Tips for the Ice Breaker
Toastmaster
| Public Speaking |
Impromptu Speech |
Ice Breaking ( first) Speech
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( Ice Breaking speech
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Opening, Body and Conclusion
Like any good story, your talk needs a beginning and an ending. Try to create
an interesting opening sentence that captures the audience’s attention. Get
it clearly fixed in your mind, and use it even if a better idea occurs to you
just before you’ speak. Then devise a good way
to conclude, and fix that in your mind. With a good start and a good finish,
you can easily fill in the body of the speech.
In any speech, it’s best to
select a very few main points, three or four at the most, and expand on them
by using examples, stories or anecdotes. If you merely state a fact and then
continue, most of your audience will miss the point. You should make a point,
say it again in different words, illustrate the point, and then state it once
more in order to be clearly understood. This is a good skill to learn with
your first talk.
What about notes? If you
think you will need them, write a brief speech outline on 3x5 cards, which you
can place on the lectern. Refer to them only when you need
them. Remember, you’re
speaking—not reading. Many speakers begin by writing out an entire speech,
then breaking it down into parts, with a key word for each part, and finally
writing just the key words on one note card.
Preparing
Yourself
Now the talk is ready, but are you ready to present it? You will certainly need
to rehearse. Practice the talk until you are comfortable with it. You won’t
need to memorize the talk, since you already know all about the subject. But you
may want to memorize your opening and close. A memorized opening insures that
this most important part of your talk will be stated correctly. Also, if you are
nervous as you begin your speech (as are most speakers), you will gain
confidence as you give your prepared opening—and your speech will be off to a
successful start. A memorized close insures that your talk concludes with
impact.
Next, try the talk on someone
in your family, a friend, or your Toastmasters coach/mentor.
Then present your talk, and ask for comments. You may get some helpful suggestions.
Try this with several people if you can. If you have a tape recorder, record the
talk and listen to it carefully, making any improvements that are necessary.
Using a tape recorder is one of the best ways to improve your speaking ability.
Rather than thinking of this
presentation as "making a speech," think of it as a talk before a
group of friends, sharing information of interest.
Don’t anticipate being afraid of the audience. They have already been through
the same feelings you are having. They want you to succeed, and they’re eager
to help you.
Appearance is important. Be
well groomed and appropriately dressed for your presentation. When you look
right, you feel good about yourself. You will then forget about your appearance
and concentrate on presenting your talk. You will have increased confidence
because you know you have made a good first impression on your audience.
Presenting
Your Talk
Once you’ve completed your speech preparation. . .relax.
Peeling a bit nervous is common to every speaker, no matter how experienced. In
fact, you can put this nervous energy to work for you by using it to add
excitement to the delivery of your talk. No one is going to pay much attention
to a little quavering in your voice, and it will soon disappear, anyway, as you
become involved with what you’re saying. (More information for controlling
nervousness appears on page 59.)
While being introduced, take a
few deep breaths and slowly exhale. This will help your voice sound resonant and
natural. Begin by facing the Toastmaster and
saying, "Mr. (or Madam) Toastmaster"; then face the audience and say,
"Ladies and gentlemen. . .,"
or "Guests and fellow Toastmasters. . ,"
Pause for a second to let things settle down, then plunge in with your prepared
opening sentences.
While speaking, make "eye
contact" with various members of the audience, first looking directly at
one person for a few seconds, then looking at another, so no one feels left out
of your talk. As you’re doing this, glance periodically at the timer. If the
red light comes on while you’re talking, move smoothly to your conclusion and
finish quickly. Observe
time limits whenever you speak.
Don’t worry about what to do
with your hands. Leave them at your sides if you wish. You’ll have
opportunities to practice "body language" later.
One final word: Don’t end by
saying "Thank you." It’s the audience who should thank you
for the information you’ve shared. Instead, just close with your prepared
ending and wait for the applause (or stand back from the lectern and nod at the
Toastmaster of the meeting, saying, "Mr. [or Madam] Toastmaster").
