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members.toastmasters.orgBeauty and the BeastTOASTMASTER®December 2007ReframingThree Major FearsAbout Public SpeakingAn Inconvenient Truth:A front-row seat at theworld’s most famousmultimedia presentation.

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TOASTMASTERPublisherEditorAssociate EditorEditorial AssistantGraphic DesignDONNA H. GROHSUZANNE FREYBETH BLACKJAMIE REYNOLDSSUSAN CAMPBELLTI OFFICERS AND DIRECTORSFounder DR. RALPH C. SMEDLEY (1878-1965)2007-2008 OFFICERSInternational President CHRIS FORD, DTMOttawa, Ontario, CanadaSenior Vice President JANA BARNHILL, DTMLubbock, TexasSecondVice President GARY SCHMIDT, DTMClackamas, OregonThirdVice President PAT JOHNSON, DTMVictoria, British Columbia, CanadaImmediate Past President JOHNNY UY, DTMCebu City, PhilippinesExecutive Director DONNA H. GROHMission Viejo, CaliforniaSecretary-Treasurer NANCY LANGTONMission Viejo, California2007-2008 DIRECTORSVAL ALBERT, DTMSaratoga Springs, New YorkLEE HOLLIDAY, DTMJohns Creek, GeogiaCHARLOTTE HOWARD, DTMOklahoma City, OklahomaLAUREN KELLY, DTMTrabuco Canyon, CaliforniaJOHN MOFFITT, DTMHouston, TexasGARY MULL, DTMRiverside, OhioMOHAMMED MURAD, DTMDubai, United Arab EmiratesKRISTIN NICHOLSON, DTMRockville, MarylandSUEZY PROCTOR, DTMTacoma, WashingtonJOHN RICH, DTMHouston, TexasMICHAEL SMITH, DTMBloomington, IllinoisRICHARD SNYDER, DTMUpland, CaliforniaJUDY SOUTHWICK, DTMInver Grove Heights, MinnesotaMARTHA TINKER, DTMWest Des Moines, IowaTREVIS THOMPSON, DTMMartinez, CaliforniaDIETMAR WAGENKNECHT, DTMLake Bluff, IllinoisMARGARET WAN, DTMSaint Petersburg, FloridaGEORGE YEN, DTMTaipei, TaiwanTOASTMASTERS INTERNATIONALP.O. Box 9052 • Mission Viejo, CA 92690 U.S.A.(949) 858-8255 • Fax:(949) 858-1207Voicemail: (949) 835-1300members.toastmasters.orgCONTACTING WORLD HEADQUARTERSFor information on joiningor building a club, visit: www.toastmasters.orgArticle submission:submissions@toastmasters.orgLetters to the Editor:letters@toastmasters.orgTo change mailing address: members.toastmasters.org• ADVERTISING INQUIRIES ONLY •For information about advertising, please contact:Melissa Austin Associates2600 Ladybird Dr. • Calabasas, California 91302Phone: (818) 225-0466 • Fax: (818) 225-0675maaustin@earthlink.netThe TOASTMASTERMagazine (ISSN 00408263) is published monthly byToastmasters International, Inc., 23182 Arroyo Vista, Rancho Santa Margarita,CA 92688, U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at Mission Viejo, CA and additionalmailing office. POSTMASTER: Send address change to The TOASTMASTERMagazine, P.O. Box 9052, Mission Viejo, CA 92690, U.S.A.Published to promote the ideas and goals of Toastmasters International, anon profit educational organization of clubs throughout the world dedicatedto teaching skills in public speaking and leadership. Members’ subscriptionsare included in the $27 semi annual dues.The official publication of Toastmasters International carries authorizednotices and articles regarding the activities and interests of the organization,but responsibility is not assumed for the opinions of the authors of otherarticles. The TOASTMASTERmagazine does not endorse or guarantee theproducts it advertises.Copyright 2007 by Toastmasters International, Inc. All rights reserved.Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Notresponsible for unsolicited material.Toastmasters International, The TOASTMASTER, and the ToastmasterInternational Emblem are trademarks of Toastmasters International registeredin the United States, Canada and many other countries. Marca registrada enMexico. Printed in U.S.A.Printedon RecycledPaperOn the Road...with ToastmastersChris K. Ford, DTMInternational PresidentVIEWPOINT In any given year, the International Presidentenjoys the privilege of visiting about a dozenToastmasters districts around the world. It’s anopportunity to see first-hand what sort of shapeour members are in and how they are shapingtheir worlds. At the time of writing this (on a planesomewhere between Vancouver and Los Angeles), Carole and I have alreadyvisited Districts 11, 43, 40 and 21. From Louisville to Memphis, from Dayton toHarrison Hot Springs, we have been warmly welcomed, delightfully entertained,well fed, worked hard – and met hundreds of Toastmasters in the process!No matter where we go, we are continually impressed with our members’enthusiasm for the Toastmasters program, and our volunteer leaders’ energeticspirit. We also notice the differences in the “culture” from district to district,the different ways of delivering our tried and true Toastmasters programs.Tome this once again proves the versatility and adaptability of ourprograms: what works in Little Rock, Arkansas, also works in Campbell River,British Columbia. By extension, the formula also succeeds in Taipei andMunich, Chicago and Ottawa…and wherever you live!Why is this? I think it’s because Toastmasters International has come of ageas a truly international organization. Our communication and leadership tracksare designed to enable men and women to shape themselves, regardless ofwhere they live in this world. In fact, the growing appetite for our programsand services is a huge blessing to our organization – and it presents a hugechallenge. Your Board of Directors, supported by the fine folks at WHQ, isresponding to this challenge through our “governance reshaping project”; I’llwrite more about this in future Viewpoints.From my conversations with so many first-timers at these conferences, it’sobvious to me that the conference itself has a shaping effect on our newermembers, and that they in turn help to shape the conference and the district.Personally, I find it very refreshing to hear the views of men and womenwho have only just discovered Toastmasters. Note to all of us who have beenaround for five years or longer: Listen to the newcomers – they have greatideas about the shaping influence of Toastmasters on themselves, and theshape of our organization as a whole! Note to those of you who have not yetattended your first district conference: Don’t miss the next one! It will openyour eyes to the world of opportunities beyond the club!By the time you read this, the holiday season will be here for most of ourmembers. Whether you celebrate Hanukkah or Christmas, Chinese New Yearor countless other seasonal events, Carole and I wish the very best for youand your families. It’s a great time of year to be thankful for the opportunitieswe have to shape ourselves and our world!December 2007 TOASTMASTER 3

December 2007Volume 73, No. 12TABLE OF CONTENTSFEATURES&ARTICLESDEPARTMENTS3 Viewpoint: On the Road...with ToastmastersBy InternationalPresident Chris K. Ford, DTM6 Letters to the Editor7 My Turn: Do You Hear What I Hear?When a sound can confound.By Marion Amberg8 Profile: From Producer to PianistHow one Toastmastershareshermessage through song.By Julie Bawden Davis14 An Inconvenient TruthA front-row seat at the world’smost famous multimedia presentation.By CarlDuivenvoorden, DTM16 Laugh Lines: Generating Funwith PowerPointDon’t worry, be funny!By Malcolm Kushner22 For the Novice: Projecting Poweron the PodiumStand and look good –even if you don’t feel good.By George Torok32 Experiencing the CompetentLeadership ManualWhy is this manual important?This Toastmastertells you!By Jean G. Hogle, DTM34 Hall of Fame38 2007 Article IndexWho’s YourAudience?Ways to win youraudiencethrough inclusion.By Craig Harrison, DTMPAGE 10Size Up YourAudienceOne of the most important aspects ofknowing youraudience is to know thenumberof people expected to attend.By Cliff Suttle, ATMS/CLPAGE 18Reframing Three MajorFears About Public SpeakingA therapist tells all...By Judith E. Pearson, Ph.D., DTMPAGE 24Beauty and the BeastChanging yourfearfrom fiend to friend.By Judi BaileyPAGE 28The Toastmasters Vision:Toastmasters International empowers people to achieve their full potential and realizetheir dreams. Through our member clubs, people throughout the world can improve theircommunication and leadership skills, and find the courage to change.The Toastmasters Mission:Toastmasters International is the leading movement devoted to makingeffective oral communication a worldwide reality.Through its member clubs, Toastmasters International helps men and women learn the arts ofspeaking, listening and thinking – vital skills that promote self-actualization, enhance leadershippotential, foster human understanding, and contribute to the betterment of mankind.It is basic to this mission that Toastmasters International continually expand its worldwide networkof clubs thereby offering ever-greater numbers of people the opportunity to benefit from its programs.December 2007 THE TOASTMASTER 5

LETTERSDo you have something to say? Write it in 200 wordsor less, sign it with your name, address and clubaffiliation and send it to letters@toastmasters.org.Let Me Tell You…Although profoundly on target overall,I found Toastmaster Hobson’sarticle on evaluating (November) significantlyoff the mark when it comesto the actual delivery of the feedback.To suggest that a first-personstyle can lead to conflict, a loss ofsharing by the larger group, and thepotential for a “threat of superiority,”are the most foreign concepts I canimagine connected to an evaluation.I recommend we refrain fromsuggesting that one style is betterthan others. And if I could see you,Toastmaster Hobson, I would saythat directly to you with the greateraudience listening in.Bob Turel, DTM • Tampa Bay Toastmasters Club • St. Petersburg, FloridaA Powerful ProcessShawn Doyle’s article, “Secrets of thePros” (October) says, “Stop usingPowerPoint” because “very fewpeople know how to use PowerPointeffectively.” Before we put PowerPointout to pasture, consider this: A lot ofwhat we learn about speech developmentand delivery comes fromthe written and oral evaluations ofour fellow Toastmasters. Therefore,if members don’t know how to usePowerPoint effectively, they shouldcreate a PowerPoint presentation fortheir next Toastmasters speech. Thefeedback they get will help themimprove their skills.James Thomas, ACB, ALB • Fantastic Toastmasters • Newark, CaliforniaSalute to “Submarine”The Toastmaster Tribute to WilliamSnader in the October issue mademe want to salute a Toastmaster inmy small town. Her name is SugaShiota, a founding member of ourclub, who died in a car accident aweek ago. Her nickname “Submarine”refers to a Japanese humble expressionand reflects her personalnature. Suga Shiota was a real rolemodel of Toastmasters. Now, deepsorrow of her death is changing toa spontaneous move to found the“Submarine Memorial Fund” tohonor her legacy.Taka Asai, ATMS/CL • Tokushima Club • Tokushima-shi, JapanChris Ford at ConferenceThis past weekend (October 12-13),District 11 was very fortunate tohost International President ChrisFord at our fall conference. Wow!!For someone who has accomplishedso much in his career, Chrisis so very down-to-earth. His participationin Friday’s Fun Night reallyadded to the evening – only to beoutdone by his talks and trainingpresentation on Saturday. He is acharismatic motivator who representsToastmasters with greatenthusiasm and sincerity.If memory serves me correctly,Chris mentioned that ours was thefirst of 12 district conferences hewas planning to attend. If youhave a chance to attend one of theremaining eleven conferences, youare in for a treat. I strongly encourageyou to spread the word andmake sure as many Toastmasters aspossible get a chance to meet him.You will be glad you did!Cathy Thuerbach, CC, CL • T.A.L.K.S. Club • Indianapolis, IndianaA Friend to Many ToastmastersOn August 31, 2007, I had the honourto deliver a eulogy at thememorial service of a very dearfriend, Van Hoven Petteway, DTM.He was one of the first persons Imet when I joined Toastmasters. Vanbecame like a brother to me. Hewas always supporting me in everyway he could. The day I receivedmy DTM, he immediately picked upthe phone to congratulate me. Whenhe found out that I was starting anew Toastmasters club, he came tothe meetings on a regular basis andgave me his full support. He wassuch a wonderful example for peopleto follow, with his outstanding organization,leadership and communicationskills. He was instrumental in settingup five Toastmasters clubs. He wasworking on his fifth DTM and hissixth club. Van would always say:Whatever the mind of man can conceive,the mind of man can achieve.William (Bill) Spears, DTM • Lachine Voyageur Toastmasters ClubLachine, Quebec, CanadaTwo Toastmasters LeadersThe articles “Legacy of Champions”and “Shaping Ourselves ... ShapingOur World” in the September issueare indicative of two great leadersshaping the future of Toastmasters.Coach Jacques Curtis in the “Legacyof Champions” epitomizes the quintessentialmentor shaping the livesof his women’s basketball team.International President Chris Forduniquely provides the gift of leadershipas an example to all of us as hepresides over our global organization.His answers to the questions posedin this article are clearly “take-away”items representing the embodimentof Toastmasters International.Bowman Olds, ATM • Speak Out at SAIC (SOS) ToastmastersMcLean, VirginiaStepping up to Speaking SuccessI just finished reading the article onSarah Taylor – “Getting Paid toSpeak” – in the October magazine.Taylor’s five tips for breaking intoprofessional speaking were insightfulin outlining key steps to enterinto and become successful in professionalspeaking. This was a verytimely article for me since I amworking on developing my professionalspeaking career.Thanks very much!Carlton Dennis, DTM • Big Blue Toastmasters • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania6 TOASTMASTER December 2007

MYTURNWhen a sound can confound.Do You Hear What I Hear? It’s not that I don’t hear. I do. Butsometimes I have trouble distinguishingwhat’s being said. Whenthat happens, my brain tries todecipher the syllables I’ve justheard. Sometimes it works. Whenit doesn’t, anything can happen –especially if I get my m’s and n’smixed up. I’m learning how not toslidefrom a littleslip-up to a big,fat blunder, But sometimes thelearning process is painfully slow.What began as a innocent visitby a friend’s parents almost endedup in a nudist camp. “My parentsare coming this weekend,” Cherylsaid oneday. “It’s theonly timethey can come naked.”“But it’s winter,” I replied.“What does that have to do withit?” she asked, giving me that peculiarlook I’vegrown accustomed towhen I’ve heard something wrong.Suddenly, my ears understood.“Oh,” I said, “you mean that’s whenthey can make it.”You know thesaying, “Hear noevil.” That’s especially true inchurch. An announcement by thepastor oneSunday had meseriouslyquestioning his life’s calling. “TheAnnual NudeWomen’s Camp willbe held this weekend,” he said alittletoo brightly.Say what?!I flipped open my bulletin, myinquiring eyes scanning the columnof upcoming events. When theystopped on some bold letters, I read“Annual Youth Winter Camp.”I oncehad a boss who said I heardonly what I wanted to hear. I guessshedidn’t likemy quizzical lookwhen she announced that she wasbringing a gelatin salad with imaginaryoranges to the Christmas party.“Imaginary oranges?” I asked.“Wouldn’t real ones taste better?”She must have been all ears,because I found bits of mandarinorangein herChristmas saladthat year.Anotherboss askedme, when Ireturned towork after about with theflu, if I wasfeeling a litterbetter. “I don’thavea dog,” Ireplied, “butthat virus surehad mein thedoghouse.”My biggesthearing bloopersoccur when I’mextremely tired.Sometimes a fewhours go by beforeI can decode a “whatdid-you-say-ism.”That’s exactly whathappened when a radiobroadcaster reported that 34overweight ducks were beingordered off Minnesota highways.Even though it sounded like fowlplay, I knew better than to quackabout it. Good thing, too, becauseseveral hours later my tired braindelivered the correct answer:“34 overweight trucks.”When I want more than hearsay,I talk to kids. Becausethey’restilllearning to enunciate, slip-ups arebound to happen. My niece Vanessafound that out oneday when sheasked for a “girl” cheese sandwich.I told her she was much tooyoung to be a feminist and offeredher a “boy” cheese sandwichinstead. But she wouldn’t hear of it.When someone offers me acan of “Choke,” I try to disarmthem with “Spite.” I’ve discoveredthat decapitated coffeedoesn’t taste nearly as goodas decaffeinated, andwhen my back goesout, choir practiceisno substitutefor thechiropractor. I’veconfused “groan”with “grown” and“plasma” with“plaza.”Inolongergaspwhenaneditorasks aboutmy writing“fleas.” Andwhen a loved one tellsme they “loathe” me, I just love ‘emback. It’s theleash I can do.For moretruth in hearing, Iconfess that a pathetic ministeronceturned out to bequiteprophetic. I never look at a businessman’sfeet if he’s talking about“his shoes.” I’ve learnedthat hemay haveother “issues”on his mind.So thenext timeyou miss an earful,do what I do – play it by ear.It’s theonly way to shavetheday! TMarion Amberg is a Minneapolisbasedfreelance writer.December 2007 TOASTMASTER 7

