I'll drink to that!

The ability to speak well in public is a much-prized skill and is one that can be learned, writes Rodney Jimenez

Alfred Tse, assistant division governor, Toastmasters Int'l

Hong Kong professionals know a thing or two about sitting through tedious seminars and presentations where speakers seem to go on forever unaware they have lost their audience from the very start.

For Alfred Tse, it can seem like ritualised torture. He has attended countless seminars where speakers bored him senseless with their stilted, unimaginative presentations.

"Most of the speakers have already risen to a very high level in their professions but don't possess the skills to convey their message effectively," says the consulting professional, who joined Toastmasters International 13 years ago to improve his public speaking ability.

Mr Tse argues much can be done to improve professionals' public speaking skills which can be perfected like an art. He agrees that the fear factor is a major initial problem. People are either too scared to speak in public or they simply have no inkling of what makes a good speaker.

Deborah Yu, division H governor, Toastmasters Int'l

Deborah Yu, a division H governor for Toastmasters International, says that, for many Chinese, public speaking is a difficult skill to acquire. In school, they are taught to listen and follow instruction but not to express themselves and speak out.

Because of inexperience, many first-time public speakers fall victim to stage fright. Ms Yu says such people can benefit from an organisation that will help them conquer their fears and develop communication skills.

This explains the popularity of Toastmasters, which now has 35 diverse clubs in Hong Kong and a membership of 1,500. Members come from all walks of life - students, CEOs, lawyers, accountants, school administrators and even retirees.

Professionals can join corporate or government clubs where they meet people with similar interests. Society clubs usually focus on certain guilds or professions like the Hong Kong Institution of Engineering. Students can join Toastmasters clubs on campus. Reflecting Hong Kong's international reputation there are 24 local English language clubs compared to six for Cantonese and five for Putonghua speakers.

Overcoming one's fear is the first step. In Toastmasters, the focus is on helping each other gain confidence and poise. After speaking on stage, members listen to audience feedback about how best to project themselves and communicate with a roomful of people. The audience is always supportive in pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of a presentation in terms of both structure and delivery.

Ms Yu says training is not just to deliver a message but that "members must strive to create 'an impact' that will prompt their listeners into action or alter their views." The organisation holds contests to encourage members to hone their skills and the best eventually get to compete in international competitions.

Now serving as assistant division governor for training and education at Toastmasters, Mr Tse says untrained public speakers usually fail to develop a rapport with their audience as they fail to appreciate the psychology that underpins the communication process.

"They don't realise that what they are saying is only seven percent of the message and the rest is communicated non-verbally through body gestures and facial expressions," he explains.

To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the Hong Kong Toastmasters Club is holding a Toastmasters Convention on 10 January 2004 which 300 to 500 of its members are expected to attend. David Brooks, the 1990 Toastmasters World Champion for public speaking will be one of the invited speakers at the day-long event, which will include workshops for members and prizes for contests in various public speaking categories. "The convention will be the highlight of our activities this year," confirms Ms Yu.

Taken from Career Times 2004/01/09