The Toastmasters Podcast

In addition to preparing to complete in the Miss USA 2020 pageant on November 9, 2020, Samantha continues to grow through Toastmasters. She currently serves as the 2020-2021 Club President for Ala Moana Toastmasters of Honolulu, Hawaii, and B4 Area Director for District 1 in California. She also remains an active member of the West Hollywood Toastmasters. Ms. Neyland's inspiring platform for Miss Hawaii USA touts the critical importance of communication. Listen in as she shares how communication can lead to reconciliation even in the midst of hostility and divisiveness. Ms. Neyland is featured in a Member Moment in the November 2020 issue of the Toastmaster.Listeners can connect with Samantha Neyland through her website.

President Peck updates us on the current state of Toastmasters amidst COVID-19, including the evolution of on-line and hybrid clubs and the opportunities they offer at this unique point in time. Finally, the President reflects on the first virtual International Convention, and offers insights for the year ahead.You'll can learn more about our International President in his profile, "Meet Richard E. Peck, DTM" in the September issue of the Toastmaster magazine. You can also read his October 2020 Viewpoint.

In this episode, hosts Greg and Ryan speak with Mike about his surreal experience and how preparing to speak from a virtual platform necessitated a change in plan for his final speech.  Mike also shares some of his wisdom he's learned along the way and pulls back the curtain on how the competition, judging etc., actually took place from the club to the world stage.Mike is also featured in the October 2020 Issue of the Toastmaster Magazine.Mike Carr can be reached at MikeCarrOfficial.com.If you missed the 2020 World Championship of Public Speaking, you can catch the entire event finals at Toastmasters.org or on Toastmasters' Official YouTube Channel.   

John provides insight into the history of public speaking, including the role of Aristotle's seminal work, Ars Rhetorica. John also shares his personal story of a lifetime of disappointment with his own spoken communication skills. His study of rhetoric combined with the skills he learned at Toastmasters made him not just a better communicator, but a better person. Today's conversation will not only inspire you, it might even remind you why you fell in love with Toastmasters in the first place!John Bowe has contributed to The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, GQ, McSweeney’s, This American Life, and many others. He is the co-editor of Gig: Americans Talk About Their Jobs (Crown, 1999); editor of Us: Americans Talk About Love (Faber USA, 2010), and author of Nobodies: Modern American Slave Labor and the Dark Side of the New Global Economy (Random House, 2007). He currently lives in New York City and can reached at JohnFBowe.com.You can read John's article in the August 2020 issue of the Toastmaster: https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2020/aug/i-have-something-to-sayWatch John's educational presentation at the Toastmasters International 2020 Virtual Convention: https://youtu.be/tO71ErH_wLMYou can also get John's book at the Toastmasters on-line store: https://www.toastmasters.org/shop/education/books/B80--I-Have-Something-to-Say 

[24:53] Kristin Arnold makes her second appearance on today's edition of the Toastmasters Podcast. Greg & Ryan first spoke with Kristin about panel discussions on episode #097 (August 2015).  In today's discussion, Greg & Ryan catch up with Kristin on how panels have changed over the past five years, review best practices for panel success, and of course, address what you need to know when your participating in an online / virtual panel, as either the moderator or a panelist. The June 2020 issue of the Toastmaster featured an article from Kristin, "How to Moderate a Panel Discussion-Virtually."Kristin is a meeting facilitator, moderator, trainer, keynote speaker, and the author of Powerful Panels: A Step-By-Step Guide to Moderating Lively and Informative Panel Discussions at Meetings, Conferences and Conventions. For more information about how to moderate a panel discussion, see Kristin's free seven-part video course at www.PowerfulPanels.com.

