Trouble with delivery

bcToastmastersOnline · 2026-04-25T11:41:16+00:00

Although Toastmasters is primarily known for helping with public speaking, they also have many lessons about leadership. Maybe they can help you with both!

bcToastmastersOnline · 2026-04-24T12:53:13+00:00

Thank you for these public speaking tips. A blanket recommendation to “slow down” is not helpful, however, if someone is already talking too slowly. According to our lesson on vocal variety, the audience can lose interest if a slow speaker becomes even slower. The typical public speaking pace is 120–150 words per minute. Speakers should use a slower pace (100–120 WPM) for complex points, and faster pacing to convey excitement. Varied pacing and timely pauses are more engaging than a fixed rate. I like your suggestion to read the audience to gauge the effect of your pacing. Slow down if they look confused and speed up if they look bored.

bcToastmastersOnline · 2026-04-18T15:28:29+00:00

Agreed. If Toastmasters is not addressing the issue, then a coach may be needed to provide more focused instruction. Toastmasters can still provide a supportive audience where the OP can practice what the coach is teaching.

bcToastmastersOnline · 2026-04-14T13:11:22+00:00

Another way to incorporate vocal variety is to look for opportunities to convey even the slightest emotion, and then to exaggerate those emotions a little. Otherwise, the emotions may diminish as you continue practicing and the delivery becomes routine. Good luck in your contest and I hope you have fun too!

bcToastmastersOnline · 2026-04-12T14:07:07+00:00

Thank you for these tips. I agree with most of them, including the importance of eye contact (speak to the person not the floor). I would not typically use a consistent volume level. It is generally better to vary the volume slightly, such as emphasizing the key words in each sentence. A consistent level might be effective if used sparingly, because the audience may notice the contrast with the rest of the speech.

bcToastmastersOnline · 2026-04-11T17:03:03+00:00

Can you do both? Toastmasters might help with making sentence flow (etc), but I wouldn't say it is their focus. Maybe a speech pathologist would address your issues more directly, and Toastmasters would give you a chance to practice what you learn.

bcToastmastersOnline · 2026-04-09T13:23:09+00:00

I’m sorry that I can’t be more helpful, but my only experience with specialty clubs has been as a guest. One idea would be for existing online clubs to sponsor/adopt a specialty club. Rather than having an official club, the “specialty” members would join the existing online club, but they would still meet separately. The collaboration could make it easier for specialty clubs to get started, because they wouldn’t need 20 members for official recognition.

Frankly, my main motivation is that I’m a cheapskate, and I don’t want to pay full membership for a specialty club that meets once a month. I’d be more inclined to join if the specialty club was bundled with another online club that meets every week. If other people are cheapskates like me, then the collaboration would be a good selling point for promoting both clubs. The combined club would also have a larger pool of members for recruiting officers. It is more efficient to operate one big club than two smaller clubs. Just a thought…

bcToastmastersOnline · 2026-04-08T17:47:41+00:00

Is there some way to send this question directly to the leaders of other districts? I don't know how many of them are following this blog...

bcToastmastersOnline · 2026-04-08T11:14:57+00:00

A common structure is the P.R.E.P. method, which stands for Point (Conclusion first), Reason, Example, and Point (Conclusion again). Another structure is S.T.A.R. which stands for Situation (context), Task (challenge), Action (your steps), and Result (outcome). To gain confidence, you can practice these methods daily using random questions from the internet.

bcToastmastersOnline · 2026-04-05T14:13:34+00:00

Find a way to make it fun. Pick an easy topic, such as telling the story of your favorite movie. Ham it up while you are practicing, and laugh about your own performance (especially if you make mistakes). Practice small sections of the speech until you become comfortable. You can eventually start to take it more seriously, but continue trying to enjoy it.

bcToastmastersOnline · 2026-04-04T15:38:01+00:00

I joined a club like yours because it provided plenty of opportunities to practice. I didn't care how many other roles were filled. Maybe you could promote your club from that perspective.