Your
Evaluation
After your talk, you will probably begin evaluating yourself even before you sit
down. You may think that you left out some of the best parts. Everybody does
that. Just congratulate yourself on having delivered your first speech, and
write down the things you did well and the things you want to improve. Try to
avoid your mistakes next time.
To supplement your own
evaluation, an experienced club member has been assigned to evaluate your
efforts. (Check with the general evaluator before
the meeting to make sure this has been done.) Before the meeting begins, hand
this manual to your evaluator, so he or she may make notes on the evaluation
page for this project. This will give you a permanent record of your progress;
If there is something in particular you want the evaluator to watch for, be sure
to inform him or her in advance.
Get all the information you can
from the evaluation. Ask other members for additional comments after the
meeting. All of these comments may not be useful to you, but you should consider
them carefully. Remember that the evaluations are representations of how you
came across to the audience. They are usually - but not always— helpful to
your self-development. It’s up to you to judge.
SPEAKER’S
CHECKLIST
Bring this manual to the meeting whenever you
are scheduled to speak.
Review your talk with your coach/mentor.
Discuss any special points with your evaluator
before giving the talk.
Give the evaluator your manual before you
speak so he or she can make written comments on your performance.
Have the Vice President Education initial the
Record of Assignments form on page 69 after you complete each project. This
will give you credit toward your Competent Toastmaster
(CTM) certificate.
Don’t be discouraged if your evaluator
"missed the point." Evaluators have
varying degrees of experience in speaking, and evaluation is a "leam
by doing" skill, just as speaking is.
If you have not already done so, read pages 4
to 7 in this manual. They are very important for your understanding of how to
get the most out of the Toastmasters program.
( http://ed001.home.mindspring.com/members/icebrkr.html
)
Introduction:
This
document is a 3 point plan to make your first Prepared Speech as
easy and relaxed as possible. For this to occur you should:
Read this document while preparing for your speech.
This will
provide guidance and ideas for a professional and entertaining speech as
well as making it an enjoyable experience. Use this document in
conjunction with your Toastmasters manual.
Objectives:
- To introduce you to
speaking before an audience
- To help you see what
your strengths and weaknesses are regarding your presentations
- To tell us something
about yourself
Try a
simple structure for your talk. Usually, there are 3 parts:
1. Opening
- start with an attention-grabbing opening line or lines
"Well
here I am finally doing my ice breaker"
"I'm
the quiet one who sits at the back and never volunteers for
speeches"
2. Body
- pick only 3 or 4 main points to discuss. You can talk about where you
went to school, your upbringing, a passion, hobby or interest you have,
your career, etc. But try to focus on one area, and try not to give too
much detailed information.
The best ice-breakers
are usually conversational. Instead of relying on notes, use a
memorized opening, then talk candidly, for example, about career
experiences. Wrap up with a clever line.
3. Conclusion
This can
be a line or quote you've memorized or at least have a definite idea of.
Try not to read from notes. Eye-contact and presence are more important.
4. Notes, Tips &
Suggestions:
Nothing
warms an audience more than pictures (even if they are in your wallet)
of your family or pets, and describing what they mean to you.
- The audience can
really feel for you if you mention the dream job for which you were
turned down, or the distrastrous vacation with your best friend last
summer.
- Try to personalize
parts as much as possible. Talk about your job for example,
why you enjoy it and the characters in the office.
Finally:
This is your ice breaker
speech, so the evaluator and audience are aware this is one of the first
times you've stepped up in front of the club.
By completing your ice breaker speech
you'll gain a brick in the wall of public speaking. The idea
behind Toastmasters is to further your confidence in public speaking.
So with this newfound insight and confidence, it'll be beneficial to you
to volunteer to be Table Topics, Toastmaster or "Speaking Tip of
The Day" for the next meeting, while there's momentum.
It's like a lot of things in life it's not as difficult as you think!
http://63.249.228.119/Peter/TM/Crib_Sheets/Ice_Breaker/body_ice_breaker.htm
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