The Benefits of Joining Toastmasters
This page outlines the benefits of joining Toastmasters, and stories from people who have joined Toastmasters.
Toastmasters provides the tools that enable you to become an effective communicator and leader both in business or professional life, and your personal and community life.
Toastmasters can help you:
- develop self-confidence when speaking in public
- give effective presentations to all types of audiences
- speak off the cuff on a variety of topics
Why Join Toastmasters?
- You will learn in a club environment, amongst friends
- You will receive ongoing feedback and encouragement
- Find out why others joined Toastmasters by reading their personal stories below.
In your working life, you'll be able to:
- hone your management skills
- work better with your colleagues and customers
- develop and present ideas clearly
In your personal life, you'll be able to:
- offer constructive criticism
- accept criticism more objectively
- conduct effective meetings
You'll enjoy the fellowship of Toastmasters as you learn how to:
- research, prepare and deliver speeches on a wide variety of topics
- design and use visual aids to enhance your message
- host and speak at family and social occasions
Find a club: Use the Club Finder to find a club near you. Contact the club by email or phone and arrange to visit their next meeting. If you're ready to take the next step, find out what that involves on our Join Toastmasters page.
Toastmasters Programmes: Find out about Toastmasters unique Communication and Leadership programmes.
Still have a question? Then fill in our Enquiry form. We're looking forward to hearing from you.
Why I Joined Toastmasters Stories
This section has stories from Toastmasters about why they joined and the opportunities they have enjoyed as members.
Why I joined Toastmasters ...
I joined Toastmasters, because I go to university, sleep during lectures, catch the buses, go to work and take breaks. At the end of the day, I get home to my lovely girlfriend - and all I want is a cheeseburger. I joined Toastmasters because I needed courage to tell her that I don’t like tofu.
Before Toastmasters, I often arrived at home and I smelt a girly meals cooking, when I craved a cheese burger. Unfortunately I lacked the courage and the words to tell her. Thanks to my Toastmasters training, I now have the confidence and initiative to commend, recommend and commend her cooking. And before you know it we are pulling up to the drive-through.
Toastmasters are also great for bosses. "Nic, I have seen your performance figures for the 1st quarter and they are disappointing" Table topics teaches you how to use your knowledge of completely irrelevant topics to you advantage. "Boss, the way I see this company is like a game of 7s. Like the Samoans I am trying to pace myself so I can beat those Fijians."
Toastmasters builds confidence and the ability to make words work to your advantage.
Nic Keating
Victoria University Toastmasters
Why I joined Toastmasters ...
The reason for me joining Toastmasters is that I believe that my next step in my personal journey in life was towards improving my communication and social skills.
Before joining Toastmasters, I was a very shy, introverted kid, with the unfortunate mishap of having crooked feet, and who despite all his qualifications and life experience, felt a ‘nobody’ in society, constantly the laughing stock of people around me.
But my internal thoughts processes are that I want to be a person respected around my peers, find my inner child qualities that I had lost by growing up to be part of adult world too quickly and also be proud of who I am, be proud of my achievements and look forward in my life.
One way was to improve my communication skills, and I joined Toastmasters. Since being part of Toastmasters at Victoria University of Wellington, I’ve been able to meet people from all walks of life who have inspired me to be a better person, given me a more positive outlook in life, and also freedom to express myself to what I am about and who I am, plus also the ability to laugh at myself, again.
Being part of Toastmasters has been a ‘turning point’ of my life, and it has allowed me to be the person I want to be, has given me self-belief in myself, and the opportunity to start living my dreams again. Thank you.
Why I joined Toastmasters ...
"One wedding and no funerals"
"Would you like to be my best man?" my friend Eduard (aka Eddie) Vaks asked.
My brain screamed "NOOOO!!!" but I knew he'd already been turned down by his long time schoolfriend and I didn't want to let him down. Eddie’s mother cooks a mouth-watering Russian feast (and I love food), so a refusal would hurt us both.
Recalling the persecution of high school past, the terror of tumultuous teens, I was determined to seek help.
Six months to go. Time to act now or never!
I had recently met Brenda West from the Wairarapa while walking Wellington's Eastern Walkway with friends.
Brenda is an accomplished speaker and was currently president of SKM Toastmasters on Wellingtons Terrace.
Brenda explained the advantages I would get from Toastmasters, and subsequently I joined a meeting at SKM Toastmasters to see what it was all about.
The wedding speech in 2004 was a success, and got some good laughs. I felt confident and relaxed throughout what would normally have been a level one panic.
Wedding guests complimented me on my speech and I was filled with pride in my success against the (perceived) odds.
Three fun-filled years have passed and I am now in Brenda's position, introducing my friends to Toastmasters - and I'm also president of the club!
Luke Guyton
Why I joined Toastmasters ...
As part of my post-grad studies and in my job, I have to give presentations to large groups of people. I used to find this very scary. I didn’t like speaking in front of large groups at all, not even people I knew well.
A fellow student suggested that Toastmasters would improve our presentation skills. I’ve been coming to Toastmasters for about a year, and my confidence and skills have improved immensely.
My boss recently gave my team very little notice that someone would have to do a talk in front of our entire section. I wasn’t working again until the day of the meeting, and it might be me giving it! I arrived at work an hour before the meeting, and just had time to go through the presentation that my workmates had written. I thought “I can do this”, which was quite exciting. Somebody else did it, but I’m sure with my Toastmasters training I could have done an excellent job, even though they had the advantage of having had time to practice.
I love that speaking has become not something I fear but something I can enjoy doing, and I have Toastmasters to thank for this.
Elizabeth Robertson
Victoria University Toastmasters
