Goodyear Toastmasters: special events

Showing posts with label special events. Show all posts

October 28, 2012

Three Lessons For Speakers From TEDxToronto

by Promod Sharma, CC

TEDx events are an opportunity to see great local speakers.

TEDxToronto took place this week. Over 1,000 attended. Imagine speaking to an audience that size. This polished event provided lessons for Toastmasters and other speakers. We’ll look at the importance of mentors, timing and delivery.

Get A Mentor

Speakers vary in skill. They have different issues in their heads. To help them and maintain the standards of TEDxToronto, each speaker got coaching.

The bigger issue may be honing the content. Speakers know much more than they have time to tell. If they’re used to presenting for an hour, trimming down to 18 minutes (or less) may be daunting. How can any of your golden words be omitted?

A mentor gives a valuable outside perspective and a reminder that the speaker is there for the audience. The problem is that a mentor is still one person and opinions vary.

“Only say what you think is funny. Only keep what they think is funny.”
— BJ Kovak, Crafting a Joke: The Arc of an Act (Wired, May 2010)

Another approach is to field test content in front of live audiences to gauge reactions. You want to get feedback from the right group. A Toastmasters club is ideal since members know how to give useful feedback. I sometimes use a printed form (preserves anonymity) or have a group discussion (for interaction and elaboration).

Nail The Timing

In Toastmasters, we learn the importance of every second. We also learn that a second varies in length. A typical speech is 5-7 minutes. We may aim for six minutes during practice only to find that when we're live we speak faster, speak slower or add impromptu segments.

To keep on track, we use lights at Toastmasters

green at 5 minutes: you met the minimum requirements
amber at 6 minutes: start winding down, even if you're behind
red at 7 minutes: you've gone too long (you never want to see red)

TEDx might have a countdown timer or other system.

If you’re speaking somewhere on your own, looking at your watch isn’t a good idea. An organizer can signal you. There are also timing apps for smartphones and tablets. Some clickers have timers and buzzers.

Be Flexible During The Delivery

“There’s a point where we must just open our mouths and let our voice come out. We let it mix in the air and accept that we can’t put it back.”
— Steven Page

You can practice and practice but the live experience is unpredictable.

At TEDxToronto, the speeches were generally delivered well. A child spoke but was hard to hear (was her headset microphone too far away?). When the hosts (MCs) started speaking between talks, they were sometimes hard to hear (seemed that their handheld mics were off or not amplified enough). Luckily audiences are forgiving and compensate for us.

There are bound to be TEDx events near you. If not, you can watch the videos on TED.com or a TEDx site like TEDxToronto.

October 7, 2012

Exercise: Critique This Interview

by Promod Sharma, CC

I was interviewed on camera for the second time. This was on Internet TV, which reduces the stress levels.

The interview was on the Qb money talk show. My previous experience was on Liquid Lunch, which uses the same studio.

The photo shows a green screen which allows a fake background to be inserted.

The Studio

The studio was surprisingly noisy. There was a constant hiss of static. Perhaps that dampens out other sounds? The filming area felt dead acoustically. Voices didn't carry far. While we were chatting at a table, it felt like we were talking from much further apart.

I couldn't tell what showed on camera, which meant I didn't know where to put my hands. I would have put them on the table but it was a little too high. I was also wired for sound. I didn't want to jar anything by moving around.

Your Review

For your critique, watch for several minutes (say in the middle). What did you like? What would you do differently? Next, leave your comments below. You can do the anonymously.

My Review

I thought the interview turned out better than it seemed at the time. Practicing impromptu speaking at Toastmasters (e.g., during Table Topics) is an effective way to practice.

I noticed that several sentences end with my pitch rising. That makes a statement sound like a question, which makes the speaker sound uncertain. That's not good if you're meant to be an expert.
I use "so" plus "and so" too often. This lead to run-on sentences. I also stretch out words like "aaannd" and "thennn". Pausing is better than filler. However, I found I had some ... unnecessary ... pauses which were not needed ... for effect. I also used duplicate words.

I rarely make these mistakes in my Toastmasters club, which is why I'm surprised that I do outside. This is another reason to always record yourself. Besides the official recording, I use an audio app on my Android phone. I had my video camera but didn't set it up. Because of the acoustics, the sound levels would probably have been low.

The overall experience is another reminder that practice is essential, especially in the real life environment which your club can't quite simulate.

Enhancements

I created a podcast from the video and made as many fixes as I could using Audacity. The background noise is nearly gone. The volume levels are levelized (sometimes the host was difficult to hear).

It was easy to delete "aaannd" because a gap usually followed. I could not easily remove "so" or "and so" because there was rarely a following pause.

I learned lots about my voice by editing the audio. The experience was worthwhile for learning.

direct download | Internet Archive page | iTunes

Links

Promod Sharma ("pro-MODE") looks forward to more interviews and practicing at Goodyear Toastmasters.

