There is a misconception among non-native English speakers that their schooling in the vernacular language makes them less suitable for corporate jobs. Many youngsters from Tamil Nadu, the region I come from, express this sentiment. I see it in Facebook posts and movie themes. It is claimed that even though they may be smart and intelligent, they feel less confident and out of place in India’s predominantly English-speaking corporate culture, especially in Information technology.
Pete Carey says:
“I joined Toastmasters to get a grip on public speaking, which, while I did a bit here and there, even before very large audiences, was almost always nerve-racking. I always enjoyed talking to groups – during and after, but not before! I didn’t realize it at the time, but it was my reluctance to speak before an audience that was the cause of my nervousness, for with repetition comes ease.
Toastmasters has given me a place to keep up my game, and – a dividend most non-members are probably unaware of – it has given me a little “leadership” experience – running meetings, chairing contests and so on. But there’s more!
The goal of Toastmasters is to make us better speakers. By working through a curriculum
and receiving evaluations by other members, I’ve learned to break some bad habits and have acquired a few skills that make for better presentations.”
John McGowan, CEO, Mathematical Software, who has been a Toastmaster since the 1990s, says:
“I joined Toastmasters in 1997 shortly after starting a new job at NASA Ames Research Center. I was looking for a way to meet more people at Ames outside my immediate work group. Ames had a printed newsletter which had a list of meetings of various groups. Ames has a program to sponsor extracurricular activities such as Toastmasters. I found Jetstream Toastmasters which dates back to the 1950s and started attending.
John Hain/Pixabay
Many leaders, including technology visionaries, often use soundbites to make a point. Unfortunately, many of them could be misleading, if you don’t get past the soundbite.
Stephanie Charles who has been a member of Early Risers since 2000 says:
“I joined Toastmasters in 2000 because I was a docent at Henry Coe State Park and wanted to improve my presentations to the public. I checked out three convenient Toastmasters clubs and settled on Early Risers Toastmasters because the members were very diverse and very welcoming. I’ve been a member ever since.
Shantha Mohan 