“A person’s success is directly related to his ability to communicate effectively. Don’t you agree?” asks a confident Neethu Harirajan. She is a member of Toastmasters Club of Coimbatore. Neethu works for a biopharmaceutical enterprise in Bangalore and also supports her father’s R & D unit in Coimbatore. “I travel all weekends, but never miss even a single toastmasters’ weekly meeting on Saturday. I’ve grown so much after every session!” she says.
Some years ago, Neethu, who has a passion for public speaking, was a very different person. She met with a road accident that shattered her confidence. She was gripped by stage fear. That was when Toastmasters came to her rescue.
Toastmasters Club of Coimbatore was founded by Sivakumar Palaniappan in 2011 with just seven members; today, they number 55. He began his career as an electrical engineer, and is an author, entrepreneur and pubic speaker. “My life took a turn for the better after I became a part of Toastmasters Club of Bangalore in 2007,” he says. That prompted him to create a platform for self development and growth here.
“We have doctors, lawyers, chartered accountants, professors, engineers, housewives and students among our members,” says Agilan Jagatheesan, the club’s vice-president. Senior-level toastmasters mentor juniors and help them prepare speeches and present them. The feedback is also immediate. “It is not easy to convince a group of people who come from different walks of life. That is exactly what makes speaking a rich and challenging experience in Toastmasters Club” says S. Sameer, an MBA student, who landed the highest paying job during recruitment in his college. He attributes this to the inputs and perspective gained from fellow toastmasters.
S. Karthikeyan hails from Keeramangalam village in Pattukottai. He studied in Tamil medium at a Government-run school. “When I figured out that I lacked English communication skills, I developed an inferiority complex,” he says. His boss took him to a Toastmasters meeting as a guest. He joined them. “In two weeks, I felt like I was part of a family. And, my second speech sounded so much better than my first.” His mentor is a student younger than him. “During my last speech, my mentor spent hours with me though she had exams the next morning. That effort inspires me to take the next leap,” he adds.
Almost everyone has had the experience of holding a mike, facing an audience and being completely at a loss for words. The speech they prepared so assiduously the previous night has deserted them completely. Many of them are scared to go back on stage after an experience like this, but that is the only remedy. One has to go back to the stage again and again. And the club offers a chance to its members to make those mistakes, correct themselves and go back to it again, without feeling embarrassed. With its well-defined protocols and scheduled speeches (prepared and spontaneous topics), it maintains a professional yet friendly environment for speakers to learn the art of public speaking.
All great leaders of the world have been great orators. Being able to communicate effectively to a mixed audience gives you a sense of power and confidence. The vision of Toastmasters’ is to work towards that kind of confidence which can make you a leader.
