Completion requirements
When I started Toastmasters, there wasn't a lot of new member orientation materials available. You learned by watching others, and by being thrown into the deep end here and there. While a mentor helped with my first few speeches, I didn't get a lot of guidance on how to perform meeting roles.
For someone like me, that was fine, but for most people it's a recipe for failure and lost memberships. Some clubs are focused so much on acquiring members that they forget to get these new members trained so that they can feel informed, involved, included, and inspired. This course is designed to help get that orientation done.
2. What's In It For You?
Why should you care about what's in this course?
In my experience, many Toastmasters clubs spend a lot of time, effort, and resources on getting guests in the door and convinced to be members, but several neglect the critical first thirty days after a guest becomes a member. This leads to a lot of new member dropout because they feel overwhelmed by everything going on. This leads to them never signing up for anything, let alone their first speech, and eventually dropping out. At best, you'll have a case of "presenteeism" - the member shows up, but doesn't do anything.
Even in clubs that do new member orientation, it's hard to squeeze in everything that a new member might need to know, never mind balance providing the information with not overloading the new member. Don't get me wrong - I want every club to perform new member orientation, but I wanted there to be a resource that anyone could use to supplement their new (and veteran!) member training. If you happen to be in a club that isn't providing new member orientation, please first let the officers know it's badly needed, and two, that they can use these courses as a resource.
Now, if you're a new member taking this course, welcome! I created the RDG series with the intent of making my accumulated knowledge and resources available to Toastmasters everywhere, so they could make use of it. If you're serious about self-development, these courses are for you. My goal is to guide you from new member to returning member by not only giving you the information you need, but also giving you a plan to learn the skills in an ordered manner. This way, you gradually pick up the skills, increase your confidence and competence, and then move up to bigger challenges in time. Along the way, you'll be progressing in the Toastmasters educational program. Unlike many who come into Toastmasters without a plan and just a wish to "get better", you'll get a clear plan to move forward, learn the skills, and multiply your confidence - if you do the work.
If you're a veteran member, my intention is to reinvigorate your commitment, and help you guide the "next generation" toward success. If you're looking to build your coaching and mentoring skills, you'll get that too.