Settleyour nerves with these simple strategies for sharp responses.
By Christopher Cox, DTM
1. Don’t Panic.
If you can,just stop caring about Table Topics. Remember, everyone in the audience hasbeen in your position, has probably dried up at some point and is willing youto do well, so you don’t need to worry about their reaction.
2. Buy Time.
Give yourselftime for your nerves to die down and for you to think of something to say. Sitat the back of the room and walk slowly to the front. Acknowledge the audienceand repeat the question. If you need to, just talk for a while about somethingvaguely related to the theme, or even about something totally unrelated. Sooneror later, inspiration will come.
3. Go with the first little idea that comes into your head.
Sooner or later, a little idea will pop into your head. Even if it’s just alittle idea, start talking about it. Don’t reject it in the hope that a biggeridea will come along: The little idea has to be expressed first. If you doreject it, tell sulk, and will block the big idea from ever getting through.
4. Express an opinion, right at the start.Unless you’re a beginner, try not to give a long introduction.Instead, answer the question or express an opinion, and do so at the start.This is easier for closed questions (e.g., “What was your favorite holiday?”),but you can also do it for open questions (e.g., “Talk about holidays”). Solong as you can seize your little idea and turn it into something concrete.
5. Remember the rule of three.
You can put some structure into your speech by breaking it down into three mainpoints that justify your opinion or reinforce it. (For example, “My bestholiday ever was in Tibet, and there are three reasons why? You don’t need themall before you start instead; you can think of the first point inside answeringthe question, then think of the second point while talking about the first, andso on. It’s surprising how often this works.”
6. Remember the six honest serving men.
Alternatively, you can develop your argument by using Britishwriter Rudyard Kipling’s “six honest serving men” (what, why, when, how, whereand who) to trigger ideas in your mind. For example: What was my favoriteholiday? Why did I go there? When did I take the trip? How did I travel? Wheredid I stay? Who did I travel? By actively looking for answers to thesequestions, we can give ourselves both material and the framework to puttogether a well-structured speech.
7. Know when to stop. Try not to / ramble your way through a long conclusion. Instead, recap your answersover the main points of your speech, finish with a punchy ending and hand itback to the Table Topicmaster.
8. Prepare something in advance.
You can often use the items of the topic to suggest a framework for yourspeech, a style of delivery or direction to take it in. When your questionarrives, you can fit your answer into the framework you’ve already thought of.
9. Draw on your own experiences.
When you’re given a Table Topic, you can ask yourself if there’s anything inyour own experience that will answer the question or illustrate your argument.As well as making it easier for you to answer the question, a personal replywill often sound more heartfelt than other answers you might give.
10. Be eccentric.
The bestTable Topics responses are often those where the speaker avoids a serious orconfidential answer, and instead the something unusual or entertaining. Forexample, you can deliver your speech in character or deliver an unexpected orcontrarian argument. By doing this, you can grab the audience’s attention andfree yourself from the constraints of a conventional approach.
And a bonus tip:
11. Keep doing Table Topics.
Finally, keep practicing. The move you do. It’s the best nervous room become,the easier you’ll find it and the more you’ll enjoy it.
Christopher Cox, DTM, is a past winner ofthe District 71 Humorous Speech and Evaluation contest, and a Table Topicfinalist. He is a member of Cambridge Speakers club in Cambridge, England, andworks as a freelance trainer and consultant in telecommunications.
TOASTMASTER | JULY 2017 21
