Yow Kia

I think most of the Toastmasters, after completing their Competent Communicator Basic Manual, the first question that came into their mind was - “What Manual Should I Choose?”.

Well, I asked myself this question before. I really asked MYSELF only. Being a Toastmaster for less than 2 years, someone said I can consider being a humorous speaker. According to them, I always unconsciously made them laugh. I trusted them, so the first manual that I chose was Humorously Speaking Manual. I have completed one project since July 2007. Then, I thought, I want to be a professional speaker, so, the next manual that I chose was The Professional Speaker Manual. At the moment I looked at the manual, I have already decided to leave this manual aside. It’s too difficult!!!

7th November 2007, I was lucky to know that there would be a workshop conducted by Mr. Kan Kin Fung, DTM from Bradell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Club about the Road Map of Planning Advanced Manual. I was absent on that day but I managed to copy notes from one of the participants. This guy, Mr. Kan Kin Fung, I really want to salute him! He completed all the advanced manuals THREE TIMES!! Technically speaking, he is not called DTM, but, DTMDTMDTM, in short, DTM x 3.

One participant asked him, how he could do that, how he managed to find so much time to do that? The answer was…. “HE DOESN’T HAVE A WIFE!” What a good answer! I don’t have a wife too. But….

To cut it short, here, I would like to show you the summary of the workshop. He divided the manuals into 3 categories – i) Sales & PR ii) Technical & Business Talk iii) Entertaining & Literacy, with the difficulty level of each manual.

Category A: Sales & PR
- Persuasive Speaking (Foundation)
- Public Relations (Foundation)
- Interpersonal Communications (Challenging)
- Communicating on Television (Challenging)

Category B: Technical & Business Talk
- Speak to Inform (Foundation)
- Speeches by Management (Challenging)
- Technical Presentations (Challenging)
- The Discussion Leader (Very Challenging)

Category C: Entertaining & Literacy
- Special Occasion Speeches (Foundation)
- The Entertaining Speaker (Foundation)
- Story Telling (Challenging)
- Interpretive Reading (Very Challenging)
- Humorously Speaking (Very Challenging)

=> The Professional Speaker (EXTREMELY Challenging)

So, did you choose a right manual that suit your own career, your personal development? If not, you may consider changing your manual. Last but not least, wish you all the best in your Toastmaster Journey.

For those who are not Toastmasters, please JOIN NOW!