• Home
  • District Leadership
    • District Leaders
      • Benefits of Leadership
      • Past District Directors
    • District Elections
      • Nomination Form
      • Officer Agreement & Release Form
      • Campaign & Election Policies
      • Candidate Application
  • Find a Club
    • Club Officer Roles
    • Club News
  • Events
    • 2022 Conference
    • TLI Training
      • Be a TLI Session Presenter
    • Speech Contests
      • Humorous Speech Contest
      • Evaluation Contest
      • International Speech Contest
      • Table Topics Contest
      • Tall Tales Contest
    • D58 Event Photos
  • Pathways
    • Pathways Learning Zone
    • Pathways Videos
  • Membership
    • Building Clubs
    • Club Coaching Program
    • Marketing
      • Club Event Checklist and Incentive
      • Marketing, Membership and Public Relations
  • Resources
    • Contact
    • Summer TLI 2021
      • Meet the Presenters
      • 2021 Summer TLI Presentations
    • Virtual Contest Kit
    • Online Meetings
    • District Awards
      • Division Director of the Year Recipients
      • Area Director of the Year Recipients
      • Toastmaster of the Year Award Recipients
    • District Adopted Procedures for Budget and Finance
    • District Mission and Officer Roles
    • Get Involved with the District
    • Communication & Leadership Award
      • Communication and Leadership Award Recipients
  • Calendar

Toastmasters District 58

Our Mission: We build new clubs and support all clubs in achieving excellence

You are here: Home / Marketing / How Toastmasters cured me of the desire to speak in public – Salon.com

How Toastmasters cured me of the desire to speak in public – Salon.com

September 28, 2013 by editor

Mary struggled with public speaking, tried Toastmasters but had a horrible experience. What happened & what could the club have done differently?

Well for one thing she worked up the courage just to attend a meeting.

Then as a first-time visitor she was called on for a Table Topic. Whoa! Way too much way too soon.

Mary sits next to a member who tries to reassure her…

“Don’t worry,” he said, probably in response to the fear on my face. “You probably won’t have to speak today. The only time that guests ever have to speak is maybe at the beginning, during table topics. But those are easy. The Toastmaster asks a question and you just talk for like two minutes.”

“Two minutes?” I squeaked. It would be just like the staff meetings, only here,  there was no telling what I’d have to talk about.

Seems Table Topics are not a big deal to this member. For the guest however the thought of speaking was a too much. Picked on to do something for which she was far from ready.

Does your club call on visitors to speak? If so perhaps its time to reconsider the practice.

iStock_000013155773XSmall

Table Topic horror

The question she received was not hard. Well not hard for those who are comfortable with Table Topics.

For someone who’s just worked up the courage to attend a public speaking meeting its beyond dreadful.

“The last question is: Would you rather spend the Fourth of July with family or friends? And answering this one will be…” the Toastmaster looked down at the list in his hand then looked up and, with his face void of recognition, said: “Mary.”

I felt a familiar tingling—like fizzy soda flowing through my veins. Bumping people’s knees and mumbling apologies, I made my way to the front of the room. With the mindset of someone who’s terrified of heights but who’s already paid to go skydiving, I braced myself and dove right in: “Um, well, let’s see, family or friends. Well, uh, you know, my family is pretty far away, um, so I guess, you know…”

I paused. This was worse than a staff meeting; at least there my speech-making skills were not on trial—I doubted anyone cared about the copywriting updates, much less about how I presented them. But here, thirty faces looked at me expectantly, rooting for me to triumph over the power of the ums, uhs, and you knows that garbled my speech.

“So anyway, um, I’d probably stay here, um, in New York, you know, with friends. Uhh…Thanks!”

 

Empty Evaluations

Although she only attended one meeting she observed the evaluations seemed to lack real value.

There were more speeches. More enthusiasm. The room swelled with a collective devotion to public speaking. Everyone wanted to be the best. Everyone got applause as if they were. The only criticism all night was for certain speakers to project their voices and “utilize the stage.”

Consider having the General Evaluator include comments on the evaluations? This helps improve evaluations and thus your speakers.

A visitor’s journey to your meeting may have been long and arduous. You often never don’t know the struggles in people’s lives. Next time you have a visitor remember public speaking is a real fear.

Original article: How Toastmasters cured me of the desire to speak in public – Salon.com

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn

Filed Under: Marketing

About editor

  • Mail
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
logo
Our Mission
We build new clubs and support all clubs in achieving excellence

Serving all Clubs in South Carolina

Leadership

Checkout the Leadership Directory.

District Incentives

 

 

District 58 Incentives for Q3,2022

 

Upcoming Events

Aug
16
Tue
2022
6:30 pm Division B Officer Training: Min... @ via Zoom
Division B Officer Training: Min... @ via Zoom
Aug 16 @ 6:30 pm – 7:45 pm
Division B District 58 will be giving Officer Training on the followings officer roles on this Day: President, Vice President of Education, Vice President Membership and Sergeant-At-Arms. You must register to attend at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUsfuyorTosG9yVFppicBnCY0Ix4WYVfwTOShare this:FacebookTwitterLinkedIn
Aug
17
Wed
2022
all-day Toastmasters International Conve... @ Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center
Toastmasters International Conve... @ Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center
Aug 17 – Aug 20 all-day
 Share this:FacebookTwitterLinkedIn
6:00 pm Division D Virtual Mini TLI All ... @ via Zoom
Division D Virtual Mini TLI All ... @ via Zoom
Aug 17 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
If you could not attend our super TLI on 7/23, Division D offers a virtual mini TLI training for All Officers Role. Registration is required! Reserve your spot now at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYpce-hpz4pGNPSmc5H_hAPq3gOzcEiSr5xShare this:FacebookTwitterLinkedIn
6:30 pm Division B Officer Training: Min... @ Register at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIvdeypqTwiGNfN3C4_T61xgpGHEP3ofCB-
Division B Officer Training: Min... @ Register at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIvdeypqTwiGNfN3C4_T61xgpGHEP3ofCB-
Aug 17 @ 6:30 pm – 7:45 pm
Division B District 58 will be giving Officer training on the following officer roles on this day: Vice President Public Relations, Secretary, and Treasurer. You must register to attend at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIvdeypqTwiGNfN3C4_T61xgpGHEP3ofCB-Share this:FacebookTwitterLinkedIn
View Calendar
Add
  • Add to Timely Calendar
  • Add to Google
  • Add to Outlook
  • Add to Apple Calendar
  • Add to other calendar
  • Export to XML

Sponsorships

District 58 is pleased to bring quality education to our members and help those behind bars with our training program. Consider making a donation to sponsor a conference or support our prison clubs. Learn About Sponsorships

Facebook

Recent Tweets

Tweets by ToastmastersD58

District 58 serves South Carolina

The information on this website is for the sole use of Toastmasters' members, for Toastmasters business only. It is not to be used for solicitation and distribution of non-Toastmasters material or information. All rights reserved. Toastmasters International, the Toastmasters International logo and all other Toastmasters International trademarks and copyrights are the sole property of Toastmasters International and may be used only by permission. Copyright © 2022 Toastmasters District 58
 

Loading Comments...