Colorful Communicators meetings are a great place to begin to learn public speaking and leadership skills. If you would like to dig deeper and learn more about how to succeed in Toastmasters, in your career and in your personal life, here are a few public speaking and personal development blogs I would recommend.
1. Public Words is a public speaking, marketing and consulting firm based in Boston, Massachusetts. The organization has worked with New York Times best selling authors, actors and business leaders, as well as businesses such as Adobe, Yahoo! and the US Air Force. Blog topics include trends in public speaking, keynote public speaking, how to prepare a good speech, and critique of public speeches like the Democratic debates. https://publicwords.com
2. John Maxwell is a major influencer in leadership and communication. Originally a pastor, he has used his experiences to develop a leadership coaching program that has helped millions of business leaders, community leaders, church leaders and other people across the globe who want to learn and grow. His blog focuses on having the mindset to lead effectively, keeping your focus, dealing with failure, motivating a team, personal growth and more. https://www.johnmaxwell.com/blog/
3. Ginger Public Speaking is a consulting and training company based in the UK. Clients include IBM, Sainsbury’s and 20th Century Fox. Blog topics include confidence in public speaking, leadership and female empowerment. Ginger Public Speaking has tips for men and women alike. https://www.gingerpublicspeaking.com/about
4. Six Minutes is a public speaking website founded by Andrew Dlugan, a member of Toastmasters since 2005, who has won various District 21 contests. He has a team over 20 public speaking and communication experts who write about topics such as speech writing, delivery, using visual aids such as PowerPoint, and critiques and analysis of speeches ranging from Toastmasters contest speeches to Ted Talks to Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech to the Gettysburg Address. http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/about/
5. Toastmasters Public Speaking Tips on Toastmasters’ own website has tips on speaking in different contexts (speaking to different audiences, giving sales pitches, delivering eulogies, etc.) Check it out, and don’t forget to click the lower link to check out the podcast,. https://www.toastmasters.org/resources/public-speaking-tips
Personal development and learning is a lifelong journey. If you would like to grow in your public speaking, communication and leadership skills, visit a Colorful Communicators meeting in Strongsville Tuesdays 7-8:30 p.m.
Read our next blog to learn how to plan a Toastmasters Club Open House.
Jen Taggart has been a member of Colorful Communicators since August 2018. She is the Vice President Public Relations and is currently working on her Visionary Communication Path. Jen is a freelance communications professional who enjoys listening to music in her spare time.
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