Speak & Deliver - A Public Speaking Blog For the Speaking Public

Stillness: A Speaker's Place of Power

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Hopkins, Speaker, Author, Coach) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:32:00 +0000

Who's Your Favorite Karate Kid?

Last week I watched an excellent speech on the benefits of Karate. During the presentation, he gave a few demonstrations of martial arts movements, which added a wonderful physical element to the mostly historical and philosophical content of his speech.

Where I saw some irony was in his movements on stage when he wasn't gesturing. He did the shuffle pace - staying forward to the audience, but still going from one side to the other. This isn't as distracting as an all out pace, where a speaker breaks eye contact and briskly moves from side to side while simultaneously talking to the air or the floor, but it still creates a problematic dynamic with the audience.

First, it keeps us on guard. Since he was always moving, we weren't sure when he was going to punch or kick next - the reptilian brain in us stayed alert. Not to his words as much as to his movements, especially since the stage and audience were only separated by a few feet.

Second, since he was always moving, it took some power away from his gestures, whereas if he had stayed more centered on stage, the kick's would have kept their, well, kick!

And that is where the irony was for me, and the lesson for all of us. One of the benefits of Karate is learning focus - to center oneself both physically and psychologically. That means controlling emotions, breathing, and placement on the stage, when it comes to speaking. It doesn't mean staying in one spot for the entirety of a speech. It just means being where you are long enough to make a point, then purposefully moving to your next 'centered spot' for your next point.

There are some basic rules for stage movement:

1. Moving forward is a strong, potentially intimidating move, which indicates importance or weight in your statements. Moving too close to the audience can make them uncomfortable, and depending on the stage, put you at risk. Stay aware of the line between strength and scariness!

2. Moving backward shows weakness, and hurts the power of whatever you are saying as you go backwards, unless it is specifically tied in - "I found myself blown backwards by the winds the terror". Never retreat when making a comment you want the audience to buy into.

3. Right to Left is their Left to Right. It seems unnatural for you, but if you are creating a timeline of any sort with your movements, make sure you are creating it from their point of view, not yours.

4. Anchoring characters. Finding a place on stage to talk about a character in your speech can make those characters, and their scenes, more vivid for an audience. If you talk to your hated basketball coach and your loving wife while putting them in the same spot on stage, it creates a subconscious contradiction for the audience, and weakens both characters.

Even if you have many characters in your speech, you can create different sides of the stage for positive & negative people, or past and present individuals. In a longer speech, once you transition to a new section, you can put a new character where the old one was, as long as your last section wrapped up your interaction.

5. Angles work well in any direction. It softens the abruptness of your motions while adding variety to your stage locations. It also take a little longer which will add impact to your pause, and give you a chance to think, if you can manage to be disciplined enough not to talk through them movement. If the angled movement is planned for a specific line, it can also be a strong way to use your voice to climb up our down to an appropriately loud or stage whisper crescendo.

Keeping your body at an angle helps you use your physical presence more judiciously, as you lean forward on one foot, but keep the back foot back. It also allows you to pivot from one side of the audience to the other more gracefully than standing flush on the stage. Those angles can be very effective when switched mid point - with the setup statement directed towards one half of the audience and the payoff delivered to the other half. Even angling you backward movements, if you must make them, strengthens them somewhat, disguising them as side to side actions.

Your best movement? Stillness. It's difficult. It feels unnatural. Yet Stillness contrasts every planned movement on stage, helping them pop out as they come along. It adds power to your speech when you match your words with your confidence to stay anchored to your position.

And - it keeps YOU calmer, preventing your from using the stage as your own private workout mat, perhaps causing you to run out of breath, perspire, and even raise your blood pressure unnecessarily. Get out there on stage. Breathe. Keep your body still, while knowing where you'll be going next, and when. Then Speak....& Deliver, even if you're wearing a karategi!

Toastmasters Friday: To Click or Not To Click

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Hopkins, Speaker, Author, Coach) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:40:00 +0000

Um...Where was I?

Click!

It's a sound that makes the average Toastmaster cringe, and the newest members practically stop in their tracks. Clickers, bells, buzzers, even a triangle - I've seen the Ah Counter use all sorts of methods to let the speaker know they've just uttered an Ah or Um, or in a stricter club, And, So, But, Y'know and others. I would imagine they use hand signals, colored cards, or other visual cues for hearing impaired speakers, but I admit I haven't seen that in action.

For those reading who have yet to go to a Toastmasters meeting, the Ah Counter (or Ah Master, or Wizard of Ahs), is a role designed to help each member stop using 'filler words' in their speaking. The audible sound of a clicker is quite effective in creating a Pavlovian effect, and I've seen speakers literally go from 'A, Buthh-ing' every 5 seconds to effectively pausing between sentences within the two minutes it takes to give a table topic.

As effective as the Ah-Counter is, there is some debate as to how to actually use the role within the meeting. Below are several I've seen, and my thoughts.

The Silent Counter

There are clubs who believe the audible sound of a clicker is too annoying, even disrespectful to the speaker. They may feel it intimidates guests, and interferes too much with the flow of the meeting. I understand this. I've seen the Ah-Master become so intrusive into a meeting it becomes more about mistakes than supportive & corrective clicking. These clubs just tally up the various filler words and give a report at the end of the meeting.

The Selective Counter

Other clubs limit the Ah Counter in various ways. Sometimes they click everyone but the speakers giving speeches. It may be limited to Table Topics. Most clubs don't want guests to be clicked, though I've seen it happen, both on purpose and by mistake.

Deciding which words to click is also a club to club adventure. Most I've been a part of only click the actual Ahs & Ums, while others click the words So, But, And, etc. This can create some issues, since these words can be used correctly, leaving it a judgment call an Ah Master may not want to make, or the Speaker may want to argue.

Selective Counters could also be defined as Ah Masters that only click every now and again, particularly on speakers who Ah & Um incessently, just so the speech doesn't become bogged down in clicks from the audience. I've used this approach at times, usually based on the level the speaker is at at that particular juncture.

The Overkill Counter

I haven't seen many clubs actually sanction this approach, but I have seen Ah Counters individually turn the Toastmasters meeting into their own personal vendetta against filler words. These folks click everybody every time, with ferocious fervor. The more advanced the speaker, the less it matters, but I've seen some speakers get so intimidated, so distracted by the Ah Counter that they either lose track of their speech, or just bail altogether, particularly in Table Topics. At the end of the meeting, they give an amazingly detailed, and often derisive, rundown of the club's verbal hiccups.

As you may be able to tell, my preference is mostly the Selective Counter. Not using a clicker shortchanges the speaker from this especially helpful tool. They hear it, and mentally make a note that they don't want to make the same mistake again, and feel good when they actually ju, st pause, and hear nothing. Classic pain/pleasure conditioning as the Ah Counter was designed to be.

I don't believe in clicking a main speaker, but it has value. All other roles, in my opinion, can weather the clicking storm. Some Ah Counters ask when they introduce the role who wants to be clicked and who doesn't, which can add personal accountability while factoring the comfort level of each member.

I believe non-Toastmaster guests should NEVER be clicked, though I have often seen a guest give a table topic and motion to the Ah Master to click them when they use Ah or Um. Even hearing others get the clicker has value for many, it seems.

I also believe in discretion. The clicker is not meant to embarrass a speaker, but train them. When the clicks become the show instead of the speaker, it becomes a problem. Consider starting strong, then tapering down your clicker, clicking every other time, or stopping altogether if it is clearly not helping the speaker. Take in consideration the experience level and temperament of the speaker.

As for the final report? I support fully detailed counts of each speaker's filler words, as long as time allows, and the report is given respectfully. There is some humor to be found depending on the scenario, and most people have a thick enough skin to take hearing they had 68 Ums. But your delivery of the news will factor into how they take it, and how the club responds. Consider yourself an Ah Doctor - and do no harm. With guests, you might consider reporting that you have tallied them up, and will share the results with them after the meeting if they desire. Why risk embarrassing someone whose mentality you haven't had time to gauge?

Personal Pet Peeve - Ah Counters who give reports that go like this: "Oh, the speeches were so interesting, I just got lost in everything, and didn't hear much. Gee, you all did a great job." Yeesh. Ah Counter is a job that offers real benefits to your fellow members - don't shortchange them, whether you're clicking or not.

The Other Side of the Coin

In this case, you are the speaker getting clicked. Too many times I have watched speakers start a back and forth with the Ah Counter, often to the bemusement of the rest of the members. While this can ease the tension, it can also increase it, putting pressure on the Ah Counter, and raising your own frustration level. Don't let the clicker be anything other than a reminder, rubber band snap on the wrist. Keep your momentum going, and simply move through your speech.

As I always suggest, record your speeches, so you can see for yourself all the filler words you've used. You're likely to hear more than even the most diligent counter will notice. Don't be intimidated by the Ah Counter - they should be there to help you.

I like the Ah Counter - My first club clicked away and gave an award to the person who got the most clicks - it was a fun-loving group and it worked for us. The most common result I hear outside TM is that we all start hearing other people's Ahs & Ums that we never did before. That works for us as well, helping us remember how we might sound, and possibly identifying new members!

These are my thoughts - but your club is your club. Does your club have a consistent approach to the Ah Counter? When was the last time it was even talked about? Consistent reinforcement is much more effective than sporadic application of the clicker from meeting to meeting. Consider bringing this up at your next officers meeting, or even within the club business meeting. Create expectations for the Ah Counter that can be used each week, and even printing them up for the Ah Counter to use each week.

No matter what you decide, remember the Ah Counter, like any tool, can be both helpful and harmful. Next time you are the Ah Counter, be sure you know your clubs expectations, and remember - Do No Harm.

Speaking of Take the Stairs - A Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Hopkins, Speaker, Author, Coach) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:47:00 +0000

A couple of weeks ago my friend Rory Vaden sent me a review copy of his latest book, Take the Stairs: 7 Steps to Achieving True Success (amazon affiliate link). I haven't read his prior offerings, but I've heard him onstage, in both Toastmasters and professional settings, and followed his career with interest. He's an amazing young man, though growing a bit long in the tooth by now - I think he's actually 30 - and has worked harder to get where he's gotten than most people I know. The only question I had left was about to be answered: could he translate his speaking, his philosophies, his life, into a book worth reading?

He keeps the book simple in structure - 7 Steps, 7 chapters: Sacrifice, Commitment, Focus, Integrity, Schedule, Faith, and Action. At just under 300 pages, it's still a fast read (I read it in about 5 semi-interrupted hours - but I knew some of the stories he tells, so your mileage may vary). The layout is easy to look at, with large quotes from the copy every other page or so embedded into the page itself (no wasted pages, but plenty of white space), and each chapter contains a real-life case study from a professional using the chapters concept in their life and business, concluding with links to online content, both a helpful and smart marketing strategy.

