What does it take to get up in front of a group of strangers and give a speech?
For some this is the most natural thing in the world. For others, it is a concept that should never ever be thought of.
Ever since I can remember, I have enjoyed getting up on a stage, putting myself out there, and performing for others. From the time I was presenting in front of my family at 3-years-old in Maine to my time in the Boy Scouts doing countless campfire skits, to being front and center at Carnegie Hall, I can’t say that I crave being in the spotlight, but, it might be easier for me to say that I enjoy capturing a group’s attention and manipulating the environment.
The year was 2016 and I had just walked off the stage after giving my first TEDx talk. I had successfully given the biggest speech of my life and for some miraculous reason, came in exactly at the 18-minute mark. My adrenaline was pumping and I was extremely proud of what I had accomplished.
It was at that moment that someone came up to me and told me that I should join a Toastmasters group.
Toastmasters …. What is that?
Toastmasters International is the largest professional organization for those wishing to improve their public speaking. However for me in North Jersey at the time, there were no local chapters, so, I put the concept behind me and didn’t think about it for several years.
After moving to my current location and once the Pandemic died down, I did some research to find that there was a local Toastmasters group who met twice a month not too far away from the house. I went to my first meeting and that’s when the bug hit me.
How does a Toastmasters Meeting Work?
Toastmasters meetings are open to anyone interested in learning how to become a more confident public speaker. No matter if you are searching for a job and looking to get better at interviewing or if you are a seasoned professional in need of help speaking to those you are asked to lead, Toastmasters is the place for you to be.
Every Toastmasters meeting is broken down into 3 parts.
- Prepared Speeches
- Table Topics
- Evaluations
At the top of each meeting, 1-3 club members present a prepared speech, one that they have been working on before the meeting. These speeches, usually 5-7 minutes in length are designed around predetermined “Pathways” and intended to help a speaker learn how to improve certain aspects of public speaking.
In the second section of the meeting, the room is open up for what most people consider their favorite part of the meeting, Table Topics. During the Table Topics part of the meeting, speakers have the opportunity of come up to the front of the room and improving a 2-3 minute answer to a question provided by the nights “Table-Topics Master.” This is a great way for speakers to get up and speak off the cuff to practice being able to respond to random questions in interviews or in pressure situations.
The third section of the meeting is often the most important. Each of the speakers who presents a prepared speech is assigned an evaluator. This persons job is to address the speaker and the group and share what went well and what could be improved. This is, to me, the most crucial part of the meeting because everyone has the opportunity to learn from each others strengths and weaknesses.
How to Compete in Public Speaking Competitions
This year, I entered the Toastmasters International Public Speaking Competition in January by competing at the local club level. Next came the Area Competition and the Division competitions. With each higher-level round, the competition was tougher and the pressure to perform was more intense.
I was not only competing this year in the International Speech Competition, which is where you prepare a 5–7-minute speech on a topic of your choice, I was also competing and winning the Toastmasters Evaluation Competition. Competing in and winning two different speaking contests in the same day was extremely thrilling.
Finally, in May 2024 I competed at the Division level.
Evaluation Competition
In the Evaluation Contest, I placed First. This means that I won the competition for all of Connecticut, Eastern New York, and Western Massachusetts. This was the highest that the competition went and walking away with the first-place trophy was an amazing accomplishment. To win this competition, a professional speaker first gave a 5–7-minute prepared speech. Contestants then had 5 minutes to write down everything they could remember about the speech and formulate their evaluation. Then one-by-one, contestants reentered the room and gave a 2–3-minute evaluation.
International Competition
Competing in the International Competition was fun. I had the opportunity to meet several outstanding speakers in each round. At the Division Competition, I was thrilled to walk away with a Third Place trophy and the knowledge that all of those years of standing in front of a camp fire were actually worth something because they gave me the confidence to stand up in front of a few hundred people and pour my heart out in front of a room of strangers and judges.
What can you Learn from Toastmasters?
If you do a simple online search to learn how to successfully compete in a Toastmasters competition, you will find millions upon millions of results. Where all these results may or may not be true, there is one thing that you can walk away from that search experience… the advice has nothing to do with you. It has nothing to do with your situation. It has nothing to help you prepare for the next time you need to turn on the gas and impress a crowd, no matter whether big or small.
