Each speech does not have to be perfect. You can mess up your next speech too. Your speaking path is an arc of fumbles that leads to self-confidence. When it comes to practicing public speaking in front of your Toastmasters club, feeling the feeling of feeling awkward is your goal. Flip the script on your … Read more
In a Toastmasters speech contest, you can disqualify yourself by going under-or-over-time! Toastmasters’ International (inspirational/motivational) speech contest allows you to speak for 5-7 minutes – with 30 seconds of leeway. IE: you’re technically good from 4-minutes-and-30-seconds to 7-minutes-and-30-seconds. But if you end your speech at 4:29 or 7:31, you’re disqualified. I’ve seen it happen to my … Read more
One of my competitors at the 2017 Toastmasters Division-level International Speech Contest froze for an excruciating 45 seconds in front of everybody. Then they tried to regain their place, managed a few single-word restarts, but continued to sputter for another 15 seconds. What Would You Do If You Froze On Stage? Here’s what world-renown speaking … Read more
“I don’t want to waste everybody’s time.” This was Joy’s answer when I asked her what was going through her mind when she stopped speaking after only 30 seconds – when she had a full 60 seconds available to her. “I couldn’t think of anything else to say,” she said. “I felt my face go … Read more
While standing in front of the Be Yourself On Stage workshop audience, Jennifer told me she felt very awkward with her arms in a neutral position – casually down by her sides. Then I turned to the audience and asked, “How does she look?” Everyone in the audience said, “She looks normal.” What’s awkward for you comes across … Read more
Correction. Good eye contact makes your audience think you’re a badass! Whether you’re speaking to your board of directors, investors, customers, employees, or competing at a Toastmasters International Speech Contest, good eye contact makes you look confident! As Chris Anderson, TED Talks Conference curator, observes in his article How To Give A Killer Presentation in Harvard Business … Read more
Why is embracing panic so important? Because… Appearing calm under pressure is a sign of leadership. Not knowing how to respond to panic can prevent you from starting in the first place. Fear of public speaking. Fear of failure. Fear of getting punched in the face. Fear of starting your own business. Fear of looking stupid … Read more
James Jeffley made it all the way to THE BIG STAGE during the Toastmasters World Championship of Public Speaking contests in 2015 and 2014. James made it to the final top-10 winners out of 30,000 competitors, worldwide. TWICE! His District 39 Keynote includes his 3 overarching tips for developing your speech: What’s your takeaway MESSAGE? What’s your … Read more