Say Yes: What Toastmasters Taught Me About Speaking, Presenting, and Leading
In 2013, I got a job as an instructor at Great Plains College in Warman, SK. I was new to teaching, and one day, standing at the front of the classroom, I had an uncomfortable realization: I knew nothing about presentation skills or how to manage a room.
I knew I needed help. So I joined Toastmasters (helping people advance their careers and businesses for over 100 years).
Starting small
At first, I was just a club member. I gave a few speeches and got up for impromptu speaking (Table Topics) like everyone else. Then something clicked: I could practice my work presentations at the club and get honest feedback before delivering them for real.
I also started bringing Toastmasters into my classroom by leading yearly Speechcraft sessions with my students. Teaching the skills helped me learn them even faster.
As I served as VP Public Relations and later VP Education, I built enough background to start volunteering to lead club officer training sessions in small groups. Every one of those opportunities made me a better presenter.
Getting noticed
Then Don Zurakowski, a key member in our district, asked me to lead a district project. I was starting to get noticed.
I told him the truth: I was busy finishing my Master's in Education, but I'd be glad to help once it was done. And I followed through. When I finished, I headed up the district's Train the Trainer team.
That's where Marge F became my mentor too. She taught me everything about the Toastmasters Train the Trainer program, and it opened up a whole new world. I loved it. I couldn't get enough. It lined up perfectly with my Master's work in adult learning and curriculum development.
I ended up building and running that program for three years, training 80 facilitators through one-day workshops. It was a fantastic learning and growing opportunity.
When the phone starts ringing
Here's the fun part: I started getting phone calls from people who had been recommended to me.
Thanks to a recommendation from Lisa Harron, fellow Toastmaster, Athabasca University asked me to coach their team for the yearly Alberta's Business Case Competition, and we won first in Alberta in the very first year I coached them. That's three workshops a year, and seven years later, I'm still working with them.
Concordia University in Edmonton also reached out - I don't know who to credit. Seven years later, I'm still a communication instructor for their Health Inspector program, with a three-week contract every year.
None of that came from a job posting. It came from people who had seen me in action.
The lessons
So what did I learn?
Keep saying yes. Growth happens in the opportunities you almost turned down.
Get outside your club and your comfort zone. Your club is a safe place to practice, but the real growth happens when you step into bigger rooms.
Know when you need to grow, and then do it. The longer you wait, the longer it takes to build your skills, and the longer you stay stuck on the same rung of your career or business ladder.
Leading on purpose this time
Today, I'm a member of a strong club, Saskatoon Toastmasters. And this time around, I've done something different.
Years ago, I fell into leadership roles. This time, I was intentional. I put my hand up for VP Education because that role gives me a natural reason to connect with every single member. It's classroom management and people management. It's networking and relationship-building.
Here's what I've learned about relationships: if I don't work alongside the members and the rest of the executive, building those relationships takes much longer, and they may never grow beyond simple service. We have to be part of a team to really build deep, long-lasting relationships.
I also knew I needed to be seen. Being seen is when people reach out to you because they've watched you in action. If they never see you in action, they can't hire you.
A bigger stage
This year, I volunteered for three different roles at the district level (Area Director, Pathways trainer, Train-the-Trainer). Why? #1. To serve/give back; #2. To be seen/known by more people. Our District 210 has expanded into Manitoba, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota, which is a whole new networking opportunity.
We're only a few months in, and people are already reaching out to me (and I to them) to connect, support, and share referrals.
Toastmasters changed my life. I'm so grateful, and the story isn't over yet.
Your turn: What's one opportunity you've been saying "not yet" to? Maybe this is the week you put your hand up.
OH, come meet me at the Warman Trade Show, WOBE, Booth 76. Friday, Oct 2, 4:30 - 8:00 pm; Saturday, Oct 3, 10 am - 4:00 pm.
— Penny
Nilsen Business Coaching & Consulting Clarity. Strategy. Results.
PS: Join our 𝟭𝟬𝗫 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗕𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 Business 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 (first two visits are on me)
10X Mentoring is Penny Nilsen's Group or 1-on-1 business mentorship program, powered by Grant Cardone and designed to help entrepreneurs and business owners get “unstuck”, break through revenue plateaus, and scale their businesses faster than ever before with my OFF System.
