To Lectern Or Not

 A TED Talks on the Internet are very inspiring and a great way to see different styles of public speaking.

Last week, I attended TEDx Youngstown, which was a part of TED Talks. It was a whole day of hearing many speakers and diverse topics. I know one of the speakers, Greg Smith, a fellow Toastmaster who talked about inspiring kids. He was great. Greg has great stage presence, didn't use notes and used slides to enhance his presentation.

At Toastmasters, there are some situations where the speaker stands behind the lectern and has their notes in front of them. With this style, a speaker can deliver a respectable and amazing speech.

In our club, Executive 408, members like the speakers to come from behind the lectern and come out to the audience.

One thing I've noticed with our newer members, they are coming out from behind the lectern during their early speeches from the manuals.  There is a situation with that, they start their speeches really powerful, then they lose their way and have to look back at their notes. Usually, there is a lull in their speech as they try to find their place on the notes.

My suggestion for newer speakers is to stay behind the lectern, get used to speaking in front of an audience and being comfortable looking at their notes.

As they do more speeches and become more comfortable in front of a group, then gradually come from behind the lectern. They could have a smooth transition from using notes to coming from behind the lectern and eventually using no notes.

Other technique is to come from behind the lectern while making a point and then glide smoothly behind the lectern to glance at the notes and continue.

In my first speech class in college, we were taught to use 3 x 5 notecards for a speech. With the cards so small, I was constantly looking down at them. I would lose contact with the audience and my speech was less effective.

At TEDx Youngstown, at least two speakers use notecards while speaking. One did well because he was passionate about his topic. With the other speaker, I felt that his credibility was slightly lost because he was constantly looking at his notes.  He seemed very uncomfortable.

Another TEDx Youngstown speaker was on stage with actual sheets of paper. He was reading from the papers and looking up occasionally at the audience. Another thing, he was speaking about a subject that most of us didn't know anything about or could relate to.

I looked around at the audience; people were checking their phones and others had a glossy no interest look in their eyes as they listening to that speaker. The speaker just didn't connect with the audience.

I believe that notes should be a guide or map for any speech. So, the speakers can make their points, they would like to make.

Speeches are like a trip with the speaker taking the audience on a journey with their topic, their speech presence and their passion. They clearly know where they are going.

Whether you are doing a Toastmasters speech or a TEDx presentation, make sure the audiences are wearing their seat-belts for enjoyable speech road trip.

Art Byrd has been a member of Executive 408 Toastmasters Youngstown, since 2009.

He has achieved his Competent Communicator, Advanced Bronze, Silver and Gold. Competent Leader and Advanced Leader Bronze. He is working on his Advanced Leader Silver.

Currently, Art is the Vice President of Public Relations for Toastmasters 408 and

the Area Governor for Area 13 in District 10 in Ohio.

Follow Art on Twitter @artbyrdvew
Follow Executive Club 408 on Twitter @ Executive 408
Be sure to listen to On The Table Podcast with Kim Kracji, She interviewed me on my role as Area Governor and visiting Prison Clubs.  http://onthetablepodcasts.com/12
Also, available on ITunes.  Kim's podcast is awesome.

So, I Am Going To Keep On Speaking Even Though I See Red

As a Rolling Stones fan, I love their song” Time Is On My Side.” In Toastmasters, time is not on our side as some Toastmasters are doing speeches and not embracing time as very valuable.

In our club, Executive 408, we have a discussion which lasts about twenty minutes, where a topic or subject is presented. Anyone can give their opinion about what is discussed without any backlash from anyone in the audience.

During a December meeting, I led a discussion about a video newsletter I created. I wanted to get feedback on, if the club wanted a video newsletter on DVD to be given every month or not.

I played a video demonstration with a DVD with some short segments like member speeches from the month, a look back at the year, a memorial piece about two of our members who have passed away.

I got feedback on what members wanted and didn't want or need. There was someone who was working the DVD control as I spoke. During the presentation, I saw the yellow light from the timer and kept going.

As many of you know in Toastmasters, we have timing lights such as a green one, a yellow one and a red one. The timing lights are there to let the speaker know where they are time-wise in their speech or presentation. The green-light let you know that you have a couple minutes left, yellow one lets you know that you are close to the need to start wrapping it up and the red one lets you know to wrap it up.

As for the discussion, I had actually timed it out so I can get through the segments and still take member questions.

