Mitra Innovation leverages Toastmasters to drive employee success

Mitra Innovation is a fast-growing UK-based technology solutions provider specialising in digital transformation, cloud enablement, and software development, with a powerful engineering branch in Sri Lanka. It is the first UK based company to be named a WSO2 Premier Certified Partner, with many successful projects under its belt globally—and it positions its ‘employee development’ at the top of its strategic and succession plans.

When it comes to developing high-potential employees, companies need to have a foundation for an enjoyable culture, with programs and resources that help develop communication and leadership skills. For Mitra Innovation, Toastmasters is a key partner in achieving this. 

Mitra’s Toastmasters Club consists of well-known heavyweights like Dananjaya Hettiarachchi – World Champion of Public Speaking 2014, and the first South Asian to win such a title, who is the CPO at Mitra, Arfath Saleem – a Finalist in 2015 and a Senior HR Executive and Trainer at Mitra and Harshan Senadhira – Area Director at Toastmasters and a Senior Project Manager at Mitra. 

Maleen Abewardana – Vice President at Mitra Toastmasters and a Senior Software Engineer at Mitra – and Kavinda Akmeemana – President of Mitra Toastmasters and the General Manager at Mitra – have led this club through many notable milestones since its inception last year. So, it’s evident that its management team can coach and build teams that work well together; making employees feel good about their future and that of the company.

“Public speaking is the #1 career-long skill you need,” says D.J Rana, Marketing, Mitra Innovation. “It’s not to say that you need to be skilled like a TED Talks presenter. The takeaway is that there’s no one correct way to give a speech. It’s about trying to do well; and remembering that your audience (whether its five people or 5,000) is there to learn, not to see a flawless performance; and You being able to communicate and collaborate efficiently as a team, and work together towards a common goal. That is the purpose and what ultimately defines your success.”  

“Our culture is about empowering people through growth and learning opportunities. The happier and more professionally fulfilled our employees are, the more productive and successful our company is,” says Mitra Innovation Founding CEO Ashok Suppiah. “Progressive minded employees have expectations of advancement when they start at a new company, and it’s important to develop a culture that enables them to grow in their profession.”  Many global companies disregard placing such a high relevance for technology professionals. However, success ultimately lies in the hands of management teams who understand the benefit of nurturing employees who show high potential, and who are strategic about creating opportunities for them to develop and sharpen their communication and leadership skills.