I have often trumpeted that Toastmasters is one of the best ways to improve your public speaking skills. I have been a member of Adelaide Toastmasters club for over 7 years and have gained an enormous amount from my time with the club.
Adelaide Toastmasters is part of Toastmasters District 73, and is one of the strongest performing clubs in the District. At the recent South Australian State championship of Public Speaking (see article on page 12 of link), 3 members of Adelaide Toastmasters took out first place in 3 of the four competitions. You can read a full run down of the clubs success by reading the article "Adelaide Toastmasters Club wins 3 Division Titles".
Adelaide Toastmasters has had a number of members make it big in the Toastmasters District 73 world. Most notable is the late Chris Thomas. Chris was a master evaluator and won the Toastmasters District 73 Evaluation contest 3 years in a row. This feat has never been matched. Austin Nevis, the immediate past President has come a credible second at the District Humerous Speaking competition for the last 2 years. This shows consistency. I (Darren Fleming) have also managed to walk away with a title as well. I am the current Table Topics Champion.
I originally joined Adelaide Toastmasters as I was looking for a way to improve my public speaking in Adelaide. Little did I know that the skills that I gained would help me set up my own public speaking business, teaching public speaking courses right around Australia. I have set up the blogs Australia's Public Speaking Coach and Australian Public Speaking Courses to help share secrets that I have gained through Toastmasters.
So, I encourage you, if you are in Adelaide Australia and want to join a Toastmasters club, come along to Adelaide Toastmasters and see what we can offer you.
'Til next time
Cheers
Darren Fleming
Australia's public speaking coach
Showing posts with label executive speaking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label executive speaking. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Friday, June 15, 2007
Should you follow the rules of Public Speaking?
Many people are of the opinion that there are a number of sacred rules in public speaking that should never be broken. You should never race through your speech, you should never hold the lectern and you should never turn your back on the audience.
I would like to challenge the validity of these rules.
I have been a Toastmaster for over 13 years, and have often pushed these rules on others. But I firmly believe that there comes a time when you must break the rules to reach the audience.
Case in point: The rule that you shhould never turn your back on the Audience while speaking.
At face value this seems like a good rule to follow as it helps you to engage the audience more.
However, it is possible to turn your back on the audience and engage them even more than when you are looking at them.
Recently I competed in the Disctrict 73 Toastmasters annual convention in Perth Australia. I was competiting in the Table Topics competition final. About 2000 people from across Asutralia had competed in this impromptu speaking competition, and I was one of just 7 people left standing. In this competition, you are given the topic and expected to start speaking on it straight away. The only preparation time you have is while you are walking across the stage.
The topic we had was:
I would like to challenge the validity of these rules.
I have been a Toastmaster for over 13 years, and have often pushed these rules on others. But I firmly believe that there comes a time when you must break the rules to reach the audience.
Case in point: The rule that you shhould never turn your back on the Audience while speaking.
At face value this seems like a good rule to follow as it helps you to engage the audience more.
However, it is possible to turn your back on the audience and engage them even more than when you are looking at them.
Recently I competed in the Disctrict 73 Toastmasters annual convention in Perth Australia. I was competiting in the Table Topics competition final. About 2000 people from across Asutralia had competed in this impromptu speaking competition, and I was one of just 7 people left standing. In this competition, you are given the topic and expected to start speaking on it straight away. The only preparation time you have is while you are walking across the stage.
The topic we had was:
"If you obey all the rules, you miss out on half the fun.
Is this a good philosophy to live by?"
As I walked across the stage, I decided that I would break some rules myslef. As I approached the centre of the stage, I turned and put my back to the audience and started speaking. I spoke about the rules that we should not break when speaking. The main rule was about keeping eye contact with your audience. I then proceeded to make fun of the rules about ensuring that you move across the stage so everyone sees you. Next was my favourite rule - the need to pause. I paused so long that even I forgot what I was going to say next. However, the audience laughed heartedly as I broke the rules that they all held so closely to themselves.
Whats more, when the judges returned their decision, I was the winner! from speaking to the others in the audience (and not just my friends!) I was a clear and unanimous winner.
So, it just goes to show, you don't need to follow all the rules to achieve your objectives.
However, might I suggest that you have a good understanding of the rules of Public Speaking and know how they operate before you go out and break them. If you don't understand the rule and how it operates, you may be doing your cause more harm than good it you decide to break the rules!
