Tag: speeches

15 Years and Counting…

Featured by communicatingcreatively, posted in Public Speaking

As of the 1 March this year, I have been a member of Toastmasters International for 15 years.

In some ways, it seems a long time, in other ways not. In that time I have:

  • Been a member of 4 clubs, and am currently a member of Gledswood Toastmasters
  • Achieved the level of Distinguished Toastmaster
  • Won two Club and two Area International Speech Contests
  • Prepared, written, rehearsed and delivered well over 100 speeches
  • Competed in numerous contests
  • Served as President of 2 clubs
  • Served on a number of Executive committees
  • Built a new Toastmasters Club jointly with Rhys Tague, DTM
  • Served as a Club Coach of Gledswood Toastmasters jointly with Rhys Tague, DTM
  • Served as an Area Director

How has that all benefitted me? Let’s have a look at me prior to joining Toastmasters…

When I joined Toastmasters in 2008, I was 45 years of age. I am a born Introvert who used to get so nervous around people even into my 20’s that my hands would shake if I lifted a drink to my mouth during a conversation. True.

I used to talk around people I knew but if a stranger joined the conversation, I would clam up. True.

Prior to joining Toastmasters, my only instances of getting up in front of people related to Photography. I have been a photographic judge since 1995 and used to judge at 10-12 clubs a year from 1995 through to the early 2010. Even though I was incredibly nervous, my passion for photography, and wanting to help people, had me speaking in front of an audience, evaluating their images.

There were times when I was offered a glass of water etc whilst I was up judging that I declined because people would see the glass shaking due to nerves, so I would politely decline it, even if I was thirsty… True.

A couple of times, I was physically ill prior to judging and often would not eat dinner before I was judging sometimes as I was worried I might be ill. Also true.

Making 2-3 comments on an image is very different to getting up in front of people and delivering a rehearsed or impromptu speech.

The night before I did my Ice-Breaker speech at Campbelltown Toastmasters, I could not sleep, or eat on the day of the speech. Wendy White, DTM, President of the Club at the time and friend, reminded me that ‘Toastmasters is a mutually supportive environment’ and every member knows how you feel as they have been through it.

Some of my nerves did go and I delivered the speech and funnily enough, I didn’t burst into flames!

Joining and committing to the Toastmasters programme has helped me in the following ways:

  • Gained greater general confidence
  • Am able to control my nerves prior to and during speeches and photographic judging
  • Can do things in front of others without getting nervous
  • Can walk up to strangers and introduce myself
  • Has improved my networking skills
  • Has improved my business capabilities
  • I have no fear of public speaking now
  • I have no fear of taking up leadership roles
  • It has made me a better leader
  • It has made me a better listener
  • I can now evaluate better
  • My ability to ‘think on my feet’ (impromptu speaking) has improved
  • It improved my performance at job interviews (when I was an employee)
  • Has enabled me to write and deliver coherent speeches
  • Enabled me to compete and win speech contests (who would have ever thought?)
  • Has improved my general writing capabilities
  • Gave me the confidence to start writing Poems (over 500 now)
  • Opened up opportunities outside of Toastmasters for public speaking including, VIEW, Probus, Photographic clubs, a business conference and Emceeing 3 family weddings
  • Has enabled me to have a positive impact on people within and outside Toastmasters
  • Has helped me improve my speaking/leadership at my BNI (Business Network International) Referral chapter

Why do I stay?

I stay because of the following 4 reasons:

  • Continuing professional development: I can always improve
  • Paying it forward: I can help mentor those who are earlier on their journey
  • Relationships: I have made a lot of good friends in Toastmasters
  • Entertainment: We always have fun at our meetings

I would absolutely recommend joining Toastmasters International, even if you are only looking to improve your general confidence. In doing that, it will open the door to improving you and your performance in a number of ways.

Like everything worthwhile in life it requires discipline, commitment, being open to learning, being prepared to step outside your Comfort Zone and into your Growth Zone, and you can do this whilst having fun!

Here’s to your Toastmasters Journey!

Written by David Johnson

8 April 2023

For more information on Toastmasters International: http://www.toastmasters.org/

Public Speaking In Your Pocket!

by communicatingcreatively, posted in Books, Public Speaking
Back in 1986 I joined Campbelltown Camera Club (now known as Macarthur Photographic Society). After 4 years there I was asked if wanted to present a talk on ‘Close-Up & Still-Life’ Photography.
Apart from a basic Presentation Skills course, I had never done any Public Speaking courses. Over time, I did some other Camera Club presentations and the ‘passion for Photography got me through.’ 😃
In 1995, I took on the challenge of becoming a Photography Judge and visited Camera Clubs, evaluating images and judging at Exhibitions up to National level etc.
I didn’t like being up in front up people but again, the passion for photography saw me through.
As time went by I started to source out material that would help me be a better speaker in public.
Long before I joined Toastmasters International (in 2008), I started purchasing public speaking/communication books and now have a collection of nearly 100 books relating to communication.
One of the early books I purchased is a very handy little book that is packed with tips and it’s small enough to fit in a coat pocket. I often still take it with me, and when I am waiting in a queue or waiting for an appointment, I will flip through it and ingest another brilliant piece of advice.
Contents include:img_7486
  • Your Voice
  • How Your Voice Works
  • Being Heard
  • Variety in speech
  • Clarity in speech
  • Microphone technique
  • Voice Care & Development

112 pages of public speaking Gold!

Over time, I will highlight some of the other Communication books that I find valuable and still refer to from time-to-time.
Written by David Johnson
7 February 2017

Two More Lessons Learned or ‘How I Managed To Get Through Speech Project #4 Alive!?’

by communicatingcreatively, posted in Public Speaking, Stories From Life

Over the course of my time as a member of Toastmasters International, I have learnt many, many things to help me communicate better in my speeches, presentations, evaluations and endeavour to become a better leader. I still have a lot learn as well.

On joining Toastmasters you receive two Manuals, the Competent Communicator manual (10 speeches) and the Competent Leader manual (10 Leadership Projects).

One of the earlier prominent lessons I learnt was in my fourth speech of the ‘Competent Communicator’ Manual. Speech Project #4 was “How To Say It?”

I recall writing a speech called ‘Art, An Anaesthetic To The Problems Of The World.’ Hmmm, yes, it still strikes me as a dry title and speech for that matter!

It was two pages long, in 10 point font and I recall vividly that I memorised the whole speech and forty times I was able to ‘recall it by wrote…’

Come the Toastmasters Club meeting, I was very nervous.

All went well, for the first four lines…then came the fifth line and ‘I was nowhere…’ You guessed it, due to nerves I had forgotten what the fifth line was. Silence, awkward silence followed…

I had notes with me but nerves, being what they are took control and I endeavoured to just read the notes but that was not working and I felt awkward again. Then a thought occurred to me…’you know the speech, just tell them’ and I did.

I was able to finish the speech, not with the words I had written, but words that ‘just came out…’

Two lessons were learnt in this speech project.

  1. Never try to memorise the full speech. Know your Beginning & Ending well and know what you want to say in the middle without memorising it. (This was the kind advice from a DTM {Distinguished Toastmaster}, the highest level achievable in Toastmasters International).
  2. We write differently to the way we speak.

The above lessons have served me well, as in speeches since I have written the speech out but because I know what I want to say, I deliver it without having to go ‘word-for-word’ and this has worked well for me.

In my next article on Public Speaking, I’ll be talking about how ‘My Imaginary Umbilical Cord Was Cut…’

Written by David Johnson
23 August 2015