China Advanced Toastmasters

Last Monday night our VPE was the GE at Shanghai No. 1 at their 499th meeting. It was a longer evaluation than is often possible and you can see it here or below but some of the key points are below:

• Utilization: Use whatever happens to get across your message.
• Frame the message and prepare the audience.
• Say less; communicate more.
• Take your time. When you do, speak with a purpose.
• Share the emotional component of the message, not just the content. Communicate feeling AND information. They’ll remember the feeling long after they forget your information and will forget your information immediately if they don’t like the feeling they get around you.
• Everytime we stand up, we’re looking to expand our skills. There are no small roles, only short ones. When you have a short role, it’s a concentrated experience to use in refining your skills.
• Set the frame – when you speak, identify the criteria for success or at least the guidelines that you are working towards.
• There are no excuses – don’t make them for yourself or give them to other people. Just give your best. Always.
• When things go wrong, strive to make the problem invisible. Make it look as though it was part of the plan.
• Give your audience the gift of your message. They are VIPs (Very Important People) so if you don’t have a point to saying something yet, think of one.
• Great evaluators highlight examples of great things that we can learn from, highlight ways that we can improve and presents the combination of the two for the benefit of the audience. Speak of “the speaker” to the audience rather than speaking to the speaker. Give your personal evaluation for the speaker later.
• Have a great introduction. Introductions set the stage for the audience and help them get more from the presentation. The easiest way is to write one yourself.