Wake-up Call

In a 2019 Toastmaster magazine article, Manoj Vasudevan, DTM, 2017 World Champion of Public Speaking, shared his own embarrassing speaking memory from which he learned a valuable lesson. He spoke at an event promoting Toastmasters that began at 7:30 in the evening. Vasudevan was the last to speak, and by the time he took the stage, it was 9:30 p.m.

Vasudevan had given this presentation before and received adulation, so he was confused when he noticed audience members were disengaged and almost falling asleep. As he put it, “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.”