If you’re looking for an effective way for you and your employees to enhance your communications skills, you may want to try Toastmasters.

Toastmasters is a club in which members meet to work on communication and leadership skills in a safe environment. It’s communication and leadership training that you can participate in just a few times per month.

Members have many different reasons for joining Toastmasters. Most join because speaking in front of people is a nervewracking ordeal, and they need to practice before making a big presentation.

Other popular reasons people look into Toastmasters:

• Professional networking

• Speaking impromptu, or off the cuff

• Practicing listening skills

• Giving effective feedback

Ridding your speech of annoying filler words like um, er, and ah

• Building confidence and self-esteem

• Overcoming shyness

• Facilitating meetings

• Developing interpersonal skills

• Improving grammar

• Practicing good leadership skills

• Mentoring

• Improving interviewing skills

• Focusing and getting organized What’s unique about Toastmasters is that members learn by doing. It’s not like traditional communications or leadership training where you read off slides for a solid week. Each Toastmasters meeting is run like a business meeting, complete with a formal agenda and pre-assigned meeting roles emphasizing certain skills.

For example, if you wanted to improve your listening skills, you might consider signing up as an “Ah Counter.” Your role would be to listen for all filler words like um, er, and ah, and report on them. Throughout the meeting, all members provide feedback on his/her performance in each role. All roles map to real-world professional and personal situations, and all this contributes to your overall learning.

Marlene Gottardy, a club officer and long-time member of a local Toastmasters club called Now Hear This based in Mechanicsburg, joined because she wanted to be more comfortable speaking in front of groups. Gottardy said, “I admire people who are leaders, people who are able to take charge in leadership situations and make things run smoothly.” Toastmasters gave Gottardy plenty of practice in presentation skills, and now she is teaching—leading in her own classroom.

Most members work through the leadership and communications projects simultaneously, providing support for each other to reach individual and group goals.

Toastmasters’ hierarchy is structured so that members can practice functioning and serving not only as leaders, but also as teammates.

As in any learning organization, each member wears many hats. Each member receives written (and sometimes) verbal feedback on his/her presentation. All members are students who seek to improve themselves, and peer feedback is one of the most integral parts of this process. This means that anyone—even a brand-new member—can offer the club president constructive feedback. This is not only acceptable, but also expected.

You may be thinking of a lot of people in your life who could use some communications training. Consider bringing your employees to a Toastmasters meeting.

Your employees are a reflection of your leadership abilities. It makes sense that you want them to be the best employees they can be, especially if they are interacting with your clients and representing your organization.

If you weigh the cost/benefits of some of the instructor-led communications training that is delivered in a traditional classroom setting, Toastmasters is the logical choice. It is more effective because students learn by practicing over time, and the price is lower, too.

Toastmasters’ structure is comprehensive.

There isn’t a single communications or leadership scenario that isn’t somehow addressed within its curriculum. It effectively covers beginning presentation basics like eye contact and using speech props to more advanced skills like speaking on television or running a negotiation.

There’s also an impressive leadership structure and curriculum that members can use to hone their skills.

Some businesses even start their own Toastmasters clubs. These clubs may or may not have memberships comprised of their own employees exclusively; they may join forces with other companies if the organizing company is small and would like more depth. Much like a company softball team, corporate clubs help employees form a cohesive bond that enhances the teaming experience.

Think your job is too busy to attend yet another meeting? Toastmasters is all selfpaced.

You can do as much or as little of the curriculum as you like. Of course, the more you participate, the more you learn. If you do well, Toastmasters International will present you with awards. Some awards include sending a congratulatory letter of praise to your employer.

Who can benefit from Toastmasters?

Everyone can. It’s not a remedial program.

Making it a part of your individual development plan shows you’re serious about your career.

Throughout its history, Toastmasters has earned a stellar international reputation.

With 220,000 clubs in 90 countries, Toastmasters has helped more than 4 million people advance their skills since

1924. Learn more about this established organization by visiting www.toastmasters.org.