PROFILEBy Julie Bawden DavisHow one Toastmaster sharesher message through song.From Producer to PianistThe first time Terri Marie composedasong on the piano, shethought the composition wasa fluke. “I didn’t think I’d be writinganother,” says the pianist andsongwriter,who at the time producedmusic for other performers but hadno plans to create her own melodies.“Inspiredby how breathtakingthe California landscape looks aftera night of rain, I calledthe song‘Silver Morning,’ ” says Marie.“I thought it was just a onetimereaction to a beautiful image;I hadno idea that it wouldleadtomuch more.”8Since that first song, Marie hasperformedat the Nixon Library andcomposedthe score for a children’smovie. She credits Toastmasters forencouraging her to pursue herdreams.Marie was initially surprisedwhenshe suddenly started composingmusic in the 1990s.“After that first song, the musicjust kept coming, andit hasn’tstopped,” says Marie, a Toastmasterwho attends clubs in SanClemente, California, andSedona,Arizona, where she holds residences.“Now almost every timeI sit down at the piano,a song comes through.”Marie is a giftedmusician, says JerryVelasco, an actor andmusician. “She is aninnovative composerandhas excellentpresentation skills.”One song Marie isespecially proudof isher tribute to formerpresident RonaldReagan.“On Tuesday June 8,2004, while happily playingmy piano, a newsong startedto comethrough,” recalls Marie.“After quickly recordinga couple of lines, I wentback to my familiarsongs, but the new songTerri Marieinsistedon beingnoticed. It started with abit of sadness, but then becameuplifting.”It wasn’t until the words camethat Marie realizedshe was composinga tribute to RonaldReagan, whohaddiedthree days earlier. “I wasabsolutely floored!” she says. “Thefirst time I playedthe whole songthrough, I cried.”Marie remainedconstantly surprisedbywhat she calls “the littlemiracles” that occurredaroundthecreation of the song. “After Irecorded the song, I looked downat the measures bar andnotedthatit read93,” she says. “RonaldReagan died at the age of 93.”The night after she finishedthesong, Marie went to her firstToastmasters meeting at the TalegaGallery Club in San Clemente,where she noticedanother sign.“The information at the club wasexactly what I needed to hear,” saysMarie. “Someone reada quote byRonaldReagan, andthe club presidentsaidthat she was movedtotears by Reagan’s devotion to Nancy,which I mention in the song.”Something else happenedat themeeting that didn’t seem that extraordinaryat the time, but provedinvaluable to Marie. “A member gavean intriguing presentation calledthe‘One-Minute Toastmaster,’” sheremembers.” The speaker suggestedpracticing a speech all the waythrough, rather than stopping andstarting over when you make a mistake,because when you do that youonly practice the beginning of the8 TOASTMASTER December 2007

speech. That advice helped mequickly learn my song and performit flawlessly.”The next day Marie called herfather, who told her that she hadcreated something powerful andthat she should share it.After making several phonecalls to a variety of contacts,Marie was invited to performthe song at a tribute for Reaganat the Nixon Library.“Before I could stop myself, Iagreed to perform my song, despitethe fact that I had never played inpublic before,” says Marie, whoadmits to waking up the next morningin a panic. “I felt overwhelmedto know that I’d be performing onthe same stage where [Henry]Kissinger had spoken.”Needing to learn the song quickly,Marie practiced her compositionmultiple times, using advice fromher fellow Toastmaster’s “OneMinute Toastmaster” speech. Then,the big day arrived. On Sunday, June13, 2004 she walked onstage at theNixon Library.“I had just 15 minutes to talkabout how I wrote the song andthen perform it,” she says, notinghow thankful she was for herToastmasters training, especiallyTable Topics. “I was able to talkcasually from my piano seat to theaudience and explain how andwhen I wrote the song,” she says.“I shared that the song providedme a way to honor the life of agreat man who truly lovedAmerica and shared an incrediblebond with his wife. Then I played“Reagan’s Ride” for the first timein public.”When Marie finished, the crowdremained silent for a moment andthen began clapping wildly. “As Iwalked down the aisle to leave,I noticed an older couple with tearsin their eyes and a young womanwho mouthed the words ‘thankyou’ to me,” she says. “Seeing thoseSteps to Greater CreativityLike other art forms, speech writing is a creative process.“Through our speeches we have the gift and responsibilityto touch and inspire others,” says ToastmasterTerri Marie. She suggests the following tips to buildcreativity and write better speeches:1. Trust in your abilities.2. Find something that sparks your interest3. Take that first step and start.4. Never deny the muse.When it knocks, answer the doorno matter what time it is.5. Do not judge your work.6. Give creativity time and gain inspiration from nature orcultural events.7. Know that your passion is the map to your creativity.reactions made the experience wellworth it.”Marie’s voyage with her songdidn’t end there. For two years sheattempted to contact Nancy Reaganso that she could give the formerfirst lady a copy of the song. Shefinally succeeded and was told Mrs.Reagan greatly appreciated therecording.“Terri Marie is a great exampleof how the skills you learn inToastmasters can help you in thereal world,” says former InternationalPresident Alfred Herzing, amember of the Yorba LindaAchievers Club, who mentoredTerri Marie when she first joinedthe organization. “Terri was a goodspeaker from the beginning, but Isaw her gain further confidenceand broaden her skill set by practicingin our club as she workedthe Toastmaster program.”Jack Nichols, a member of theFounder’s District ProfessionalSpeakers club, which meets inOrange, California, agrees. “Outof all the people I’ve seen growthrough Toastmasters – and I’veseen many – I would have to saythat Terri has taken it the furthest,”he says. “She’s a real creativemachine. I’ve watched her broadenall of her talents, including music,speaking and writing.”In addition to speaking on aregular basis and composing hermusic, Marie is author of the book,Be the Hero of Your Own Game,as well as a regular newspaper columnon local heroes for the SanClemente Sun Post News. She is alsocurrently recording some of herown music on CD.“I wouldn’t be as far as I amtoday without Toastmasters,” saysMarie. “The organization not onlygives you the tools to communicateeffectively, it enables you to reachyour dreams and share your ownsong in whatever form it may take.Listen carefully because you neverknow when you’ll receive a pieceof advice from Toastmasters thatcould change your life.”TJulie Bawden Davis is a freelancewriter and longtime contributorto this magazine. She lives inSouthern California. Reach her atJulie@JulieBawdenDavis.com.December 2007 TOASTMASTER 9

YOURWays to win your audience through inclusion.By Craig Harrison, DTMMost speakers want unanimousapproval, a standing ovation and allthe advantages that accrue from asuccessful speech. Yet speakers often sabotagethemselves in their quest to connect. Sometimesthey inadvertently alienate or evenpolarize an audience through ill-conceivedremarks or lack of sensitivity. The results?Lukewarm receptions, sparse applause and in the case ofcontests, a seat outside the winner’s circle.Speakers often presume that audiences share theirbelief systems, values or political preferences. Sometimesit’s because their audience members look like they do, orbecause in their city, most people do share beliefs. Butoften looks belie reality. You cannot read people’s heartsor minds. When you presume, you run the risk of offendingaudience members without even knowing it.I’ve listened to speakers who presumed everyone inthe room voted for the same candidate in the most recent10 TOASTMASTER December 2007

A Muslim speaking to a Christian audience, or vice versaAn Aborigine speaking to Australians of English heritageA Korean speaking to a largely Japanese audienceIn each case, there may be differing customs, valuesand even accents. To ignore such differences would belike ignoring an elephant in the room. The lack ofacknowledgement would distract from your actualmessage. The wise approach is to acknowledge differencesin a respectful way.InclusivityThink for a moment about the way Toastmasters oftenopen their speeches: “Madam Toastmaster, fellowToastmasters and most welcomed guests.” This openingis designed to include all who may find themselves inyour audience, and it welcomes each. That’s good! Wewant to similarly cast a wide net when speaking to audienceswho may be skeptical, doubtful or reluctant toembrace our message because of their own background,disposition or past experiences. Craft your opening toengage all, especially those who may be in the minorityin terms of gender, religion, age or political preference.Toastmasters Accredited Speaker Anne Barab,DTM, wows the audience during the 2007International Convention in Phoenix, Arizona.national or local election, or that everyone in the clubshared his belief about an upcoming holiday, or herstance on a war or national policy. It turned out theaudience’s opinion was far from unanimous.Speaking In the Lion’s DenSometimes we find ourselves speaking to an audiencewith different beliefs, perspectives or experiences. In theUnited States you might be:A lone Republican speaking to an audience ofDemocrats, or vice versaA manager speaking to employeesA Northerner speaking in the deep SouthA woman speaking to an all-male audienceInternationally, you may find yourself across a fencefrom an audience for a variety of reasons:Reputations Help and HinderI grew up and continue to reside in Berkeley, California– home of the University of California, and the freespeech movement, protests and riots of the 1960s. Was Ia part of the riots of the late ’60s? No! I was seven yearsold. I was busy selling lemonade on the corner like anychild of my age. Yet some audiences presume that allpeople from Berkeley are long-haired hippies who arerebels, radicals and draft dodgers with no respect forauthority. Some dislike me before I’ve spoken a word,based on reputation. (I dispel their fears with humor andself-effacement in my speech’s introduction.)The Elephant in the RoomSpeechwriter Tom Roberts of Oakland, California, hailsfrom Arkansas, where as a college professor he taughtpublic speaking, oral interpretation and broadcast journalism.Audiences always have two questions: “Whydon’t you sound like you’re from the South?” And, “Doyou know President Bill Clinton?” After 17 years as anational broadcaster, Tom has trimmed his regionalaccent, yet based on credentials, these questions colorpeoples’ introductory impressions of him. Tom anticipatesthe questions and answers them at the outset torefocus his audiences.Dynamic professional speaker Mikki Williams ofChicago, with her big hair and big jewelry, has audiencespondering her resemblance to actress Laynie Kazan, orsingers Barbara Streisand or Bette Midler. Knowing this,at the outset, she eggs the audience on: “OK, who do Ilook like?” She poses a little and the audience shouts outDecember 2007 TOASTMASTER 11

The Case For – and Against – WhiskeyNoah S.“Soggy” Sweat Jr. delivered this famous“Whiskey Speech” on April 4, 1952, at a banquet whilethe prohibition issue was before the Mississippi legislature:“My friends,“I had not intended to discuss this controversial subject at this particulartime.However, I want you to know that I do not shun controversy.On the contrary, I will take a stand on any issue at any time, regardlessof how fraught with controversy it might be.You have asked me howI feel about whiskey. All right, here is how I feel about whiskey.“If when you say whiskey you mean the devil’s brew, the poisonscourge, the bloody monster that defiles innocence, dethrones reason,destroys the home, creates misery and poverty, yea, literally takes thebread from the mouths of little children; if you mean the evil drink thattopples the Christian man and woman from the pinnacle of righteous,gracious living into the bottomless pit of degradation, and despair, andshame and helplessness, and hopelessness, then certainly I am against it.“But;“If when you say whiskey you mean the oil of conversation, the philosophicwine, the ale that is consumed when good fellows get together,that puts a song in theirhearts and laughteron theirlips, and the warmglow of contentment in theireyes; if you mean Christmas cheer; if youmean the stimulating drink that puts the spring in the old gentleman’sstep on a frosty, crispy morning; if you mean the drink which enables aman to magnify his joy, and his happiness, and to forget, if only for a littlewhile, life’s great tragedies, and heartaches, and sorrows; if you meanthat drink, the sale of which pours into our treasuries untold millions ofdollars, which are used to provide tendercare forourlittle crippled children,ourblind, ourdeaf, ourdumb, ourpitiful aged and infirm; to buildhighways and hospitals and schools, then certainly I am for it.This is my stand. I will not retreat from it. I will not compromise.”names. In her speaking school, she coaches all speakers to“go with the obvious. Call on your attributes. So you’rebald, pregnant or have a pronounced accent, reference it.Use self-directed humor to connect with your audience.” Ifyou’re vertically challenged you might open with “Can yousee me now?” Then, stand on your tip-toes and ask again!Blues musicians Howlin’ Wolf and Willie Dixon longago taught that “you can’t judge a book by lookin’ at itscover,“ yet initially that is all audience members have togo on. Your mission is to help audiences get to know,trust and like you through your graciousness, inclusiveengagement and appropriate disclosures. Especially at thebeginning of your speech, these qualities help you bondwith your audience, who will see you’re more alike thandifferent from them.What are your presumptions about people of otherreligions, a certain age or orientation? What presumptionsmight people have of you, based solely on your age,gender, ethnicity, orientation or occupation? Whether ornot it’s accurate, it’s affecting how you are heard, seenand perceived. It also affects how you, thespeaker, see and perceive your audience.The Olive BranchThe best speeches are inclusive, bringingaudiences together or else offering somethingfor multiple perspectives, beliefs or preferences.In cases where you are speaking to ahostile or opposing party, praise them! It willdisarm them. You can kill them with kindness.When you are conciliatory or otherwise generouswith your acknowledgement, their respectfor you grows. By being magnanimous, youshow yourself worthy of further consideration.A Toast to Differing TastesA great, if exaggerated, example of catering tomultiple factions within an audience can befound in the famous “Whiskey Speech” of JudgeNoah S. “Soggy” Sweat Jr. Delivered to theMississippi legislature on April 4, 1952, thisspeech takes a stand on the controversial prohibitiontopic of legalizing liquor (then illegal inthat state). In successive paragraphs he appearsto be either pummeling or praising the effectsof alcohol. He seemingly appealed to both sideswhile maintaining his neutrality. Though hisspeech takes political doublespeak to comicproportions, the lesson remains: Know youraudience and give something of value to all.Appealing to Our CommonalitiesWhen speaking to audiences who appear tobe different from you, seek out your commonalities andbuild upon them. For instance, you may be speaking toan audience comprised predominantly of people whosepolitical beliefs are opposite yours, and this is known toall. Your opening greeting may begin “Good eveningfriends and fellow citizens…” Indeed you are all citizens.This is why many speeches given by United States presidentsbegin with, “My fellow Americans…” Other thingsyou may have in common: you are all taxpayers, votersand survivors of that evening’s Chicken à la Firestone.Look for common ground to launch your speech and youand your audience will start the journey together.When you speak to audiences from other countries,take the time to learn enough of their language to welcomethem and help them feel at home. Whether you areusing sign language for the deaf, colloquialisms thatreflect the locality your audience is from, or you dress thepart through a hat, tie, scarf or other sartorial garnishes,you are embracing the audience for who they are, andthey will appreciate it – when it’s done with sincerity.12 TOASTMASTER December 2007

