Local Toastmasters Club helps people with speaking skills
Polls say 75 percent of Americans have a fear of public speaking.
This can be in any occasion, from a business meeting to a family celebration.
In North Fort Myers, the “Electric Toasters” is the the local club that meets twice a month to let people hone their speaking skills – with a sense of humor and camaraderie.
“Each club has its own personality,” said local club president Julie Vaughn. “Ours has a sense of humor.”
She is the assistant to the CEO of the LCEC local office. A wide range of employees there attend the club meetings, which are held every second and fourth Wednesday at noon at LCEC headquarters in North Fort Myers.
Members bring their lunch, work on speaking skills and enjoy the time.
Electric Toasters Club 5701 is part of Toastmasters International, a group that has five local branches throughout North Fort Myers, Cape Coral and Fort Myers. The goal is better communication.
The meetings follow a set agenda – from a speaker who does an “Ice Breaker” – telling something about themselves in a five to six-minute speech – to “Table Topics.”
“Table Topics is way to practice your skill on questions from the top of your head,” said the organization’s Area 10 Gov. Robin Dunlap.
“Say your boss calls you in and asks, ‘What happened yesterday at 5 p.m.?’ You can gather your thoughts and speak succinctly and clearly on what happened yesterday at 5 p.m., even though it may be a point of pressure for you or make you nervous. You get to practice that skill,” she said.
Guest Bernard Davis won the day’s trophy for best Table Topic presentation – thinking off the top of his head.
Jesus Claro was the speaker of the day, talking about his search for a job after college and his spiritual beliefs that got him through it. His was an “Ice Breaker,” which was to last between five and six minutes. Club members and guest then rated him for everything from time to content.
Evaluations included grading things from how he started his talk, to how he spoke, maintained eye contact, how the talk sparked interest and a good summation.
There’s a timer to help people judge their presentations, and an “Ah Counter” and “Grammarian” part of the meeting that comes at the end.
“If you want a job interview and the job – you need to walk out of there with your words. You don’t want them to remember that all all you said was ‘um’ – that’s not what you want them to remember,” said Dunlap.
“I was working on self improvement,” Dunlap continued of why she became district governor of the organization. “I’ve had a lot of growth, and seen a lot of change in myself.”
At LCEC, she’s Senior Finance Account Representative.
Numerous members of the LCEC team attend the meeting, from staff members to the CFO Denise Vidal.
All said it’s a family and friendly atmosphere that isn’t limited to LCEC employees.
“The family includes not only LCEC members but when you come in as a guest you automatically become part of the Toastmaster family,” added Vaughn.
“It’s important for me to be president of the club because it helped me build leadership skills,” Vaughn continued. “We have wonderful membership in the club and keeps us focused on the same goal – to be better communicators.”
She’s the assistant to the CEO of LCEC and has been part of Toastmasters for over a decade.
“It’s a wonderful group here because we are family,” she said. “It’s safe place to come and learn and build your skills.”
Another part of the meeting is Table Topics.
The group also credits LCEC’s Melissa Miller with helping to promote the club locally and spreading the word that public speaking can be mastered.
If you are looking to improve your communication skills, lose your fear of public speaking and learn skills that can help you be more successful, you can join the Electric Toasters for an hour every second and fourth Wednesday at noon held at LCEC headquarters in North Fort Myers.
The Electric Toasters is a local chapter of Toastmasters International and is an open club. For more information, E-mail melissa.miller@lcec.net or call 656-2363.
To learn more about all local clubs, go to toastmastersorg.