This project focuses on recognizing your preferred communication style and understanding how your style impacts your interactions with others.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to learn about different communication styles and identify your primary style.

Overview: Complete the Discover Your Communication Style questionnaire to help you identify your style. Deliver a 5- to 7-minute speech at a club meeting about your communication style and its impact on your professional and/or personal relationships. If you are uncomfortable discussing your communication style, you may speak about the communication styles you have encountered and how they impact you. Your speech should not be a report of the content of this project.

This project includes:

• The Discover Your Communication Style questionnaire
  
• A 5- to 7-minute speech

Roleplay This

Your characters probably communicate in a specific way. Think about the difference between a perky, gnomish bar and a brusque, half-orc fighter. Use the Pathways project to evaluate how a specific character of yours communicates as well as what communication styles complement or conflict. Include anecdotes about specific roleplay-based communications that have occurred during gameplay.

Example(s)

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

Example(s)

This project focuses on how to network effectively and understanding the importance of being a professional ally to people in your network.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to develop and practice a personal strategy for building connections through networking.

Overview: Prepare for and attend a networking event. After the event, present a 5- to 7-minute speech to your club. Your speech can include a story or stories about your experience, a description of what you learned, or a discussion on the benefits of networking. Your speech may be personal to you or informational about networking. If you attend a non-Toastmasters event, you must sign the Project Completion Form and give it to your vice president education.

This project includes:

• The Prepare to Network resource
  
• Attending a networking event
  
• The Project Completion Form
  
• A 5- to 7-minute speech

This project addresses strategies for improving your personal interactions by understanding the impact of your attitudes and thoughts on daily interactions.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to practice being aware of your thoughts and feelings, as well as the impact of your responses on others.

Overview: Keep a daily record of your moods and attitudes for a minimum of two weeks, noting when you feel positive or negative, your successes and efforts, and three things for which you are grateful. Record and evaluate any changes in your behavior or the behavior of those around you. At a club meeting, share some aspect of your experience. You may choose to schedule a 2-to 3-minute report or a 5-to 7-minute speech. After completing your speech, submit your signed Project Completion Form to your vice president education to indicate you completed the journal.

This project includes:

• Recording your daily moods and attitudes for a minimum of two weeks
  
• A 2- to 3-minute report or a 5- to 7-minute speech
  
• The Project Completion Form

This project addresses how to present a speech in an enthusiastic and inspiring fashion to establish a strong rapport with your audience.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to practice writing and delivering a speech that inspires others.

Overview: Select a topic with the intent of inspiring your audience and prepare a 5- to 7-minute speech for your club.

This project includes:

• A 5- to 7-minute speech

This project focuses on how to recognize body language used when speaking publicly and how to use gestures to enhance speech content.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to deliver a speech with awareness of your intentional and unintentional body language, as well as to learn, practice, and refine how you use nonverbal communication when delivering a speech.

Overview: Prepare a 5- to 7-minute speech on a topic that lends itself to expression through your movement and gestures. Video record your presentation and get feedback from your mentor or another reviewer before speaking to your club. If you do not have access to a recording device, perform your speech in front of a mirror and make adjustments before your scheduled speech.

This project includes:

• A 5- to 7-minute speech

This project focuses on understanding what makes you laugh and how to share that with an audience.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to begin developing a collection of humorous stories and to present a speech that includes humor.

Overview: Give a 5- to 7-minute speech on a topic of your choosing. Your speech should include at least one anecdote or story intended to entertain or bring humor into your presentation.

This project includes:

• A 5- to 7-minute speech

This project addresses topic selection strategies, suggestions for research and methods for producing a well-organized 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

Roleplay This

1. Introduce a Game or Gaming System
   Share a breakdown of how a game or gaming system works with the group. Walk us through the basics. What makes it different from similar games? What are some other games that relate? What's the best way to start playing the game?
2. How to...
   How to run a Session Zero. How to create a character in [insert game system]. How to use an online map creator. How to create a world. How to... the possibilities are endless!
3. In Character Background
   Pick a fantasy/sci-fi topic. Teach the topic as a character from the world.
4. Introduce a Lore
   Pick a fantasy/sci-fi topic. Just teach the topic, no need to roleplay.

This project addresses the skills needed to compose a speech for a social occasion including a toast, eulogy, an acceptance speech and a speech praising an individual or group.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to practice delivering social speeches in front of your club members.

Overview: Develop two different social speeches — each 3 to 4 minutes — and present them at two separate club meetings. You may choose any two types of social speeches that appeal to you or that you would like to practice.

This project includes:

• The Social Speech Basics resource
  
• Two 3- to 4-minute speeches

Example(s)

This project addresses the use of presentation software—from identifying topics that benefit from the use of technology to effective slide design and presentation.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to introduce or review basic presentation software strategies for creating and using slides to support or enhance a speech.