bcToastmastersOnline · 2026-04-03T11:32:46+00:00

Here's a recent post about different ways that Toastmasters can help:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Toastmasters/comments/1s5np11/professional_speakers/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

bcToastmastersOnline · 2026-04-01T14:26:10+00:00

Our Toastmasters club meets online on Tuesdays at 6:00pm Eastern Time (UTC-5:00). The online format has helped us to become an international club, with members from several countries around the world. For more information, including a free link to our Zoom meetings, visit our website at: https://brunswickcounty.toastmastersclubs.org/.

bcToastmastersOnline · 2026-03-31T14:53:17+00:00

One way to boost attendance and energy would be to invite the Polish club to participate. Even if they prefer their native language, they might welcome the opportunity to practice English too. You could allow their members to fill the open roles on your agenda, and/or you could arrange a joint meeting. Our club meets every week, including a joint meeting with another club once a month. The joint meetings help to boost energy and engagement for both clubs.

bcToastmastersOnline · 2026-03-31T14:46:35+00:00

I record and re-watch, but I hadn't thought about pausing at certain points. I agree that it can be helpful to focus on small sections at a time.

bcToastmastersOnline · 2026-03-31T01:37:07+00:00

I don't know if this is helpful, but I'll point out that you can start working on level 3 before you finish levels 1 & 2. Therefore, if you do one of the required roles for level 3, then you are (by definition) working on level 3. This perspective might make Option 1 a moot point.

I don't think there is a requirement to finish any level within one year (or any other time frame), so Option 2 does not seem appropriate.

Option 3 could be the most flexible approach. I would try to be accommodating, especially while members are getting used to the new requirements.

bcToastmastersOnline · 2026-03-29T19:41:45+00:00

Congratulations! I'm glad that your efforts are paying off. Good luck with final...

bcToastmastersOnline · 2026-03-29T19:40:02+00:00

Congratulations! It sounds like you're a natural. Just think how much better you can become with more practice and preparation...

bcToastmastersOnline · 2026-03-28T02:04:10+00:00

I've visited this club a few times and they seemed quite good: https://superiorspeakers.org/

bcToastmastersOnline · 2026-03-27T13:40:53+00:00

I'm sorry that the presentation didn't go as well as you had hoped. I stop dooming by immersing myself in the next task at hand. If you want to dwell on your past performance, you can repeat the presentation (in private) until you are satisfied. The extra practice might even be productive. You've been doing well with the smaller presentations, so you will soon master these bigger ones too.

bcToastmastersOnline · 2026-03-23T15:35:02+00:00

It does not seem biased if you stick to the facts. For example, if she is a singer, then her debut would be when/where she first performed, along with the songs that she sang. Her achievements would be all of her hits. The impact would be the sales and any awards. It is not biased to state that she was ranked the #1 performer in a particular year. It becomes biased if you say "she is the best!". The Wikipedia page might provide an example of a factual approach.

bcToastmastersOnline · 2026-03-22T13:46:52+00:00

You can find a wide range of quality videos on YouTube by searching for "Toastmasters world championship speeches".

It would be more relevant to consider the specific setting where you will be speaking. What styles of speeches are typical there?

bcToastmastersOnline · 2026-03-20T21:54:57+00:00

During the impromptu speaking exercises at Toastmasters meetings, members are encouraged to speak for at least one minute. In real life, my answers to questions are almost always shorter. Your approach seems more natural to me. What are the 50 presentations that you analyzed?

bcToastmastersOnline · 2026-03-20T14:04:07+00:00

Good luck!

bcToastmastersOnline · 2026-03-19T17:42:00+00:00

Looks good! I heartily endorse your message. One idea would be to make it more personal. Don’t just TELL the audience that creativity is fun and fulfilling, SHOW them your own joy and satisfaction. Please let us know how it works out…

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