Latest Toastmaster Stories

Quiet author to receive organization's most prestigious award RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif., April 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Toastmasters International today announced Susan Cain as its 2013 Golden Gavel recipient. Cain is author of the New York Times best-seller Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking. She will accept the award at a dinner in her honor, held during Toastmasters' annual International Convention, Aug. 23 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The award,...

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif., Feb. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The art of oratory is gaining renewed respect as a result of the box office hit Lincoln. Honest Abe's timeless rhetoric reminds movie viewers that carefully selected words, spoken with confidence, can change the course of a nation. Public speaking remains a necessary skill today, as anyone needing to give a toast, speak at a business meeting or even interview for a job can testify. Toastmasters International offers a...

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif., Dec. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- With the holidays come parties, and with parties come opportunities to create good--or bad--impressions. The annual office party in particular presents a chance for employees to enhance their professional image by socializing with people they don't typically work with. Toastmasters International, a global organization devoted to communication and leadership skills development, offers strategies that can help anyone...

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif., Oct. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Since the very first televised presidential debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon in 1960, a candidate's debate performance, including facial expressions, gestures, vocal tone, clarity and ability to influence, have meant the difference between winning and losing voters' confidence. Toastmasters International, a global organization devoted to communication and leadership skills development, has taught...

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif., Sept. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- SPEAK, a documentary film released on DVD this week, follows six Toastmasters in their quest to win the coveted title of "World Champion of Public Speaking." The feature-length film was released in select theaters last month. Produced by Los Angeles-based Tumbleweed Entertainment, SPEAK chronicles the experience of competing in the world's largest public speaking contest. In 2008, directors Brian Weidling and Paul...

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif., June 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Toastmasters International, the world's largest non-profit organization dedicated to teaching skills in public speaking and leadership, announced its featured speakers for the upcoming Toastmasters International Convention in Orlando, Florida. Leadership expert John C. Maxwell has been selected to receive the 2012 Golden Gavel award, an honor presented annually to an individual distinguished in the fields of communication...

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif., March 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Toastmasters International salutes women around the world, particularly its female members, in honor of Women's International Day on Thursday, March 8, 2012. More than half of Toastmasters' 270,000 plus members globally are women, who join the organization to improve their leadership and communication skills. Women seeking to improve their communication skills can benefit from advice offered by the organization's two top...

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif., Feb. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- It's the moment when you are finally face-to-face with that special someone. Your heart races, your face flushes and your tongue is glued to your throat. Don't let your shyness get the best of you this Valentine's Day. "We all experience shyness differently and in varying degrees," says Michael Notaro, International President of Toastmasters International. "When your shyness is extreme, find ways to gradually build your...

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif., Dec. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Toastmasters International, which over the past 87 years has helped millions of men and women become more confident speakers and leaders, offers tips to help your holiday toasts be heartfelt and memorable. The most important piece of advice: Be yourself and be sincere. "Speaking from the heart is the key to a great toast," says Michael Notaro, president of Toastmasters International. "Consider sharing a personal...

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif., Aug. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- In a speech underscoring the value of close connections with family and friends, Jock Elliott, a Toastmaster from Bongaree, Queensland, Australia, won the final round of the Toastmasters World Championship of Public Speaking on Saturday, Aug. 20. Elliott, along with eight other final contestants, reached the championship round after several eliminating rounds that began six months ago with 30,000 participants from 116 countries....