Toastmasters International -

Click play to hear an exclusive podcast interview with 2021-2022 International President Margaret Page, DTM, and the hosts of The Toastmasters Podcast.

Holding our organization’s highest office wasn’t on my radar when I joined Toastmasters in late 2003. Back then, I could barely bring myself to attend a meeting because I was terrified of speaking in front of other people. My first goal was simply to show up.

What happened? What changed and brought me to this point?

I found the strength and support I so desperately needed when I joined Toastmasters. The people who came before me paved the way for my growth and my success.

Whether you are a new or longtime member, the club is where you begin your path.

Clubs are the foundation of our success, and they are a safe space for new Toastmasters to comfortably stretch into the uncomfortable. The club is the starting point for real change on a personal and professional level.

What can your club do this year to grow and spread the Toastmasters vision? Perhaps you want to aim for President’s Distinguished status. Maybe you’d like to attract more members. It might be time to reset your club’s vision to make it more dynamic and attractive—not just for those who are curious about our organization, but for members who would like to take their skills and leadership to the next level.

Clubs are the foundation of our success, and they should be a safe space for new Toastmasters to comfortably stretch into the uncomfortable.

There has never been a better time to be a Toastmaster. So often, we’re led to believe that our age of exploration is over—there are few, if any, unseen areas on Earth, the moon has multiple flags planted on its dusty soil, and the space beyond Earth’s orbit will soon be a playground for billionaires.

But we still have endless ways to explore our connections with fellow humans and limitless worlds within ourselves. As Toastmasters, we are in the midst of a great expansion of our thinking and practices, and it’s thrilling.

Imagine if the first Toastmasters could experience our world now! Yet even through wars, economic crises, social and political upheaval, and technological revolution, those first members would recognize our core values and club model.

So dream big. Explore every “what-if?” Search for like-minded thinkers and doers. Do it and know that each one of us is a guardian of the member experience. We cannot go wrong if we hold true to our organization’s purpose and framework. Let’s step forward into the future while holding tight to our standards.

For the new members you’ll attract over the next year, it’s the beginning of a new world of possibilities. I can’t wait to see what all of you do next.