The Toastmasters Podcast

CHARLES DUHIGG is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and the author of three best-selling books: The Power of Habit, which spent over three years on The New York Times bestseller lists, Smarter Faster Better, and his latest book, Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection, which was published in February 2024.A graduate of Yale University and Harvard Business School, Charles has been a frequent contributor to This American Life, NPR, The Colbert Report, PBS’s NewsHour, and Frontline.Charles currently writes for The New Yorker magazine and is also the author of the article in the July 2024 issue of Toastmaster Magazine, entitled, "Strengthen Your Conversation Skills: Enhance your communication skills for better relationships."Charles Duhigg lives in Santa Cruz, California, with his wife and two children. You can reach Charles at CharlesDuhigg.com and find his books on Amazon, Audible, or your local independent bookstore.  

Joan and Jessica share their thoughts about this upcoming significant milestone event and how they became the host co-chairs. They enlighten us about what they have learned by taking on this role and how they used their family connection and skill and personality differences to help them excel in their roles.They give us a little sneak peek into what people can expect at the conference and share just one of the many surprises attendees will be wowed by.While many know Anaheim, California, as the home of Disneyland, Joan and Jessica also give us some ideas of what people can do before and after the convention in Anaheim and the surrounding areas.You can meet Joan & Jessica in the article: Convention Co-Hosts Welcome You to Anaheim!   Get to know the mother-daughter duo co-hosting convention, by Laura Mishkind.You can reach Joan Lewis at  JLewis @ Toastmasters dot org.You can also read Paul Sterman's article, 2024 Convention Takes You to Southern California: From Disneyland to dazzling beaches, there are plenty of area attractions. Both articles can be found in the June 2024 issue of the Toastmaster Magazine.You can register for the conference here: REGISTER NOW.  

Lisa will be presented with her Golden Gavel award during the Toastmasters International's 100th Anniversary Convention being held in Anaheim, California August 14-17, 2024.The award ceremony and presentation can be seen live and live streamed on Friday, August 16, 1:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT)/Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) -7.  You can also meet Lisa in person at 2:30PM following her presentation.Lisa is also featured in the cover story in the May 2024 issue of the Toastmaster Magazine, entitled "Lisa Sun Redefines Confidence; The 2024 Golden Gavel recipient has gone from lacking gravitas to owning it."  About:Lisa Sun is an entrepreneur, speaker, and author. She founded her company Gravitas in 2012 with a mission to catalyze confidence. The company’s origin story dates back to her first professional review, where she was told that she “lacked gravitas,” and “should go buy a new dress, big jewelry, and great shoes.” With those words in mind, Sun filed for a global patent to build shapewear directly into dresses. Two months after launch, her first collection was featured in O, The Oprah Magazine, People, and on Today all in the same month.Lisa is also the national best-selling author of Gravitas: The 8 Strengths That Redefine Confidence. It’s a USA Today best-seller and Amazon #1  best-seller for September 2023. Prior to founding Gravitas, Sun spent 11 years as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company.Lisa lives in New York City and can be reached at: gravitasnewyork.com as well as on Instagram: @LisaLSun and @GravitasNewYork.You can take the 56-question My Confidence Language Quiz, which is not a personality test but rather a way to unlock your best self and discover your confidence language at MyConfidenceLanguage.com.You can register for the conference here: REGISTER NOW.

Todd recounts his daughter’s early interest in Toastmasters and her persistent desire to attend a meeting. We hear how she prepared, what transpired, and how she felt about the experience.Todd also shares how he discovered Toastmasters, what he has learned, and how it has helped him both as a professional and as a father. He also offers his advice to parents who want to encourage their children to develop public speaking skills on how they can benefit from Toastmasters, even while juggling professional and family commitments.Todd’s article is featured in the "My Turn" section of the April 2024 issue of The Toastmaster Magazine, entitled: "A Toastmasters Family: How My Membership Inspired My Daughter."Todd Bryant is from Winter Garden, Florida, where he lives with his wife, Lindsey, daughter Cambrie, and son Colton.Todd is a Financial Planner. In 2020, the Orlando Business Journal recognized him on the Top 40 Under 40 list. He’s been a Toastmaster for seven years and is a member of Citrus Club Toastmasters in Orlando.He can be reached at ToddBryantCFP.com.

