The pros and cons of Toastmasters

If you’ve read any of my columns, you know I’m an advocate of Toastmasters International and the several amazing clubs we have locally here in Kelowna.

But Toastmasters isn’t for everyone. I’ve brought friends with me to my local club and for one reason or another, they’ve decided not to continue attending meetings.

This month’s column is a transparent piece highlighting the five best — and five worst — things about Toastmasters, in my opinion.

The best (in reverse order)

5 – Leadership and development opportunities

Many people think Toastmasters is solely about improving your public speaking skills, but there are many other benefits that come with getting involved with a local club. Each club has an executive team made up of roles such as, president, treasurer, vice-president of education, etc. By taking on these roles, you get exceptional leadership experience.

4 – Affordable cost

While each Toastmasters club’s dues vary, generally speaking, Toastmasters is a fairly affordable program, accessible for many people. To put it into perspective, what it might cost to get two or three private one-hour speaking lessons could get you six-months of access to my local Toastmasters club (Kelowna AM Toastmasters). Factors such as Toastmasters International dues, venue rental cost and additional items (if offered) such as coffee can impact the total membership cost.

3 – Reduction of speaking anxiety

The main reason I joined Toastmasters was to reduce the anxiety I experienced prior to public speaking. After three months of attending meetings on a regular basis, I noticed the anxiety had reduced drastically. When you make public speaking a weekly habit, it gets quite a bit less scary.

2 – Constructive feedback

One of the best parts of Toastmasters is you get real-time feedback because every single role is evaluated. This means other members will help you by informing you what you’re doing well, but also what areas you could improve upon.

1 – The constant practice

Some people think of Toastmasters as a course you take once, or something you can graduate from. In my opinion, Toastmasters is more like a gym membership—you need to continue going on a regular basis to keep your skills strong. The times I’ve stopped attending meetings for a couple months, I noticed my speaking abilities get rusty. Toastmasters keeps your communication sharp and impactful.

The worst (also in reverse order)

5 – The repetitiveness

Toastmasters meeting agendas don’t typically change from week to week, which is helpful for new members to get familiar with the structure, but can sometimes be repetitive for those who have been part of Toastmasters for a considerable amount of time.

4 – It’s not free

While my fourth best thing about Toastmasters was the affordable cost, I’ve also included fees on the negative side because the program is not free and some people may not be able to afford it at all. With that said, Toastmasters clubs allow guests to attend three meetings for free to get a taste of the program with no financial obligation.

3 – Inconsistent feedback

I love the real-time feedback Toastmasters provides, but sometimes the advice given by one member is contradictory to what another member might suggest. This occurs because each member is at a different point on his/her speaking journey, which is great, but guests and new members should understand feedback is simply the opinion of other members. It’s also important to not let constructive criticism weigh you down.

2 – Limitations/formalities

Since the early days of COVID, many Toastmasters clubs have transitioned to hybrid meetings, which cater to both in-person and virtual audiences. I love this inclusivity, but one of the — likely unintended — side-effects is it somewhat limits the stage and creativity for in-person speakers. Some of my favourite professional keynote speakers constantly move around the stage or even walk out amongst the audience while they deliver their message. In order for the Zoom audience to see and hear your in-person speech, you don’t have this same freedom to walk around the room at most Toastmasters clubs.

1 – You can get too comfortable

Longtime Toastmasters may find it difficult to challenge themselves to advance through the Toastmasters education platform or take on new roles. Personally, I’ve often been guilty of simply showing up to meetings and filling in the gaps of roles that haven’t been picked. I don’t think that approach has helped strengthen my speaking skills as much as possible. It’s important to remember why you joined Toastmasters in the first place, and then to regularly set goals and keep yourself accountable to ensure you achieve those goals.

While Toastmasters isn’t a perfect program, in my opinion, the benefits far outweigh the negatives. I’ve been a member of Toastmasters for the past 10 years and I fully intend on being a Toastmaster for the next decade as well.

If you’re thinking about joining Toastmasters to improve your public speaking skills, our Kelowna AM Toastmasters Club is always looking for new members.

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This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.