Page 38 - IB April 2021

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MAKING GREAT PUBLIC SPEAKERS

American poet and philosopher, Ralph Waldo Emerson said: selling and talking to customers and strangers. They’re very
“All the great speakers were bad speakers at first.” comfortable with that, with talking about their product. For
It’s a reassuring adage that informs the practices of them to talk about the same thing in a different space, that
Toastmasters International (TI), an educational organisation is, inside a room with a slightly formal setting, where they
focused on public speaking and leadership skills by giving its are required to stand in the front and present in English, they
members many opportunities to practice their craft through became nervous and self-conscious. The atmosphere during
their clubs. Currently, TI has over 16,200 clubs spread out interactive sessions helped them to build their confidence.”
through 145 countries. The training incorporated a variety of confidence-building
Public speaking is one of the core skills that members of activities including charades and impromptu questions and
the Fiji Bloom business accelerator program are given an op- answers. “We provided lots of opportunities for participants
portunity to develop. Last year, Veronika Naiwaqa from the to stand up and present within a short time frame, that is,
Capital Toastmasters Suva was one of the trainers to work thirty seconds or one minute, after which we provided direct
with South Pacific Business Development members participat- feedback in a positive structure,” Naiwaqa says. TI uses a
ing in the program. feedback structure known as the sandwich method, which is
Veronika says they were initially approached to help the to ‘commend, recommend and commend’. This includes giving
members develop the sales pitches they were required to positive commendation on effective skills they already have,
present at the end of the program. “We were coming in to recommend ways of improving specific areas they could work
provide communication skills and presentation skills, which on, and closing the feedback with an overall positive adjective
included creating their PowerPoint presentations. There were of the presentation. “Some of them are very good speakers
three sessions over three weeks, with one hour per week. The and some are very shy, but we kept reminding them that they
interactive activities helped them improve their confidence to had it in them to come and speak in the front.
speak in public, how to structure their thoughts and covered “Just seeing how they grow bold from the shared learning
general skills on effective communication. We had good fun.” that boosted their confidence is rewarding. Observing their
Veronika says one of the biggest developments was see- progress where they start losing their nervousness and seeing
ing the participants’ confidence grow as they spoke outside their personalities and humour coming out motivates me. To
environments they were used to. have this opportunity to impact that progress is always heart-
“Their first expression was, ‘Oh, no, no. We can’t talk in warming and it’s why we do what we do.”
public.’ As with all Fiji Bloom trainers, the experts learnt from the
“Most of them are used to the informal conversations taking participants as well.
place around the market where they are relaxed and used to “In terms of their perseverance and their income generat-

38 Islands Business, April 2021