I’ve been a Toastmaster longer than I’ve been almost anything. My club was the place I grew up, made life-long connections, and learned way more than the communication training I signed up for. And even though I was terrified to go Every. Single. Week. It was a safe, happy space, and it felt good (especially on the way home when it was done :)).
I’m so grateful I am able to speak. But I mostly use my communication training to let people know that autistic people don’t need communication training (see the Double Empathy Problem). Because you know what? I wish I didn’t spend so much energy learning something because I thought I was broken. I pressured myself into learning to speak because I believed I was less-than if I couldn’t. I believed the school reports, the performance reviews, the off-hand comments, “You should speak up more” “Jolene is bright but needs to participate in discussions” “Jolene needs to contribute verbally” “You’re too quiet.” I believed I needed to be able to speak to make a difference. I wish someone had told me: Take on challenges because they make you feel good or strong. Study subjects you are passionate about. Because it is fun. Not to be worthy, productive, or loved.
There are actually very few “have tos” in life. Choosing to upskill, grow, learn, or change because you want to is THE BEST! Knowing that you can take on challenges and that there are tools and people to support you is soooo good, but it’s also your call. And if you want to? Try new things, stretch your comfort zone, learn public speaking. And know that you can always change your mind.
“Even though we love to scare ourselves,” says autistic Toastmaster Lauren Stull, “fear of the unknown is one of the most natural fears.” Lauren, a member of Spectrum Speakers Gavel Club in Irvine, California, is improving her speaking skills along with her confidence, “The world is just easier to engage in when things make sense.”
That certainly includes many Toastmasters. For example, Thomas Iland, DTM, is autistic, as well as a TEDx speaker, and a Toastmasters International Accredited Speaker. But in 2014, Thomas was at a crossroads, deciding whether or not to leave his accounting career and become a full-time consultant. Joining Toastmasters not only made his career decision easy, but also became key to his personal growth. “I really enjoy the structure of meetings and the community created by the Toastmasters experience. I’ve found it to be a very enlightening and uplifting place to get me through the thick and thin times in my life, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic,” he says.
As a Past President and Sponsor of the Neurodiverse Leadership Toastmasters Club, Jenny Liu, DTM, RP, is proud to be co-creating a more neuroinclusive environment with members, ranging from caregivers to managers, in America to Australia.
“With a more holistic perspective form neurodivergent and neurotypical professionals, we’re using human-centered design and parliamentary procedure to adapt the Toastmasters program for empowering members to find their voice and grow as more effective leaders, who enable the neurominority to be heard using “different, but equally valid, social languages.” By advocating for awareness, acceptance, and appreciation, we celebrate what more we can achieve collectively when we complement each other’s challenges and talents.”
• Neurodiverse Toastmasters Club –meet and learn with other neurodivergents. Visit online (no pressure) and see what you think!
I’m excited to be supporting a California State University research study into the impact of a Toastmasters program on autistic youth. Funded by The Organization for Autism Research, the researchers are working with neurodivergent members (and even entire clubs with a neurodivergent focus) in the two-year study. Their project, called Amplifying Autistic Voices, was inspired by my TEDx talk. It’s expected to boost existing anecdotal evidence with science-based empirical evidence, showcasing the benefits of a Toastmasters environment for neurodivergent brains.
• My Toastmasters journey: https://www.toastmasters.org/Find-a-Club/28675344-neurodiverse-leadership-toastmasters
• Neurodivergent communication: https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2023/may/my-autistic-identity
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