Overview: Select a speech topic that lends well to a visual presentation using technology. Use the content of this project and your own research to help you develop your slides. Give a 5- to 7-minute speech using the slides you developed. Your speech can be humorous, demonstrative, or informational, and it may include stories or anecdotes.

This project includes:

• Developing presentation slides
  
• A 5- to 7-minute speech

This project addresses storytelling techniques and descriptive skills to help make every speech relatable and interesting.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to practice using a story within a speech or giving a speech that is a story.

Overview: Choose an established story, a story about your life, or a fictional tale of your own creation. Deliver the 5- to 7-minute speech at a club meeting.

This project includes:

• A 5- to 7-minute speech

This project addresses effective methods for choosing the best visual aid for your presentation along with the creation and use of each type.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to practice selecting and using a variety of visual aids during a speech.

Overview: Choose a speech topic that lends itself well to using visual aids. Create at least one but no more than three visual aids to enhance your presentation. Deliver your 5- to 7-minute presentation at a club meeting.

This project includes:

• Creating one to three visual aids
  
• A 5- to 7-minute speech

This project addresses the difference between literal and figurative language along with how to determine when to use each to create vivid descriptions.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to practice writing a speech with an emphasis on adding language to increase interest and impact.

Overview: You may speak on any topic. Develop a 5- to 7-minute speech describing the topic in detail and present it at your club meeting.

This project includes:

• A 5- to 7-minute speech

This project addresses the skills you need to identify and speak about personal strengths and present yourself well in an interview of any type.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to practice the skills needed to present yourself well in an interview.

Overview: Determine which type of interview you would like to practice, such as a job or expert interview. Prepare by reviewing your skills and abilities. Complete the resources in the project and give them to your interviewer before your presentation. You determine which member of your club interviews you, but your interviewer must be someone other than your evaluator. In a 5- to 7-minute role-play presentation at a club meeting, practice answering interview questions to promote your skills, abilities, and experience.

This project includes:

• The Identifying Your Skills Worksheet
  
• The Interviewer Instructions resource
  
• A 5- to 7-minute role-play interview at a club meeting

This project covers the difference between hearing and listening, and steps for exploring the ways listening helps build strong, lasting connections.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to demonstrate your ability to listen to what others say.

Overview: At a club meeting, fulfill the role of Topicsmaster. As Topicsmaster, comment on each speaker’s Table Topics® speech to demonstrate your active listening skills. For example, you might say, “Thank you. That was a compelling opinion on the benefits of gardening. I understand you feel strongly that everyone needs to spend some time doing something they love.”

This project includes:

• Serving as Topicsmaster at a club meeting

This project addresses the importance of vocal variety when giving a speech and provides activities to develop and nurture its use.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to practice using vocal variety to enhance a speech.

Overview: Learn or review the importance of vocal variety. Use the exercises in this project to improve your vocal variety skills. Then, present a 5- to 7-minute speech on any topic at a club meeting. The primary focus of the evaluation is your vocal variety.

This project includes:

• A 5- to 7-minute speech

This project covers common behaviors of difficult audience members and how to address each behavior in a calm, effective and professional way.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to practice the skills needed to address audience challenges when you present outside of your Toastmasters club.

Overview: Prepare a 5- to 7-minute speech on a topic of your choosing. You may write a new speech or use a speech you presented previously. You will be evaluated on the way you manage audience disruptions, not the content of your speech. Before your club meeting, send the Role Play Assignments resource to the Toastmaster and vice president education. As you present your speech, respond to different types of difficult audience members that disrupt you. The process of speaking and responding to audience members will take 12 to 15 minutes.

This project includes:

• A role play assignment for club members
  
• A 5- to 7-minute speech

This project addresses the basics of developing a compelling blog and successfully engaging a readership.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to review or introduce the skills needed to write and maintain a blog.

Overview: Post a minimum of eight blog posts in one month. Your blog may be new or one you have already established. You must receive approval from the vice president education to blog on behalf of your club. Deliver a 2- to 3-minute speech at a club meeting about the impact of your blogging experience. You may choose to have your blog evaluated by members of the club. Submit your signed Project Completion Form to the vice president education to receive credit for this project.

This project includes:

• Maintaining a blog and posting at least eight times in one month
  
• The Blog Evaluation Form
  
• The Project Completion Form
  
• A 2- to 3-minute speech

This project addresses how to effectively conduct online meetings and webinars, prepare and organize necessary visual aids, and lead with confidence.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to practice facilitating an online meeting or leading a webinar.

Overview: Conduct a 20- to 25-minute online meeting with fellow Toastmasters or a 20- to 25-minute webinar with visual aids for fellow Toastmasters. You determine the topic of your meeting or webinar. Research and use software that best fits your needs and geographic area. Invite your evaluator to participate in the online meeting or webinar. If you complete your assignment with non-Toastmasters, you must receive approval from the vice president education and invite your evaluator to attend.

