until the new order, borders with non-European countries will remain closed.

Tests

• By May 11 there will be capacity for all those with symptoms to be tested. Testing will not be possible for all citizens except those with critical jobs such as healthcare workers, the elderly and those who are most vulnerable.
• During the next few weeks there will be an increased number of testing each day.

Masks

• The State and the townhalls will ensure that all citizens will have a mask.
• Masks will be worn by professionals on the frontline along with citizens in certain situations such as public transport. It is not clear yet whether wearing a mask will be obligatory in all public spaces.

Treatments

• Substantial increases in financial support will be given to researchers and clinics to discover vaccines to combat Covid-19.
• All options will be explored to ensure that no one option is ignored.

Digital Tracking Application

• A digital tracking application will be possible to allow citizens to know if they have been in contact with someone who might be contaminated by the virus. Its usage will be voluntary. It is being developed in France in conjunction with other European Union countries. There will be debates in the Assemblée Nationale and the Senate to ensure that safeguards are included for democracy, civil liberties and personal data protection.

Aid Provision

• Aid will be provided to certain sectors such as tourism, hotels, restaurants, culture and events which have been heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Continuing support for those already on partial unemployment since the last four weeks.
• Special provision will be considered for businesses, entrepreneurs, liberal professions, artisans. These will include removal of charges and asking banks to provide support and financial flexibility.
• Exceptional financial aid will be allocated to families with children and to students in precarious situations.

Production of Materials

• Reorientation of industrial factories to increase the manufacture of essential materials such as masks, ventilators, gloves and surgical gowns.
• Substantial ordering of materials from other European countries and from Asia has been done with delivery in the coming weeks.

Aid to African Countries

• Aid and support to African countries will be considered including suspension or removal of debt obligations.

Post Confinement

• During the next couple of weeks the government will announce more details about how the country will exit the confinement over the coming months.

You can view and read President Macron’s address (in French) which are published on the website of the Palais de l’Elysée

About Sean Ryan: Irish Francophile

Sean Ryan is an Irish citizen, enthusiastic Francophile and has lived in Paris, France since February 2000. He shares his passion and fascination for his adopted country and frequently writes about people, culture, religion, language, politics, disapora, migration, current affairs, media, history, geography, tourism, museums, art, way of life, cuisine, wine, business, technology, environment, fashion, wellbeing, sport and lifestyle.

Sean can be contacted at seanryancommunications@gmail.com

Electrifying Individual & Organizational Performance

During a recent conversation with a French person she told me that she could never manage to learn to speak English and had “given up”. I asked her why that might be the case. She responded that she couldn’t understand the Anglo-Saxon accent(s) and couldn’t seem to remember how to say English words, phrases and sentences.

I delved further to try and understand her situation. (I have found that other French people have similar experiences).

• Was it a lack of confidence?
• Did she not have the opportunity to speak in English?
• Did she try and learn words, phrases, sentences every day?
• Does she watch movies and television programs or listen to broadcasts on the radio?
• Did she read newspapers, magazine articles and Internet content in English?
• Were there situations where she could practice?

I told her that it is possible to learn other languages by beginning with mastering the top words and phrases used every day (in the normal lives of the people) then to weave them into conversations, emails and even to her own personal and professional life. It is also manageable to do plus she would gain confidence in a very quick way.

It then made me think did I know the 1,500 French words and 1,000 phrases that are used by French people. I have been learning French since the age of about nine or ten years old when my aunt started to teach me. Trying to improve my knowledge of the language is, as I put it, “la bataille de ma vie” so I am always on the look out for different learning techniques.

On the Internet I have found many listings, so I am going through them to note and memorize the words and phrases.

I don’t want to just listen to French people say them to me (and know what they mean) but I do want to actively use them all the time. I will keep them handy with me as I am noting them down into my small languages’ notebook.

I’ll also start the process with other languages that I have learned over the years (Irish, German, Italian and maybe Latin and ancient Greek) but haven’t mastered them. I can also try doing it with a completely new language (could be Spanish or Russian; Mandarin or Arabic) to see how it might work.

About Sean Ryan, English Conversationalist & Coach

Sean Ryan is a native English-speaker from Ireland and has lived in the UK and France. He works with executives, senior government officials, professionals, entrepreneurs, students and young people of different nationalities to help them improve their English conversational and public speaking skills by turning existing good strengths to become great speakers. Typical situations include preparing for English exams, interviews for university or jobs, social events, preparing for business trips, delivering speeches and presentations, networking and professional events or pitching a startup or new product. He has also developed and delivered business writing in English programs for corporate clients.

Based in Paris, he brings to his clients more than 25 years of professional and multicultural expertise from international companies (UK, USA, France), public sector, startups and associations. He is an active member of Toastmasters public speaking clubs. On his blog seanryancommunications.wordpress.com he writes about communications, marketing, personal branding, public speaking, leadership, individual development, culture, identity and politics. His full professional profile is atwww.linkedin.com/in/seanryanparis and he can be contacted at seanryancommunications@gmail.com

This morning just after 7am I arrived at my swimming pool for my early morning swim to find the doors closed. The lights were on. The pool looked very inviting from outside. There were some staff inside chatting to each other. But no note on the door with any explanation. It could have been the sub zero temperatures and threat of snow. “Un problème technique” or “incident technique,” as we say in French which seems to group all sorts of reasons ranging from the pool not being hot enough to staff not arriving to work because of transport problems with snow on the lines.

On a regular morning there can be 10 to 15 people before 7am so as to be in the pool as soon as possible. While hovering outside wondering what the problem might have been it made me think that a simple explanation note on the door, even if written by hand, could have extended goodwill and basic communications to the pool’s regular users. We could have banged on the door to disturb the staff inside who plainly didn’t seem to care that their customers were outside in the freezing cold. But we were too polite to do that.

I could sense a feeling of unhappiness and annoyance from those of us who had to figure out how to spend the next 90 minutes deprived of our regular morning energetic swim.

Note: There are 40 public swimming pools in the 20 “arrondissements” of Paris with most of 25 meters, five of 33 meters and six of 50 meters. A number of swimming pools are closed for refurbishment. In addition, there are swimming pools in schools, hotels and sports clubs which have restricted access. Check out the list of the public swimming pools for opening times.

About Better Communications

Visit Sean’s blog for more about Better Communications and his communications consultancy services at seanryancommunications.wordpress.com and you can contact him directly by sending an email to seanryancommunications@gmail.com

During the next two years Toastmasters clubs will potentially be running two educational programs. The Vice President Education has been in charge of what we now call the ‘legacy’ or ‘traditional’ program. It is a very time consuming commitment as I can attest when I was Vice President Education between 2014 and 2015. The arrival of the Pathways Learning Experience will mean adapting the club especially as more and more members start the new program. Clubs should consider having a dedicated Pathways role in the Education Team and on the Executive Committee who can ensure three objectives: INFORM, INVOLVE and IMPLEMENT.

