Motivational Strategies Level 5 Projects

Westside Toastmasters on Meetup

Project 1. Team Building

This project addresses the benefits of team building. It is designed to help you build a sense of collaboration and trust within a team completing a project.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to practice the skills needed to build a cohesive team and host an event

Overview: Build and work with a small team to design and host a team-building event, either in your Toastmasters club or another environment. Any non-Toastmasters event must be approved by your club’s vice president education and attended by a member of your club leadership team. Before the event, deliver a 2- to 3-minute report at a club meeting to share your plans. After the event, deliver a 5- to 7-minute speech to your club. The content of the speech is up to you, but needs to be about your event, the impact of leading on you and your team, or the impact of building a team on you as a leader.

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:

● Working with a small team to design and host a team-building event

● The Team-Building Activities resource

● The Team-Building Event Evaluation resource

● A 2- to 3-minute report

● A 5- to 7-minute speech

Project 2. Reflect on Your Path

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

ELECTIVE PROJECTS (choose 1)

Lessons Learned

This project addresses how to identify the discussion points of a large group meeting, encourage a culture of contribution and voicing opinions, and facilitate productive discussion that yields results.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to learn about and apply the skills needed to run a lessons learned meeting during a project or after its completion.

Overview: Facilitate a lessons learned meeting for a team with which you are completing or have completed a project. This meeting is separate from your regular Toastmasters meeting. Organize and facilitate a discussion. Record the results into a document you and your team members can use to facilitate the current project or future projects. If you haven’t already, give team members an opportunity to complete a 360° evaluation of you as a team leader. (Use the 360° Evaluation resource.) Finally, present a 5- to 7-minute speech in your club about the lessons learned meeting or your leadership experience.

This project includes:

● Facilitating a lessons learned meeting

● Documenting the results of the lessons learned meeting

● The 360° Evaluation resource

● The Lessons Learned Response Log

● The Metrics Log

● A 5- to 7-minute speech

Moderate a Panel Discussion

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

Ethical Leadership

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

High Performance Leadership

The focus of this project is to design and complete a project with well-defined goals, lead a team and be accountable to a guidance committee.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to apply your leadership and planning knowledge to develop a project plan, organize a guidance committee, and implement your plan with the help of a team.

Overview: Select a project to complete with a team of at least three other members. Form a guidance committee and meet at least five times through the duration of the project. Deliver a 5-to 7-minute speech at a club meeting to introduce your plan and vision. After you implement the plan, deliver a second 5- to 7-minute speech at a club meeting to share your experience developing and completing your plan.

This project includes:

● Selecting, leading, and completing a project with a team

● Forming and meeting with a guidance committee at least five times

● The Guidance Committee Introduction resource

● The Meeting Agenda resource

● The Project Plan Overview resource

● The Project Plan resource

● The Vision Plan resource

● The Event Planning Worksheet

● The 360° Evaluation resource

● Two 5- to 7-minute speeches

Leading in Your Volunteer Organization

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

Prepare to Speak Professionally

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