I Was The Target!

Last Monday evening, I was the "target speaker" for an evaluation contest.  After hearing my speech, six people competed by giving a 3-minute oral evaluation of my speech.  Their remarks included both my good points as a speaker and the points on which I could improve.

It was interesting to hear what people thought of my speech and how I delivered it.  Listening to the evaluators comment on what they thought I did well was not a problem.  The tricky part was to receive the suggestions for improvement while not allowing those same suggestions to discourage me from ever getting up to speak in front of an audience again.

Participating in this exercise was an opportunity to learn and grow in a safe environment.  The contest was a part of the program of Toastmasters International, an organization dedicated to fostering speaking and leadership skills.  Members work to improve their thinking and listening expertise as well as their proficiency in public speaking.

Everyone can benefit from developing their communication skills, and almost everyone can take advantage of the Toastmasters experience.  Go to www.toastmasters.org to find a club nearby - visitors are always welcome.