Eight Things I Wish I Knew Before Joining Toastmasters
After a full decade as a Toastmaster, I've picked up countless lessons about public speaking, leadership, and personal growth. But many of those lessons came slowly — sometimes painfully so. If I could travel back to my very first meeting and whisper some advice to my nervous, uncertain self, these are the eight things I'd say.
1. It's Okay to Be Nervous — In Fact, It's a Good Sign
Let me be honest: to this day, I get nervous before every single presentation. And after speaking with presenters of all levels — from complete beginners to touring keynote speakers — I've learned that this experience is almost universal. Only a very small percentage of people feel no nerves at all, and interestingly, they're not necessarily the best speakers because of it.
Nerves are simply your body's way of getting you ready to perform. They signal that you care, that you want to do a great job. While Toastmasters will absolutely reduce your anxiety over time, the butterflies never fully disappear. And once you learn to see that as empowering rather than debilitating, everything changes.
2. Prepare Content Before Every Meeting
This trick took me a few years to figure out, and I wish someone had told me on day one. Most Toastmasters clubs share a meeting theme in advance. What I eventually started doing was thinking about that theme beforehand — brainstorming a story or message that relates to it — and arriving at the meeting with something already in mind.
This simple habit pays off in two powerful ways:
- Table Topics mastery: There's a high chance you'll be asked a question related to the meeting theme. If you've already thought of a relevant story, you can weave it into your response and come across like a Table Topics pro — answering a seemingly random question with ease and confidence.
- Stepping into open roles: If someone doesn't show up, you can volunteer for roles like giving the toast, the humourist spot, or the inspirational message because you've already done some thinking about the theme. Prepared members become indispensable members.
3. Sign Up for Every Role as Soon as Possible
When I first joined, I was reluctant to sign up for meeting roles. I almost felt like I'd be taking opportunities away from more experienced members, or that I wasn't qualified enough. This is a common feeling — and it's completely misguided. Toastmasters clubs want new members to jump in right away.
The quicker you cycle through every different role, the faster you'll grow and the less fear you'll carry around the roles you've been procrastinating on. For me, it was the Toastmaster of the Meeting role. I waited far too long to take it on, and to this day it remains one of the more challenging roles for me. I genuinely believe that if I'd jumped into the deep end earlier, I'd feel far more confident with it now.
My advice: Give yourself the goal of signing up for every different meeting role within your first few months.
4. Lean on Your Mentor — Don't Wait for Them to Come to You
I was assigned a mentor when I joined, but a few weeks later that member stopped attending meetings entirely. I was left to figure things out on my own. Thankfully, our club had plenty of knowledgeable, generous members who helped fill the gap — but it would have been so much easier to have a single point person guiding me through those early days.
If you're a new member, here's what I'd recommend:
- If you haven't been assigned a mentor, ask your Club President or VP of Education right away.
- Once you have a mentor, take the initiative. Don't sit back and wait for them to reach out.
- Go for coffee, schedule a Zoom call — whatever works. Be honest about your goals and specific about how you'd like them to help you.
- Share your objectives and hold yourself accountable through that relationship.
A strong mentor relationship will fast-track your comfort and growth within Toastmasters. But it starts with you reaching out.
5. All Feedback Is Valuable — Including Yours
Perhaps it was a touch of ego, but early on I'd get defensive whenever someone offered constructive criticism — or "gifts," as we call them in Toastmasters. I'd think, "Why is this person telling me I need to improve? I thought I did that really well." That defensiveness did absolutely nothing for my growth.
It took me a couple of years to understand that every member offering feedback genuinely wanted to see me succeed. When I started evaluating newer members myself, I felt that same sincere desire to help them improve. That's the culture of Toastmasters — constructive feedback is an act of caring.
Not every piece of feedback will be perfectly accurate — evaluations are inherently subjective. But approach each one looking for the nuggets you can use to get better.
And here's the flip side: your feedback is valuable, too. New members often hesitate to evaluate more experienced speakers, but a fresh perspective is genuinely useful. You bring a new set of eyes and ears, and that viewpoint matters. Don't be afraid to share it.
6. Toastmasters Makes You a Better Listener
It took me several years to realise this, but Toastmasters improves your listening skills just as much as your speaking skills. Think about the structure of a typical meeting: the first half focuses on various speaking roles, while the second half centres on evaluations. To deliver a thoughtful, meaningful evaluation, you need to listen carefully — practising genuine active listening week after week.
Over time, this compounds. Month after month, year after year, you become a significantly better listener in all areas of life. I wish I'd recognised this benefit from day one — it's one of the programme's most underrated gifts.
7. It's a Leadership Programme, Too
Toastmasters isn't just about standing behind a lectern. It's a powerful vehicle for developing leadership skills. The Pathways programme includes requirements for various leadership activities, and every club is run by an executive council — roles like President, VP of Education, VP of Membership, and Sergeant at Arms.
By stepping into one of these leadership positions, you're not only helping your club thrive — you're building a skill set that translates directly into your career and personal life. The leadership development in Toastmasters is a massive, often overlooked benefit that I wish I'd embraced much sooner.
8. This Is a Long-Term Commitment — And That's a Beautiful Thing
I always have to smile when someone tells me, "Oh yeah, I did Toastmasters 20 years ago. Great programme, but I finished it." To me, that's like saying, "I used to work out at the gym 10 years ago. Did it for about six months. It was great, but I'm done."
We all know that if you stop exercising, your fitness deteriorates. The same is true for public speaking. You might have learned valuable techniques years ago, but if you're not practising regularly — shaking off the rust on a consistent basis — those skills will fade.
I've experienced this firsthand. After going a few months without attending meetings, I come back noticeably rustier — more nervous, shakier voice, weaker body language. It's a powerful reminder that Toastmasters is something to commit to for the long haul, just like physical fitness. Regular attendance is what turns you into a lifelong great communicator.
Take the Leap
A decade in, I fully intend to be a Toastmaster for the foreseeable future. The skills you gain — in speaking, listening, and leadership — are valuable for life, and the community of people you meet along the way makes it all the richer. If you're on the fence about joining, I encourage you to take that leap. Sign up for your local club. It's been one of the best decisions I've ever made, and I have a feeling it could be the same for you.