Corporate Forum – Empower your workforce: Unlock potential with Toastmasters

Held on 22 November, 2024, our recent inaugural online Corporate Forum, “Empower Your Workforce: Unlock Potential with Toastmasters,” was a resounding success! Designed to provide insights into how Toastmasters Corporate Programs can elevate communication and leadership skills, the event featured an inspiring keynote address by Pat Johnson, a Past President of Toastmasters International. Pat shared her extensive experience and insights on how effective communication and leadership can transform teams and organizations. She remarked “Almost all good communicators become leaders. It’s a secret power. It’s their magic because they can deliver ideas, their thoughts, and their plans clearly and concisely.”

Corporate Forum – Pat Johnson

We then had an engaging panel discussion with our three guest panellists and group Q&A with Pat and our D17 Speechcraft Manager, Juliana Kelly:

• Lynne Scanlan-Lamb – Operations Manager, Westpac Community and Foundations – “Toastmasters has provided me with the opportunity to practice and refine my leadership skills in a supportive environment.”
• Michael Malone – Founder of iiNET, Internet Service Provider and Director on several boards. “Through Toastmasters, I have gained invaluable feedback and developed critical listening skills that have greatly enhanced my professional growth.”
• Tim Blackburn – Past President of Chartered Practising Accountants member organisation – CPA Australia – Western Australia Division. “Toastmasters expanded my professional network and opened new opportunities within my industry and organization.”

Corporate Forum – Panelists

Missed out on the webinar? Click here to watch the recording! Don’t have time to listen for an hour? Just click on the chapters in the video to hear just the segment you want.

The presentation and panel discussion highlighted several key reasons for companies to form Toastmasters corporate programs

• Teamwork: Toastmasters emphasizes teamwork, which is essential in any workplace. Participants learn to work together, reducing conflict and enhancing productivity.
• Feedback Skills: The program teaches participants how to give constructive feedback, which is crucial for personal and professional growth. This skill is transferable to both the workplace and personal life.
• Critical Listening and Thinking: These skills are developed through regular practice in Toastmasters, making employees better communicators and problem solvers.
• Leadership Training: Toastmasters provides opportunities for leadership development, helping employees to take on higher responsibilities and lead effectively.
• Meeting Management: The program teaches effective meeting management, ensuring that meetings are productive and run on time.
• Cost-Effective: The cost of implementing a Toastmasters program is minimal compared to other training programs, making it a cost-effective solution for employee development.
• Employee Engagement: Toastmasters can enhance employee engagement, morale, and retention by providing a platform for skill development and recognition.

These reasons collectively make a strong case for companies to consider forming corporate programs like Toastmasters to unlock the potential within their workforce.

With 106 enthusiastic participants who RSVP’d to attend or access the event video, the forum clearly resonated with HR professionals, learning managers, and team leaders. We had over 50 attendees live on the call and they left inspired and equipped with new strategies to empower their teams and unlock their full potential. Now it’s time for us to convert that interest to bring Toastmasters into their organisations.

Next Steps:

To build on the momentum from this successful event, we will be following up with key corporate contacts to explore their interest in Toastmasters and discuss the following options to further develop their teams:

• Internal Corporate Club: Establish a Toastmasters club within their organization to provide ongoing development opportunities.
• Speechcraft Course: Offer a short-term, intensive course to quickly boost communication and leadership skills.
• Community Club Support: Support their staff to join local Toastmasters clubs to benefit from a broader network and diverse learning experiences.

Don’t forget you can Click here to watch the recording! Don’t have time to listen for an hour? Just click on the chapters in the video to hear just the segment you want. My sincerest thanks to the many people who contributed to make this event a success especially Leonor Ragan, Corporate Relations Director, Tom Bielski, Program Quality Director and Juliana Kelly, Speechcraft Manager.

Upcoming Event:

Based on the success of this first Corporate Forum, we are excited to announce that we plan to hold a second event in March/April 2025. Stay tuned for more details!