Dr.Gopinath keeps a detailed blog of his toastmasters projects which is an informative and interesting read. Here he is stressing the value of TM program for project managers. Right from the Little Rock days in 1996 I have attended Toastmasters meetings on and off and have enjoyed them. So I fully endorse the views shared of Dr.Gopinath.
Effective oral communication and leaderships skills differentiate a great manager from the rest of the lot. One of the inexpensive ways to learn, practice and hone such skills in an enjoyable manner is by becoming a member of a Toastmasters Club. There are nearly 12,500 Toastmasters clubs all around the world. They are all affiliated to Toastmasters International, a non-profit educational organization which is dedicated to improve the oral communication and leadership skills in a supportive environment of a Toastmasters Club.
The Toastmasters educational program offers two tracks – a communication track and a leadership track. Toastmasters club members (aka Toastmasters) are encouraged to pursue both the tracks simultaneously. As a first step the Toastmasters can acquire Competent Communicator (CC) and Competent Leader (CL) certifications. Toastmaster International provides guidance manuals to prepare for these certifications.
Competent Communicator manual has ten speech projects and is designed to develop speaking skills one step at a time. A Toastmaster needs to prepare and deliver these speeches (typically 5-7 minutes) in the club meetings with the help of a Mentor assigned to her. During the course of these speeches, the speaker will learn to talk about themselves, learn the importance of organizing their speech, and speak with a purpose with proper word usage, body language and vocal variety. They will also learn how to research their speech topics, use visual aids to support their speech, speak persuasively and inspire the audience. An Evaluator will provide constructive and motivating feedback on each of the speeches, which will help the speakers to improve their subsequent speeches. The Toastmaster can plan and deliver these ten speeches in a self-paced manner. However it is recommended that they acquire the Competent Communicator certification within a year of their joining a Toastmasters Club.
Competent Leadership manual has ten leadership projects which can be completed by taking up various roles and responsibilities during the course of Toastmasters club meetings. By doing these projects you will develop good leadership skills viz; listening, critical thinking, giving effective feedback, time management, planning and implementation, organizing and delegating, facilitation, motivating people, mentoring and team building. These projects will also be constructively evaluated by a senior Toastmaster. Once you complete the above certifications, you may choose to go for advanced certifications.
I have been a Toastmaster for almost 2 years. I obtained the Competent Communicator certification last year and am now currently pursuing advanced certifications. In my blog – Toastmaster Speaks you can find the Competent Communicator project speeches which I have delivered.
I recommend Toastmasters program for all the aspiring project managers. Its effectiveness has been recognized by several PMI chapters in USA (for e.g. Fort Worth, South Florida, and Washington DC) too. These chapters have tied up with Toastmasters International and offer PDUs for participating as a speaker or a role player in Toastmaster Club meetings.
Toastmasters program is much more than just certifications. You can find more details about the Toastmasters program in their website (http://www.toastmasters.org/). This short blog of mine does not describe how a Toastmaster Club meeting is conducted. You can attend a couple of meetings as a guest at any Toastmasters club to experience this. Use this link to locate the Toastmasters Club nearest to you (http://reports.toastmasters.org/findaclub/ ) and contact them.
So what are you waiting for? Just drop in at a Toastmasters Club meeting to checkout whether it will work for you. I am sure it will, provided you put in the necessary effort from your side. For me it has been a truly rewarding experience and has enhanced my consulting and training skills.
(About the Author: Dr. R. Gopinath has an experience of over 16 years in IT industry. He held senior quality management positions in Freescale Semiconductor (India), HP GlobalSoft, Intergraph Consulting & Aris Global Software Ltd. Currently he is an Independent Process and Quality Management Consultant.)
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