Lisa Jeffery, speech professor from Miami Beach, Florida,explains: “Consider a female health care professionalspeaking to Baptist ministers on the controversial topicof abortion. She’s got to start out on common ground.Likeability is important. She should strive to garner some‘amens’ early in her speech through praise, respect and afocus on what is shared by the speaker and audience.”She coaches her clients and students to focus onachievable goals. In this case, getting the ministers toopen their minds enough to consider the validity of adivergent point of view may be attainable. Convertingthem through her speech alone to change their beliefsystem is far less likely.Forthe Benefit of a FewYou may speak about an event, experience or phenomenonthat most – but not everyone – knows, understands oris familiar with. Consider the phrase “blue moon.“ Ratherthan assume everyone knows it, or worse yet, asking: Isthere anyone here who doesn’t know what a “bluemoon” is? Explain if for all: “For those of you unfamiliarwith expression ‘once in a blue moon,’ it refers to thesecond moon in a month, a rare occurrence.” You mightphrase it simply: “. . . it was as rare as a blue moon.”That way you don’t embarrass, demean or ostracizethe person who doesn’t understand or hasn’t been versedin your history, points of reference or colloquialism. Fewpeople wish to admit in a crowd that they don’t understandsomething. Yet it may inhibit their ability (or desire)to follow your speech, embrace your argument orsupport your cause.Insights on Inside JokesAnother way speakers alienate their audiences is throughexcessive use of inside jokes or references to events orknowledge known by some – but not most – of the audience.Your goal is to help everyone feel like an insider.Too many references to people or topics not known tomost audience members estrange them from the speaker.Help people feel included, not excluded.So leave the insider jokes out.Speak to Win!Professional speaker Simma Lieberman of Berkeley,California, is known as “The Inclusionist.” She trainsorganizations worldwide in how to succeed throughinclusion. Lieberman knows the value of helping audiencesfeel better about themselves. “To be an inclusivespeaker means that you know how to create communityin the short time you are in front of people, by engagingthem and making them feel like you are talking to [all of]them.” Simma takes great pains to learn as much abouther audience as possible. Before the event, she asks questions.Then she greets everyone upon arrival and usesquestions in her opening remarks to engage and includeall members of the audience. As a result, she wins theirattention, respect and adoration. You can too! When youunite your audience, your applause will be unanimous! TCraig Harrison, DTM, AL, founded LaughLovers Toastmasters596430 in Oakland, California, to help speakers connectto their audiences through laughter. Reach him viahis website www.ExpressionsOfExcellence.com.Tips forBetterKnowing YourAudience Learn about your audience before you speak.Ask questions, meet them informally, use polls, surveys and questionnaires.Google “online survey service” to find companies that will help you set up Web surveys. Meet your audience members on the way into the room. Chat with them one-on-one and in small groups to learnmore about them and identify commonalities. Use the technique of “Call and Response” to engage and include your audience.“How many of you have children? (Waitfor response.) How many of you are children?” (Wait for laughter!) Include your audience through generous eye contact that shows you see them as individuals. Speak to an audience member in the front, the middle and the back; speak to people on the left, the right and in thecenter. Vary where you direct your remarks. Remember, the shortest distance between people is often a smile. When you smile at someone, they should smile back. If you’re from out of town, reference something local about the town, region or state. Topical references often connect you with your audience. Reference, for example, the local weather (which we allexperience), the traffic jam on the way to the program, a recent event or other common experience. But be carefulto reference something that’s truly universal within your audience. Remember, you’re not a speaker without an audience.They are the most valuable people in the room. Speaking is acollaborative experience. Share the spotlight with them and they’ll respond appreciatively!December 2007 TOASTMASTER 13

By Carl Duivenvoorden, DTMA front row seat at theworld’s most famousmultimedia presentation.The author with Nobel Peace Prizewinner Al Gore (left).An InconvenientTruthJust about everyone has seen or heard of former U.S. VicePresident and Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore’s Oscarwinningmovie, An Inconvenient Truth. But imagine having afront row seat at a live version of that presentation, presentedby Mr. Gore himself.even the transitions. The third partwas a workshop presented by authorAndy Goodman on techniques foreffective speaking. The Toastmastersevaluator in me couldn’t help butmake a few notes on what I sawand heard during those three days.I was lucky enough to have hadjust that opportunity when I attendeda training session in Nashville,Tennessee, last April.It all started when I read AnInconvenient Truth not long afterthe bookwas published. I wasimmediately captivated by how itpresented an issue as complex asclimate change in clear, easy-tounderstandways. It was like GlobalWarming 101 – and it incorporateda lot of the communication techniqueswe strive to learn throughToastmasters.Soon after, I found out that Mr.Gore would be training 1000 peopleto be “climate change messengers,”giving live presentations of AnInconvenient Truth in their owncommunities. So I submitted anapplication – headlined, of course,by my Toastmasters experience! Iwas fortunate to have been selectedfor Class 6, the final group to betrained. I credit my “Toastmastersresume” for helping me stand outamong the thousands of highlyqualified people who applied.The three-day program was ledby Mr. Gore and a team of scientistsand environmental educators. It wasfilled with highlights from start tofinish, but three parts were especiallynoteworthy. The first involved seeingMr. Gore present the InconvenientTruth multimedia show in personat the opening session. (I made sureto arrive early for a front-row seat.)The second highlight was spendinga full day with Mr. Gore as hetrained our group and explainedevery slide meticulously: the science,the visual, the key message andThe Speaker’s BudgetsMr. Gore described the three “budgets”presenters have when they speak:time, complexity and hope. The time budget refers to theimportance of always respectingthe audience and finishing at theappointed time. (I couldn’t helpthinking that our Toastmasters timingsignals would be helpful here.) The complexity budget refers topresenting information in a way thatthe audience can grasp and retain.In presenting a topic as complicatedas our global climate, it’s easy tocause eyes to glaze over – but Mr.Gore pointed out how even themost complicated elements could bemade understandable to most audiencesif they were broken down to14 TOASTMASTER December 2007

asic concepts, and then presentedwith the right words and visuals. The hope budget, more specificto this topic, refers to the need toensure that the audience leaves notwith a sense of despair, but with afeeling of hope and empowerment.I believe that the motivationalspeaking techniques I have learnedthrough Toastmasters will help merespect this budget.Powerful VisualsPerhaps the one element that hasmade An Inconvenient Truth standout from other books or documentariesis its use of clear and dramaticvisuals to engage and persuade theaudience. From the awe-inspiring“Earth Rise” photograph to thejagged red line of data showingrising CO2 levels, the visuals speakto the point. Messages are presentedwith powerful tables and charts, andreinforced with vivid photographsor video clips. A single slide withanimated global ocean currentsprovides a nice dramatization of acomplicated system.Schematic diagrams follow theviewer’s natural gaze across thescreen: either flowing from top leftto bottom right, or flowing horizontallyfrom left to right. In some horizontallyflowing slides, barriers areshown as obstacles to be vaultedover to rise to a higher level. In allvisuals, text is used sparingly, allowingthe audience’s focus to remain onthe visual as it is explained verbally.TransitionsAn Inconvenient Truth actually containsseveral “chapters” – What isglobal warming? What are the signs?How will it affect us? What can wedo about it? But they flow togetherseamlessly, thanks to smooth transitions.Navigation from slide to slideis effortless, with special transitionsstrategically inserted to focus attention.As an example, Mr. Gorepointed to a slide where the mapof Greenland dramatically drops inbeside Antarctica, and anotherwhere a garden shovel is abruptlyreplaced by a massive excavator.There is even a transition wherea vertical line of data swirls 90degrees and becomes horizontal,to emphasize that it is the samedata and prevent a ‘disconnect’ inthe eye of the viewer.Speaking to the HeartBeyond facts and figures, a speakermust use conviction and passion toconvince an audience. Mr. Goreused vocal variety masterfully, fromsoftly spoken messages of hope topowerful calls for action. He referencedgreat American triumphs suchas the Constitution, civil rights lawsand the Apollo moon landings asproof of a society’s ability to meet achallenge as formidable as climatechange. And he motivated his audienceto action by linking the acceptanceof a “truth” with a moralobligation to act upon it.Speaking TechniqueBoth Al Gore and Andy Goodmantouched upon many of the techniquesemphasized within Toastmasters,such as:The use of pauses, to allow theaudience to process complicatedor high-impact visuals.The use of humor, including selfdeprecatinghumor, to buildrapport with the audience andget their permission to go whereyou are going to go.The use of the “Tell them whatyou’re going to say – tell them –tell them what you said” trio.This technique was applied tothe entire presentation, and especiallyto complicated ideas. Forexample, one of the more complexslides in the presentationwas introduced and explainedwith the following sequence:1. Transitioning to the slide: Hesaid, “On the next slide, you’regoing to see three trends…”(with a brief explanation)2. While viewing the slide: Hesaid, “This graph demonstratesthose three trends,” (with amore detailed explanation)3. Transitioning from the slide:He said, “Now that you’veseen how these trends areclear... (with a quick recapof the key message beforemoving on)The use of rhetorical questionsto help bridge transitions andlead the audience from onepoint to the next. For example,“So why should the average citizencare about this trend? Well,for starters ...”The use of examples, analogiesand similes an audience couldrelate to, such as comparing theannual layers in a core of ancientice to the growth rings of a tree.For three days last April, I hadthe privilege of a front row seat atthe world’s most famous multimediashow. It was a wonderful opportunityto watch a skilled presenterface-to-face, to absorb a mass ofinformation and to study some ofthe techniques that helped makeAn Inconvenient Truth a worldwidehit. And it reaffirmed many of theskills and methods I’ve learnedthrough Toastmasters.Now it’s up to me to continuesharing this information with audiencesall across North America! TPast District 45 Governor CarlDuivenvoorden, DTM, lives inUpper Kingsclear, New Brunswick,Canada. Since April, he has presented“An Inconvenient Truth” tomore than 60 public and schoolaudiences. To find out more, visitwww.changeyourcorner.com.December 2007 TOASTMASTER 15

LAUGHLINESBy Malcolm KushnerDon’t worry,be funny!Generating Funfor PowerPointYou’re sitting in the audience ata meeting. The speaker getsup, turns on the LCD projectorand fires up the PowerPoint. About200 slides later, you wonder if you’vedied but didn’t go to heaven. This iscommonly known as “death byPowerPoint.” The speaker drones onand you’re almost literally bored todeath by an endless display of slides.But what if the slides were funny?What if “death by PowerPoint” meantkilling an audience with laughter?That’s the goal I set when writingDon’t Worry, Be Funny: Web Sites ThatCan Automatically Generate HumorousMaterial For Your Next PresentationAnd How To Use Them – Even IfYou Can’t Tell A Joke. Well, maybe thegoal isn’t really killing the audience,but making them chuckle a bit.As a humor consultant, the twoquestions I’m asked most often are:(1) How can I use humor in a presentationif I can’t tell a joke? and(2) How can I find material? Theanswer to both of these questionscan be found on the Web; specificallywith an online tool called agenerator.Web GeneratorsWeb generators let you create, produceor generate something –hence the name. For example, youcan visit a Web site that lets youupload a photograph and thenchange it into a pencil sketch.Another Web site lets you key inyour initials and then generates animage of how it would look carvedin cuneiform – the writing ofancient Babylonians. Another letsyou key in your name and puts iton the image of a chocolate bar.There are hundreds of these typesof sites on the Web.Unfortunately, most of themdon’t generate humorous material ofuse to presenters. But some of themdo. Those are the ones that I’vegathered in Don’t Worry, Be Funny.One of my favorites is theEinstein Dynamic Photo Generator.Here’s how it works. Go tohttp://www.hetemeel.com/einsteinform.php and you’ll see aphoto of Albert Einstein writing on achalk board. The site lets you key inwhatever words you choose so itlooks like Albert Einstein wrotethem on the board. Then you candownload the image and use it in aPowerPoint presentation.This is a great tool for anyonewho has to present a formula; use itfor budgets, projects, training programs,anything! Just make an equationusing the first letters of the wordsyou want to emphasize. Then saythat it’s Einstein’s other formula.For example, say you’re presentinga budget to an audience whowill inevitably increase the amountof their demands. Start out with aPowerPoint of Einstein at the chalkboard writing the formula B=TSFYP.Then tell them, “Everyone knowsE=MC 2 . Most people don’t knowEinstein’s second most famous formulaB=TSFYP. Budget = Too SmallFor Your Project.” That will defusethem in advance and pave the wayfor a much smoother discussion ofyour budget numbers.But here’s the main benefit:Anyone can use this type of humorsuccessfully. You don’t have to beable to tell a joke. And your audiencewill appreciate the “humorbreak” in your set of PowerPointslides. By the way, there are a lot ofother ways to use the image ofEinstein at the chalkboard. It’s onlylimited by your imagination.More Humor GeneratorsAnother clever generator is theBumper Sticker Maker. This one has16 TOASTMASTER December 2007Photo Credit: Image from www.hetemeel.com

a picture of a bumper sticker onthe rear of an automobile, andyoucan write the sticker’s message. Infact, you get four choices. Thequick choices allow you to completea bumper sticker message of“Honk If You Love…” or “I BrakeFor…” or “Happiness is…” Thefinal sticker is blank andyou canmake it say whatever you desire.Once you complete one, you canthen download the image and useit in PowerPoint.This is a great tool for pokingfun at colleagues or competitors oreven yourself.For example, you can show aslide of a bumper sticker saying “IBrake For Children and Engineers”andclaim that it’s on the back of amarketing manager’s car. Or ifyou’re in accounting andviewedasstodgy, you might put up a slidethat’s supposedly from your owncar: “Honk If You Love OptimizingROI.” Whether it’s political, poetic orpathetic, a funny bumper stickerprovides a simple way to attribute afunny message to someone else oryourself. You can findthe BumperSticker Maker at http://www.redkid.net/generator/bumper/.How about one more? TheWantedPoster Generator does justwhat its name suggests – it lets youuploada photo of a person andturn it into a wantedposter.You can customize the person’s“crime,” an alias anda rewardamount. This is great for meetingswhere everyone knows each other,such as clubs, associations andwork groups. Just make a wantedposter for someone with a strongtrait that’s familiar to everyone. Forexample, someone couldbe wantedfor leaving big tips, adopting toomany pets or talking too long. Thistype of (inside) humor is alwayseffective. You don’t even have tosay anything. If you choose theright person andthe right trait, youraudience will start laughing as soonas they see the slide.Again, use your imagination.A wantedposter isn’t limitedtopeople. You can make a wantedposter for pets, products, ideas –anything! In a technology company,an engineer might show a wantedposter that offers a rewardfor acoherent marketing plan. You canalso get laughs by playing aroundwith the rewardamount and“crime”for which a person or object iswanted. You can find the WantedPoster Generator at http://www.glassgiant.com/wanted.So What Are You Waiting For?An ancient Chinese philosopheronce said, “A journey of a thousandmiles begins with a single step.”Let’s change that slightly. My versionis, “A journey of a thousandsmilesbegins with the first funny slide.”This is especially true if you view apresentation as a journey. Andyoushould. It has a beginning. It has anending. And when you’re presenting,you’re the guide that takes theaudience between these two points.The journey will be more fun foreveryone if you include a few stopsfor humor along the way. Just use afew humor generators. They canprovide an endless amount of materialthat’s easy to use andeasy tocustomize. Andthat’s no joke. TMalcolm Kushner, is the authorof Public Speaking For Dummiesand Presentations For Dummies.His latest book, Don’t Worry,Be Funny, is available atwww.museumofhumor.com.17December 2007 TOASTMASTER 17

