How To Develop Polished Communication Skills

Do you get a little nervous when you have to speak in front of others, either in person or virtually in a video call? If the answer is yes, you will want to read this article.

Pictured above are Andrea Regan (left) and Kris Kizer (right). Both are members of Toastmasters (TM). TM is an international, non-profit, educational organization whose primary mission is to help its members overcome the fear of public speaking and at the same time develop leadership skills. People who get “tongue-tied” or just want to be a better communicator come to us. TM has over 364,000 members, with over 16,200 local clubs in 145 countries.

Andrea and Kris are members of Lincoln-Way TM (LW TM) who meet in Frankfort, IL. Currently, due to COVID-19 precautions most TM clubs are meeting virtually. On Feb 27, 2021, then again on Mar 27, 2021, both participated in two rounds of virtual speech contests representing LW TM. Neighboring TM clubs sent their best speakers to compete in these series of contests.

Andrea was in the Evaluation Contest. In this competition, each contestant listens to the same speaker giving a speech. The contestant must listen and observe closely everything that the speaker said and did while delivering his/her message. Hence, the contestant is not just listening to words, but paying attention to gestures, voice inflection, use of humor, speech organization and more. Then, each contestant must give a 2 to 3 minute evaluation, letting the speaker know what he/she did well and areas of possible improvement. All of this must be done in a considerate and tactful way. Then, each contestant is judged on who gave the best evaluation. On April 24, 2021 Andrea competed and finished first place in the final role of the Speech Evaluation Contest. For 2021, she became "the Best Speech Evaluator in District 54" which includes the northern half of IL, except for Chicago and its immediate suburbs.

Kris is in the International Speech Contest. In this competition, each contestant must give an original 5 to 7 minute speech on any subject of his/her choosing. In this competition, a speaker is encouraged to use multiple communication techniques such as vocal variety, gestures, humor, easy to follow speech transitions and a climactic conclusion to inspire the audience. Each contestant is judged on who gave the best speech. Kris has participated in 3 rounds of competition. On May 1, 2021, Kris competed and finished first place in the District Finals. Like Andrea, Kris became "the Best Speaker in District 54." He will advance to the Regional Quarter Finals. He spoke about a college experience which increased his cultural awareness of people from different countries. Since this contest is international, the eventual winner in these contests is deemed "the Best Speaker in the World."

These competitions are special events, not all TM club members participate in competitions. Nevertheless, it does illustrate how everyday people who feel uneasy talking in front of others can learn effective communication skills.

Andrea lives in Manhattan, IL; she is a fitness guru; she is an advanced distant runner and a spin instructor. In her 9 to 5 hours, she is an Operations Manager. She has “to wear a lot of hats” where she must be able to communicate effectively and solve all kinds of issues in quick order while maintaining team cohesion. She joined TM 6 years ago to grow her confidence in public speaking. She received more than she anticipated. Not only is she a better speaker, she loves the fact that she gets to interact with like-minded people.

Kris lives in University Park, IL; by profession he is an Advertising/Marketing Executive. He joined TM a year ago. At the young age of 8, he started speaking in front of people. Hence, he wasn’t afraid of public speaking; however, he wanted to elevate his speaking skills to a higher level. His goals are to motivate others, give TEDx Talks and become a professional speaker. He quickly recognized that the International Speech Contest would accelerate his progression.

Though, LW TM are proud of Andrea and Kris’ success, our club is open to all individuals, 18 years or older. Our typical member does not come to us as an accomplished speaker. We turn them into very capable speakers and leaders who are needed in all walks of life. We are non-profit, and our membership cost is very nominal. To obtain a Zoom link to one or both of District 54 Championships, or virtually attend a regular LW TM meeting, please email Thad Gray at: mail4thad@yahoo.com. Guests are always welcome to our meetings/contests, and you are never under any obligation by attending.