September 30, 2012

Why A Master Of Ceremonies (MC) Matters

by Promod Sharma, CC

When you're speaking at an event, you feel important, and are. (You may also feel terrified, which is where Toastmasters helps if you join early enough.)

The Master of Ceremonies (or Moderator or Chair) is also very important. I didn't think this role mattered until I attended TEDxIBYork at the Ontario Science Centre. David Newland was exceptional. He made everything look smooth.

Since then, I've appreciated how an MC makes a difference. It's easy to find lousy ones. Maybe they aren't comfortable speaking or didn't care enough to prepare.

Best Practices

A great MC

takes responsibility: this includes preparing and compensating for any problems which may arise
improvises: reading entirely from a script drains energy
exudes a personality: this helps in getting the audience ready for the speakers

Example

Last week, I gave a presentation on Building Trust With LinkedIn. The MC is Chris Paterson (LinkedIn profile), who I've known for several years. Watch what he does during the introduction and conclusion. You can skip the rest (for now!).

Introduction

Chris deviated from the bio I provided in advance. Instead, he told a story and endorsed me. This is valuable for the audience and speaker.

Conclusion

After I finished, Chris gave a summary and expanded on what I said. That helps the audience and feels good for the speaker.

Overall

Chris gave introductions and summaries for all three speakers. He also moderated the panel discussion which followed. He unified the event and made it bigger than the individual presentations.

Next time, pay more attention to the MC. You'll learn from the good and not-so-good ones. For practice, volunteer to be Chair at your Toastmasters club.

September 23, 2012

Squawkfox Talks: The Speaking Secret From Kerry K Taylor

by Promod Sharma, CC

Squawkfox spoke at this weekend’s sold-out CPFC12, the Canadian Personal Finance Conference (agenda). She was excellent. Her simple and clear slides exuded quality. She used lots of original photos. Her delivery was polished. A real pro. Or so I thought.

Squawk who?

Squawkfox is really Kerry K Taylor, a now-famous blogger from British Columbia. She writes must-read posts like

The day before, Kerry shared money-saving tips on The Morning Show on Global TV. Take a peek. She’s got solid content and speaks well. A real pro, no?

Critique

At the conference, Kerry talked about how she got millions of readers (without SEO trickery). When she started speaking, she used the crutchword “um” several times. This was not distracting because her delivery was engaging.

Mid-way, she stopped using her clip-on microphone because she heard some feedback. That’s unfortunate because her volume dropped. This wasn’t a problem either because her voice carried well. The audience helped by listening attentively — a sign of keen interest.

Surprise

Kerry spoke just after lunch. She later revealed a secret: she felt anxiety all morning and during her talk. This came as a surprise because she didn’t look or act nervous.

There’s more.

Kerry is a novice speaker. She’s only presented a couple of times. Here she was delivering an all-new presentation to her largest audience. Attendees included prominent bloggers and journalists. That’s gutsy.

Secret

How did Kerry give the best talk of the conference? She cared. She prepared. She practiced. She got videotaped. She made changes. That helped her be all she can be: herself.

Kerry is another example of how our overpowering worries go unnoticed by the audience. Her hidden fears made her presentation an even greater accomplishment than she may realize. And an inspiration. We can show grace under pressure.

Links

Promod became more comfortable as a speaker at Goodyear Toastmasters. You’ll find his talks at www.promodsharma.com/presentations.

September 9, 2012

Getting Rejected As A Speaker By A Conference Like TEDxToronto

by Promod Sharma, CC

Toastmasters builds your skills, which in turn builds confidence. This year, I took a leap and applied to speak at TEDxToronto about trust.

I got (politely) rejected but don’t feel like a failure. I’ve applied to attend the live event (though I’ve been rejected every year except one).

Rejection isn’t ideal but is part of your journey as a speaker.

Humility

In Toastmasters, you learn humility if you have the courage to take risks. By going beyond your current skills, you will fail ... and grow.

If you find the right club, you're experimenting in a safe environment where members are trained to give feedback.

I'm amazed when speakers — beginners to experienced — refuse to get recorded. The equipment is cheap. At Goodyear Toastmasters, the process is free and no one else sees the footage. If you can't stand to watch yourself, you've got a problem. If you don't bother making changes, you're limiting your growth.

Greater humility comes from posting your I-could-do-better video online. Even if very few people watch, your courage grows. You have an even stronger incentive to improve when there's online proof of your past skills.

Good Enough?

How good a speaker are you? That's difficult to say but as you speak, you get better. Start by focusing on your club. Volunteer for different roles for extra practice.

As you improve, volunteer to talk to different groups. Your ideal audience depends on your topic and level of skill. In the beginning, you might need to change your topic to suit different organizers. Later, you’ll get known for your niche.

As you continue speaking, you establish yourself and start getting invited to speak. That's your goal. For faster results, reduce the risk to organizers by posting your past speeches (or at least excerpts).

