Do you remember the first time you had a big disagreement with your mother? Not that little skirmish over your curvew. You were upset but mommy dearest I wasn’t.
I’m talking about your first big fight. The one where your blood boiled. The one in which you proclaimed your adulthood. The one that knocked her off your Christmas card list!
Yes, that.
I am sure that image is very vivid and clear in your mind. Do you remember all the emotions you experienced? If it was anything like mine, then you were stunned, confused, upset, furious, and 100% sure you were right.
This is how I feel when I sit to the right of this article. I feel like I’m arguing with a parent. Toastmasters is the organization that sparked my interest in public speaking. Toastmasters has shaped me as a speaker and leader.
In theory Toastmasters is great. In practice, Toastmasters fails a fair number of people. Read on for my take on the CONS of the great organization known as Toastmasters.
good boy society
Your average Toastmaster is a very nice person with good intentions. They smile from ear to ear when ordered to, provide encouraging comments, and will go out of their way to make you feel at home. This personality is generally good for an organization like Toastmasters.
The desire to be friendly often overrides the need to provide good feedback. Attending Toastmasters meetings has given me the opportunity to experience the extremes of public speaking. I have experienced a small number of high-quality submissions. These were met with rave reviews.
I have also heard several awful speeches. These too were met with rave reviews.
I see you frown now, so let me explain. I think it’s great that Toastmasters encourage each other. It’s great that we want people to keep thinking positively. It may even be noble to protect people from the painful reality of their weaknesses.
There’s just one problem with that. When you give a bad performance in the real world you know about it immediately. People give their hard-earned federal reserve notes to Toastmasters. There should be an obligation to provide a valuable speech assessment, not the most popular speech assessment.
lose the cheese
You have to be incredibly mature to put up with Toastmasters. Meetings can be almost corny. Sometimes I have to check and make sure I’m not at a National Clapper Society meeting. All meetings have a portion that says something like this:
Toastmaster: “All of our guests are going to get up and talk about themselves for a bit. You in the green shirt, we’ll start with you.”
Green Shirt Guest: “Hello, my name is Chris and I heard about your group in the paper. I decided to come and check it out!”
Toastmaster: “Let’s give a round of applause for Chris!”
*Standing ovation*
Toastmaster: “You in the purple shirt, I’ve seen you here before. Stand up and tell us about yourself.”
Purple Shirt Guest: “Hello, my name is Samantha and I’ve been wanting to join for a while. I’ve been here a few times and finally decided to take the plunge. Today is my first day as a member!”
*Standing ovation*
Toastmaster: “Now I’m going to have the helpers stand up and say what they’re going to do today.”
Tabletop Master: “I am the Tabletop Master and my job is to provide impromptu talking points.”
*Standing ovation*
Grammarian/Ah Counter: “I’m the grammarian/Ah Counter and my job is to make sure nobody kills the English language”
*Standing ovation*
Timer: “I’m the timer and my job is to make sure we’re on time with each and every speech!”
*Standing ovation*
Toastmaster: “Some Other Announcement”
Member: “My cat transitioned from wet food to dry food!”
*Standing ovation*
Toastmaster: “That’s great. Let’s get this meeting started.”
After so much emotion the meeting begins. Some people say it’s good and it boosts morale. I say it’s over the top and gives the meeting the dreamy feel of a recovery support group. It starts to get a little cheesy when the fireworks go off because a cat is now eating dry food.
*Standing ovation*
No participation standards
Toastmasters can do wonders for an energetic entrepreneurial personality. From day one I was able to jump in feet first and reap the rewards. I made sure to participate in every meeting. I have always volunteered to speak, participate in table topics, or play a role in a meeting. As the days, weeks, and months passed, I could see myself growing by leaps and bounds as a speaker.
There were other people who joined at the same time as me and got absolutely nothing out of it. They never made a speech. They never participated in table topics. They never took on a role. They never did anything. As a result, they did not receive any benefits from the program.
Most outsiders view Toastmasters as a structured class that will teach them the ins and outs of public speaking. When they realize that Toastmasters is anything but that, they often turn and run.
Toastmasters is a very flexible organization. You talk whenever you want. You evaluate when you want. You participate in table topics whenever you feel like it. Flexibility is good for some things. When you’re trying to improve as a speaker, flexibility can be your downfall.
In my opinion, the organization fails each and every person who leaves the same way they came in. The structure should move away from the flexible “do what you feel” to a more structured “do what you must”. In this way, everyone who collects a manual will get the rewards. Most people need the structure.
Introduce yourself and we will reward you
When you earn a degree from a university, you have demonstrated a certain level of competence in a subject. He has taken tests, exams and final exams. He has written papers and thesis papers. You are graded on your performance and rewarded accordingly.
If you are a musician who aspires to gain recognition you must create a lot of quality music. Once you’ve created enough material, you can start approaching people and working towards signing an agreement. After you’ve proven yourself and caught the attention of the right people, you’ll be rewarded with cash and a recording contract.
I can go on all day listing events and tasks that require a proven level of proficiency before doling out the rewards. It is the way of the world.
At Toastmasters, you are awarded titles based on the number of speeches and activities you have participated in…not your proficiency.
The levels are as follows:
1 -> Competent Communicator (10 speeches and they all have the same manual)
2-> Bronze Advanced Communicator (10 more speeches. 5 of 2 advanced manuals of your choice along with leadership milestones)
3-> Advanced Communicator Silver (10 more speeches. 5 of 2 advanced manuals of your choice along with leadership milestones)
4-> Advanced Communicator Gold (10 more speeches. 5 of 2 advanced manuals of your choice along with leadership milestones)
5-> Distinguished Toastmaster (10 more speeches. 5 of 2 advanced manuals of your choice along with leadership milestones)
Speakers at advanced levels are usually the cream of the crop. I’ve only seen a few advanced speakers that were poor. I have seen many people receive the Competent Communicator award and be the same nervous speaker they were when they joined.
Toastmasters does not offer tests, quizzes, or final exams. You do not have to demonstrate proficiency to advance to the next level. You don’t have to do anything but show up and fill the air with words.
For my part, I don’t think awards should be delivered that way. The current Toastmasters model gives people the motivation to show up, give 10 speeches, get the Competent Communicator award, and then ride off into the sunset with no improvement.
In all other fields you register, demonstrate proficiency, and then receive an award. Toastmasters must follow the following.
Conclusion
Toastmasters is a wonderful organization. I don’t want you to read this article and think that I think anything other than that. If it weren’t for Toastmasters, I would have no idea what I want to do with my life. That’s not to say the organization doesn’t have a lot of room for improvement.
The purpose of Toastmasters is to create better public speakers. The organization would get much closer to this goal if it followed these 4 steps:
1) Abolish the “Nice Guys Society”
2) Lose the cheese
3) Create participation standards
4) Create competitive metrics
Fellow Toastmasters do not take this article personally. I only say these things because I want Toastmasters to better serve each and every person who walks through the door.
