A Well-Rounded Toastmaster

 

There are three main segments to every Toastmasters meeting:  prepared presentations, impromptu speaking, and evaluation.  This past week, I was in three different Toastmasters meetings, and without even realizing it until they were done, I participated in a different one of those three segments at each meeting.

At my first meeting on Monday, I gave a prepared persuasive presentation about the annual District 24 Toastmasters Conference that I am helping to put on.  Should you want to attend - the event is April 22-23 online with content available for 90 days afterwards.  You can sign up at d24tm.org, as I mentioned in the conclusion of my speech.

At my second meeting on Tuesday, I provided an evaluation for the presenter of the day.  This individual is a very experienced speaker who used great descriptive language, vocal variety, and gestures.  As evaluators should, I did offer a couple suggestions for improvement: 1) have the speech progress from small numbers to large numbers of the subject and 2) add a visual aid.  The subject, by the way, was wild birds and specifically cranes.

At my final meeting of the week on Friday, I signed up to be Table Topics Master and led the impromptu speaking portion of the meeting.  I was the one asking questions for others to answer in order to practice their impromptu speaking skills.  I didn't do a perfect job of it - I initially called on someone who was still busy working on an evaluation for a speaker.  However, I did my best to come up with interesting questions and I made sure to give all the guests an opportunity to participate.  Much to my delight, all three guests chose to answer a question!

It is no mistake that prepared presentations, impromptu speaking, and feedback are the three main segments of every Toastmasters meeting.  These segments help us become well-rounded communicators.  There are times we have time to prepare to convey our ideas, and we should use that preparation time to reflect on our message and how to deliver it well - like I did on Monday.  There are times we have to speak "off the cuff" with little or no preparation, like those to whom I asked questions did on Friday.  Finally, we need to be able to give feedback to others, like I did on Tuesday.  That feedback is critical, because we can apply the feedback we receive to become even better communicators and leaders.

This past week, I actively participated in all three aspects of a Toastmasters meeting over the course of the three meetings I attended.  As I continue to participate in Toastmasters, I hope to continue in all three aspects so that I can be a well-rounded Toastmaster and a well-rounded communicator and leader.