Choose Yourself

Organizers will reject you but no one can stop you from speaking. You can record yourself and post video on YouTube. Maybe that will help you get selected next time.

Links

Promod Sharma posts presentations with additional resources like slides and other links. His local audiences include the Association of Independent Consultants, the Canadian Association of Management Consultants, the Experion Group, Freelancecamp Toronto, GoodWorks, Podcamp Toronto, a Toastmasters International conference and the Word11 blogging festival. He’s open to opportunities to speak about trust and other topics.

August 12, 2012

Tips on Getting Interviewed By A Journalist

by Promod Sharma, CC

I used to dread getting interviewed because I like to think before speaking. Weird, huh? Thanks to Table Topics and giving interactive presentations, I’ve learned to think much faster in impromptu situations.

Here are tips for when a professional journalist wants to interview you.

Research

Look up the writer online. Read recent articles. Follow on Twitter. If you're being interviewed for a specific column, get familiar with the format.

Last week, I was interviewed by Larry MacDonald for the Me and My Money column in a major paper, The Globe and Mail. I read previous articles to see what other interviewees said. Would I have something fresh to say or echo what others already said?

Prepare

Your interviewer may send you the questions in advance. You can then prepare written answers or practice for a phone interview.

Review

To ensure accuracy, your interviewer may send you a draft of the entire article or your portions. You are not the editor. You are not being asked to make changes even if you now have other things to say.

The writer has deadlines and probably won't appreciate nontrivial revisions. Pay attention to what you're being asked to do. Do only that. Afterwards, you can share your new ideas, which might lead to another column.

The draft may not look exactly the way you want. You are not the target audience. You can say more elsewhere. I usually write a blog post.

An Example

When you prepare a speech, you’ve got time constraints. That limits what you can say. The Me and My Money column has a strict word count. During the interview and in email exchanges, I provided more information than appeared in the final article. This gave Larry more details, which (I think) helped to improve the column.

I would have written a different article but mine would not have been as good: I lack objectivity and experience in journalism.

Cooperate

Journalists have deadlines. I did everything according to (and slightly ahead of) the schedule. Cooperating helps increase the chances of getting interviewed again.

Say Thanks

Getting interviewed is not a right. Be thankful. The best way is to see what would help the writer. Attention can't hurt. I featured Larry in a blog post about the interview and included his contact info at the bottom. I was already following him on Twitter. We're now connected on LinkedIn too. I'll think of other possible interviewees for his column.

Links

Promod Sharma has been interviewed in various publications such as The Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, Canadian Business Journal and specialty publications. You'll find details on his LinkedIn profile in the Publications section.

June 30, 2012

Highlights From Goodyear Toastmasters: 2011-2012

by Promod Sharma, President 2011-2012, CC

Fellow members of Goodyear Toastmasters, your 2011-2012 executive team leaves office today. Thanks for giving us the opportunity to serve you. Since we inherited a well-running club just after the 30th anniversary, we started building a living legacy for 40th anniversary in 2021 and beyond.

Goodbye

Your 2011-2012 Team consisted of

President: Promod Sharmaappreciative of having such a great team and club
VP Education: Leila Bates [incoming Area 63 Governor 2012-2013]
energetic in a demanding role
VP Membership: Jonathan Holowka [incoming President 2012-2013]
active and supportive; also the Webmaster
VP Public Relations: Trevor Kelly
as President 2010-2011, brought continuity to the executive
Treasurer: Jada Nash
efficient and pleasant ... all while studying for her CGA exams
Co-Secretary: Balwinder Mangatgood-natured and conscientious despite a busy workload
Co-Secretary: Kevin McGlashan
lively despite juggling workload and family commitments
Sergeant At Arms: Gulzar Kandola [incoming Co-Secretary 2012-2013]
brought flair, especially when introducing the Chair

This post reviews our club’s accomplishments from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012.

President’s Distinguished Club

The year went smoothly and our club remains in excellent condition. We earned all 10 points in the Distinguished Club Program (DCP). That puts us at the highest possible level again: President’s Distinguished Club.

Speaking

Club members spoke at various outside events, including:

Building Trust With Blogging (Word11)
Turbocharge Your Club With Social Media (District 60 conference)
Modern Marketing Methods panel (Canadian Association of Management Consultants)
Building Trust With Podcasting (Podcamp 2012)
Using Social Media To Grow Your Practice (Estate Planners’ Council Of Halton)
Building Trust With Social Media (Advocis Golden Triangle)
Be The One They Want (Good Works)
How To Earn And Keep Trust (Freelancecamp Toronto)

Website

We upgraded from our outdated website to the FreeToastHost 1.0 (FTH1) platform. With short notice, we upgraded to FTH2. Jonathan lead both initiatives and did most of the work.

Using FTH simplifies the way members get emails and eliminates earlier problems keeping email lists up-to-date.

