Citizens Energy Group has launched a Toastmasters club to provide an opportunity for employees to strengthen their public speaking and leadership skills.
The club, named “Talk of the Trust,” is a joint effort of Sara Mamuska-Morris, Director of Market Development, and Korlon Kilpatrick, Interim Director of Internal Audit, who both had positive past experiences with Toastmasters clubs. They worked with Jodi Whitney, Vice President, Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer, to start a pilot club in December 2021.
“We shared stories and thought that the value of a corporate club at Citizens was too good to pass up,” said Mamuska-Morris. “We discussed that verbal communication is a skill needed at every level of the organization and is often overlooked in traditional training programs.”
The pilot was considered a success. With more than 20 active participants, Talk of the Trust was chartered as an official corporate Toastmasters club in February.
Employees throughout the Trust are now invited to be part of the club. The cost of membership is $45 every six months plus a $20 initial membership fee.
Talk of the Trust helps employees take ownership of their development in the area of public speaking. They also gain leadership and project-planning skills and learn how to provide feedback to others. The Toastmasters education program, called Pathways, helps members build competencies needed to communicate and lead.
“Toastmasters is a safe space to practice skills that you may not get a chance to practice anywhere else,” Mamuska-Morris added.
At each weekly meeting, at least one member gives a prepared speech. Other members are designated each week to serve in specific roles, including timekeeping and evaluating usage of unnecessary words like “um” and “uh.” Members also have an opportunity to stretch their skills by serving on the executive committee.
Crit Crabtree, Manager of Facility Operations, joined the club to gain confidence presenting to groups of people, which he said is one of his biggest weaknesses and fears. He is serving as the club’s vice president of public relations.
“I was skeptical at first and did not want to embarrass myself,” he said. “But after the first couple of meetings, I realized how supportive this environment is, and I not only felt relaxed, but it made learning enjoyable. Another benefit of joining this club is that I can accept feedback more easily and learn from constructive criticism.”
Mamuska-Morris noted that Toastmasters participation is a great addition to employees’ performance plans in Citizens Success Academy.
If you’re interested in attending a meeting to learn more about the club and decide if you’d like to join, contact the club’s vice president of membership, Bruce Cooley, Engineer IV, at bcooley@citizensenergygroup.com.
What is a Toastmaster?
The first unofficial Toastmasters meeting was organized in 1905 by Ralph C. Smedley, former director of education for the Young Men’s Christian Association, to help others learn how to speak, conduct meetings, plan programs, and work on committees. Smedley named the organization the Toastmasters Club, as “toastmaster” was a popular term that referred to a person who gave toasts at banquets and other occasions. There are more than 300,000 Toastmasters members around the world. In the U.S., there are 4,500 corporate clubs, including more than 20 in the Indianapolis area.