Peace Speakers' October 19th meeting was brimming with several kinds of encouragement. First of all, our area govenor for Toastmasters, Jason Rehkamp, paid us a friendly visit. He shared his willingness to support our club in any way he could and encouraged us to strive for excellence. Just there to observe, Jason noted the less regimented manner in which our club meeting is conducted, making for a more relaxed and informal style of engagement. He thought this worked well for our members and guests.
Another type of encouragement came from Ada
She noted how constructive quiet deepens our understanding of ourselves and others. Living in a surround-sound world of relentless noise - from traffic to cell phones to 24/7 news - it's little wonder that occasional moments of quietness feel awkward and unsettling in comparison.
Silence, however, is a very powerful communication tool in our public
speaking. There is a great wealth of
information and wisdom in well-placed and well-timed pauses between words...if we use it and others listen for it. In public speaking, timely pauses add power
to your message and allow for reflection. In these pauses, we have time to process the
message and make meaningful associations. Zipping through a speech in order to power-load the information shared can leave listeners overwhelmed. (I know, because I’m guilty of this!!!!)
The wise Benjamin Franklin once emphasized, "Remember not only to say the right thing at the right place, but far more difficult still is to leave unsaid the wrong things at the tempting moments." (I confess...been there and done the latter more than I'd like to admit.)
Any of us can practice expanding our comfort zone by disconnecting from technology for 15 minutes 2 times a day. (Yes, it's possible!!!!!) This shuts out all distractions and clears your mind from internal chatter and must-do lists. Dwell on this quietness and enjoy it, and a channel for creativity will emerge as well.
Practice using silence and you will become comfortable with it. Notice how your interactions with others improve as a result. The key is focusing on what the other person is expressing instead of mentally rehearsing your response. As Peace Speakers, we use this strategy for enhancing communication and building stronger relationships.
During our Table Topics session, participants were asked Halloween-related questions. Jason's two-minute impromptu talk intrigued listeners as he reminisced about a tradition he and his children enjoy in October. His 3 children find it fun making the trek to Huber Farms, where they spend the day picking out pumpkins for the kids to carve. He loves watching their creative carving and the costumes they come up with each year. These memories stirred listeners as well when they awarded Jason with the Table Topics trophy.
I love Table Topics sessions because they allow members and willing guests to share facts and opinions they have about an endless assortment of subjects. What is shared in two minutes is often moving, informative, and can even bring us all to laughter. Speaking in such a safe and supportive environment is a wonderful way to expand communication skills!
I apologize that it took me a while to get this blog posted. I admit I was suffering from "sieve brain" early on (not recalling details I wanted to include), and this made for serious procrastination. As time progresses, I hope to become more adept at juggling my camera and being a better recorder during our Toastmaster meetings.
If you're new to this blog, come visit us sometime! We always meet the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of every month (with the exception of December 21st). The last two Peace Speakers meetings for 2011 are on Wednesday, November 16th and December 7th at the Presbyterian Center, 100 Witherspoon Street, from 1:00-2:00 PM. It's a great way to become a better communicator and leader, and who wouldn't benefit from that?
Learning along the way,
Kay Chambers, VP for Public Relations
No comments:
Post a Comment