Introduction

When I was Vice President Education I found my year to be extremely intense. There was pressure to ensure that our twice monthly regular meetings were planned six to eight weeks in advance, members were allocated speaking and meeting roles, members had good mentoring relationships, contests were organized, special events were beneficial, educational awards were submitted, and the individual goals and objectives of each member were met.

Based on my experience in my club, membership of two other clubs plus observation of many clubs here in Paris, I recommended to my own club, Paris Speech Masters, that we have a Vice President Pathways. They would report to and work closely with the Vice President Education and other designated officer roles in the Education Team to ensure that Pathways would be implemented as smoothly as possible.

Education Team 

The Vice President Education is officially overall in charge of both programs. He or she can propose to have a number of assistant roles to implement the overall education strategy and plan. These might include:

• Vice President Mentoring (which is even more important as mentoring is mandatory in Pathways)
• Vice President Leadership (which was to advise the Executive Committee and oversee the leadership track of the legacy program)
• Vice President Pathways (to oversee and facilitate the implementation of the new program with members)

A Vice President Pathways (or any other suitable title) is part of the Education Team reporting to the Vice President Education. Any Pathways plan needs to be part of the overall Education Plan which is then part of the Club Success Plan.

Overall Goal for 2018 – 2019 

The overall goal might be: To facilitate the implementation of Pathways so that most members will have started by June 2019.

I think that each club need to have a target. There will be some members who will need to continue with the legacy program into 2019 – 2020 but most should be either fully or partially doing Pathways during this current year.

Role Objectives

As a preamble to the arrival of Pathways and its official availability in March 2018 I defined a role that comprised of three specific objectives:

• INFORM the Executive Committee and members about Pathways
• INVOLVE everyone in the club and also get external support
• IMPLEMENT Pathways that takes into account the club’s environment and the goals and objectives of each member

I recommend that the role should be done for periods of six months. It will be an opportunity to have two members do the role during the club year.

INFORM 

The person doing the role needs to inform themself about Pathways. They can do this by:

• Reading all the core materials available such as Toastmasters International, official documents, presentations and district websites and blogs; watching videos published on the Internet;
• Reading posts, discussions and best practices on various Toastmasters discussion boards on Facebook and LinkedIn.
• Attend any relevant meetings, presentations, Club Officer Trainings, webinars organized by Pathways Guides and Ambassadors.

The role involves informing all existing members about Pathways and how to get started. The Vice President Pathways can do the following:

• Summer communications campaign
• Individual one-to-one sessions with members
• Regular articles in the club’s newsletter
• Updates and presentations at club meetings

The role also involves advising the Executive Committee on progress with implementation in the club. A progress tracker can be developed to visually indicate the current state using reports obtained from Base Camp:

• Goals and objectives of members
• Members with mentors
• Members who are doing the legacy program only
• Members who have started Pathways (Completed self-assessment; chosen path; Progress on each project)

Working with the Vice Presidents Membership and Public Relations suitable communications material can be provided/developed to ensure that guests and potential members learn about Pathways.

INVOLVE 

Pathways is probably the most important transformation in the history of Toastmasters. It should not be underestimated the changes that will need to happen in each club.

To help smooth the implementation the Vice President Pathways needs to involve key people:

• Executive Committee (who need to be able to explain to members on progress and to be able to explain to guests and potential members)
• Members who are actively starting on Pathways and completing projects (their input, feedback and comments are essential)
• Assistant Program Quality Director for the Division (who will also have Pathways as part of their responsibilities)
• Vice President Education in other clubs and any Pathways assistants (good to get practical advice and share best practices)
• Get advice and suggestions from Toastmasters clubs who have already been implementing Pathways (using the Pathways Facebook Group is a good source)

IMPLEMENT 

Pathways is meant to be implemented in parallel to the legacy education program so there will be practical and transformation aspects in each club.

Here are some areas to cover:

• Define a Pathways role suitable for the club
• Develop an action plan for a six months period
• Get an understanding of the goals and objectives for each member (this will be taken from an Education Survey to all members)
• Provide new members and those who want to start Pathways with individual onboarding and advice about choosing paths
• Get feedback from those doing Pathways
• Work with Vice President Education and Vice President Mentoring to ensure Pathways is included in the mentoring relationships (some adjustments might be needed if there is an existing mentoring program in the club)
• Outline actions to be completed by members and mentors (self-assessment; review achievements and evaluations for speeches and leadership roles; develop progress plan with mentor; mapping to the  Pathways competencies)
• Map out example plaths for different members
• Support the Vice President in the club rollout (writing guides, adding materials to the club’s resources, Base Camp approvals….)
• Celebrate and arrange suitable recognition of members who have completed Pathways projects

Sample Six Months Pathways Plan 

July

• Define the role description
• Develop a draft plan for the next six months getting input from the Vice President Education and the Vice President Mentoring
• Define and carry out a summer communications campaign to members
• Learn about Pathways from the materials available from TMI
• Ask members currently using Pathways for their feedback, comments and impressions so far

August

• Continue summer communications campaign to members
• Ensure relevant Pathways questions are included in the Education Survey
• Learn more about Base Camp (access using the Vice President Education’s ID and Password)
• Carry out a review of goals & objectives, do the self-assessment and choose a path

September

• Get approval for the Pathways plan from the Executive Committee
• Find out which members plan to start Pathways in the coming months
• Provide onboarding and advice to members
• Continue a communications campaign

October

• Provide the Executive Committee details of the tracking of the current situation
• Provide onboarding and advice to members
• Give a presentation at a club meeting

November

• Get feedback from members who are using Pathways which could be done in a group session to share experiences, problems and solutions
• Do a more specific communications campaign on particular topics
• Organize a training session for new and existing members if necessary

December

• Provide the Executive Committee details for the tracking of the current situation
• Make recommendations on next steps
• Prepare transition to a new Vice President Pathways who will do the role from January to June

Practical Considerations

It should be noted that the Club Leadership Handbook (January 2018) in the role description for the Vice President Education it mentions that he/she is also the Base Camp Manager. However, it doesn’t say how Pathways is to be implemented in the club. As probably the most intensive role in the club the Vice President Education does need help. The Club Leadership Handbook does encourage the setting up of an Education Committee or Team.

As second consideration is that access to the Base Camp Management is via three official officer roles: Vice President Education, Club President and Club Secretary. At this time no only access is given. The Vice President Pathways will need to use the ID and Password of the Vice President Education.

Potential Options

Clubs should have an officer who is the Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for Pathways so that members know who to turn to when they need help. Here are various options that can be considered depending on a club’s culture and situation:

• Vice President Education does all of these actions as part of their normal role. Pathways becomes an additional activity along with what the role has done in the past. However, as I have noted above, the Vice President Education is already an instense role and takes up a lot of time.
• Create a Vice President Pathways role as I have proposed.
• The Vice President Education focuses on implementing Pathways and has an assistant who oversees the legacy progam.
• The Club Secretary could do the role added to their normal duties. This makes sense as they have official access to Base Camp. However, the role of Club Secretary has been elected and they would not have expected to do additional duties.
• Another existing officer (eg Vice President Membership or Vice President Public Relations) might add Pathways to their responsibilities. This might be necessary especially if a club is small, doesn’t have enough officers or might be struggling or a new club.

