It’s often said that public speaking ranks Numero Uno on the
list of things people dread the most. The paranoia of public
speaking comes even before death. Most folks would rather be the
corpse at their own funeral than have to give the eulogy, Woody
Allen once commented.
It’s often said that public speaking ranks Numero Uno on the list of things people dread the most. The paranoia of public speaking comes even before death. Most folks would rather be the corpse at their own funeral than have to give the eulogy, Woody Allen once commented.
For years, I’ve trembled with trepidation at the very thought of giving any speech in public. I’d always feel a queasy feeling whenever I was forced to face an audience and give a talk. I’d commit a killing to avoid a public speaking situation.
But then in November 2004, I joined the Morgan Hill Toastmasters group. My original purpose for joining was that I planned to emcee a public debate at Gavilan Community College on the Indian casino proposal then generating a lot of stress and strife among South Valley residents. Luckily for me – and believe me, I’m truly grateful – the five-member Indian “tribe” originating the proposed casino backed off in the showdown before this debate took place.
I’m amazed at how quickly my involvement with Toastmasters helped me overcome my public speaking jitters. Just last week, I gave a “Make Them Laugh” speech in which I described how the installation of a kitchen dishwasher led to my crashing through the ceiling of my spare bedroom.
I made ’em laugh. Everyone, including myself, had a great time during the seven-minute speech I confidently gave with absolutely no knocking of the knees.
The big mistake I’d made in public speaking before joining Toastmasters was that I wasn’t being me. I tried to be a great orator presenting lofty ideas. That style really didn’t fit my personality. Over time at Toastmasters, I found simply being myself made me more likable to my audience. It also made me feel more relaxed while I stood at the lectern.
Benjamin Franklin, I’m sure, would have whole-heartedly been a member of Toastmasters. That great American, who was born 300 years ago last Tuesday, was a man of the Enlightenment who was very much into social improvement and self-improvement. His autobiography is essentially the world’s first self-help book, written to give his son practical advice on how to succeed in life.
In the autumn of 1727 when he was a young buck of 21, Franklin in Philadelphia founded a club that in its essence was very similar to Toastmasters. His Junto Society consisted of 12 friends who met every Friday night for a structured meeting in the pursuit of mutual self-improvement. A key component of the meeting was public speaking. Each member had to give a short speech reporting ways to improve themselves morally, financially or career-wise.
Although Franklin’s Junto Society was formed for the individual betterment of each member, it also had a major influence on improving society as a whole. From out of those weekly meetings came America’s first public lending library, the first volunteer fire department and police department, the first public hospital, paved streets, and the University of Pennsylvania.
Franklin’s active involvement in the Junto Society contributed to his becoming one of the wealthiest and most influential residents of Philadelphia. It made him a beloved leader of his community and of the new nation of the United States.
Toastmasters began in a similar vein to Franklin’s Junto Society. Toastmasters’s founder Dr. Ralph Smedley came up with the idea for his self-improvement club in October 1924. The first group of business people met in the basement of the Santa Anna YMCA.
Smedley’s goal was “to afford practice and training in the art of public speaking and in presiding over meetings, and to promote sociability and good fellowship among its members.” The idea proved so popular that people in other communities throughout California and in other states formed their own Toastmasters club.
By 1930, the various clubs formed a federation to coordinate activities. Today, Toastmasters International has more than 10,500 clubs in 90 countries. Famous Toastmaster members include many high-ranking members of government, business, and the arts and entertainment.
I’ve personally found that Toastmasters isn’t just about building public-speaking skills. It’s also about growing as a competent leader. At each Morgan Hill Toastmasters meeting, everyone is put in charge of some leadership role – whether it’s the “Word-of-the-Day Master” or the one-minute impromptu “Table Topics” speeches or the “Wizard of Ahs.” All participants get a chance to enhance their leadership skills.
Through improvement in public speaking and increased leadership confidence, involvement in Toastmasters can help virtually anyone move ahead in their career or business. It provides a fun and relatively stress-free environment for personal and professional improvement. Everyone can make their public speaking mistakes in front of friends at the weekly meetings without the pressure of a boss or co-workers observing.
The South Valley has only one Toastmasters club. It meets every Thursday at 7:30am at the ComUnity Lending headquarters at 610 Jarvis Drive in Morgan Hill. People in Gilroy and San Benito County have expressed interest in joining our group, but it’s not convenient for many of them to come to Morgan Hill for the hour long meetings – although some do make the drive.
That’s why one of the Morgan Hill Toastmasters group goals for 2006 is to help form two more South Valley clubs – in Gilroy and in Hollister – for residents in those communities to improve their public speaking and leadership skills. To form a club, 20 charter members are required.
If you or anyone you know is interested in joining a Toastmasters group in Hollister or Gilroy, call Harry Albert, Morgan Hill Toastmaster’s very friendly vice president of membership, at (831) 623-2495. Or e-mail him at me********@**********************st.org.
If you’re wondering about costs, membership comes to about $100 a year. That includes a monthly Toastmasters magazine and various workbooks and other excellent self-improvement material.
For anyone wishing to build their confidence and advance themselves in their career this year, Toastmasters is a much better bet than any you might find at an Indian casino. An investment in your own self-improvement always pays off.