Members had questions. The red light had come on which meant for me to wrap up. The members kept asking questions and I kept answering. I should've wrapped up and sat down.

The late David Casey, an veteran Executive 408 Toastmaster once said,” Going over the time takes away from other speakers.” He was right.

I did take away time from other speakers. So, I'm guilty of what some speakers go through which is “the audience is really digging what I'm saying and I'm sure they want more. So I'm going to keep on speaking even though I see red.”

Recently, a member was doing their Icebreaker speech. The time for his speech was scheduled for 5 to 7 minutes. When he was finished with his Icebreaker speech was over 10 minutes long. The member suffered from the audience is really digging what I'm saying and I'm sure they want more. So I am going to keep on speaking even though I see red.  I saw the excitement in his eyes. 

For someone starting with their Icebreaker, it is understandable, but a speech veteran like myself it is unacceptable to go beyond red.

As members get more speaking experience at a Toastmasters meeting, they get more comfortable with the timing lights and the mood of the audience.

Many Toastmasters competing in contests know the importance of time because if they go over their allotted time,  they will be disqualified.

Here are a few guidelines that may help to stay within the time.

–Plan your context and edit as necessary.

Having more material that is needed is always good. Yet, it is very hard to edit out good stuff from the speech. But, you have to do so, to make the allotted speaking time.

 -Rehearse effectively

I feel the best way to make your time is to practice. I rehearse standing up and speaking out loud as if I'm doing the actual speech. I use an adjustable music sheet stand. This way, I create the speaking environment I will be in and get that feeling of standing and delivering the speech every time I practiced. I know exactly where my notes will be on the lectern and start to get very comfortable with delivering my speech.

Also, I use the timer on my iPhone to know exactly how long the speech will be.

Once the speech is within the time limit and I have made the necessary cuts/edits from the speech. Now, I can be relaxed and really get really comfortable with the speech.

The payoff is seeing the audience really enjoying what I am saying and how relaxed I am which makes the audience more comfortable and more accepting of my speech.

For the prepared Toastmaster, time can really be on their side.

Art Byrd has been a member of Executive 408 Toastmasters Youngstown, since 2009.

He has achieved his Competent Communicator, Advanced Bronze, Silver and Gold. Competent Leader and Advanced Leader Bronze. He is working on his Advanced Leader Silver.

Currently, Art is the Vice President of Public Relations for Toastmasters 408 and the Area Governor for Area 13 in District 10 in Ohio.

Source: Six Minutes: Speaking and Presentation Skills http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/about/

 Follow me on Twitter @artbyrdvew

Follow Executive Club 408 on Twitter @ Executive 408

Be sure to listen to On The Table Podcast with Kim Kracji, She interviewed me on my role as Area Governor and visiting Prison Clubs.  http://onthetablepodcasts.com/12
Also, available on ITunes.

Kim's podcast is awesome.

Stay Seated, Until Your Name Is Called

This Toastmasters meeting I learned a simple lesson. Right before the meeting, I got an agenda sheet with all the assigned roles on it.  This meeting, I was the Word Master, so I will give the Word of the Day. The Word of the Day is a specific word that we hope people will use as a new vocabulary word which may be used throughout  the meeting and beyond. Before the meeting, I wrote the word  of the day “Agility” which means quick witted on the whiteboard that spins around. With a spinning whiteboard, I can write the word and no one can see the word until I present it to the group later.

The Toastmaster went over the agenda to make sure people were there to fulfill their roles and plug in people for the unfulfilled roles.

I was second on the agenda sheet to present. After all the roles were filled the meeting started. The Toastmaster called up the first role which was the Opener. The opener did a great job in setting the tone for the meeting with insightful wisdom.

 

Next up on the written agenda was the Word Master, me.  As the Toastmaster is moving to the next role,  he introduces the 90 second training tip person.  That should have been an indication to me to stay seated until I am actually called to come to the lectern.

As the Toastmaster shakes the hand and thanks the 90-second training person, I am thinking I am next and I should get ready.  I stand up and get ready to move to the lectern. Then, the Toastmaster introduces the Joke Master for the Joke of the Day.

I am standing there and someone who is seated with me, looks up and smiles. I quickly sit down. I am not embarrassed, but my momentum is taken down a couple of notches.

Finally, I am called to come to the lectern to give the word of the day. My energy level comes back and I deliver a good “word of the day.”

