Improve Your Communication Skills by Joining Toastmasters!

Toastmasters International is a world leader in helping people become more competent and comfortable in speaking before an audience.

Now with over 250,000 members, 11,300 clubs in 90 countries Toastmasters provides a proven, effective program to practice and hone your communication and leadership skills.

I first came upon Toastmasters years ago and decided to attend a meeting. It was a wonderful and supportive group of people who were at all skills levels but dedicated to learning and improving their speaking skills.

The program consists of 10 self-paced speaking assignments – each one building upon the other. You learn skills relating to humor, eye contact, gestures, speech organization, vocal quality (including an ahhhhh and ummmmm counter that often accompany the spaces between words) and overall delivery.

Also, there is no instructor at toastmasters meetings. All speeches are evaluated by your group members. This group feedback is a major part of the learning process. However, I am not saying this is easy. I remember quite clearly wanting to take every other exit on the road to where my first Toastmaster speech was being held. But I went and I completed that first speech (after much perspiration!) and found the program extremely valuable and a lot of fun.

For approximately $54 a year it is by far one of the best (in my opinion, the best) communication programs available.

As designers and freelancers we are always verbally communicating with our clients (either in person or on the phone) – so I can think of no better skill to improve.

Check it out:

http://www.toastmasters.org/default.aspx

— By Doug Farrick