Rory's basic premise is that the world is more prone to take the escalator than the stairs. Who can argue? I hate the stairs, myself, though I have better reasons than many. His book delves into each of his concepts from a point of view of someone who believes success is an action, not just an attitude. He includes stories from his childhood (which isn't as rosy as his cover photo might indicate), his college years as a door to door children's books salesman, his journey to the World Championship of Public Speaking, and his eventual success as co-founder of Southwestern Consulting.

He never sounds too self-congratulatory, despite his long list of successes. He gives credit where credit is due, and uses the lessons he's learned to inspire and instruct the reader, as opposed to building himself up. He lets us in on both his emotions and his motions as he's experienced life - making his struggles feel real and his successes seem realistic and achievable by anyone willing to "do what we don't feel like doing".

In his Preface - "Waking up in a ProcrastiNation", Rory lays the groundwork for the rest of the book - helping us find our pain and frustration with life, and offering the promise of solutions in the forthcoming pages. His concepts are not new, but he acknowledges this from the start. If you've read Zig Ziglar (who Rory counts as a mentor), this book will feel familiar, but always through his own lens of living.

Rory updates time-honored concepts for the 21st century, showing us what can be done today, not 50 years ago when Zig was selling pots and pans. He walks us through success in today's world, overcoming a world that is entirely different from the days of Brian Tracy, Jim Rohn, and even Tony Robbins. 2000 World Champion of Public Speaking suggested Rory might be the next Zig Ziglar - and this book seems to aspire to such greatness.

It's not a perfect book. There's a bit of repetition in the stories told, and occasionally his youth shows through in his choice of examples - "Nocturnal Emissions" as a section header is certainly a risque, and risky, proposition, though it stays within the realm of today's standards. Other than the case studies, the book uses his life as an example almost exclusively, which is a shame because he has a wide network of people whose stories would serve well in the book.

Despite its imperfections, some of which might be considered a bit nit-picky on my part, I can recommend this book both to people looking for inspiration and life tools, as well as to speakers who want an example of how to write a mainstream self-help tome. It's not as hard as it looked back in the old days, and Rory makes it look easy compared to the classics such as Ziglar's "See You at the Top".

Some may look at Rory and say he's too young to have these opinions, to tell us how to live life, and will take his thoughts as condescending - but those people need to take a closer look at the man behind the shiny image. He's walked the walk - and taken more steps to success than most people are willing to admit it takes. There's no 'Easy Button' in his approach, just good old fashioned discipline.

To answer my own question - Yes, Rory has created a book worth reading. The next question? What's next for this rising star?

Disclaimer: Rory and I competed together at the 2006 World Championship of Public Speaking in Washington DC, and briefly worked together in 2007 at his company Southwestern Consulting. He did not ask me to review this book.

Speaking of Sarcasm

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Hopkins, Speaker, Author, Coach) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:19:00 +0000

In my book, Go Ahead & Laugh, sarcasm is described as "revealing and edgy double-edged commentary" - a slightly redundant, but accurate description, in hindsight. It's also a dangerous device. It's like carrying around an unstable explosive - if you don't know what you're doing, if you haven't planned the path you're going to take - it's liable to explode in your face.

Sarcasm as defined by Dictionary.com is "harsh or bitter derision or irony" - YIKES! Does that sound like something you want in your speech? Is a laugh so important that you have to resort to harsh and bitter sarcasm? Even if you get the laugh, will it end up costing you credibility? Will your audience turn on your over just one phrase in your speech, even if the rest is perfectly acceptable? No, Yes, & Yes.

No - the laugh is not so important that you should risk using sarcasm in a hurtful way.
Yes - if you deride the wrong group, belief, situation, or person, you can lose credibility with your audience.
Yes - one misplaced or misused phrase is all it takes to get an audience focused on the negative, and away from your intent.

So why not get rid of sarcasm altogether? Because even explosives have a purpose, and, used correctly, can be very effective.

1. Plan it Carefully - Sarcasm backfires most often when it's 'Off the Cuff'. We think something is going to be funny in the moment, and its not. This can be fine with regular humor, but sarcasm that flops is like acid that drops - you're creating your own hole to fall into. Write your humor lines ahead of time. Test your sarcasm with your coach and/or some friends. Come back to it a day or two later and see if it still passes the test.

2. Don't Betray Yourself - Sarcasm is often a mask for our true feelings. We say something in a way that can be taken as humor, but in truth, it's how we really feel. We just don't have the guts to come out and say it straight out. This can happen easily in an 'Off the Cuff' remark, but also in a planned speech that hasn't been vetted properly.

3. Exaggerate - This is a technique unto itself, but when combined with sarcasm, it can soften the blow. Exaggeration makes it clearer to the audience you are joking around with your sarcastic remarks.

4. Self-Deprecate - another technique that works on it own, it mixes well with sarcasm. It takes the edge off by pointing the sarcasm back at yourself, so you aren't coming across as aggressive or arrogant to the audience. In one of my speeches, I get sarcastic about my daughter not being competitive enough - but it is softened because I have spent the last several minutes poking fun at myself for being TOO competitive. CAUTION: Don't cut yourself too deep, or your credibility will be cut along the way.

5. Know Your Audience - If you are speaking to a church, don't talk about how the boys in the youth group want to get the girls in the back seat (I actually heard this once!). It may be true, and you may be trying to get a laugh, but unless you quickly follow it up with something to cushion the truth, you'll come across as crass instead of brash.

On the other hand, if you are speaking to Wal-Mart employees, directing sarcasm towards their detractors or competition can build rapport. Just be careful if you're speaking to K-Mart the next weekend, social media may betray you.

If sarcasm is so dangerous, why include it in my book? Why teach it to my clients? Because, when it's used well, it can be very effective. It can build rapport. It can illustrate a point. It can lighten a heavy moment in the audience. It can be convicting and freeing all at once.

A great way to study the art of sarcasm is by watching Stand-Up Comedians. Most of what they do is steeped in sarcasm. Keep in mind, their audiences are more primed for them to be inappropriate - but even they can step over the line. Watch for moments of brilliance and moments of blunder. Take notes on technique and timing. Then apply it to your own speaking, and test, test, test.

Dynamite cleared the way for connecting East and West back in the days of the old railroad. Nuclear power can be an efficient energy choice. Just because something is dangerous doesn't make it useless. Just handle with care - or it'll blow up in your face.

Bonus Exercise: Below are some videos of three diverse comedians all employing sarcasm to different degrees. What works for them, for their audience? What could work for you?

A. Let's start with Don Rickles - otherwise known as Mr. Warmth. He's been leading the charge for sarcastic humor for over half a century. He knows his audience, and even more, his audience knows him. It's a badge of honor to be made fun of by this master.

B. Seinfeld brought sarcasm to a different level - still biting, but just veiled enough to soften the blow. He's typically clean, and is a great example of corporate-appropriate humor.

C. I mentioned a church audience - and Christians (and other religions) have their humorists too. You can find appropriate sarcasm in anything, if you look for it. Brad Stine offers this half comedy routine, half sermon, and does a good job staying in his boundaries. (in my own, subjective, opinion, of course)

Silent Impact - The Speaker's Frustration

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Hopkins, Speaker, Author, Coach) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:36:00 +0000

I know how you feel. You spoke in front of a large this morning, delivered a message you've labored over for weeks, months, in some cases, YEARS, and...nothing. Yes, they applauded. But, other than that, NOTHING.

No one came up and said you were brilliant. That you've changed their life. In fact, they all pretty much scattered, leaving you with, at most, a quick handshake and what seems like a courtesy smile. You've failed. Utterly and completely. Or have you? It's not always the primary content of your speech, sometimes it's what you didn't do, what they can't do, or a combination of both.

5.4 Reasons It May or May Not Be Your Fault:

1. You Didn't Ask. You didn't invite them to come talk to you after the speech for questions, or give them an option to for further contact, such as signing up for your newsletter (a page of emails is good feedback).

1.1 You asked someone else to ask, but the emcee didn't read your outro, inviting people to talk with you, go to your website, etc. No matter how many times you go over it, the heat of the moment can get to people who aren't used to speaking, or who are more concerned with getting the meeting over with than reading 30 seconds on your behalf.

2. You Didn't Make Yourself Accessible. You stayed up by your speaking area, making them have to come to you, instead of wading out to the audience. Don't expect them to rush you like you're Brian Tracy or Patricia Fripp.

2.1. Don't let the meeting planners keep you stuck backstage, or whisk you off for a non-essential dinner after your speech, either - you'll look like you're dissing the audience if you don't stick around.

3. You Spoke Too Long. People live on a schedule. If you're at a morning networking meeting, people have to get to work. Lunch meetings are notorious for no one sticking around. Go to late in the evening, and people can get annoyed, impatient, or just plain distracted with their favorite beverages.

3.1. The Schedule is Packed. There is simply no time for people to come talk to you before the next speaker, or the big awards ceremony, or for them to get home at a decent hour. You didn't Speak Too Long - but the planners failed to plan.

4. You Weren't On Their Side. You came in to speak for the management position, perhaps on a controversial topic like fraud, sexual harassment, or dealing with a change nobody really wants to make. They don't want to be seen talking with you by their peers, or they feel you're just a mouthpiece for their boss. In some cases, they're right. The managers don't want to talk to you either, because they have to deal with the fallout of what you just presented.

4.1. The planner failed to tell you the audience would be hostile coming into the room. That can still be your fault, if you don't ask the right questions ahead of time, but sometimes you get hired by folks who are more interested in their message than how the audience will receive it. Don't let yourself get set up to fail.

5. You Stank. OK - that can happen too. We all bomb, occasionally. Did you video it? Do you have a friend in the audience there to give you feedback later? At the very least, take a few minutes to dissect what worked and what didn't, before drowning your sorrows in your hotel room's mini-bar.

It's rare, of course, that you'll get NO feedback at all. But even when we only get one or two people saying we made a difference, it's easy to get discouraged. Most of us thrive on feedback, and, at least a little bit, need those 'attaboys' to feel good about what we just did.

When that happens, it's time to refocus. To remember we're there for them, not the other way around. Just because they didn't come up and tell you how you shifted their paradigm, saved their soul, and convinced them to change everything they do in life, doesn't mean you didn't have impact. It takes time to internalize good information. In fact, it can be easier to leave people in a 'Rah Rah' state that makes you feel great as a speaker, but wears off in an hour, than it is to leave people in a quiet, thoughtful state, internalizing your message.

Delayed reaction can take many forms. An email from an attendee. A recommendation from your client a month later. Somebody may stop you years from now and say "Hey, I was there when....and it changed my life". Or - you may get nothing. Instead, your audience may silently head back into their lives thinking about a new tool, a new perspective, a new hope that you provided - and you'll never know.

That's Silent Impact - and if you take care of your end of the deal, if you work to Speak & Deliver every time you're up there, you'll learn to appreciate it. If you can't, you're probably in the wrong business. Speaking is ultimately for the spoken to, not the speaker.