Meetup

We started a Meetup group to help the public find us. This has worked well and has become the main source of our visitors.

We have had 59 meetups and have 90 members. I dreamed that we’d rank among the top 100 Toastmaster Meetups in the world. We’re #76.

Twitter

We’re on Twitter (@gytm81) but not especially active. There are opportunities to do more.

Blog

The goals for this blog were 50 posts and 1,000 visits. This is the 66th post. We’ve had over 4,500 visits. This shows there are readers.

The challenge is finding more writers.

Blogging helps in creating and augmenting speeches. A blog post is an ideal place to embed a speech, add the text and link to related items (here’s an example). The club provides a painless way to blog to members with interest.

Video

We have a new video camera. Members can now get video recordings instantly by bringing in their own memory cards for recording.

Branding

Toastmasters International introduced new branding in August 2011. Our club earned a new banner and is awaiting delivery.

Members voted for a new tagline: Speak. Lead. Inspire.

Hello

Best wishes to the incoming executive. You're inheriting an excellent club.

If you'd like to share your thoughts for the past year, please leave your comments below.

June 24, 2012

Sheltering Your Potluck Picnic From A Storm

by Promod Sharma, President 2011-2012, CC

Last year, we looked at how to organize a potluck picnic. We used the same process this year. There was one big difference: the weather.

Shelter

The picnic announcement said we'd proceed rain or shine. We could because our party took place under a large tent at a yacht club.

The night before, the Picnic Organizer expressed concern about the weather. A thunderstorm was predicted. That creates safety issues. Should we postpone?

Picnics require advance preparation. Members would likely have bought or made what they were planning to bring. The items might not keep for another week. There was no guarantee that we could get the facility again. We certainly couldn't guarantee good weather.

We decided to proceed. After all, forecasts can be wrong. We counted on attendees to rely on their own judgment.

Outcome

The weather was excellent … until an hour before our picnic. That's when the heavy rain started. There was some thunder too. Since the storm was heavy, it didn't last. The rain stopped about an hour after the picnic started. The barbecuing proceeded without much interruption.

The lesson: pick a spot that's well protected from the weather (and close to parking).

Speeches

A Toastmasters event would be incomplete without speeches. We had three after dinner.

1. Picnic Organizer

The Picnic Organizer (Lyle) welcomed everyone, thanked Dave for getting us access to the members-only yacht club and thanked Rick for manning the barbecue.

2. Outgoing President

The outgoing President (me) thanked

the Picnic Organizer
the outgoing executive as a group
the club members for attending and electing them

Why wasn't each outgoing executive thanked individually? This was already done at election time and the Executive Transition Meeting. There wasn't much more to say. Formal thanks will be given in a blog post next week.

3. Incoming President

The incoming VP of Education (Andrew) spoke on behalf of the incoming President. He gave a gracious speech using notes. He thanked the outgoing executive, introduced the incoming team and said other nice things.

Drizzle

The picnic ended with a mild drizzle, smiles and full bellies.

May 26, 2012

Do You Stay Up Late The Night Before Your Presentation?

by Promod Sharma, President 2011-2012, CC

‘Tis the night before a presentation
and all through the house,
not a creature is stirring
’cept my ‘puter mouse.

That's because I'm still making changes to my slides.

Get Rest

When you sleep early the night before a presentation, you're alert the next day. You look fresh. Your mind is sharp. You're in control. Your socks match. You're at your best.

What if you can't sleep because you're worrying about your presentation? You won't be fresh, sharp or at your best.

Stay Up

I tend to stay up late the night before. This allows time for last minute refinements that improve quality. When I do go to bed, I'm ready to sleep.

I should have trouble waking up the next morning. While I'll be tired, there's a nervous excitement that gets me out of bed and ready to go. Exhaustion doesn’t hit until after my session.

Haze

Presenting with a hazy mind can be an advantage. The content is fresher in your memory even if you're not fresh. You have a deeper understanding.

My haze evaporates just before I start speaking. Thanks nervous energy! I might make interesting deviations from what I planned to say. That's an advantage of a wandering mind.

There are drawbacks to lack of sleep. I tend to use more crutchwords and longer, run-on sentences. The conscious mind is less able to maintain quality control. I didn't realize this was happening until I started recording my sessions.

Why am I telling you all this? I have a presentation to freelancers on How To Earn And Keep Trust in the morning. I really should be asleep. Instead, I’m blogging and tweaking. Why break tradition?

Links

Promod Sharma is more of a night owl than an early bird. You'll find his presentations at http://www.promodsharma.com/presentations.

May 20, 2012

Celebrating 50+5 Blog Posts For Speakers And Leaders

by Promod Sharma, President 2011-2012, CC

This is the 55th blog post!

Why not celebrate the 50th post? That was the intent but that milestone passed silently.

Highs

Blogging is easy to start ... and even easier to quit.

