When I joined Toastmasters in July, I expected it to be a powerful tool to polish my public speaking, executive presence, and leadership skills. Six months into my Toastmasters journey, I now realize it's so much more than that. Beyond learning how to deliver information effectively, Toastmasters emphasizes something just as important: becoming an active listener and learning how to give and receive meaningful feedback. The exercises push you to think critically about yourself. You begin to notice your speech patterns, diction, what works, and what doesn't. Over time, you start to apply different strategies with the goal of improving. Above all, it is this exercise in metacognition, the act of thinking about how you think and communicate, that drives real self-improvement.
One of the most impressive aspects of Toastmasters International is its massive global network and the number of high-quality professional development opportunities available to members. A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending one of those opportunities, a workshop hosted by my district, District 45. The theme of the workshop was Resilient Leadership: Leading Through Transition.
After opening remarks, Matt Kinsey, the 2022–2023 Toastmasters International President, delivered a keynote titled Lies That Leaders Believe In his talk, Matt challenged several commonly held beliefs about leadership. While many of his points resonated, two stood out in particular: the ideas that leaders answer questions and that leaders get things done. Instead, Matt argued that effective leaders facilitate shared problem solving by asking the right questions and truly listening. This message resonated with me. While I regularly ask questions and engage my team in brainstorming, my default tendency is to solve problems directly because I enjoy doing so. His remarks were a helpful reminder that leadership often requires stepping back, allowing others to think through challenges, and recognizing that shared problem-solving is a powerful driver of team development. His point that leaders get things done through others also struck home. Ultimately, it is the rapport and trust built within a team that enables meaningful progress and consistent delivery.
Following the keynote, I attended a breakout session titled Bend, Don’t Break: The Art of Resilient Leadership, led by Crystal Cobb. Crystal defined resilient leadership as the ability to adapt in the face of adversity, challenge, or uncertainty. She described three core pillars of resilient leaders: adaptability, optimism, and self-awareness. She closed by asking participants to reflect on which pillar represented their strength and which one they wanted to further develop. While I regularly practice self-reflection, I left the session with a renewed commitment to deepening my ability to self-assess and take self-inventory while in the midst of challenging situations.
Next, I attended Melissa Miller’s session, Leading Through Change. Melissa emphasized that leading others through significant transitions requires not only resilience but also a modeling of adaptability and optimism. These qualities form the foundation of a supportive team culture. I particularly appreciated her analogy of adaptability as yoga for the brain. As someone who has practiced yin yoga, this comparison resonated strongly with me. In yin yoga, the focus is on finding your edge or stretching to a point of discomfort without causing harm. It requires self-awareness and careful attention to feedback from your body. Leading through change operates in much the same way. Effective leaders induce changes that challenge systems and encourage growth without unintentionally causing damage. Doing this effectively requires staying attuned to data, recognizing and evaluating the feedback loops, and understanding what they reveal about the health of the system.
After a short break for remarks and club recognition, I attended Joe Grondin’s presentation titled Why. Joe Grondin is a Toastmasters Accredited Speaker and a two-time World Champion of Public Speaking finalist. He shared his journey of joining Toastmasters with the goal of becoming an international inspirational speaker. He spoke candidly about the challenges he faced, the setbacks along the way, and the importance of persistence and consistency. Most impactful was his emphasis on the role mentors and inspirational leaders played throughout his journey.
The day concluded with a panel discussion on Leadership Through Transition, moderated by Rahki Shastri and featuring panelists former Toastmasters International President Richard Peck, Carly Cox, and Distinguished Toastmaster Angela Chute. The panel offered thoughtful insights into identifying team strengths and how leaders can leverage those strengths while addressing gaps.
Overall, the workshop was excellent. I walked away with several new ideas and perspectives that I have continued to reflect on, both as a leader and as a Toastmasters member.