Tumut Toastmasters in Tumut, New South Wales | Community organisation

Tumut Toastmasters

Locality: Tumut, New South Wales

Address: Murray Glen Village, 84 Currawong Road 2720 Tumut, NSW, Australia

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24.01.2022 The word "leadership" has the potential of conjuring up a corporate image. * High powered situations * Stress * Power suits... * Boardrooms But the reality is, leadership is all around us. Being a leader is not dictated by a job title or position; it is about who we are being and what we inspire. So if you usually gloss over anything "leadership" related, think again...we are all leaders... We lead our families... We lead sports teams... We lead community groups... We lead thinking... We lead movements...

23.01.2022 We cant be expected to lead and inspire others without first being able to lead and inspire ourselves. How many of us reading this have tried something, told ourselves it was a disaster and that we failed and then have never tried it again? That happens a lot with public speaking and even the fear of that happening is enough to stop a lot of people in their tracks.... You see our brains are hardwired to keep us safe and so we will do all that we can to avoid making mistakes...to avoid failure. So how about this for a reframe... THERE IS NO FAILURE; ONLY FEEDBACK! Having the perception that we cannot experience failure gives us so much more freedom to grow and to learn. Everything that happens (whether its what we wanted to happen or not) is simply feedback. Feedback on how we can make a different choice; feedback on how we could behave differently; feedback on what we believe... Great leaders, either of organisations, of teams, of clubs, of families or even of ourselves embrace behavioral flexibility and seek out every opportunity to receive feedback to grow and to learn.

22.01.2022 Todays top leadership tip: "Be the change you want to see" If you would like to see a change in behavior in your team, consider how you are BEING as a leader. ... How are you inspiring those around you? Are you being the example of what you are asking them to do? Toastmasters is one of the most cost effective ways of receiving world class leadership education. Send us a message today about what that could mean for you! #leadershiptips

22.01.2022 Always a laugh at TOASTMASTERS with new friends made quickly Well done to ALL contestants at the SPEECH OFF last weekend

21.01.2022 Merry Christmas from Tumut Toastmasters and we will see you in 2019!!

21.01.2022 The Art of Small Talk!! Who has ever found themselves at a dinner party, work gathering or networking event and have felt that awkward silence between a group of people? You desperately want to say something, but have no clue what to say?... Toastmasters experts have developed these 5 top tips for mastering the art of small talk... 1. LOOK FOR A FRIENDLY FACE When you arrive, seek out someone you know or someone who appears popular; this will help get the communication flowing and will help you feel more at ease; 2. WATCH YOUR BODY LANGUAGE Body language makes up a massive 55% of our communication, so when we are talking to someone, it is really important to ensure we face them, make eye contact and use gestures to make them realise we are listening. Scanning the room for the next person to talk to or checking phones is not only rude, but unconsciously tells the person they are not interesting to us and is likely to cause that feeling of awkwardness; 3. SHARE YOUR STORIES When appropriate, share a story of a recent experience or something that fits with the discussion being had. People love to hear stories, especially if they include some humor to help break the ice! 4. SET YOUR EXPECTATIONS Social gatherings or networking functions are not the place to have deep and meaningful or in depth conversations over important family or business matters. Keep conversation light, expect people to come and go from interactions and keep the "bigger stuff" for another time; 5. KNOW WHEN AND HOW TO EXIT There comes a time when we need to leave an event so how do we do that with dignity? Well firstly navigate around the room to say a brief hello to those we have not had the chance to converse with; but more importantly seek out the host and thank them. A lot of effort is likely to have gone into the event so if you see noone else on your route to the door, make sure it is the host!!

20.01.2022 DITCH THE NOTES Standing in front of people to speak, without notes can be a very daunting thing to most people. To that end, the safety net is having what we want to say written out word for word in front of us. The trouble is, when we are reading...it sounds like we are reading and it is a sure fire way to disengage our audience.... If speaking without notes fills you with dread, try this...use bullet points to help trigger your memory of the key points you want to say, but avoid the urge to write sentences as you will say them. Fewer points spoken naturally will far outweigh an in depth speech that is read, so in this case, less is most definitely more! At Toastmasters we learn the skill of both prepared and impromptu speech through the various activities in a meeting and offer a safe space to practice and improve our delivery. So if you find yourself in a role or with commitments where you need to speak in front of groups and the thought of doing it without notes scares you; why not come along to our next meeting and discover how being a Toastmaster can help. #speakingtips

