Wisdom Wednesday - Public Speaking Without Panic: Lessons from Toastmasters

Have you heard of Toastmaster's? It's a worldwide club for people who want to become better at public speaking and leadership. Members meet regularly in a supportive, friendly environment where everyone has a chance to practice giving speeches thinking on their feet, and leading meetings.

Below are some fun facts about Toastmasters gathered from the internet:

Almost 100 Years Young – Toastmasters started in 1924. That means it’s older than TV, sliced bread, and definitely older than your phone battery.

Not About Toast – Despite the name, there’s no champagne, no wedding toasts, and no buttered bread. Just people learning to speak without turning beet red.

Celebrity Toasties – Comedian Tim Allen is a Toastmaster. So technically, every time you laugh at Home Improvement reruns, you’re laughing with us.

Cheap but Chic – Membership costs less than a college textbook, and you’ll actually remember what you learned.

Zoom Boom – Now you can join meetings online. So yes, you can practice world-class public speaking while wearing pajama bottoms.

Visit a Toastmasters club near you and see what it's all about!

Fun Friday –Bloopers on the job

Have ever had anything funny happen to you while at work? It happened to me recently and it wasn’t the first time.

Before I begin the story, allow me to give you a little backstory. I have always encouraged my teen boys to take speech classes and to accept speaking roles. “It’s a good way to become comfortable speaking at gatherings,” I told them.

My words of speaking advice for the boys has been threefold…

·         Speak slowly

·         Speak clearly

·         Project your voice

As I made an attempt to follow my own advice, I fell flat. It happened when I was called upon to say a few words at a luncheon. Here’s my story.

Holiday Luncheon

It was our annual Holiday Luncheon for one of our programs at work. There were over 150 people present. Just before lunch was served, my coordinator asked our public officials to greet the crowd. Each person gave a few remarks, then returned to the back of the room, where I also stood.

I had already circulated throughout the room greeting regular members and welcoming new faces. It was not my plan to speak at the mic. However, as soon as I popped a peppermint in my mouth, my coordinator said, “Angie, would you like to say a few words?”

I quickly crunched my peppermint as I walked around the maze of tables to the front of the room. My comments started out with correct grammar, I projected my voice, and then at some point, my tongue got twisted and did a thing of its own.

When trying to say Merry Christmas, it came out Murray Crit Mas. And when I tried to correct myself, I said it the same way again. I explained to the audience that I really did know how to talk, but my tongue was not cooperating at the moment. I wished them a Happy Holiday as they laughed with me.

I had mastered the art of speaking fluent gibberish.

When I told my son about my fumbled speaking moment, he shared an embarrassing moment on his job.

An escalator ride

Going up the down escalator

photo credit

 

My teen son, Donovan, is working at a department store for the holiday season. He told me about an episode that happened the other day. He was given the task of returning a few clothing items from one department to another. This required taking an escalator ride.

My son stepped onto the down escalator with his arms loaded with several pair of pants. About four steps down, he looked back and realized that he’d dropped a pair of pants at the top of the escalator.

Donovan turned and attempted to run up the moving steps while they were still moving downward. He said he felt like he was on an elliptical machine just moving, but not going anywhere.

A customer noticed Donovan’s signs of struggle, grabbed the pants from the floor and tossed them to him. He caught the pants, chuckled and said, “thanks.”

What bloopers have you experienced recently?

Public Speaking – When big kids cry



You signed me up for WHAT?!

Statistics show that 74% of people suffer from speech anxiety. I think that number increased when I told my son he would have to enter a speech contest.

After school I knocked on my teen sons’ bedroom door and began talking, “Hey, I signed you up for a speech contest.”

“You did WHAT?”

His face contorted, he pouted, and I thought he would throw a tantrum like a two year old. No tears were present, but he looked like he wanted to cry.

I tried to encourage my son by telling him that there are only five people signed up for the competition (so far). I also told him that I (or Granny) would match his winnings. He was still less than excited about the contest.

As we sat in the quiet room at the first contest rehearsal, my son leaned over and whispered to me, “Can you NOT sign me up for anything else without telling me?”

I didn’t agree to anything. I just smiled and waited for the organizers to give instructions.

In an effort to keep the tears at bay, I offered my son two tips for his public speaking engagement.

·         Visualize – picture yourself having a successful outcome, whatever that means to you. It may mean engaging the audience, making them laugh or projecting your voice in a confident manner.

·         Practice – practice what you’re going to say, where you will place emphasis, and how you will move. Practice, practice, practice.

In an article on public speaking, tips were given on how to deal with nervous symptoms that may occur.

·         Trembling hands – put them together

·         Knees knocking – shift your weight and flex your knees

·         Quivering voice – pause, take a deep breath and smile

My son now has an arsenal of information to aide him on the journey of getting through his speech competition. I’ll wait until after the contest to tell him that I threw up the first I had to perform in front of a large audience (at his age).

Have you ever encounter speech anxiety? How did you handle it?