This project includes:

• The Online Meeting Agenda resource
  
• The Online Meeting Basics resource
  
• Planning and conducting a 20- to 25-minute online meeting or webinar

This project addresses how to prepare to answer questions and provide information clearly, concisely and with confidence.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to learn about and practice facilitating a question-and-answer session.

Overview: Select a topic of which you are particularly knowledgeable. Prepare and deliver a speech on this topic, followed by a question-and-answer session. Together, the speech and question-and-answer session must be 15 to 20 minutes. Use your time effectively to ensure both segments are completed.

This project includes:

• A 5-to 7-minute speech
  
• A question-and-answer session after the speech

This project focuses on how to promote awareness of an organization, formulate a public relations strategy and use various public relations tactics.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to practice the skills needed to effectively use public relations strategies for any group or situation.

Overview: Create a public relations plan for a real or hypothetical group or situation. If it involves your club, it must be hypothetical unless you communicate with the vice president public relations and club president. Share your plan in a 5- to 7-minute speech at a club meeting. This speech is not a report on the content of this project, but an example of how you will or might apply what you learned.

This project includes:

• Creating a public relations strategy
  
• A 5- to 7-minute speech

This project focuses on skills needed to effectively manage a project, develop rapport with stakeholders and cultivate strong relationships with a team.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to practice developing a plan, building a team, and fulfilling the plan with the help of your team.

Overview: Form a team of three to four people and choose a project. Create a plan for your project and present the plan to your club in a 2- to 3-minute speech. Work with your team to complete your project. Present a 5- to 7-minute speech about your experience. This speech may be humorous, informational, or any type of speech that appeals to you. It should not be a report about the content of this project, but a reflection of your experience applying what you learned. Note: When considering projects to complete, refer to future projects on your path. You may be able to use the assignment in this project to help you prepare for the completion of an upcoming project.

This project includes:

• Building a team
  
• Creating a project plan
  
• The Project Plan resource
  
• A 2- to 3-minute speech about your plan
  
• Completing the plan with your team
  
• A 5- to 7-minute speech about your experience

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

This project addresses the skills needed to successfully moderate a panel discussion and how to be an effective participant on a panel.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to apply your skills as a public speaker and leader to facilitate a panel discussion.

Overview: Plan and moderate a 20- to 40-minute panel discussion. The panel discussion can be on any topic and may take place at a club meeting or outside of Toastmasters with the approval of your vice president education. Toastmasters who participate as panelists do not receive credit in Toastmasters Pathways. When you have the opportunity, volunteer to act as a panelist for another member completing this project.

This project includes:

• Planning and moderating a 20- to 40-minute panel discussion
  
• The Panelist Basics resource
  
• The Project Completion Form

This project addresses the importance of recognizing the effect of decisions that impact ethics, best practices for making ethical decisions and developing an ethical framework.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to develop a clear understanding of your own ethical framework and create an opportunity for others to hear about and discuss ethics in your organization or community.

Overview: Define an ethical framework for yourself. To do this, you may need to complete personal research beyond the contents of this project. Then, organize and moderate a 20- to 40-minute panel discussion about ethics, followed by a question-and-answer session. If you have never facilitated a panel discussion, review the “Moderate a Panel Discussion” elective project.

This project includes:

• The Ethical Framework resource
  
• Organizing and moderating a panel discussion as well as a question-and-answer session

This project focuses on the skills required to lead in a volunteer organization and the importance of recognition and reward in motivating volunteers.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to apply the skills needed to successfully lead in a volunteer organization.

Overview: Serve in a leadership role in Toastmasters or another volunteer organization for at least six months. You may complete this project based on your employment, but a volunteer organization is preferable. Ask members of the organization to complete a 360° evaluation of your leadership skills. Create a succession plan to aid in the transition after you leave your position of leadership. After your six-month term, deliver a 5- to 7-minute speech at a club meeting to reflect on your personal experience.

This project includes:

• Serving in a volunteer leadership role for a minimum of six months
  
• Conducting a 360° evaluation of your leadership skills
  
• Creating a succession plan
  
• The Succession Plan resource
  
• The 360° Evaluation resource
  
• A 5- to 7-minute speech

This project is designed to help you define the attributes of professional speakers and apply that understanding to your own skills as a speaker.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to practice developing and presenting a longer speech.

Overview: Write and present an 18- to 22-minute keynote-style speech. Exemplify the point of view or message you would convey as a professional-level speaker. You may choose to use visual aids if they fit your speech and your style. Your speech may be humorous, informational, or any style that appeals to you and supports your speech content. If you receive advance approval from the vice president education, you may present your speech to a non- Toastmasters group.

This project includes:

• The Speech Outline Worksheet
  
• An 18- to 22-minute keynote-style speech