My take away from this experience is very simple is to stay seated unless already standing until I hear my role and name is called.  What I’ve Have Learned This Week At Toastmasters is that the agenda may have the order, but it can change and I have to be flexible, just bend, but never break.

Art Byrd has been a member of Executive 408 Toastmasters Youngstown, since 2009.

 

He has achieved his Competent Communicator, Advanced Bronze, Silver and Gold. Competent Leader and Advanced Leader Bronze. He is working on his Advanced Silver.

 

Currently, Art is the Vice President of Public Relations for Toastmasters 408 and

the Area Governor for Area 13 in District 10 in Ohio.

 

Last Minute Table Topics Can Be Great, If Organized

December 1, 2014, Youngstown Toastmasters 408

Table Topics is a standard for most Toastmasters meetings. Table Topics is an integral part of helping members and guests to able to improve their ability to quickly organize their thoughts and give responses to an impromptu question or topic given to them. A Table Topic answer has a time limit of two minutes and a half.

This meeting, I was set to be an evaluator. Then, the evening’s Toastmaster asked me to be the Table Topics master only a few hours before the meeting.

Early in my Toastmasters journey, I was given some advice from David Casey, a seasoned Toastmaster. He said “always be prepared do any role at any time for any meeting.” I always have something ready for any role.

As Table Topics master, I had to come up with questions. I carry a folder with my Toastmaster materials that have Table Topic questions that I have collected. Some questions have come from a Vanity Fair magazine segment called Proust Questionnaire. It asks various questions like “What is your idea of perfect happiness?  What is your current state of mind?  What is your most treasured possession? The questions were asked and answered by celebrities ranging from comedian Jerry Lewis to actress Lena Dunham.

In this blog of What I Have Learned At Toastmasters This Week, I would like to share how I prepare for doing a great Table Topics segment.

First thing I do, when I get to the meeting is get the agenda. I look to see who has roles especially the General Evaluator and the Evaluators. In our club, we try not to call on the evaluators until almost to the end of the Table Topics because they are working on their evaluations of the prepared speeches.

As the meeting is starting, I write everyone's names who are actually at the meeting. Again, I note the General Evaluator and Evaluators with a GE and E by their names. Usually, I write the questions on a separate sheet of paper beforehand. This meeting, I had to write the questions as the meeting was going on because of the short notice of getting the Table Topics master role.

At this meeting, we had 12 members including one guest.

Now, I have a list of names and questions. I look over the list and questions. Then, I match the questions with the person I would like to hear their answer to a certain question. It helps to know a little about each speaker by listening to them speak before from a prepared speech or another table topics time. I write their name right next to the questions. Maybe, other Table Topics masters like to randomly call on people with any question. My thought is that people may feel more confident and develop their impromptu skills with a question that they have some personal knowledge or not.

For example, Gina, our newest member, is really animated when she speaks. She always seems happy.  So, the question I asked her was “what is your current state of mind?” She answered” excited” and when on to explain why she felt this way.

I gear the question to something about the person which could apply to anyone. A key to my table topic style is that I give the question or topic and glance around the room. This gives people a chance to think about the answer. I may look directly at the person who I will give the question to, but most times, I am looking at someone else as I call their name.

Another thing, I do is that I give a second question that is similar to another question. I started with “What was the last book you read? Did you like it or dislike it?

I believe there is someone out there that is saying “I wish I would have gotten that question.” So, I came up with another question to another person with” What kind of book would you like to write?”

Also, I tried to make smooth transitions by saying something about the person’s response to the Table Topics question. For example, someone answered the last book you read question. I said something about a movie I had just seen that was based on a book called” The Book Thief.”

One last note, when you have a list of the people at the meeting for Table Topics. After they answer a Table Topics question. You can cross them off the list. This way, you don’t leave anyone out. Everyone is included and gets a chance to participate, if time permits.  Also, the list make you look good and in control because you are not in front of the group confused on who you called on and didn’t call on.

What I've learned Through Toastmasters, being the Table Topics master can be a fun role as long as you prepare and be organized even at the last minute.

Art Byrd has been a member of Executive 408 Toastmasters Youngstown, since 2009.

He has achieved his Competent Communicator, Advanced Bronze, Silver and Gold. Competent Leader and Advanced Leader Bronze. He is working on his Advanced Silver.

Currently, Art is the Vice President of Public Relations for Toastmasters 408 
and the Area Governor for Area 13 in District 10 in Ohio.

Vanity Fair with Lena Dunham courtesy of Vanity Fair