After six years of hard work, Nicole Creamer received one of the highest awards in the Toastmasters’ Leadership Program – Advanced Leader Silver.
“I am very excited,” said Creamer, consumer sales director at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska (BCBSNE). “This has taken many years for me to complete. Being so close to achieving the top level as a Distinguished Toastmaster is what I have been working toward.”
Toastmasters is a nonprofit organization that teaches leadership and public speaking skills through an international network of clubs. To earn Advanced Leader Silver Recognition, Creamer had to participate in Toastmaster’s High Performance Leadership program, a self-paced training that helps participants improve their leadership skills, and serve as a district area director.
“The Toastmasters Pathway is progressive with multiple levels,” said Creamer. “Currently, I have achieved five of the seven levels in the legacy path.”
She’s not stopping with her latest accomplishment.
“I am in the process of finishing up my Advanced Communicator Silver, which will lead me to the last level of Advanced Communicator Gold,” said Creamer. “Once I have completed that, I will have earned the Distinguished Toastmaster title. I am only seven speeches away.”
As she advanced through Toastmasters programing, she noticed improvements.
“I was fearful of public speaking. I had butterflies, and my voice cracked when I had to speak in front of groups,” she said. “Slowly, over time, my confidence developed, and I learned how to capture those butterflies and use that energy in a positive way to speak confidently in front of groups.”
In addition to her many years of work with BCBSNE’s Toastmasters club, the Blue Ah-Busters, she has also won third place in Table Topics at a speech contest and served in multiple officer roles
Creamer recommends Toastmasters to anyone who wants to hone their public speaking skills, even if they have prior experience.
“Toastmasters is a safe environment to help individuals conquer their fear of public speaking and develop their leadership skills,” said Creamer. “Even if you are an accomplished speaker, Toastmasters offers an environment that allows you to experiment in various communication platforms and methods, honing your ability to speak and speak well.”
Creamer has been able to use Toastmasters to explore different ways to communicate with teams and groups as well as using her experience to help alleviate stress and build confidence before meetings.
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