4 things I learned from Toastmasters of Shanghai

“Why have you stayed here for over 10 years?”

“We can meet people with different thoughts here. It’s not like our workplace where is full of competition. People are coming here just purely for study and fun”

Toastmasters is a non-profit organization originated from the U.S.A. They mainly help members with communication skills and leadership by doing public speeches. Besides, they also help members with critical thinking, fast thinking, logical thinking skills, etc. by doing other functional roles to evaluate speakers on the stage. 

Click here to visit more about Toastmasters

It has over 352,000 members and 16,400 clubs in 141 countries globally. 

In China, there are 3 districts which are District 88(Beijing, Harbin...) District 85(Shanghai, Zhejiang...) District 89(Hong Kong, Guangdong, Fujian…)

I firstly joined in Toastmasters club of Fuzhou City of District 89 in 2016 (The capital city of Fujian Province located in the southeast of China). Then I went to Shanghai in the middle of 2018 for a while and visited some Toastmasters clubs as well.

In my hometown, Fuzhou, we don’t have much need to improve communication skills and leadership unless the person is being in a high position in company. 

While in Shanghai, people need those skills badly in job competition or promotion. Toastmasters for them, are more like a social club where they can practice skills and have dinner or drink after that.

This article is based on my personal opinions on Toastmasters of Shanghai and only for your reference. Almost every club in Shanghai charge for entry because of the high renting fee. So that would be different cases from free-entry clubs.

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SHANGHAI

10 DIVISIONS

?183 CLUBS

Meetings every evening in this busy city. Some clubs, their meetings are full of people. Some clubs, not even half of the room.

There must be something that makes clubs much different between each other and even between those in Fuzhou. 

 

MOMENT OF TRUTH

It’s a term from marketing. It's the moment when a customer interacts with a brand, product or service to form or change an impression about that particular brand, product or service. (Sources: Wikipedia)

In Toastmasters, it’s the successful guide to follow in order to become distinguished clubs. 

FIRST IMPRESSION

Guests greeted warmly and introduced to officers and members

First impression is always the key point to build up the relationship.

Take one club in Shanghai as an example. There is a complete welcome session to guests.

Imagining you are approaching their meeting room.

Firstly, you’ll be welcomed by the sergeant-at-arms. You’ll be doing three things here: sign up, write on name stickers, get a meeting agenda.

Afterwards, you’ll be invited to the meeting room by shaking with the president or other officers informally and passionately.

The final step, you’ll be arranged to sit by members so that you’re able to talk to them instead of being awkward with no one to talk to. 

Guests invited to join

Guests need to be warmly welcomed, especially the first-time guests.

Before the meeting: 

There are 6 days between the first meeting and the next one. We still can’t attract guests to come even though we have chatting groups. Because many things would be flooded away in this digital age. 

• Quick response to the questions asked by guests

We love people who are efficient in replying messages. Answer quickly to help those curious guys out.

• Daily sharing

It could be any materials about english, public speaking, leadership, etcetera. Keep it simple and short.

• Meeting reminder

It’s must-have. 

After the meeting:

Mention all guests who have come today and invite them to next meeting. 

Convenient meeting room

Don’t expect people driving a long way just for 2 hours meeting.

Convenient meeting location is always the first choice. It’s one of the most important factors of many guests in weekday evening clubs.

 MEMBERSHIP ORIENTATION

Formal induction, including presentation of membership pin and manuals

How to make the meeting formal?

• President talk should be longer

The first person who talks about Toastmasters is important. In most cases, it would be the president. Don’t cherish the time for presidents. They need more time to build up sense of ceremony. 

• Put evaluators before speakers

The speech will be evaluated critically by individual evaluators. Give time to individual evaluators before the speech starts and let them to read out the objective of that speech. What’s this speech about? What points should I focus on? How does this speaker do the achieve that purpose? Let all audiences think about it together. 

• General Evaluator hold the stage in evaluation session of functional roles

Instead of Toastmaster of Evening, the general evaluator would be on the stage introducing each reporter and then evaluate the whole meeting. Let’s show the power of general evaluators!

• Special formal sessions

Birthday celebration, Awards announcement, new members welcome...

It’s not just like a club where people speak formal languages for 2 hours and leave, it’s more like a family growing place.

 

FELLOWSHIP, VARIETY, AND COMMUNICATION

Regularly scheduled social events

If you have once been to a dinner, called “Gossip Dinner”, you’ll definitely go the second time.

 You’re able to:

• Talk about things beyond 4 taboos and Toastmasters
• Get and give more detailed feedbacks
• Make yourself more impressive

Whatever it's called, it’s a gathering after meeting. The way of gathering depends on the time of meeting. It could be a lunch, a dinner, a mini meeting, even a party…..

Meeting Agenda published and updated in advance

Don’t make people be aware of the meeting just on the day of meeting.

Every publishing should be well-organised as well, like a speech.  

The whole process of publishing:

? Poster (just mention the sharing master & meeting theme), 3-4 days in advance

? Article, 2-3 days in advance

? Agenda, the day of meeting

MEMBERSHIP STRENGTH

Regular membership-building programs

We need to build up more relationships with members because they are precious members.

Why did lots of people come and go?

They can't find things they want anymore.

They can’t make progress anymore.

Try to think:

Who are experienced members in your clubs?

Why not invite them to do internal trainings about public speaking?

Connect senior members with new members.

For those trainees, it is a chance to learn new things and grow. 

For those trainers, it is a chance to enhance your influence and leadership. 

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“Why have you stayed here for over 10 years?”

“I’ve benefited a lot from Toastmasters. Now, I want to give away what I’ve learnt.

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This is leadership. Leadership is an action, not a position.

Learning from club, growing with clubs.

Before you are a leader, SUCCESS is all about growing yourself. When you become a LEADER, success is all about growing others. -----JACK WELCH