The Toastmasters Podcast

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Latest Episodes:

#240: Jocelyn B. Tyson—2023 World Champion of Public Speaking Nov 01, 2023

Show notes

On today's episode, Greg and Ryan speak with Jocelyn, a first-time speech contest competitor, about her journey. You'll learn about the additional pressures Jocelyn was facing at the time of the competition, the back story behind her championship-winning speech, and much more.

Jocelyn and the other finalists were featured in the November issue of the Toastmaster.
Watch Jocelyn's winning speech: https://youtu.be/vEmawDu17AU

Read the article featuring Jocelyn in the Toastmaster: https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2023/nov/world-champ-winners
Connect with Jocelyn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jocelynbtyson/

#239: Finding Confidence & Enhancing My Career on Two Continents – Jane Osemwegie Oct 15, 2023

Show notes

[22:24] Toastmasters changes lives. In this episode, host Greg Gazin speaks with Jane Osemwegie. In her youth, Jane was bullied and called names, never feeling like she would ever amount to anything. With dedication, determination and Toastmasters,Jane, in her own words says, "(Now) I see a blessed, confident, Black, and gifted woman in me.” Jane enlightens us, sharing a little about her journey of confidence building, career enhancement and transformation through Toastmasters starting where she grew up in Nigeria and now in Canada where she currently lives.

Jane's article: Reaching My Full Potential: Toastmasters helped me find my confidence and enhance my career, appears in the My Turn section in the October 2023 issue of The Toastmaster Magazine

Jane Osemwegie is a passionate and resilient young professional who loves to spread kindness to anyone she comes across. Jane has a decade of experience in Product and Project Management in the Financial services, Energy, and Technology industries. Jane is currently the Vice President of the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) Nova Scotia Chapter where she volunteers to mentor and coach members on business requirement gathering, communication and understanding customer pain points.

A Toastmaster since 2016, she was the charter President of the AWN Toastmasters club in Nigeria, Africa under the Access Bank Women Initiative for one of Africa’s leading financial institutions and was recognized for excellence earning her the Access Bank Brand Ambassador award in 2019.

Jane is a Distinguished Toastmaster and the immediate Past Area Director in District 45 and a member of Bedford Basin Toastmasters, a hybrid club based in Bedford, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Jane can be reached on LinkedIn or via e-mail.

#238: Take a Stand for the Brand: Why Brand Consistency Matters – Mayuri Assudani Oct 01, 2023

Show notes

[26:35] While most organizations recognize the importance of brand consistency and uniformity, getting everyone on board to follow brand guidelines can sometimes be a challenge. Today we speak with Distinguished Toastmaster Mayuri Assudani who single-handedly took a stand for the brand, cascading brand awareness through her entire district—including through a live competition, no less.

Mayuri wrote an article in the September 2023 issue of the Toastmaster magazine that highlights her efforts to promote brand awareness in her District. The article is called: Turning Compliance into Competition: How one District spread brand awareness.

In this episode, Mayuri shares a little about her Toastmasters journey and why she decided to help spur support for Toastmasters brand awareness. She talks about the importance of branding and what it does for any organization and why she created a branding competition. We hear about the origins of the competition, how it unfolded, lessons learned, and more.

Links to resources:

This is the link to PR CONTEST 1.0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2D8jSR9UFY
This is the link to PR CONTEST 2.0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZE58_3IrnQ

Mayuri Assudani is from Nagpur, India where she works as a French language Teacher and Trainer and has over 27 years of teaching experience. A Toastmaster since 2017, Mayuri is a member of two community clubs including the Loyal Toastmasters Club in Nagpur. She has served in various leadership roles at both the club and district level and currently serves as Administration Manager for District 126 in India.

She can be reached on LinkedIn or via email.

#237: Loosening the Grip on Impostor Syndrome – Dr. Valerie Young Sep 15, 2023

Show notes

[33:35] For some of us, Imposter Syndrome is an obstacle that gets in the way of being an effective leader. In this episode, Greg and Ryan speak with Dr. Valerie Young who helps demystify this topic to loosen the grip this phenomenon can have on us. Dr. Young is a featured expert in an article appearing in the August 2023 issue of the Toastmaster written by Maureen Zappala called “The Secret to Confidently Humble Leadership: Learn to balance a strong skill set with the ability to admit what you don’t know.”

Dr. Valerie Young is an internationally-recognized expert on impostor syndrome and co-founder of Impostor Syndrome Institute. Dr. Young has delivered her Rethinking Impostor Syndrome™ program to hundreds of major corporations and universities around the world.

Her award-winning book “The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women And Men: Why Capable People Suffer from Impostor Syndrome and How to Thrive in Spite of It”) is available in six languages.

Dr. Young is from South Hadley, Massachusetts, USA and can be reached at ImpostorSyndrome.com.

#236: Never Close the Circle—2023-24 International President Morag Mathieson, DTM Sep 01, 2023

Show notes

The Toastmaster magazine featured International President Morag Mathieson in the Sept 2023 issue.

Read President Mathieson's profile in the September 2023 issue of the Toastmaster:https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2023/sept/meet-morag-mathieson

#235: Think Faster, Talk Smarter in the Moment – Matt Abrahams Aug 15, 2023

Show notes

[33:17] Spontaneous or impromptu speaking—or Table Topics, as we practice it in Toastmasters—is something that we have to do every day. Returning to the podcast for the 5th time, we welcome Matt Abrahams, an expert whose name has been synonymous with Spontaneous Speaking from a ripe young age. Matt has dedicated his career to assisting others with their communication. In this episode, we talk with Matt about Mindset and Message—two critical elements of spontaneous speaking.