Psychologically, 50 posts feels like the minimum for a real blog during a year. Each of my two personal blogs (Marketing Actuary and Riscario Insider) has a post per week with a break in late December.

A regular schedule is also important. The goal is what Seth Godin calls consistent persistent generosity. I promised that this blog would have two posts per week from Jan 1, 2012 to June 30, 2012, when my term as club President ends. That schedule has been maintained.

Lows

This blog was intended to inspire club members to show courage by blogging here. That hasn't happened. I've written most of the posts, especially in recent months.

Leaders make statements that go on the record. Blogging is a low-key way to build leadership skills, another way that Toastmasters helps members.

I was especially hoping that the club executive would volunteer to participate. They haven't and I haven't pressed them.

Unexpected

I already publish about 1,000 words a week (two personal blogs, each with a post of about 500 words). Here, I focused on two weekly posts of about 350 words each (minimum 300 words). As an exercise, I looked for ways to write faster and used techniques from Table Topics.

I start with an idea that happens to come to mind. I then write and publish about 350 words. The process takes an hour. Here's where the time goes

15 min: initial draft (see how to write better faster using an iPad and iA Writer)
30 min: editing and adding links (mainly on the iPad)
15 min: finalizing and posting (using Windows Live Writer)

Some posts have images. Finding and editing an image takes about 15 minutes.
Since I've been writing four posts a week (two here and two of my own), I've gotten faster. Practice does help. I'm also getting more ideas, especially for short posts.

Because the ideas keep flowing out, I know I can write a book. I can also sketch out new presentations much faster (using mind mapping).

I'm hoping the new executive will continue to support the blog. I'm intending to write one post per week. In a year, we'll have at least 100 posts. That will be worth celebrating ... if other members contribute regularly.

Links

Promod Sharma has written over 500 blog posts since 2007 about marketing for entrepreneurs and risk.

April 28, 2012

Running A Club Election

by Promod Sharma, President 2011-2012, CC

This is post is specifically about Goodyear Toastmasters but our process can apply to other clubs. We've already appointed an Election Chair and held an Election Panel.

Election Chair

The Election Chair oversees the whole election process. This includes informing/motivating members, collecting nominations and running the election. Our Chair is a former club President who is not running for a position.

Election Panel

Members may not know

the specifics of an executive role
the profile of a suitable candidate

As a result, members --- especially new ones --- may feel a role is beyond their capabilities.

To overcome these concerns, we had an election panel in which the current executive explained and answered questions.

Since some members were unable to attend and others might want a refresher, we put a video on YouTube. I can't share the link since the video is candid and some people get concerned about being filmed. That means viewing is restricted to club members.

Nominations

The Election Chair will send additional details to members and answer questions. The names of nominees are not announced until the time of the election. That means there is no formal campaigning.

Exceeding Expectations

If a club has problems, you can likely make improvements and get labeled a hero. What if the club is already running well? Candidates may wonder how to exceed the already high expectations. This is a false concern. Improvements can always be made.

The unexpected happens too. During this term, there were rumours that our room rental rates might skyrocket. That could have required an unwelcome boost in membership fees. Luckily, nothing materialized.

Voting

The club has excellent members which will make voting challenging. Members who do not get elected can still participate.

March 18, 2012

What A Speech Evaluation Contest Teaches The Audience

by Promod Sharma, President 2011-2012

We see as we are.

In Toastmasters, we improve our skills by observing others. As you listen to a speaker, you form your own impressions. When you hear the Evaluator, you often get different perspectives. That's valuable.

What if you good listen to different evaluations of the same speaker? In a recent Speech Evaluation Contest, five contestants evaluated the same guest speaker.

For Example

While there was overlap, each Evaluator had different perspectives. They commented on such elements as

the importance of pausing
the challenges of speaking to a new audience
the effective use of hand gestures to show how a cantilever works
the size of the props used
the intricate design of the content
the vocal variety in the delivery
the multiple meanings of the title

Movies

Do you read movie reviews? If you've seen the film, you might wonder if the reviewers saw the same film. A speech evaluation is like a 2-3 minute movie review.

Ultimately, an evaluation is an opinion and opinions vary. You need not agree to become a better speaker or Evaluator. You just need to listen and watch. It's best if you form your own opinions before the Evaluator speaks. Even if you disagree, you learn by seeing how others interpret the same event.

Later

There's pressure on contestants in a Speech Evaluation Contest, but not for you in the audience. You can silently pretend that you're an Evaluator without competing.

As you build your powers of observation, you'll find yourself using them regularly without noticing. You'll find that even professional speakers can improve.

Links

You'll find more about Promod than you'd ever want to know at promodsharma.com. He's speaking about trust at Freelancecamp Toronto on March 25, 2012.

February 26, 2012

Three Mistakes Seminar Speakers Make

by Promod Sharma, President 2011-2012

You've prepared a presentation. You've been given 60 minutes. You've got valuable content and winning anecdotes. You don't want to leave anything out.

