3 Common mistakes to avoid in Toastmasters Speeches
“If you don’t make mistakes, you aren't really trying.” — Coleman Hawkins
Toastmaster’s program is a healthy environment where you can conveniently make mistakes in public speaking.
By now I have given over 15 speeches and heard over 50 speeches. This document pulls out the recurring pattern of feedback every toastmaster or public speaker has received which is running out of time and setting a clear direction for your audience.
Running out of time
By far this is the most popular feat individuals struggle with. Out of the 15 speeches I have given, 5 of them I went over the time I allocated for myself. The reasons were clear:
- I didn’t prepare enough
- I spent too much time on one section of my speech
- I wasn’t aware of the time
What can I do to deliver my speech within the allotted time and have consistency?
- Don’t guess your time. Give your timer the average time of your practiced speeches
- Create a brief outline of your speech and stay within the main points
- Try to get to the main part of your speech as quickly as possible without spending too much time on the intro.
- Your main part of the speech will include several points. Spread out the time evenly for each of your points.
- Don’t rush your ending when you are under pressure. Be sure to summarize the intention of the speech and bring up your strongest points to reinforce the main message
Set a clear direction
A crucial feedback I received when I was delivering an informative speech about “Cars: Under the Hood” was to give a brief overview of what I will be covering to the audience and proceed with that content format.
Here is an example:
Scenario #1: I give a good intro to my speech about cars and go straight to talking about cars.
In this scenario, your audience will have a hard time staying attentive. They will be drifting off into their own thoughts making it challenging for anyone to stay engaged when the content lacks direction.
Scenario #2: I give a good intro to my speech as well as mention I will be going over different components of a car, how EVs are made differently, and my personal story of owning two different types of cars. Then I have a transition to the first topic that I just mentioned.
In this scenario, the audience will be engaged as you have set clear expectations for what is about to come. Providing context and creating a distraction-free environment is crucial when delivering a speech.