[28:24] Today's show features two guests, 41 years of age apart, brought together by an initial common athletic interest, and further solidified by a second mutual interest of inspiring others with their wisdom and voices. Meet Madonna Hanna and Marcus Chambers, who are featured on the cover of the June 2020 issue of the Toastmaster magazine. Marcus Chambers, a twenty-five year old Olympic track and field hopeful for Tokyo 2021, first met Madonna Hanna, 66, when a mutual friend asked him to consider coaching Madonna, also a competitive runner. After getting to know each other, Marcus discovered Madonna is also a professional speaker—something he aspired to be as well. Madonna soon introduced Marcus to Toastmasters. Marcus coaches Madonna on the track—and Madonna coaches Marcus on the stage.Madonna and Marcus share their inspiration journey of mutual coaching, and the generational differences they overcame through friendship and mutual interests, and share tips on effective cross-generational connection. To follow-up with today's guests...> Marcus ChambersCheck out marcuschambers.com or @marcuschambers400 on Instagram> Madonna HannaEmail madfashion2001 at yahoo dot com 

Judy offers her insights on laughter and humor in the midst of difficulties, and provides gives us practical examples of how to put humor to good use. Insisting that comedy lives in the details of life, Judy also puts your humble co-hosts to task with a challenge from her article on finding the funny in the midst of COVID-19 calamities. Judy also shares practical tips on effective virtual presentations.As a gift to Toastmasters community during the Coronavirus crisis, Judy is giving away her complete online speaking and comedy classes (Value: $770.00) for free. You can sign up and get a free membership by sending an email to free@judycarter.com.Judy can be reached at JudyCarter.com. 

In the course of the discussion, we learn a little about why President Menon initially joined Toastmasters in 2002 (after expecting to politely decline).  Deepak's home club is Central Delhi Toastmasters.President Menon shares valuable perspectives and suggestions as we move into an uncertain future. He also provides information about the upcoming and first-ever 100% virtual and 100% free Toastmasters International Convention.President Menon was also featured in the September 2019 issue of the Toastmaster magazine.Deepak Menon, DTM, of New Delhi, India, is a chartered accountant at J.P., Kapur & Uberai in New Delhi, where he is one of nine partners. He oversees management and operations, and specializes in international taxation, cross-border taxation, transfer pricing and direct taxes. Menon is also a trustee of the Columban Endowment Trust, a nonprofit organization. Menon is a fellow chartered accountant with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, where he also earned a Diploma in Information Systems Auditing.Menon served as the Chief Coordinator for the Toastmasters’ Youth Leadership program in collaboration with the American Center in New Delhi and helped build communication and leadership skills for approximately 700 underprivileged children in six cities in India. He also served as secretary of St. Columba’s School’s alumni society Old Columbans Association, and in 2006, co-founded the publishing house, Ambi Knowledge Resources Private Limited.

In this episode you’ll hear how Johnny reached out Greg and Ryan to enlighten all Toastmasters with a conversation on how we can deal with the current global situation in a positive and effective way.  Johnny shares his experience and gives us his perspective on how we see ourselves, how we see our situation and helps us envision how we can get through it.  He also gives us tips on how we can look at this as a time for opportunities, to make connections and steps you can take to develop powerful instruments to help you go forward to the future. Johnny Campbell, DTM, AS is a professional speaker, trainer and the author of  “The Agent of Change,” who helps people to successfully embrace change, make more sales and teaches how to craft winning presentations.  He can be reached at:  johnny@transitionman.com or https://riseupandwin.com/change/

[23:56] Aaron Beverly emerged as the winner of the Toastmasters International Speech Contest in August 2019, out of more than 30,000 competitors worldwide. Delivering a speech entitled “An Unbelievable Story,” Aaron provided a humorous take on the heavy subject of race and the importance of “acceptance despite difference.”  Aaron joins Greg and Ryan, and provides an inside look at what constitutes a winning speech, and shares details of specific choices he made in the construction and delivery of his speech. The episode ends with a fast-paced "lightning round" where Greg and Ryan pitch questions sourced from The Official Toastmasters International Members Group on Facebook.