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Speaking or Dying – Which Do You Fear The Most?

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I once heard that most people are more afraid of public speaking than they are of entertaining a visit from the grim reaper.  I don’t belong to that crowd, but I can certainly sympathize with anyone who does feel that way.  Be it a small group of friends, an auditorium full of people, or an intense business meeting, the apprehension that I feel when I have to speak to an audience can tie my tongue and send my knees a knockin’.  Thankfully there is a remedy for this ailment:  Practice.  As with any skill, the more you do it, the more competent you become, and with public speaking, the more confident you become the less you suffer from the rush of fight or flight hormones coursing through your veins when you see all those eager faces waiting to hear your words of wisdom.

Now you could find a busy street corner, set up your soap box, and start speaking, but there is a less traumatic, more humane way of achieving that competence.   Toastmasters International is “a world leader in helping people become more competent and comfortable in front of an audience…offering a proven – and enjoyable! – way to practice and hone communication and leadership skills.“

So, recognizing that I have a need to become more competent and comfortable in front of an audience, and submitting to the regular reminders from Kamran, a Toastmaster friend of mine in Zurich, I decided to join.  Its been about 2 months now since I began attending the almost ridiculously early Tuesday morning event every other week.  I’m impressed with the format of the meeting which covers both individual prepared speeches and short, sometimes whimsical, impromptu topics everyone can take part in.  The crowd is friendly, constructive, and very competent both at delivering speeches and encouraging each other in delivering theirs.

This morning marked a milestone in my level of participation, which I felt warranted this post.  First, I volunteered to provide the impromptu speaking topic for the day making me what is called the Table Topics Master.  With a little help from Timi, I selected a suitable topic and went prepared with the necessary props.  The resulting creativity from my victims was great, and knowing the topic in advance gave me an advantage which I lacked in previous weeks when I was profusely punished by the “um’s and ah’s” clicker.  I was also happy to help out today by recording the podcast reporting on the proceedings.

So, if any of this sounds like something you could get into, check out the site of the Budapest Toastmasters if you live near here, or go to Toastmasters International to find a club near you.

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