About Sean Ryan, ACS ALB

Paris Speech Masters

Sean Ryan is an Advanced Toastmaster who has held all the senior executive officer roles in his club; has taken part in the autumn and spring public speaking contests from club to division levels in English, French and Italian; and has made significant contributions to the wider Toastmasters as a workshop trainer, conference master of ceremony, chief judge, membership expert and club growth development.

Based in Paris, he brings to his clients more than 25 years of professional and multicultural expertise from international companies (UK, USA, France), public sector, startups and associations. He is an active member of Toastmasters public speaking clubs. On his blog seanryancommunications.wordpress.com he writes about communications, marketing, personal branding, public speaking, leadership, individual development, culture, identity, media and politics.

His full professional profile is at www.linkedin.com/in/seanryanparis and he can be contacted at seanryancommunications@gmail.com

A typical year in the life of any Toastmasters club is extremely busy. Each club has regular meetings often twice a month. The Executive Committee has meetings every one or two months. Then in the wider Toastmasters there are public speaking contests in the autumn and spring at different levels, club officer trainings, workshops, area council meetings, virtual courses and social events. Many of these can be planned in advance as the dates are set by Toastmasters International or at District or Division level. With a full schedule of actions, events and dates a Club President and officers can ensure that a club can anticipate better, be organized and also avoid undue pressures to do many activities at once.

Under the direction of the Club President each club should prepare a detailed calendar for everything that can be anticipated during the year. It should be available by early July to all club officers and members. Where appropriate parts of it (such as the club meeting dates) should be communicated on the club’s management system (EasySpeak) communication channels: club website, Meetup, Facebook and any other social media.

When I first joined Toastmasters I didn’t have any appreciation of all the different activities that might happen during the year. My club was meeting on the first and third Monday of each month from September to June. This proved to be convenient as I was able to join another club which met on the second and fourth Monday of each month.

When I joined the Executive Committee as Assistant Treasurer and then other officer roles (Vice President Membershp, Vice President Education and Club President) it was critical for me and my fellow officers that we could anticpate what was going to happen at any time of the year. Putting together the detailed calendar was an important action to be done by the beginning of July.

The calendar should contain the following:

1. Toastmasters International key deadline dates including a list of new club officers, membership dues, member names, education awards and the World Championship of Public Speaking Convention usually in August. Some of these dates are already noted in the Club Leadership Handbook.
2. District and Division key dates covering club officer trainings, public speaking contests, area councils and area director visit. A division director should send this out during June.
3. Club meetings dates usually twice per month but could be more often. Each club decides on when to hold meetings eg specific days and times. Meeting details are added to EasySpeak including the name of the Toastmaster of the Evening, meeting theme (if chosen) and special meetings (contests, Speakathon, Open House, Debate, Moments of Truth). Do take into account vacation times (especially summer and winter), national and local public holidays and school holidays.
4. Club officer deadlines depending on the plans for each officer such as updating the website, starting the nominating process for the new Executive Committee or when official documentation might need to be submitted to a bank or local authority.

When known specific dates should be added so that everyone is clear when events and actions can take place.  I have listed out examples for each month during the year starting the June of the current year right through to June of the new year.

I have added specific examples from my own club, Paris Speech Masters, and my Division A (Northern France) plus District 59 (France, Monaco, Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg).

June

• Club meetings in June could include a special end of the year meeting before the summer vacations. These can include recognizing the work of the officers, education awards ceremony, special prizes for members.
• Club Officers’ Training is organized by the Division and Areas Directors. These could be one or many dates and in different languages. At least four officers to attend to ensure the club gets half point for the Distinguished Club Program.
• Joint Executive Committee Meeting to bring together the outgoing officers and new officers to ensure transitions happen smoothly.
• Officer Transitions of meetings arranged between outgoing and new officers to understand the role, status report, handover yearly plans and key documents, processes, best practices and lessons learned.
• Add list of new club officers to Toastmasters International by June 30.
• Add details of education awards to Toastmasters International by June 30.
• End of year message to members from Club President including details about the Distinguished Club Program.
• Vice President Membership sends out an invitation to members to renew membership and pay their dues. To make it as attractive as possible offer an Early Bird reduced rate if paid by a certain date.

July 

• New club year begins and the officers of the Executive Committee assume their role and responsibilities.
• Club President sends out to members key dates for club meetings, contests and other special events. Meeting dates are also added to EasySpeak, club website, Meetup and social media.
• Potential for club meetings during the month of July. Some clubs begin their new season with meetings. At Paris Speech Masters we held a Speakathon on July 9 to give members the opportunity to complete another speech project before the summer break.
• Treasurer prepares the budget for the year to be approved by the Executive Committee.
• Mini profiles of each officer are published on the club’s website; EasySpeak is updated with the new Executive Committee; and social media details are changed as appropriate.
• Summer communications campaign to inform members of the Pathways Learning Experience.

August 

• Each officer prepares his or her strategy and plan for the year and provides these to the Club President who will put them into the master copy of the Club Success Plan.
• A survey is sent to all existing members to get details about goals, objectives, current progress in the legacy education program, plans for the Pathways Learning Experience, mentoring and comments about the club. The timing of this will depend on each club and when members have confirmed that they have renewed.
• The 2018 Toastmasters International Convention will take place in Chicago, United States from August 22 to 25. There will be global networking opportunities, decision making meetings, inspiring education sessions and the World Championship of Public Speaking. Future conventions will be held in Denver, Colorado (2019); Paris, France (2020); Nashville, Tennessee (2021).
• A special summer open air meeting might take place. Open the meeting to people across Toastmasters in the local area and visitors on vacation. I have seen different types of situations from picnics, boat trips, historic locations beeches. This is a opportunity to have some fun and be innovative.
• Summer communications campaign to inform members of the Pathways Learning Experience.

September 

• The Vice President Education needs to ensure that meetings have speakers and roles allocated at least ideally eight weeks in advance.
• Regular club meetings resumes after the summer break. At Paris Speech Masters meetings will be held on September 10 and September 24.
• The Club President completes and gets approval of the full Club Success Plan by the Executive Committee during its meeting in September.
• Submit list of members and pay members’ dues by the Treasurer by September 30.
• In previous years club contests (Humorous Speech and Table Topics) start taking place in September. New arrangements are being made in each division for this autumn as there will be no official District Contests and Conference.

October

• At Paris Speech Masters there wil be regular club meetings on October 8 and 22.
• Area Director visit to the club can potentially happen in October.

November

• At Paris Speech Masters there will be regular club meetings on November 5 and 19.
• On November 10 there will be a special Division A event for clubs in Northern France.
• Carry out a Moments of Truth meeting to review the club using the six criteria. This should be held before Christmas to give time for the club to make adjustments. The Area Director report will also be useful.
• Executive Committee Meeting held to review progress and plan for the forthcoming months. This very much depends on the decisions and circumstances of each club.

