No Contest

Most of the time, a Toastmaster's campaign to improve at public speaking keeps them within the confines of their own club. Indeed, one could remain in that realm throughout their time in the organization. To do so, however, would be to remain in a comfort zone where the last measure of progress can never happen. That's partly why I personally participate in every speaking contest that I can with gusto. The way it works is that each club tends hold its own contest to select contestants who will advance to the next level. From there, contestants are winnowed down as the contest progresses through several more rounds, culminating in a climactic round.

In my first contest, it went only as far as the Division level, which is not big enough that you end up sleeping in a hotel bed. It was a relatively modest competition containing an impromptu speaking contest as well as one for "Tall Tales". In that one, I won at the club level, but lost at the second round. I like to think that I had a fairly decent showing for my first try, and that I learned quite a bit. The final round, held at the Jon Lovitz Comedy Club in Universal City, was quite an experience, as is any event that you walk away from with a pineapple.

That brings us to the morning of the 11th. In the afternoon was the club level contest for the spring international competition. For this one, the stakes are somewhat higher. It encompasses every member and club there is. The focus is different as well. Rather than tall tales and impromptu speeches, it's inspirational speeches and speech evaluations. They require something of a different skill set. I recall my speeches last time were "The Adventures Of Arizona Juan" and an impromptu speech wherein I had to pick one person to be for a week. I went with "President Superman".

This time, my speech sought to inspire the audience with a message of employing imagination and vision as a means to achieving success. My evaluation can't easily be described, owing to the nature of the particular endeavor. I had been somewhat involved in enlisting event leaders and contestants, but was strictly a contestant once the day came- a contestant going head to headed with rivals I myself had cajoled into entering the contest!

I never worried about the evaluation contest until the test speaker (the term for a speaker whose speech is fodder for those evaluating) begins. After all, what about an as-yet unknown challenge is there to stress over? The inspirational speech was another matter. A week in advance of the contest, I had my idea; its inspiration lay in a particularly memorable scene from a film I had seen several years before. I promptly jotted down some notes which largely presaged the full extent of what the speech would become. Only a day and a half to two days before zero hour did I begin to expand upon and firm up the material.

I don't write a full text which I memorize and to which I try to be utterly faithful; that went out the window the first time I blanked in front of an audience. Now I write the key points and allow myself to fill the spaces in between while in the moment. I don't claim this is the way, but it does seem to work better for me currently. Absorbing my speech and concurrently dealing with my duties as Vice President of Membership, I made my way to the meeting. It was no trouble. Outside the meeting room, I encountered a disoriented guest. I ascertained that the door was unlocked and that our members were inside, then guided said person inside. There we found said members setting up and a tasty spread of sandwiches, cookies and drinks set up. I always enjoy arriving to find that surprise waiting for me whenever I go anywhere.

I focused on my last-minute preparations as much as aforementioned duties and good manners allowed, and then the meeting began. It was a few minutes late in getting out of the gates, probably because members in charge of the event were not accustomed to starting things rather than reacting to things starting. Once that was done, though, it was largely smooth. I was quite glad that the prepared speeches came before evaluations. I had been concerned, because doing it in opposite order would have surely impacted the quality of my evaluation. So I gave my speech (after being too occupied and distracted to observe those preceding). It went rather well, although some things I had meant to say slipped my mind. That happens often, and I overcame the potential consequences.

My evaluation did not go so well. I suppose that I'm not used to doing that in such a setting under such conditions. I was able to make some possibly helpful and encouraging points, but could have done much better. I had no expectation that I would win with that. After I was swiftly praised for my other offering, I quickly grew to expect I would win that contest. It was an expectation which would go unfulfilled, as I left the contest empty-handed save the experience and knowledge gained (and the fun had). It was a disappointment, but I am glad for my triumphant comrades, and will endeavor to help them go as far as they can. For me, there will be another contest.