Instead of sharing my advice on what YOU can do to prepare for your next public speaking event, I would like to share 5 simple things that I learned from my experiences this year competing in the Toastmasters International Speech Competition.
- It is just a competition … do not sweat it!
- When you speak about something you love, you can to say anything you want.
- There is no such thing as being prepared.
- Always look the audience in the eye and speak the truth.
- No matter what … it will soon be over.
1) It is just a competition … Do not sweat it!
Let us be honest. The word “competition” is scarry. It makes people get nervous and puts a ton of unwanted pressure on you. I approached this competition the same way that I approached each of my guest conducting opportunities. Before the competition started, I made sure to introduce myself to as many people as possible. When you are competing, you do not know who the judge is and who is simply there to watch and learn. For this reason, I always did my best to be friendly and upbeat as possible. The truth, the competition is between you and yourself. It is not about others; it is about how you do and what your goals are. If you meet those goals, you are always a winner.
2) When you speak about something you love, you can say anything you want.
I often find myself speaking about one or two specific topics during Toastmasters meetings. I do this so that I can work on specific skills such as the ability to make an audience laugh or become curious about something I’m about to speak about. I love taking my audience members down a hole they were not expecting. Always talk about something you love and are proud of. This way your speaking simply becomes natural communication the same as it would sound if you were not on a stage in front of curious minds.
The first speech that you typically give in Toastmasters is an Ice Breaker Speech. Here are some tips for giving your first prepared speech.
3) There is no such thing as being prepared.
No matter if you are preparing a speech or speaking off the cuff during Table Topics, there is no rule in Toastmasters that says you must speak about a given topic. This gives an advantage to the speaker. My advice is to speak on something that you know, love, and can improve on. By speaking about a topic you are an expert in, it gives you the opportunity to focus on other aspects of public speaking such as body language, eye contact, or stage presence.
For this reason, there is no reason to feel or not feel “prepared” for your speech. Every opportunity to stand in front of a group is an opportunity to figure out how to improve on something that you feel is a weakness.
4) Always look the audience in the eye and speak the truth.
You often hear advice such as, “Pretend they are all sitting in their underwear.” This advice comes with one small catch … with very few exceptions, everyone that attends a Toastmasters event actually is sitting in their underwear. Therefor there is no reason to be nervous. When you get up to speak, take a deep breath, look everyone in the eye, smile, and share yourself with the world. Everyone in the room is looking for you to do well and get better. Everyone is on your team.
5) No matter what … it will soon be over.
The goal for anyone attending a Toastmasters meeting should be to observe, learn, and improve. Due to the open nature of the Table Topics format, anyone is allowed to stand up and have the opportunity to speak for a few minutes. Sadly, every week, I have watched potential club members come to meetings, sit still, and be petrified of standing up to talk for a few minutes.
The reality is this … It’s only a few minutes. My advice is simple … It is only a few minutes. Take a deep breath, stand up, and put yourself out there. No matter what your topic is or how fast you talk, the experience will be over soon. If you have the courage to attend a meeting, you should give yourself the opportunity to get up and present at a meeting.
Start Preparing Your Next Public Speech Today
No matter if you choose to attend a local Toastmasters meeting or if you are asked to stand in front of a room full of peers to give a toast at a wedding, public speaking is difficult. It’s a muscle that needs to be massaged regularly. For some, it’s easy to flip a switch and turn it on, for most people, it’s something that takes time to warm up to.
In one of my first Toastmasters pathway speeches, I shared with my club some of the things that I do to prepare for my speeches.
Are You Looking to Improve Your Public Speaking?
If you are interested in improving your public speaking but not sure where to start, I’d love the opportunity to meet you and work with you. For the last 10 years, I have had the opportunity to work with countless teachers, coaches, and professionals on their ability to stand up in a group and share themselves with others.
If you would like more information, please fill out my contact form today: (Click Here to Contact Me)
Do You Need a Speaker for your Next Event?
If you are looking for a dynamic public speaker, workshop presenter, or keynote speaker for your next corporate event or conference, please consider working with me this year. For more information, please use my contact form. (Click Here to Contact Me)
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