The Toastmasters Podcast

Today, she is a professional speaker and trainer, leading workshops at corporations and organizations on how to become a better public speaker and communicator. Mary has trained over 15,000 people in more than 25 cities around the world and she also teaches communications-related classes at Northeastern University in Boston. In this episode, Mary shares her transformation from a shy, self-conscious computer programmer into a world-class public speaker. She also addresses an often-overlooked component of speaking—dealing with one's "inner critic”, which is the topic of her recently published book, “Present” Yourself in Public Speaking—Tell Your Inner Critic to SHUT UP! And the Real You to SPEAK UP!

[29:20] This episode features an interview with John Kerwin, host of The John Kerwin Show, a late-night show on DIRECTV. Still in his first year as a Toastmaster, John has already earned his CC and CL, competed in humorous and evaluation district contests, served as club president, and more. Listen as he shares about his experience as a new Toastmaster and offers his ideas on how new members can make an impact and how clubs can reduce their turnover rate.

After the interview, Ryan speaks with co-host and Gadget Guy Greg Gazin, who authored the original article, about his experience interviewing David and having his first article published in the Toastmaster magazine.

[17:19] On Friday August 19, at the 2016 Toastmasters International Convention, Darren Lacroix completed the last step of the Accredited Speaker application process, and was subsequently awarded the prestigious Accredited Speaker designation. Darren was one of two Toastmasters presented with the award that day. Darren, who also won the 2001 Toastmasters World Championship of Public Speaking®, offers insight into the award and humbly describes some of the techniques he used that day in his second attempt to earn the AS designation.  Learn more about Darren and receive a free copy of his Top 10 Speaking Mistakes.Learn more about the Accredited Speaker program. 

[22:08] On Friday, August 19 at the 2016 Toastmasters International Convention, Eldonna Lewis Fernandez completed the last step of the Accredited Speaker application process, and was subsequently awarded the prestigious Accredited Speaker designation. Eldonna was one of two Toastmasters who were ultimately presented with the award that day. Eldonna shares the value of the award, provides insight into how she achieved it, and shares tips for others who may wish to follow in her footsteps. Learn more about Eldonna.Learn more about the Accredited Speaker program. 

Darren shares with Greg and Ryan his journey from joining Toastmasters to improve his poor conversational skills, to competing in speech contests, and eventually winning the World Championship. Also listen to advice from another World Champion about—of all things, Darren's underwear—contributed to his success. 

Greg and Ryan speak with 2016–2017 Toastmasters International President Mike Storkey, DTM, of North Queensland, Australia, a business trainer and coach at Storkeys’ Team, a business he co-founded in 2005. He assists small businesses in the development of strategic business plans and trains members of local government bodies throughout the Queensland area. He also hosts seminars in change management, time management, team building and leadership, particularly for regional councils and other organizations. Storkey also works in real estate, being a licensed real estate agent. He holds a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. Storkey is the former founding president of the Whitsunday Chamber of Commerce. He garnered recognition as a Paul Harris Fellow for his service to the Rotary Club of Airlie Beach.A dedicated Toastmaster for almost 25 years, Storkey has remained an active member of several clubs since 1990. He served as the inaugural mentor officer for his district, and continues to be committed to mentoring. He served on the Toastmasters International Board of Directors from 2010 to 2012 and has held a number of high-profile leadership positions within Toastmasters. Storkey has also attained the Distinguished Toastmaster designation—the highest level of educational achievement in the organization.He says, “The skills I developed in Toastmasters—from helping others, working as a team and developing a vision in order to reach a common goal—have made me better equipped to tackle leadership opportunities both in my private and professional life.”As International President, Storkey is a “working ambassador” for the organization. Serving on the Board, he develops and supports the policies and procedures that guide Toastmasters International in fulfilling its mission.

After the podcast, Matt invites listeners to watch the video that his article in the August 2016 edition of the Toastmaster magazine is based upon.

In this episode, you'll meet four more powerful presenters scheduled to deliver education sessions at the 2016 Toastmasters International Convention in Washington, D.C. this August: Kelly Swanson; Michael Notaro, DTM, Past International President in 2011-2012; Manoj Vasudevan, ACS, CL; and John Zimmer, ACB, ALB.

Toastmasters’ most prestigious award is the Golden Gavel. It has been given annually since 1959 to an individual distinguished in the fields of communication and leadership. Toastmasters International has named Tony Buzan its 2016 Golden Gavel recipient for his leadership in the field of memory research. The award recognizes Buzan’s influence as the creator of Mind Mapping, a popular technique for improving memory, innovation and thought processes. Buzan will be honored this August at the 85th Annual Toastmasters International Convention in Washington, D.C.A British author of more than 140 books translated into 40 languages, he was nominated for the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize. He is an authority on principles of learning, productivity and efficiency. A Mind Map is essentially a diagram that represents ideas and concepts branching off from a central idea. It enhances memory through the visual representation of ideas and concepts. Buzan teaches the use of Mind Mapping through training events around the globe, including at prominent companies such as Microsoft, IBM, Walt Disney, British Telecom, Goldman Sachs and the British Broadcasting Corporation.Buzan has spent more than 40 years researching how the brain works and perfecting his Mind Mapping technique. His best-selling books include Use Your Head, The Memory Book, The Speed Reading Book and The Mind Map Book.In addition, Buzan is the co-founder and president of the Brain Trust Charity, which aims to “maximize the ability of each individual to unlock and deploy the vast capacity of the human brain.” In 1991, he cofounded the World Memory Championships, an annual competition where participants memorize as much information as possible within a given time.