Hey guys,

The Manchester guys know that I'm always talking about a toastmakers or toastbakers or something like that. If you lot weren't so drunk whenever I see you you'd realise that I'm actually talking about Toastmasters.

What follows next is a description of Toastmasters and all its benefits, presented in a handy Q&A format. Feel free to post up any other questions in this thread.

What is Toastmasters Extra!?
Toastmasters is best described as a public speaking and leadership organisation. Regular meetings are held where people perform speeches and presentations to the group. Toastmaster Extra! is a group that I've organised that builds upon this concept, but makes it a bit more fun and interactive. You'll get to speak a lot more often in a Toastmasters Extra! session.

Why do I need that?
Most people at some stage experience anxiety when faced with the prospect of public speaking. This leads to feelings of inhibition, being stifled, and thus - not being able to express your true self. Toastmasters aims to provide you with a fun, encouraging and supportive environment where you can build up your public speaking confidence.

OK. How will that help me get girls?
The good news for you is: the very same attributes that makes a great story-teller and orator are the same attributes that women love in men.

Confidence. Poise. Charisma.

Ladies love a guy that can hold court with her and her friends. Beautiful women are rarely found alone, so an ability to charm her and her friends with stories and balls-out confidence will take you a long way. Toastmasters will give you an audience, eager to hear your stories, and most importantly, willing to give you feedback.

What about leadership?
Each Toastmaster Extra! session gives you the opportunity to take roles such as Table Topics Master (more on this later) or Team Leader. The roles rotate from meeting to meeting giving everybody equal chance to take charge and lead different exercises.

Exercises?
Exercises are what makes Toastmaster Extra!. When you attend a session you'll take part in some of the following:
Introductions - tell us about yourself
Table Topics - Table Topics Master sets a theme and asks each person a unique question based on the theme, prompting them onstage to share their response.
Debate - Two people on stage debate a topic
Interview - Each person takes a turn to be interviewed in front of the group. Interviewee decides the topic.

Each meeting also has a particular focus theme, such as Visual Aids, Body Language, Eye Contact. Feedback is provided based on these themes i.e. how well you used the whiteboard, or was your body language congruent with your speech.

Very cool! How do I get involved?
Contact me via PM, I'll get in touch with details of each session. Attendance is strictly by appointment as numbers are controlled.

Location - Boardroom, Rain Bar. Central Manchester.
Time - Tuesdays/Thursdays (varies) 7:30 - 8:30
Cost - £4 (approx)

Kowalski, Joe Dolphin, Power Steve have all been to a session so i'd appreciate your comments guys.

Loving the football weekly reference but why thursday? It clashes with Improv!

Football Weekly...Extra! James Richardson for the win!

Erm,.. its on Thursday because its an awesome day to do stuff.

Dude I was thinking about doing toastmasters too, did it help?