A significant milestone in global leadership has been reached with the election of Aletta Rochat, a dynamic South African woman, as the first African president of Toastmasters International.

This organisation has dedicated itself to building confidence and honing public speaking and leadership skills since its inception in 1924 in Englewood, Colorado, USA.

Toastmasters is a global network of over 265,000 members across nearly 150 countries, dedicated to developing in-person and online communication skills.

In South Africa, the non-profit organisation has over 160 active clubs across major cities, including Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, and Bloemfontein.

Many South Africans have proudly represented the country on the international Toastmasters stage.

These clubs welcome people from all walks of life and provide a supportive environment to develop skills that benefit workplaces, families, and communities.

The 65-year-old from Cape Town, who began her journey with the organisation in 2008, said this is a significant accomplishment not only for herself but also for the entire continent of Africa.

“I often think that Africa is underestimated and overlooked by those outside the continent. I know the immense talent, commitment, hard work, and genius that exists here.

“It’s incredibly exciting to bring this to the global stage because when one person achieves it, others can see that it’s possible, opening doors for those who follow.”

Africa is Toastmasters’ fastest-growing region, despite economic challenges, she said.

“There’s a unique mindset that we believe we can do it, and we do consistently. I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved in Africa, and my becoming international president just helps us to really realise that, yes, we can do it all the way to the top.”

Rochat said she is excited to showcase Africa to the world.

She collaborates closely with African Toastmasters leadership, offering presentations and videos to motivate and encourage members in the four African districts.

Rochat mentioned that she could connect those who have helped her with the global team to share innovative ideas.

“Often, because we are growing, our ideas are quite innovative. When we share best practices from Southern Africa, East Africa, or West Africa, then other people across the world will say, Well, it’s worked for them. Let us try it.”

Being a woman elected into the position is also quite “historical”, said Rochat.

The organisation has just marked 101 years in existence, and Rochat is the 10th woman who have led the organisation.

“What makes it even more significant is that this is the first time ever that we’ve had three women in a row become international president,” she said, adding that the current executive committee has three women and one man.

“It just shows that there are no barriers. We’ve just got to follow our passions, work hard, take the next step, and see where that takes us.”

Grabbing every opportunity, Rochat rose up the ranks from being in charge of the Southern African district, regional advisor for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, joined the board to the executive committee.

She said the Toastmasters community is “incredibly positive” and that joining the organisation is the most enriching thing she has done.

“I just love the work. You don’t get a salary. We are all volunteers. It feeds my soul just to help people learn how to communicate and be more successful at what they do through the way they communicate, and that’s reward enough.”

Rochat highlighted that effective communication is key to success in various scenarios, such as excelling in interviews, securing new clients, impressing superiors, and acquiring necessary resources.

She said that while much of their professional training focuses on technical skills, the art of communication is often overlooked.

“In Toastmasters, you are guaranteed an audience and applause. It’s a learning laboratory. You can come and take risks in a supportive environment. Everybody is there to help you succeed, and then you take those skills into the real world.”

Unlike the real world, she said, where performance is paramount, consequences exist.

At Toastmasters, every presentation is followed by immediate, constructive feedback from the audience. Someone is assigned to highlight strengths and suggest improvements, providing invaluable insights on the spot.

Rochat said the Toastmasters has an open-door policy; if anyone needs help, the organisation will do whatever it can to assist them.

“We really believe that the whole world needs us.”

She said at her club in Cape Town, people from diverse backgrounds share stories, fostering understanding and building bridges between cultures.

Toastmasters teaches active and analytical listening, she added.

“This community-based experience emphasises people-focused leadership, recognising that effective leaders prioritise developing their team members to accomplish tasks. Ultimately, investing in people management leads to better leadership.”

She recalled how the Covid pandemic led to Toastmasters evolving from a purely in-person organisation to one that, for a time, was entirely online, and now we’ve got in-person, online, and hybrid.

Rochat highlighted artificial intelligence as a significant aspect of communication in the current digital era, emphasising its positive potential when utilised appropriately.

“Technology is an amazing tool to make things more efficient, to automate things, to save us time. So I think it’s inevitable.”

Rochat guaranteed that a six-month commitment to Toastmasters would be a decision no one would ever regret.

The time and effort invested, she asserted, would prove worthwhile with lifelong benefits.

“I encourage people to give it a try. It’s probably the most cost-effective way of improving not only your communication skills, but it also becomes a catalyst for opportunity. People will be more successful as a result of becoming more confident communicators, and that’s the gift I’d love to give everybody.”

Rochat advised that the quickest way to get involved is to go to the website toastmasters.org and find the closest club.

“You can find a club anywhere in the world through that feature, and I encourage people to go and see it in action,” she said, adding that the organisation also helps people establish clubs in areas with no presence.

karen.singh@inl.co.za

Source link