By Max-Emilien Robichaud, DTM Introduction Let’s imagine for a moment a speaker presenting his speech. According to the rule of 7-38-55, you can appreciate 100% of his presentation in his presence both verbally (7% for words), vocally (38% for vocal variety) and visually (55% for body language).  Moreover, your friend Louis, listening to him on the radio and although deprived …

By Gisèle Ménard, DTM Toastmasters has completely turned my life upside down. Twenty-one years ago, I was a legal secretary at the Centre jeunesse Chaudière-Appalaches in Lévis. When I had to answer a call in English, a friend of mine came to me and said, “You’d like that, Toastmasters.” I answered, “What is it?” I had never spoken in public, …

By Amy Campbell, DTM Desmond Tutu once wisely said, “There is only one way to eat an elephant: a bite at a time.” That phrase has always made me giggle, as I visualize someone pulling up a kitchen chair, tying a red and white checkered napkin around their neck, fork and knife in hand, starring wide eyed, scared, and stunned …

By Sophie Jullien April 2020… I’ve been walking around my house in circles for a month now… Like everyone else I’m trapped in my house because of the pandemic. I’m trying to stay connected to my industry and I’m consuming webinars of all kinds, whether or not they are related to my professional activity. I’m actually filling the void. As …

By Alvina Nadeem, P.Eng, ing., PPCC (Professional and Personal Certified Coach) Before you answer that, answer this: What does success mean to you? It is so important to ask this question to ourselves before we start measuring our success. True success is more than just about status or money; it is much deeper than that because it is dependent on …

By Kimberly Dueck, DTM This has been a year like no other! It’s hard to believe we are coming up on a YEAR since we began isolation and our Toastmasters world went entirely online. While we have faced significant challenges, in true Toastmasters fashion, we have not given up! It’s so important to take time to celebrate small wins …. …

By Mira Nassef A word that arouses a certain feeling, a feeling we all wish to feel at times in our lives. At Toastmasters, we hear this word often. Whether it’s during a regular meeting in which we award a member, or during a larger event in which we celebrate those who earned special distinctions, achievement is not an unfamiliar …

By Craig Senior, DTM Sometimes people ask why I compete in speech contests. They wonder what I get out of competing “against” others. They wonder why I continue after winning seven District titles. They suggest that I stop competing to “gives others a chance.” Speech contests provide a great opportunity to combat some of the greatest challenges in speaking. First, …