One of the most importantaspects of knowing youraudience is knowing the numberof people expected to attend.Size UpBy Cliff Suttle, ATMG/CLYourAudienceAwhile ago, I was helping Joe with hisfirst International Contest speech.During our coaching session, heshared an observation that confused him.It’s seems that last fall, he watched me competein the Humorous Speech Contest at myadvanced club. I lost that contest. However,I eventuallyadvanced through a differentclub, and two rounds later at the division contest, Idefeated the exact same person with the exact samespeech. Joe wanted to know how that could happen.Was itdue to a differentsetof judges? Was the otherspeaker justhaving an off day? Did I practice more? Did Imake a lotof speech changes? Whatchanged? The differencebetween the club contest and the division contestwasn’t the speeches, it was the size of the audience.Creating your first speech toward the InternationalContest is unlike working on any other speech. For mostspeeches, you plan your speech for the audience to18 TOASTMASTER December 2007

which it will be delivered. Whether yourspeech is for a Toastmasters club, a boardofdirectors meeting or a chamber of commerce,you needto do your homework. You shouldresearch your audience and adapt yourspeech to be effective for that group. One ofthe most important aspects of knowing youraudience is to know the number of peopleexpectedto attend. This is the key to answeringJoe’s question.Different-sizedaudiences will respondbetter to different delivery styles. Here’s thebasic, breakdown:Talking to 10 people or fewer is a conversation.Getting up in front of 20 people is a speech.If there are 40 people in the audience, it’s is aperformance.100 people or more is a show.Size does matter. In the humorous speech contestJoe referredto, I designedmy speech to win the districtcontest – not to win the club. My competitor, on theother hand, hadcreateda speech to win the club.Whereas the opponent’s speech did win the club, it didnot translate well to the division stage, where the audiencesize hadgrown considerably. Therefore, with eachlevel that the two of us advanced, my speech grewstronger while my opponent’s speech declined in audienceresponse. By the time we reacheddivision levelandcompetedin front of 60 to 70 people, my speechwas nearing its peak. The crowdrespondedbetter, Iearnedbigger laughs, my big handgestures andexaggeratedfacialexpressions couldbe seen all the way atthe back of the room. My competitor’s speech lookedflat andlifeless, especially to the people seatedin theback. Hint: some judges do sit in the back.Joe understood but wanted more details. “How doyou tailor your speech to each audience?” he asked. So,for Joe andeveryone else, let’s look at each group anddiscuss the differences.The Conversation:A small group of fewer than 10 people isn’t a speech atall. The best presentation for this size audience is moreof a conversation. Highly planned-out topics don’t workwell here. Loosely organizedtalks that allow the speakerto change direction quickly work best to keep up withchanges in the audience’s interests. In a professionalsetting, a question-and-answer session is sometimes thebest way to handle a small group. In a Toastmasterscontest, you probably will not encounter this sizeaudience except in the smallest of clubs.The Speech:Once you have an audience of 20 or more, this is wheretrue, Toastmasters-style speeches begin. You can stillhave a conversational tone to your speech, but nowthere are too many people to have a conversation witheach person. Use large handgestures. Moving aroundthe podium area to connect with different groups workswell too. Eye contact shouldbe limitedto no more thanDecember 2007 TOASTMASTER 19

five-to-eight seconds on any given person. Eye contactlonger than that will cause an audience member to feelsingled out. This speech needs to be planned. The audiencewill no longer be interested in a conversation but“It’s much easier to tone down a bigspeech than ramp up a small one.”will want you to lead them down the path to your message.Groups of 20 to 30 people are common at club and smallarea contests.The Performance:When the audience exceeds 40, you need to memorizeyour speech. Planned speeches can look very inauthenticto smaller groups, but at this point, you’re on stage.Your speech is now a performance. Slight hitches in yourperformance will be noticeable, especially in a contestspeech. Pausing for more than four seconds, looking atthe floor while you remember your next line, or using anodd hand gesture will be instantly noticed. Your gesturesand facial expressions need to be seen by everyone, sothey need to be bigger.Eye contact on any one person is now limited to threeor four seconds. Laughter is contagious; the more peopleyou have, the bigger the laugh. Take time for theselaughs to reach their natural conclusion. Pauses up to 10seconds long can be expected to allow audience membersto get their giggles out of their systems. You needto practice facial expressions to use during these longpauses to let the audience know you are still connectedwith them. Posture becomes more important. You needto appear completely confident.This also applies to your vocal expression. More variationsin volume and pitch are necessary to get your pointacross. Forget one-on-one eye contact. It is now aboutrelating to the group. Because of the decreased anglefrom your eyes to theirs createdby the greater distance, everyonein a section of the audiencewill feel like you’ve made eyecontact. Be well rehearsed, buttry to make it look as if you justthought it up on the fly. This is a tricky thing to accomplish;it takes a lot of practice.The big question is, how do you design a speech thatwill knock them dead at the district level in front of 250people, but still play well at the club level for as few as15? This is the trick.Here are a couple of ideas I’ve uncovered over the years:First, plan for the big stage. Go for the gold, play towin, reach for the brass ring, etc. It’s much easier totone down a big speech than ramp up a small one.Work on your speech from day one as if you havealready made it to the district finals.Now, go back through the speech and tone it downfor your club and area contests. Make movementssmaller, the inflection narrower and stage movementless dramatic.Next, look for opportunities to work in one-on-onecrowd interactions at the club level. This will helpto take it from a big-audience speech to more ofa club-level speech. Be willing to ad-lib a bit, tocoincide with the audience’s reaction. To do this,you will have to make sure the speech is well underthe seven-minute and 30-second limit, so you’ll haveplenty of time.The Show:When your audience grows to more than 100, it’s time toraise the curtain and put on a show. Take the stage likeyou own it! Confidence is the number one effective skillon the platform. Minor glitches in your confidence willbe seen from a mile away. A big audience can be like abig dog; they can smell your fear. Your gestures andfacial expressions need to be huge. Have you ever seenstage makeup on an actor in a play? During the play theylook great, but if you visit back stage after the show, theactors look like clowns. Giant red spots on their cheeks,crow’s feet that go half way across the sides of theirheads. Stage makeup needs to be seen all the way in theback row, so the makeup has to be exaggerated. So ifyou want to be seen in the back row, your gestures andfacial expressions have to stand out too.Some clubs and club contest judges already understandthat they are looking to advance someone to thenext level who can win at the next level. These clubsand judges may be looking for the big speech asapposed to the smaller, flatter speeches. This is a situationyou will have to determine by knowing your cluband anticipating the tastes of the people who may beselected to judge. It’s always a delicate balancing act.But for the most part, you’ll want to remember thatpeople who play big, win big. TCliff Suttle, ATM-G/CL, is a District 28 Humorous, InternationalSpeech and Table Topics speech contestchampion, and a professional public speaker andspeaking coach. Reach him at www.CliffSuttle.com.20 TOASTMASTER December 2007

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FOR THE NOVICEBy George TorokStand and look good –even if you don’t feel good.Projecting Power On The PodiumYou speak before a group. Youpresent your message. Youmight be selling your productor service. How do you presentyourself with power?Avoid the TemptationsDon’t be fooled by the name –there is no implied power inPowerPoint. Have you noticedhow many use PowerPoint whodo not have power? That shouldbe your first clue. If everyone isdoing something, it is too commonto be powerful.PowerPoint is easy-to-use software.It seduces you into believingthat your presentation is all aboutnice graphics. That’s your secondmistake. If it focuses on ease of use,it’s not targeting what the presentationneeds to be powerful.The third deception is that badpresenters can hide behind theirflashy PowerPoint presentations. Abad golfer doesn’t get better by usingexpensive clubs or wearing a Nikecap. Hone the fundamental skills.Relying on colorful slides will notmake your presentation powerful.PowerComes From Within YouThe only power that counts in yourpresentation – and everything youdo – is the power that comes fromwithin you. That is realand recognizablepower.This is realpower because noone can take it away from you.They can admire it and covet it butthey cannot take it away from you.That is what makes you powerful.How Do You ConveyPowerto YourAudience?The first way you convey power isin the confidence you project. Standand look good – even if you don’tfeelgood. Projecting power is basedmore on how you look and soundthan how you feel. Most peoplelook more confident than they feel.This is surprising to most presenters– and it is a welcome relief. No oneelse knows; only you can hear yourinner voice berating you.So even when you don’t feelsogood, always try to look good. Itworks in your favor.AppearPowerfulYour physicalappearance is thefirst and strongest way to projectpower. Smile. By smiling, you seemrelaxed and competent. Nothingconveys trust and confidence morethan a smile.Another physicalprojection ofpower is the way you stand. Standaway from the lectern so the audiencecan see you. When youappear more open, you appearmore believable.Also, be sure to stand tall andstrong. Shoulders back and chest22 TOASTMASTER December 2007

out, looking as tall and big asyou can. We put more faith insomeone who appears to be big:bigger and stronger seems moreconfident.Stand with your hands and armsopen most of the time. Crossedarms appear guarded, as if you arehiding something. Keep your handsout of your pockets.Sound PowerfulYour voice is the next component topower and credibility. Power comesfrom the appearance of confidence.You sound more powerful whenyou sound more confident. Yousound more confident when youspeak slower and deeper – and sayless. Speaking slower shows thatyou are willing to let listeners digestwhat you say, that you are notafraid of interruptions. Speakingslower also lowers the tone of yourvoice – which makes you soundmore believable. Who sounds morepowerful – the slow poundingmarch of the elephant or the skitteringof the mouse?Pause more. That displays confidenceand allows your listeners tothink about what you say. It is neverabout what you tell them. It is aboutwhat they convince themselves. Andthey convince themselves while youare not talking. You do not convincewith your words. They needthe silences to think.Hum the first four notes toBeethoven’s Fifth symphony. Feelthe power in those simple, clearfour notes. Compare that to theplodding monotone of rap music.Have you noticed that the onlypower in most popular music isfrom the slow deep thud of thebase? In speaking you can harnessthe full power of musicality to suityour needs. Use your voice to buildcommanding highs and lows thatwill emphasize your points anddramatize your emotions for heaudience’s ear.“You sound more confident when youspeak slower and deeper – and say less.”Use Words of PowerPick words that convey power.Short, simple, clear words displaymore power than longer words.Love, hate, grow, kill, stop, go, aremore powerful than infatuation, illfeelings, cultivation, exterminate,discontinue, departure.Simple phrases and short sentenceshave more power than long,vague convoluted meanderings.What’s more powerful, “Our missionis to be the supplier of choice toour customers, show respect for ouremployees, work fairly with oursuppliers, be recognized as a leaderin the marketplace and generate aconsistently above average returnon investment to our shareholders.”Or, “We’re here to win.”Verbs are more powerful thannouns, adjectives and adverbs.Action is power. Use talk instead ofcommunication. Use say instead ofverbalization. Use sell instead ofsolicitation. Those words ending in“–tion” are poison. They melt awaythe power from your message.You Are the PowerYou can be more powerful whenyou speak – if you focus on whatyou say and how you look andsound. Power is a feeling. If youraudience believes you to be powerfulby how you make them feel,you will be powerful.I am not suggesting that youintimidate. The power of fear isnot the way to inspire teams –unless you want to inspire themto destroy you.Don’t hide behind PowerPointslides hoping they will grant youpower. Only your personal powerwill move your audience to buyinto your message. Tap into thatpersonal power to make youbelievable and compelling. TGeorge Torok, CTM, delivers powerfulpresentations, with and withoutPowerPoint. He is a member ofSkyway Toastmasters in Burlington,Ontario Canada.2007 Mailing StatementDecember 2007 TOASTMASTER 23

24 TOASTMASTER December 2007

By Judith E. Pearson, Ph.D., DTMA therapist tells all . . .ReframingThree Major FearsAbout Public SpeakingThe fear of public speaking is irrational, because public speakingdoes not threaten life and limb. Yet many people are terrified ofspeaking in front of a group and will do almost anything to avoid it.An irrational fear is generally known as a phobia. Inmy practice, as a counselor and life coach specializingin Neuro-Linguistic Programming and hypnotherapy, Ireceive plenty ofrequests to work with phobias, fearsand anxiety. One ofthe most common sources ofphobiasand fears I work with is that of public speaking.My office is in a suburb just outside of Washington,D.C., less than 30 minutes from the United States Capitolbuilding and the White House. My clientele often consistsof government, military and federal contractor folkslooking for upward mobility – public speaking is anecessary skill for their advancement. They come fromhigh-pressure work environments.When I work with phobias and fears around publicspeaking, I encourage my clients to join a Toastmastersclub. I see each client for about five one-hour individualsessions, to help him or her become more confident infront of an audience. During the initial interview witheach client, I listen for the irrational thinking that goesalong with the fear.In the 20 years I have worked with clients battlingtheir fear of public speaking, I have narrowed theirrational thinking into three main categories:It’s all about me.My speaking abilities are ruined by a past disaster.I can’t stand the thought ofmaking a mistake in frontofothers.My first task as a therapist is to help change myclients’ thinking: a process called reframing (or “cognitiverestructuring”). When I can help someone to thinkdifferently, it’s easy to change their behavior andemotions. Once my clients begin to think differentlyabout public speaking, then I can use relaxation training,guided visualization, behavioral conditioning, andhypnotic suggestions to help them access feelings ofconfidence in their abilities and optimism about theexcitement and fun of speaking to groups.For the remainder ofthis article, I’d like to elaborateon each ofthe irrational thoughts above, tell you howpeople express those thoughts, and what I say to themto steer their thinking in another direction. I hope thisinformation will help new Toastmasters and prospectiveToastmasters to think about public speaking in a newand positive way. Here’s a glimpse ofwhat goes on inmy office when people tell me they are terrified ofpublic speaking:“It’s All About Me”Many people tell me they shun the spotlight and avoidpublic speaking because they feel self-conscious. Theyassume that when all eyes are upon them, they are beingjudged and made subject to disapproval. My clientsusually tell me something like, “I get so nervous that Ican’t stop thinking about how nervous I feel and howeveryone is staring at me, and how foolish I must look.”December 2007 TOASTMASTER 25