18.01.2022 ** MAKING INTRODUCTIONS ** There are many, many situations where we have to make introductions. It might be to introduce a new starter to the team at work; to introduce a friend at a social gathering or to introduce a speaker before going on stage. The situation will dictate the level of formality needed, but the fundamentals remain the same:... 1. Ensure you know the name of the person you are introducing! Sounds crazy but I know you will have caught out by this at one stage or another. If you missed their name; politely ask it again; 2. Get to know some basic facts about the person - where they live, what they do, do they have children, what bought them here. What you find out will depend on where you are and who you are introducing; 3. Share this information in your introduction. For example, if you are introducing a new team member you might say: "This is Bob. Bob is starting with us today in the role of... He will be working with... and so you will no doubt see him around. Bob has come from...and is looking forward to bringing some of that knowledge into the role here." That gives your audience a lot of ques to start a conversation on and puts both parties at ease, eliminating the awkward silences!

18.01.2022 Great day in Tumut at Harvest Cafe by the River with some of the Tumut Toastmasters and Easy Riders Clubs joining for the Annual Speech Off Contest. It was a great success with Tumuts own Trish Matthews coming 1st, and Karin Garner 2nd and a fun Table topics session for everyone. Tumut have won the battle and will receive the Trophy in a few weeks to hold the Speech Off Winners TITLE!!! Well done to our visiting speakers Amanda from Batemans Bay & Sibhoan from Queanbeyan. Thanks to all who attended

17.01.2022 Tumut Toastmasters welcomed in 2019 with an Australia Day themed meeting, which was lots of fun!! Thanks to everyone who attended and a special thanks to our guests for coming along

17.01.2022 5 TOP TIPS FOR MORE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION 1. Listen, listen, listen - at Toastmasters, we not only learn to speak more confidently, we also learn to listen...to really listen to what people are saying to us, instead of passively listening while formulating our response. 2. Be brief, yet specific - noone likes to be stuck with someone who goes on and on and on. At Toastmasters, all our speeches and activities are timed to teach us the skills of communicating concisely in a ...way that does not send our audience to sleep! 3. Dont forget the spoken word - in the day and age we live in now it is often easier to send an email or a text instead of picking up the phone. Whilst this has its place, we shouldnt forget the importance of spoken word, especially if we have a lot to say. Speaking on the phone or face to face allows tone and body language to come through, which is lost via written word. 4. Think before you speak - simple, but vitally important. We all know someone who opens their mouth first and thinks later; instead, take a moment to pause before formulating your response. 5. Have a positive disposition and smile - a smile can be heard through your words even if you are speaking on the phone, so ensure your body language reflects the message you are communicating.

13.01.2022 Toastmasters can lead you to many opportunities, 4 of our local club members just appeared with speaking roles in a local production Skeleton Crew at Montreal Theatre..... Oh the possibilities!!

12.01.2022 Thanks to Tumut Toastmasters for having us and hosting the Finals of the Inaugural Speak-off competition at the Festival of the Falling Leaf. Congratulations to... the inaugural Speak-off winner, from Tumut, Trish Matthews It was a great effort by all of our competitors: Trish Matthews (Tumut) Karin Garner (Tumut) Siobhan Mealing (EasyRiders) Amanda Annabel (EasyRiders) Well done ladies!! A massive shout out also to Harvest by the River cafe for their amazing food and friendly service If youre keen to see what its all about or get involved, contact us or Tumut Toastmasters.

10.01.2022 At every Toastmasters meeting one of the roles to fill is Grammarian. One of the roles this person is responsible for is introducing members to a word we must attempt to use through the meeting. It is an opportunity to explore words we might not normally use. A new word came to my attention today...have you heard it before?... Quite apt for today...

10.01.2022 ** REMINDER - 1st Meeting of 2019 ** Start the New Year off with a bang and come along to the first meeting of Tumut Toastmasters for 2019, where our meeting theme will be celebrating Australia Day!! See "Events" or send us a message for further details.

09.01.2022 PRESENTING AWARDS Do you find yourself having to present awards? Perhaps you are a teacher who hands out awards to your class?... Perhaps you are a sports team coach? Perhaps you lead a team where reward and recognition is part of your role? Whatever the circumstance may be, when presenting an award to someone, it is important to highlight the value of both the reward and the recipient. Here are our top tips: 1. Tell a story about the significance of the award; 2. Ensue you pronounce the recipients name correctly; 3. Provide some background on the recipient; 4. Hold the award respectfully in your hands as you speak as if it is something you treasure; 5. Introduce the recipient to the stage before you formally introduce them; and 6. Ensure you position yourself so the audience can see both the recipient and the award. #speakingtips Send us a PM or come along to our next meeting as a guest if you would like to know more about what Toastmasters could do for you.