[33:37] In this episode, we speak with renowned motivational speaker Shawn Ellis who has the honor of being the opening keynote speaker, marking Toastmasters' 100th anniversary at the 2024 Toastmasters International Convention to be held in Anaheim, California from August 14-17, 2024. Shawn shares with us a bit about his journey of resilience and adaptability, along with stories of some of the key moments in his life and nuggets of wisdom he has acquired over the years. This includes a sneak peek of his upcoming keynote, appropriately entitled “Mastering Real-World Resilience and Adaptability,” along with some of his key takeaways.You’ll also hear about the importance of “Mastering the Moments,” which is both his signature philosophy and the title of his upcoming book, as well as highlights of his 5 C’s framework, a cornerstone of his message.You can read “Meet Shawn Ellis: Keynote Speaker for 2024 International Convention Reflects on the Value of Resilience” by Ruth Nasrullah in the June 2024 issue of  the Toastmaster Magazine.Shawn Ellis is a renowned motivational keynote speaker, dynamic storyteller, podcaster, entrepreneur, and modern-day philosopher with over 20 years of leadership and entrepreneurial experience. He guides leaders and teams toward adaptability and resilience, offering insights rooted in mindfulness, neuroscience, and psychology, inspiring those looking to navigate an ever-changing world.Shawn Ellis lives in Columbus, Ohio. You can find him on most social media platforms as @ShawnJasonEllis. He can be reached through his website at ShawnEllis.com, where you can also download a free copy of his book: Adapt & Thrive: 5C’s to Cultivate Resilience & Growth in Times of Change.In celebration of Toastmasters' Centennial, Shawn will be delivering his keynote live and via livestream on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. PDT (UTC-7) following the Parade of Flags.

Lauren’s article, "Lead Like a Master Gardener: Successful teams need the same 12 conditions as healthy plants in order to thrive," appears in the April 2024 Issue of the Toastmaster Magazine.Lauren Parsons is a speaker, author, business coach, and Wellbeing Specialist where, for over two decades, her practical solutions have helped thousands of busy people feel vibrant, confident, and energized.Lauren has been bestowed with the honor of being named New Zealand’s both ‘Keynote Speaker of the Year’ and ‘Educator of the Year’ for 2024 by the Professional Speakers Association of New Zealand. Her speaking engagements have also taken her to the TEDx stage. Lauren is also the host of the Thrive TV Show and podcast.Furthermore, Lauren has been a Toastmaster for 10 years and is currently a member of the PN Advanced Club in Palmerston North, New Zealand.Lauren Parsons hails from Manawatu, New Zealand, and can be reached on LinkedIN and at LaurenParsonsWellbeing.com. You can also download for free the first chapter of her book, www.ThrivingLeadersThrivingTeams.com.

[28:47] For speakers to be effective, they not only need to be competent communicators and experts in their field, but they also need to be authentic to help build trust and credibility. In today's episode, our guest Elizabeth (Liz) Danziger will enlighten us on, "Cultivating authenticity as a speaker - helping us learn how to let your true self shine while presenting,"  which happens to be the title of her article that appeared in the January 2024 issue of the Toastmaster Magazine.   Liz will help us understand what it means to be authentic as a speaker and how you can maintain authenticity even in environments that don’t allow you to fully express yourself. She also shares tips on how to build authenticity and avoid the pitfalls of coming across as inauthentic to your audience. Additionally, we learn on how it's ok to be vulnerable on stage yet not overshare, and how to strike a balance between preparation and spontaneity to become more effective on stage.As wedding season approaches, Liz offers advice to those who may find themselves all dressed up and behind the mic.Elizabeth (Liz) Danziger is the founder of Worktalk Communications Consulting. Liz is also the author of four books, including Get to the Point!, a text on business writing initially published by Random House. Her writings have also appeared in many magazines and journals, including Harvard Business review and Inc.com where she is a columnist. For over three decades, Liz has taught business communication to companies throughout the United States, enabling their people to wield the power of words to enhance their credibility and catapult ahead in their careers.Liz lives in Los Angeles California and can be reached at Worktalk.com, where you can also sign up for her free Writamins monthly writing tips.