Toastmasters Friday: Speak the Movie - A Review

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Hopkins, Speaker, Author, Coach) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:35:00 +0000

Imagine having open heart surgery, without any draping, on the 50 yard line of the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, in front of a packed house, with you on the big, BIG screen. That's what it was like for me watching the movie "Speak" last night. My innermost thoughts, my most personal life events, naked and open to the public. That's what happens when you let a camera crew follow you everywhere.

"Speak" is a documentary about public speaking from Paul Galicia and Brian Weidling and their company Tumbleweed Entertainment. As they researched their movie, they investigated Toastmasters, and then the World Championship of Public Speaking - and it was this event that they found to be the perfect setting to center their movie around. In 2008, they spent the summer interviewing the eight regional winners from around the country, and followed their journey to the Toastmasters International Convention, where they added the two inter-district winners to the mix.

I, of course, was one of those Finalists, representing District 15 and Region I (at that time, Utah, Idaho, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and Northern California) in the contest. The others were LaShunda Rundles, Colin William, Robert MacKenzie, Henry Flowers IV, Katherine Morrison, Loghandran Krishnasamy, Martin Presse, Charles Wilson, and Jock Elliott, who (spoiler alert) won the World Championship in 2011. For those of you looking for additional behind the scenes information, check out the free ebook we wrote together, "The Finalists", by signing up for my newsletter at RichHopkins.com.

After three and a half years of waiting, of hearing rumors and reviews of 'rough cut screenings', it was a tremendous weight off of me to have the actual movie (at least a 'screening copy', as the watermark said every so often on the video) on my TV for me to watch.

How do you 'review' a movie after you discover that you are one of the two primary storylines? What objectivity can exist as you watch a past version of yourself go through the experiences I did that summer? I honestly don't think I can. Below are some of my thoughts after a night to sleep on it:

1. The movie starts out focusing on the fear of public speaking, but quickly moves into the championship plot, and adds the 'find your voice' component. The two weave together well, and by the end of the film, their point is made.

2. It is clear that some hard cuts were made. How do you have a movie with 10 characters and give them all equal time? Everyone in the competition got screen time, but it was a 2-6-2 ratio - 2 had a bunch, 6 had enough to be satisfied, 2 were more cameos, but their time was still meaningful. I'll let you watch it for yourself to figure most of those out, but I bet you can figure out the two with the most screen time.

3. Great contributions from various Toastmasters, World Champions, and outside speaking professionals. Their spots worked well to transition from point to point.

Robert MacKenzie, photo by Joshua Pickering

4. The backstories on so many of the other contestants, from Robert MacKenzie to Charlie Wilson (and his wife!) to Martin Presse really showed the diversity of Toastmasters, and the different paths we can all take chasing after a similar, though hardly identical, destination.

5. Watching LaShunda Rundles journey both before and after the competition was fascinating and emotional. She lives the role of a heroine, and it comes through in this film.

LaShunda Rundles, photo by Joshua Pickering

As for me? My public open heart surgery? Well, to be honest, there were times I could hardly recognize myself. The movie truly shows where my mindset was at that time - a man desperate to turn things around financially, hoping to use the championship as a means to market a message that mattered. It shows my wife, and her unwavering support of my journey to chase my dream. It shows my honest emotions in the midst of my failure. It shows, in the end, the beginning of a mindset shift, from 'have to' to 'want to', from 'competition' to 'fun'.

It shows some strong qualities - passion, persistence, a dose of rebelliousness - that still reside within me, but are channeled in very different ways today. "Speak" happened before the medical issues with my family came up. While four members of family had Neurofibromatosis, the consequences of this genetic disorder had not been visible until the Spring of 2009. The potential blindness with Rachel. Later on, Braden's Scoliosis. Bailey's brain tumor. Now Kristi's leg tumor.

In 2008, I 'needed' to win. Today, my needs are quite different, my focus much clearer, and the paths to 'winning' quite different. Not that winning the World Championship wouldn't be fun, of course. The man in "Speak", I hope, has grown up - without losing his Passion and Persistence, but having built and expanded on those qualities with another than only sharpens with age - Perspective.

Braden, Rachel, Bailey, Riley, Brooklyn, & Riker. My perspective builders.
photo by David Hassler.

Hopefully, "Speak" will find its way to a theatre near you soon. Contact Tumbleweed if you want to arrange a screening. Most of you reading will know many of the cast. All of you, I believe, you'll find the movie eye-opening, entertaining, and uplifting. I did, and I didn't even bring home a trophy. But I did Win...Anyway.

Starting Your Speech in the Middle

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Hopkins, Speaker, Author, Coach) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:35:00 +0000

Jaakko Iisalo - the enemy of your presentation....

You've only got a few seconds. If you don't grab their attention with something that matters, the audience will turn you off before you can say "Angry Birds".

There are several ways to get their attention - from asking an opening question to starting with a startling statistic to saying something controversial or shocking. I covered these in 2010, in "Grabbing the Audience's Attention: Myth or Method".

I still stand by those methods. Today's strategy can work with those, or on it's own: Starting Your Speech in the Middle. The middle of a story, the middle of your speech as previously written, the middle of your climactic point.

Example 1: Speech Topic: Relationships

Normally, you'd open by saying how important relationships are. You might even ask a question: Have you ever had a horrific relationship? Then you set up the rest of your speech and start telling stories.

What if you moved us to the middle, using dialogue? Shout: "Get out of this house this instant, or I'm calling the police!" What is the audience thinking now? Whatever they are thinking, at least they are thinking. They are instantly drawn in, to find out the context of the statement. Now you are free to go backward and forward through time to build context, make a point, and bring your audience to your conclusion.

Example 2: Speech Topic: Taking Risks

A typical start to this speech might be a statistic - "40,000 people a year die in car accidents". Then you bring this into a comparison with your personal story of climbing El Capitan, and continue into your point about the process of taking risks. Not bad, but not terrific.

Instead, consider this: As if talking to yourself, say "What am I doing, volunteering to climb up a 3000 foot rock formation, with only a rock and my idiot brother-in-law between me and certain death?" Pause, look at the audience. "That's what I was thinking. What I said was AAAAUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHHH!" Then explain the situation - you had a sudden drop, you hurt yourself, you fell to your death, whatever. You get us wondering, then you surprise us. Now you can take us wherever you want to, even up El Capitan!

Starting Your Speech in the Middle provides an added bonus to your speech, as well. It cuts out all temptation to meander around at the beginning with thank you's and stories about the traffic on the way there and how you knew the company president in college. It cuts to the chase, which is what you audience wants, and what will make your speech more memorable, more effective, at its completion.

Is it uncomfortable? Sure. Especially the first few times you do it. But so was speaking, once upon a time. Experiment. Practice. Just don't wimp out. The more powerful your opening, the more power you'll have over your audience.

Toastmasters Friday the 13th: PR Ideas That Never Die

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Hopkins, Speaker, Author, Coach) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:53:00 +0000

If Jason can survive, so can your club.

Last Saturday morning, from 8 am til 1 pm, District 26 held its "Denver" TLI (Toastmasters Leadership Institute) training for officers and members of the organization. This is my third TLI here in Denver, and I'm always impressed with what they put together - essentially a mini-conference. Over 300 Toastmasters showed up, and they still have training coming up in at least two other population centers in our District.

They brought back local golden boy and 2000 World Champion of Public Speaking Ed Tate to keynote the event, as well as offer a general session workshop. He did his traditional great job, not that I can tell you about any of it because he threatened us that we couldn't share any information or he'd have to kill us. Or something like that...just have him come out to your own TLI if you really want to know.

The morning offered the officer training, including separate training for each position (two for VP of Education, because of space constraints), and even a 'combined training' if you held more than one office in your club. After the workshop, they held another round of educational sessions, on everything from Leadership opportunities with TM to livening up your Competent Communicator manual to connecting with your audience.

I attended the Public Relations training, lead by our District PR Officer Carol Harris and Luc Moens. I should have gone to the combined training, technically, since I'm also VP of Ed, but having done all the trainings over the years, both as a student and a trainer, I thought I'd attend the one that held the potential for the most new information. With the recent rebranding, the PR session was an obvious choice.

Carol and Luc handled the session well, only mentioning the new tagline briefly, acknowledging the controversy (even mentioning that there were some blogs out there that fanned the flames of said controversy - imagine that!), but not opening it up for discussion. It was essentially described as an umbrella idea, with speaking falling under the umbrella of leadership, a concept I'd heard before. Luc explained the branding shift as a way to make TM appear more exclusive and desirable, and essentially upgrade the world's perception of our organization.

Even with this explanation, the rebranding theory was only a small part of the training, and the controversy deftly dismissed with a 'it doesn't matter anyway' attitude, coupled with a tacit, tow the line agreement with the change (my perception), and focus quickly shifted back to how we can use the new colors, logo, fonts, and promo material as PR Officers to create a unified image to potential Toastmasters.

I think they approached it exactly as they should have. They acknowledged the elephant in the room, but didn't dwell on it. The training was how to work with what we have, not whether we should have what we have.

Since it's Friday the 13th, I thought I'd honor the spirit of Jason, the iconic 'can't be killed' anti-hero of the film series of the same name. Below are 13 ideas from this and other PR training I've had throughout the 13 years I've been a TM. Some are old stand-by's others are more up to date. Some are great, some are not so great. Some work better in certain areas than others - you'll have to decide for yourself.

All, at least, have the intent to either keep your club from dying, or, at worst, bring it back from what appears to be a watery grave.

1. Announce your meetings in your local paper, particularly you small, community paper. Most papers offer this service for free, and you often end up in their online edition as well. Try getting into the newsletter of your company and/or professional association, as well.

2. Take your Toastmaster Magazine everywhere. Read it in public and strike up conversations. Put labels with your club info on it and hand it to interested parties or leave it at your doctor's office or on the rack at your hairdresser.

3. Put flyers up at local grocery stores, your work bulletin board, the local Workforce Services - anywhere people gather.

4. Put your ribbons, certificates of achievement, and trophies in your office space. Wear your Toastmasters Pin - if you can find it. I lose mine faster than socks in the dryer... Still, great conversation starters.

5. Get Toastmaster business cards to give to anyone who might be interested. Templates are here: http://www.toastmasters.org/stationery

6. Use/Update FreeToastHost - the official website service of Toastmasters International. I consistently hear that new members come from the web, though my feeling isn't that they come from FreeToastHost as much as the clubfinder tool on the main site. Still, linking your club's updated and well-manicured FTH site to that listing will help as people make decisions as to which club to visit.

7. Create Guest Information Kits, filled with promo material, a TM Magazine, an application, and whatever other material might be helpful to someone looking into the organization and your club. Put something in it, an article, a club history, or even a sample agenda, to help your club stand out.

