The Toastmasters Podcast

[29:55] Many in their retirement years may not know what to do with themselves. Some may feel a loss of purpose because some define themselves by their jobs or feel they are too old to do new things. Our guest today is Jean Small. At 88, she seems unstoppable and today she’ll illustrate with a glimpse into her ongoing incredible journey that anything is possible.

[24:57] Are your slides sucking the life from your presentations? Fear not! Today’s guest has spent over 30 years on slide design, and he can help you turn your nightmarish deck into a dream. Known as The Slide Presentation Man, Dave Henson runs masterclasses to teach people how to step up their presenting game and become effective visual communicators.

[32:37] Clowning around in school or around the office can get you into a little hot water, but in this episode our guest Don Colliver will show us how Clown Presence can actually take your presentations to the next level. ...continued In this light-hearted yet informative presentation, Don shares with us from his vast experiences what Clown Presence is and amongst other things, three specific techniques for incorporating inclusive clown humour into your next presentation even if you feel you don’t have a funny bone in your body.

[30:35] At the start of the year, many of us reflect on how we can improve and become the best versions of ourselves. In this episode, we speak with Toastmasters Podcast co-host Ryan Levesque about his recent article entitled - ’Meet Your Future Self - Today!  New research in psychology can help you design your future and achieve your goals,’ which appears in the January 2023 edition of the Toastmaster.

[28:32] Dr. Kevin Snyder completed the last step of the Accredited Speaker application process at the 2022 Toastmasters International hybrid convention and was subsequently awarded the prestigious Accredited Speaker designation (AS). Kevin is one of only 90 individuals to receive accreditation since the program began in 1981.

[27:25] Take the power of Toastmasters, combine it with the power of podcasting, apply it to CristÛbal ColÛn and you get one individual whose life has been transformed. In this episode we hear about an incredible journey how CristÛbal took his passion for both and transformed himself from quiet engineer to podcast host. He shares about how and why he started the podcast, and how living through Puerto Rico’s Hurricane Maria factored into his decision to finally start his podcast. CristÛbal also enlightens us about how Toastmasters has helped in on this journey and how podcasting has improved his skills and how certain aspects help improve those skills and more. You’d never know by listening that CristÛbal was once a shy introverted man who at one time felt invisible.

[25:07] When used effectively, metaphors are magic spells of communication, visual eye candy that cements the connection between you and your audience while doubling as powerful tools of persuasion. In this episode, we speak with speaker and author Oscar Santolalla who enlightens us on how and why we can use metaphors in our presentations.

[30:33] Pronouncing names properly has always been worth paying attention to, but with ongoing globalization, it has become more important than ever. In this episode, we speak with Fiona Swee-Lin Price, PhD, a cross-cultural communication specialist, award-winning keynote speaker, and name expert who has worked in the intercultural field for over twenty years. Dr. Price shares what led her to this topic and offers tips to help us understand on how we can get better at pronouncing names derived from languages we do not speak.

[30:07] 2022 marked Toastmasters International’s first-ever hybrid Convention, which included the organization’s first hybrid World Championship of Public Speaking. This year’s winner from Wroclaw, Poland is Cyril Junior Dim. At only 24 years old, he’s the youngest winner ever.

[31:22] Ted Corcoran has left an indelible impact on the history of Toastmasters. Not only did he serve as an International President, but he helped originate what became known as the Distinguished Club Program, and introduced a lively "underground" tradition to the annual International Convention that is now a part of the official agenda – and we’ll hear about this and many other stories in a light and entertaining fashion. At age 79 and after 37 years, Ted continues to contribute to the Toastmasters community in his home District 71 (parts of the UK, and Ireland), and to districts and members the world over.