With a mission to empower individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders, why wouldn’t Bennett Thrasher implement a Toastmaster’s chapter? Kicking off in early August, Bennett Thrasher’s club is in full swing with 23 active members.
Between the different roles, including several evaluators, a timer, someone to tally ah’s, uhm’s, and any other filler word you may be unaware you’re using and a grammarian, there’s a chance for everyone to get involved in every meeting and speak in front of the group. Toastmaster’s is helping our associates to improve critical thinking skills, gain confidence and further develop communication skills which will, in turn, benefit client relationships and associates’ ability to network.
Perhaps the most exciting part of the club is the Table Topics module, where several associates come to the front of the room to answer an impromptu question and must speak to each question within 1-2 minutes. One of our ideas is to bring a bag containing various random objects such as a paper clip, staple remover, water bottle, etc. and have associates sell that item to the group in less than two minutes. As a professional services firm, it’s important to be able to think on your feet and the Table Topics help associates practice this skill.
With many exciting program components, Bennett Thrasher’s chapter of Toastmaster’s most certainly will continue to grow. For any questions on the Toastmaster’s program at BT, please contact our Careers department by calling 770.396.2200.