Extemporaneously Speaking - I Won a Table Topics Contest!

Today officially makes one week. "One week for what?," you're probably thinking. Well, hold tight and I'll tell you. One week ago, today, I competed in the District 30 Chicagoland Toastmasters Spring 2010 Table Topics contest and won first place. Yep, that's right, I am now recognized as the "Table Topics Champ" for 2010.

It gives me goose bumps just thinking about it. My journey to victory started back in October 2009 when I had to compete in a total of four Table Topics contests, including Club (Wrightwood-Ashburn Overcomers (WAO) Toastmasters, #771880), Area (S52), Division (South), and District (30).

At each contest, I had to deliver a two-minute, extemporaneous speech on a random topic selected specifically for the contest. You heard me right, I could not prepare a speech because I did not know the topic until that day!(I heard that and you're right, it was a little scary). The most challenging part of all contests for me was listening very closely to the question (which was repeated twice) and coming up with an engaging and coherent two-minute response, "on-the-fly," that met the requirements of the judges.

I am proud to say that I did it - all four times! I am ecstatic with myself that I was able to succeed at fulfilling this goal because as some of you may recall, last year, I decided to take my speaking skills and Toastmasters participation to the next level by experiencing speech contests. This makes the second out of four speech contests I've competed in and won. I now have two more to go.

Thank you to my Toastmasters family, especially the members of my home club, WAO (WAy-Oh), for inspiring, encouraging, supporting, coaching, and mentoring me to a first place victory. I could not have done it without you.

For all of you that have asked to see footage from my first contest where I placed second in the South Division 2009 Humorous Speech Contest, feel free to watch the video below to see me in action.

Let me know what you think.

Enjoy.

Can You Communicate, Lead, or Both?

"Communicators who can lead and leaders who can communicate."

That statement was spoken on Tuesday night by Angela Moustis, a fellow Toastmasters member, as we both were completing the last of 10 speeches to receive the Advanced Communicator Bronze (Angela) and Advanced Communicator Silver (me) awards.

"Communicators who can lead and leaders who can communicate."

That statement struck a chord in mostly everyone in the room and became one of the most memorable lines of the night.

"Communicators who can lead and leaders who can communicate."

Angela reminded us that corporations, organizations, associations, and communities need "Communicators who can lead and leaders who can communicate."

As Angela continued to deliver her speech, "Take the Credit You Deserve," I processed the question she had posed to us, "How many of you knew that you were joining Toastmasters to improve your leadership skill"?

My hand was one of few to be raised.

Although I knew that Toastmasters International was an organization to help build strong communicators, I was more interested in joining Toastmasters to boost my confidence and strengthen my abilities as a leader.

I had considered myself to be a "background leader," meaning, I was very, very comfortable with being behind the scenes in a committee member position or even vice president role, instead of in the limelight as the president, helping the president or chair to lead the group toward its mission and goals.

As my undergraduate years came to an end and I transitioned into the professional world as an Administrative Assistant, I found that stepping into the limelight was a must if I was to succeed in my career.

The University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign helped to boost my awareness of my need to be a leader as well as a communicator and my committee experiences there helped to build my comfort level in accepting and fulfilling leadership roles. However, it would be my membership in Toastmasters International that would truly move me from "background leader" to "leader in the limelight."

Since my 11-year membership with Toastmasters International, I've had the privilege of seeing my leadership skills develop and prosper. I formed my own company a year after joining Toastmasters and have been serving as President, Founder and CEO ever since. In addition, I held leadership roles at the club ( Club President, Vice President Education, Vice President Membership, Vice President Public Relations, Secretary, Treasurer, and Sergeant-at-Arms), area (Area Governor), division (Division Governor), and district levels ( Youth Leadership Co-Coordinator, Spring Conference 2001 Co-Chair, and Fall Conference 2002 Chair) with District 30 Chicagoland Toastmasters. Plus, I've held the leadership roles of Administration and Communications Coordinator and Culminating Event Logistics Chair for the G.R.A.C.E. Program.

Out of all the leadership roles I've fulfilled and leadership goals I've accomplished, the one that speaks the loudest for me is serving as Sponsor and Mentor for the Wrightwood-Ashburn Overcomers (WAO) Toastmasters Club, #771880 in Chicago. I've had a chance to see in me what Angela meant about "Communicators who can lead and leaders who can communicate" because I was able to lead and communicate a brand new club into existence. I was able to form a brand new club with people who had never been in Toastmasters before and lead them toward communication certifications, membership growth, and leadership development. Under my leadership, I was able to lead WAO to Select Distinguished Club in 2006-2007 and 2008-2009, all for a club that's only been around since March 2005.

"Communicators who can lead and leaders who can communicate" is not a phrase that describes only my personal journey, it embodies my professional journey as well.

Communication and leadership are two essential skills that are needed in all aspects and arenas of life. If you find that you must fine-tune one of these areas, consider using Toastmasters International as I did.