Educational Materials | NUS Toastmasters Club

Get the Most Out of Your Time!

October 30, 2015July 20, 2017
by wenxi

As we progress through various stages in life, we might occasionally find ourselves constantly grappling for more time. We would have heard many amongst us remarking “24 hours is just not enough! And I need another day between Sunday and Monday!” However, no matter what, it is undeniably true that no matter how much extra time or leisure time we are given, we would never be satisfied. As a third year Economics undergraduate, I too find myself struggling to cope with my workload and trying to find some free time aside for myself. Nonetheless, it is definitely possible given that all of us practise good time management skills! Breaking down tasks into simple and more manageable tasks might be good and more beneficial instead of aiming to a complete such an arduous or big task within a single day itself. But, let us try to learn more tips from the Entrepreneur: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/219553

I hope these tips would definitely be useful for all of you and let us try to practise more effective time management skills!

Written by:
Keerthana Paramasivam

Julian Treasure TED Talk: How to Speak So That…

September 16, 2015July 20, 2017
by wenxi

I’m a huge fan of both the NUS Toastmasters chapter meetings and TED talks for the quality of the speakers and the topics on offer. I always leave with a feeling of somehow having been enlightened. This particular speech, made by Julian Treasure is an absolute goldmine of knowledge.

I feel that this is a speech that every toastmaster should watch this video and internalise the easy to apply techniques offered by Julian, especially those looking to hit all the right notes in their P6: Vocal Variety. I wish I had stumbled across this great resource before I tackled my P6 several months ago, but it’s never too late to learn how to effectively manipulate vocal variety to enhance one’s message.

Julian embodies great confidence with his authoritative voice. His first few words, in a low register: “The human voice,” followed by a very quick summary about his speech objectives, draw you into his world. Setting the stage for a quick intro to the fundamentals of public speaking skills, which sometimes, the most advanced speakers forget to apply. Julian’s speech, peppered with appropriate humour, left me wanting more. He describes the human voice as a toolbox, with many useful gadgets that we have at our disposal. Such metaphors enhance learning by giving us a more visual image of what is being said and makes his message memorable.

Julian brought up many skills/keyword that we have all come across at some point in our live and explained them quickly, not going into too much detail. He was successful in covering a great variety of skills but I would have preferred to hear some of them in greater depth. He, however, was probably rushed for time and the number of topics he touched in ten minutes, and the way in which he emphasised their importance in delivering a message, was quite incredible. So, after watching this video, there is a definite need to do your own further research to enhance your understanding of each of these skills.

If there is one skill I picked up that really caught my attention, it would have to be the effective usage of pauses. Being a Toastmaster, the suggestion of eliminating the ums and ahs really struck a chord. Julian is an exceptional speaker and his sincerity and conviction in delivering a message show that he truly believe in what he is saying. I believe that every one of us in NUS Toastmasters has what it takes to achieve that level of inspiration, and that is something we should strive toward. And that,…as they say in the TED community, is truly an idea that is worth spreading.

The recommended TED talk by Julian Treasure on How to speak so that people want to listen can be found at https://www.ted.com/talks/julian_treasure_how_to_speak_so_that_people_want_to_listen?language=en#.

Written by:
Selvam Ramanathan

Roseline Torres Ted Talk: What it Takes to Be…

September 14, 2015July 20, 2017
by wenxi

Dear fellow Toastmasters,

Are you aware that leadership is also a crucial key track in your Toastmaster’s Journey? During every chapter meeting, members do not just take on speech projects, but also take on appointment roles such as Timer, Evaluator, Toastmaster of the Evening and so on. These roles allow you to develop essential leadership skills such as time management, teamwork and effective communication. But, leadership definitely extends way beyond that! When we go to work, we might have to develop our potential further and encounter certain situations where we would have to lead a large group of people in a decision making process and so on.

Roseline Torres is Boston Consulting Group’s resident expert on leadership and even left her previous job so that she could study about the topic of leadership in greater details. She shares a 9 minute Ted Talk speech on what it takes to be a 21^st century leader. In this Ted Talk, she highlights that there are key differences in becoming a leader today, especially with the increase in the flow of ideas and communication. She rose up three effective questions in her speech on what it takes to be a great leader:

1) Where are you looking to anticipate change?

2) What is the diversity measure of your network?

3) Are you courageous enough to abandon the past?

Watch this short clip: http://www.ted.com/talks/roselinde_torres_what_it_takes_to_be_a_great_leader?share=13aade675f on how Roseline talks about the various characteristics needed for a leader to succeed today and come out from the past conventional ways!