8. Send handwritten follow-ups to guests, and invitations to those you get into discussions with. In a world of email, a hand-written card stands out. Make sure you have a guest book out, so you can harvest those addresses and make this happen. Phone calls and email follow-ups also help you keep in touch with prospective members.

9. Use Meetup.com to create an online community. There is cost involved, but it offers some great tools and a non-threatening, "I don't have to join TM to join the Meetup", atmosphere. Meetup also cross-markets, so someone in a different meetup will have a chance to see your club without directly looking.

10. Put up your Toastmasters banner outside your meeting space as a sign announcing where the meeting is - simple as it sounds, it's amazing how many clubs just put it in their meeting space instead of the hallways of the building they meet in. You can also purchase plaques that restaurants will often hang in their entryway letting folks know you meet there. TI recommends buying a newly branded edition of your banner, but it's not required.

11. Send out a Mini-Newsletter. It's easy to get bogged down in thinking we must come up with some extensive, graphic-filled newsletter for the club, and if there's someone who wants to do that, more power to them - they have their place. But a mini-newsletter is easy and quick. Just take some notes about your meeting, and send it out to the entire club and anyone on your list of potential members. Tell them how great the meeting was, and invite them to next weeks edition, when so-and-so will be speaking.

12. Send a press release when you have a significant event. What's significant? A guest speaker, a speech-a-thon, a contest, a demo meeting, a New Year's Resolution Meeting - whatever you decide is special. Not sure how to write a good press release? Head here: http://www.publicityinsider.com/release.asp - it works!

13. Make your club Social Media Savvy. Get that club Facebook Page up. Start a Twitter account. Start a club blog. Get involved in Linked In discussions related to business in your area. Let people know you're going to a meeting, and how much you enjoyed it. Even if you don't direct traffic directly to your club, you'll help TM in general, and other clubs will inevitably be sending folks your way through their efforts.

Speak & Deliver Bonus #14

Many Toastmasters want to speak outside the club, but don't know what to talk about, or haven't developed their message yet. Why not take the Toastmasters message out to the world? Put together a presentation using your own experiences, and head out to your local service club. Offer them some Public Speaking training and then promote TM as the place you learned what you are teaching, and promise them there's more to learn. A win-win for you and your club.

Toastmasters has their own guide to PR available online, as well. Click here for the free downloadable PDF.

There is plenty of opportunity for all the officers, and all members of Toastmasters, to be involved with PR. One person cannot do it all. But if you have a passion for sharing TM with others, you can do something. Because if we all decide it's somebody else's job, our clubs will surely die, with no hope for a Jason-like resurrection.

Enjoy your Friday the 13th!

Are You Creating Followers?

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Hopkins, Speaker, Author, Coach) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:44:00 +0000

The Original Facebook.

Over the past five years I've watched Facebook, Linked In, and Twitter take over the world with a simple formula: let people talk to each other. This written form of communication offers valuable insight into the speaking world, as well.

Typically, we start out with a small group of people we communicate with - our friends and family. Some never move beyond that point. Others start to expand outside their immediate circle of influence, to people in their industry. Most of my friends on Facebook are fellow speakers I've never met. Beyond that, you can grow your network to thousands of people, many who may care what you say, others who just treat you as a statistic. Without becoming a tutorial on using social media, let me just say this - however you choose to use it, use it in the way it best serves your goals - and get your goals clear before you get to far.

The communication I see on these platforms usually falls into five categories:

1. Open, authentic comments about what we're doing, how we're feeling, and what we plan to do

2. Pithy Quotes, Off-the-Wall Jokes, and lately, images combined with both.

3. Hardcore Marketing filled with links to blogs, sales pages, etc.

4. Links to news stories, blogs, or videos

5. Actual valuable and useful information

All distilled to 140 or so characters apiece, with the percentage of one over the other either serving or betraying the communicator's purposes, just as your content as a speaker will betray or serve your audience.

What type of information are your giving to your audiences when you speak? Does your desire to market overwhelm your audience? Do you focus on sharing others wisdom without being authentic with your own life experiences? How does everything tie together?

Most important, when you finish speaking, have you built new followers, new friends? Have you shared yourself and delivered your message with passion and integrity? Have you communicated with the audience, or just talked at them, throwing out one impersonal statistic, quote and cliche after another?

Successful Social Media users understand it takes a balance of all five types of messages to build friends and following. As speakers, we are given the luxury of more than 30 words or so, but the goal is the same - find the balance of content to build friendships, and trust, from the stage. Whether we're talking to friends and family, your circle of influence, or your entire industry, remember to talk to and with them, vs. at or for them.

Once your balance is achieved, you'll know you're able to Speak...and Deliver.

*editor's note: This post originally appeared in 2009. It has been edited for content and modified to fit your screen.

200 Bricks.

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Hopkins, Speaker, Author, Coach) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:26:00 +0000

Will Smith tells a story about his father tearing down a wall in front of his business, and telling his two young boys they had to rebuild it. The young kids thought it was an impossible task, but in about a year and a half, they succeeded. The former Fresh Prince said the key was focusing not on the wall they had to build, but laying the perfect brick, one brick at a time.

When I set out to start Speak & Deliver, I had this simple goal in mind, as seen in my first post, Sept. 15, 2009:

"Speak & Deliver will cover both sides of the issue, as we strive to marry the best of Method and Message in order to create the best possible speakers for today's audiences."

Have I succeeded?

Speak & Deliver has certainly been built slowly over the last 28 months, though 2011 was a bit of a breakout year as I dedicated more and more time to posting. I'm honored by the many follows I can see on the right side of this blog, the RSS followers, and those that help me average 300 or so views a day. It either means I'm writing what you want to read, or I'm using enough Glee images that people are hitting my blog just to grab the graphics. Probably some combination of both!

What can I do to make the next 200 posts useful to you? To push you along your speaking journey, one post at a time? Tell me in the comments below, facebook me, or email me with your thoughts. This blog, after all, is for the "Speaking Public", not me.

Thank you for reading Speak & Deliver. Now go out and give a speech. Every speech is a brick. Your wall of success is waiting to be built!

Speaking of Testimonials

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Hopkins, Speaker, Author, Coach) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:59:00 +0000

It's one thing when you spend your life writing marketing copy designed to tell people how brilliant you are as a speaker. It's another when you can get someone else to say it, too!

Testimonials rank high when it comes to credibility for a buyer, whether you're selling dishwashers, toothpaste, or keynote speeches. They come in many shapes, sizes, and levels of effectiveness, but most testimonials will still outweigh anything we write about ourselves.

Testimonial Types:

A. First Name Only. These are the lowest form of testimonial. A written sentence or two, no matter how glowing, loses steam when followed by "- Anthony H." No accountability there, for the recommender or the speaker. Whose to say it isn't all made up?

B. First & Last. Finding out Anthony H. is really Anthony Hopkins can be priceless!

C. First, Last, & Position. Finding out it's the Anthony Hopkins that is the CEO of SomeBigComputer Company who hired you? Even better.

[Rich is] "a speaker with strong themes and an entertaining style... Any audience could benefit from his experiences, ideas and enthusiasm."
Barb Bunkers
Human Resources
Principal Financial Group

D. Add a photo. Seeing it's a real person adds weight and added verifiability to the quote.

E. Audio. These were more popular 10 years ago, when digital recorders first hit the scene. A voice is more convincing than disembodied words on a page. But, if you can do Audio, you can just as easily do...

F. Video. These are today's gold standard, especially if you are able to get them at the event itself. The enthusiasm is high, the atmosphere of the convention center floor adds impact, even the crowd noise screams legitimacy. With today's digital HD cameras at an all time low, and software free or virtually free (I used a $50 copy of Corel VideoPro), it's easier than ever.

The best testimonials don't just talk about how well you did, they talk about what the person got out of what you said, or what the company took home from the event. Ask people to speak about something specific in your presentation, and they'll usually be able to write or say something more specific than "I really enjoyed hearing you speak."

Written testimonials are still a tough animal to corral. People say they'll do them, and forget, or just get too busy. It's not unusual for speakers to write their own testimonials for a meeting planner or company big-wig, and ask that person to sign-off on it, pending their own corrections and additions. Believe it or not, book recommendations are often done in the same way. How else would Jack Canfield have time to endorse every book in the Self-Help section?

Getting those written testimonials on company letterhead is nice, but not as necessary in today's digital world. When you do get them, scan them for posterity, and send them if a meeting planner actually asks. Otherwise, just add them to your website in a short soundbyte. Get permission to use people's company logos, and add it along with a picture of the individual. This can build a nice visual resume of corporate clients, once you begin to pile them up.

Video testimonials are interesting as well, from beginning to end. I knew I wanted to get some at my last big event, but I admit, I was hesitant to ask people. My friend Theresa Frasch had no such hesitation, took my FlipCam and started going around the conference, getting me every testimonial. She definitely saved the day! Getting a third party involved can be very helpful, and you'll know the testimonials are authentic (for your own peace of mind) when you aren't right there pressuring them to be nice.

Finding the time to actually put them together and post 'em on YouTube was another challenge, but it was easier than I expected. Once I had my template together, each one took about 10 minutes, not counting compile and upload time. One's uploading as I type, so multi-tasking is always an option! A quick shout out to Darren LaCroix and his CD program "YouTube It" for being an encouraging and educational nagging voice on my computer.

However you get them, testimonials are a crucial piece of your marketing puzzle. No one else can give your speech, but most everyone who hears it can give a 20-30 second speech about how you've enlightened, educated, and inspired them. Go out today and Speak...and Deliver. Then get someone to tell the world how you did!

Just for Toastmasters: Many clubs record speeches, but how many record testimonials for the speakers after the meeting? This can be good practice for the speakers, and provide some great promo material for members of the club, and even the club itself! Don't force anyone to do it of course, but once they see how much fun it is to get a testimonial from others, they'll be lining up to get on camera.

Speaking Perfection is a Myth

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Hopkins, Speaker, Author, Coach) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 18:21:00 +0000

It may be an odd thing to hear coming from a coach dedicated to improving his clients content and delivery, but it is true, nonetheless. Speaking Perfection is overrated. In fact, Speaking Perfection may be the biggest enemy for speakers wanting to get out into the 'real world'.

So many beginning speakers worry that they just aren't good enough yet, even after going to Toastmasters, even after hiring a coach. They won't schedule themselves for even the smallest Rotary group, even if their coach tells them it's time to jump into the deep end.

They want to reach Speaking Perfection before ever going out to speak. Unfortunately, Speaking Perfection is a Myth. An unreachable mountaintop. Even Jesus didn't convert everyone who ever heard his words. Zig Ziglar doesn't convince every audience member to 'Stop their Stinkin' Thinkin''. There's always someone who thinks the Toastmasters World Champion of Public Speaking should have been someone other than who it was in any given year.

Beyond influence, technical perfection isn't even necessary. We're not doing ballet on stage, folks. In some cases, technically proficient speakers are further away from perfection than those that stutter every now and again, because they are too slick!

