Public speaking is an art.

Public speaking is an art. It dates back to the ancient periods in the world history and one may have come across the book, Rhetorics by Aristotle. This art which has a long tradition of practice will definitely help anyone who is desirous of being a public speaker. If you can master this art, I am sure you will have many advantages. In the modern business driven world economy, communication skills are vital and many firms, organizations and companies look for people with good communication skills.

Public speaking is very much essential for those who want to be ahead of others in any field. Toastmasters International http://www.toastmasters.org/ is one the very few organizations that help people become better speakers and leaders. Programmes of Toastmasters International are truly professional and many people have benefited from those programmes and at present, many people join clubs increasingly. If you want to tap your untapped human potential, join a public speaking class. Toastmasters International is the best public speaking and leadership club that helps you sharpen your skills.

One issue that should be addressed while being a toastmaster is that members should be fairly grounded in speaking comprehensible English. Members' English should be fairly intelligible to many so that they can be effective speakers. No one is perfect in speaking English but if you are good at English, you are likely to be welcomed by many.

Public speaking is painless, joyful and rewarding. Many toastmasters have moved onto making public speaking their career while many have been employed as motivational speakers. In Sri Lanka, where English is spoken as a second language (L2), many people wish to be competent in English. At a club, there is a grammarian, timer, general evaluator etc. who will give you a comprehensive report on your performance in each and every session.

By joining a club, you will enjoy different club environments, different platforms, various people from all walks of life and the best thing is Toastmasters International clubs are joyful and enjoyable learning experiences.

Some members join more than one club, they get dual membership or I have seen that many members have joined more than five clubs. This shows how joyful club sessions can be. Those who join clubs tend to network well, make new friends and develop themselves into better human beings.

In my case, public speaking is something that makes me overjoyed after delivering a prepared speech or an impromptu speech. I enjoy making speeches, playing club roles and best of all helping one another is what matters most if you join a club.

Toastmasters International is a world recognized organization which has around 13,500 clubs and a membership base of around 2.6 million. The code of ethics of Toastmasters International is uniform and rules and regulations are stipulated clearly so that clubs can function without policy issues. International contests are held biennially and international conferences and the World Championship in Public speaking are some key and prominent events on the Toastmasters International calendar.

Sri Lanka is proud to have 85 Toastmasters International clubs with a steady membership base of around 2500 dedicated and devoted members who have vehemently been benefited by Toastmasters International. The sessions are usually educational, feedback is given in the form of evaluations and a friendly club environment is usually maintained. No one is hostile to members, members are welcome and caste, creed ,religion or political affiliation is totally immaterial to join a club.

Susil Manchanayaka, Consultant in English
Diploma in English
B. A. in English
Post Graduate Diploma in Education
Diploma in Journalism
Certificate in Training and Human Resources Development