Careers Blog
My personal development journey through Vanguard Toastmasters
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As a bilingual professional living and working in the US for almost twenty years, it has been an enriching experience to adopt English as a second language and practice public speaking; however, I rarely thought about how heavily I depended on filler words to help me connect phrases. About three months after joining Vanguard, I was asked to participate with my peers on a Town Hall presentation for our department. I was anxious and a bit petrified. One of my leaders mentioned she had noticed my use of “ums” and “uhs” throughout the presentation and shared best practices for improvement. I knew this is something I would continue to focus on both inside and outside of work.
Later, I met a colleague through a networking event at Vanguard, and in his company profile, I noticed he was the President of Toastmasters International and involved with our organization’s local chapter, Vanguard Toastmasters –Voicing Great Ideas. He invited me to come to a Toastmasters meeting as a guest. I immediately connected with their mission of improving public speaking skills, while building leadership and organization skills. Once I signed up to be a member, I started participating in activities such as “Table Topics,” in which you have 1 to 2 minutes to respond to questions selected at random, and taking on roles such as “Ah counter,” where I had to count the number of times members use filler words. Through this experience, I became more self-aware, and developed confidence and poise over time. The warm and friendly environment our club offers was key to making me feel comfortable and encouraged me to improve my skills. I also signed up for the “Pathways” program, which allows members to leverage other competencies, such as project management, leadership development, and online meeting management, just to name a few.
When the pandemic hit, we were afraid of the impact it would have on our club. Thankfully, we have been able to pivot to an “all online” format, where we’ve adapted our style to meet the new norm of presenting virtually, ultimately enhancing our skills further.
I have been a member of Vanguard Toastmasters – Voicing Great Ideas for a few years now, taking on several roles. This experience has helped me advance my career. From interview preparation, to presentation mastery, Toastmasters has trained me to become a better communicator and has allowed me to meet wonderful colleagues. I look forward to our weekly meetings and to seeing all the friendly faces that have supported me over the years.
– Monica D.