Strategies for Overcoming Fear of Public SpeakingBy Carl Duivenvoorden, DTMDo butterflies attackyour stomach whenever you even thinkabout having to address a group? If so, here area few strategies to help you make them fly in formation:Be thoroughlyprepared. The more ready you feel, the more confident you will feel. Know your subject and material. Be familiar with the technical content of your presentation. Knowmore than you will be presenting. Know your audience. Who are they? Why are they there? Why have you been chosen to speaktothem? What do they know? What is their attitude about your subject? Know the room. If possible, checkit out in advance. Get behind the lectern, checkthe microphoneand visualize your audience. Be organized; focus on the task. Practice, practice, practice until you feel comfortable that you know your presentation. Speak in frontof a mirror, record or videotape yourself and use the results to improve your delivery.Visualize the outcome you want. Believe in yourself. Envision yourself succeeding, and you’ll increase thelikelihood that you will!Focus on the message, not on yourself. Show your audience that your message is important by gettingexcited about it and putting your energy into it.Connect with your audience. Remember that audiences almost always want a speaker to succeed, and theywant to hear the speaker’s message. Find a few friendly faces in the audience and focus on them during yourpresentation.Put the past behind you. Ignore past bad experiences. Even professional speakers started out as nervousbeginners.Look your best. Dress appropriately for the occasion. If you lookgood, you will feel good – and it will show!Breathe deeply. Take a few deep breaths just before you step up to the lectern, to help you start with astrong, clear voice.Give up the belief that you have to be perfect. Even professional speakers run into glitches and problemsfrom time to time. Keep small setbacks in perspective.Carl Duivenvoorden, DTM, is a member of the Fredericton Club in New Brunswick, Canada.One client who told me these things did so whilecurled up on the couch, in a fetal position, crying thathe couldn’t stand the thought of “people doing thosethings to me.” I always acknowledge such fears. Then,here’s what I say:If you think it’s all about you, then you are approachingpublic speaking from the wrong end of things. It isn’tall about you. It’s all about your audience and the messageyou give them. They aren’t there to judge you. Theyare there to get the message, and they really don’t carewho delivers it. They are there because they want to beinformed, taught, inspired or entertained. Stop thinkingabout yourself and start thinking about them. Stop thinkinglike a victim in front of a firing squad and startthinking like someone who has something worthwhile tosay to people who want to hear it. When you start focusingon the needs of the audience, and get your mind offyourself, your nervousness will go way down.“My Speaking Abilities are Ruined by a Past Disaster”Many of my clients believe they’re emotionally scarredby some past humiliation or embarrassment – somethingthat occurred in front of others – often in childhood, butsometimes even in adulthood. And that event, for them,created a phobic response to the thought of being thecenter of attention. In fact, phobias are usually formedby a single rather traumatic event accompanied by ahighly-charged, negative emotion.One client of mine, for example, was a highly soughtafterspeaker in the government, giving briefings to the26 TOASTMASTER December 2007

United States Congress, the press and White Housestaffers. One day, when she was briefing an audienceof VIPs, things went terribly wrong. Her briefing wasdelayed, the equipment didn’t work properly, she hadn’teaten lunch, the room was hot and poorly ventilated,and she became dizzy and disoriented during herspeech and had to be helped off the stage. From thatday on, she believed she was unfit to speak in public.Her only thought was that, if she ever spoke again toan audience, it would simply be a repeat of that horribleday. Her career had come to a standstill.I always agree with my clients that any humiliationor embarrassment is a terrible ordeal. Then I remindthem of a few things they haven’t realized, and hereis what I say:First, no one plans to fail and you cannot alwayscontrol circumstances. Second, you survived andtherefore you have another opportunity to meet thechallenge. Third, that event is over and in the past.It has already happenedand therefore, that sameexact event can neverhappen again. So whereyou go from here is upto you.If you focus on whatyou did or what happenedto you that was horrible, itwill make you lose sight ofall the times when you have excelled at something.Give yourself credit for having learned something fromexperience, good and bad, and for the ability to use thatinformation to do better next time. Failure is no reasonto quit. Every failure we encounter gives us valuableinformation for future improvement. It is only whenyou focus on your strengths and your achievementsthat you will have the courage to face the challenge.“I Can’t Stand the Thought ofMaking a Mistake in Front of Others”I always tell my clients that their fear of making mistakesis one side of a two-sided coin. The other side of thatcoin is a strong desire to excel and make a good impression.Then I add that nervousness and fear do not makea good impression. Here’s what I say next:One key to a polished presentation is to practice.Practice reduces mistakes. Another key is to get feedbackfrom others. Toastmasters meetings are great venues topractice speeches that you plan to give to other groups,because your evaluator can point out where you canimprove.To reconcile with the fear of making mistakes, it’s bestto accept the fact that mistakes happen, even to the mostskilled speakers. It’s what you do with mistakes thatmatters to others, not whether you make them. The moreyou cringe and fidget over a mistake, the more youraudience becomes aware of your discomfort.The way to recover from a mistake is to observe yourmistake dispassionately, take whatever corrective actionis necessary, regain your composure, focus on what tosay next and go on. Leave the mistake behind andmove forward through your material. Audiences canbe forgiving. Many listeners will admire the way youcontinue on so easily, or may even be relieved to knowyou are human. The secret to superb speaking is to giveyourself permission to make mistakes and learn torecover from them quickly.“Stop thinking like a victim in front ofa firing squad and start thinking likesomeone who has something worthwhileto say to people who want to hear it.”You Can Reframe, Rehearse and…Regain Your Voice!Now to many seasoned Toastmasters, such fears mayseem quite foolish, but for the person who is trulyafraid of public speaking, these fears are often overwhelming.What always surprises me, however, is thatwhen I reframe these fears, every client looks at mein amazement and says “Gee, I never thought about itlike that!” When I hear that, I know I’ve done a goodjob. And it’s a thrill to watch them break free fromtheir fears.I’ve been successful in helping my clients overcomefears of public speaking. The client who curled up onthe couch spoke at his industry conference a few weekslater and proudly showed me the certificate that provedhis participation. He hung it on the wall of his office, toprove that he really could speak to groups. The secondclient, with embarrassing experience, gradually got backinto giving briefings. She asked her supervisor to allowher to return to her previous responsibilities. She startedout giving brief presentations to small groups and graduallyworked her way up to much more challengingassignments, testing the waters as she went along. Hercareer is back on track. TJudith E, Pearson, Ph.D., DTM, is a member of GallopingGovernors Toastmasters Club. She has a privatecounseling practice in Springfield, Virginia. Reach her atjudy@engagethepower.com.December 2007 TOASTMASTER 27

BeautyandtheBy Judi BaileySpeaker Bobby Earl talks about how he, early in hiscareer, used to awaken to find his “mind” sitting onthe bedpost above him. “I’ve been waiting for you,”it announced daily, then went on to project an escalation ofproblems: Youdon’t feel like getting out of bed; maybe youaresick. Youprobably have some rare and incurable disease thatwill cost youyour income. Then youwill have to foreclose on thehouse, file for bankruptcy and likely end up living on the street.The whole process took less than 30 seconds.Isn’t this the same thing we do on the eve of, or daybefore, the Big Speech? We project disaster. We expectthe roof to fall in. We anticipate some kind of rare butfatal rejection. Usually these pre-game jitters loom largerthan the talk itself.For neophytes, the apprehension can be stifling;seasoned speakers frequently experience the jitters aseagerness. Most of us realize a little of both.Beauty:Exhilaration. Thrill. Excitement. Inspiration. Stimulation.Kick. Adventure. Apprehension is not only a negativereaction to a perceived disaster, it can be positive as well.“On the night before a new class,” says SamaraBennette, speaker and educator, “I make myself look atmy presentation in a positive manner by telling myself‘Oh cool. Tomorrow’s the first day of this class.’BeastChanging your fearfrom fiend to friend.“If I go to bed withthat attitude,”Bennette says, “I wake upwiththe energy I need to performthe task. I don’t have to work topump myself up because theexcitement about the positiveaspects carries over to the dayof the talk.”Having the jitters tells you thatyour energy is eager to be let loose. This added drivehas many benefits. Anticipation can be … A source of motivation that leads to action. The force that leads you to apply yourself ina focused manner. An antidote to indifference. A message that you care about the quality ofyour speech. An indication that you will put a good amountof energy into your endeavor.For example, the former lead singer of FleetwoodMac, Stevie Nicks, believed that the anxiety sheexperienced prior to appearing on stage helped herperform better. If she didn’t experience this excitementand nervousness, she worried about the successof the concert.28 TOASTMASTER December 2007

The Beast:Dread. Anxiety. Nervousness. Fear. Apprehension.Tension. The jitters. But “the beast,” by any name, feelsmiserable.“It’s all about the ‘what ifs,’” says Maggie Dennison,a marketing consultant and writer who’s working on herlast assignment for the Distinguished Toastmaster award.She’s a member of the Unity Speakeasy Toastmastersclub in Santa Barbara, California.“I used to have a lot of fear and anxiety aboutspeaking,” she says, “because I wasn’t living in thepresent. I was either obsessing about the past orworrying about the future.”When it came tospeaking assignments, the “what ifs”would hit Dennison hard. She’d have thoughts like:What if they think I’m stupid?What if I blank out?What if they don’t like how I dress?What if I trip while walking across the stage?What if they think I’m boring?What if I forget to say something?Dennison calls it “catastrophizing:” projecting whatmishap might occur in the future. “But now I attemptto concentrate on the task at hand,” she says.December 2007 TOASTMASTER 29

A sense offoreboding canfreeze us in ourshoes. And itfreezes someof the mostexperiencedperformers, aswell. Actress KimBasinger plannedto say a fewpre-rehearsedremarks whenshe received hertime with fear-oriented people can exacerbate yourown anxieties. Escalation. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Eachfear-filled presentation reinforces the jitters, making itmore and more difficult to give any kind of talk. In1967, Barbra Streisand forgot lyrics while performingand for 27 years, she was so afraid of repeating theembarrassment that she refused to sing in public.Her fear snowballed.Psychologists talk about “trait” and “state” apprehension.Trait anxiety refers to an anxiety that lies withinthe individual that typically makes speaking with nearlyanyone nerve-wracking. This is a type of social anxiety.“Most people won’t even notice your jitters;anxiety often comes off as enthusiasm andthe excitement to express your message.”Oscar, but she wasso anxious shecouldn’t rememberwhat she wantedto say.The lateJohnny Carson,famous Americantelevision host of theTonight Show, sufferedanxiety prior to each ofhis performances on hisprogram. Sir Lawrence Olivier, Joan Rivers, Helen Hayes,Sidney Poitier and quite a few other actors sufferedapprehension prior to their performances.The Jitters in GeneralAnxiety is a normal reaction to any new situation or to anevent that triggers some previous trauma. You’re likely tobe unaware of the underlying roots of your anxiety. Whatyou’re more likely to experience is the feeling of panic.Communication experts report that severe fright priorto a particular talk can be traced to one of three causes.A past intense and unresolved trauma. During atrauma our nervous system learns to sidestep potentiallypainful events in the future. Simply consideringgiving a talk triggers the past sensations of theoriginal trauma, making the thought of performingterribly frightening.Association with fear-driven people. Fear andnervousness are extremely contagious. SpendingState anxiety relates to the specific context, or state,of the anticipation. This includes the type and size ofthe audience plus the particular setting. For instance,you might be comfortable speaking to a large, anonymousgroup but not to an intimate round-table gathering.Or you may feel anxious giving a talk in front of yourcolleagues but not to a group of lay people.The good news is that the jitters are a learnedbehavior. And anything learned can be unlearned.Junking the JittersYou know you’ve got ‘em. And now you can betterunderstand them. You know the rich and famous havethem, too. Now what should you do about them?Sometimes we get stuck in “that’s just the way I am”thinking. But you were not born with a bent againstpublic speaking or destined to worry yourself to death!Change is more than possible – it’s probable. Selftransformationis hard work but it works, and it’s worth it.Of course one of the best ways to knock out thenervousness is to practice your material. In a recentarticle in Prevention magazine, Dr. Peter Desberg,professor at Cal State University at Dominguez Hills,California, said “Repetition is the mother of retention.”He claimed that knowing your talk well “beats backthe jitters.”Here are some additional points to consider:Relaxation On the evening (or day) before your engagement,engross yourself in an activity that puts you at ease,such as reading a good book, taking a nature hike,30 TOASTMASTER December 2007

daydreaming (but not about fearful fantasies) orparticipating in a sport. Study and use some of the more popular practices ofunwinding such as yoga, progressive relaxation anddeep breathing. Meditate. There are as many ways to meditate asthere are people who indulge in the practice: Watch the sunset. Ponder a positive idea such as love or friendship. Allow your mindto go blank. Count backwardfrom 100.Suspension of Doubt “Right your brain,” says Bennette, the educator. Don’twait for an hour before your talk – start the day before.Start setting yourself up to succeedas soon as youagree to make the speech. Remember that the workyou do on this carries over to the day of your talk. Normalize your emotions by reminding yourself thatmost speakers experience nervousness to some degree. Don’t use up your energy worrying that yournervousness will make you look like a fool. Mostpeople won’t even notice your jitters; anxiety oftencomes off as enthusiasm andthe excitement toexpress your message. Run continuous positive affirmations andself-talkthrough your mind. Say things to yourself like “I’mdoing okay” or “I always do better than I think I do.”Visualization Experts say that our brains can’t tell the differencebetween what we tell ourselves happens andwhatactually happens. So if you picture yourself givingyour speech full of energy andcompetence, yourbrain will accept that as a real experience even if it’snever occurredbefore. (Plus, when you give thespeech it’ll seem like you’ve done it before.)Picture feeling confident as you walk to the stage,walking tall andholding your chin up as the crowdeagerly awaits your presentation. Expect to succeed.Envision being totally involvedin giving help or providingjoy to the audience rather than getting praise.Those who study the workings of the mind say thatfor a more vividvisualization, use as many details inwhat you imagine as possible: Your appearance, stance andposture A soft cloudof calming aromas surrounding you The soundof the applause of the audience The audience members nodding in agreementandsmiling warmly The contentment you feel inside Your solid, clear and strong voiceDennison readily admits to practicing the techniqueof visualization, which has improvedher concentrationandallows her to live more easily in the moment. Shesays the mindcan only holdone thought at a time.Now, rather than anticipating disaster, Dennison switchesher attention. “I concentrate on what I am doing now,then when finished, what I need to do next.”Her advice to speakers oldandnew: “Picture givinga rockin’ speech to an audience that really enjoys it.” TJudi Bailey is a writer in Lakewood, Ohio, and afrequent contributor to this magazine. Reach her atauthor48@cox.netDecember 2007 TOASTMASTER 31

