Toastmasters To Offer On-Line Open House

Have you ever had a cat run in front of your computer’s camera during an on-line meeting? Or how about a child sneak into that all important on-line meeting?

If so, how did you handle it?

Did you handle it with grace, humour and tact or did you swish the cat away in front of the world? Did you instinctively scream at the kids? And after you did it did you wish you were more prepared? Or did you wish you had a do over afterwards?

It is just a couple of the on-line situations many people face and the local Toasmasters club think they can be part of the solution to improve communication skills during the pandemic.

“We definitely had pets come to our on-line meetings,” local Toastmaster member Lorna Arnold said.

Arnold was spoke to MJ Independent about the challenges the Moose Jaw chapter - Big Country Toastmasters - has faced this year due to the COVID - 19 pandemic and how the club has not only successfully transitioned to an on-line format but also how the club has actually gained greater relevance this year.

“That is the big thing about Toastmasters we help you prepare for those inevitable moments when pets, children or other disruptions enter your Zoom meetings…you have already likely seen it here, practiced it and know how to deal with the situation and curve balls you get,” Arnold said.

The local Toastmasters chapter took a major beating this year as their time tested and proven weekly face to face meetings had to be abandoned because of the COVID - 19 pandemic and the club had to move to an on-line virtual format.

Although the jump was a large one the parent organization - Toastmasters International - had already prior to the pandemic initiated on-line resources and was expanding into the world of on-line virtual meeting. The pandemic only speeded up the process.

“It made the transition a lot easier. It was planned already to provide resources on-line the pandemic just hurried it along,” she said.

So what is Toastmasters exactly?

Toastmasters is a worldwide organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills. It does so through meetings where members come together to give presentations. After giving their presentations members are critiqued and then given feedback on how to improve their public speaking abilities. Toastmasters helps to build confidence in life.

Arnold admits the pandemic has put the club into one of its lower membership cycles.

“With the pandemic there are so many people working from home on their laptops and computers, in the evening for them to go to Toastmasters is like going to work again because of this we had people drop out.”

With the drop in numbers Big Country Toastmasters was forced to do a major re-vamp this year and so they joined with the Yorkton club - Treasure Chest Toastmasters - to go on-line.

“It makes it so we can have a full slate of people and it is not so much work for the executive keeping the club running,” Arnold said adding necessity has actually lead to new horizons for the club.

Going on-line with Yorkton has meant there are not only new people to meet you never actually would in real life but also at the same time the constructive critiques have new viewpoints actually giving a new life and perspective to the Toastmaster’s experience.

“There is different evaluations, speeches and speakers and of course a different sense of humour,” she said.

“It totally broadens and creates a new dynamic to the club.”

Arnold spoke about how Toastmasters can help people with their professional career.

She related the story about a woman who was going to be a professor and needed public speaking help in order to more effectively relate with her students. She received that through Toastmasters. The program allowed the professor to learn to handle situations with tact and humour which extended to on-line conferences where Toastmasters helped her easily handle the intricacies and faux pas that have accompanied the ZOOM conference.

“People asked her how she handled things so easily and she said it was she had already learnt how to handle these types of situations at Toastmasters…she used her sense of humour to handle the situations.”

“Its all about how to handle those distractions and curveballs that you get,” Arnold said. “In Toastmasters we are a learning laboratory.”

To help introduce people to the world of Toastmasters the club is inviting anyone interested to take part in a free open house this Wednesday at 7 pm from the comfort of your own home.

To take part in the virtual open house or for more information contact Lorna Arnold at 306 690-8739.