By J.D. O’Gara

“If there’s any time to have a horrible speech, it’s in a safe environment, says Chris Soares.

The HR technology professional joined Toastmasters International’s “Voice of Franklin” chapter about five months ago, to sharpen his speaking skills at work. The local group holds hybrid meetings the first and third Tuesday of the month at Franklin TV, and it provides a supportive space for members to hone their public speaking and leadership skills. Toastmasters International has been providing that environment since 1924. The international nonprofit educational group boasts 14,700 clubs in 144 countries and about 280,000 members. 

“I’ve probably been involved in (Voice of Franklin) for about four years,” says Bruce Atlas, who prefers Voice of Franklin’s relaxed atmosphere to some corporate Toastmasters groups he’s tried. “I like hearing other people speak. It’s entertaining, a mix of personalities and jobs, and I like the mentorship of helping other people grow and expand their speaking skills,” says Atlas. 

The group’s location is another bonus.

“The Franklin TV station has a beautiful setup for Zoom,” says Atlas. “It’s called an Owl camera that can scan the whole room and (display) multiple pictures and a microphone, and it has a huge TV.”

Juman Hijab, retired physician, joined the group about three years ago, hoping to better convey her knowledge of how protein in cells work to a broader audience.

“I’d been a member many years ago, so I knew the value of Toastmasters,” says Hijab. “The main reason I joined was to improve my confidence in public speaking, standing in front of a small or large crowd. What I really gained, in addition to the public speaking, is confidence. I learned to trust myself more and feel good about the things I can contribute.”

Confidence was what Leigh McStay hoped to improve when she sought Toastmasters just over a year ago, after losing her job. “My confidence hit the dirt, and someone mentioned Toastmasters years ago, because I’m horrible at public speaking – terrified,” says McStay, who participates remotely. “It’s helped a lot so far. I don’t know how I’d be in front of a live room, but I’m gaining confidence through the back door by doing it through Zoom,” says Leigh, who has since begun her own Reiki business.

Vincent Klinga, a civil engineer and current president of the Voice of Franklin chapter, has been a regular member for just under a year. “I was doing a YouTube channel at the time about mental health and some LGBT topics, and I’d wanted to do a better job with that,” says Vincent, who also serves on his company’s diversity action council. “In that part of my job, I have to speak more than my job as a civil engineer,” says Klinga. “I want to do that effectively.” 

Meetings adhere to an efficient agenda, where participants are encouraged to take turns trying out various roles, including Toastmaster, who runs the meeting. Before attendees begin their speeches, which number 2-4 per meeting at 5-7 minutes in length, a member tells a Joke of the Day, followed by a Word of the Day (which participants are encouraged to try to use that night the course of informal 2-minute speeches, or Table Topics). Someone always acts as a General Evaluator for the meeting, and there are evaluators for each speech. The Grammarian tracks the number of filler words, or “ahs” and “ums,” per speech, while the Timer keeps check on presentation time.

Hijab points out that the process is more fun when there are more people to fill the roles, but currently, members often take more than one role per meeting.

“Feedback is designed using the sandwich method – what you did well, what you could improve upon, and reinforcing what you did well again. The idea is to reinforce what someone did well, and in room for improvement, you give (speakers) one or two ideas they can improve. The idea is not to overwhelm. It’s like climbing a ladder. Improve those, and then in the next step, add more, such as volume, or pauses,” says Atlas.

A $20 initial fee and subsequent dues of $50 every six months allow members access to Toastmasters International’s online learning management system, Pathways, which offers 11 specialized learning paths with more than 300 unique competencies. Topics include communication style, giving and receiving feedback, body language, and icebreakers.

“It helps you to get some focus,” says Vincent.

“I go to my path, see what I have to do, and go through a series of steps,” says Juman. Although the program needs updating, she says, “the material is very good.”

The Voice of Franklin chapter also provides mentorship.

“We make sure anyone that’s new is given the opportunity to have someone more experienced help them select a Pathway, help answer questions and help them get ready for their icebreaker speech,” says Vincent. 

Mentors also make gains in leadership development.

“As a member of Toastmasters, you can go up the ranks in the officer training,” says Juman. “One of the things that really increased my confidence is becoming president of the club.”

Overall, Voice of Franklin members feel good about the experience.

“The feedback is usually awesome. No one walks away thinking this is a waste of time,” says Atlas. 

“The change from guest to member is very high, because the meetings are so enjoyable, and our goal is to get more guests to come,” says Hijab, “You learn very quickly that it’s ok to fail. Everyone is there to help everyone else.”

If you’d like to be a guest at the next Voice of Franklin, stop by a meeting on the first or third Tuesday of the month, at 7:30 p.m. at Franklin TV, 23 Hutchinson St., Franklin. All are encouraged to arrive by 7:15. For Zoom access, reach out via the 

“Contact Us” link at https://voiceoffranklin.toastmastersclubs.org/.