“Since starting to use the manual as intended,I have found that not only am I doing a betterjob in each role, my speeches are better.”By Jean G. Hogle, DTMExperiencing theCompetent Leadership Manual Why is the Competent Leadershipmanual important? Why should weuse it?In January 2006, a new memberjoined my club. Of course, thismeant he received two manuals:Competent Communication andCompetent Leadership. The newmember came to me, the president,and asked how to use the CompetentLeadership manual. As theadvanced, experienced ToastmasterI am, I gave him the highly articulateanswer of “Huh? Duh, ah, well,gee, I don’t know. But I hear it’sonly 10 projects.”Wanting to be a good leader, Iimmediately ordered the manual andstudied the projects. When I saw thateach project consists of doing multipleroles, I panicked. How is anyonesupposed to complete this? However,I began bringing the manual to eachmeeting and asking for an evaluatorto fill in my required assignments. Itwas a slow process, but the rolesstarted to gather checkmarks.One day I read the entireCompetent Leadership manual! Myfirst reaction was “Boy, Sam needsto read this! I wish Mary wouldlearn that! I caught myself thinking,“Wow, I didn’t know you should dothat role that way! I’ll start payingmore attention to how I performmeeting roles.” Yes, this experiencedToastmaster, already a CompetentLeader (old style), learned a wholelot of new information. I’ve performedclub meeting roles for years,but I learned many things and manynew ways of looking at each role.As I read the manual, I discoveredthat it’s not just about leadership.It’s also about how to be a goodToastmaster – a competent memberof Toastmasters International.There are a couple of places whereyou have to specifically lead aproject, but most of the manual isabout how to performthe standardmeeting roles.Most roles in aToastmasters meetingare listed in atleast one project.Most are listed inmultiple projects.You may look ateach project as awhole and studyhow the topicapplies to the roles listed in theevaluation section. For example,Topic One is “Listening and Leadership.”Study the information in thechapter, and then see how the skillsapply to the four roles listed bylooking at the questions asked inthe evaluations. The roles arespeech evaluator, grammarian, Ah-Counter and Table Topics speaker.Another way to use the manual isto pick a role, (evaluator,) and studyeach chapter/project with that rolein mind. The evaluator role appliesto Chapter One – “Listening andLeadership,” Chapter Two – “CriticalThinking,” Chapter Three – “GivingFeedback” and Chapter Eight –“Motivating People.” There are a fewother roles outside of a meeting thatmay be performed to complete themanual, but the majority of the projectsare performed within the meetingitself. These are roles we will allperform at one time or another duringour meetings, so why not learnall we can about the roles? Quitefrankly, I never thought about howlistening is an important skill for aTable Topics speaker.Since starting to use the manualas intended, I have foundthat not only am I doing abetter job in each role, myspeeches are better! Notonly have I learned how toperform a role in the clubmore efficiently and effectively,I have now learnedwhat others are looking forin a speech. My speecheshave improved as well asmy other skills in thevarious meeting roles.What is in theCompetent Leadership manual foryou? Better listening skills, betterevaluating skills, better motivatingskills, better time management skills,better planning, organizing and delegatingskills. And better speakingskills. I believe each new memberwill progress faster as a Toastmasterby using the Competent Leadershipmanual. For veteran Toastmasters,this manual will reinforce what wealready know about meeting roles,make us better speakers and bettermentors of newer members.If you are coming to Toastmastersto improve yourself and your speakingskills, use the new CompetentLeadership manual. After all, one ofthe reasons for being a Toastmasteris our continuing education. Andstudying and working the CompetentLeadership manual will do just that.Jean Hogle, DTM, is a member ofGE Salem Club 2675 in Salem,Virginia. Contact her atHogleJG@aol.com.T32 TOASTMASTER December 2007

66276631576066337046A-EItems are notshown to scale.671766297044B-E7043B-EVisit TI’s online store at www.members.toastmasters.orgfor last-minute gift ideas. Here are some:Sculpted Frame and Clock (Item 6627). This curved brushed silver aluminumframe with analog clock would make an excellent gift! It comes inan attractive blue gift box and includes one AA battery. To make it extraspecial, try including a meaningful photo in the frame. $8.00.Wheeled Backpack (Item 6631). This durable navy blue and gray backpackhas sturdy Inline skate wheels. Perfect for hiking, biking or just on the go.At $35.00, you can’t go wrong with this gift. For an added “wow factor,”present with a Toastmasters Gift Certificate in one of the pockets.Mini Umbrella (Item 6633). This compact 8” black umbrella has“Toastmasters” imprinted in white on one panel. $12.00.Travel Mug (Item 6717). This 15 oz. travel mug is ideal for any hot or coldbeverage. Stainless steel exterior and black plastic interior make it lightweight.For $6.00, you can afford to add a hot or cold beverage mix.4-in-1 LaserPen (Item 6629). This convenient 4-in-1 silver laser pen isdisplayed in a sturdy plastic case. It features a light, laser pointer, black-inkball pen and a stylus “pen” for your PDA. $8.00.Declaration Ring Necklace (Item 5760). This nickel/silver ring features anylon string with plastic clasp. The words “Talk Talk Talk” are on one sideand “Toastmasters” on the other $3.00.Ladies V-Neck (Items 7046A-E). This red v-neck T-shirt features a slightlytapered waist, cap sleeves, “Toastmasters” embroidered in red for a toneon-tonelook and a price of $12.00. Also available in black. (Items 7047A-E).Men’s Peruvian Cotton Polo (Items 7044B-E). 100% Peruvian combed cottongives a soft feel to this striking red polo. Features include navy trim onthe collar, cuffs and placket, as well as three Dura-pearl buttons and“Toastmasters” embroidered in navy. Also available in navy w/white trim(Items 7045B-E). $40.00.Men’s Sava Silk Shirt (Items 7043B-E). This 100% sava silk ivory shirt combinesthe luxurious feel of silk with the rich texture of a dobby weave, providing acasual, elegant look. “Toastmasters” embroidered in ivory over left pocket. $40.00.Gift Certificates (Items 6630, 6632, and 6634). Gift certificates are perfect forthose “hard-to-buy for” Toastmasters. Available in $5, $10, and $25 denominations.6630, 6632, 6634**Note: As part of TI’s inventory process, which is required by law, we will be unable to process purchases startingDecember 19th, 2007 through January 4, 2008. Orders requiring engraving must be received by Friday, December 14, 2007.

HALL OF FAMEThe following listings are arranged in numericalorder by district and club number.DTM Congratulations to these Toastmasterswho have received the DistinguishedToastmaster award, ToastmastersInternational’s highest recognition.Marsha L. DeGon 2565-F, Brea, CaliforniaMichael Alexander 3364-F, Rosemead, CaliforniaStuart A. Horn 3828-F, Cerritos, CaliforniaCarroll Schmidt 3882-U, Anchorage, AlaskaDuane J. Epton 4960-U, Anchorage, AlaskaLouis Stanley Zielinski 5263-U, Fairbanks, AlaskaW. D. McCoy 5942-1, Los Angeles, CaliforniaPaul S. Baeder 1994-2, Kent, WashingtonPaul K. Tanner 861232-2, Redmond, WashingtonLaurie J. Carr 104-3, Prescott, ArizonaKathi S. Ferreira 355-3, Tempe, ArizonaFadimatou Hattendorf 441-3, Phoenix, ArizonaJulie A. Schreul 7406-3, Phoenix, ArizonaKristin Lill 7744-3, Chandler, ArizonaMary Ann Bivans-Grimm 9007-3, Prescott Valley, ArizonaRichard Geno 6654-4, Los Gatos, CaliforniaMark S. Kramer 457-5, San Diego, CaliforniaJudy Toneck 623-5, San Diego, CaliforniaDan Urbanski 7129-5, Carlsbad, CaliforniaScott A. Kruse 490-6, Rochester, MinnesotaLyle L. Schlundt 2509-6, Minneapolis, MinnesotaLonnie Nichols 4216-6, Minneapolis, MinnesotaGeorgia Ann Thometz 6393-6, Minnetonka, MinnesotaKathy M. Neumiller 654731-6, Eagan, MinnesotaBrian J. Hinton 821458-6, Rochester, MinnesotaEmmor H. Nile 138-7, Salem, OregonJanet W. Liu 605-7, Lake Oswego, OregonCamilla D. Camburn 881-7, Hillsboro, OregonRuth A. Delker 2039-7, Beaverton, OregonJulie K. Redden 3548-7, Salem, OregonMegan M. Berg 4428-7, Tigard, OregonJoy D. Overstreet 802199-7, Vancouver, WashingtonHerman Koester 496-8, Belleville, IllinoisAngela R. Young 4345-8, St Louis, MissouriGerald E. Hoeflein 930005-8, Park Hills, MissouriBrenda M. Pangborn 7308-9, Richland, WashingtonSusan M. Davis 2803-10, Akron, OhioSharon L. Brustoski 3315-10, Akron, OhioJudith A. Edwards 8023-10, Akron, OhioMike D. La Bonne 3920-11, Indianapolis, IndianaLaura J. Martin 5680-11, Indianapolis, IndianaAnn Lehman 702375-11, Lagrange, IndianaPatrick J. Hennessey 1124-12, San Bernardino, CaliforniaCecil A. Karstensen 2593-12, San Bernardino, CaliforniaMonica E. Mendoza 4202-12, Highland, CaliforniaRuth Dearden 4209-12, Coachella, CaliforniaRob Olszewski 2255-13, Butler, PennsylvaniaElizabeth J. Bradley 1807-14, Augusta, GeorgiaCynthia C. Teddleton 2771-14, Decatur, GeorgiaCatherine Holliday 4465-14, Norcross, GeorgiaAdrienne M. Dunnock 8009-14, Atlanta, GeorgiaTonya Smith 8236-14, Alpharetta, GeorgiaEliza E. Detherage 6318-15, Salt Lake City, UtahMichael R. Rusnack 7948-15, Emmett, IdahoRichard E. Stucki 1025917-15, Midvale, UtahRoger Ollie Oxford 627-16, Oklahoma City, OklahomaMathew Daniel 3220-16, Oklahoma City, OklahomaRobert J. Howe 720944-16, Tulsa, OklahomaWerner Bernhardt 965-21, Abbotsford, BC, CanadaLyn Coles 1201-21, Victoria, BC, CanadaJohn B. Sherber 1882-21, Victoria, BC, CanadaMaureen P. Foley 3435-21, New Westminster, BC, CanadaRachel M. Clark 3439-21, Langley, BC, CanadaNorman W. Schiman 4869-21, Vernon, BC, CanadaBetty L. Holman 5881-21, Delta, BC, CanadaDiana Cheng 813114-21, Burnaby, BC, CanadaDonald J. Keime 2948-23, El Paso, TexasBay Stevens 6881-23, Albuquerque, New MexicoEvelyn Labode 229-24, Omaha, NebraskaMaurice Eugene Taitt 1415-25, Irving, TexasRonald B. Clark 3055-25, Denton, TexasLouise Faircloth 4236-25, Southlake, TexasRandy Terrell 7694-25, Fort Worth, TexasVicki Linn Wilkins 798-26, Cheyenne, WyomingMarlies L. Nelson 1518-26, Cheyenne, WyomingFrances K. Scott 2626-26, Golden, ColoradoJoyce E. Feustel 3247-26, Lakewood, ColoradoWendy Milner 810454-26, Longmont, ColoradoKevin J. Gormley 571-27, Mclean, VirginiaHelen L. Burkett 1792-27, Springfield, VirginiaSylvia L. Marion 1795-27, Washington, District of ColumbiaAlvin David Matthews 2635-27, Quantico, VirginiaEric P. Roos 3336-27, Alexandria, VirginiaLynn Romano 5160-27, Reston, VirginiaJames Reed Honeywell 7670-27, Dulles, VirginiaHsu Terry Wang 8282-27, Burke, VirginiaShannon M. O’Hara 371-30, Chicago, IllinoisShar Ann Gildersleeve 983-30, Woodridge, IllinoisPaul P. Kronenberger 4501-30, Chicago, IllinoisBruce Burrow 6840-30, Lake In The Hills, IllinoisBil Lewis 7831-31, Cambridge, MassachusettsAl Moore 1675-33, Lancaster, CaliforniaGlenn W. Wright 2611-33, Las Vegas, NevadaAlan Morris Mann 3533-33, Simi Valley, CaliforniaDaris A. McLaughlin 498-35, Fond Du Lac, WisconsinLeo P. McLaughlin 498-35, Fond Du Lac, WisconsinJulie A. Dapp 4633-36, Washington, District of ColumbiaJohnny Felix Rodriguez 5377-36, Washington, Districtof ColumbiaBonnie L. Maidak 8897-36, Gaithersburg, MarylandMohamed A. Serageldin 2049-37, Research TrianglePark, North CarolinaGermon Earl Hill 2294-37, Chapel Hill, North CarolinaSharon Anita Hill 2294-37, Chapel Hill, North CarolinaWinston M. Sanford 2294-37, Chapel Hill, North CarolinaPaul Walmsley 5613-37, Thomasville, North CarolinaEdward J. Donohue 1100-38, Princeton, New JerseyMichael A. Dick 1189-38, Haddonfield, New JerseyJames R. Campbell 1723-38, Lancaster, PennsylvaniaLorna Lee Zink 4896-39, Elk Grove, CaliforniaSyndee Hendricks 9833-39, Sacramento, CaliforniaWayne Hart 727288-39, Rancho Cordova, CaliforniaSandra S. Keiderling 1028-40, Worthington, OhioCarol L. Kormelink 2289-40, Milford, OhioAmy Ann Wendling 5136-40, Celina, OhioKoti Sreekrishna 9056-40, Cincinnati, OhioLaura R. O’Connor 284-42, Edmonton, AB, CanadaSonia Bakalchuk 1319-42, Calgary, AB, CanadaDouglas J. Russell 2478-42, Edmonton, AB, CanadaKen Lievers 2799-42, Lethbridge, AB, CanadaBeverley Joyce Ward 2849-42, Regina, SK, CanadaJeff C. Scribner 3068-42, Grande Prairie, AB, CanadaGerda M. Timm 3950-42, Calgary, AB, CanadaDunstant B. F. Taylor 6823-42, Calgary, AB, CanadaHarvey Taphorn 6823-42, Calgary, AB, CanadaShelley P. Baur 1589-43, Memphis, TennesseeJeffrey M. Gossett 4496-43, Little Rock, ArkansasJames Mayhan 5772-43, Little Rock, ArkansasCharilaos N. Aneziris 4539-46, Setauket, New YorkSherman E. Bethel 1095-47, Nassau, BahamasCharles Saunders 1600-47, Nassau, New Providence,BahamasJoanne D. Ranney 1667-47, Tampa, FloridaAnthony Maxemchuk 3518-47, Boca Raton, FloridaIvan C. Thompson 7178-47, Nassau, Bahamas, BahamasWayne I. Nakamoto 4907-49, Honolulu, HawaiiLynn Lawrance 2899-50, Dallas, TexasBob Lewis 4182-50, Rockwall, TexasDon W. Deadman 4182-50, Rockwall, TexasLeslie M. Buie 4182-50, Rockwall, TexasRobert O. Dillender 4182-50, Rockwall, TexasOssie Mae Sims 4819-50, Shreveport, LouisianaAndrea E. Briden 7452-50, Dallas, TexasTerri L. Krue 7587-50, Plano, TexasChristine Lee Wilson 8983-50, Plano, TexasSusan Gayle Davis 9872-50, Addison, TexasAnnie Ho Gan Cheng 1304-51, Kota Kinabalu,SAB, MalaysiaEwe Tong Lee 2196-51, Johor Bahru, JOH, MalaysiaGanasalingam Sivalingam 5912-51, Petaling Jaya,SEL, MalaysiaWai Kheong Phang 6033-51, Lumut, PER, MalaysiaRebecca Heng 6622-51, Kuching, SAR, MalaysiaK. Narayana Devan 695603-51, Petaling Jaya, SEL,MalaysiaJoan C. Morris 8-52, Glendale, CaliforniaMichael Finizio 1320-52, Burbank, CaliforniaScott Larson 1320-52, Burbank, CaliforniaDave Wheeler 599-53, Danbury, ConnecticutRaul Rodriguez 3350-53, Hartford, ConnecticutLori L. Patton 3228-54, Bloomington, IllinoisMolly E. Wilder 7057-54, Bloomington, IllinoisJoseph Martinek 754322-54, Plainfield, IllinoisJason B. Meek 2207-55, San Antonio, TexasVondakaye Dashman 5741-55, Round Rock, TexasSteve Montgomery 9800-55, Pflugerville, TexasAmish B. Patel 3402-56, Houston, TexasMark F. Smith 670075-56, Houston, TexasEddie Merla 1001993-56, Missouri City, TexasKaren L. Leffler 4027-57, Walnut Creek, CaliforniaChristine A. Robinson 9338-57, Concord, CaliforniaElena Sollewijn Gelpke 962411-59, Brussels, BelgiumJosef D. Stetter 312-60, North York, ON, CanadaGary S. Jones 1908-60, Cambridge, ON, CanadaAlana E. Papeo 1963-60, Richmond Hill, ON, CanadaPhillip Thomas 3090-60, Scarborough, ON, CanadaMarie Madi 4260-60, Toronto, ON, CanadaRam Krishna 5456-60, Mississauga, ON, CanadaJayesh M. Lad 798895-60, Mississauga, ON, CanadaDoreen E. Sinclair 936088-60, Lindsay, ON, CanadaJo-Ann L. Harris 808-61, Ottawa, ON, CanadaLeona Hamel 808-61, Ottawa, ON, CanadaRichard Rancourt 1840-61, Rimouski, QC, CanadaHarold Mendes 8290-61, Kanata, ON, CanadaAllison B. Coffin 9560-61, Kingston, ON, CanadaDouglas C. Swisher 352-62, Grand Rapids, MichiganSerita Blankenbecler 9716-63, Kingsport, TennesseeMick Howland 2638-64, Winnipeg, MB, CanadaAndrew J. Stambrook 7223-64, Winnipeg, MB, CanadaTannis E. Gordon 9846-64, Winnipeg, MB, CanadaAshok Subramanian 2584-65, Endicott, New YorkGrayson M. Williams 3184-66, Hampton, VirginiaSally Wu 1890-67, Taipei, Taiwan, TaiwanGeorge Ashanti Witherspoon 2455-68, Baton Rouge,LouisianaDean Sprenkle 6342-68, Dequincy, LouisianaDiane M. King 6342-68, Dequincy, Louisiana34 TOASTMASTER December 2007

