Picture the scene: The lift door opens and standing inside is Jeffrey Hedberg, acting Group Chief Executive Officer. You have been burning to ask him a question or tell him something important, and now’s your chance. As you travel in the lift together, you have exactly 15 seconds to say your say. What will it be?

 “I’d say, ‘Jeffrey, I would like to be a CEO in Telkom - what do I have to do?” says Troy Hector, Executive: Large Business Services and ICT Business Solutions.

 “I would say, ‘Hello Jeffrey, I’m Mari le Roux from Information Technology Services. I loved your roadshow and I’m all for us having one vision,” says Mari.

 “Fortunately I’ve met Jeffrey so I would ask about his family because I know he is very family-orientated,” says Amanda Mc Menamin of Subsidiary Support at Telkom International.

 “I’d say, ‘Hi Mr Hedberg, my name is Paul Tanton and I am Club President of Telephonix, the Telkom Toastmasters Club. As a good speaker yourself, I would be thrilled if we could meet to discuss your possible endorsement of Toastmasters,” says Paul, Senior Manager: Value Added Services in the Product House.

 As you can see, Troy, Mari, Amanda and Paul are seldom at a loss for words. As members of the Telephonix Toastmasters Club, they’re used to thinking and speaking on their feet. What’s more, they’re so accustomed to speaking up in different situations that they’re comfortable talking about anything, to anyone, anywhere.

That’s the beauty of belonging to Toastmasters, an international non-profit organisation that has been helping people to become better speakers and leaders for 86 years. Here at Telkom, Telephonix has been active since 1993 and is one of thousands of fully fledged Toastmasters clubs worldwide. The club celebrates its 17^th anniversary on 14 February 2011.

Learn to speak up in a safe setting

“As employees of a communications company, it’s important for us to be good communicators,” says Paul, the Club President. “Whether you are making a presentation, chairing a meeting or trying to sell a product, you need the skills and self-confidence to get your message across effectively. Through Telephonix, you can develop those skills in a safe, structured learning environment.”

Troy, who joined Telephonix way back in 1996, agrees. “What the world needs most is good communication. Any top leader or executive in Telkom should and must be exposed to a programme like Toastmasters. However, you do not have to be an executive or CEO to benefit – everyone can apply Toastmasters skills and techniques in their everyday jobs and lives. By joining Toastermasters, you can significantly improve your presentation and communication skills, enhance your leadership qualities and improve your personal confidence.”

So convinced is Troy about these benefits that he is busy arranging for his entire sales team to attend the Toastmasters’ Speechcraft course, a crash course for groups.

“Many people are scared of public speaking and worry about making a fool of themselves,” says Amanda, who is Vice President of Public Relations at Telephonix. “That fear is developed in early childhood and as people grow up, the rules of society stop them from speaking. At Telephonix, our aim is to allow the individual to grow in a supportive environment. We will nudge you a little bit but we will never force you to do anything and we will never mock anyone.”

In fact, the only time that the members of Telephonix will laugh is when you want them to, says Mari, who is the Club’s Vice President of Education, responsible for coordinating training activities. “We only laugh when someone makes a humorous speech!”

Members do have another reason to smile: Telkom, keen to encourage its people to be good communicators, accredits the programmes and if agreed upfront, will pay the membership fees of all employees who belong to a Toastmasters club.