What was the conference like for me? Honestly? Expansive. Not because everything went perfectly. It didn’t. There were moments of exhaustion, accessibility challenges, nerves before my workshop, too much coffee, not enough sleep, and the occasional “What on earth am I doing?” moment that many of us secretly have at conferences. But somewhere between the … Read more
Psychologist Albert Marahabian is quoted as saying “we are five times as likely to be influenced by voice than by spoken words as we listen to a speaker” There is a lot of learned wisdom in his words. When one reflects on one’s tone of voice when speaking one very quickly learns about volume. Does … Read more
Like many of you reading this, I tried every trick in the Toastmasters handbook (and a few that weren’t in it!) to get mentoring up and running in my club. Everyone wants to learn… but finding the time, is the challenge. Whenever I spoke with fellow Toastmasters about being a mentor, or mentee, the same … Read more
The first District Conference I went to changed my Toastmasters life – forever.It was November 2017 in Sheffield. Several of us from Cork travelled over.I had no idea there were so many friendly people in our District. So manystrangers welcomed me warmly – were interested in me – at the “Newcomers toConference” meeting – at … Read more
During my tenure as Public Relations Manager for District 71 Toastmasters, I had the privilege of serving under the leadership of District Director Danny Banks; a leader whose approach to empowerment and trust left a lasting professional imprint.What distinguished Danny’s leadership style was his strategic restraint. He understood that high-performing teams are not built through … Read more
Nine years ago, I joined my local Toastmasters Club. On day one, I was approached with the option to step in as Club Secretary. 2017 was the year I decided to make key changes and say yes to things I would have previously shied away from. There was much work to be done and was … Read more
I was recently asked to appear on Region 10 TV to discuss upcoming District Council Meetings and how best prepare for them.This was a new challenge for me, firstly doing a TV interview and secondly trying to cover a broad topic in under twenty minutes.One of the tips I received from the broadcasters was to … Read more
Many people join Toastmasters to hone their skills as a speaker but many also have a dream that perhaps they might be able to deliver a Tedx talk. My story shares how this is possible and how Toastmasters supported me in doing just that last year. How Toastmasters Helped Me Take the TEDx Stage Nine … Read more
In 2023, I went to my first Toastmasters conference in Liverpool for one simple reason – I’d made it to the semi-finals of the Evaluation Contest. That morning, I’d signed a new coaching client… which paid for the trip. Talk about timing! Two weeks before, I’d been wild camping in Scotland. My boyfriend stayed there … Read more
Sustainability is often discussed in terms of the environment, but within organisations it has another equally important meaning: ensuring that systems, knowledge, and leadership are strong enough to continue even when key individuals are not present. In community organisations such as Toastmasters clubs, sustainability is essential for maintaining momentum, supporting members, and ensuring that meetings … Read more