Written by Mark Cohen | 10 September 2009
A member is chosen at the beginning of each meeting to head a portion of the meeting called Table Topics. A subject is chosen at random by this leader from a deck of cards which have ideas printed on them. The group is then asked to volunteer to share a one or two minute part of their insight on the topic or a personal experience with the group. Fortunately for some of us, the most alert attendees at each meeting volunteer first! Table Topics is a way for each member to gain confidence speaking in front of a group of people without preparation.
Table Topics are a give and take experience. They allow the speaker a chance to reveal something about himself. At the same time, the speaker gains experience with impromptu speaking. For a guest or a new member, this can be a little intimidating at first, but, as in all things, the person overcomes the fear and succeeds. I’ve been a member for several months and I’ve yet to see anyone fail. Newly found success breeds confidence. This is the essence of Toastmasters.
Everyone has the ability to excel at Table Topics, but most people don’t realize it. A short monologue is all you need. If you’ve held a conversation with another person and spoken continually for a minute or two (like briefly recounting an experience), you’ve already done it!
One of the tricks seems to be overcoming the need to fill every second with sound from your own voice. That’s what causes us to use “umm’s” and “ahhs”. You will eventually realize you don’t have to speak constantly. Intentional pauses help. Another thing I try to do is to use eye contact with most, if not all of the members of the audience. Most of the time, their honest reactions are calming to me. I overcome shyness by trying to become more aware of my desire to share my story with everyone.
It’s interesting to hear other people tell their stories. I enjoy watching the mannerisms and noticing the accents of other speakers. Their body language can be enjoyable and I learn things about public speaking from them. The more experienced speakers can teach us the most, so pay attention!
At first I wanted to avoid Table Topics, but I now look forward to it. The sharing of ideas and life experiences with others in a group setting is very fulfilling. At the same time I know I’m gaining confidence for speaking in front of others. As in life, you get what you give, so let’s hear from you!