by Robin Landry

Created on: January 14, 2009   Last Updated: December 10, 2009

In the movie, "A Toy Story" the character Buzz Lightyear finally accepts that he can't really fly; what he actually does is best described as "falling with style." When I hear people express fear about public speaking I often wonder, "What's the big deal?" After all, if you really think about it, public speaking really is nothing more than "talking with style."

Most of us engage in some type of informal public speaking every single day without thinking much about it. Speaking with a clerk or service provider as you conduct your personal business, ordering in a restaurant when dining with a group of friends, speaking with your co-workers either during a team meeting or informally at lunch or even lecturing your children and their friends about the need to quiet down are all examples of very informal public speaking. We give these "mini-speeches" constantly with practically no preparation and, I would suspect, little if any nervousness or anxiety. But if you've mastered a new work procedure that others are struggling with and your boss asks you to "do a brief presentation on that to the group" if you are like many people this suddenly becomes a "white knuckle" moment.

So how do you overcome this fear and become a polished public speaker? One really great program for developing public speaking skills is Toastmaster's International. Briefly, Toastmasters International is a non-profit organization dedicated to the development of good communication skills through the practice of public speaking and peer evaluation.

The Toastmaster's program allows speakers to develop their skills by completing specific speaking assignments. The purpose outlined in each speaking assignment concentrates on a very specific aspect of effective public speaking. For example, one assignment might focus on how to clearly organize a speech with opening, body and conclusion, while another assignment might address vocal tone or how to use visual aids effectively.

Participants also have the opportunity to give and receive positive feedback to peers through speech evaluations and to practice impromptu speaking through an exercise known as Table Topics. In addition to public speaking skills Toastmasters also offers leadership and educational opportunities for those members interested in serving as club or district officers or participating in Toastmaster sponsored workshops or speech competitions.

As a former Toastmaster member here are a few basic tips for speaking more effectively that I have

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