07.01.2022 Heres a workshop in Wagga next week if your interested. If travel is an issue with enough interest we can run a workshop here in Tumut, please spread the word and let us know if your keen!!

05.01.2022 Here's a workshop in Wagga next week if your interested. If travel is an issue with enough interest we can run a workshop here in Tumut, please spread the word and let us know if your keen!!

05.01.2022 HOW TO HAVE BETTER CONVERSATIONS Talking and having a conversation are not the same thing! I am sure we have all been in a situation where we have been dominated by someone doing all the talking and we havent been able to get a word in however hard we try?... So how can we have better conversations? The November Toastmasters magazine suggests 3 key focus points: 1. Engaged Listening - most people, unfortunately, will only listen actively for 5-10 seconds before unconsciously starting to focus on their reply. Make a conscious effort to stop yourself doing this and actively listen to everything the other person is saying. 2. The Liking Gap - studies have shown that people significantly underestimate how much we are liked and when we are having a conversation with someone, we are typically in our heads worrying about what the "right thing" to say is. We need to get out of our own way and be present with whom we are talking to and not worry so much about what we are going to say next! 3. Finding Balance - the key to a good conversation is a healthy flow where each party talks for a similar amount of time. While we cant control what others do, we can control ourselves and make conscious decisions to keep things brief; allowing the other person to ask us questions if they wish, rather than them zoning out as we drone on and on!!

05.01.2022 Next meeting for Tumut Toastmasters - Monday 5th NovNext meeting for Tumut Toastmasters - Monday 5th Nov

04.01.2022 The words that we use only account for 7% of our communication effectiveness if they are heard in isolation. That means that when preparing to communicate something, be it a speech, a briefing, a presentation etc; it is far more important to spend time on HOW you will present it, over the words that you actually say! For example, in the first instance, you might want to consider:... * Your body language; * Your hand gestures; * The speed of your speech; * Your volume. #communicationtips

04.01.2022 When you think about leadership development, your mind might not instantly think Toastmasters. But lets stop and think for a moment what makes a great leader; what are some of the top characteristics? Confidence Assertiveness Great communication... Passionate Goal oriented Collaborative A great listener Can take and deliver feedback... The list goes on and all are things that we develop through our Toastmasters journey. The Pathways program also contains specific leadership development education programs, which are perfect for developing upcoming talent or upskilling ourselves to step up to new roles for example. There is so much more to Toastmasters than public speaking!

02.01.2022 ** SPEAKING TO DIVERSE AUDIENCES ** Depending on where you are speaking, you might need to consider the needs of an audience that has members from all manner of different backgrounds. If you are unfamiliar with your audience, here are some things to bear in mind: 1. Enunciate clearly - speak your words as clearly as you can so people can easily understand you;... 2. Dont speak too fast - keep your tempo nice and steady so the audience can keep up with what you are saying; 3. Avoid slang or jargon - your audience might not understand technical jargon or abbreviations for example, so limit the use of this language in general speaking; 4. Be mindful of your body language, eye contact and personal space. #speakingtips

02.01.2022 When you first come along to a Toastmasters meeting, there is absolutely no obligation to join in straight away. Guests are always encouraged to participate to the level they are comfortable and if that involves enjoying the night as a spectator, that is how it goes. But once you have decided that Toastmasters is for you and you have chosen the education pathway that bests suits your learning objectives; its time for the first speech! This might seem like a scary prospect a...nd trust me when I say, you would not be alone for feeling that way. That is precisely the reason that the first speech we give at Toastmasters, our Ice Breaker, is on the one topic we all know inside out...ourselves!! The Ice Breaker is a great way to introduce ourselves to the club and get a feel for standing up in front of the group and delivering a speech.

02.01.2022 Communication is not all about speaking in front of someone face to face. In fact in this day and age, face to face communication is becoming more of a rarity and connecting with people online is becoming more the norm. But we know that so much of our message comes through our tonality and our body language, so how do we ensure our message isnt lost when we go online? This is a real problem and many of the stresses and strains of our modern way of life are due to the consta...nt second guessing how someone has taken our email or social media post...and that is not a healthy way to live! To do our best to counter this, we need to start to articulate how we feel. We need to consciously and purposely address our feelings in our online communications. Eg. "I received your email thank you. I must say your request has left me feeling a little concerned, I am worried that you have not considered... and I fear this will impact the result." As opposed to: "Thanks for the email, I will get on to it." (Post inspired from "Challenges of the Virtual World" November Toastmasters magazine)

01.01.2022 The Pathways learning experience keeps getting better! If you want to learn how to inject a bit more humor into your speaking, then this new path which launches on 5th February 2019 is the one for you.. "Engaging in Humor" Contact Tumut Toastmasters for more information