Frequently Asked Questions

What is Toastmasters? Toastmasters is an international organization that supports thousands of local clubs and their members. Our purpose is to provide a place where individuals can learn the skills of public speaking and leadership in a supportive environment. Most Toastmasters meetings are comprised of approximately 20 people who meet for an hour or more on a regular basis. Participants practice and learn skills by filling a meeting role, ranging from giving a prepared speech or an impromptu one to serving as timer, evaluator or grammarian.

What do Toastmasters do? Toastmasters meet regularly to practice speaking and to evaluate each other's skills. At a local club, besides gaining confidence in many aspects of both speaking and leadership, Toastmasters often gain new friends. There is no instructors at a meeting. Instead, each speech and meeting is critiqued by a member in a positive manner, focusing on what was done right and what could be improved.

Who are the Toastmasters in Chattanooga? There are approximately 300 Toastmasters in one or more of the 16 clubs in Brainerd, Chattanooga, Cleveland, Ooltewah/Collegedale, Hixson, Hwy 58 and Lookout Valley.

Can I just show up to a meeting?

Absolutely! Guests are always welcome to visit a Toastmaster meeting. Some clubs, due to their location or security policies, require advanced notice that you are going to visit, and other clubs do not. It's best to contact a club by email or phone ahead of your visit to make arrangements. We do ask that you be on time and stay for the entire meeting.

Can I bring someone to a meeting? Sure! Guests are always welcome at Toastmasters meetings. Sometimes it’s easier to meet new people when you bring a friend along.

What will happen when I visit? You will be warmly greeted and provided with a meeting agenda. All of us remember what it was like attending a meeting for the first time so we will explain what is happening and invite you to relax and enjoy the presentations. You may be asked if you'd like to participate in the meeting (which you may simply decline). You may also be asked at the close of the meeting to share your thoughts (again, you may simply decline). You will be invited to attend the next meeting!

What happens at a meeting? Meetings are filled with laughter, learning, listening, and, yes, speaking. One member, appointed as the Toastmasters for the day, presides over the meeting. Prepared speeches are given and evaluated by members. Off-the-cuff (impromptu) speaking skills based on a question and answer format are practiced in the "Table Topics" portion of the meeting. Visitors are invited to participate in the meeting if they want to. Each prepared speech is evaluated along with the meeting itself. A meeting Timer lets everyone who spoke know how long they talked, and a meeting Grammarian gives feedback on how well people used the language. The Toastmaster of the Day wraps up the session and adjourns the meeting.

Do you just make up speeches? You can customize the Toastmaster program to meet your needs. When you become a member, you receive access to Pathways, Toastmasters educational program. Through Pathways, you can currently choose from 10 different paths to customize your program. Pathways offers 300 competencies across 59 projects. Competencies include: Presentation, writing, and editing skills; Strategic thinking; Team building and management; Mentoring, coaching; Basic meeting skills; Organizational skills; Analytical skills; Collaboration; Motivation; and Project Management

How long is a typical speech? Speeches for the Communication Manual are usually between 5-7 minutes in length. Advanced projects may have speeches that run as long as 15-20 minutes.

Do I have to finish within a certain time frame? No, in Toastmasters, you move at your own pace. However, the more you practice the better you become at speaking.

How will I know what to talk about? Toastmasters has educational material designed to assist with speech concepts. For example—one speech may be for you to "speak with sincerity" so of course you would talk about a subject that you care about. It can be anything your family, your work, or your favorite hobby or charity. Once you begin looking for speech topics you will find them everywhere from newspapers to magazines, to friends and family. Your very first speech is called the "ice breaker" and it’s all about you. Just tell us who you are, where you’re from, why you joined, anything!

Why do you have "Table Topics"? Off-the-cuff (impromptu or extemporaneous) speaking is a valuable skill in today's world. Table Topics is a way for us to practice thinking and speaking "on our feet." A Table Topics Master presents participants with questions or topics "at random" and you have 1-2 minutes to give a response. You won't always "know the answer," but you can still answer in a relaxed, effective way. Table Topics are one of the highlights of our meeting.

How much does it cost to join a club? Toastmasters is a non-profit organization, so the cost of joining a club covers necessary expenses only, and is very low when compared to for-profit seminars and other training courses. Toastmasters clubs collects dues from their current members twice a year, in April and in October. $45.00 of your dues is submitted to Toastmasters International to pay for membership materials, award certificates, processing fees, conferences and training. Anything above that goes into the club treasury to pay for room rental fees, contest prizes, gifts, postal costs, and miscellaneous office supplies. New members pay a sliding fee based on the month they join, and a one-time new membership fee of $20.00 to pay for registration and access to your first Pathways path.

