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They have reached the pinnacle of the public-speaking world. They have won the Toastmasters World Championship of Public Speaking. But they weren’t always champs.
At one point, these masterful presenters were novices, just like every other speaker. Future title winners, too, stumble and slip up, feel overwhelmed, experience embarrassment and make mistakes as they gain experience and skill. Here Toastmasters World Champions share some of their awkward learning experiences. Let this be an inspiration to all of us who stumble and falter, yet keep moving forward.
Stretching Your Skills
In 2009 I was sitting in the back of the room at my very first Toastmasters meeting. I was watching, trying to understand how everything worked. It was time for Table Topics, and the Topicsmaster asked for volunteers from the guests. I didn’t sleep well the night before, so I was stretching—but the Topicsmaster thought I was raising my hand and called me onstage.
He asked me the Table Topics question, and I started talking and sweating at the same time. It felt like I talked for hours. Then I stopped and went back to my seat. Later, the timer announced the length of each speaker’s Table Topics answer. Apparently, I had spoken for 11 seconds.
It has been 10 years now, and I still hold the record for the shortest Table Topics answer in my club.
2015 World Champion of Public Speaking
Northpark Toastmasters
Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
An Un-presidential Performance
During my junior year of college, I was elected president of my fraternity. My first big event was Parents Day. As president, I had the responsibility to deliver an opening speech that would honor both the members of my fraternity and their parents. I knew exactly what to say and knew that once everyone heard my message, a Nobel Prize would be considered!
I stood at the head table, dinged my glass with my spoon to silence the room and began to speak. And then my nerves took over: The air left my lungs, my pulse reverberated against my eardrums and my words incoherently tried to escape my lumbering tongue. The head of the Mothers Committee had to stand and rescue me.
It was not only an embarrassing and humiliating moment for me, it was an embarrassing and humiliating moment for each of the fraternity members who had put their trust in me. While I never faced impeachment, I am sure it was discussed privately!
2005 World Champion of Public Speaking
Renaissance Speakers
Hollywood, California, U.S.
Wake-up Call
Five years ago, I was invited to speak at a showcase event promoting Toastmasters. By 7:30 in the evening, the big room was filled to the brim with members of the public, most of whom had come after a long day at work. Of the three Toastmasters selected to speak, I was given the coveted last slot because I was considered a rising star.
The first speaker was good. The second speaker enthralled the audience. By the time I took the stage, it was 9:30 p.m. “The moment we have been waiting for!” said the master of ceremonies in introducing me. He spoke about my accomplishments and built up the audience’s expectations. Then I started my speech—and it wasn’t long before I could see that the audience members were visibly disengaged, sluggish and almost falling asleep.
When I had given the same presentation before, I had received adulation. What was wrong? Then it dawned on me: When I previously gave this presentation it was daytime. I hadn’t adapted the speech to a tired and sleepy audience.
The experience was embarrassing, but it was helpful later in winning the 2017 Toastmasters World Championship of Public Speaking. In 2017, for the first time ever, the championship was held at night. When I took the stage at 9:30 p.m., I could sense that people in the room were tired and sleepy—but I had come prepared for that. The prior embarrassment was a blessing in disguise.
Remember this: Stretching yourself and making mistakes is what grows your speaking competency.
2017 World Champion of Public Speaking
Toastmasters Club of Singapore
Singapore
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