Competent Leadership

How it Works?

The Toastmasters program is not a college, trade school or other formal course in public speaking and leadership. You’ll find no instructors, professors or classrooms.  No one’s work is graded and no tests are administered.  In Toastmasters, members learn by studying the manuals, practicing and helping one another. Learning takes place in he club environment.  Club meeting are workshops where you study and practice leadership and communication skills with others who are there for the same reasons you are.  You learn by doing and by watching fellow club members.

Each of the 10 projects in this manual focuses on a different leadership skill, providing background information and an assignment that requires you to serve in one or more specified meeting or club roles in which you may learn an aspect of that skill. 

Roles include evaluator, timer, Toastmaster, Ah-counter and General Evaluator. In most projects you can choose which roles to serve in.  While leadership skills can be learned in every meeting role, some meeting roles provide better learning experiences than others.

You can complete the manual at your own pace and you can work in it at the same time you are working in the Competent Communication manual or Advanced Communication manuals.

How Do I Get Started?

By now you realize just how much you can do and learn in Toastmasters, and you’re eager to begin. You will get a great start if you do the following:

Ask your vice president education for a mentor

Ask the vice president education (VPE) to schedule you to serve in your first meeting role.

Read the section “About Your Club” in the appendix (please refer to Competent Leadership Manual)

Study the booklet Effective Evaluation (please refer to the booklet, which member received in the New Member Kit)

Finally, begin preparing for your first meeting role.

Remember…

You won’t learn leadership skills simply by reading about them. You’ll learn serving in positions where you can practice them. Actively participate in your club, and you will become a purposeful and confident leader.