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Trip
Joined: 28 Dec 2008
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 Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 8:11 am Post subject: Toastmasters International Club |
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Are there any other Toastmasters International members on here on Dave�s?
Last summer, I was introduced to Toastmasters International here in Korea. I joined and have been impressed with the club and the resulting networking with Korean professionals and other expats. I�m now a club officer in my local Toastmasters club and would like to invite other motivated people in Korea to visit a Toastmasters meeting.
Toastmasters International is a non-for-profit organization. It is not a business or an academy. It is not a business or an academy. Toastmasters International was formed in 1924 in California. Now it has 235,000 members in 11,700 clubs in 92 countries, offering a proven and enjoyable way to practice and master communication and leadership skills.
Right now, there are over 14 clubs in Korea. 9 clubs are in Seoul and other clubs in Busan, Daegu, Daejeon, Jinju, Osan and Yongin. Some clubs have just formed and Korea is on its way to becoming a certified district. Korean language clubs may open in the future.
Guests are always welcome and can just show up to a Toastmasters meeting. You don�t need an invitation unless you want to join a rare corporate club. Guests are always free, though some clubs do have to rent meeting rooms and ask participants to chip a small amount of money to cover the costs.
Most Toastmasters meetings have 20-30 people who meet weekly for 2 hours. Members and guests 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 other role. Most meetings are followed by a 2nd round of eating, drinking and socializing.
There are no instructors. Speeches and meetings are critiqued by members in a positive and friendly manner. Members focus on what was done right and what could be better.
All meetings in Korea are English-language meetings. Our members range from teachers, businessmen, lawyers, managers, students, artists, engineers, housewives, and many other walks of life. We have members from around the world, including Westerners, Koreans, South East Asians, Middle Easterners and other ethnicities.
You can find Toastmaster International information here: www.toastmasters.org On the left hand side you can search for clubs in Korea. Some clubs are new or may not be listed, especially the Busan and Jinju clubs. A quick internet search will reveal their information.
Here is the link to club information in Seoul: http://www.toastmasters.org/websiteApps/searchresults.asp?Country=Korea%20(Republic%20of)&State=&City=Seoul
Reply if you have any questions or comments, especially if you are a previous or current Toastmasters member and want to share your experiences. |
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kiknkorea
Joined: 16 May 2008
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 5:22 pm Post subject: |
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| Great information, thanks. I've known of Toastmasters, but haven't gone yet. I'll have to look into the closest one and attend. |
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makemischief
Joined: 04 Nov 2005
Location: Traveling
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 9:00 pm Post subject: |
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| I've been to the Hyehwa, Sinchon, and Gangnam branches- good groups all. |
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Bibbitybop
Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 11:57 pm Post subject: Re: Toastmasters International Club |
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| Trip wrote: |
...a proven and enjoyable way to practice and master communication and leadership skills....
...socializing...
...members from...many walks of life... |
[Raises hand] I'm also in Toastmasters.
The parts of your quote above are the best parts of TM. It's like practicing your snowboard skills with like-minded friends, you help some, you learn from some and you get drunk when you are finished (if you want to get drunk, that is). |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 2:41 am Post subject: |
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| I went to a few in Hongdae, Shinchon, and Itaewon. I really liked it, it's something I'd like to join again in the future. |
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koreandefence
Joined: 05 Oct 2007
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| Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 2:50 am Post subject: |
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Hi, I used to go to Hongdae University meetings on Sundays about 5 years ago, but they shut down due to mismanagement. Pity, it was really enjoyable and a supportive environment.
Can anyone PM me info of other ones in Seoul. I'm keen to get back into it. |
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Jandar
Joined: 11 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 3:02 am Post subject: |
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| I think this should be a sticky. |
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makemischief
Joined: 04 Nov 2005
Location: Traveling
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| Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 7:27 am Post subject: |
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| koreandefence wrote: |
Hi, I used to go to Hongdae University meetings on Sundays about 5 years ago, but they shut down due to mismanagement. Pity, it was really enjoyable and a supportive environment.