Written by:
Keerthana Paramasivam

Tips on Becoming a Better Public Speaker

September 8, 2015July 20, 2017
by wenxi

Public speaking is something each and every one of us has had to do in our lives. It is something we cannot escape from no matter how much we fear it. It is crucial to success in our careers, helps us improve our communication, become a better leader and communicate our ideas across to other people. Want to learn how to improve your speaking today? The following article highlights tips from professionals on how to become a better public speaker:

The recommended article Want To Be A Better Public Speaker? Do What The Pros Do.can be found at http://www.forbes.com/sites/susantardanico/2012/05/29/want-to-be-a-better-public-speaker-do-what-the-pros-do/. All rights belong to the original author.

Written by:
G. Vishua Priya

Communicate Your Way To Success: Lesson Learnt from Big…

September 8, 2015July 20, 2017
by wenxi

Have you watched the movie “Big Hero 6” before?

If you have, you would agree with me that it was fantastic!

If you have not, it’s okay! I just watched it during the NUS Alumni Family Day two weeks ago.

One of the main protagonists in the movie named Hiro, was a gifted creator or robots. He had an older brother, Takeshi, who was as talented as Hero and attends the best robotic academy in town. Initially, Hiro built robots just for fighting purposes, but later, he was inspired by his brother to dream bigger and attend the so-called “nerd school”. In order to enter the nerd school, Hiro had to present his invention during the recruitment fair, and this is the part of the movie that I would love to share with you, let’s click on the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSkuzg7YCo8.

When I watched this part, Toastmasters was the first thing that crossed my mind. Notice that Hiro had a stage fright, and stuttered at first. The audience started to ignore him and left. However, after receiving encouragement from his loving brother and his friends, he presented stupendously and was offered a place in the academy!

“How you say it” is as important as “What you say”. Hiro’s speech engaged the audiences’ senses. Notice that when he presented, he did not only tell the audience what “microbots” were, but also demonstrated to them how they work. The perfect combination of excellent speech crafting and choreography enchanted his audiences and caught an investor’s attention. Regardless of who we are, a scientist, an engineer, a social scientist, an artist, a businessperson, or even a musician, all of us need to communicate our ideas effectively. Often at times, we come up with breakthrough and brilliant ideas, but we have trouble connecting with our audiences and delivering the ideas to them. Here in NUS Toastmasters, we have an education structure that will help you build your confidence and competence in speaking, one step at a time. We have the basic 10 Projects in the Competent Communication Manual, from “The Ice Breaker” to “Inspire Your Audience”. After completing 10 basic projects, you can move on to select up to 6 from a palette of 15 Advanced Speech Manuals, each having its own specialisations, to further polish your speaking skills in different areas of expertise.

Speaking in public may be scary, but the fear can be subdued with the support of your family and friends. In NUS Toastmasters, we are like a family. We encourage and motivate one another to improve, one step at a time.

Navigate around our website to get a feel of who we are and what we do. Enjoy the educational resources written and posted by our dedicated members. If you have any query, or if you want to know how you can be a better speaker, listener, thinker and leader, we welcome you to contact any one of our Executive Committee members.

Let us work together, Let us grow together, and together, let us achieve our dreams.

Written by:
Andrew Anthony Tjoa

Secrets of Speaking Confidently

September 8, 2015July 20, 2017
by wenxi

As the top one fear in the world, the mental and physical challenges posed by public speaking are tremendous to many of us, especially for those who do not use English as their native language, just like me. The nervousness we experience on the stage not only affects our fluency in delivery, but also undermines our credibility as a persuader or convincer. Are there any way to make ourselves appear assertive and confident in front of audiences even if we do feel the butterfly in our stomach?

The answer is a firm YES! In the following article 5 Secret Looking Confident While Speaking in Public, Nikki Stone highlighted 5 useful tips which I frequently applied before making a speech. I would recommend you to really put these tips into practice, as no a milestone could be achieved and no barrier could be overcome without your persistent input of time and efforts.

The recommended article 5 Secret Looking Confident While Speaking in Public can be found at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nikki-stone/confident-public-speaking_b_4058830.html . All rights belong to the original author.

Written by:
Wenxi Yu

10 Ways To Engage the Audience

August 25, 2015July 20, 2017
by wenxi

Dear fellow Toastmasters,

I am sure most of us would love to have the attention of the audience on us the entire time we are doing a speech project. For instance, when we say something funny or incorporate humour in our speech, we would definitely expect the audience to laugh or at least respond to what we are saying. Even though we might have delivered a very well-rehearsed speech, it is nevertheless crucial that we engage the audience as well. Building a strong rapport with the audience forms the root of an effective speech. The laughter, the applause from the audience without any doubt would make us more satisfied with our speech! Do you have the ability to capture the attention of the audience or do you find that your audience happen to lose interest in what you are speaking? Here are 10 tips shared by Dorothea Stuart from Toastmasters International on how to build rapport and engage your audience effectively!

