You can use Toastmasters Anywhere!

by Ellen Little, ACB/CL, Division B, Area 21 Governor, VPPR for Girl Talk and Harbor City Clubs

Ellen Little, ACB

In May, 2011, some friends of mine and I were having discussions about investing in the stock market. It was not the typical time for this type of talk, because the market was so volatile. I remember reporters gasping on the nightly news about the DOW Jones drop for the day; I also remember it not affecting me personally because my investments weren’t attached necessarily to the stock market. I became intrigued.

A friend of mine had just joined my home toastmasters club; she was a financial advisor. I had been friends with her for a few years prior to that from another common workplace. I had been using her services for a few months at that point. I asked her what she thought about an investment club; explained the conversations that I had been having with my other friends; and my idea that I thought the prospective club could be a teaching/learning opportunity. She loved it. We proceeded to start the club.

On July 14th, the investment club was started, as an LLC, with the expectation of learning about the market. Twenty-three women quickly joined and were present at the first meeting. Our objectives were to learn something about investing. Investigate and present our stock choices in the meetings. Create camaraderie and hopefully make money together.

The first meeting was challenging. Our leader (the new Toastmaster) knew right away that we needed to time the “reports”, call the meeting to order, and have a more specific agenda. Enter Toastmaster Leadership training. “Wow, let me make this easy, we are just going to run this meeting like our toastmaster meetings”! And Viola! She exchanged a bell for the gavel; and soon came order, more fun, and things were being accomplished at the meetings. Since implementing these changes, we’ve even added a book review to the agenda! As we “clunked” our ceremonial coffee mugs at the end of the first “toastmaster style meeting”, we reflected on how many other times we could have used that training in our lives; at clubs; other “job related” meetings; business meetings-the list went on.

I recently had the opportunity to coach a small company, with a group of 5 who serve as the Board of Directors. They have expressed to me that they feel their meetings could be more effective; and I had given them the information about taking control of their meetings; implementing control and parliamentary procedures; and effective agendas; ala toastmasters! You stick with what works, and what works sticks! After using the tips, and running the meeting more effectively, they were right! They were able to get more accomplished; and are now growing their business (in a market that claims to be a down economy!) It’s amazing what a little efficiency will do.

I always hated attending meetings in the workplace (almost boycotted them) if I did not have an agenda to review prior to the meeting. When I joined my first Toastmaster club, the officers of that club felt the same way! I was in heaven. And then I went to my first ambassador club visit when there wasn’t one-I was a visitor- I mean there was NO agenda. I may have broken out in hives. I understand if you don’t get the agenda ahead of time, things happen, but to not have one at the meeting, makes me feel like I have my shoes on the wrong feet. I gave that feedback to the President and the VPE; and I’m not saying that just changing that caused this, but I did see their name on the D84 challenge for membership achievement. (to remain nameless; and I’m not saying which year).

Toastmasters is a great place to learn an age old skill that we can sometimes “forget”. Whether you are 2 or 72, we need order and rules and boundaries for group activities. Kids are better mannered when expectations and boundaries are set, correct? We work better as a team of adults when we have order, expectations and a responsibility to follow rules and protocol. (I’m sure there are a few other things that we need; hear me out!) I know what to do for that hour in my Toastmasters meeting; I know how to address people; use correct and proper language, grammar and text; and my friends correct me and give me feedback on how I do that. By using the tools that the leadership track gives us, we can be more effective in everything that we do that deserves a successful outcome.

Think of how many more hours of your life could be more effective by using the tools the leadership track at toastmasters gives you. Robert wrote the rules, use Toastmasters to implement them! Utilize the Leadership manuals! Share this in your community! Enjoy the rewards that this training exposes you to. But be careful. You just may leave a legacy. Oh, and maybe a few more members for your club.