December 

• At Paris Speech Masters there will be regular club meetings on December 3 and 17.
• On December 1 to 4 there will be a Toastmasters Floating Academy ALLeGRO Cruise in the Mediterranean Sea with visits to Marseille and Barcelona. The trip promises to be full of educational workshops, training, public speaking challenges, touristic visits, networking and fun. There might be similar Leadership Insititute events depending on your district.
• On December 7 there will be a Christmas Party in Division A (Northern France). Clubs can also have pre-vacation parties which will depend on local cultures.

January 

• At Paris Speech Masters there will be regular club meetings on January 7 and 21.
• Club Officer Training will take place on January 26 in Division A (Northern France).
• Candidates for Division and District roles can put forward their applications.
• Could have a New Year Party to mark the start of 2019.
• Executive Committee Meeting held to review progress and plan for the forthcoming months. This very much depends on the decisions and circumstances of each club.

February 

• At Paris Speech Masters there will be regular club meetings on February 4 and 18.
• On February 16 Area 4 (English-speaking clubs in Paris) in Division A (Northern France) will be having public speaking contests.
• Nomination Committee is formed under the leadership of the Immediate Past President to start the process of identifying the officers for the new Executive Committee.

March 

• At Paris Speech Masters there will be regular club meetings on March 4 and 18.
• Membership dues to be paid to Toastmasters International by March 31.
• Potential to have a Speakathon to enable members to deliver their speech project.
• Executive Committee Meeting held to review progress and plan for the forthcoming months. This very much depends on the decisions and circumstances of each club.

April 

• At Paris Speech Masters there will be regular club meetings on April 1, 15 and 29.
• The Division A (Northern France) Conference and Contests will take place on April 6.
• Area Director visit to the club can potentially happen in April.
• Executive Committee Meeting held to review progress and plan for the forthcoming months. This very much depends on the decisions and circumstances of each club.

May

• At Paris Speech Masters there will be regular club meetings on May 13 and 27.
• District 59 Conference will take place in Marseille, France.
• New Executive Committee elections and voted on my members.

June 

• At Paris Speech Masters there will be regular club meetings on June 3 and 17.
• Club Officer Training to take place in Division A (Northern France).
• Joint Executive Committee Meeting to bring together the outgoing officers and new officers to ensure transitions happen smoothly.
• Officer Transitions of meetings arranged between outgoing and new officers to understand the role, status report, handover yearly plans and key documents, processes, best practices and lessons learned.

July 

• On July 1 a new Toastmasters club year begins.
• At Paris Speech Masters there will be regular club meeting on July 1.
• Potential to have a Speakathon to offer members an opportunity to complete a speech project before the summer vacation.
• Road to Toastmasters Convention organized to enable winning District Contestants to deliver their speech and get detailed feedback and evaluations. These events are organized in a number of cities to enable those competing at Semi Finals of the World Championship of Public Speaking that takes place each August.

Practical Tips

• Be as comprehensive as possible when preparing the club’s schedule.
• Keep the schedule alive with any new changes and to regularly communicate it to the Executive Committee (at its meetings) and to all members.
• Keep all club management and communications channels updated.
• Be prepared to make changes such as cancelling meetings or adding new ones where appropriate.
• Use the schedule to manage the club’s activities.
• Do forward planning and have a rolling schedule of 12 to 18 months.

Leadership Skills Learned

• Role as Club President
• Planning
• Time management
• Delegation
• Forward thinking
• Complexity

About Sean Ryan, ACS ALB

Paris Speech Masters

Sean Ryan is an Advanced Toastmaster who has held all the senior executive officer roles in his club; has taken part in the autumn and spring public speaking contests from club to division levels in English, French and Italian; and has made significant contributions to the wider Toastmasters as a workshop trainer, conference master of ceremony, chief judge, membership expert and club growth development.

Based in Paris, he brings to his clients more than 25 years of professional and multicultural expertise from international companies (UK, USA, France), public sector, startups and associations. He is an active member of Toastmasters public speaking clubs. On his blog seanryancommunications.wordpress.com he writes about communications, marketing, personal branding, public speaking, leadership, individual development, culture, identity, media and politics.

His full professional profile is at www.linkedin.com/in/seanryanparis and he can be contacted at seanryancommunications@gmail.com

On July 1 more than 17,200 clubs around the world began a new year. It is a busy time as 120,000 new officers start their new roles and responsibilities. It is a time of transition from the previous officer, learn about tools and processes but also start putting together a plan for the next 12 months. Many officers, and especially those who have never done a previous role, think that the year begins in a couple of months after the summer vacation in the Northern Hemisphere or winter vacation in the Southern Hemisphere. The only way the new season of club meetings can begin successfully and smoothly is because of the necessary basic and foundational work that will need to be done during July and/or August. While putting together the detailed plan might take some time each officer should complete a number of practical actions. 

Note: My references have been to summer vacation time in the Northern Hemisphere, however the key messages remain the same ie that the new year does begin on July 1 and officers need to start their role immediately.

Introduction 

In January 2013 I officially became a member of my club Paris Speech Masters. Within a short time I was asked to become the Assistant Treasurer and to join the Executive Committee. Since then I have had a very close involvement in the start of each new club year. I have held key officer roles  including being the Club President, Vice President Education, Vice President Membership and Chair of Public Relations. Each year we had a mixture of officers who changed roles and had experience of leading the club plus completely new officers.

There is one key lesson that I learned during my five and half years of being on the Executive Committee. Many officers think that the club new year begins in September when the first meeting is held (which for members it is basically true). However, the new year does begin on July 1 and officers need to start doing their role. Eventhough there will be vacation times for each officer, some key practical actions need to be completed. There is no time to be wasted. If these are not done then the officer will find that September will be so busy that they will be under tremendous pressure. The opportunity to build on achievements from the previous year gets diluted very quickly.

Getting Started 

Once a new officer has been elected usually towards the end of May or June they need to be proactive in doing the following: 

1. While they might have seen the role description during the nomination process, they should now read the detailed description as published in the Toastmasters Club Leadership Handbook (January 2018). 
2. Attend the Club Officer Training in the division usually in June. This gives each officer the opportunity to meet fellow officers, learn about the role plus pick up some lessons learned and best practices. There will be introductions to the new division and area leadership team, presentations and interactive workshops.
3. Arrange transition sessions with the outgoing officer that might include face-to-face meetings, training on tools and processes, exchange of documents and status reports, adding materials to the club’s Executive Committee repository, and the transfer of lessons learned and best practices. I strongly advise that all transitions are completed by mid July. While they might still be available to give continuing advice assume that the outgoing officers will have very time available especially if they are on vacation or starting to do another officer role.
4. Attend a joint Executive Committee meeting in June between the previous officers and new officers. These are valuable opportunities to ease yourself into your role but also to experience an Executive Committee meeting especially if you are an officer for the first time.
5. Read the Distinguished Club Program and Club Success Plan which outlines detailed elements of what should be included. Read the plan prepared by the previous officer. When writing a version for a club it is advisable to have a tailor made version that is practical. 