AnniversariesAugust 200760 YearFerguson 525-08, Florissant, MissouriHigh Noon 505-56, Houston, Texas55 YearLittle Rock 1140-43, Little Rock, ArkansasTwin City 1142-43, North Little Rock, ArkansasTallahassee 1135-47, Tallahassee, Florida50 YearDowntown 2550-10, Cleveland, OhioWollongong 2456-70, Wollongong, NSW, AustraliaOld Johannians 2475-74, Johannesburg, South AfricaDowntown 2552-77, Pensacola, Florida45 YearJefferson 1998-68, Metairie, Louisiana40 YearColumbus Uptown 2037-14, Columbus, GeorgiaOatley R S L 787-70, Sydney, NSW, Australia35 YearFCC 3740-27, Washington, District of ColumbiaIsaac Davis 2193-31, Acton, MassachusettsFreeport Eagles 1425-47, Freeport, Grand Bahama, BahamasAlpha - Endeavour 1776-69, Brisbane, QLD, AustraliaAdventurers 2572-69, Brisbane, QLD, Australia30 YearPrince George 3081-21, Prince George, BC, CanadaToastmasters Unlimited 1379-22, Kansas City, MissouriI’ll Drink To That 3254-33, Las Vegas, NevadaKakwa 3068-42, Grande Prairie, AB, CanadaLAUSD 382-52, Los Angeles, California25 YearAlyeska 4960-U, Anchorage, AlaskaArrow Lakes 4962-21, Nakusp, BC, CanadaColumbine Communicator 4950-26, Littleton, ColoradoPublic Utilities 4958-32, Tacoma, WashingtonSouthwest 4955-35, Franklin, WisconsinAimcrier 4966-42, St. Albert, AB, CanadaAim High 4952-55, Austin, TexasTalk Of The Town 4969-56, Houston, TexasNagoya 4957-76, Inuyama, Aichi, JapanMiss. Power Employees 4965-77, Gulfport, Mississippi20 YearSingles by the Sea 743-01, Los Angeles, CaliforniaWestlake Word Warriors 3578-10, Westlake, OhioWayne-Westland Easytalkers 6694-28, Wayne, MichiganFederal TM of Boston 6696-31, Boston, MassachusettsMIM of Kuala Lumpur 6697-51, Kuala Lumpur FedTerritory, SEL, MalaysiaDeer Park 6701-56, Deer Park, TexasWerribee 6700-73, Hoppers Crossing, VIC, AustraliaDiamond 6698-75, Makati, MM, PhilippinesSeptember 200760 YearAnthony Wayne 521-11, Fort Wayne, IndianaLancaster 526-40, Lancaster, Ohio55 YearWestside 638-01, Santa Monica, CaliforniaNewberg 588-07, Newberg, OregonLake Oswego 605-07, Lake Oswego, OregonBarstow 1180-12, Barstow, CaliforniaWashington Crossing 1100-38, Princeton, New Jersey50 YearBeverly Hills 2576-01, Beverly Hills, CaliforniaManhattan 2570-22, Manhattan, KansasKearney 1799-24, Kearney, NebraskaEssex 2567-46, Verona, New Jersey45 YearPark Central 3527-03, Phoenix, ArizonaBlue Ridge 1514-66, Charlottesville, VirginiaBankstown Sports 1519-70, Bankstown, NSW, Australia40 YearBathurst 2381-45, Bathurst, NB, Canada35 YearSeriously Funny 2732-02, Bellevue, WashingtonThunder Mountain 777-03, Ft Huachuca, ArizonaTNT 1831-65, Rochester, New YorkPukekura 2176-72, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New ZealandHastings 3473-72, Hastings, New Zealand30 YearGold Brickers 49-04, Cupertino, CaliforniaSweetwater Valley 3225-05, Bonita, CaliforniaMoonlighters 431-09, Spokane, WashingtonMishatalkers 694-11, Mishawaka, IndianaSimi Valley 3533-33, Simi Valley, CaliforniaBenoni 1315-74, Benoni, Gauteng, South Africa25 YearScripps Teasers 1442-05, San Diego, CaliforniaEncinitas 1532-05, Encinitas, CaliforniaTwin Rivers 1426-09, Lewiston, IdahoMonday Niters 736-33, Las Vegas, NevadaDaybreakers 1388-33, Modesto, CaliforniaLos Amigos 2224-33, Oxnard, CaliforniaSingles 3968-33, Fresno, CaliforniaBelle City 1477-35, Racine, WisconsinNacogdoches 1726-50, Nacogdoches, TexasEl Cerrito 1507-57, El Cerrito, CaliforniaShell 2617-68, New Orleans, LouisianaStafford Heights 2589-69, Brisbane, QLD, AustraliaHi-Noon 3963-77, Huntsville, Alabama20 YearDel Mar 3524-05, Del Mar, CaliforniaToast Casters 6735-09, Spokane, WashingtonBoomer Storytellers 1979-16, Oklahoma City, OklahomaCENTRAL B. C. 3973-21, Vanderhoof, BC, CanadaSaanich Lunch Bunch 6719-21, Victoria, BC, CanadaFree Toasters 2470-33, Las Vegas, NevadaT L C 6708-33, Fresno, CaliforniaVero Beach 6731-47, Vero Beach, FloridaState Farm 6714-57, Rohnert Park, CaliforniaTalksics 6718-57, Martinez, CaliforniaIllustrious Articulators 6721-65, Rochester, New YorkJabberwocky 6740-65, Skaneateles, New YorkRyde District Club 6737-70, North Ryde, NSW, AustraliaMoonshiners 6743-70, Ainslie, ACT, AustraliaFirst Farmers 6717-75, Bacolod City, Neg. Occ., PhilippinesCPA 6736-80, Singapore, SingaporeOctober 200760 YEARSan Carlos-Belmont 530-04, Belmont, CaliforniaMerritt 539-57, Oakland, California55 YEARNortheast 1161-02, Seattle, WashingtonLafayette 1127-11, West Lafayette, IndianaBusiness & Professional 1169-68, Metairie, Louisiana50 YEARNaval R & D 2539-05, San Diego, CaliforniaTown & Country 2488-12, Colton, CaliforniaGeorgia-Carolina 2523-14, Augusta, GeorgiaHUD 1795-27, Washington, District of ColumbiaKit Carson 2299-39, Carson City, NevadaEndicott 2584-65, Endicott, New York45 YEARNashua-Hudson 2440-45, Nashua, New HampshireConcord West 2107-70, Concord, NSW, Australia40 YEARSpeakeasy 1789-06, Saint Louis Park, MinnesotaFt Myers 1702-47, Fort Myers, FloridaAdvance 3050-69, Brisbane, QLD, AustraliaSea Eagles 2951-70, Brookvale, NSW, AustraliaToastmasters Club of Singapore 357-80, Singapore,Singapore35 YEARGear Gassers 3079-28, Troy, MichiganFriendly 3040-37, Greensboro, North CarolinaStanthorpe 1659-69, Stanthorpe, QLD, AustraliaBoomerang 1791-69, Rockhampton, QLD, AustraliaCanterbury-Hurlstone Park 3783-70, Hurlstone Park,NSW, Australia30 YEARBorder 2127-23, El Paso, TexasSister Cities 3164-47, Lauderhill, FloridaMetrocrest 3318-50, Addison, TexasCentre 2404-69, Brisbane, QLD, AustraliaPonsonby 2420-72, Auckland, New Zealand25 YEARUniv Of Washington 1151-02, Seattle, WashingtonThe Ravens 1773-14, Robins AFB, GeorgiaOff-Broadway 4986-16, Edmond, OklahomaWord Weavers 2029-32, Puyallup, WashingtonThe University 4974-70, Acton, ACT, AustraliaFoveaux 4978-72, Invercargill, Southland, New ZealandGeorge 4983-74, George, Western Cape, South AfricaTMXP Plant 2 4982-75, Lapu Lapu City, Cebu, PhilippinesRiver City 4018-78, Pierre, South Dakota20 YEARBre’ahs 3607-F, Brea, CaliforniaTechmasters 4218-14, Atlanta, GeorgiaRuby Mountain 4169-15, Elko, NevadaLaurel 4812-21, Vancouver, BC, CanadaStamps 3752-27, Merrifield, VirginiaNorth Plains 5691-44, Dumas, TexasProse On The Go 1111-50, Texarkana, ArkansasUSAA Bank 4948-55, San Antonio, TexasLakeside Speakeasy 2967-57, Oakland, CaliforniaIpomoea 106-69, Brisbane, QLD, AustraliaEngineers 1974-74, Harare, ZimbabweNovember 200770 YEARFrank E Balmer 95-09, Pullman, WashingtonNoventa 90-33, Santa Barbara, California65 YEARGaveliers 238-09, Spokane, WashingtonDecember 2007 TOASTMASTER 35