Cheers
Darren Fleming
Saturday, June 9, 2007
What are the best way to improve your public speaking skills?
There are a number of great ways to improve your public speaking skills. Below is a list of some of the best.
- Toastmasters: Toastmasters is the worlds leading organisation for teaching public speaking. Based in the USA, it has clubs all over the world. This link will take you to Toastmasters in Australia. I have been a member of Toastmasters in South Australia for years and have benefited greatly from it. Another organisation that can help with this is Australia's Rostrum. Rostrum has their own program designed to improve your public speaking skills
- The second way to improve your public speaking skills is to attend a "private" public speaking course. This link will take you to a one-day course. You can get extended public speaking courses that offer more information.
- One-on-one public speaking coaching will allow you to really improve your skills. Often CEO's and the like use one-on-one coaching to refine their skills to allow them to be the leader they need to be.
- You can visit various public speaking websites to get information for free on them. Some great ones are Executive Speaking, David Brooks, the public speaking blog, Tom Antion, and of course this blog as it grows!
- Read articles on public speaking. You can get great articles on public speaking by trawling the net.
- Join the National Speakers Association. While this association does not teach public speaking in the same way that Toastmasters does, it will give you the skills that build on Toastmasters training. There are National Speakers associations all over the world. I am a member of the National Speakers Association of Australia
- Finally, you can just get out there and practice. As the the 2001 Word Champion of Public Speaking Darren LaCroix says, "Stage time, Stage time, Stage time" is the best way to improve. Just get up and have a go. You wont be as bad as you think you are - no one ever is.
'til next time.
Cheers
Darren Fleming
Australia's Public Speaking Coach
Friday, June 8, 2007
Stories in Public Speaking
USING STORIES TO CONNECT
As a speaker, it is your duty to connect with your audience when public speaking. It does not matter what the topic is, or who is in your audience, if you are not connecting with your audience your message is not getting through.
One of the easiest ways to connect with your audience is with the use of simple stories. Simple stories are anecdotes that illustrate the point that you want to make.
We use stories in our daily conversations, and public speaking is no different. Have you ever told a work colleague what happened on the way to work; your partner what you did at work, or the kids about what you did when you were young? These are all simple stories that people share.
People are drawn to these stories because of the emotion that is contained in them. Your story of the trip to work may generate the emotion of laughter; you may share the emotion of frustration or success when describing to your partner what happened at work. And your kids love the emotion of excitement from when you were younger.
But where are the stories for your public speaking needs? Simply look at the facts and figures and ask yourself, “What do they mean?”, “What is the storey behind them?” It is story behind the facts and figures that people want. If you “facts and figures” tell you that your clients can save 10% by switching their services to you, tell them a story of someone who has achieved that. That’s a story!
Very few people will feel warm and fuzzy about facts; however, they will remember your stories long after the facts have been forgotten.
By using stories, your public speaking will become easier and more enjoyable for you and the audience.
You can get more information on public speaking by visiting Australias Public speaking coach
As a speaker, it is your duty to connect with your audience when public speaking. It does not matter what the topic is, or who is in your audience, if you are not connecting with your audience your message is not getting through.
One of the easiest ways to connect with your audience is with the use of simple stories. Simple stories are anecdotes that illustrate the point that you want to make.
We use stories in our daily conversations, and public speaking is no different. Have you ever told a work colleague what happened on the way to work; your partner what you did at work, or the kids about what you did when you were young? These are all simple stories that people share.
People are drawn to these stories because of the emotion that is contained in them. Your story of the trip to work may generate the emotion of laughter; you may share the emotion of frustration or success when describing to your partner what happened at work. And your kids love the emotion of excitement from when you were younger.
But where are the stories for your public speaking needs? Simply look at the facts and figures and ask yourself, “What do they mean?”, “What is the storey behind them?” It is story behind the facts and figures that people want. If you “facts and figures” tell you that your clients can save 10% by switching their services to you, tell them a story of someone who has achieved that. That’s a story!
Very few people will feel warm and fuzzy about facts; however, they will remember your stories long after the facts have been forgotten.
By using stories, your public speaking will become easier and more enjoyable for you and the audience.
You can get more information on public speaking by visiting Australias Public speaking coach
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