Why DEMO?

By: Michelle Woodley, CC, ALB
Area 65 Director 2015–2016


It was April 27, 2016 in North Dallas, Texas. It was unusually cool for a Spring day in Texas; only 88 degrees. You know by now the temperatures are above 90 degrees. But enough about the weather.

I jumped in my car and headed to Addison for my first DEMO meeting. What possessed me to do that? Actually there were several reasons:

Helps you get out of your comfort zone:  I am celebrating my 8-year anniversary with my home club. While I love my club and enjoy meeting with them every week, I have become very comfortable. The meetings are nowhere near stale nor boring, but I have become comfortable. Even though I’ve been in Toastmasters for several years and have been very involved in the organization this year, I have to be honest with you…I was nervous to attend this DEMO meeting. I didn’t know what to expect when I decided to attend the meeting. For me, Toastmasters is about pushing your boundaries and getting out of your comfort zone. Attending the DEMO meeting, allowed me to step out of that zone.

Meet current Toastmasters:  I was Area Director, and therefore, very involved in Toastmasters. I have met a lot of Toastmasters. And at this DEMO meeting, I managed to meet even more current Toastmasters, including a Toastmaster whose husband and mother worked at my current employer. It truly is a small world.

Meet new people and watch them experience Toastmasters for the first time:  Attending a DEMO meeting is a great networking opportunity to meet new people due to a great organization. There were Human Resources representatives and civic servants (firemen and policemen) at the meeting, all eager to learn about Toastmasters and what the organization has to offer.

You’re one step closer to getting that snazzy Booster Award Pin:  Need I say more?

Knowing you may be part of the next BIG THING:  If the attendees of that DEMO meeting are able to get 20 members and charter immediately or later down the line, you can have that warm fuzzy feeling knowing that you were a part of the start of a new club! 

What’s better than that? Maybe the free lunch that was served to all attendees. Mmmm…nope…the warm fuzzy feeling is much better. 

Mentoring

By Carol DeLatte, DTM

Mentoring is an important component of Toastmasters. Studies have shown that Toastmasters with a mentor will stay with the program longer than those without a mentor. Every new Toastmaster should be assigned a mentor by the time they receive their New Member packet from Toastmasters International.

But, where do you begin, if you’ve never been a mentor before? Here is a primer to get you started:

·         Arrange for a meeting with the new Toastmaster. This could be over a cup of coffee or even in a conference room for those in corporate clubs. Plan on about 30 minutes for the introductory meeting. You (and/or your mentee) will need a CC manual and a CL manual.

·         Share a bit of your background with the mentee

• How you got started in Toastmasters
• What benefits it has had for you (less crutch words, increased confidence, etc.)
• What manual or goal you’re currently working on
• Share your enthusiasm for assisting them

·         See if the mentee has any goals in mind yet … it’s okay if they don’t …

·         Talk about the Ice Breaker speech. Break it down for them… it’s like doing 3 Table Topics in a row. They’ll share 3 things with the audience, usually something about themselves. Some ideas:

• Where did they grow up?
• What brought them to the Dallas, TX area (if they grew up elsewhere)
•  Family dynamics – the family they grew up with or the family they’ve created
• Favorite sport(s)
•  Hobbies/pastimes
• Their career
• Maybe even what they hope to glean from their Toastmasters journey

·         Explain that they only need to talk about each of the 3 topics for 1 ½–2 minutes each (much like responding as a Table Topics Speaker).

·        Speeches 2, 3, and 4 can be more in-depth speeches about the 3 topics they talked about in their Ice Breaker… still topics they are very familiar with, only now they will be able to talk more about it. Break each of these speeches into 3 topics each, and by the time they get past these 4 speeches, they will have almost half the CC manual done!

They may not be ready for the Ice Breaker just yet, and that’s okay. Pull out the CL manual and explain that by participating in the meetings, they will get credit for that, too. But keep encouraging them to get past that first speech!

The most important thing is that they know you will be there for them and believe in them and their potential. Sit next to them in meetings, and try to schedule regular meetings about once a month. Offer to listen to their speeches as they practice so they can be better prepared and more confident when delivering the speeches.

Mentoring really is a win-win relationship. Embrace it, and watch new Toastmasters blossom! It’s very rewarding.