Essential Actions for Each Officer 

Club President

1. Prepare and communicate to all members the club’s schedule for the year with a legend and specific colors for dates of club meetings, contests (club, area, division and district), special events, executive committee meeting. These dates need to be reviewed and agreed by the Executive Committee. The dates can be a printed version or using Google Drive. They will  need to be added by the appropriate officer to EasySpeak, the club’s website, Meetup and other communications and social media channels.
2. Prepared a detailed schedule of dates for all different activities that are going to happen during the year (to be included in the Club Success Plan) including requirements for Toastmasters International, contests, area director visits, club meetings, special events, key actions by officers.
3. Organize the first Executive Committee to be held as early as possible in July before vacations. There is a temptation to have the first meeting in late August or September. Creating a team spirit and confirming summer actions by each officer will set the year off to a good start. 
4. Set up tools so that the Executive Committee can communicate among officers during the year. These might include email, Google Drive, WhatsApp, Slack.

Vice President Education 

1. Learn the Education tools such as EasySpeak and Base Camp.
2. Submit new awards to Toastmasters International to get the year off to a good start with new Distinguished Club Program goals.
3. Get a detailed understanding of the goals and objectives of each member by reviewing that has been achieved during the previous year (check EasySpeak for what speeches were given and leadership roles done) and prepare a survey to be sent to members (by early September).
4. Develop a plan for the implementation of the Pathways Learning Experience.
5. Recruit members to join the Education Team: Vice President Mentoring, Vice President Pathways and Vice President Leadership. 

Vice President Membership 

1. Send an invitation to all members to review their membership and pay their dues at an Early Bird rate. Summer attrition of up to 30, 40 or even 50 percent is a possibility in many clubs. It is important to get commitment from members as early as possible to renew their membership.
2. Find out which members will not be renewing their membership and carry out exit interviews on the reasons for leaving. 

Vice President Public Relations 

1. Update the club website with mini-profiles of each new officer including details of their new role and vision; experiences in the club and Toastmasters; and professional background.
2. Ensure that all existing channels reflect the new year and remove any out of date content.
3. Consider having a Public Relations Team: Social Media, Newsletter Editor, Webmaster.
   

Secretary 

1. Add listing of officers to Toastmasters International.
2. Ensure all the club’s documentation is on the Executive Committee repository. 

Treasurer 

1. Review and confirm accounts from the previous year and to prepare a draft budget.
2. Arrange a meeting with the bank to ensure the transfer of responsiblities, new check book and new club cards. 

Sergeant-at-Arms 

1. Do a stock take of club materials and order more if necessary.
2. Provide the dates of club meetings to the venue so that they are booked for the year. 

Be Practical

My final advice would be to remain as practical as possible and only do what is essential and necessary. Think about what  you would want to have when the new meeting season begins. Aim to do your summer or winter actions yourself that involve none or minimal involvement of others. Try and find out when other officers are available and back from vacation so that you can liaise with them if necessary.

And, finally, do take vacation time yourself!

Essential Reading

• Club Leadership Handbook (January 2018)
• Club Officer Training (May 2018)
• How to be a Distinguished Club
• Distinguished Club Program and Club Success Plan (January 2018)
• Moments of Truth

About Sean Ryan, ACS ALB

Paris Speech Masters

Sean Ryan is an Advanced Toastmaster who has held all the senior executive officer roles in his club; has taken part in the autumn and spring public speaking contests from club to division levels in English, French and Italian; and has made significant contributions to the wider Toastmasters as a workshop trainer, conference master of ceremony, chief judge, membership expert and club growth development.

Based in Paris, he brings to his clients more than 25 years of professional and multicultural expertise from international companies (UK, USA, France), public sector, startups and associations. He is an active member of Toastmasters public speaking clubs. On his blog seanryancommunications.wordpress.com he writes about communications, marketing, personal branding, public speaking, leadership, individual development, culture, identity, media and politics.

His full professional profile is at www.linkedin.com/in/seanryanparis and he can be contacted at seanryancommunications@gmail.com

On June 11, 2018 I celebrated a special moment in my life as I reached my half century. While it didn’t seem to be a big difference from one day to the next, it was still a signficant milestone. We all go through them related to age, relationships, career, health, family, changing countries. During my forties I usually tried to avoid saying my age. Part of me want to remain what I perceived to be young, virile and in my thirties. I didn’t want to “grow old”. Now, on reaching 50, it seems more appropriate to be open and honest. My new status is an opportune time to review my own identity and what has filled those 50 years which now bring a certain level of maturity, experience, gravitas and social acceptability. It is something that I can accept gracefully but also exploit in my years to come. I was able to test this out during the days following the BIG 50 day when I received birthday wishes via my Facebook page and LinkedIn profile, received congratulatory emails and also physically met people here in Paris. 

On Friday evening, June 15, I attended the Bloomsday celebrations at the Irish Embassy in Paris. This photo perfectly captures my true Irish identity, appearance, culture, education and frame of mind. It brought together so many aspects of my 50 years.

As I carefully examined the photo I noticed that there were many different elements of me and the symbols which represent so many aspects of my own identity. It also captures a moment to celebrate but also look forward to the future.

Connection with James Joyce

It was fitting that the evening was just a few days after my own birthday. On June 10, 1904 James Joyce met Nora Barnacle, who hailed from my home county of Galway, and they had their first romantic date on June 16.

While growing up in Ballinasloe I developed a love of reading everything from newspapers to magazines, the encyclopedia and literature. My parents, and expecially my mother and my aunt who was a teacher, encouraged me. I studied the James Joyce novels for my English Leaving Certificate exam. Honestly, I found them difficult. Growing up in a small country town didn’t leave much room for relating to them as he based them in Dublin. At Maynooth University I studied English and his novels in more detail which helped to improve my understanding. During my five years in Maynooth I often took the bus the 16 kms into Dublin itself so I could see the places that he was writing about.

I also developed a love of French (due to my French speaking aunt who had lived in Paris) and studied the language in my first year at university. Like Joyce (1902) my first visit to Paris was short of just one month in 2006 when I did a French language course at the Institut Catholique, but I promised myself that I would live some time in the city during my life. The opportunity arrived in 2000 when I came for 18 months through my work (Ernst & Young in London) and have been here ever since. Joyce came to Paris again in 1920 and lived for most of the next 20 years in Paris and then Saint Gérand Le Puy (1939 – 1940) near Clermont-Ferrand.

Irish Community & Friends

The straw hat that I am wearing is borrowed from my friend who happens to be coincidently named Joyce, an American living in Paris. She attended a St Patrick’s Day Storytelling Evening that I was hosting last March and gave a reading from a James Joyce novel. We found that we had a shared love of James Joyce so we were delighted to be together at the embassy’s Bloomsday. (Another funny coincidence is that the person who took the photo is called James so I was with James and Joyce!)

I have found over the years that a sharing of Irish culture, history, sports, music, literature, music, dance, arts, politics, religion, business creates many different and unexpected connections across all backgrounds, nationalities and generations. While at times it can be a little frustrating as people seem to be experts, I am happy that they know more than me.

I love sharing my Irishness with others. It is always gratifying to see the enthusiasm that people from other countries have about Ireland and our Irish nation. At the Bloomsday reception there were over 200 people from many different countries and walks of life.

