This path helps you build your skills as an effective communicator and leader. The projects on this path focus on learning how to manage time, as well as how to develop and implement a plan. Public speaking and leading a team are emphasized in all projects. This path culminates in the planning and execution of an event that will allow you to apply everything you learned.
Leadership Development
Projects
LEVEL ONE: Mastering Fundamentals
Ice Breaker
This foundational project is designed to introduce you to your club and the skills you need to begin your Toastmasters journey.
Purpose: The purpose of this project is to introduce yourself to the club and learn the basic structure of a public speech.
Overview: Write and deliver a speech about any topic to introduce yourself to the club. Your speech may be humorous, informational, or any other style that appeals to you.
This project includes:
■ A 4- to 6-minute speechEvaluation and Feedback
This project addresses the skills needed to give and receive feedback. You will learn about giving, receiving and applying feedback.
Purpose: The purpose of this project is to present a speech on any topic, receive feedback, and apply the feedback to a second speech.
Overview: Choose any topic for your first 5- to 7-minute speech. After your speech, carefully review your feedback. At a different club meeting, present a 5- to 7-minute speech in which you incorporate feedback from your first speech. You may choose to present the same speech again or a new speech. Your second speech should reflect some or all of the feedback from your first speech. Finally, after you have completed both speeches, serve as an evaluator at a club meeting and deliver constructive feedback about another member’s presentation.
This project includes:
■ A 5- to 7-minute speech
■ Incorporating feedback from your first speech into a second 5- to 7-minute speech
■ Serving as a speech evaluatorResearching and Presenting
This project addresses topic selection strategies, suggestions for research and methods for producing a wellorganized speech.
Purpose: The purpose of this project is to learn or review basic research methods and present a well-organized, well-researched speech on any topic.
Overview: Select a topic that you are not already familiar with or that you wish to learn more about. Be sure your topic is narrow enough to be an effective 5- to 7-minute speech. Research the topic and begin organizing the information, as described in this project. Practice your speech and continue to refine its organization. Present your speech at a club meeting.
This project includes:
■ Researching a topic
■ The Research Worksheet
■ The Speech Outline Worksheet
■ A 5- to 7-minute speech
LEVEL TWO: Learning Your Style
Managing Time
This project is designed to help you manage your time, discover time management techniques, and employ them in your speeches and daily life.
Purpose: Develop a 5- to 7-minute speech on any topic. As you develop your speech, record the time required for each task in order to help you determine how you can improve your time management strategies. Present your speech at a club meeting. Finally, submit the Project Completion Form to your vice president education.
Note: Every member in Toastmasters Pathways must complete this project.
This project includes:
■ The Time and Task Log
■ The Project Completion Form
■ A 5- to 7-minute speechUnderstanding Your Leadership Style
This project is designed to introduce the different styles of leadership and help you identify your preferred style.
Purpose: The purpose of this project is to identify your primary leadership style or styles.
Overview: Complete the Discover Your Leadership Style questionnaire. Consider how your leadership style impacts the people around you and how you can adjust it to more effectively lead people with styles different from your own. Deliver a 5- to 7-minute speech at a club meeting to share some aspect of your leadership style or leadership styles in general. You may choose to discuss your style preferences when working with others, your style and how you can adapt it to situations, or leadership styles in general and how they impact a group.
This project includes:
■ The Discover Your Leadership Style questionnaire
■ A 5- to 7-minute speechIntroduction to Toastmasters Mentoring
This project introduces the value of mentorship and the Toastmasters view of mentors and protégés.
Purpose: The purpose of this project is to clearly define how Toastmasters envisions mentoring.
Overview: Write and present a 5- to 7-minute speech about a time when you were a protégé. Share the impact and importance of having a mentor. This speech is not a report on the content of this project.
Note: Every member in Toastmasters Pathways must complete this project.
This project includes:
■ A 5- to 7-minute speech
LEVEL THREE: Increasing Knowledge
Planning and Implementing
This project is designed to help you develop realistic plans to meet your objectives and to successfully monitor a project to completion.
Purpose: The purpose of this project is to practice developing a plan and bringing that plan to fruition.
Overview: Select any small-scale project, such as a family party, a short trip, a themed Toastmasters meeting, or any other event or project that requires planning. Develop and implement the plan, with or without help from others. At a club meeting, deliver a 2- to 3-minute report or a 5- to 7-minute speech about your experience. Submit the Project Completion Form to your vice president education to confirm you completed all planning resources.
This project includes:
■ Developing and implementing a plan for a small-scale project
■ The Project Plan resource
■ The Event Planning Worksheet
■ The Project Completion Form
■ A 2- to 3-minute report or 5- to 7-minute speech
ELECTIVES (choose 2)
LEVEL FOUR: Building Skills
Leading Your Team
This project is designed to help you accomplish a task while leading a small group and give you the opportunity to practice basic skills of leadership.
Purpose: The purpose of this project is to lead a small team to the completion of a project.
Overview: Build a team of two to four people and lead your team to the completion of a project of your design. After you accomplish the project, present a 5- to 7-minute speech about you or your experience leading your team. Your speech may be humorous, informational, or any other format that appeals to you. Your project can be any of the following (coordinate with your vice presidents marketing and public relations):
-
- A club-specific project, such as hosting an open house, organizing a speech contest, or coordinating a membership-building campaign.
- A non-Toastmasters specific project that helps the greater good, such as organizing volunteers for a charity, collecting food for community members in need, etc. (Keep in mind that you’re doing this as a private
individual and not in the name of Toastmasters.)
- A work-related group or team project.
This project includes:
■ Building and leading a team to the completion of a project
■ A 5- to 7-minute speech-
ELECTIVES (choose 1)
LEVEL FIVE: Demonstrating Expertise
Manage Successful Events
This project is designed to give you tools to coordinate an event. It includes steps for managing the unexpected, leading a team and creating positive outcomes.
Purpose: The purpose of this project is to practice planning, organizing, leading, and implementing an event
Overview: Plan, coordinate, and complete an event of your choosing. Tools for planning all aspects of an event are included in this project. After you complete the event, present a 5- to 7-minute speech in your club. Share the impact of the planning process, your team, and the organization for which the event was held. Your speech may be humorous, informational, or any style that appeals to you. It is not a report on the content of this project.
This project includes:
■ Planning, organizing, and implementing an event of your choosing
■ The Event Planning Worksheet
■ The Write a Communication Plan resource
■ A 5- to 7-minute speechReflect on Your Path
This project is designed to give you an opportunity to share your experience at the end of your path.
Purpose: The purpose of this project is to reflect on your growth during the completion of an entire path.
Overview: At a club meeting, present a 10- to 12-minute speech to share your experience completing your path. Use this as an opportunity to reflect on how far you have come, summarize the skills you have learned and developed, and to celebrate your achievements. Your speech can be humorous, informational, or any style that that appeals to you and supports your speech content.
This project includes:
■ The Your Toastmasters Journey resource
■ A 10- to 12-minute speech