When I become a member, what will be expected of me? By joining Toastmasters, you are making a commitment to your own growth. You can give speeches at your own pace. We can provide a mentor to help you get started and successfully complete your goals. We are all here because we believe in the Toastmasters concept and want to improve our speaking and leadership skills by supporting each other

What else does Toastmasters have to offer? As with many organizations, Toastmasters is what the members make it. Toastmasters are committed to helping each other improve our speaking and leadership skills. Involvement in the "Toastmasters Experience" can go well beyond that, though. You can compete in speech contests that, if you win at increasing levels, can name you the "World Champion of Public Speaking." You can become a leader at the club level, or a higher level, where your leadership affects many clubs and members. You can attend conferences to meet and network with fellow Toastmasters from other clubs around the local area, state, and world.

What do you mean by leadership skills? Toastmasters is best known for the "learn public speaking" aspect of its program, however, leadership is just as important. Leaders are not the same as managers, so what makes a great leader? Toastmasters teaches about service leadership. This viewpoint suggests that the role of a leader, no matter what type of authority is involved, is to lead by helping or enabling others, not by forcing them. You can hone your leadership skills in various ways in Toastmasters: by leading meetings, becoming an officer of the club, or taking an active leadership role at higher levels of the organization.

Is there any training available for new Toastmasters? Our area holds training sessions for Toastmasters twice a year. These sessions are broken into training for club officers and general sessions about the program and other interesting topics. All training sessions are open to all Toastmasters. The locations, dates and times for training, called TLI (Toastmasters Leadership Institute) will be posted on this Web site.

Is your meeting accessible? If you need special accommodations such as handicapped parking or a ramp to access the building, please call the club ahead of time so that they can be sure to arrange for assistance. Other accommodations such as printed material, material for vision-impaired members, foreign language versions, etc., are available from Toastmasters International.

How do I find a club? Refer to our Find a Club tab.

Can anyone join? We welcome anyone who wants to improve his or her communication and leadership skills, however, anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. You must be over 18 to become a member of Toastmasters, however, if an adult wishes to join a club and bring a teenage minor with them to meetings, that is allow at most clubs.

Is there a club for people who speak English as a second language or who wish to improve their English speaking skills? We have many members in several clubs who speak English as a second language.

How do I start a club? You must have at least twenty individuals to form a new club, find a suitable meeting place, and pay a new club charter fee of $125 plus tax in addition to the normal dues and fees that you pay if you were to join an existing club. To find out more, contact us at spthomas8192@gmail.com.

Can I start a club at my work? Absolutely! Currently we have several corporate clubs sponsored by employers in the area. These clubs are for employees only. We always welcome new clubs and will be happy to talk to you and/or your company about starting a new club, the benefits to employees and the company, and the cost.

I'm scared to death of speaking! Why should I join Toastmasters?

EVERYONE is afraid of speaking. In poll after poll, "public speaking" is ranked as the #1 fear, even greater than the fear of "death." Even if you think you're really good at speaking, there will be times when your heart stops and your palms sweat and you freeze before an audience. Toastmasters can help with that. Everyone Toastmaster is there because at some point he/she realized they needed help with communicating and leadership skills. Most remember how it felt when they gave their first speech. You may be startled to find out how supportive a Toastmasters club can be.

I'm already a good speaker, why should I join Toastmasters? Congratulations! That’s terrific, but even good speakers can get better. In Toastmasters you will get evaluations from a number of different perspectives. Often these “new eyes” will see something you missed, offer you a little "polish". It could be that you need help with time your speeches, or maybe you just need a place to try out new material. We're here to help.

How is Toastmasters different from any of those other public speaking courses or programs? First, Toastmasters teaches not only communications skills, but leadership skills as well. Secondly, college courses along with other commercial courses, are expensive, and when they’re over, they’re over. Toastmasters, on the other hand, is a lifelong journey. For $45 (plus club dues) every six months, you not only receive training and feedback, but you give it as well. You are free, indeed encouraged, to practice as much as you want, and as they say practice makes perfect. You move at your own pace, and you are provided with opportunities to lead at all levels in your club and beyond.

I'm visiting from out of state, but belong to a Toastmasters club back home; would it be possible to be a guest speaker at one of the local clubs? Absolutely—just find a club close to you that you'd like to visit and get in touch with either the Club President or VP Education to arrange to be a guest speaker. Many clubs welcome guest speakers, with advance notice.

Who do I contact if I have a question? For additional questions, you may contact us at: d63divisionc@gmail.com

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