Irish Identity

In the photo I am dressed in green with a green jacket and trousers. I am also wearing some Irish symbols. I happen to have had my two Irish passports with me (the standard booklet but also the very modern passport card), which I had to show at security to gain entry to the Irish Embassy, the small part of France that is officially Irish soil. My passports are a continuing reminder not only of my name but also my age and where I was born.

I wear a Claddagh ring as it remind me of my home county of Galway and which symbolizes loyalty, love and relationships. And, I wear my Maynooth University Alumni pin in recognition of my five years in Maynooth which proved to be my strong formative years of education and religious training as a seminarian. I am also the Ambassador for my university’s alumni chapter so was proud to represent all our alumni living in France.

Another Irish connection is on the wall behind me. There is a painting on loan to the Irish embassy from the National University of Ireland Galway which is another reminder of my home county of Galway.

Irish Food and Drink

Last, but not least, are examples of what nourishes us. The Irish sausages remind me of my roots. Both my parents come from farming backgrounds as well as the families of my brothers-in-law and my sister-in-law. Farming is essential to the life of my home town. On the first week of October we have big Horse Fair & Agricultural Show, once the largest in Europe. The sausages also remind me of my mother’s cooking and how food is so important to the richness of our family life.

The Guinness is also very symbolic. The ingredients come from the land. It is rich in iron and can be healthy if taken in small amounts. It is normal for women in Ireland to drink a bottle of Guinness especially when pregnant. So, Guinness is probably my first alcoholic drink eventhough I only drink it rarely nowadays.

Guinness reminds me of pub life in Ireland and many social occasions that bring the Irish community together. Guinness is also symbolic of how our national drink has become famous around the world and is a huge international billion euros business. Guinness is also connected to St Patrick’s Day when people raise a glass in honor of St Patrick and our 80 million Irish nation. Guinness now can connect people around the world as it is available in most countries especially in the thousands of Irish pubs.

Identity Celebration

The last fifty years has brought me from Castlebar, Crossmolina, Kilconnell, Ballinasloe to Maynooth, London, and now Paris. I find it important to continually remind myself of the richness of my national identity as Irish and as Celtic but also as European and a citizen of the world.

Saying goodbye to my forties was very easy, now I welcome my fifties with gusto looking forward to the next part of my continually changing personal identity.

Photo Credit: James Kigin

About Bloomsday

Bloomsday is a popular Irish literary and cultural event that takes place around the world on (or close to) June 16 each year. It commemorates and celebrates the day in the life of the main character, Leopold Bloom, in James Joyce’s epic novel, Ulysees set in Dublin city. Irish people, James Joyce aficionados, and friends of Irish culture take part in a variety of activities such as:

• Retracing Leopold Bloom’s route through Dublin
• Readings and performances from the novel
• Singing songs from Dublin of the early 1900s
• Dressing up as Ulysees characters with Edwardian clothes from 1904
• Eating meals such as a full Irish breakfast and other Irish food featured in the novel such kidneys and Gorgonzola cheese sandwiches
• Watching films and listening to recordings
• Attending events in pubs, cultural centers, embassies, theaters, museums, parks and other open air places

The first reference to Bloomsday comes from 1924 while the first official event took place in 1954, fifty years after the setting of the novel in 1904.

In Paris typical events include a Bloomsday reception at the Embassy of Ireland, performances by the Bloomsday Paris Group (Irish Joycean actors, poets, authors, singers and musicians), readings at the Shakespeare and Company bookshop, individual performances and readings from Joyceans. In Saint Gérand Le Puy there is an all day celebration and seminar featuring James Joyce and Ulysees with invited authors, experts and Joyceans. Readings also take place in libraries and other locations around France.

About Sean Ryan, Personal Branding Coach & Trainer

Sean Ryan is a bilingual English and French personal branding coach and trainer. He works with executives, senior government officials, professionals, entrepreneurs and students to help them understand their specific objectives, target audiences, messages and most suitable media formats. Typical services include an initial review, audit of presence on the Internet, creation of new materials (Curriculam Vitae, Biography, LinkedIn Profile, Slides, Video, Social Media), Elevator Pitches, Interview Preparation, Public Speaking). He provides personal branding workshops and training courses to multinational companies, business schools, startups and professional associations.

Based in Paris, he brings to his clients more than 25 years of professional and multicultural expertise from international companies (UK, USA, France), public sector, startups and associations. He is an active member of Toastmasters public speaking clubs. On his blog seanryancommunications.wordpress.com he writes about communications, marketing, personal branding, public speaking, leadership, individual development, culture, identity, media and politics.

His full professional profile is at https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanryanparis and he can be contacted at seanryancommunications@gmail.com

With more than 90 years Toastmasters has provided millions of people with a friendly and safe environment to practice and hone their communications and leadership skills. As of June 2018 there will be two education programs running side by side for the next two years until June 2020. The arrival of the Toastmasters new education program – Pathways Learning Experience – will be a big change for everyone who have been used to the existing, and soon to be, legacy one. For the 350,000 Toastmasters around the world many will be wondering how each program and individual project matches. Will what they have already learned be easily applied in the new Pathways ? It is a question that I have asked myself. As I prepare for Pathways, I decided to remind myself of what I call our legacy program. With my many completed projects and having witnessed 80 to 90 percent of the total program, I feel qualified to revisit it in a dispassionate way. I also wanted to see how I could concretely build on what I have learned and match these as I begin with Pathways.

It is a hallmark of Toastmasters that we learn while doing. We get immediate feedback and evaluations on each of our public speaking projects and leadership roles that we have done. While our legacy education program was comprehensive, by 2010 it was time to build, develop and transform it to suit the more up-to-date needs of current and future members.

When I first got invovled in Toastmasters in 2012 I was impressed by its education program. Well, initially I thought it was about the first two manuals : Competent Communication and Competent Leadership. These were the ones shown to me at my first meetings. Very quickly I realized that the education program was much more than this.

When I was Vice President Membership I had to get a more detailed knowledge so that I could explain to guests and potential members. As Vice President Education it was my duty to have a very comprehensive understanding. I was working with not only new members but also experienced and advanced even European contest champions. I had to be ready to make suggestions on manuals, presentations and workshops.

Here are some figures that I liked to quote :

• 10 initial projects to learn the fundamental techniques of public speaking
• 10 leadership projects which include completing different roles in meetings, for the club and during our two contest seasons. Each meeting role includes a short evaluation speech.
• 65 advanced speech projects
• 44 advanced presentations and workshops
• 1 Youth Leadership Program
• 1 High Performance Leadership Program

In summary, at least 150 different situations to give short speeches to extensive workshops and présentations.

The full legacy education program is as follows :

Competent Communication (Ten Projects)

These ten projects provide a new member with a step by step approach to learning public speaking techniques. The manual is designed to complete one project after another. However, it is possible to select which project to complete if appropriate to your goals and objectives. Members can choose topics to speak about ideally fitting into the project objectives. Each project requires an evaluation form to be completed by an Evaluator who is a more experienced Toastmaster.