You practice and manage to squeeze in everything ... if you talk a little faster.

This doesn't make sense

you probably won't get your full allotted time
the more content, the less preparation
the audience becomes passive

The Allotted Time

Schedules are unpredictable. Your starting time may be delayed. You may still be expected to finish at the originally-planned time. Unfair? If there are other speakers, the whole schedule may be messed up because an earlier speaker get gabbing.

You can help the organizers by shortening your portion. If you're prepared, you'll know what you can take out. The result may even improve. You'll be a hero to the organizers. That can't hurt you. You'll also be a hero to the audience since they fear that you'll add to the delays.

Even if you get your full allotment of time, you can easily still run out. You might talk more slowly than you planned or take detours.

Prepare by reducing your content in advance.

Audience Burnout

An audience that's exhausted, becomes more passive. You might not notice the lifeless eyes or their yawns. You may think they're attentive when they're mentally exhausted.

Engage them. Get them to participate. Invite questions. All that takes time away from your speaking.

Prepare by reducing your content in advance.

Instead

Audiences forget most of what you tell them, no matter how brilliant. If you're not convinced, think back to the second last speech or presentation you attended. How much can you remember?

Links

Promod Sharma spoke at Podcamp Toronto earlier today about Building Trust With Podcasting. Any connection between this post and that event may be coincidental. You’ll a copy of the presentation and other resources here.

February 24, 2012

Toastmasters, Podcasting And Podcamp Toronto 2012 (#pcto2012)

by Promod Sharma, President 2011-2012

As a speaker, you know that your voice is important. This is especially true when you're unseen. On the phone, you've got two way interaction, which gives feedback. In a webinar, you can get some live input too.

What about podcasting?

Here you're often recording your voice in private. There's no opportunity for live feedback. Writing is the same way. Maybe you like the isolation because you can practice and perfect in private.

Your Medium?

Podcasting may be the ideal medium for you. You might feel more comfortable when you're unseen and have complete control. Podcasting is easy and inexpensive.

Visit Podcamp Toronto 2012 on February 25-26 at Ryerson University. Admission is free. You'll be able to attend many different sessions. If you don't like one, you're free to leave ("the law of two feet").

Participate

PodcampTO is a true unconference (thoughts from Mitch Joel). You're expected to participate. That's an opportunity to practice the impromptu skills you learned with Table Topics. If you don't like something, you're empowered to make changes. There's a feeling of controlled anarchy.

Learn

You'll have the opportunity to see many speakers. Their skills vary. Yet they all have the courage to address an audience. As a Toastmaster, you do too. You have the added advantage of spotting ways to improve.

While You're There

I have an interactive session on Building Trust With Podcasting. The views are bound to be unconventional because I don't listen to any podcasts but have recorded 155+.

Trust matters for our personal and business success. The rules have changed and so have our tools. Podcasting can be an effective component of your strategy. Even if your audience is small, you've got opportunities for big, indirect rewards.

You don't need any experience. Explore the WHY building trust with podcasting with questions like these

How to build trust in today's won't-get-fooled-again world
Why blogging vs builds trust better than podcasting
How to get comfortable with the sound of your voice
How to think when your brain freezes
When video matters
Where you get ideas
What equipment you need
How do you measure success

This session is related to Turbocharge Your Club With Social Media (co-presented with Jonathan Holowka at the last District 60 conference), Building Trust With Social Media (CALU 20) and Building Trust With Blogging (from Word11).

February 19, 2012

Speaking As A Panelist

(Congratulations to club members Anita Nickerson, Jonathan Holowka and Promod Sharma. This week, they used their Toastmaster skills as the panelists for a session on Modern Marketing Methods for the Canadian Association of Management Consultants in downtown Toronto — Editor)

by Promod Sharma, President 2011-2012

If you're uncomfortable speaking to strangers on your own, consider participating on panels. There are several advantages:

shared load
speech elements
audience questions

We’ll explore each.

Shared Load

As a panelist, you don't need to do as much. The moderator has the tougher role. You'll have a general idea of the questions. You may even get the moderator’s list in advance. Feel free to practice answering but don't read from notes. You're on the panel because you're an expert. That means speaking primarily from memory.

Speech Elements

As a panelist, you'll likely get some time to speak. Perhaps 5-15 minutes. Prepare as you would for a speech. Since other panelists are likely sitting in a row beside you, you aren’t alone. Stand, if possible.

If you're planning to use slides, let the moderator and organizer know in advance. You may be asked to provide a copy of your presentation on a memory stick so that all speakers use one computer. Emailing a copy in advance is good insurance.

Audience Questions

You won't have time to prepare for questions from the audience. This is your opportunity to practice the impromptu speaking skills you develop with Table Topics. You have an extra advantage. Your audience will ask questions related to the topic.