Don't fall victim to the Speaking Perfection Myth. You are ready to speak to a live audience if:

A. You have a message they want/need to hear - a message based on your experience and expertise.

B. You have an outline - a real beginning, middle, and end, just like that paper in high school.

C. You have practiced more than once - at minimum in front of your dog.

D. You have spoken previously - in front of live people without fainting, freezing or vomiting. This is a big reason I recommend Toastmasters. Doesn't have to be this speech, though that would certainly be beneficial. Just know you can do it.

E. You have a point - an actionable point to leave your audience with at the close of your presentation. We don't care about your life, about twitter, about global warming, unless we can learn something and do something after hearing about it.

The setting is important, of course. An individual watching you at a breakfast networking group will be far more understanding and open to your imperfect message than the same individual who has paid a ton of money for a conference. That's why most coaches encourage their charges to start with 'free speaking' at service clubs. It gets your feet wet without putting you in front of an audience with incredibly high expectations. If the last person they heard was the average town councilman, or the Rotary President's sister who loves talking about quilting, you're most likely already ahead of the game.

"You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great." - Zig Ziglar

What's important is not how Perfect you are, but that you are able to get through the speech and make an impact. Audiences appreciate authenticity. They'll look past a stutter or stop to look at notes. Real life audience are more forgiving than you might think, as long as you give them something that impacts their heart, mind, or pocketbook.

Don't get me wrong, I don't believe any speaker should stop there. There's plenty more to learn, more ways to improve your level of connection, communication of ideas, and ultimate impact. It is a lifelong process, even for the best of the best. It's always preferable to reach 7 people out of 10 than 3. But 3 is a good start.

There's nothing wrong with wanting to get better, unless getting better gets in the way of getting started.

Don't wait for perfection. Don't wait til you've won enough contests. Don't wait until you're totally sure you're ready. If you haven't started yet, find a Toastmasters club, find a coach, or, at the very least, find your dog, and SPEAK.

Someone out there needs to hear what you have to say.

*after writing this, I realized I'd written something similar last September. I considered not posting this one, or delaying it, but then I thought again. If it's on my mind it may be on some of yours, especially as you look toward Speaking and Delivering in the New Year.

Toastmasters Friday: Toasty Resolutions for New Years'

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Hopkins, Speaker, Author, Coach) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 22:18:00 +0000

It'd be easy to write a blog today suggesting you get your DTM, run for District Office, or even just finally finish that CL manual (or, for some of you, open it up!). Toastmasters is filled with awards for completed goals, and the organization does a pretty good job of motivating us any time of year.

Instead, I'd like to suggest we all resolve to take a few 'smaller' actions that will make us better Toastmasters, and have a little fun while we're at it.

1. Say 'Hi' to a guest, and actually chat with them. Some of us are great at this, others just sit back and don't interact at all. If you're the latter, step up!

2. Bring a guest. I've always been bad at this - partially because I don't actually work anywhere, and when I do, I don't really want any of the people I work with at TM. Maybe that's why I work for myself. Still, most of us have access to friends we can bring. Make this year the year you do it.

3. Stop canned Words of the Day or Table Topics. Get creative. Put some effort in and people might actually remember to use the WotD. Inventive Topics almost always beat questions from the card boxes. It's always nice to have resources to fall back on, but too often I see the fall back position act as the only position.

4. Prepare your speech in advance. More than, say, a day. Or an hour. Or as you sit their ignoring the speaker ahead of you. Push yourself to write your speech. Practice it 10 times before you give it in the preceding few days. You might amaze yourself.

5. Judge. Especially if you've been competing for a long time. Get out of the game and into the stands, and feel what its like on the other side. If you aren't a competitor, volunteer to judge to get your feet wet. Just make sure you go through training and are prepared to be objective.

6. Go to training, even if you aren't an officer. Some Districts are better than others at putting on events, but if you have a big TLI (Toastmasters Leadership Institute), go meet some new people and head to an ed session you wouldn't normally attend.

7. Visit 4 clubs you've never gone to before. That's one every three months. Participate. Even call ahead and see if you can give a guest speech. If you head out of state, or out of the country, make it a point to visit a local group of Toastmasters - they make great extended family. Consider having a 'Passport Contest' in your club - and see who visits the most outside clubs, in the most interesting locations!

8. Give a presentation from the Successful Club Series or Leadership Excellence Series. Or two. Please, please, please tailor them to your style.

9. Find out what your officers are doing. Volunteer to be the Sgt. at Arms, and set the room up in a new formation. Join a committee for the VP of PR. Attend an officer's meeting. Ask how much is in the Treasury. Take notes for the Secretary. Anything new!

10. Go to the International Convention. This is a big financial and time commitment, so its a bit of a stretch goal - especially if you choose to get their as a contestant. But it is worth seeing at least once in your life. The pomp and circumstance. The big stage. The people from all over the world. Treat yourself!

Maybe you're doing all these things. Great. What else can you do? Just do something new in TM this year. Keep it fresh for you and those around you. There's so much TM has to offer, and so few, if any, who have truly sucked all the marrow out of their TM life.

Speaking Forward in 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Hopkins, Speaker, Author, Coach) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 15:11:00 +0000

Yesterday, I took a look back at my goals for 2011. Today, as promised, it's time to look ahead to next year, and see what I can do as both a speaker and a coach in 2012.

1. Write my definitive keynote - and start giving it anywhere someone will listen. While I did not write this in 2011 as hoped, I've certainly nailed it down conceptually, and believe it can be written from rough draft to final form (and the final form is never final, right?), by mid-January.

2. Build Speak & Deliver from a blog to a full website experience, and significantly expanding its reach.

3. Coach/Mentor more speakers in 2012 than in 2011. A simple, achievable goal.

4. Use video, for speeches, marketing, and speaking tips on my blogs and websites. I'm not far off from making this happen, and believe it continues to be a realistic, and necessary, goal.

5. Attend Toastmasters regularly - join an Advanced Club - and never give a speech that isn't lending itself to my ultimate goals of speaking. TM is always a great workout for speakers, and my love for the organization hasn't waned.

6. Create audio products out of my speeches and coaching. This is a must to cast a wider net with my coaching than just those I can meet with personally or over the phone. There are only so many hours in the day, but audios can create hours that last forever.

7. Market & Network myself to a higher degree than ever before - we can always do better on this from year to year, one day at a time.

Goals from last year I won't be renewing:

1. Join the National Speaker's Association. I believe I'll visit, but joining doesn't seem reasonable for 2012. Visiting in '12 will likely lead to joining in '13.

2. Compete in the International Speech Contest. This will be easy to fulfill, since I've booked myself the weekend of my District Conference. Time to compete for bookings instead this coming year. I may compete again - only the future will tell.

New Goals for 2012:

1. Speak 50 times, outside of my Toastmasters environment. This is a stretch for me, I'll admit. But it can be done, and could actually be tripled if I really pushed. This is a transformation of thought and action that can push me past where I've been hovering for so many years. How many times will you speak in 2012?

2. Write my signature book. Despite writing three books on speaking, I've never written MY story, and its time for that to change. Look for it by Summer.

3. Promote my wife. She gave a great keynote last year up in Toronto, and should be speaking as often as I do. And she's already got a book!

What will your 2012 look like? Will you even set goals? In the end, creating a life we're happy with doesn't have to revolve around goals, as much as our goals should revolve around creating a life we're happy with.

Go out and make 2012 the year YOU Speak & Deliver!

Resolve to Speak & Deliver in 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Hopkins, Speaker, Author, Coach) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 20:29:00 +0000

Earlier this year, I 'Resolved to Speak & Deliver in 2011'. Looking back, how'd I do?

Here's my list of Speaking/Coaching Goals for 2011:

1. Write my definitive keynote - and start giving it anywhere someone will listen. (This did not happen, though I have a few false starts on my computer)

2. Join the National Speaker's Association (I have continued to put this off)

3. Attend Toastmasters regularly - join an Advanced Club - and never give a speech that isn't lending itself to my ultimate goals of speaking. (For the most part, this worked out until this fall, but not to the degree I had intended)

4. Coach/Mentor more speakers in 2011 than I have over the last 5 years combined. (This was a success! I've coached a ton of people this year, and am looking forward to new clients next year.)

5. Use video, for speeches, marketing, and speaking tips on my blogs and websites. (This didn't happen at all.)

6. Create audio products out of my speeches and coaching. (This didn't happen either.)

7. Compete in the International Speech Contest (Finished in the top 90 in the world this year, for the seventh time in ten years.)

8. Market & Network myself to a higher degree than ever before - this one is for all of us - nobody will hear or be helped by your message if they don't know who you are and where they can find you! (This was a medium success)

Wow...on one hand, that can look a bit depressing. You might wonder why I would even share it with you, vs. letting it just get swept under the digital rug, buried with blog entries past. I'm sharing it because it's true, and because I bet a lot of you are looking at your goals right now and seeing everything you didn't get done too, and may be getting a bit angry and discouraged. Hey, it happens. Life gets in the way. We lose sight of our goals in the mire of the everyday.

Rationalization is an easy next step. Medical problems in my family. So little focus-time, it seems, with six kids around. New projects that came up. Even success gets in the way. If you want more coaching clients, guess what? They take time! Doing well in the contest takes time as well - I spent most of my summertime focused on winning the World Championship, followed by a rapid 'failure' in the first 36 hours I was there. Coming home brought with it some re-evaluation, and then re-evaluation of my re-evaluation. Rationalizations aside, I know I could have done more.

How 'bout you? Did you do EVERYTHING you wanted to do? Did you find unexpected obstacles? Unexpected success? Maybe 2011 was your best year ever. I hope so. Even if it wasn't, it's not the end of the world.

My 2011 found other successes for me in my relationship with my wife and family. I met a ton of people here in Denver. This blog tripled in traffic and content. It wasn't a perfect year. In some ways it wasn't even a good year. But it was a year I started to actively focus on 'Winning Anyway', which is my key message to the world. We can focus on losses and failures, or victories and accomplishments. We can say we didn't, or simply that we haven't yet. We can decide something won't work, or we can realize it won't work the way we're trying to do it, and look to do it Anyway, in a new way.

Many of my goals in 2012 are the same. I have some new ones I'll share tomorrow, and at least one I'm taking off the list. What will YOU be doing in 2012 to Speak & Deliver? Share your comments here or on Twitter and Facebook. And thank you for being a part of my Success Anyway, this year!

Toastmasters Friday: How Smooth is Your Choreography?

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Hopkins, Speaker, Author, Coach) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:01:00 +0000

This week I attended my 11 year old daughters first Glee performance. Glee combines singing and dancing, teaching the kids to sing in combination with various moves, from spins to tumbles to catching each other to 'jazz hands' - all in sync with each other. As I watched them warm up, the director urged them to hit their marks cleanly, put emotion into their movements, and be sharp with their hand motions.

