Become an awesome public speaker (while having fun)
You hear your name being introduced over the loudspeaker. The Master of Ceremonies turns, smiles in your direction and extends a welcoming hand.
You walk to the podium like a condemned man headed for the gallows. The stage lights shining hotly into your face as a thousand sets of eyes follow your every move. Your legs quiver as fear rises out of your belly and wraps its fingers around your throat. You fumble with your notes. You desperately want to run, but there’s nowhere to hide. You are sure you are going to fail. You are going to embarrass yourself in front of all these people. And they will never forget what a fool you are.
The very thought of public speaking makes some people nearly soil themselves on the spot. I used to be one of those people. But that was a long time ago. At this point in my life, I’ve spoken publicly hundreds (maybe thousands) of times. I’ve spoken three times in the last two days: I taught the Calvary Tabernacle’s young ministers class yesterday morning, preached the Sunday evening sermon, and spoke again this evening.
Am I any good, you ask? Well, I’m probably not going to make anyone forget Demosthenes (or Ronald Reagan, for those of you who don’t know Greek history), but I can get the job done. I’ve even gotten some praise for my speaking ability.
For me, becoming a confident public speaker has taken practice, more than a few embarrassing slip-ups, and a lot of help from God. But there is an easier way (although I would encourage you to incorporate God in the process).
I’m talking about Toastmasters International.
Toastmasters is an organization dedicated to helping people like you become a confident public speaker and a better leader. I joined the Quincy, Ill., club, Gem City Toastmasters, last June. Nine months later I can say it was one of the best decisions I made in 2009. In that short amount of time, I have learned a lot of speaking tips and tricks and become a more confident speaker.
Toastmasters works on a very simple premise: to become a better public speaker, you need to build your confidence by speaking a lot in front of a supportive audience. That supportive audience is your fellow Toastmasters. During almost every meeting, you will have a chance to speak for at least a couple of minutes. You might be one of the features speakers of the day, an evaluator, the Toastmaster of the Day (the Master of Ceremonies), or perhaps you’ll just give a brief response during what are known as “Table Topics.” (Think of a job interview, only a lot more hilarious.)
Does it work? During one of my first meetings, I heard a young lady give one of her first speeches. She clearly was very nervous, and it was apparent that she was practically reciting her speech from memory.
Flash forward to a month or so ago. The same young lady addressed our group, only this time she hit a home run. She was confident, funny and bold. It was a fantastic speech, and her fellow Toastmasters heaped on the praise.
You say it couldn’t happen for you? Why not give it a try? Look up the nearest Toastmaster club online and attend a meeting. Or, if you live in the Quincy area, join the Gem City Toastmasters at 5:30 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of the month. We meet at Calvary Tabernacle, located at 1125 Hampshire, and we’d love to see you at our next meeting.
Click here for more tips on improving your presentation skills, courtesy of Inc.com, or read the text of my latest Toastmasters speech, The Power of a Positive Attitude. (I owe John Maxwell of debt of gratitude for supplying most of the materials for this speech.) Or, for more information about what Toastmasters can do for you, watch the official Welcome to Toastmasters video.
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