by brandon on November 10, 2011
Best Speeches
The theme for the evening was no reflection on the quality of the speeches.
Leonard Friedberg kicked off the evening with his Ice-breaker and transformed the Melkbos area to an era long gone.
Then Terry Cunningham, already doing his 4th prepared speech, made everyone really think hard how we tend to neglect what goes into our bodies.
Brandon Jones delivered an interesting speech on the hot topic of social media.
The best speech of the evening was delivered by Geert Wille. He had everyone lying on the floor with his very funny story of his boarding school days.
Our club president ended the night in style with his hilarious speech recounting his challenges and victories with stuttering.
A lovely pasta meal with a chocolate mouse dessert filled our hungry tummies.
Another successful meeting.
Well done everyone.
by brandon on November 8, 2011
Feeling some nervousness before giving a speech is natural and even beneficial, but too much nervousness can be detrimental. Here are some
proven tips on how to control your butterflies and give better presentations:
- 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 the 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.
Visit a Toastmasters meeting!
Table View Toastmasters meet in the evening. Do visit us!
