Communication has proven to be the key to success, a cliché statement you would say. However, you will agree that knowing what to say, when, and to whom, is definitely going to make you a successful person in your life. How to put up your promotion case, how to console your better half, how to overcome the generation gap to make your parents understand and how to communicate with your children, siblings, friends, and colleagues, are few of the cases we face on a daily basis. Often we wonder which words to choose, how will those words impact, how to begin a tough conversation or how to get our message across in the most effective way. What if we tell you that there is a platform, where you can learn this key skill at a nominal cost?
You can do so from the comfort of your home in these pandemic days as the platform was one of the firsts to go virtual. Toastmasters is a convenient and fun platform, that provides you a friendly and supportive environment to work on your communication and leadership skills – a must in today’s world.
Meet Ahmed Sajjad Zaidi, founder of iinix Solutions. Before starting his Toastmasters journey, Zaidi had never imagined that he could ever overcome his social anxiety and gain enough confidence to speak fluently in public. “Not only did it provide me with a conducive environment to conquer my fears, Toastmasters gave me the confidence to follow my dreams, and it enhanced my leadership qualities that are helping me in all aspects of life.” He is now the Public Relations Manager of Toastmasters Pakistan District, which comprises 30 different chapters of Toastmasters including quite a few corporate clubs, like Teradata, EY Ford Rhodes, Century Paper, EMumba and many others.
Toastmasters is a club open to everyone who is looking for a platform – onstage or online – to learn and practice their communication and leadership skills. Members get the opportunity to learn speaking professionally, inspiring others, giving feedback, leading others, managing projects, as well as negotiation skills, conflict resolution, team building, creative thinking. Toastmasters will teach you, nurture you and let you practice and hone those skills in a safe and supportive environment.
The clubs in the northern region of Pakistan, comprising Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Peshawar were headed by the Area Director, Malik M Omair, a chartered accountant by profession, until June 30, 2020. Omair now serves as Club Growth Director for the Pakistan Toastmasters community. Reiterating Zaidi’s sentiments, Omair said, “What many people do not know or understand is that it is a voluntary position. At Toastmasters, we learn by doing and it is one of the best investments that I have made in myself. It has helped me in both my personal and professional growth by becoming a better communicator, leader, and being a better person.”
The format of regular Toastmasters meetings has remained unchanged in the online world of COVID-19: Impromptu speeches segment, prepared speeches/presentations segment, and evaluation segment. Feel free to reach out to Toastmasters via their Facebook page or website to know more about it.
Here is how Wardah Mudassir, HR Manager at Emumba, shared her Toastmasters experience: “It is a leadership platform that has a huge impact on polishing communication and public speaking skills of our people. As club president, I am excited by the opportunities for personal growth and skill development that I am achieving being member of Toastmasters.”
A combination of proper curriculum, mentorship program, contests and fun activities, Toastmasters transforms your life into a better one.
Toastmasters in Pakistan is headed by the dynamic and inspiring trio of Distinguished Toastmaster Zunair Zafar, DTM Talha Bin Hamid, and DTM Malik Muhammad Omair, who are building on the solid foundation laid by DTM Sameer Hamid Dodhy, DTM Zaid Kalia, and DTM Talha Bin Hamid. For more details, visit our website