completing toastmasters pathways level 2 before level 1 is approved

See my main Presentation Mastery Pathways page for some context.

I completed all the projects in level 1 on January 4. My level 1 actually got approved today due to some difficulties in processing. I had lots of speaking opportunities in the club though and I successfully completed all the level 2 projects before I obtained access in Base Camp. This blog post is about that journey!

Each path has three required projects for level 2. All of them have the “Introduction to Toastmasters Mentoring” project. The Presentation Mastery path also has “Understanding your Communication Style” and “Effective Body Language.”

For level 2, you can do the three projects in any order. I describe them here in the order I did them.

Introduction to Toastmasters Mentoring

On January 10th, a speaker at our Speechcraft session cancelled so I jumped in with this speech. Since level 2 was locked, I went online to see if anyone had uploaded the PDF. I found out that a club shared the “Introduction to Toastmasters Mentoring” PDF online (link no longer works). The description on mentoring vs coaching was excellent. I like how the project has you speak about a time you were mentored.

For more on this project or how to download the evaluation sheet, see my starting level 2 blog post.

Effective Body Language

On January 16th, I was giving members of my New York club an unofficial preview of Pathways. I choose to use the “Effective Body Language” speech for this. I couldn’t find the PDF manual online. Instead I went to the “Speeches and Evaluations” section of Base Camp and downloaded the evaluation sheet. I gave my speech and got evaluated.

Now (as I write this blog post), I’m reading the actual project. I learned that I was supposed to get feedback from a mentor or reviewer while practicing. Oops. The online project also contains good tips on posture, stance, position and movement. I need to move more deliberately when I speak! There was also good descriptions of the four different types of gestures: descriptive, emphatic, suggestive and prompting. There was a video and great interactive exercises. Finally, there were references to culture and the visual impaired.

Understanding your Communication Style

One of my clubs meets on Thursdays lunchtime. At the January 18th meeting, we had a speaker cancel the evening before. This happens sometimes. Work is of course the priority! As a DTM, I knew it would be no trouble to put together a speech the night before. And it was a perfect opportunity to complete level 2!

The same club that shared the “Introduction to Toastmasters Mentoring” also club shared the “Understanding your Communication Style” PDF online.

I read the PDF. It contains an excellent 12 question “test” where you answer how you view yourself. Then you add up the scores to determine your communication style:

  • Analytical
  • Direct
  • Initiating
  • Supporting

You can then read how each communication style interacts with the others. (The online version is better because it automatically tallies your score and lets you control the order in which you read about the styles.)

Not surprisingly, I’m mainly analytical/direct. Then I had to write a speech. Since Pathways is new, I chose to include a couple sentences on what each was. Then I had the audience vote on which they thought was my predominant style. The majority of my speech was me telling a story of a strength (or perceived weakness) of my interactions with each of the four styles. It wound up being a great speech. Our VPE even suggested that I save it for the humorous speech contest.

This is a great project and really shows the benefit of the Pathways educational program!

Submitting level 2

Since I did all three projects on paper, I went back and clicked through in Base Camp. Then I emailed my evaluations to our club leadership for approval. And now they know what to do so getting access to Level 3 should be fast!

 

6 thoughts on “completing toastmasters pathways level 2 before level 1 is approved

  1. https://www.selikoff.net/2018/02/13/completing-toastmasters-pathways-level-2-before-level-1-is-approved/
    Really enjoyed reading this. I joined toastmasters in April and have completed levels one and two in the visionary communication model and nothing has been submitted yet as no one seems to know how to in my club

    Do you have a link to the body language info that you mentioned and could you forward it to me – would love to read it as I would like to do a partly humorous educational presentation on body language. Would be much appreciated

    Warmly Lynly Cooper
    lynleycooper@bigpond.com

    Ps I’m analytical, authoritative and innovative – all had the same score of 18 on the leadership style questionnaire and for bureaucratic I scored 1 – oooohh ?
    Sent from my iPad

  2. Tell your club that there are two parts:
    1) The President, VPE or Secretary log in to base camp manager and approve your level
    2) Any officer approves in club central

    The Toastmasters.org website has a phone number that can walk them through either or both steps

  3. Thank you for sharing information. I am in the last district for Pathways to roll out and soon to close out Level 1 with 4 new Toastmasters in tow! Because I can’t close out my own path as a Base Camp Manager, I fret my information being uploaded and processed quickly. That may sound crazy, but it is what it is. The link you referenced above seems to no longer be active. Are you able to provide a copy of the “Introduction to Toastmasters Mentoring” PDF? In addition to being the secretary, I am the person charged with the totality of this task and seek information to stay ahead at every turn.

    I appreciate you.
    Best,
    Deidre

  4. I hadn’t posted the PDF; just linked to someone who had. I don’t think we are supposed to be sharing/posting it online so I’m not going to host it myself.

    I recommend sitting with your VPE and have them clicking the button to approve your level 1 in base camp

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