All of these concepts are important in speaking and, interestingly enough, are also important in our Toastmaster meetings.

I mentioned last week I was joining Solar Speak, a club that is in the process of rebuilding on a foundation of six members. In the last seven days, the club has been reactivated, and my membership in TM has been reinstated, after a whopping two weeks exile after not renewing with my old club.

Part of the club's goals were to hold better meetings. Most of the members had never seen a meeting outside our own, so our soon-to-be club coach arranged a demonstration meeting, bringing in Toastmasters from nearby clubs to hold a meeting 'by the book'.

I've been to over 100 clubs in my years as a Toastmaster, and close to 1000 meetings, and I thought last night was a terrific representation of a typical club experience. Two speakers,Topics, a humorist, club business, an ah master, a grammarian, a general evaluator (me) - all the pieces were there.

But its not the pieces that count. The club had experienced all of those before. It was how the pieces were choreographed that made the difference. The preparation, so everyone knew what they were doing. The agendas printed for everyone to keep track of the proceedings. The strong transitions from President to Toastmaster to Evaluator to Speaker, etc, that come from repeated practice.

All of these 'moves', when done with precision, create an organized meeting that shows our members, and especially our visitors, that we are committed to our performance. When they are done with semi-precision, they realize it's a place where we're all still growing. When there done with little or no precision, that's when we look disorganized and disinterested.

Two Moves to Pay Special Attention To...

- The Handoff. During the Glee concert, several kids had there own solo, and they had only one microphone to share. In Toastmasters, only one person controls the meeting at a time. When transitioning from one participant to another in front of the room, work to be consistent in what you do, whether you meet people halfway or make them come to the lectern. Do your best not to cross in front of them when you leave for your seat. Shake hands quickly, and with intention.

- The Switch-Off. One routine also had a the left side of the group sing a musical part, and then toss control to the other side for a different melody. In Toastmasters, we don't always move from ours seats, but instead deliver a report from where we are, while the Toastmaster, Table Topics Master, etc, stay where they are. If you are in control of the meeting, be clear who you are tossing control to, and signal them both verbally and with eye contact so as not to catch them off guard. Conversely, be ready to take it back. It's easy to forget to listen to one report while you are thinking of who you're 'pitching to next'

- Leader of the Band. The choreographer was at the performance, and you could see her going through the motions with the kids, perhaps to remind them of what's next. When you're in control of the room, you are not only in charge of the 'Handoffs' and 'Switch-Offs', you are responsible to lead the applause. If it isn't consistent, someone is getting slighted while the audience is distracted with something else. Once you start clapping, everyone else knows to do the same. Slipshod applause can make a meeting appear disorganized at best, or inadvertently vindictive at worst, to a visitor wondering if we don't like Sally as much as John.

Like any dance routine, there's wiggle room, from one Toastmasters club to another, and even from week to week within your own club. The Toastmaster can act as director and move some pieces around. You might try out different evaluation sheets from week to week. You can choose whether the Ah-master clicks during speeches or just during Topics and evaluations, or maybe not at all. While most clubs end up set into a certain routine, flexibility and spontaneity has its place as well.

The key factor in both routine and interpretive choreography is planning and preparation. How ready are your members for their next meeting? Do they know what to expect if you've changed something? Do you have your agenda/program finalized to give people some indication as to what's happening?

Practice made Sexy....probably not for Toastmasters...or Elementary school glee clubs!

There will always be part of Toastmasters that is unplanned. We're human, and life happens. But the more we practices our 'moves', the better we're able to handle those unfortunate trips, drops, and splats in our meetings. The higher we set our standard, the more likely we are to regularly reach a point of competency.

These may seem like basic Toastmaster moves. Not hard at all. ...And, no, they aren't. But just like the 5th and 6th graders in the Glee group I watched last week, it takes time to get everyone on the same page. The parts are not as challenging individually as they can be corporately, and consistently over time. But the more we put them into practice, the greater our 'muscle memory' becomes, and they become second nature.

When our meetings appear to be a group of individuals working in concert to achieve the same overall goals, our members will flourish, our clubs will remain strong, and we'll be ready to go out into the world to Speak...& Deliver.

What Did You Learn Today?

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Hopkins, Speaker, Author, Coach) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 21:38:00 +0000

"My life is boring."
"What do I have to talk about?"
"Nobody wants to hear about my trip to the grocery store."

You're right. We don't care what you did. We care about how it made you feel, how you affected other people in your life (even if was just the person bagging your groceries), and what you learned.

I make it a common practice with my kids after school to not only ask them what they did that day, but what they learned. I do this not only to keep tabs on their progress, but to help them get used to identifying and acknowledging the fact that they are indeed learning something.

What are you learning today?

A big part of my job with clients is helping them pull stories from their personal life to make a point, to build rapport, and even the playing field for the audience by using an accessible metaphor. Sometimes that means going far back to their childhood, other times we don't have to go any farther back than that morning.

I'm a big proponent of keeping a story log - a file on your computer (and external hard-drive, and on the cloud) where you keep news clipping, humorous stories, and important information you may use in the future as a speaker. The richest part of that story log, however, can come from your daily life.

How to Use an Activity Assessment to Build Your Story Log

1. Start a new document on your word processor (or, take out a piece of paper and an actual writing instrument), and write down EVERYTHING you did yesterday.

2. Once the list is done, ask yourself how you felt, and what you learned during each one.

3. Finally, ask yourself how you could relate those feelings and lessons to your next audience.

Here's a partial list of mine from yesterday:

A. Stayed home in the morning with my 4 year old daughter and 7 year old son (who was sick), while my wife went out to meet a friend from church, which she rarely does.

I learned again that the best laid plans are oft interrupted by the randomness of life. Riker is never sick, but him being home yesterday significantly changed my mindset from blogging (and playing Words With Friends) to hanging out with him, doing the extra laundry created by getting sick in the middle of the night (he was too polite to wake us up), and actually taking time to fold clothes, which I hate to do and usually let the kids tackle as part of their allowance.

How do you handle interruptions in your day, or a complete change of plans? We all have examples of handling it well and handling it not-so-well. It happens to everyone in every audience you have, and they will run into it no matter what they do, and it could potentially fit into most any speech topic you have. Doesn't mean you'll use it, but it's there, it's recent, it gives them insight to your personality, and it might be perfect to make your point about dealing unpredictable bosses, clients, and circumstances.

George Bailey knows: Don't wait til everyone disappears to appreciate your life!

B. My 15 year old daughter came home from school, said "hi" while I had my head down doing laundry, and I thought it was just a random "hi" from Riker. An hour or so later, Kristi came home and I asked if she'd seen Bailey, because she hadn't come home yet. It caused a brief moment of panic until Braden (our 14 year old son) said Bailey was in her bedroom. Bailey routinely hides to get out of chores, like any teenager, and neither of us had noticed.

I was reminded that I need to pay closer attention, and that sometimes its easy to lose track of things, and people who are important. I also realized how quickly Kristi and I felt our heart rates go up, and various scenarios came up in our minds during the 60 seconds our daughter was 'missing'. And it made me think of how frustrating teenagers can be!

Those lessons are enough for a speech unto themselves, and certainly lend themselves to everything from getting lost in a big project to ADD to parenting to remembering how important people are in every setting, but we sometimes forget until they go missing.

Keep in mind you can learn from others in your circle, as well. Just today Kristi and I were talking about how she almost cancelled going over to her friends house yesterday because Riker was sick. That thought triggered an even stronger thought - that Satan, or whatever negative universal force you'd like to call it, didn't want her connecting with a friend that day, and was presenting obstacles, which made her more determined than ever to go.

How can you take that attitude lesson and apply it to an audience?

What do you do if you don't have six kids? If you feel you really do live a boring life? First, I challenge you to do the list anyway. Who did you meet yesterday? If you stayed inside, why? What did you do? How did it make you feel?

The more you are in touch with your life, the events within it and your feelings about it, the better you will be able to relate to an audience on both the intellectual level and the emotional level. Remember, if an audience isn't touched emotionally, they are less likely to act on the intellectual information, even if that information is fantastic.

Don't just sit around - put on your hat and leather jacket and explore your world!

Finally, if you really aren't doing anything than sitting in front of your computer reading this blog....GET UP! Go DO something! Go see a part of your neighborhood you've never visited. Go eat somewhere new. Pick up your computer and go to the library or the coffee shop. Spice up your life so you can spice up your speech!

If the Activity Assessment seems formal, I understand. Do it anyway. Ask yourself what I ask my kids: What did you learn today? After a day or two, you'll be amazed how many stories you find. After a week or two, you won't have to do the assessment all at once, because you'll start recognizing events that matter more quickly. This Assessment will help you Speak & Deliver, and along the way, you just might finding yourself appreciating your life, and the people in it, more than you have in years.

You Like Me? You Really Like Me?

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Hopkins, Speaker, Author, Coach) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 20:52:00 +0000

Do You Have Sally Fieldesque Esteem Issues?

Last week, I talked about Walking My Talk, and speaking to a group on short notice. I graded myself out at 8 out of 10. A respondent suggested that while it was great I thought I did so well, how well did the group feel I did? Did I give out what Alan Weiss refers to as 'Smile Sheets' - feedback forms to get comments from the audience?

No, I did not. I rarely do, when speaking in front of an audience that is not made up of speakers. It's not that I don't believe in feedback. I definitely do, and wrote about how to use feedback effectively back in July. It's important, however, how you get it, and who you get it from.

It's not that regular audiences won't have something of value to say, it's that they don't have motivation to say it. They are there to learn something, at best. They may also be there to party that night - going to your session simply to look good to the boss. They are thinking of a million other things than how you are as a speaker. (One would hope you can at least get their mind on what YOU are talking about!) Unless the speaker is simply terrible, most 'Smile Sheets' will offer a mix of mostly complimentary remarks, a few harsh complaints, a couple of out-in-left-field whiners, and a few 'you rocked it, superstar!'.

If you are a celebrity, a Kardashian, or even a World Champion speaking to a Toastmasters conference, your 'superstar' percentage will jump. That results from a mix of skill and interest, as well as an expectation created. No one wants to be disappointed, and often people will give great reviews for mediocre performances just to make themselves feel better for being in the audience!

As the speaker, if I give out 'Smile Sheets', I'm giving my audience extra work that looks like I'm more concerned about me than them. Sure, I can offer to give away a book to a random audience member who fills a sheet out, but even that can look a bit shallow.

'Smile Sheets' are usually provided by the event planners, and even they are moving toward online surveys following the event in order to be less intrusive and more efficient (and, Green, I suppose). You might get to see these, you might not. Usually they are designed to benefit the planner - should they bring you back? Even then, some of the questions will be totally unrelated to you as a speaker, from food chosen to room temperature to length of breaks. They may ask if the topic was what they wanted to hear, which may have no bearing on how well you delivered your material at all!