If a question is beyond the scope of the panel, the moderator will likely intervene. A more experienced panelist might too. If the question still gets to you, you don't need to give an answer.

If you're unsure of the answer, another panelist might answer first. That gives you more time to prepare.

Experience

As you become an experienced panelist, you're feel more comfortable. You'll be able to listen to the whole question before formulating your response. You'll be able to build on answers given by other panelists and work together as a team.

Recording the session let's you re-experience the session and improve for next time

January 14, 2012

Turbocharge Your Club With Social Media

Toastmasters International District 60 holds two conferences each year. Getting selected to speak is an achievement. Promod Sharma and Jonathan Holowka collaborated on an interactive session on social media. You’ll find the live recording below along with a description of the session. The content is also well-suited to other nonprofit clubs.

A healthy club engages members, attracts guests and nurtures the community. Social media enables all that and more. What works? What’s right for your club? How do you decide what to do, get started and keep going? Find out from the real-life experiments at Goodyear Toastmasters.

Meetup, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and a blog help your club thrive in ways your website can never match. You’ll learn how to harness social media in this fully interactive session.

Why Bother?

The magic that happens in club meetings vanishes forever. Where is the record of past speeches, lessons and Table Topics? We deprive members and guests — past, present and future. Thanks to social media, we can easily share text, audio and video. For free.

When used well, social media:

makes your club easier to find online
strengthens the initial impression
leaves a lasting impact

You can even help those unable to attend.

You have many options to explore and limited time. There’s Meetup, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and blogging. What about Facebook and Google+? Mistakes are easy to make and difficult to erase. Yet hiding from social media is even worse.

Goodyear Toastmasters, a community club, has been experimenting to see what works. Use their findings to get better results faster and with less effort.

As Toastmasters, we know that feedback helps us grow. Social media gives you analytics to show trends and what’s working now.

As a side benefit, you’ll create a living legacy for your club.

Engaged members are retained members
Attracted guests are attractive guests
A nurtured community is a stronger community

Video

Here is a live recording of the session which took place on November 12, 2011. Jonathan wrote about a related blog post: How to get started with social media. It’s worth reading first.

Links

How to get started with social media (byeka.ca, Nov 2011)
Creating your club’s living legacy
The painless way to blog
How much time does social media take in a week? (marketingactuary.com, Sep 2011)
Are you sick of social media too? (marketingactuary.com, Dec 2011)

Jonathan Holowka is VP Membership 2011-2012 and a social media specialist. You’ll find more details at byeka.com.

Promod Sharma is President 2011-2012 and an actuary. You’ll find more details at promodsharma.com.

December 15, 2011

The 2011 President’s Holiday Address

by Promod Sharma, President 2011-2012

The recording of my Holiday Address at tonight’s Holiday Party wasn’t good enough to post but here’s a transcript. Supply your own applause!

George Harrison said that for a tree to be green, each leaf must be green. He must not have known about our evergreens.

Still, we understand what he meant. The world outside may look like it's in turmoil once again. We're concerned but worrying about what we can't do much about makes us feel powerless. As Toastmasters, we know the value of focusing on where we can make a difference. We know the value of focusing on ourselves and the people around us. We do that in every meeting and elsewhere too.

Tonight we enjoyed a tasty meal and wonderful company. This year we experienced another great year at Goodyear Toastmasters. We've seen fellow members grow. I joined just over a year ago and marveled at how Trevor delivered the 2010 President’s Address. I didn’t think I could. Yet here I am.

How did you like our Secret Santa gift exchange. It was more complicated than Table Topics! But enjoyable. If we had a prize most colourful attire, Lyle would have won with his illuminated vest.

Let's thanks the volunteers who made tonight's celebration possible. Anita for finding this wonderful restaurant. Trevor for organizing. The Rudy Award is our highest recognition and you select the winner. Thanks to Jada for running the campaign and Jennifer Moon's mom for explaining the history. Congratulations to Jonathan for winning. You had my vote. Now we can get you to volunteer for more club activities ...

Once again, Gulzar took photos. Have you noticed how he takes lots of shots but we never get to see them. To prove that his camera really works, Gulzar has promised to post photos from tonight and previous events online by January 15, 2012 or pay the club a fine of $5. Since he's retired, I asked why he can't post the pix tomorrow. He explained that digital film takes a long time to develop. And he thinks no one laughs at his jokes!

Finally, thanks to Jada for making sure everyone paid and for organizing the gift exchange. That'll teach her a lesson for winning the 2010 Rudy Award!

What makes an evergreen change from green? Snow. Let's hope we have some. That's part of the holiday joy. On behalf of your club executive, best wishes to you and yours during the holidays and in the New Year.

Enjoy the rest of your evening. Remember to ask Santa for time to write your next speech!

December 8, 2011

Lessons From One Year In Toastmasters

by Promod Sharma, President 2011-2012

Happy anniversary! I joined Goodyear Toastmasters exactly one year ago. The benefits exceeded my expectations.