Completion of six of the ten projects are required to compete in the International Speech Contest.

• Project 1 : The Ice Breaker
• Project 2 : Organize Your Speech
• Project 3: Get to the Point
• Project 4: How to Say It
• Project 5: Your Body Speaks
• Project 6: Vocal Variety
• Project 7: Research Your Topic
• Project 8: Get Comfortable with Visual Aids
• Project 9 : Persuade with Power
• Project 10: Inspire Your Audience

Download the Competent Communication Manual (PDF)

Competent Leadership (Ten Projects)

At Toastmasters leadership is not something we are necessarily born with but must be learned and learned while doing. These ten projects provide members with necessary skills in leadership through completion of certain roles (multiple times) at meetings, club activities or contests.  These include :

• Meetings : Toastmaster of the Evening, Table Topics Master, General Evaluator, Speech Evaluator, Time Keeper, Table Topics Speaker, Ah-Counter, Grammarian, Speaker, Befriend a Guest, Greeter, Tell a Joke, Tell a Speech Tip, Introduce People
• Club : Help organize a club speech contest, Help organize a club special event, Help organize a club membership campaign or contest, Help organize a club public relations campaign, Help produce a club newsletter, Assist the club webmaster, Chair a club membership campaign, Chair a club speech contest, Chair a club public relations campaign, Chair a club special event, Serve as a club newsletter editor or webmaster, Mentor a new member with the first three  projects in Competent Communication, Mentor an existing member with their next three speaking and/or leadership projects
• Contests : Master of Ceremony, Contest Master, Contest Chair, Chief Judge, Judge, Sergeant-at-Arms, Ballot Counter, Time Keeper
• Serve on the guidance committee of a High Performance Leadership project

Each role is evaluated by an Evaluator who is a more experienced Toastmaster.

• Project 1: Listening
• Project 2: Critical Thinking
• Project 3: Giving Feedback
• Project 4: Time Management
• Project 5: Planning and Implementation
• Project 6: Organization and Delegation
• Project 7: Facilitation
• Project 8: Motivation
• Project 9: Mentoring
• Project 10: Team Building

Download the Competent Leadership Manual (PDF)

Advanced Communication (15 Manuals and 65 Projects)

Once a member has completed the Competent Communication Manual they can then start delivering speeches from the advanced series. While normally a member works through two advanced manuals at a time they can also deliver speeches from other advanced manuals if they wish. Members will have chosen manuals which might relate to their professional activities, personal interests or other specific goals and objectives.

Communicating on Television

• Straight Talk
• Talk Show Guest
• Talk Show Host
• Press Conference
• Training on Television

Entertaining Speaker (Download PDF)

• The Entertaining Speech
• Resources for Entertainment
• Make Them Laugh
• A Dramatic Talk
• Speaking After Dinner

Facilitating Discussion (Download PDF)

• The Panel Moderator
• The Brainstorming Session
• The Problem Solving Discussion
• Handling Challenging Situations
• Reaching a Consensus

Humorously Speaking (Download PDF)

Audiences love to laugh. This manual shows you how to use humorous stories and jokes throughout your speech to grab and keep listeners’ attention and illustrate your points. You also learn how to give an entirely humorous speech.

• Warm Up Your Audience
• Leave Them With a Smile
• Make Them Laugh
• Keep Them Laughing
• The Humorous Speech

Interpersonal Communication (Download PDF)

• Conversing With Ease
• The Successful Negotiator
• Diffusing Verbal Criticism
• The Coach
• Asserting Yourself Effectively

Interpretive Reading (Download PDF)

This manual will help you develop your interpretive reading skills.

• Read a Story
• Interpreting Poetry
• The Monodrama
• The Play
• The Oratorical Speech

Persuasive Speaking (Download PDF)

The ability to influence and persuade others to accept your ideas, products or services is vital. The projects in this manual are all designed to help you develop excellent persuasive techniques and expand your presentation skills.

• The Effective Salesperson
• Conquering the « Cold Call »
• The Winning Proposal
• Addressing the Opposition
• The Persuasive Leader

The Professional Speaker (Download PDF)

Guide to becoming a professional speaker. Subjects covered include speaking as a company representative and speaking for pay.

• The Keynote Address
• Speaking to Entertain
• The Sales Training Speech
• The Professional Seminar
• The Motivational Speech

Public Relations (Download PDF)

• The Goodwill Speech
• The Radio Talk Show
• The Persuasive Approach
• Speaking under Fire
• Crisis Management Speech

Speaking to Inform (Download PDF)

• The Speech to Inform
• Resources for Informing
• The Demonstration Talk
• A Fact-Finding Report
• The Abstract Concept

Special Occasion Speeches (Download PDF)

• Mastering the Toast
• Speaking in Praise
• The Roast
• Presenting an Award
• Accepting an Award

Specialty Speeches (Download PDF)

• Speak off the Cuff
• Uplift the Spirit
• Sell a Product
• Read Out Loud
• Introduce the Speaker

Speeches by Management (Download PDF)

Helps you successfully handle a variety of speaking situations managers encounter in their work  environment.

• The Briefing
• The Technical Speech
• Manage and Motivate
• The Status Report
• Confrontation : The Adversary Relationship

Storytelling (Download PDF)

• The Folk Tale
• Let’s Get Personal
• The Moral of the Story
• The Touching Story
• Bringing History to Life

Technical Presentations (Download PDF)

• The Technical Briefing
• The Proposal
• The Nontechnical Audience
• Presenting a Technical Paper
• Enhancing a Technical Talk with the Internet

Advanced Leadership

To complete the requirements of advanced leadership members need to fulfill certain criteria including the following :

• Served at least six months as a club officer (president, vice president education, vice president membership, vice president public relations, secretary, treasurer or sergeant at arms) and participated in the preparation of a Club Success Plan while serving in this office
• Attending Officers’ Training in June or January
• Completing the Competent Leadership and Competent Communication Manuals
• Completing a certain number of presentations and workshops
• Completing the High Performance Leadership Program
• Be a Club Sponsor, Mentor or Coach
• Served a complete term as a district officer (district director, program quality director, club growth director, public relations manager, administration manager, finance manager, division director, area director)