If there are people in the audience who really have something of critical value to say, they will likely come speak with you themselves. If there are people who really have nothing to say other than a random gripe, they may also have the personality to come up to you, so be ready!

The most valuable feedback I received that day was from a couple of folks who said I changed they way they thought about how they presented themselves, and from the meeting planner who said she'd recommend me to the other chapters of their organization. That type of feedback beats a stack of 5 star reviews any day.

We can't spend our lives as speakers desperate for the approval of every audience member. First, it'll never happen. Second, our being seen as a great speaker isn't even the main point. That isn't to say we shouldn't always be getting better, but it does mean that we shouldn't burden our audiences with grading us. You'll have a pretty good idea of how well you did when it's all said and done.

Save the 'Smile Sheets', feedback forms, and evaluations for Toastmasters and NSA. Their feedback will offer more diversity for you, and likely more criticism you can actually do something with, because they'll be more motivated to actually help you. That is, after all, what they do.

Speak & Deliver, and let the stars fall where they may.

(Ironic PostScript: I now offer the ability for you to rate my blogposts below....)

Getting Hired to Speak: What's Their Why?

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Hopkins, Speaker, Author, Coach) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:22:00 +0000

The self-help industry often focuses on the question "What's Your Why?", as in why do you want to succeed? It's a great question, and can help us find our ultimate motivations.

Yesterday, I talked about defining your speaking dream more specifically by deciding where you want to speak. I talked about making phone calls to meeting planners and event organizers. But what happens when you actually get to the stage of convincing them to hire you? What do you say? This is when you have to turn the "What's Your Why" question around.

What's THEIR Why? If you don't provide a good enough answer to this question, not only will you not get hired, you might actually create negative word of mouth about yourself.

Don't Say:

- How Great a Speaker You Are. You have no credibility, and they don't care anyway. Not yet.
- You're a Toastmaster/NSA Member/CAPS Member/Certified Awesomely Cool & Nifty Speaker with a Certificate You Paid Thousands of Dollars For. They don't care. Unless they are one too. Maybe.
- You're an Award-Winning Toastmaster/CSP/Hall of Fame Speaker. They really don't care. Unless you've won the Championship. Or couch it in a numerical fashion they'll understand, like 'ranked in the Top 100 Speakers (out of 30,000) in Toastmasters International in 2011'. Still, they probably don't care.
- You're Inexpensive. They care. They care that you aren't good enough to charge more.
- How Much Your Last Audience Loved You. Um...so?
- You Won't Mention Their Recent Scandal. You just did.
- How Much Are You Paying? Let them ask what you charge. If they don't ask, but give you the engagement, send 'em a contract with your fee. That'll start the conversation.

Before you say anything, you should be asking questions. What topics do they need? What is the theme of the conference? What outcomes are they looking for from their audience? Once you have these answers, start selling your presentation first, yourself, second.

Do Say:

- I Have Experience With Whatever Their Answer Was. If you do, that is. Tell them a story. Tell them how you will get their audience to respond based on your experience.
- I Spoke to ABC Company About This Topic, Which Resulted In XYZ. As long as it's not a competitor. Or, as I've been reminded by several since I posted this, perhaps especially if it's a competitor. You'll have to gauge their hatred for the competition, perhaps offer it as 'they have something you don't' - depends on the topic. (Thanks to Matt Kinsey for being the first to say something on this).
- You Entertain and Educate. Explain how. No one wants a bored audience.
- You Want to Talk to 3 or 4 People in Their Company. This lets them know you're willing to give them a customized session, and that you are more interested in what they need to hear than what you want to say.
- You Offer More Than a Speech. Breakout sessions, individual follow-up, a book they may want to see for themselves, and offer to their attendees.

These Do's and Don't's apply both to talking with the planner and email communications. With email, you can offer a bit more, including links to audio and video clips, your website, testimonials, and a contract attachment.

The most important thing to remember is they don't care about who you are (unless you are a celebrity), how good you think you are, or, for the most part, the hard-earned/paid for letters after your name. They care about what you can give them and their group. Before you start talking, start asking what they want/need. The new information. The inventive training. The feel-good outcome. Then transform what you do to what they need.

Once you know their why, you'll be able to say "Why YOU." That's when you go prove how awesome you can be when you Speak....& Deliver.

Where Do You Want To Speak?

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Hopkins, Speaker, Author, Coach) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 16:24:00 +0000

It's not unusual for beginning speakers to wonder where all the speaking opportunities are.

What is also not unusual is a beginning speaker not even knowing where they WANT to speak. They have a topic, they want to speak to people, but they have no end in mind! At best I hear, "well, maybe colleges, or women's groups, or IBM".

If you don't know specifically where you want to speak, how will you ever get there? It doesn't mean you have to start there and only there, but knowing your direction, actually pursuing your targets, is going to get you closer to success than just thinking "I want to speak to some unidentified, nonspecific, random gathering of people."

Exercise #1

Make a list of 10 places you want to speak at anywhere in the world. Conferences, specific groups, colleges, companies. Go on the web if nothing comes to mind, and google companies, associations, or conferences. Come up with 10 identified audiences. Then do it again, but stay local. List 10 places that are within an hour's drive.

Exercise #2

Find someone you know on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn (or even, shudder, real life) who can get you some information, and find out about their events and who is in charge of them.

Exercise #3

Make a phone call to one of the 20, ideally a local event, but not necessarily. Not an email, but an honest-to-goodness phone call. If you have to leave a message, tell them you want to get information about their event. Don't wait for them to call back though, call them everyday until you get a live person. Leave a message every other day.

Once you can talk to them, ask them straight out if they are looking for speakers. If they are, great, let them know you'd like to help them. Use the word help - who doesn't want help? Let them know what you can speak about that relates to their audience, which you are now well versed on after your first two steps of research.

If they are NOT looking for speakers, tell them you would like to be available as a substitute if someone cancels, and then go into how you can help them. As I said yesterday, you never know when you'll be called on to speak. This works well for local events, as you can show up quickly, and be the local hero!

We'll go into what you need to next - answering the question of 'Why YOU', tomorrow. The goal today is to make yourself create some goals, to decide where you want to speak and to whom you want to speak. It's OK if your dream speaking opportunity is commencement at The Ohio State University, or the keynote at a technology conference, or a TEDtalk. It's OK if you just want to speak to the biggest rotary club in your town, too. Think how much easier crafting a message will be, how much easier building your credibility will be, once you've determined your audience!

No dreams are too big or too small, except dreams undefined.

It may change over time, but at least start a list today, and go after it. Who knows? Next spring, you may be getting an honorary doctorate from Harvard, or sending people to the link of your TEDtalk, like Toastmaster Loy Machedo! Lay applied himself, used his network, and as you see in the video below, went out and hit the mark! I know another Toastmaster, who just last week called on a major university to speak at their commencement next spring, and generated interest he never imagined would exist. It doesn't happen if you don't know Where and Who you target is, and actually do something to connect you to them.

Who is YOUR dream audience? Let me know in the comments below, or on Facebook and Twitter.

Walking the Talk - My Turn to Speak & Deliver

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Hopkins, Speaker, Author, Coach) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 16:57:00 +0000

Monday, I wrote about 'Staying Ready'. It's a great concept. One of those rules of speaking its easy to talk about, but hard to follow.

Tuesday (yesterday), I got a call from a meeting planner for a weekly sales group I was scheduled to speak to next week. Good follow up on her part, I immediately thought. Turns out, her speaker for TODAY had hurt themselves over the weekend, and she wanted to know if I could speak - in just a scant 19 hours. Not the shortest amount of time I've ever had, but its in my Top 10.

I could have said no, and all would have been fine. But really, could I say no knowing I had just told all of you to be ready for the spotlight?

She was thrilled, and I had some work to do. I admit I had the advantage of knowing what I was going to speak about, since I had worked on it for next week. My topic was Elevator & Networking Speeches, a speech/training I've given many times. So my content was fairly set. But it wasn't quite gelled for this group yet.

Here's how I got MORE ready than I already was:

1. The Introduction - I tailor my intro for each group. This was a group of salespeople who didn't know me well, so I went somewhat heavy and the sales background, not to brag, but to identify with them. I talked about my wife and kids, my clients as a coach, then complimented them by saying how much of a challenge it will be to coach them that morning, despite my track record of success. The intro, as a whole, was not much longer than this paragraph.

2. The Outline -

- Opening. Connecting with this group was crucial. Less than 10 in the audience, all well-seasoned in their industry. Instead of launching into a story, I asked a question - "Do you remember your first client", and let someone else tell a story. Then I bridged from their experience to my own. I got lucky, in that his experience mirrored my own opening story, but I was ready with a transition either way.

- SubOpening - After connecting with them, I needed to connect them with the content. Another question. What's the worst possible outcome you can get after introducing yourself in a networking meeting? I got several answers, then transitioned with my own.

- Content. This is a highly interactive presentation, where I critique their own opening comments from the beginning of the meeting when they introduce themselves, give them the structure for a speech, then work on 2 or 3 or their individual spiels to give them something to take away. The group also helps come up with material, in most cases. I covered the Twisted Opening, The Catch and Release, The Story, and The Command, all using their own material as examples.

- Bonus Content. I had some extra time, so I included a 5 minute segment on one-to-one networking.

- SubClose. This group had heard much of what I had to say before, so my goal was to man up to that, but put doubt in their mind about whether or not they were using what they knew, and challenged them to use what they knew, whether it was from me, or what I reminded them of learning before.

- Close. This is where I failed a bit. There was no clock, I didn't bring my watch, and I didn't designate a timer. This group, I learned today, claps you down when you hit time. Luckily, I had finished my subclose, so it looked natural. I had to interrupt my introducer (a friend, fortunately), to give them my overall call to action, and pass out my handouts.

3. The Takeaway - I don't like to give business cards, so I adapted my blogpost to a one page article, slapped Speak & Deliver, my phone and email, and an offer on the page, and handed them out. If I schedule more of these talks, I'll likely print up a tips card instead. But by writing as much as I do, I stayed ready to create a handout in under 10 minutes.

There you go. From theory to application. The talk went well this morning. I'd give it an 8 out of 10. Now the goal is to be ready for a 10, no matter how much time I have. At least you know I walk my talk - and if your group needs a speaker, even if its tonight, I'm ready to Speak & Deliver.

Speaking of Don't Get Ready, Stay Ready...

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Hopkins, Speaker, Author, Coach) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:40:00 +0000

A great axiom I first heard from Craig Valentine. "Don't get ready to speak, stay ready." You never know when your moment in the sun will come. This young man was ready for his in October, 2010.

What can we learn from Sam Hollyman?

- Be Willing. Don't shy away, be willing to jump up and speak next time someone asks your opinion, has an open spot to fill, or gives you a shot at something you weren't expecting. False (or real) humility won't serve you here. Opportunities have a reputation for closing quickly on the meek.

