Reader questions and feedback on public speaking issues. Also refer to speeches, presentation, writing, preparation, fear, anxiety, nervousness, stuttering, Toastmasters, evaluation, Ron Kurtus, School for Champions. Copyright © Restrictions
Answers to Readers' Questions on Public Speaking:
Toastmasters
The following 6 comments and questions have been sent in. They are listed according to date.
List of first 10 items
- Want details of programme
- Diagnosed as bipolar but wants to be a speaker
- Wants to have fun in meetings
- Wants to speak with more command
- Case of person stopping in middle of speech
- Career opportunities
Want details of programme
Question
June 10, 2008
hi,
can your send across the details of the programme. i wanted to enroll.
Thanks.
Alka - India
16072
Answer
Toastmasters is a very good programme. Go to the website: http://www.toastmasters.org/websiteApps/default.asp?Country=India and enter a nearby city. It will give details on where you can go to meetings. You can visit to meet the people and see how well it fits your needs.
Best wishes on finding a club that will help you achieve your speaking goals.
Diagnosed as bipolar but wants to be a speaker
Question
February 12, 2008
hi,I'm a caucasion male interested in public speaking skills. I will turn 49 on 03-29-08. I first realize my interest in speaking when I was diagnosed with Bi-Polar back in June of 2007.P rior to this, I spent many days drinking and druging dating back to my days as a teenager [16 yrs. old].
Despite living my life mostly in isolation prior to being diagnosed, I've manage 20 yrs+ with the same employer and a marriage lasting 4 months longer than that. I would like to dedicate the rest of my life acquiring skills that pass me by in my youth and apply them to advocating and public speaking on mental illness and alcohol/drug addiction.
I no longer live with the guilt and rejection that defined me as a person.I believe with all my heart that I can use my experiences to reshape a life once depressing into one that is fulfilling and rewarding. By accomplishing this, I envision a rainbow at the end of this journey that being getting out in the community and helping those haunted by their demons overcome and help themselves so they can live with peace and stability that will inspire them to being the best they can be as I'm now wanting to be.
Frank - USA
15332
Answer
I is good that you hope to help others improve through telling about your experiences and recovery. Toastmasters is a good way to get started in public speaking. You can learn good speaking skills and get some positive feedback. Also you can develop your speech that you want to give to the young people.
You can find a Toastmasters club in your area from http://www.toastmasters.org/websiteApps/
Once you have a 20 minute speech developed, you can contact schools in your area to volunteer to speak to the students. Also, try to give speeches to local Kiwanis and Lions clubs. Many in those organizations can give you contacts.
Best wishes in your speaking career and in helping the youth.
Wants to have fun in meetings
Question
May 22, 2006
Hi Ron,
Thank You for your email.
I have a history of my meetings having an element of FUN in them..... great for the meeting involvement; but upper management seem to think that I am not representing the company to its best when I have fun. That is I will not be taken seriously when out of the meeting????
I already feel very organised and prepared. By nature I am fun loving and communicate (I believe) very well on all levels with my staff and correct and redirect problems and solutions to the best outcome possible.
Should I be more serious in my delivery?
Thank you for any further advice that you may have.
Bonnye - Australia
11193
Answer
Having fun or being humorous in a business meeting can make them more enjoyable, but it also can be risky. You may not be taken serious or information presented may not seem as important as it should.
If you are presenting a training session, fun activities are often used to get across a message. Sometimes you might explain that you are trying to make the session more fun to help the learning process.
But if you are presenting information on the progress of a project, about a product-line or about the company, humor or fun may not be appropriate. Customers or managers may not be interested in fun at the time. Plus, your fun may not be their fun. In such a situation, the presentation should be smooth and professional.
As a speaker, you need to be able to adapt to the situation. Remember that the audience is what is important, so you must aim to fulfill their needs.
Katie Couric on the American "Today" TV program is a good example to follow. She is bubbly and full of fun during most of the show. But when it comes to reading the news--especially serious events--her persona completely changes and she acts in an appropriate manner for a news commentator.
You probably will need to adapt to keep your bosses happy, but yet you still can have fun presentations in other situations.
I hope those ideas help.
Wants to speak with more command
Question
May 21, 2006
In my current job I am constantly speaking with and to groups. A comment was made that I needed to speak more with 'command'. I asked for direction and Toastmasters was recommended to me.
Please tell me how you would improve my speaking to involve more speaking with command?
Regards,
Bonnye - Australia
11149
Answer
When you are speaking to groups, you are in charge of managing the event. You may be facilitating or guiding people during a session. As with any good manager, you need to seem confident and assertive--but not pushy or dictatorial.
The biggest thing is to be well-prepared and know what you are doing. Then act like you know what you are doing. Stammering, looking unprepared, or seeming to forget things gives the impression of not speaking with command.
Also note that if you have a weak or soft voice, it is good to use a microphone to give your voice more command.
Toastmasters meetings provide positive feedback in various speaking skills. It is worth checking into if you want to improve your speaking.
See:
http://www.toastmasters.org/find/default.asp?Country=Australia to find a club in your area.
Case of person stopping in middle of speech
Question
September 14, 2004
Hi there, my name is Officer Cadet Cliff Magon and i'm currently an officer cadet in the NZ Army and am studying Business at Massey Uni in NZ. I am doing a case study assignment and the person im writing about suffers from communication apprehension anxiety. In this fictional case study, he participated in a Toast Masters course but when it was his time to make a presentation to the group he stopped half way through it and couldnt continue.
This person is being considered for a manager postion in his company but his only down fall is his ability to communicate. could you please offer some solutions for this person. what could he do to try and improve his communication skills even though he failed to complete the toast masters course?
Cliff - New Zealand
4267
Answer
In Toastmasters, a person can work on improvement at his or her own rate. A single failure is not unusual, and the person can try again without receiving criticism. Typically in TM, the person starts by giving a short report from his seat, just to build up a little confidence. Then he will progress to more difficult tasks--again at his own rate.
One advice I give to beginning speakers who may suddenly freeze up and go blank in the middle of the talk is to simply say, "That concludes my talk." People in the audience may not think it was a very good speech, but do they really know how long it was supposed to be?
Learning the tricks of the trade and praticing speaking in a non-threatending environment like TM is worthwhile for a future manager to build up his skills and confidence. It is better to make mistakes in TM than in a business presentation.
Career opportunities
Question
October 23, 2003
I would like information on career opportunities with Toastmaster's Intl. I reside in the Los Angeles, CA. area.
Thank you!
Chaundra -
959
Answer
The international headquarters are located in Orange County, CA. Check:
http://www.toastmasters.org/contact.asp for information how to contact them.
Best wishes in your career.
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