The last Tuesday meeting This meeting was the last meeting we've had on Tuesday because we unanimously voted favorably on a motion to change the meeting day from Tuesday to Friday. How it started This was something nobody thought was coming only a few months earlier. The idea popped up at the 151st Regular Meeting on July 21, when only five members were present. With only two prepared speeches scheduled, we had a substantial amount of time, so we decided to discuss how to imp

A.R.T.S. At this meeting, we had two prepared speeches, including mine. The title of my speech was "A.R.T.S." This stands for two things: "Always Ready To Step Up" and "Always Ready To Speak." At this meeting, the two prepared speakers demonstrated being Always Ready To Step Up. The first speaker, So, delivered his speeches at two consecutive meetings: on July 28 and August 4. He was not expected to, but after learning that a speech slot was still open, he said, "I'll make a

The Fourth Ice Breaker speech In this meeting, one of the founders, Maho, delivered her fourth Ice Breaker speech, which is what a member delivers when they join Toastmasters to introduce themselves. Why, then, did she deliver one after being a Toastmaster for over seven years? It is because she has started working on a new Path, or a course, in our education program, Pathways. Yes, we are supposed to repeat the basics when starting a new path. Some people in other clubs do n

Meeting Roles and Responsibilities This was the first meeting in the 2026-2027 program year, featuring members' short speeches about their goals for the year. Before that session, however, I had the honor of making a presentation about different roles in our meetings. In Toastmasters, there are many meeting roles that members take turns at every meeting: Toastmaster of the Day, General Evaluator, Speaker (Prepared Speech), Evaluators, Timer, Ah-Counter, Grammarian, Topicsmast

A Wonderful Way to Close the Toastmasters Year Our June 30 meeting marked the final meeting of the 2025–2026 Toastmasters year, and it was truly a memorable one. The evening featured three special milestones: 🎉 Induction Ceremony for our newest member 🎤 Ice Breaker Speech by our new member 👏 Installation Ceremony for our 2026–2027 Club Officers We were delighted to officially welcome our newest member to Shin-Osaka Leaders Toastmasters Club. From the moment he joined us, h

New Members Taking on New Challenges One of the highlights of our June 16 meeting was seeing members step out of their comfort zones and take on new roles. So, who decided to join our club after attending his second meeting, made his role debut as the Ah-Counter. Despite it being his first time, he listened carefully throughout the meeting and diligently tracked filler words and speech habits. It was great to see him actively contributing to the meeting so soon after becoming

One of our guests shared an insightful comment about the importance of feedback during today’s meeting at Shin-Osaka Leaders Toastmasters Club. As we become working professionals, there are many situations where we are expected not only to receive feedback, but also to give feedback to others. However, giving feedback is not always easy. It requires communication skills, empathy, and the ability to express opinions in a way that encourages others without making them feel unco

Welcoming a First-Time Guests Who Took on the Challenge At our May 19 meeting of the Shin-Osaka Leaders Toastmasters Club, we were delighted to welcome a first-time guests to our meeting.　Even though it was their very first Toastmasters experience, they courageously stepped forward and participated in the Table Topics session — our impromptu speaking activity. Speaking without preparation in a second language is never easy.　That is exactly why we appreciated their willingness

On May 12, 2026, Shin-Osaka Leaders Toastmasters Club held its regular meeting. Our club usually meets on the first, third, and fifth Tuesdays of the month. However, because the first Tuesday of May overlapped with Japan’s Golden Week holidays, this meeting schedule was adjusted by one week. In addition to the regular meeting program, we also held our club officer election for the next Toastmasters year. As part of the election process, each officer candidate delivered a two-

Table Topics Session On April 21, I had the pleasure of serving as the Table Topicsmaster, facilitating the impromptu speaking session. For this session, I chose the theme “April and the number 4,” inspired by the fact that April is the fourth month of the year and often represents a season of new beginnings in Japan. I prepared the following questions: April is a season of new beginnings. What are four things you want to start this month? What are four things you want to cha

We were delighted to welcome four guests to our meeting—our Area Director, two members from other clubs, and one non-Toastmaster. It was truly wonderful to have such a diverse group of guests join us. Their presence brought fresh perspectives and added great energy to the meeting. Not only did they attend, but they also kindly supported the meeting by taking on roles. We really appreciate their willingness to actively participate and contribute. One of our guests even served

Mentoring: A Journey of Growth Together Today’s meeting was held online, and the theme was Mentoring . During the meeting, we had breakout sessions where we discussed mentoring in small groups. It was a great opportunity to reflect on our own experiences—both as mentors and mentees—and to hear different perspectives from others. In Toastmasters, when you join a club, you are usually assigned a mentor. This mentor is an experienced member within the club who supports you as yo

Don’t Blame the People. Improve the System. Today, I delivered a presentation from the Leadership Excellence Series titled “The Leader as a Coach.”　 In my talk, I shared a reflection from my daily work in warehouse operations.　 In any team, mistakes happen. And it’s easy to ask: “Who made the mistake?” But what really matters is not who , but why . Instead of blaming people, we should focus on improving the system so that mistakes are less likely to happen. Through this exper

What I Gained from Toastmasters On March 3rd, several guests joined our Toastmasters meeting. How lovely! During the guest guidance session, we talked about what Toastmasters is and what skills people can develop through the program. As I was sharing these things, I remembered what it was like when I first started Toastmasters. At that time, I could barely speak in front of people. My voice was very quiet. However, Toastmasters gave me a place where I could practice speaking

On February 17, we had a truly memorable meeting at Shin-Osaka Leaders Toastmasters Club. It was Yoshi’s debut as Toastmaster of the Day.Although he currently lives in Tokyo, he made a special trip to Osaka because he wanted to take on this role in person at the venue. With a very tight schedule — catching the last Shinkansen back to Tokyo — he embraced this new challenge with dedication and enthusiasm. His commitment reminded us that growth often requires effort, intention,