[28:56] Step out of your comfort zone and imagine having lunch with 500 strangers to enhance your social skills, fortify your mindset, expand your network, and unlock new opportunities. In this, our 250th episode, we delve into his journey and speak with Nick Bendel, a dedicated Toastmaster whose lunch tally currently sits at 376. Nick pulls back the curtain and sheds light on the motivations behind his ambitious endeavour and shares insights into his selection process for lunch companions and the logistics of organizing these dining opportunities and the topics that fuel engaging discussions over meals. You'll hear stories and learn about the evolution of Nick's journey and some of the memorable lessons and unexpected moments bolstered by the invaluable support of Toastmasters along the way.This is no small feat for Nick who self-describes as an anti-social introvert.Nick's inspiring story is featured in Laura Mishkind's article, "500 Lunches With Strangers: How one Toastmaster’s personal growth project changed his life," published in the April 2024 issue of Toastmaster Magazine.And for those curious about the logistics, Nick shared after we recorded that the costs of these meals are often split among participants.Hailing from Sydney, Australia, Nick Bendel is the owner of Hunter & Scribe, a copywriting agency specializing in content creation for property and finance industries. A Toastmasters member since 2016, Nick is an active participant at the Dynamic North Shore TM Club.Connect with Nick on LinkedIn to learn more about his journey and insights and perhaps to arrange lunch.

[29:52] The Toastmaster Magazine serves as a rich source of monthly inspiration for our guests, Dorothy Chanakira DTM and Viola Dondo DTM, both from Zimbabwe. They’ve taken the lead in combining their passion for Toastmasters, learning, and reading. Their creative approach involves establishing an online group TOAST & READ Along with Coach, where participants give a toast to Toastmasters each month. Following the toast, they engage in in-depth discussions by reading aloud articles from the Toastmaster Magazine. Through this unique endeavour, they aim to enhance knowledge and foster meaningful conversations. Toast and Read Along with Coach is not a club but more like a book club focusing on the Toastmasters magazine. In this episode few hear how the group came about and dive into its monthly activities. Our guests share personal examples of some of the memorable articles and what they took away from reading them. We also hear about some of the unexpected benefits gained by participants and guests... and more.Dorothy Chanakira (right - below) is a Personal Development coach and three time Distinguished Toastmaster( DTM). Viola Dondo, DTM (left - below) is an IT enthusiast and has also been a Rotarian since 2015. Both have been Toastmasters since 2015,  are members of several clubs including three they share in common: Sunday Sundowners - Australia, Zenith Advanced - Zimbabwe and Sell the Sizzle - Southern Africa.This dynamic duo is featured in the Jan 2023 Member Moment entitled: Reading the Toastmaster Together: Zimbabwe group inspires others to gain knowledge from the monthly magazine by Laura Amann.Dorothy and Viola can be reached on Facebook and LinkedIn.Toast and Read Along with Coach, meet on-line on the 15th of each month at 2:00 P.M. Central African Time - GMT+2.( 12:00 noon London U.K. or 6:00 A.M. at Toastmasters HQ in Denver, CO. USA).  Use  Date Converter here to find the meeting time for your location. NOTE:If you are listening to this podcast before the end of March 2024, we encourage you to also check out the Toastmaster Magazine - Reading Challenge.

Olya’s article appears in the January 2024 Issue of the Toastmaster Magazine:  Finding a Balance to Beat Burnout: Daily routines deliver big benefits when personally tailored to your lifestyle.In our podcast interview, Olya pulls back the curtain taking us back to how and when the downward spiral began, manifesting to the point where she left a well-paying job in the corporate world. She then took a break and embarked on a journey to rebuild her life from scratch, with the goal of recovering from burnout and finding meaning in life. Olya shares some of the techniques she used to achieve her goals - like “Slowing down to speed up,”  and how she developed routines and embraced structure to enable her to form better habits - including improving her nutrition, getting more quality sleep and in her own words, to truly turn her life around. We also hear how Toastmasters played a role for Olya  in her development.Olya Amelina, formerly from Istanbul, Turkey, now lives in Dresden, Germany where she now specializes in working with ambitious individuals who prioritize their health, seeking to enhance their performance in sports, business, or daily life while avoiding burnout and enjoying every moment.You can find Olya on LInkedIn or reach her via her website at  Olya at Amelina.Health.If you would like to hear another podcast episode on burnout, please check out:#232: Keeping Burnout At Bay: Advice from a Strategic Business Coach — Sara Mayer.