Toastmasters International, a renowned global educational organisation, recently held its inaugural Corporate Summit in the Netherlands, hosted by District 59. This landmark event brought together numerous corporate entities to explore the profound benefits of Toastmasters programs in professional settings.
Toastmasters International has over 364,000 members in more than 16,200 clubs across 145 countries. The organisation stands as a bastion for effective communication and leadership development.
Highlights
The Summit highlighted how Toastmasters clubs benefit corporate environments, emphasising improved public speaking, leadership skills, and a competitive edge in the workplace. Participants had the opportunity to experience hands-on learning environments, including prepared and impromptu speeches. The summit also offered a unique platform for networking, allowing attendees to connect and share experiences with peers from various corporate backgrounds.
Prominent companies such as Philips, ASML, Rijkswaterstaat, Kraft Heinz, UPS, Worley, Akkodis, and Waterschap Hollandse Delta participated in this summit. This highlighted the event’s corporate diversity and reach. Ashhish Kumaar, a Global Business Services Leader at Kraft Heinz, shared his insights: “Reframing your thoughts about public speaking can help you overcome your fear. Instead of thinking of it as a performance, think of it as a conversation with your audience during which both will learn from each other and have a new experience.”
Toastmasters’ value is not only limited to club meetings. It offers affordable access to an advanced Learning Management System (LMS), speech contests, and international conventions. Together this focuses on contributing to a holistic learning experience.
The Corporate Summit has set a precedent in the Netherlands, paving the way for more companies to embrace the Toastmasters philosophy for their workforce development.
Find the local Toastmasters clubs here:https://toastmasters.nl/en/
Learn more about Toastmasters: https://www.toastmasters.org/
Written by Chaitali Sengupta
