Toastmasters International is a world leader in communication and leadership development. Our organization has more than 332,000 memberships. Members improve their speaking and leadership skills by attending one of the 15,400 clubs in 135 countries that make up our global network of meeting locations.
Every Toastmasters journey begins with a single speech. During their journey, they learn to tell their stories. They listen and answer. They plan and lead. They give feedback—and accept it. Through our community of learners, they find their path to leadership.
I have only been in Toastmasters a short time (in fact, I just officially paid my dues). I like the fact that people from different backgrounds come together once a week with the intention of bettering themselves. Pathways is particularly exciting to me because it allows me to pursue the idea of Public Speaking as an income stream and to add credibility to my future goals.
Toastmasters are about more than speeches and even performance; it is about confidence, networking, and conversation. I love the opportunities to refine my skills and gain knowledge from watching other speakers.
I joined Toastmasters for the friendships I wanted to develop. I quickly learned that through Toastmasters I could learn to be a leader. As someone who is an extrovert working retail, the speaking didn’t seem to be as crucial. However, no matter how much an extrovert I was, I was not a leader. Now I am!
I was a member of Toastmasters 23 years ago and gained valuable experience in developing my presentation skills for work. I rejoined six months ago after recovering from a traumatic head injury that effected my communication and confidence. It only made sense to return to the organization that gave me my confidence to begin with.
Where else in my world could I find that little bit of magic experienced in a weekly Toastmaster gathering? We share the fun of learning about each other and the world we live in; there’s no place like it.
*Note: Members pay Toastmasters International dues of US $60 every six months. (Some clubs may charge additional fees.) All new members also pay a one-time US $20 fee.
