Our company's Toastmasters Club was dead. Its founder, Amit, had left, and the once-vibrant community was a ghost town. That's when I asked Mustafa, a Test Manager in our telecom team, if he would consider taking over.
The way he rebuilt the community was nothing short of inspiring.
He galvanized a team with conviction. Even while under pressure to deliver product releases, Mustafa found time to nurture members, organize meetings, and keep the spirit alive.
On stage, Mustafa was a different man altogether. The quiet Test Manager transformed into a captivating speaker who could mesmerize an audience. Beyond speeches, he conducted one-to-one mentoring sessions with senior leaders, helping them find their voice.
I have watched his steady growth—from Test Manager to Project Director, to Practice Director, and eventually, to founding his own company. I am certain his stint as President of the Toastmasters club played no small role in shaping this journey.
But Mustafa’s story doesn’t end there. He extended his influence beyond his company. He helped client organizations nurture innovation, served on the Industry 4.0 Expert Committee of the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce and now continues to conduct pro-bono workshops on presentation skills and public speaking.
Dear HR Leaders, people say public speaking is the number one fear in the world—ranking even higher than death, heights, or spiders. Whether or not that’s entirely true, I have seen many senior professionals tremble when asked to speak in public.
Now imagine what the young Mustafas in your organization could do to support them—mentoring, coaching, and turning glossophobia into confidence.
Try it out. This could be your greatest gift to your management team—career advancement, confidence in engaging with the world outside, and a stronger leadership pipeline. And as a bonus, you cultivate young mentors who blossom into leaders themselves.
Would love to hear your story if you are already doing this.
No comments:
Post a Comment