Finding Your Voice (Even When Your Hands Are Shaking) with the Cisco Portugal Toastmasters Club
4 min read
Let’s be honest for a second. Public speaking is terrifying. Research consistently shows people rank it among their biggest fears, sometimes even above things like heights or spiders. And yet we’re all expected to be great at it: nailing a presentation to leadership, speaking up confidently in a room full of people who seem far more sure of themselves, or pitching an idea without your voice shaking.
If any of that sounds familiar, there’s good news. There’s a club at Cisco Portugal built exactly for this, and it’s called the Cisco Portugal Toastmasters Club.
What Is Toastmasters?
Toastmasters International is a global nonprofit that has been around for nearly a century, with one simple mission: help people become better communicators and leaders. Not through lectures or theory heavy workshops, but through practice. Members show up, speak, receive honest and constructive feedback, and gradually, often without realizing it, get better.
What makes it different from a typical training program is that it’s peer led. Members take turns giving speeches, running meetings, timing sessions, responding to impromptu questions, and even taking on official club roles such as President or Secretary. It functions almost like a leadership gym, except instead of building physical strength, members build confidence, one meeting at a time.
Why Do People Join?
People rarely join Toastmasters because they already feel confident speaking in public. They join because:
- They have an important presentation coming up and feel nervous just thinking about it
- They want to speak up more in meetings instead of rehearsing a comment mentally and never saying it out loud
- They are working toward a promotion and know that leadership requires strong communication skills
- They simply want to feel more composed when all eyes are on them
That said, the speeches are only part of the experience. The real value often comes from the community. It’s a group of people who understand exactly what it feels like to be nervous before speaking, and who show up consistently to support one another. Members leave not only as stronger speakers, but with a genuine support system behind them.
The Cisco Portugal Toastmasters Club
This is exactly what the Cisco Portugal Toastmasters Club offers: a space within Cisco where colleagues come together to practice speaking, build leadership skills, and support each other along the way. There is no pressure to be perfect. Whether you are someone who has given plenty of presentations but wants to refine specific skills, or someone who has never spoken in front of a group before, there is a place for you here.
It also offers something a little different from the usual workday. It’s a space focused on personal growth rather than deadlines or deliverables, shared with colleagues who often become genuine friends along the way.
A Milestone Event: Hosting the Corporate TLI
The club recently reached an important milestone by hosting its first event, the Corporate Toastmasters Leadership Institute (TLI), on 1 August 2026.
For those unfamiliar with the term, a TLI is a regional or district level program that combines Club Officer Training (COT) with broader leadership and educational sessions. It is part practical training, part inspiration, and part connection, all within a single day.
The agenda ran from 9 AM to 4 PM and included a strong lineup of sessions:
– Greetings and Introduction to open the day
– “Empowering Corporate Growth: The Power of Hybrid Membership”
– Breakout training sessions covering essential officer roles including President, VPE, Secretary, Sergeant at Arms, VPPR, VPM, Treasurer, and Immediate Past President
– “The Hidden Architecture of Communication”
– “Emotional Triggers, From Reaction to Intentional Leadership”
– “Get More of What You Want in the Corporate World by Learning Influence”
– “Shaping Your Leadership Skills with the LeaderShaper”
– A panel discussion titled “The Corporate World of Toastmasters Today”
– Awards, announcements, and closing remarks
This event mattered for the club and its members for several reasons.
For club officers, the Club Officer Training provided hands on, practical guidance to help them understand and carry out their roles with more clarity and confidence. Running a club effectively requires more than good intentions, and this training gave officers the tools to lead well.
For members, the broader sessions offered insights that extend beyond a typical weekly meeting, covering communication, emotional intelligence, influence, and intentional leadership in ways that are genuinely applicable at work and beyond.
Perhaps most importantly, hosting the Corporate TLI created connection. The event brought together members from other Toastmasters clubs across the area and district, not just from within Cisco. This matters because it shows that the Cisco Portugal club is not growing in isolation. It is part of a wider, supportive network of clubs working toward the same goal: helping people communicate and lead with more confidence. Events like this open the door to shared learning, mentorship from more experienced Toastmasters, and a stronger sense of belonging within the broader community.
Hosting a first event of this scale is a significant achievement, and it reflects the energy and dedication the club has put into its growth so far.
Want to Get Involved?
If any part of this resonates with you, whether it’s the nerves before speaking up, the desire to lead more confidently, or simple curiosity about what a meeting looks like, consider this an invitation. The Cisco Portugal Toastmasters Club welcomes new members and visitors alike.
The easiest way to experience it firsthand is to join as a guest at one of our weekly sessions. We meet every Tuesday from 15:15 until 16:30, both in the office and online. There is no pressure to commit right away. Come see what a meeting feels like, listen to a few speeches, and get a sense of the community before deciding if it is right for you.
Reach out to learn more about upcoming sessions and how to join. You can reach out to Silvia Clemente or Lourenço Pinto da Silva. You might find that your next great speech starts here.
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