I wasn't very interested in giving speeches but have finished the first seven in the Competent Communicator manual. I wasn’t interested in leadership, which (I think) I already know. I certainly had no intentions of becoming a club officer.

Why Join?

My main interest was in pre-testing important new presentations. That’s what I did for

Building Trust With Social Media for CALU in May
Building Trust With Blogging for Word11 in August and
How To Turbocharge Your Club With Social Media last month (co-presented with Jonathan Holowka at the District 60 Toastmasters Conference; his post)

This approach worked well.

Q&A

I wanted to experiment with answering audience questions. This involves having a topic that engages the attendees and thinking quickly (like impromptu speaking but about a subject you know).

I was comfortable with Q&A with my former audiences of accountants, lawyers, investment advisors and insurance advisors. I wanted to experiment with general audiences.

360 Degree Feedback

Feedback makes us better. Since we each react differently, I wanted group feedback as often as possible. I don't know of a better place than Toastmasters for this (results will vary by club). The comments are very helpful and sometimes contradictory. For one speech, someone said I was relying on notes too much and someone else thought I was speaking from memory.

Scariest

The scariest role for me was being the Timer. That involves keeping track of the key sections of the meeting. I found there were "too many moving parts". That was distracting. After my second time, I felt comfortable.

As timer, you become more attuned to the value of every second. It's surprising how long and how short 60 seconds is.

Free Prize

Are there things you'd like to do but never thought you could? Impromptu speaking is on my list. Or was. Thanks to Table Topics, I feel comfortable speaking without preparation. That's a wonderful feeling.

In the past, I would need to jot down notes, which takes away from the spontaneity. Now I can talk with ease. That practice helped when I was interviewed by the Toronto Star in March and The Globe and Mail a few weeks ago.

You

What you get out of Toastmasters depends on your goals, what you put in, and your club environment. You could easily come out with more than you ever imagined. And help others feel that too.

You’ll find more than you want to know about Promod with a Google search.

June 24, 2011

How To Organize A Potluck Picnic

A successful potluck picnic requires planning. This evening barbeque took place at a private yacht club but the same process applies for events at other places too.

The organizer started sending out reminders weeks in advance. The annotated aerial map gives an example of the attention to detail.

Menu
Good times require good food (and a tent in case of rain). To ensure variety, the menu was pre-decided. Attendees where asked to choose what they wanted to bring.

Appetizers

Potato chips
Pretzels

Salads

Potato Salad
Garden Salad
Caesar Salad
Eggplant Salad with Noodles (vegetarian)

Main Course

Hamburgers (16 + buns)
Chicken/Turkey Burgers (8 + buns)
Sausages (12 + buns)
Veggie Burgers (8 + buns)

Desserts

Summer Dessert
English Trifle
Cookies
Ice Cream

Drinks

Pop
Water
Juice
Beer
Wine

Miscellaneous

Condiments (Ketchup, Relish , Mustard, Pickles)
BBQ Utensils, Lighter
Plates/Napkins/Forks/Cups

Speeches
No one's in the mood for long speeches at a picnic (or many other places). This was the final event for the current club executive (and a Toastmasters event).

Organizer
Introductions. Thank the host for arranging use of the private facilities. Invite the current President up to wrap-up the year.

Current President
Thank everyone for the year. Invite the incoming President to welcome everyone to their new role.

Incoming President
Finishes up. Thank the previous executive. Looking forward to a great year. Welcome the new executive.

Fun
After the short speeches, the festivities continued. To preserve memories, photos were taken but no video.

Links

photos from the actual event (Meetup)
Sheltering your potluck picnic from a storm (new)

PS What would you add or do differently? There's plenty of room for your comments below

Pages

October 28, 2012

Get A Mentor

Nail The Timing

Be Flexible During The Delivery

Links

October 7, 2012

The Studio

Your Review

My Review

Enhancements

Links

September 30, 2012

Best Practices

Example

Introduction

Conclusion

Overall

Links

September 23, 2012

Squawk who?

Critique

Surprise

Secret

Links

September 9, 2012

Humility

Good Enough?

Choose Yourself

Links

August 12, 2012

Research

Prepare

Review

An Example

Cooperate

Say Thanks

Links

June 30, 2012

Goodbye

President’s Distinguished Club

Speaking

Website

Meetup

Twitter

Blog

Video

Branding

Hello

Links

June 24, 2012

Shelter

Outcome

Speeches

1. Picnic Organizer

2. Outgoing President

3. Incoming President

Drizzle

Links

May 26, 2012

Get Rest

Stay Up

Haze

Links

May 20, 2012

Highs

Lows

Unexpected

Next

Links

April 28, 2012

Election Chair

Election Panel

Nominations

Exceeding Expectations

Voting

Links

March 18, 2012

For Example

Movies