Say a Few Words:
Giving Impromptu Speeches
Table Topics is the
segment of a Toastmasters meeting that provides opportunity to
practice giving impromptu speeches. The purpose is to have members
"think on their feet" and speak for one to two minutes. Here are a few
tricks that you may find helpful.
Be Prepared
One of Winston
Churchill's critics said, "Winston
has devoted the best years of his life to preparing his impromptu
speeches." Intended as a cutting remark, it's actually a
compliment, because smart speakers are always prepared - to speak.
You can begin an
impromptu speech in many ways. The best way is just to tell them. So
how do you begin? Find an Opening.
-
Tie into something.
Answer a question, tie into a theme - this is probably the easiest
opening. You just react to a theme, question or situation then build
on it.
-
Be candid. If
you really don't know much about the subject, admit that you're not an
expert. The offer whatever information you can contribute to the
discussion.
-
Tell a personal anecdote.
Think of a personal story that's relevant to the issue at hand and
make your point. "That reminds me of a time I worked at Company XYZ.
We faced a similar issue…"
-
Switch the Topic.
This method is popular with politicians. They're asked for their
opinion on a tax increase, then give their opinion on something else.
(Only use this method if nothing else comes to mind - a last resort.)
-
Create a catchy analogy.
Pick anything - an object, a celebrity, something in the news - and
attach it to an item related to the topic under discussion. Here's an
example: You're asked to speak about quality management. Pick an
object. We'll pick "orange juice." There are lots of theories about
quality, so we'll pick "theory" as an item. Now attach orange juice to
theory and make an analogy. "At my precious company, we subscribed to
the orange juice theory of quality management. You squeezed the best
performance out of everyone and get rid of the pits." As long as you
make the analogy relevant to the discussion, it will work.
One final word of advice on openings.
There's one thing you should never do, and that is to apologize. What
would an apology do anyway? Not having a carefully polished talk ready?
It's an impromptu speech! By definition, it's off-the-cuff!
Stop Talking
Stop when you're finished. It sounds obvious
- but most people don't do so. The most common mistake related to
impromptu speaking is rambling. The way to avoid this problem is to know
where you're going. Make sure that you think about a conclusion in the
short time you have to organize your thoughts. Then stick to your plan.
When you get to the conclusion, stop.
P
R E P
-
Make
your Point or statement (Opening)
-
Give
your Reason(s) for your statement (Body)
-
Supply Examples to support your point (Body)
-
Restate your Point with conviction (Closing)
Some tips to
get you started:
- Smile! It will make you
feel good, more confident and more relaxed. It also pleases the
audience.
- Organize your thoughts.
When you're given your topic, pause to decide what the main point of
your response will be. You're allowed up to 10 seconds before you start
speaking. For example, if you're asked to give your opinion about an
issue, determine your viewpoint. Then support your viewpoint with two or
three reasons.
- Structure your thoughts.
Like a prepared speech, an impromptu talk has an opening, body, and
conclusion.
- Remain calm. Remember,
your audience will think you are confident if you appear confident.
- Remember the word of the
day and use it in the first sentence you say. If you postpone it you may
well forget to use it at all. If you use it in the first sentence, even
if it's a sentence you planned before you heard the topic, everyone will
be so impressed that they will respect the rest of the Topic response no
matter what you say. And once you have the first sentence out you will
have something to build on and momentum to keep you going.
- If your mind is blank at
the beginning of table topics then ask the Topicmaster to repeat the
question. Use this time to think of an answer or at least an opening
line to two. This will let you appear careful and precise to your
audience.
- If you
can't talk about the topic, maybe you can talk about how hard it is to
talk about the topic! It's better to address the topic, but if you can't
then go off on a tangent: tell a story related to it, describe how it
affects you, tell a joke that relates (if you know a clean one that is
appropriate to the topic).
- If all
else fails, talk about something else. It's best to avoid this if you
can, but if you can't, try the following: announce that you've decided
that you really must address someone else's topic because it is so
pertinent to you, or say you have something important to you that you
want the tell the group. You can also talk about a previous topic you
once failed to respond, say you've been bothered by it since then, and
NOW you want to respond to it. Use your imagination.
-
Finally, read. You will be able to respond better if you're
knowledgeable about current events. Read major magazines and newspapers,
and watch television newscasts.
Do not fear the
Toastmasters Club as an audience. Unlike most audiences, every member
has been the speaker at sometime and expects to be again. This is one of
the most receptive audiences you can find. Any comments will be
constructive advice on how to do better next time.
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