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From: Russ Hicks
Date: 10/8/02
Time: 8:41:42 PM
Remote Name: 12.237.31.119
Hello again, Candace!
Ha, ha, ha! You said, "I personally would not be able to perform public speaking without my knees going weak or feeling those butterflies fluttering in my stomach." Oh really? I'm a natural born speaker, never afraid to speak in front of anyone at any time...
NOT!!!
In Toastmasters we have a nice saying that goes, we will not get rid of those butterflies in your stomach but we will teach those butterflies to fly in formation!
You also said, "I guess you can say I am not public speaking material!! :)"
Oh contraire, mes amis! You are the PERFECT candidate for public speaking! I wish you were down here in Texas and could join me in a Toastmasters meeting some time. It's been said the Toastmasters is really a support group for people who are scared to death of public speaking. Sure, we do have some really great speakers in here, but believe me, there are more people just like you in Toastmasters than there are "natural born speakers!" Like a 100-to1 ratio. It's one of the most rewarding things I do to watch a person give his "icebreaker" (first) speech and nearly die of fright, then watch him grow into a confident speaker in about a year. Nobody believes it will EVER happen to him, but I've seen it happen countless times. It's an amazing thing to watch. Public speaking very rarely, if ever, happens naturally. It's a learned art, just like anything else like cooking, gardening, computers, piano, etc... And fluent people and people who stutter learn it in exactly the same way. By DOING it. Over and over...
Yes, of course there are "tricks and techniques." But they aren't like rabbits you pull out of a hat. In Toastmasters you learn to talk about yourself first in your icebreaker. Then you speak about something you care very deeply about. Then you learn to organize your speech. Then you learn how to use gestures and body language such as facial expressions and eye contact (very important especially for a person who stutters). Then you learn how to use your voice and add vocal variety to your speech. Then you learn how to use words to add impact to your speech. Then you begin to pull it all together and be persuasive. Then you learn how to use visual aids. Then you learn how to inspire people... Then all of a sudden you become a Competent Toastmaster, a CTM! Then the REAL learning begins and you learn how to really have FUN with your speeches. And on and on and on...
So you can see what an organized and systematic approach all this is. I was skeptical myself at first, but by golly it WORKS! You don't start out as an expert any more than you hit a home run in baseball the first time you pick up a bat. Or play one of Mozart's concertos the first time you sit down at a piano. It takes time and practice. But the rewards are enormous, especially for a person who stutters! You start out being scared to death. That's absolutely normal. And very slowly you grow in terms of speaking and in self-confidence. You learn some of the techniques like moving around - so people won't see your knees shake! You learn how important eye contact is so you can connect with your audience. You learn to use facial expressions that compose actually more of true communication than your words do! As I said, it's not hard, but you don't learn it out of a book.
Check out http://www.toastmasters.org/ and you'll be astonished at what you find.
Come down to Texas, Candace! I'll show you a whole new world you never knew existed.
You're definitely on the right track! Keep on truckin'!
Take care!
Russ