The Basic Manual

The Basic Manual

The Communication and Leadership Program manual (also called the "basic manual") helps you develop the basic skills you need to prepare and present an effective speech.

The manual is organized into ten separate projects, each with its own individual focus or objective. An extremely effective tool in developing your speaking skills, the Communication and Leadership Program manual never tells you exactly what to do or what to speak about, but rather it provides a set of guidelines for you to think about as you prepare your speech.

As an essential part of the Toastmasters program, a fellow Toastmaster will evaluate each speech you give, providing positive feedback and suggestions for improvement, as necessary.

After completing the Communication and Leadership Program manual, members earn Competent Toastmaster (CTM) recognition and are able to focus their efforts on the projects in the advanced speech manuals of the Toastmasters program.

The chart below lists the ten projects in the Communication and Leadership Program manual:

#	Project Title	Time (Minutes)	Objectives
1	The Icebreaker	4 - 6	To begin speaking before an audience. To help you understand what areas require particular emphasis in your speaking development. To introduce yourself to your club member.
2	Speak with Sincerity	5 - 7	To convince the audience of your earnestness, sincerity, and conviction on a subject you thoroughly understand. To confront and control any nervousness you may have.
3	Organise Your Speech	5 - 7	To organize your thoughts into a logical sequence that leads the audience to a clearly defined goal. To build a speech outline that includes an opening, body, and conclusion.
4	Show What You Mean	5 - 7	To learn the value of gestures and body movements as part of a speech. To explore the different ways of using body language. To develop a sense of timing and natural, smooth body movement.
5	Vocal Variety	5 - 7	To explore the use of voice volume, pitch, rate, and quality as assets to your speaking. To achieve a pleasing, natural voice quality when speaking.
6	Work with Words	5 - 7	To select precisely the right words required to communicate your ideas clearly, vividly, and appropriately. To avoid lengthy words and sentences and the use of jargon.
7	Apply Your Skills	5 - 7	To bring together and apply the communication skills you have learned in the preceding projects. To organize your speech in a logical manner, following one of the suggested outlines. To research the facts needed to support your speech. To make a personal evaluation of your progress.
8	Add Impact to Your Speech	5 - 7	To learn the value of props in speaking. To learn how to use props effectively in your presentations.
9	Persuade with Power	5 - 7	To present a talk that persuades the audience to accept your proposal or viewpoint. To achieve this persuasive effect by appealing to the audience's self-interest, building a logical foundation for agreement, and arousing emotional commitment to your cause.
10	Inspire Your Audience	8 - 10	To understand the mood and feelings of your audience on a particular occasion. To put those feelings into words and inspire the audience, using all the techniques you have learned so far.