Can anyone PM me info of other ones in Seoul. I'm keen to get back into it. |
Did they? Didn't know that- they are back- with around 30-50 members. |
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i4NI
Joined: 17 May 2008
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 8:22 am Post subject: |
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| Anyone gone to the microsoft one? |
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Bibbitybop
Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 8:44 am Post subject: |
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| Jandar wrote: |
| I think this should be a sticky. |
Mods hate stickies for some reason, I've been calling for motorcycle/scooter sticky for over a year. That thread is on 50 pages right now, but no sticky status.
Like mm said, Sinchon Toastmasters is up and running in full force.
Trip, the OP, posted the right links. Go to the toastmasters.org site and search for club info. The times are there.
i4Ni, I think you have to be a Microsoft employee to go to that one. The website says you have to contact the club and it's not open to all. |
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Trip
Joined: 28 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 7:22 am Post subject: |
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i4NI, I've been to the Microsoft meeting before, but you do have to get special permission. The meeting is different, it's from 12-1pm. If a non-Microsoft employee is there, they have to get a special person to attend the meeting for security reasons.
Thanks for all the replies and positive feedback, people. It's good to know there are a few of us active in Toastmasters and on Dave's.
I encourage any onlookers to visit a club, even if you show up knowing no other Toastmasters. You'll be warmly welcomed and meet some great people. |
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Hyeon Een
Joined: 24 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 7:31 am Post subject: |
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| Bibbitybop wrote: |
| Jandar wrote: |
| I think this should be a sticky. |
Mods hate stickies for some reason, I've been calling for motorcycle/scooter sticky for over a year. That thread is on 50 pages right now, but no sticky status. |
I'm not a Mod and never will be, but I've got to say I read the motorcycle/scooter sticky every time it gets bumped up. If it was a sticky I'd scroll right through it. Stickies don't attract my attention. It's not that I wouldn't want to read a motorcycle/scooter sticky, it's just that I wouldn't even notice it once it joined the 'dead zone' at the top of the board.
I say keep bumping the scooter/motorcycle thread forever with whatever information you want to give or conversations you want to start to keep it going. I'll read it every time I see it back on the main offtopic page then. If it was a sticky.. not so much.. |
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seoulshock
Joined: 12 Jul 2005
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| Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2009 12:36 pm Post subject: |
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| I'm an officer of my local Toastmasters club here in Los Angeles. I do plan on attending a meeting next time I go to Korea as well (as a guest, of course). |
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Trip
Joined: 28 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2009 10:30 pm Post subject: |
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| seoulshock wrote: |
| I'm an officer of my local Toastmasters club here in Los Angeles. I do plan on attending a meeting next time I go to Korea as well (as a guest, of course). |
If you are a member of another club, you are still a member of TM. Contact the club you want to go to in Korea beforehand if you want to sign up for a role or give a speech. Some clubs have certain rules about visiting members being limited to certain roles, like if there is a waiting list for regular members to speak, but it changes club to club and often there are vacancies. |
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Trip
Joined: 28 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 2:31 am Post subject: |
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Here is a great article about Toastmasters from one point of view. Personally, I don't find public speaking to be "torture." But I do think those who find it difficult or scary are often the best speakers once they make the leap.
http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/03/23/toastmasters-is-torture-so-why-do-it/
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Toastmasters is Torture! So why do it?
March 23, 2008
I am going to share my secret fear with you. My shrouded scare paralyzes me with dread, leaves me speechless, and ties my tongue tight. OK, here goes, I am a terribly shy introvert who cannot stomach the slightest notion of public speaking. Just writing it out strikes terror into my heart, dampens my armpits, and erupts hives all over my body. Sexy.
The terrible truth is, I freeze when confronted with a stage and a group of unknown people. Perhaps this terror is residual fear from my high school days when pimple-faced teenage girls poked fun at me while I played my trumpet for band ceremonies. Perhaps I was a teenage knob and deserved the ridicule. Regardless of why I hated standing up in front of a crowd, I knew I had to do something about it later in life.
