Boston Toastmasters

"You become ready by putting yourself in situations that you don't think you can excel at yet."

The purpose of negative emotions is not to cause misery. It’s to prevent mistakes. Outrage is a signal to speak up. Anxiety is a prompt to prepare. Guilt is a reminder to repair. Disappointment is a cue to persist. Pain reveals principles. Where we hurt is a clue to what we value. Illustrated by Marissa Solomon Shandell

? Communicate On Time ? Deliver a concise, timely message that shows professionalism and respect for your audience's time. Effective communication is key to making a strong impression! #toastmasters

Psychological safety is not about withholding criticism. It’s about enabling people to speak up without fear. The goal is not to lower our standards. It’s to replace knee-jerk reactions with open-minded consideration. All ideas are welcome. Not all views are equally valid. As Amy Edmondson says: "Make it discussable."

Here is a quick primer on the classes of gesture you might find yourself using in a speech. You can use this terminology to inform your speaking or the feedback you deliver to speakers.

When things aren't going well, do you panic? What if you thought about the performance you were giving as decoupled from the reaction? Yes, we want to create a feedback loop with the audience, but sometimes you need to break the loop to get back on track. SNL actor Molly Shannon reflects on how she and colleague Will Ferrell approached this situation.

We see this time and time again at Boston Toastmasters: the act of speaking can be formative, not just an end to achieve. Be open to learning by explaining!

Are you looking for an in-person Toastmasters experience in Boston's South End? Join now and get a 2-month trial for the cost of dinner!

DO NOT TRUST YOURSELF TOO MUCH (IN PUBLIC SPEAKING) I ask the same question in all my training sessions: "On the bell curve of perception—what the audience thinks of you—where do you place yourself?" And the answer? Doubt, or even hatred. We love to hate ourselves. Especially in public speaking. The internal monologue kicks in: “What will they think of me?” But this soliloquy-based question is so wrong. My friend, everyone in the audience thinks differently about you. That’s a fact. It’s the bell curve. What you want to achieve is gaining 70-80% of that curve. When you do, you’re the master of the universe of rhetoric! But since our self-assessment is naturally negative, there’s only one way to break through the wall of self-doubt: feedback. Objective feedback from others. Positive feedback (Plus). Constructive feedback (PlusPlus). The kind of feedback that builds you up. Supporter, fan, lover— that’s the way a ha a ha I like it! ?? So, stop listening to your inner critic. Instead, start asking for feedback from others. That’s where growth lives. And it comes to life at… Toastmasters International. #fminsights #publicspeaking #rhetoric #selfconfidence #stagefright #selfassessment

As we move through the year, you may find your self experiencing setbacks. Remember, though: Toastmasters is all about the Comeback! As author Greg Glasgow points out, "There is a lot to be gained even if at first you don’t succeed." Don't we know it!