I was a member of a Toastmasters Club from October 2014 to October 2020, for six years.
What is Toastmasters? Toastmasters is a non-profit educational organization that focuses on communication and leadership development. It’s mostly a place where members can improve their public speaking, communication, and leadership skills. There are many clubs all over the world, and I was a member of the McGill Toastmasters club in Montreal.
I wanted to become a public speaker, and everyone told me that Toastmasters would give me the training I needed for an affordable membership fee. But it became more than that; it became a community of friends, many of whom are still my friends 20 years later.
I never became a professional public speaker, but Toastmasters gave me the foundation from which to continue learning and improving.
Maybe you too would like to learn how to speak in public and have the confidence to step in front of an audience, look them in the eyes, and deliver a message.
In the process of learning how to speak in public, I have acquired some superpowers which I want to share with you.
In our competitive society, sometimes we need an unfair edge to realize our professional or personal goals. The superpowers I am about to share with you will improve your personal and professional life.
The Superpower of Public Speaking
I have been able to use my public speaking skills to host a podcast, speak with confidence on my YouTube channel, and act as an MC in many events.
Imagine that you are applying for a job. You and five other people with similar experience and education are the final candidates. Many of the questions you will be asked during the interview are simple:
- Tell us about yourself.
- Tell us why we should hire you and not the others…
These are open-ended questions. Who do you think will give a more compelling answer? The person who has practiced public speaking for over a year or the person who has never done public speaking? I would put my money on the person who has acquired the superpower of public speaking.
Public speaking could get you the job you want and can help you get a salary increase much faster than your colleagues.
The superpower of being a good story teller
Many of today’s superstar entrepreneurs got to where they are today because of their storytelling abilities. CEOs such as Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Warren Buffett were able to sell their vision to millions of investors and finance their companies.
The same storytelling abilities can be useful when you are asking for a salary raise or offering a product or service.
Storytelling:
- can help you explain complex ideas and information in a more understandable and relatable way.
- creates an emotional connection, making your message more memorable.
- instills a sense of purpose and motivation.
People tend to remember stories much better than dry facts or statistics. When you tell a persuasive story, you’re more likely to influence opinions, decisions, and actions, creating a human connection and allowing others to see the person behind the professional role.
The Superpower of Leadership
In Toastmasters, we not only learn to become public speakers, but we also get leadership roles in our day-to-day activities. We get to organize competitions, meetings, plan for the growth of the club, manage new members, etc.
I have been able to create different entrepreneurial projects and persuade people to follow my vision.
In a professional setting, leadership skills can:
- Inspire and Motivate.
- Increase Productivity.
- Ensure Employee Satisfaction and Retention.
- Facilitate Effective Communication.
- Resolve Conflicts.
- Encourage Adaptability and Innovation.
- Foster Strategic Thinking.
- Showcase Decision-Making Skills.
- Build Trust and Credibility.
- Promote Personal and Professional Development.
- Aid in the Achievement of Goals.
- Contribute to a Positive Organizational Culture.
If you become a good leader in your family, community, and job, many people will follow your vision, helping you realize your goals while also assisting others in realizing theirs.
The Superpower of Building Communities
This year I created a community called Solopreneurs Montreal. It’s a community where freelancers and self employed people gather to share ideas or to seek support from each other.
You too can use the skills learned at Toastmasters to create a community related to your business or your topic of interest. Examples of communities could be a reader’s group, a photographer group, a personal development group, or anything else; your imagination is your only limit.
Conclusion
The positive effects of being a Toastmaster member are difficult to measure, but their benefits can drastically improve anyone’s life. I feel more confident, and I feel that doors are constantly opening in front of my eyes. Give it a try and let me know how it works out for you.
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