The title of this blog was taken from a vision statement. It encompasses the vision of many of us online marketing bloggers and you may be surprised what organization this vision statement belongs to. It is an organization that will help you to:
- step outside of your comfort zone (necessary for personal growth)
- increase your confidence
- become a better communicator
- be a better listener
- hone your leadership skills
- become a better negotiator
- gain trust
- sharpen your management skills
- inspire you and your team
This organization is Toastmasters International. I attended my first Toastmasters meeting earlier this week because one of my goals is to become a public speaker. I’ve had some experience with speaking to groups and it is one of my passions. But, I always get nervous before getting up in front of a gathering of people. I looked for a Toastmasters Club near my home and off I went to my first meeting.
I was pleasantly surprised with how well Toastmasters aligns with the visions of online entrepreneurs. It is all about self-growth in a supporting environment. Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that teaches communication and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. The organization currently has more than 250,000 members in 12,500-plus clubs in 106 countries. Since its founding in October 1924, Toastmasters International has helped more than 4 million men and women lead and communicate with poise and confidence. Even Napoleon Hill refined his speaking skills as a Toastmaster member.
In honour of Toastmasters, I leave you with these tips directly from the masters themselves:
- Know your material. Pick a topic you are interested in. Know more about it than you include in your speech. Use humor, personal stories and conversational language – that way you won’t easily forget what to say.
- Practice. Practice. Practice! Rehearse out loud with all equipment you plan on using. Revise as necessary. Work to control filler words; Practice, pause and breathe. Practice with a timer and allow time for the unexpected.
- Know that audience. Greet some of the audience members as they arrive. It’s easier to speak to a group of friends than to strangers.
- Know the room. Arrive early, walk around the speaking area and practice using the microphone and any visual aids.
- Relax. Begin by addressing the audience. It buys you time and calms your nerves. Pause, smile and count to three before saying anything.(“One one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand. Pause. Begin.) Transform nervous energy into enthusiasm.
- Visualize yourself giving your speech. Imagine yourself speaking, your voice loud, clear and confident. Visualize the audience clapping – it will boost your confidence.
- Realize that people want you to succeed. Audiences want you to be interesting, stimulating, informative and entertaining. They’re rooting for you.
- Don’t apologize for any nervousness or problem – the audience probably never noticed it.
- Concentrate on the message – not the medium. Focus your attention away from your own anxieties and concentrate on your message and your audience.
- Gain experience. Mainly, your speech should represent you – as an authority and as a person. Experience builds confidence, which is the key to effective speaking. A Toastmasters club can provide the experience you need in a safe and friendly environment.
- Be enthusiastic. Enthusiasm is contagious! Before you present your ideas, think about the aspects of the subject that you find the most interesting, and don’t be afraid to let that interest come through in your voice.
- Use quotes, stories and anecdotes. Along with their obvious entertainment value, quotes and stories can lend authority to your topic and provide concrete examples that people can relate to.
- Speak with confidence. Deliver your message loud and clear. Maintain eye contact with your listeners. Don’t mumble or slouch.
- Say you and we, not I and me. Instead of telling people what you want them to do, present ways for them to work together to achieve their goals. Involve listeners in the success of the group.
- Keep it simple. People aren’t motivated by what you say; they’re motivated by what they understand. The best way to ensure audience understanding is to break down complex ideas into simple components.
Visit a Local Toastmasters Meeting
Each club has a different personality – you may wish to visit more than one. Use the ‘Find a Club’ tool on the Toastmasters Web site to find meetings near you: http://reports.toastmasters.org/findaclub/
Wishing you great success!
Wendy Hewlett
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Hi Wendy,
it is so good to read your article, since I have thought of going to Toastmasters a few times. Now I know more of what to expect.
I never knew they had that vision statement, it has been my favorite sentence when it comes to saying what I would like to do.
Thank you for sharing this.
Love and Joy
Yorinda
I definitely recommend it Yorinda. You gain so much more than just speaking skills and meet some great people at the same time.
Wendy
Wendy,
That is some great take aways.
It amazes me how many people are afraid of public speaking. Reminds me of something Tony Robbins mentioned about talking to Bruce Springstein.He had asked Bruce if he got nervous or butterfly’s before he went on stage. Bruce said no, he gets exhilarated. Tony asked him how that felt, he said you get knots in your stomach, and a little head rush. Same feeling just different way of internalizing the signals.
I took a public speaking course in College, and these were a lot of the items that we covered. Another main thing I remember was the “Power Triangle”. Making specific movements as transition from point to point, so that people not only get the verbal cue but the physical visual cue of your movement. You begin and end the speech in the same place. It also gives you something else to think about rather than any nervousness.
Jeremiah…
The next time I speak in front of a group, I will be exhilarated instead of nervous!! Thanks Jeremiah for adding value to this post!
Wendy
Hi Wendy, Nice to meet you in TSA! I am well acquainted with Toastmasters, my husband having been an active member for years. I attended many events. One hallmark of an organization’s value is it’s longevity. They do have staying power! All of this as you say applies to our journey through the personal development that network marketing creates for us. Thank you for an insightful post.
Carolyn
I didn’t even realize there was so many Toastmaster clubs in my area until I looked them up online. I look forward to being a member for years to come.
Wendy
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Wendy,
Great post. Toastmasters is a really powerful organization and available to anyone. I took a course once from Don Johnson, one of the World Champion Toastmasters, and it was quite incredible. Thanks for posting so many of their tips.
Wish you the best,
Adam
Thanks Adam. That must have been an interesting course!! I’m very excited about my involvement with Toastmasters. Public speaking is something that I really enjoy, so I can’t wait to get going on my first formal speech.
Wendy
Wendy, an excellent article that I passed on to my FB friends!! This has inspired me to look up a local chapter of Toastmasters for myself!! Do you still attend meetings? Thank you so much for sharing this!
Thanks Lorri! I still attend Toastmasters meetings every week. I just had my first speech two weeks ago and then I ended up entering our club’s humorous speech contest last night. I was disqualified for going under the time limit as I missed a section of my speech, but it was still a great learning experience and, hopefully, will get me over my nervousness a little more. Thanks for sharing this post and I hope that you do become a Toastmaster. I would love to hear about your experiences when you do!
Wendy
I’ve never been a member of Toastmasters club but heard a lot of good things about this club and maybe I should also think of undergoing a similar course. And thanks Wendy for sharing about this club to your readers, such posts are helpful for non bloggers as well. I find your posts very motivating and it’ll be always a great pleasure to visit your blog.
I heard good things about Toastmasters but i really don’t have the time to attend to their meetings. I’ve been working long hours recently. However, i really wanted to. Maybe i should i apply the law of sacrifice and make time to attend to their meetings. I’ll think about it first. Thanks for sharing.