You'll hear why Matt suggests you "dare to be dull," plus receive tips on removing unnecessary filler words and understanding "what's needed." Matt also provides simple structures you can use to sharpen your message.

Our conversation stems from Matt's article Think Faster and Talk Smarter to Hone Your Spontaneous Speaking, which appears in the September 2023 issue of the Toastmaster Magazine. You can find it there on September 1st.

Matt is also presenting an educational on the topic at the 2023 Toastmasters International Convention, which you can catch in person or by registering for the virtual convention.

If you've enjoyed this episode, you can find a continued conversation with Matt Abrahams in a special cross-over podcast at ToastCaster.com TC176: Think Faster, Talk Smarter—A Deeper Dive – Matt Abrahams where we take a further look at techniques in specific situations.

Matt Abrahams is a leading expert in communication with decades of experience as an educator, author, podcast host, and coach. As a Lecturer at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, he teaches popular classes in strategic communication and effective virtual presenting. Matt’s online talks garner millions of views and he hosts the popular, award-winning podcast Think Fast, Talk Smart: The Podcast. He is the author of Speaking Up Without Freaking Out and the soon-to-be released Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You’re Put on the Spot.

You can reach Matt and get his book at MattAbrahams.com. You can also find him on LinkedIn.

See Andrew Huberman's video on Reducing Stress & Anxiety with a Physiological Sigh (mentioned on the show).

Find additional resources from Matt Abrahams at FasterSmarter.io.

#234: The Practice of Podcasting – Tara McMullin Aug 01, 2023

Show notes

[33:08] You've heard of a meditation practice, a yoga practice, or a writing practice. But a podcast practice? Today's guest, Tara McMullin—a podcast fanatic and audio aficionado—suggests just such an approach to podcasting. Tara demystifies how to do that and along the way shares her passion for the medium. This episode is a follow-up to Tara's article in the August 2023 issue of the Toastmaster magazine, "Put Your Podcast in Practice."

Tara McMullin is a writer, podcaster, and producer. She's investigated the future of work for over 14 years. She probes how today’s independent workers navigate the uncertainty and precarity of the 21st-century economy. Tara is the author of What Works: A Comprehensive Framework to Change the Way We Approach Goal-Setting. She is also co-founder of YellowHouse.Media, a boutique podcast production company.

Visit Tara's website: https://explorewhatworks.com

Listen to Tara's podcast: https://www.whatworkspodcast.com/

Check out Tara's book: https://explorewhatworks.com/book/

Tara's podcast production company: https://www.yellowhouse.media/

#233: 2023 Hybrid Int'l Convention – Nassau, Bahamas – Tony Longley & Pamela D. Rolle Jul 15, 2023

Show notes

Pamela & Tony tell us what it's like to be the co-chairs, how they've shared the role, what they've learned, and how Toastmasters has played a role in their development. They also enlighten us with little-known facts as they share the wonders the Bahamas has to offer, even beyond the picturesque pink-sandy beaches.

Listeners will also hear what attendees may expect at the Convention and its resort location - the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar Resort and Convention Center.

You can read Pamela & Tony's interview - Talented Duo Co-Chair Convention in The Bahamas in the July 2023 issue of the Toastmaster magazine and also check out the 2023 International Convention Preview.

There's still time to register for in-person attendance. And if you cannot be there physically, you can also attend virtually. https://www.toastmasters.org/events/2023-international-convention/registration.

#232: Keeping Burnout At Bay: Advice from a Strategic Business Coach — Sara Mayer Jul 01, 2023

Show notes

Sara is a Distinguished Toastmaster, currently serving as the Program Quality Director for District 3 in Arizona. She wrote an article in the July 2023 issue of the Toastmaster magazine called "Are Your Behavioral Patterns Causing Burnout? Advice for managing your mental state."

Read Sara's article: https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2023/july/burnout

Listen to Sara's podcast, Bold Goal Crusher: https://app.kajabi.com/podcasts/2147493967/feedhttps://app.kajabi.com/podcasts/2147493967/feedhttps://www.saramayer.com/podcasts/bold-goal-crusher-podcast

Visit Sara's website: https://www.saramayer.com.

If you would like to hear another podcast on burnout, please check out episode #248:

#248: How One Person Beat Burnout Through Personal Daily Routines – Olya Amelina

#231: Traveling Internationally? Experience Toastmasters on Vacation– Maureen Zappala Jun 15, 2023

Show notes

[27:39] Traveling internationally can open our eyes to a whole new world of experiences, especially for Toastmasters, given there are clubs located all over the world. Back for the third time, our guest today Maureen Zappala has connected with several members with Toastmasters-inspired experiences and stories and shares them with us today. She also offers tips for enhancing your travel abroad by visiting clubs and making new connections.

Maureen Zappala is a Distinguished Toastmaster and a former NASA propulsion engineer. She’s also a professional speaker, author and presentation skills coach, as well as founder of High Altitude Strategies, a coaching and speaking service.

You can read Maureen's article: Toastmasters on Vacation: The benefits of international travel are boundless in the June 2023 issue of the Toastmaster magazine.

Maureen can be reached at MaureenZ.com.

You can also listen to Toastmasters for the Holidays, a short ToastCaster podcast mentioned in this episode.

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