Toastmasters Table Topics #3

I have written about the significance of public speaking in the past. Our Toastmasters club is about to hold a table topic competition soon. Publishing a collection of table topics sounds like an excellent initiative to prepare. It requires making notes of all table topics discussed during a club meeting. Posting a short speech on these topics will help me visualize delivery.

A few weeks back, I wrote about fears associated with public speaking. Today, this article is about the opposite end of the spectrum.

What are Table Topics?

In Toastmasters, "Table Topics" is a segment where participants deliver an impromptu speech. Table Topics aims to encourage speakers to seize opportunities with promptness. Speakers learn to provide coherent and concise content without prior preparation. It's a valuable exercise for developing spontaneous speaking skills. Something very useful in formal presentations and everyday conversations.

During a meeting a few weeks back, I was the Table Topic master. Read about the responsibilities of a table topics master here.

The topic given to the speaker was:

What is the fun associated with public speaking?

Looking at the reaction of the club members, I realized that it was a tough one. To my delight, she could not have answered it any better. She was a guest speaker with no experience of Toastmasters. There was confidence and style in her body language. Her smile was infectious.

She talked about her insecurities about speaking. Being honest helped her to connect with the audience. There were some intelligent transitions to tackle the question.

She did so by referring to her colleague, who is an excellent speaker. The speech's central part consisted of this colleague's impact on her. Honest acceptance of insecurities gave everyone a vision of where she would want to go. I wish I had recorded her speech.

The following section covers my version of the speech. It will help me in my preparation for the competition.

Create a ritual

I follow a ritual for every speech. The routine helps me to compose myself. It gives me a sense of satisfaction that things are in control.

A confident stride to the podium is the easiest way to kickstart the ritual. The next step would be to thank the table topic master and give a firm handshake. Repeating the question will buy me some thinking time.

I won't look at my feet while thinking, as it does not give positive vibes to the audience. Instead, scanning the audience to form connections will help identify comfort zones. The next step is to connect with a personal story for the most impact.

Speech Delivery

My speech goes as follows:

You might not accept it, but we all want people to hear us. We want people to listen to us. Our lives provide us with opportunities. Public speaking provides a different kind of freedom, though. There are no boundaries. You can be as creative as you want.

It's not all a bed of roses. People will judge you. People will criticize you. But that's temporary. Stay patient. A time will come when people will respect your content. People would look up to you with respect.

It's satisfying when people are lining up to hear from you. Public speaking is like acting in a movie produced and directed by you. You are the protagonist, the hero, and the villain. Work on your craft with integrity. Your satisfaction levels will have no boundaries. An honest delivery is untouchable. Even when speaking these words, I am getting goosebumps.

To conclude, standing on a stage and speaking is a gift. Hence, please stand up. Stand up because people are waiting for you to lead the path. If you are sitting in a Toastmasters meeting, it means you have the will to learn and improve. There is no better place to speak in front of people than a club meeting. They have the same fears and insecurities as you are. Have fun, go and express yourself, and enjoy the ride. Thanks

Conclusion

Even though the topic was a tough one, it had the potential to impact the audience. There is no doubt that public speaking could be scary, but at the same time, it's tempting. If we have the outlook to provide a positive angle to complex topics, they can come across as a sure-shot winner.

I wanted to deliver a message that can move people. Hence, voice modulation is crucial. Narrating positive content on a high pitch can help. Therefore, I kept the content short and took timely pauses. It will give my audience time to digest what they are listening to. Remember, the most time to speak during a table topic competition is 2 minutes. There is a disqualification at the end of two and a half minutes.

I am writing these stories on table topics to create a collection for competitions. It is tough to think on the spot. A compilation like this sounds like an excellent way to practice. Hence, this is my way of visualizing robust and impactful content. Recording these speeches is a part of my routine. It gives me invaluable input to work and improve. I plan to upload them along with my article and am working on them. THANKS FOR READING THIS PIECE until I gather the courage to upload them. Positive feedback will help growth.

Thanks

Tarun