The realization my public speaking skills where holding me back hit me hard last year when my 90-year-old grandmother asked me to give a eulogy at my grandfather�s funeral. I was touched and honored by her request. I was also sweating a small river through my shirt.
My grandfather was a popular fellow in his town of residence. He was a decorated veteran, a respected business man, and he dedicated his life to several volunteer service groups. Due to his community service and popularity, I knew the whole town would be in attendance for his closing ceremonies. I knew I had to speak to hundreds of people. I knew I had to speak well. I knew I had to do my grandfather proud.
I joined Toastmasters for help. Toastmasters is a group of talkative folks who get together weekly to speak publicly. Toastmasters spend several hours a week preparing, practicing, and verbalizing speeches. Some are master communicators, others are sweaty-pitted neophytes like myself.
I was surprised by the depth of skill at Toastmasters. I was also surprised with the welcoming and friendly faces who greeted me each meeting. No one laughed. No one pointed. Everyone wanted to see me do well. They wanted me to grow. They wanted me to succeed.
The path to exceptional oratorship is not an easy one. To be an experienced Toastmaster you must be able to introduce speakers, use body language effectively, use vocal tones with ease, and speak on a topic with enough grace to engage an audience. Toastmasters are sticklers for grammar. They care about speech organization, topics of passion, and speech length. I was surprised they timed each speech with tools usually reserved for professional athletes standing on starting blocks. I was also surprised at the end of each meeting when the �official um counter� delivered the tally of everyones vocal slips. My best night was �2 ums� for a 3 minute speech. My most prolific tally was �16 ums� for a 2 minute mutter fest.
I�m far from crossing the finish line to �Master Toastmaster� status. I�m still a fledgling speech crafter working my way through the um�s and ahh�s of clearer communication. But during my vocal journey I�ve discovered some surprising financial benefits to becoming a better public speaker.
Here are five reasons why becoming a better public speaker can help your finances:
1. Negotiation:
Can you talk money? Can you ask your boss convincingly for a raise? Can you close the big deal? Being a better public speaker can help you negotiate raises, deals, and conduct money matters to your benefit. Sure, it may take some brass balls to ask your boss to �show you the money�, but the ability to formulate an argument and persuade your case is really half the battle. Not uming and ahhing your way though �the big ask� helps too.
2. Business presentations:
I�m not a fan of the boardroom. But the ability to speak to any level of management without sounding bored is essential in business. Career-defining speaking situations can happen at any time. The trick is to know how to speak to these money making encounters when cornered in your office, hallowed in the hallway, or elevated in the elevator. The ability to give a quick sales pitch, present a proposal, or bellow a business brief with skill and ease can impress (or depress) those with career influence. Presenting ideas successfully can only help your career and money earning potential down the road.
3. Listening:
You may hear, but do you really listen? Improved listening skills are an unexpected side benefit to becoming a better speaker. Listening thoughtfully raises the financial stakes in any conversation. Paying attention to the audience, watching their reaction to your words, and understanding their body language helps to gauge success. If the audience looks uncertain, why not ask �is this clear?� to reestablish rapport and clarify any loose ends. The ability to listen to your audience can make or break the deal.
4. Networking:
How are you with mingling and working a crowd? Do you get introduced to people or do you do the introducing? Joining Toastmasters has had a huge impact on my ability to introduce colleagues and business acquaintances with grace and ease. I used to be a wall flower, now I�m better at working the room and growing relationships.
5. Pick up chicks:
My �better half� suggested this one. Like me, my �better half� is a shy introvert. But when we first met eons ago, he was pretty darn happy I persuaded him to see a movie. He says he�s a richer man today because I was the better communicator. While this sounds silly, my �better half� may be on to something. Being a good communicator, presenter, listener, and negotiator can only help you build a stronger relationship with your spouse. If you can�t talk money openly, or balance a budget fairly, the road to riches can be stifled. Learn to bridge the communications gap with your spouse and get wealthy through your years together.
Indeed, along with doing weddings and funerals, there are many financial gains to garner by being a better public speaker. Do you fear public speaking? Do you see a financial gain to speaking up loud and clear? |
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