1) Putting your audience first – It is important to know as much as possible about your audience before starting on your speech project so that you can tailor your content of your speech according to the needs of the audience.

2) Find opportunities for humour – Humour is the most effective tool to engage the audience and one of the oldest rapport building techniques.

3) Allowing for flexibility in your content – Flexing your speech in response to your audience. Arrive early before your speech and talk to as many people as possible. Pick up interesting stories or anecdotes which you could use later on as well.

4) First Impressions count – Dress appropriately and form a good mental and physical state which communicates a positive attitude and energy to your audience. Be enthusiastic about your speech.

5) Have a strong opening – Make the audience feel as though they are good hands with your opening. Find an opening that grabs the audience attention and engage them immediately.

6) Manage the middle – Maintain and excite the audience’s interest at key points in your speech. (E.g. a humorous twist or shocking conclusions)

7) Using stories for emotional connection – “Make a point. Tell a story. Tell a story. Make a point.” We are more likely to remember the story that illustrates this structure even if we grasp the facts from a speech.

8) Use your voice with vocal variety – Varying the pace and volume at which you can speak. If you are telling a story about a fast-paced environment – pick up your pace. To engage the audience, your voice should match your content.

9) Give the audience time – Pauses are important in a speech for the audience to digest what you are saying.

10) Have a strong ending – Craft a clear, concise summary of your key message to end on. Have a specific call to action so that people know exactly what they need to do.

I hope these ten tips have been very useful for all of you and let us strive to become better and more effective communicators!

The recommended article Ten ways to build rapport and engage your audience can be found at https://www.trainingjournal.com/articles/feature/ten-ways-build-rapport-and-engage-your-audience . All rights belong to the original author.

Written by:
Keerthana Paramasivam

Guide to Your Toastmaster Speeches

August 25, 2015July 20, 2017
by wenxi

The Toastmasters Speech Series written by Andrew Dlugan contains excellent guidance regarding the first seven speech projects of Competent Communicator manual. Members working on their CC speech projects can use these articles as an additional resource for their speech preparation that complements the CC Manual and interactions with their mentor. These articles have helped me a lot to incorporate the project objectives into my speeches seamlessly.

The recommended article Toastmasters Speech Series: Your Guide to the First 10 Speeches can be found at http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/toastmasters-speech-0-competent-communicator/. All rights belong to the original author.

Written by:
Sindhu Shetty

How To Tell A Good Story

August 25, 2015July 20, 2017
by wenxi

(Picture retrieved from http://www.renemagritte.org/the-son-of-man.jsp)

I’ve always been fascinated by stories. There’s something so simple yet powerful about a story that can move the heart, body and soul.

We live in a world of stories.

On the first week of school, my tutor, Lei shared her story about how she became a designer. She brought us from Singapore all the way to New York in a matter of seconds, guiding us into her world of shadow puppetry, art exhibitions and food (yes, food. Imagine choosing pasta alphabets and forming words then adding hot soup and finally savor it.) I was captivated and enchanted by her story.

The class?

Design fiction.

Another time I sat through 100 minutes of pain, torture and eye-rolling in Taiwan. I was in a movie theatre watching the latest remake of Fantastic 4 (2015).

4 words. Do Not Watch It.

Then I asked the question: Why are some stories better than others?

The right person to answer this is Donald Miller. He’s an author of several best-selling books, co-wrote a nationally-released movie and shares marketing strategies for multi-billion dollar brands.

Miller has a simple 7-step process to tell an engaging story.

The structure is:

A character has a problem, and then meets a guide, who gives them a plan and calls them to action. That action either results in a comedy or a tragedy.

In fact, thousands of Hollywood films have raked in billions of dollars because of the above two sentences. In his free e-book, Miller talks about Star Wars. Luke Skywalker wants to fight against the evil empire, but he also wants to know if he has what it takes to be a Jedi. He meets a guide named Yoda who gives him confidence, a plan and training to go out and defeat the enemy. The comic or happy ending happens when Luke destroys the Death Star and preserves the Rebellion to fight another day.

The same goes for The Hunger Games movie. Katniss tries her best to survive the games and needs the help of Haymitch. Haymitch gives her confidence and a plan. She will need to endear the public to get sponsorships that will greatly benefit her in the games. She takes action by participating in the games and, after a struggle, finds a happy ending in which she lives to fight another day, delivering hope to her family and District 12.

If you want to learn the details as to how to craft a good story, for a speech, a book or maybe for your own life, you might want to download his free e-book “How To Tell A Story” below.

How To Tell A Story

All rights belong to Donald Miller @ http://storylineblog.com/

Written by:
Nathaddeus Tan