As a speaker, it is advisable to increase your vocabulary. Is it so you can sound more educated and intelligent than your audience? Absolutely not! However, when you are trying to convey an idea, persuade to your side, or touch someone’s heart… it helps to choose the right words and not use too many. The…
All posts in July 2008
Today. World Championship of Public Speaking camera crew at Presque Isle
This year, Toastmasters International’s seven-round competition -The World Championship of Public Speaking- culminates with the 10 finalists in Calgary. Would it be news if one of those finalists was in Erie? How about with the Tumbleweed Entertainment camera crews trailing him? How about if it was at Presque Isle during all the events and happenings…
Congratulations District 13 Toastmasters
Today I got news. District 13 is now Select Distinguished. If you are not a member of Toastmasters, District 13 has been named #1 in Region VI, and #10 in the world. You may be wondering, “So what? How do you become #1 and #10? Does it matter?” Do you believe in helping others? Do…
Accurate or powerful? What would you like your presentation to be?
In my last post, I wrote this story… You walk into the room. The presenter is standing toward the front of the room, the first row of seats is empty as usual, and people are scattered around the room. You find an empty seat and sit as the presentation begins. Very soon into the presentation, the speaker…
Audience Participation in your Presentations
Have you ever been in this situation? You walk into the room. The presenter is standing toward the front of the room, the first row of seats is empty as usual, and people are scattered around the room. You find an empty seat and sit as the presentation begins. Very soon into the presentation, the…
I have a new way to serve Toastmasters and public speaking
I am happy to tell you that I am the 2008-2009 Area 7 governor. Are you wondering, “What does that mean?” As Area Governor, I am to serve 3 Erie clubs and one in Warren, assisting them to help their members gain speaking and leadership skills. In preparation for this, I purchased and started to…
Every day is a presentation or speaking opportunity
I recently picked up the July issue of The Writer magazine. As I read the article titled What Toastmasters CAN DO for writers, I was reminded that every day is a presentation or speaking opportunity. If you are a writer, you face editor pitches, unexpected calls from editors, book readings, and signings. Each of these events is…
U.S.A. Independence Day… A reason to speak out
Are speaking and writing related? Yes. So what can you learn from looking at both skills? 232 years back from today, was released our Declaration of Independence. Have you ever read it? “When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary…” This is the opening. It is eloquently crafted. The second sentence (yes, perhaps a…
Case study: Arrangement matters in your presentations, and so does delivery.
A fellow speaker, Jim Niswonger, asked that we review his speech. It started like this: Initially it is untrue but through a false definition of reality, a misunderstanding, or possibly an outright lie it is believed to be true. That distorted belief evokes new behavior. The new behavior causes the untruth to become true. This is…