Author: opentoasters
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Toastmasters : the real truth – cult, toxic behind the scenes
My Background in toastmasters: I had been a toastmaster for over 16 years, joined when I was a university student and devoted nearly 1/5 of my life on doing pro bono work for this cult. Been a competitor – won district contests and online contests (Gave up for 6 years as I apply for district…
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Balancing Needs of the District vs Your Own Needs?
A member has previously posted here as a former Admin Manager, Division Director, Area Director, and more. Recently, [he/she] stepped down from those roles, and things were going smoothly for a while. However, when the PRM position became available, [he/she/they] was approached to take it on. This member enjoys the social media aspect of the…
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Medium: why she is leaving Toastmasters
This comes from a Medium article https://medium.com/@king.tinac/why-im-leaving-toastmasters-f2a9adc2a5e4 In October 2013, she walked into her first Toastmasters meeting feeling both excitement and trepidation. Her goal was clear: she was a singer and wanted to give a recital for her friends, but she was unsure of what to say between the songs. She had heard that Toastmasters…
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Toastmasters Area director role
After serving as club officer in your club, what is the expected job of Area director ? How much workload for a volunteer position ? This can vary greatly depending on the District’s culture and the ambitions of the District Director, as well as your Division Director. Some Division Directors are micromanagers; others are rarely…
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Toastmasters WHQ announced a social media monitoring and discipline group
Dear Toastmasters, I would like to introduce the Social Media Monitoring and Discipline Committee to the members of The Official Toastmasters International Members Group. The committee was formed in September 2022 and includes Past International President Jim Kokocki, Past International Directors Kevin Doyle, Dotty Du, Teresa Dukes, and Gloria Shishido, along with World Headquarters staff…
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The disaster that is the Toastmasters Pathway program
My assignment was to build a social media presence. Therefore I’m supposed to talk about the best use of online communication. I need to maintain a social profile to promote myself or an organization. This project is a cat walk for me. I’m a computer expert. I’ve been using social media. I’ve maintained a website…
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A tale of two organizations
Two organizations Ralph Smedley initially founded Toastmasters as a platform for honing communication skills. Over time, however, it has transformed into two distinct entities. One of these still adheres to Smedley’s original vision, particularly in clubs that remain true to the club mission statement. The other, focused on the district mission statement, has taken on…
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What went wrong with Toastmasters?
Dubious leadership If you truly want to embody the “Where leaders are made” tagline, remember that real leadership is less about adhering to a “distinguished” plan that primarily boosts TI’s membership revenue. Instead, it’s about creating a club that its members are genuinely proud to be a part of. An exceptional club prioritizes the needs…
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Pathways, the reason to Replace Toastmasters
I joined Toastmasters to become a better speaker, just like 100% of new members. I’ve been a DTM since 2012. Three times, I dived into Pathways with great expectations for my real-life speaking projects. Three times, I left frustrated. Pathways seems to emphasize feelings over skill-development, and leadership over speaking…which is the opposite of the…
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TMI is a MLM business model
MLM = Multi-level marketing Ralph Smedley ‘s vision Ralph Smedley originally created Toastmasters as a place to develop communications skills. It has since evolved mutated degenerated into two organizations. One of them, centered around the club mission statement, still follows Smedley’s vision, at least in some clubs. The other, centered around the district mission statement,…