- Know the Words. Be familiar enough with what you're known to talk about. Don't just talk about talking about it, talk about it! With your friends, co-workers, online, EVERYWHERE! Can you imagine if Sam didn't know the song? Crash, boom, bam!

- Don't be Intimidated. Sam, with all the exuberance of a teenager, belted it out. Remember when you were fearless? Be fearless next time you speak. Your confidence will give you power to sway your audience.

- Work Together. Sam was flexible, and took direction from Michael without, literally, missing a beat. Follow the lead of the person asking you to speak. Let them know you'll do whatever they need. Now is not the time to demand green M&M's in your dressing room.

- Make them Swear! OK, maybe we don't really want the audience shouting 'Holy S#1TBalls', but would it be so bad if they thought with that kind of excitement once you got onstage to speak? Start strong. Lead with your best material. You've got one chance to excite them from the start.

- Follow Up. Don't actually know what Sam is actually up to these days, beyond snubbing Britain's Got Talent. Where he goes from here is up to him. What will you do after your moment in the sun? Sit back and enjoy it? Or parlay it into more opportunities? Remember, every speaker is unemployed once they finish their last speech!

Once people know you can speak, they are going to ask you to speak. Stay ready to Speak...& Deliver.

What is Toastmasters Dogma?

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Hopkins, Speaker, Author, Coach) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:08:00 +0000

Last week, in my Toastmaster's Friday post, I mentioned 'Toastmaster's Dogma'. I had a few people ask what I meant by that, so this week, I'm going to delve into it.

First, let's define 'dogma'. At Dictionary.com, it's first definition is: an official system of principles or tenets concerning faith, morals, behavior, etc., as of a church. Synonyms: doctrine, teachings, set of beliefs, philosophy. It is also defined as a belief that is settled with certainty and conviction. It's also, of course, a rather fun movie with Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.

Dogma, in and of itself, is not a negative concept. It is often used negatively, usually in context with the abuse of principles and tenets within an organization. Dogma is repeatedly used in referring to cults and other oppressive, non-religious organizations with a strong, defined set of rules in its culture.

I deliberately used this word last week, despite its negative connotations, in concert with what is occasionally a negative practice - using Toastmaster's guidelines in an oppressive manner. That is, putting the culture of the organization ahead of the culture of the people in it. I had heard that an incoming coach was being a bit pushy when it came to applying TM standards. This didn't surprise me. After all, a coach typically is assigned because a club is NOT meeting standards, and in the instance, the club was hanging on by a thread.

Toastmasters is filled with a combination of rules, promises, guidelines, as well as traditions that are often confused for the previous three. As a large, worldwide organization that has existed for 80-plus years, this isn't surprising. For it to have lasted this long, in fact, it's most likely necessary.

How these rules, etc., are applied is determined by imperfect human beings. Some of us homo sapiens are more strict than others. From member to member, the firmness of these guidelines have more settings than a Craftmatic Adjustable Bed. As discussed last week, the result are a vast variety of club cultures.

Back to 'Toastmasters Dogma'. I believe the tenets of the organization are sound, and necessary to the overall health of the organization, and the individual clubs. I also believe there must be flexibility.

The dogma doesn't become negative until it infringes on the rights of an individual to say 'no' without recrimination. When one person or organization decides their goals are more important than their members goals (note: this works differently in a non-profit, volunteer run, personal development group than say, Microsoft). If I don't want to be your VP of Membership, it shouldn't mean you don't like me anymore. If my club doesn't want to be President's distinguished or send folks to training, it doesn't necessarily mean we need to be 'coached'. If we don't send a contestant to the Area Contest, it doesn't automatically mean we're a bad club.

Last night, I went back to the club in question from last weeks post. I still need a club to join, and this club fits my schedule and my geography. That, and I wanted to see if the 'Toastmasters Dogma' was as bad as I had been told by the incoming coach.

Turns out, they were back to deciding whether or not they were going to remain a club. The coach was there, but didn't inject himself into leading the discussion, but was more of a resource on technical questions. The club has let its dues lapse, so there is technically no club, but TI is giving them some time to regroup. They had 3 members there (ice kept at least 2 others home), the coach, and me. They needed three officer names to give TI, IF they were going to continue.

The new club leader, a fairly new TM, showed enthusiasm for both the club continuing, and for Toastmasters goals & ideals (or dogma, but with a more positive connotation?). He was going to be president. The second member wanted the club to continue, and was willing to be 'whatever' to fill the need. He's also very new to TM. The third member was the old president, who had to drop out for awhile due to commitments with his company (as in HIS company, not where he works). He seemed willing to be a member, but realized his limitations and stepped back from being an officer.

The club coach couldn't be an officer, because you can't be a coach and a member until you're a coach first, and you can't be a coach until the club actually exists and approves you as a coach. I went through this back in the Spring when I was going to be the coach. Complicated dogma, but reasonable.

That left me. Was I going to commit to this club? More importantly, COULD I commit to this club? I was thinking throughout the discussion about my time commitments, what I could to be a useful member, weighing the level of commitment from the folks there. I didn't want to start something that was just going to collapse in another few weeks.

By the end of the night, I was name Vice-President of Education as well as Public Relations, based on my experience with TM, the small size of the club (which means VPE won't be too tough, to start), and my strong desire to handle PR.

The club seems to be back in line with the 'dogma', in a very positive sense. The coach didn't seem overly dogmatic, and I'm fairly certain the five of us there can provide enough push and pull between dogma and humanity to keep the club lively but still effective. Hey, they may even meet the DCP requirements within a year, like the coach needs to get his credit.

But what's most important, in my eyes, is not that they become a great Toastmasters Club because the 'dogma' is met, but that the members realize how much better the overall experience can be when they don't ignore the 'dogma' altogether. We homo sapiens need structure, as long as the structure isn't used to crush us.

So there you go. That's what I think of 'Toastmaster Dogma'. It should neither be a toy poodle or a Doberman, but perhaps simply a Toastmaster's loyal friend. As far as 'dogma' itself? It's positivity or negativitiy is only what you make it.

By the way, if you're near Broomfield, CO, and want to visit a Toastmasters group back on the rise, come out to Solar Speak, 7:00 pm Thursdays at Sil Tehar Motors, 150 Alter St. Park below, go up the stairs on the side, enter and find the elevator in the back, and go to the second floor. We'll be happy to see you!

When the Audience Isn't the Most Important Factor

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Hopkins, Speaker, Author, Coach) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 01:17:00 +0000

I've said it often in this blog, and every speaking coach I know says it without fail: The most important person to think about when speaking is your Audience.

Except, when it's not.

WHAT? Sacrilege Rich! We're pulling your coaching card and sending you to the penalty box! How could you say such a thing?

It's easy, actually. Because the audience isn't always hiring you. If you don't please the buyer, what the audience thinks doesn't matter. You won't get hired again, you won't get a referral, and who know how many future clients won't hire you because they are connected to the person you just disappointed?

5 Times the Audience Isn't Most Important

- Corporate Shifts - persuading buy-in for negative or positive changes
- Sales - representing a sponsor, such as a non-profit or event investor
- Endorsements - promoting a candidate or cause
- Schools - pushing a faculty or administrative agenda, or even a moral agenda
- Training - preparing the group to perform a task to equal competence

In all of these cases, you may not be all that popular with the people you are speaking to, and in fact, you may be helping to identify audience members that need to be sifted out of the organizations. Your buyer's agenda beats the audience's need, and you need to keep in mind 'who's boss'.

This does not mean the audience isn't important, of course. They still come in a strong second. As a speaker, you should have their best interests at heart, and help them acquire the information and/or reach the conclusion the buyer needs them to reach - quickly, easily, and positively.

What happens if you don't agree with what the buyer is doing? Or if a school wants you to talk about moral behavior that doesn't align with your own? Or you aren't really behind the person you're asked to endorse?

In that case, the most important person in the speech becomes YOU. You have to decide what's more important: a check, or your integrity.

The audience is always an important component, and your speech must have them in mind. But if you aren't speaking the language of your buyer, you may quickly find yourself without buyers altogether.

Just For Toastmasters:

There's one more case where the audience isn't the most important. Toastmasters. Yes, it's true. When you give a speech in your club, YOU and the skills you are learning are most important. The audience comes second. You may be practicing for work, a topic that no one in the room cares about but you. You may need to focus on your gestures for a speech, and give a talk about golf that even you don't like, but it helps you stretch. While you don't want to deliberately offend, use Toastmasters speeches for YOU first, the audience second. Because the more you work on YOU, the better you'll do for them, and for your non-practice audiences, in the future.

How Fresh is Your Speech?

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Hopkins, Speaker, Author, Coach) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:13:00 +0000

A quick check of RottenTomatoes.com tells me which movies are Fresh right now, in the eyes of the critics.

The Muppets - 98%
Hugo - 96%
Tower Heist - 69%

On the other hand, there are a few Rotten Tomatoes out there as well:

Happy Feet 2 - 42%
Twilight: Breaking Dawn - 26%
Jack & Jill - 4%

Movies rank on the freshness scale based on their critical reviews from a wide variety of reviewers, from Roger Ebert to your local 11 year old blogger.

I enjoy Rotten Tomatoes, because it seems to be a more accurate barometer of a film's value than just 2 or 3 reviewers.

How fresh are you? If your audience were to rate you on your entertainment value, where would you rank? How about originality? Are you offering enough twists and turns? Do you offer a surprise now and then, that changes the audience's perspective?

It's all right to keep talking on the same topic, and even tell the same stories, as long as your audience keeps changing. Consider that your speech's 'first run' in the theatres. How many people are willing to hear your message again? How many are willing to buy it in book form, or on DVD/CD/MP3?

If you're putting out a remake of another speech, say updating what old speakers have said for years, as Tony Robbins did, are you original enough in your presentation to justify hearing? Are there enough new viewers of your type of material that you can recreate a speech shot for shot, as they did with the Psycho remake a few years back? Or are you willing to reboot and revitalize your material, bringing it new life through your eyes, and up to date storylines, a la the Star Trek movie in 2007?

In the movie world, there are only so many plot formulas, but they keep churning out film after film. The freshest films either evoke memories of films past (The Muppets) or give us new ways to look at old ideas (Hugo).

No matter what you speak on, someone else has spoken on it before you. What are you bringing to your topic that your audience can't get from anyone else? New information? New examples? At the very least, a new type of delivery?

5 Strategies to be a Fresh Speaker!
(No, not THAT kind of Fresh.)

- get plenty of feedback, and actually apply some of it to your next presentation
- read the news, and be on the lookout for a new application of an old topic
- know your competition, from your predecessors to your contemporaries, and stand apart
- present with a style and a set of stories that can only come from you
- put yourself on film, and be ready to send the 'rotten' parts of your speaking to the cutting room floor

The world needs fresh speakers just as much as it need fresh movies. Be Fresh, & Deliver!