In a matter of two weeks, we held our very first competition ‘Euphony’ which is the semi-annual Humorous Speech and Evaluation contest. The competition was a success and it wouldn’t have been if not for the amazing participation from club members and valuable guidance from our Area Director. This competition taught me the importance of time management, helped me polish my networking skills with fellow Toastmasters from various clubs and started my journey towards improving my communication skills.
One of the best aspects of being in Toastmasters is that you are not judged by the person you are. Neither was I judged for my body language nor was I laughed upon when I couldn’t speak in front of a large audience. Unfortunately, not many people believed that Toastmasters could help them like I did. With that in mind, I decided that as my first project, I wanted to persuade my fellow club members that Toastmasters is the ideal platform to develop oneself. As a marketing enthusiast, I learned the art of selling when I was able to convince a batch of 25 Toastmasters that if taken seriously, one could become a confident speaker. We at TYHO, developed a culture of helping each other and that help will always be given at Toastmasters to those who ask for it.
Lead, Motivate, Train, Inspire and Encourage, these five skills are needed for any leader to manage people and I am grateful to Toastmasters for engraving these skills in me. Speaking to club members personally about their personal growth plans and focus areas helped me understand how sessions ought to be conducted. This led me to a solution which was to create a space solely for our members to work on their improvement areas and the entire process was an enriching experience.
As for my personal growth, I acquired qualities such as patience, being considerate and the ability to inspire confidence among people. Not only did I improve my communication and leadership skills by holding various roles but also grew as an individual. To top my journey during the first year of my MBA as a toastmaster, I was judged as the winner of the International Speech contest held by Toastmasters International Club level. It was at that moment I realized how the seeds that were sown at the beginning of the year had bourn fruits towards the end.
Which Aditya Birla company I would like to work for?
As an aspiring marketer looking to hold a leadership role where I can best utilize the skills I’ve acquired as a Toastmaster, I would pounce upon any opportunity that would lead me on the path to becoming a Brand Manager at Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail Limited, a consolidation of the branded apparel businesses of Aditya Birla Group and Madura Fashion & Lifestyle (MF&L). This platform would provide me the opportunity to give to the community at ABFRL everything that I’ve learned and at the same time take invaluable inputs that could further enhance my career and climb the corporate ladder.
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