Each of the ten projects in the Competent Leadership manual focuses on a different leadership skill, providing you background information and an assignment that requires your service in one or more specified meeting or club roles in which you can practice aspects of that skill. Roles can include Evaluator, Timer, Toastmaster, Ah-Counter and General Evaluator. In most projects you can choose which roles to serve in. While leadership skills can be acquired in every meeting role, some roles provide a better learning experience than others.

It's not necessary to complete the projects in order, although it is beneficial to do so. You can complete the manual at your own pace and can work on it at the same time as working on the Competent Communication or Advanced Communication manuals.

As an essential part of the Toastmasters program, another Toastmaster will provide you written and verbal feedback on each leadership project completed. This toastmaster, known as an Evaluator, provides a personal opinion of your leadership role, pointing out strengths and offering suggestions for improvement.

If many club members are working on the leadership manual, providing verbal evaluations during a club meeting may be difficult. Each club should discuss the matter and make a decision as to how to handle leadership manual evaluations.

Possible options are to provide:
1. verbal evaluations for leadership projects during meetings
2. verbal evaluations privately outside of the club meeting
3. only written evaluations for leadership projects
4. verbal evaluations during meetings for both speech and leadership projects, but allow less time for each evaluation.

After completing the Competent Leadership manual, you will receive the Competent Leader (CL) award. Your Club’s Vice President Education can submit an application for a CL or other award.

Requirements for CL
The following content shows what meeting or club roles fulfill project requirements in the Competent Leadership manual.

However, members are encouraged to take on the roles more than once, as practice makes perfect.