Looking to improve your speaking and leadership skills?
Ignite your career?
Win that job interview?
You’ve come to the right place. Since 1924, more than 4 million people around the world have become more confident speakers and leaders because of their participation in Toastmasters.
Toastmasters International is a world leader in communication and leadership development. Today, our membership is 270,000 strong. These members improve their speaking and leadership skills by attending one of the 13,000 clubs in 116 countries that make up our global network of meeting locations.
Membership in Toastmasters in one of the greatest investments you can make in yourself. At $75 every six months, it is also one of the most cost-effective skill-building tools available anywhere.
Don’t take our word for it: read this letter from a Boston Toastmasters member, written shortly after giving his first speech at Boston Toastmasters.
Hi Kiera,
I had to run a meeting at a conference today. I had to speak at a podium, in front of 40 people for two hours.
In the last few months, as this date approached, I have been dreading having to do this. When I got up to speak, I felt that nervousness that I described before.
I focused on projecting my voice and body movements, and the techniques brought up in the Toastmasters meetings. As I went along I got more relaxed. At the end I knew that I nailed it.
I got a lot of compliments afterwards about the presentation. One of my coworkers told me later that he was surprised and said that I was a “great presenter.” I thanked him, but that comment meant the world to me. What a relief. I have never felt better about speaking in front of a group.
I want to thank you and the group for doing that for me. I felt like you were all in there with me. I feel great right now.
I feel like an alcoholic that finally went to AA and admitted that he had a problem and was then tempted by his first drink and said “no”. I’m on my way now. I am confident that I am just going to get better and better at these presentations.
I really think that this is a big milestone for me. The sheer agony that I have felt in the past having to do this wasn’t there as much as before.
During the conference, I heard a lot of speeches. I found myself playing the grammarian and subconsciously counting “uhs” and “ums”. It caught me how many people at high levels in many companies don’t know how to give speeches. Some of them were very polished, so I tried to learn from them (stance, pauses, content).
Thanks!
How Does It Work?
- A Toastmasters meeting is a learn-by-doing workshop in which participants hone their speaking and leadership skills in a no-pressure atmosphere. Members learn and practice skills within 5 core competencies: Public Speaking, Interpersonal Communication, Strategic Leadership, Management; and Confidence, which Toastmasters is designed to build over time. A typical group has 20 to 40 members who meet weekly, biweekly or monthly. A typical meeting lasts 60–90 minutes.
- Boston Toastmasters is a Toastmasters club, but we are a little different. We meet weekly and claim 80-100 members each year. Generally 30-50 people attend a given meeting, and our meetings tend to run around 2 hours, but we are flexible with members who need to leave earlier. In a given Boston Toastmasters meeting, you typically hear around five speeches (though sometimes as many as eight) on a wide variety of topics. Our membership is varied and it shows in our speeches. From financial planning, to swimming with sharks, to a classic bedtime story, retold–you never know what you’ll hear at a meeting!
- There is no instructor in a Toastmasters meeting. Toastmasters is not a “class” or a “course”. Instead, members evaluate one another’s presentations. This feedback process is a key part of the program’s success. Meeting participants also give impromptu talks on assigned topics, conduct meetings and develop skills related to timekeeping, grammar and parliamentary procedure.
- Members learn communication skills by working in one of an ever-expanding list of Learning Paths. Each path blends leadership and communication skills through pre-designated and elective projects.
Why should I join?
The Toastmasters program offers many benefits that help people in all walks of life. As a result of participating in Toastmasters, you will:
- Increase your self-confidence
- Become a better speaker
- Become a better leader
- Communicate more effectively
- Make new friends and build your professional network
Membership is affordable – a great value that can change your life that costs less than a dollar a day.
Your initial investment: less than $250. This includes:
- 7-12 months of membership dues at your affiliate club, plus visit or transfer your membership to any Toastmasters club, worldwide!
- Subscription to the Toastmaster magazine
- Choice of learning path, accessed through Toastmasters’ learning portal on all of your devices, no matter where you are. Work at your own pace and explore our newly-redesigned curricula with titles like Dynamic Leadership, Visionary Communication, and Innovative Planning.
We strive to keep membership costs affordable. Our rates are very competitive with speaking seminars or classes elsewhere that can cost thousands of dollars.