60 YEARChamber 540-02, Seattle, WashingtonPhiladelphias First 541-38, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaFranklin 524-40, Westerville, OhioMegacity 553-40, Centerville, Ohio55 YEARForest City 1185-10, Cleveland, OhioCarlsbad 1182-23, Carlsbad, New MexicoRacine 481-35, Franksville, WisconsinValley Forge 1128-38, Norristown, PennsylvaniaTamaraw 1164-75, Manila, PhilippinesPierre 1195-78, Pierre, South Dakota50 YEARDiamonds In The Rough 2598-07, Salem, OregonWest Side 2606-10, Fairview Park, OhioNew Castles First 2292-13, New Castle, PennsylvaniaTazewell 2702-54, Pekin, Illinois45 YEARKeira 3558-70, Wollongong, NSW, AustraliaFukuoka 3405-76, Fukuoka City, Japan40 YEARSSA 2884-18, Baltimore, Maryland35 YEARWoodridge 983-30, Woodridge, IllinoisSound Speakers 1174-32, Bremerton, WashingtonHuntington Centennial 2869-40, Huntington, West VirginiaAnderson 1946-58, Anderson, South CarolinaBelleville 1617-60, Belleville, ON, CanadaHighnooners 3171-78, Bismarck, North Dakota30 YEARSpeakeasy II 3557-26, Boulder, ColoradoFirst Nevadans 3799-39, Sparks, NevadaOakland City Center 1250-57, Oakland, CaliforniaEarly Bird 3719-62, Grand Rapids, MichiganFlin Flon 2065-64, Flin Flon, MB, CanadaMackay 3283-69, Mackay, QLD, Australia25 YEARUniversity 4995-03, Tempe, ArizonaTabor 4999-07, Portland, OregonGrand Center 5000-08, St Louis, MissouriNightowl Revenooers 5003-14, Doraville, GeorgiaWichita Downtown 4989-22, Wichita, KansasNalco 5004-30, Naperville, IllinoisTosa/Medical 5010-35, Wauwatosa, WisconsinPossum Town 3843-43, Columbus, Mississippi20 YEARMesa Red Tape 5597-03, Mesa, ArizonaEpicenters 1041-12, Loma Linda, CaliforniaBellsouth 6752-14, Atlanta, GeorgiaBlue Ah Busters 6757-24, Omaha, NebraskaFighter Enterprise 4355-25, Fort Worth, TexasCowtown 5496-25, Fort Worth, TexasSouthern Lancaster County 2351-38, Willow Street,PennsylvaniaCarlton Trail 4713-42, Humboldt, SK, CanadaTelecom Park 6745-47, Temple Terrace, FloridaI T C Bintang 1915-51, Kuala Lumpur, WP, MalaysiaArmadillo Avenue 6755-55, Austin, TexasHouston Police Dept 5180-56, Houston, TexasBowmanville 3541-60, Bowmanville, ON, CanadaLondon Talbot 6751-60, London, ON, CanadaMoorabbin Saints 6760-73, Moorabbin, VIC, AustraliaStellenbosch 6753-74, Stellenbosch, Western Cape,South AfricaSIM II 5110-80, Singapore, SingaporeDecember 200760 YEARTarsus 532-08, Clayton, Missouri55 YEARWaukesha 1173-35, Waukesha, WisconsinMain Line 1198-38, Wayne, PennsylvaniaTrinity 1190-50, Dallas, Texas50 YEAREyeopeners 2607-03, Tucson, ArizonaJetstream 2624-04, Moffett Field, California45 YEARHeart And Soul 2563-06, Edina, MinnesotaDynamic North Shore 3543-70, North Sydney, NSW,AustraliaMiranda 3554-70, Sutherland, NSW, AustraliaMelbourne 3362-73, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaHattiesburg 3553-77, Hattiesburg, Mississippi40 YEARSaddleback Valley 2657- F, Mission Viejo, California35 YEARShea Speakers 3327- F, Brea, CaliforniaMixed Masters 3686- F, Huntington Beach, CaliforniaDowntowners 2696-15, Salt Lake City, UtahSunshine Speakers 1363-21, Powell River, BC, CanadaLeavenworth 2301-22, Leavenworth, KansasCredit Union Center TM 2023-35, Madison, WisconsinBelaborers 2221-36, Washington, District of ColumbiaMorning Knights 2875-65, Johnson City, New YorkSunnybank 3110-69, Holland Park, QLD, AustraliaKapi-Mana 1679-72, Tawa, Wellington, New Zealand30 YEARSpeakeazys 3855-30, Northbrook, IllinoisSpeakez’s 1816-35, Kohler, WisconsinCrown Of Laurel 77-36, Laurel, MarylandHornet’s Nest 1811-37, Charlotte, North CarolinaMetro 3644-58, Greenville, South CarolinaManukau 3461-72, Manurewa, Manukau, New Zealand25 YEARChirp N’ Choke 5027-03, Glendale, ArizonaApplied Materials 5015-04, Santa Clara, CaliforniaHeads-Up 5021-04, San Jose, CaliforniaWarsaw Noon 5016-11, Warsaw, IndianaPeak Trailblazers 2191-26, Colorado Springs, ColoradoApple Polishers 5018-26, Lakewood, ColoradoEarly Risers 5014-39, Grass Valley, CaliforniaUniversity 5024-42, Edmonton, AB, CanadaLubbock Professional 5011-44, Lubbock, TexasTreasure Coast 3466-47, Stuart, FloridaNewark 1118-57, Newark, CaliforniaCECI 5013-67, Taipei, Taiwan, TaiwanOver The Hump Bunch 3271-68, New Orleans,LouisianaTMC of Metro Davao 4403-75, Davao City, Davo,Philippines20 YEARRogue Communicators 927-07, Grants Pass, OregonTower 6774-07, Portland, OregonTurning Point 3920-11, Indianapolis, IndianaFigures Of Speech 1856-30, Lake Forest, IllinoisSay Watt 2295-33, Las Vegas, NevadaPower Speakers 4057-33, Simi Valley, CaliforniaRhetorical Link 6765-33, Thousand Oaks, CaliforniaTM/Pro y Ejec/Ensenada 6767-34, Ensenada, BC,MexicoRoyal 6784-37, Charlotte, North CarolinaKlassy Talkers 5728-39, Sacramento, CaliforniaDistinguished Speakers 6778-39, Sacramento, CaliforniaManning and District 6766-42, Manning, AB, CanadaShell 6771-42, Calgary, AB, CanadaPeace Challengers 6772-42, Peace River, AB, CanadaExxon Mobil Baytown Baytown 6768-56, Baytown,TexasCoastmasters 6781-57, Alameda, CaliforniaWestpac City 6769-70, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaSmedley FundAssociateGrand Pioneer 506-65, in memory of Jerry Calvaneso, CTMDouble C 8502-70Park Central 4095-50, in memory of Virginia Guerrantthe mother of accredited Speaker Anne BarabHilo Toastmasters Club 248-49, in honor ofLily Chow, ACGDistrict 19 Spring Conference Committee on behalf ofDarren LaCroixGregory D. Scott, DTM, PID, in memory of Jan W.Pauw, DTMMasterToasters 4431-08, in memory of Tim LouisSpezia, ATMS, CLKritikos 1686-18, in memory of Theodore C. Wood,DTM, PIPDistrict 18 Clubs, in memory of Theodore C. Wood,DTM, PIPSeymour Speaks 7239-21, in memory of Anne Kramer,DTM, Past District 21 GovernorKeng Cok Chee, DTM, 2007-2008 District 51 Governor,in memory of Weng Kong CheeGreater Bossier 2251-50ContributorTimely Talkers 5568-54, in memory of Theodore C.Wood, DTM, PIPJudy Laythorpe, DTM, PID, in memory of Anne Kramer,DTM, Past District 21 Governor Prend Qetta, CCPositively Speaking Club 5426-10, in memory ofSteve PuckGreat Persuaders of Atlantis 8720-47Dean A. Evans, CTMKen Tanner, DTM, PIDVictoria Beavers 790-21, in memory of Anne Kramer,DTM, Past District 21 GovernorCaroline Finlay-Meyer, ATMB, in memory of Aubrey L.Powell, DTMKathryn A. Miles, DTM, in memory of James E.Whitney, DTMLorraine Wong Myers, ATMBCatherine M. NaabeHenry B. Kemp, in memory of Aubrey L. Powell, DTMPete Gustafson, in memory of Aubrey L. Powell, DTMGoldstream 5952-21, in memory of Anne Kramer,DTM, Past District 21 GovernorSeven AM 3391-58, in memory of Aubrey L. Powell, DTMBetty Britt, in memory of Aubrey L. Powell, DTMRise & Shine 331-21, in memory of Anne Kramer,DTM, Past District 21 GovernorUSMC Advanced 9829-58Morgan D. Grimball, in memory of Aubrey L. Powell,DTMLong Beach Gavel 1136 TOASTMASTER December 2007

August 2003 THE TOASTMASTER 31

Making the Moment MeaningfulDana LaMon. ...................Nov/242007Article IndexClub MeetingsRunning the NumbersMichelle (Miki) Baker, ATMS ..........Jan/5Build It and They Will ComeBeth Stinson, CL ..................Jan/243 Points to Keep Your Evaluationon TargetShelia Spencer, DTM. ...............Feb/8Do You Dread Receiving an Evaluation?James Clark, DTM ................Feb/12Live and LearnBen Daughtery ...................May/5Speechcraft Participants Thrivein County JailCharles W. Buffington III, ATMB .....May/17It’s Never Too Late to Join ToastmastersNeva Lindell, CTM ..................Jul/5Meeting on TVDavid Lisnek, ACS .................Jul/1410 Tips for Talking HeadsDavid Yewman ...................Jul/14Walking My TalkOshiomowe R. Momodu-Busari, ACB, CL . . Oct/7Toastmasters and Bank of AmericaCarl Duivenvoorden, DTM ..........Oct/10The 3 Rs of Evaluating: Review,Reward and RespondDavid Hobson, DTM ...............Nov/8What? A Standing Ovation foran Evaluation?Judith Tingley, Ph.D., DTM .........Nov/10Assessing Your EvaluationsJohn Spaith, ACS .................Nov/13Experiencing the CompetentLeadership ManualJean G. Hogle, DTM ...............Dec/32CommunicationI’ll Never Forget What’s-His-NameCraig Harrison, DTM ..............Jan/28District 30 Hosts Thanksgiving ParadeKim Taylor, CC ..................Apr/20Confessions of a Freelance SpeechwriterColin Moorehouse. ................Apr/22Speaking of ScienceErika Ebbel ......................May/8Toastmasters Serve the Poor onMercy ShipMike Osborne .....................Jun/6A Question of EtiquetteMargaret Page, CL. ................Aug/5Finding a Voice for YourClub NewsletterRhys Davies, ATMS, ALS ............Aug/22The Speech or the Speaker?Gene Perret. ....................Sept/14Marathon of the MouthCaren Neile, Ph.D., ATMS . . . . . . . . . . . Oct/14Some “Free” AdviceJohn Cadley .....................Oct/1610 Tips for a Terrific Talk: SecretsFrom the ProsShawn Doyle, ATMB ...............Oct/19The Power to Change the WorldLinda McGurk ...................Oct/22HumorMoving From Toxic to Nourishing HumorJoel Goodman ...................Mar/14Getting Comfy with ComedyLisa Mulcahy ....................Mar/11Sweating Out Stand-upPatrick Mott. ....................Mar/16How to Add Humor to any SpeechJoe Cooke, ACB ..................Mar/22Tall Tales Are a Tall OrderCaren Neile .....................Nov/16Extra – Extra – Read All About it…Paris Hilton Enters Speech ContestRichard Steward, DTM. ............Nov/19Do You Hear What I Hear?Marion Amberg ...................Dec/7Generating Fun with PowerPointMalcolm Kushner. ................Dec/16Language/Speech WritingLooking for a Speech Idea?Ron Palermo, DTM ................Jan/20Life in a Grammar SlammerJason Love .......................Mar/6You Can’t Go Wrong If You NameThat SongMalcolm Kushner. ................Mar/135 Sure-Fire Tips for Great SpeechesPatricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE. ...........Apr/6Look Before You Leap in Frontof an AudienceDan Naden, CTM. .................Apr/8Simple Steps to Writing aFantastic SpeechCharles W. Buffington III, ATMB .....May/22Want to Become aWedding Speechwriter?Laura Yeager .....................Jun/8Get the Quote RightFred R. Shapiro ..................Jun/20Looking for Speech Ideas?Look at Your Life!Dee Dees, DTM ...................Jul/22Snafu SurvivalJohn Tillison, ATMB ................Jul/24Put Your Audience in Your SpeechKevin Johnston and Tennille-Lynn Millo Aug/8Tips from a ToastmasterDianne Lawson, ATMS .............Aug/12Preparing a Speech in 5 MinutesSid Gilman, DTM. ................Aug/14Sounding Good in EnglishKatherine Meeks .................Aug/24The Power of WordsElizabeth Martin, ACS .............Aug/2838 TOASTMASTER December 2007

LeadershipFrom Toastmaster to Hit TV ShowMonique Cuvelier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jan/18Why Attend Club Officer Training?Shelia Spencer, DTM ...............Jan/22Team CommandmentsDon Seaton, ACG .................Feb/14What to Do After You Receive Your DTMCara Seitchek, DTM ...............Feb/18Challenging the Advanced SpeakerHeike Bogt ......................Feb/27Talking to TeensPatrickMott ....................May/14Giving Courage ThroughEncouragementJerry Parsons, DTM ...............Nov/28An Inconvenient TruthCarl Duivenvoorden, DTM ..........Dec/14Membership/Club BuildingBuilding New Corporate ClubsPatrickMcClure, ATMS/CL. ...........Jan/8Keep Guests Coming BackKaren Hobson ...................Jan/14Chartering the CorporateClub: A SurveyShelia Spencer ...................Jun/16Talking Up Toastmasters on the RadioDavid Rippe, ATMB, CL ..............Jul/8Promote Your Cause on Morning RadioBuddy Baron ....................Jul/12Courteous Ideas that GrowRobert Brumm. ...................Jul/21Personal GrowthOvercoming a Different Kind of FearMahtab Narsimhan, CTM ............Feb/5‘If Only I’d Said...’: Mastering the Artof Self-EvaluationCaren Neile, Ph.D., CL .............Feb/20Learning to Almost Like CriticismBrian Thoma, CL .................Feb/24A Crash Course in ConfidenceNina L. Kaufman, ATMB ...........Mar/18Experience Is Great – But OnlyIf You Learn From ItGene Perret .....................Mar/28A Question of MannersMargaret Page, CL .................Apr/5Managing Your Toastmaster MaterialsShelia Spencer, DTM ..............May/24Landing My Dream JobTimothy J. Matson .................Jun/5DTM Stands for DearlyTreasured MemoriesMelissa Brown, DTM ..............Sept/12Managing AngerCaren Neile, ATMS, CL. ............Sept/22From Tragedy to TriumphDarcy Keith, CC ..................Nov/6Reframing Three Major FearsAbout Public SpeakingJudith E. Pearson, Ph.D, DTM. .......Dec/24Beauty and the BeastJudi Bailey. .....................Dec/28Presentation SkillsTeaching Presentation Skills to KidsJulie Bawden Davis ................May/6The Toast: That Other ProposalSandra Miller ....................Jun/12Impress Them From the StartMarkHammerton .................Jul/18Engineering a WinDr. April K. Andreas, ACS, CL. .......Aug/16Do You Have Charisma?Eva Kihlstrom ...................Aug/19Handling the Hostile CrowdJudi Bailey .....................Sept/16Responding to HecklersMary Ward Menke. ...............Sept/21Body Language MythsDave Zielinski ...................Sept/24YouTube Your Way to Better SpeakingCarmine Gallo ...................Oct/26Planting a Shill in the AudienceKristen Johnson, ACB, CL. ..........Nov/20Who’s Your Audience?Craig Harrison, DTM ..............Dec/10Size Up Your AudienceCliff Suttle, ATMS/CL ..............Dec/18Projecting Power on the PodiumGeorge Torok. ...................Dec/22aToastmaster ProfilesPushing Past His DisabilityJulie Bawden Davis ................Jan/6Finding His VoiceJulie Bawden Davis ................Feb/6The Ability to AdvocateJulie Bawden Davis ................Mar/8Wow ‘Em Like Steve JobsCarmine Gallo ...................Apr/14From Toast to HostJulie Bawden Davis .................Jul/6Looking For a Profession – Not PityJulie Bawden Davis ................Aug/6Legacy of ChampionsJulie Bawden Davis. ...............Sept/6Getting Paid to SpeakJulie Bawden Davis ................Oct/8Answering the Swami’s QuestionJulie Bawden Davis ...............Nov/22From Producer to PianistJulie Bawden Davis ................Dec/8December 2007 TOASTMASTER 39