Will Toastmasters Help with Social Anxiety?
Toastmasters is a fascinating club.
It is often viewed as a public speaking club.
However, I like to view it as a social skills club that happens to teach public speaking.
‘Why do you view it like that for?
I view it like that for 2 reasons:
- This makes it easier for someone with speech anxiety to enter their first meeting.
- Something about a public speaking club creates a daunting perception while a social skills club is much more inviting.
- It allows the club attendee to socialize with the other members.
I will be breaking down these 2 points throughout the blog.
The golden question is:
- Will Toastmasters help with social anxiety?
From my experience?
Yes.
Also, I served as the recruitment chair and the external vice president of my club.
These positions required me to deal with new members who had social and speech anxiety.
‘Did their social anxiety reduce from participating in Toastmasters??’
Yes.
Allow us to unpack why.
Viewing Toastmasters as a Social Skills Club
One of the first times I went to a Toastmasters meeting, I was in awe.
Mainly because I like processes.
I saw how similar Toastmasters was to the fast-food industry.
‘They give food??’
I wish!
I mean in terms of repeatability and predictability.
When I go to Mcdonald’s, I know the Big Mac from Florida will taste very similar to the Big Mac from California.
That’s because there are certain fundamental principles that Mcdonald’s operates with.
Similar to Toastmasters.
When you go to a meeting, there will be other members there.
Plus, there are certain ways the meetings are organized.
There are entrepreneurs, doctors, engineers and so much more attending the meetings.
- Make it the intention to socialize first.
- Then learn public speaking along the way.
This mindset makes it easier to get your foot in the door.
Why Social Anxiety Happens
A large reason social anxiety happens is due to thinking in blobs.
‘Blobs? What do you mean?’
Think about the last time you were very nervous before an event.
Why were you nervous?
‘I felt like people were going to be judging me.’
Who was going to be judging you?
‘People.’
What kind of people?
‘I don’t know…just people.’
Aha!
“People” is a very general phrase.
And that general blob is what builds uncertainty.
That uncertainty is what plants doubt and social anxiety.
Social anxiety is not only born through blobs, but also from an oxymoron.
This is when a person assigns themselves low social value while simultaneously assigning themselves high social value.
- Low social value – ‘Oh no, everyone is going to be judging me!’
- High social value – ‘I must be a stud because everyone is going to be watching me.’
‘Okay… what does tackling speech anxiety have to do with tackling social anxiety?’
A few things.
Will Toastmasters Help with Social Anxiety?
One simple philosophy I have with public speaking is:
If you can talk to 50 people with ease, 5 people become light work.
The number of members in a Toastmasters club will vary.
Smaller clubs may be in single digits.
While the larger clubs can go up to 50+ people.
The point is not about how many people are there.
The point is speaking to multiple people with conviction.
I view conviction as ON or OFF.
No middle ground
Sort of like a light switch.
A light switch is either ON or OFF.
The middle ground territory is good as useless.
With public speaking, the speaker is speaking in ON mode.
‘Why?’
Because they have no choice!
They are given a block of time where they have ONE goal:
- Speak.
This teaches the speaker to speak with conviction despite multiple eyes looking at them.
This gives the speaker the opportunity to:
- Practice looking at 1 person at a time.
- Display comfortable body language.
- Dress like a winner.
- Take timely pauses.
All skills that translate over to the social skills world.
After getting off stage (even if you bombed your speech) I guarantee you’ll have this poise in group conversations and solo interactions.
Networking With the Club Members
I’ve moved to a few different states in my life.
And whenever I’m on the move, I look up local Toastmasters clubs.
Since Toastmasters is a global brand, I’m sure I can stumble upon a club when traveling nationally or internationally.
Before, when I viewed Toastmasters as only a public speaking club, I would just go, sit silently, and wait to give a talk.
Once the meeting ended, I would leave.
Nowadays, since I view it as a social skills club, my first intent is to strike up a conversation with at least one person.
When I’m entering a new club for the first time, often, other members come up to me.
And I speak with enthusiasm because my intent was to be social.
Once I meet some members, I feel much more inclined to participate.
It no longer feels like I’m participating with a bunch of strangers.
Rather, I’m participating with a bunch of friends who have a shared vision in mind:
A lot of great connections and social bonds will be formed at a Toastmasters meeting.
So, if you are feeling lonely at this stage of your life, find a club near you and shake some hands.
Tackling Speech and Social Anxiety
‘Are you some kind of affiliate for Toastmasters, Armani?’
Nope, I don’t get a penny from the club.
Although that should change. Toastmasters, hook me up with a check!!!
All joking aside, I recommend the club because it has changed my life forever.
There would be no ArmaniTalks without Toastmasters.
The club helped turn a shy kid into someone who has given plenty of speeches and helped others overcome shyness/speech anxiety.
Will Toastmaster help with your social anxiety?
There’s only one way to find out…
If you would like to learn more about public speaking, then be sure to check out my book:
This book covers:
- How to turn speech anxiety into speech excitement.
- How to use public speaking to improve social skills.
- Practical strategies to design a speech fast.
- Plus, a bonus section on joining Toastmasters.
Sound good?
If so, then grab a copy here!
– ArmaniTalks 
