"I'm not ready"
Have you heard these excuses and more?
This contest season, I had some failures and some successes in getting participation.
As leaders, many of us know there are lots of value to contest. The biggest value is that the challenge makes us much better individual speakers and adds lots of value to clubs.
I am guilty of using the excuses myself. Then I wound up going 3 levels in an evaluator contest, just because I took part in my club contest. I took part so that the other person would have a challenge. I was certain the other person was going to win.
I didn't think I was ready to be in a Toastmasters contest.
Most people will never think they are ready.
They need someone to push them into taking on the contest.
If we wait for everyone to decide they are ready on their own, the contests will have very few participants.
As a Division Governor, I am not allowed to be a contestant in the district contests this year. But I know how much members will learn and how much it helps energize the club.
How do we get members to take part in contests?
I've been talking up the contests in meetings for many weeks now.
I have promoted the example Tall Tales videos.
We had an example Tall Tales with details for the keynote speech at the Colorado Springs TLI.
I came up with my own example Tall Tales speech, which I put out on YouTube and have demonstrated in a few meetings.
I've asked and encouraged the other officers in my 2 clubs to help organize and promote the contest.
In both my clubs, the same tactic was taken to try to get members to step-up to be contestants:
An email to the group: "Who wants to be in the contest?"
Can you guess the response? None.
That doesn't have to be a failure. At least it is getting the idea out there more that the club is looking for contest participation.
But you can't stop there!
Having members take part in contests shows that clubs are vital and involved beyond their 4 walls.
Clubs need to make sure they have representatives going to contest.
In my one club, I have talked and emailed directly with a few people who said they were considering it. I offered to help. So far, one person decided they can not do it. Another is still thinking. And another is on the fence, and does not seem to want to have help to get to the next step.
I will continue to encourage, and make sure they club knows the importance of taking part.
In another club, I tried something a little different, with some real success!
Our next meeting didn't have anything scheduled. It was the last chance to have a club contest before the area contest. Our new VP/Ed was not sure which way go with the meeting and the contest.
We sent out an email, and nobody replied wanting to be in the contest.
I was faced with the question: what can we do with a meeting, when nobody has stepped up to be in a club contest?
I had an idea. Clubs do not have to use a contest to send on members to a contest. They are allowed use some other process, and nominate members to go to the contest.
I defined my meeting idea to a couple of the officers, and got their buy-in:
I would run a special meeting with a slightly different flavor.
The order of the meeting:
- Get the meeting started
- Announce the Area contest date. Go around to each member, and ask if they have time to be in the audience at the Area Contest. I noted each name.
- Present that I am giving a speech, and want a panel evaluation
- Have each person give a verbal evaluation from their seat
- Then a special reverse table topics:
- I asked each person to think of a few things, example a favorite place, a toy, a book, etc.
- I had people come up one at a time, and tell me a little about 2-3 of these items, with a few details
- I took turns with another advanced member:
- I called up the couple of extra people who were listed as being able to make the contest, who hadn't volunteered
- At the end of Table Topics, I told each person that they had just been an evaluator, just like at a contest, and that each Table Topic was an example of a Tall Tales speech in a contest.
- I wrote down the names of the people who could make it on a board, and said the club would like to nominate them to go to the contest. I said we could do a ballot to pick order if there were too many for either contest. I asked the interest from the people listed.
From this, we had 3 members going to the contest!
I was very happily surprised when one of the members who had said that maybe they would do the evaluation contest decided they would take on Tall Tales instead.
Another technique that may work for you as a club officer, is to decide which members you think are comfortable enough speaking in front of the club, and go to them individually. Tell them that you think this would be a good step for them. Tell them that the club needs them to represent the club at the area. Tell them that even though they don't think they are ready, you know they are ready. Make sure they know how much they will learn by doing the contest. Make sure they know, it is still Toastmasters, and it is still a safe place to try things out, and it is still a safe place to make stumbles. A better place than at an interview.
If you are a member, consider these factors:
You are in Toastmasters to learn how to speak outside of Toastmasters.
A contest is one of the best, safest places to find out how you are doing in the process of learning what Toastmaster gives you beyond the club.
You will see how much you have learned, and learn how much more you can still get from Toastmasters and back at your club.
Yes, it will be intense, exciting, nerve-racking, and maybe a bit disappointing if you don't win. Yet, it is an amazing, exciting time that will cause you to grow in ways and at rate that you can never imagine!
One more thing to think about: if you and your club do not show up with contestants at the contest, that allows another club to come in, and maybe not work very hard if there are no other competitors, and walk out with the trophy, just for showing up and making time.
Let the other clubs know that if they want those trophies, they are going to have to work harder than you!
Thank-you to all that have stepped up to be contestants, functionaries and audience at the Toastmasters contests!
See you at the contests!
Keep your Witz About You!