Advanced Presentations & Workshops

Success/Communication

• Speechcraft : Speechcraft develops leadership and speaking skills. Gain confidence writing and delivering speeches; practice impromptu speaking; and use audiovisual aids, body language and effective listening. (Delivering prepared speeches ; Learning to evaluate effectively ; Conducting quality meetings)
• How to Listen Effectively : Listening is much more active than most people think. Learn and practice receiving, organizing and interpreting what is said. (Developing skills in active listening ; Learning how to avoid distractions ; Practicing listening to understand)
• The Art of Effective Evaluation : No matter what your vocation, the ability to effectively evaluate any situation is crucial. Learn and practice the finer points of offering constructive criticism. (Determining overall evaluation strengths and weaknesses ; Building self-esteem through  evaluation ; Practicing evaluation skills)
• Building Your Thinking Power Part 1 : Mental Flexibility. By increasing your mental flexibility, you are better able to adapt so you can achieve the best outcomes. Learn and practice becoming a better listener, a keener observer, a more skilled thinker and a more effective problem-solver. (Exercising perceptual skills and  mental flexibility ; Interpreting information in an  open-minded way ; Thinking strategically)
• Building Your Thinking Power Part 2 : The Power of Ideas. People who are skilled at producing new ideas can make profound contributions to society. Learn and practice the basic principles of creative thinking, and explore specific techniques that can make all of us more effective idea producers. (Convergent and  divergent  thinking ; Enhancing imagination ; Creating ideas through  brainstorming)
• From Speaker to Trainer : Properly trained people increase productivity and make fewer mistakes. Learn and practice the five steps involved in preparing and presenting a training program using adult learning principles. Learn the roles of trainers and the differences between public speaking and training, and gain practical experience in facilitating discussion and conducting exercises. (Conducting a gap analysis ; Writing training objectives ; Conducting an effective role-play)

Success/Leadership

• How to Conduct Productive Meetings : Efficiently conducted meetings take advantage of valuable resources. Learn and practice the techniques and dynamics of conducting productive meetings in small groups. (Effective purpose statements, Leading a meeting, Evaluating a meeting)
• Parliamentary Procedure in Action : Rules of order are part of the culture of most organizations, making the ability to apply parliamentary procedure a valuable skill. Learn and practice participating in and leading parliamentary discussions. (Presenting and discussing motions, Learning subsidiary motions, Handling privileged motions)
• Building Your Leadership Power Part 1 : Characteristics of Effective Leaders. Leaders influence and inspire team members to achieve a mission or goal. Learn the qualities of effective leaders; discover your own leadership style, and learn to identify your team’s leadership needs. (Determining your leadership style, Identifying team leadership needs, Discussing leadership gaps and  leadership matches)
• Building Your Leadership Power Part 2 : Developing Your Leadership Skills. Effective leaders know their own leadership styles and understand the needs of their teams.  Learn and practice the skills and techniques of effective leaders, such as team-building, motivating and coaching. (Personal fulfillment, Motivation, Coaching team members to  improve performance)
• Building Your Leadership Power Part 3: Working in the Team Environment. Successful leaders build relationships and trust in their teams and resolve conflict. (Learn and practice leadership skills by working with and leading teams. (Developing team relations. Encouraging commitment, Resolving conflict)
• Improving Your Management Skills : Managers are an integral part of any organization. Learn and practice the skills and qualities required to be an effective manager. (Setting goals, Motivating others, Solving problems)

The Successful Club Series

• The Moments of Truth
• Finding New Members for Your Club
• Evaluate to Motivate
• Closing the Sale
• Creating the Best Club Climate
• Meeting Roles and Responsibilities
• Mentoring
• Keeping the Commitment
• Going Beyond our Club
• How to be a Distinguished Club
• The Toastmasters Education System

The Better Speaker Series

The Better Speaker Series is a set of educational speeches on speaking-related topics. Each module provides practical tips that can be of benefit to all members. Included in the program are a script outlining the module and a PowerPoint presentation. Each module is designed to be presented as a 10 – 15 minute speech.

• Beginning Your Speech: Suggestions for starting off your speech right. (Download PDF)
• Concluding Your Speech: Tips for ending your speech with power. Includes a script and a PowerPoint presentation. (Download PDF)
• Controlling Your Fear: Techniques for overcoming nervousness when speaking. (Download PDF)
• Impromptu Speaking: Don’t be caught off balance when speaking off-the-cuff! (Download PDF)
• Selecting Your Topic: Running out of speech ideas? Here’s how to develop new ones. (Download PDF)
• Know Your Audience: If you can relate to your audience, they will relate to you. (Download PDF)
• Organizing Your Speech
• Creating an Introduction
• Preparation and Practice
• Using Body Language

The Leadership Excellence Series

• Building a Team
• Delegate to Empower
• Developing a Mission
• Giving Effective Feedback
• Goal Setting and Planning
• Motivating People
• Resolving Conflict
• Service and Leadership
• The Leader as a Coach
• The Visionary Leader
• Values and Leadership

Youth Leadership Program

This is designed to help teenagers to acquire public speaking and leadership skills during a period of many months. They learn how to deliver a number of speeches and take on meeting roles. The Program is run by an advanced Toastmaster with the support of other Toastmasters who act as coaches, experts and individual mentors to the teenagers.

• Session One : Introduction to Chairmanship
• Session Two : Introduction to Public Speaking
• Session Three : Impromptu Speaking
• Session Four : Organizing Your Speech
• Session Five : Listening
• Session Six : Gestures in Speaking
• Session Seven : Voice and Vocabulary
• Session Eight : Show Your Skills

High Performance Leadership Program

The High Performance Leadership project helps advanced Toastmasters to develop leadership skills on a project of their choosing. The program consists of five parts offering instruction and practice in such vital leadership areas as:

• Developing a mission and vision
• Goal-setting and planning
• Identifying values
• Building a team

The Toastmaster works a guidance committee on their project and they get receive feedback on their leadership skills at each of the following steps:

• Learning About Leadership
• Choosing Your Objective
• Winning Commitment to Your Objective
• Working the Plan
• Analyzing and Presenting Results

Public Speaking Competing

Competing is another facet of Toastmasters that we encourage. During each meeting we give out ribbons for the Best Speaker, Best Evaluator and Best Table Topics Speaker. Members and guests at the club meeting vote for those that they think met the relevant objectives.

Toastmasters also can take part in public speaking contests during the year. Up to now these have been held in the autumn and spring. These are formal events that take place in clubs, areas (usually four or five clubs), divisions (20+ clubs) and districts (in Europe this can mean many countries). Contests can be held in different languages usually English but also local languages as appropriate. Each August Toastmasters hosts an international conference and the World Championship of Public Speaking.

Contests can include the Following:

• International Speech Contest (prepared speech on any topic)
• Humorous Speech Contest
• Evaluation Contest
• Table Topics Contest (impromptu speaking on a topic)
• Tall Tales

Further Reading

For each of the projects and programs noted about in the Toastmasters Legacy Education Program you can read more details for each one on the District 4 (San Francisco) website.

About Sean Ryan, ACS ALB

Public Speaking Coach & Trainer

Sean Ryan is a bilingual English and French public speaking coach and trainer. He works with executives, senior government officials, professionals, entrepreneurs, students and young people to help them understand their existing good strengths and to become great speakers. Typical coaching includes interpersonal communications, job interviews, media interviews, panel discussions, presentations, keynote speeches, startup pitches, debating, product launches, personal branding, professional networking and workshops.

Based in Paris, he brings to his clients more than 25 years of professional and multicultural expertise from international companies (UK, USA, France), public sector, startups and associations. He is an active member of Toastmasters public speaking clubs. On his blog seanryancommunications.wordpress.com he writes about communications, marketing, personal branding, public speaking, leadership, individual development, culture, identity, media and politics.

His full professional profile is at www.linkedin.com/in/seanryanparis and he can be contacted at seanryancommunications@gmail.com