The previous blog series gave you insight into the Toastmaster organization and painted a picture of how meetings are held. The next entries aim to explain how being a Toastmaster can influence your day to day and transform you.
The Toastmaster meetings offer 12 roles that members can sign up for from week to week: Grammarian, Ah-Counter, Timer, Toast (maker), Humour/Reflection, Toastmaster, Topics Master, Topics Evaluator, Speaker, Speech Evaluator and General Evaluator. Each one of these makes an important impact on you. Allow me to elaborate on my experience.
I joined the NDG Leader Toastmasters Club to become a more polished professional. I had fumbled over my words in one too many conversations, I wrote and delivered a eulogy that had no structure, and I would often avoid covering my points in meetings because I hated the attention.
It was clear that I needed help, so I went looking for a group to practice with on Meet Up.
In that first March meeting after joining, I was invited to take the role of Ah-counter which is essentially counting ahs and all filler words like um, so, like, you know, ect…
Over the duration of a meeting that lasted 108 minutes, I tallied every filler word used by every member. At the end, I was asked to give my report and I told on the participants who had contributed to my account and, they thanked me…!
The role of the Ah-counter is essential in that it reminds us that we can avoid filler words by adding more pauses in our speeches. Think of your favourite orators, podcasters, news anchors.
How much would you enjoy listening to them if they did not work at this? How much more do we trust a good speaker?
Come practice public speaking with us! Find our meeting days & times right HERE.
See you soon 😊.
Maggie
Comments