More Than Just a Public Speaking Organization

Almost every employer is looking for employees with great leadership skills. But where can a person go to learn leadership skills if he doesn’t have them already? Toastmasters International may be most widely recognized as a leading public speaking organization, but it is also home to one of the most effective leadership-building programs available today. It is a program that is currently being used to help 235,000 people build character and advance in their careers through their participation in the 11,700 Toastmasters clubs located in 92 different countries.

It is important to emphasize that this program is used in clubs around the world. In Toastmasters, everyone learns by doing—there are no boring classrooms. Members are given the opportunity to perform a variety of unique roles at every meeting, such as Toastmaster, Topicmaster and Speech Evaluator. Each role allows members to practice a different set of leadership skills while taking an active part in running the meeting.

As members complete different roles, they have the option of having their performance evaluated by one of their peers. These evaluations are presented in a positive, constructive manner and include praise for those things that were done well, as well as suggestions for future improvement. It is this supportive, friendly atmosphere that makes Toastmasters a unique learning environment where participants can take the risk of trying something new without fear of embarrassment. In fact, many local Toastmasters find the experience so enjoyable that they forget that they are actually learning something too—a situation that has caused many to start referring to the meetings as “productive fun.”

There are no grades, tests or teachers to stress out about in Toastmasters either. Instead, everyone is able to track their progress using leadership manuals that are given to all new members. This manual contains a series of 10 projects that make up the first level in the Toastmasters leadership program. Many of the projects involve participating in the meeting roles described above, and members can choose to complete them at whatever pace is most comfortable for them.

Each member who successfully completes the 10 projects is eligible to earn the designation of Competent Leader. Once they have become Competent Leaders, all Toastmasters are given the opportunity to complete a variety of larger projects that will help them take leadership positions in higher levels of the organization, and perhaps even in the local community. As their success continues to grow, members earn further designations, such as Advanced Leader Bronze, Advanced Leader Silver and Distinguished Toastmaster.

While some of the projects initially seem easy to complete, each one is carefully designed to encourage members to take increasingly prominent roles in the club. Peoria Toastmaster Rhonda Larsen recently explained it by saying, “Each step they pull a little bit more out of you. You’re leading more and more, and you don’t even realize it.”

Earlier this summer, Ms. Larsen found out firsthand exactly how beneficial the Toastmasters leadership program can be when she interviewed for a new job with the University of Illinois College of Medicine. The position she sought, business administrative associate in the Department of Medicine, required leadership skills, but Ms. Larsen’s employment history didn’t include any managerial or supervisory roles that demonstrated how qualified she actually was for the job.