Ever felt like jumping out of a window rather than giving a speech at work? Well, I have… Although some of us might be “naturals” and can give presentations in their sleep, most of us feel anxious when it comes to public speaking. The good news is that Istanbul and Bosphorous Toastmasters (TM) clubs are here to help you fix that. I know what you might be thinking: a public speaking club? Sounds booooooorrrriinnnggg! But before you let negative assumptions mislead you, read along.
For David Gökçedag, who has been a member of Toastmasters for 5 years, it all started with a book. “I was reading about how Dale Carnegie (a self-improvement author) had a huge problem with stage-fright,” he recalls. “Carnegie used to cancel meetings that required him to make presentations to large groups, and therefore lost many business opportunities. I remember telling myself: that sounds just like me.”
Up to this point, David had believed he was the only one struggling with this issue. He joined Toastmasters in Istanbul shortly after; now, not only is David a very good and at-ease public speaker, but he is also highly involved in the club’s activities.
According to David, people find the club appealing due to its practical setting. “The Toastmasters system really works because you don’t just read or listen to someone else speak – you actually get a chance to speak yourself. So it helps you to learn and overcome whatever blockages you have,” he says. “It really helps people like me who have a fear of public speaking to make them realise that there is nothing to be embarrassed about.” He adds: “Plus, I believe that the best way to overcome this and any other fear is by facing it directly.”
For Arlene Crilly, public speaking phobia was not her primary reason for joining the club.“It wasn’t that I was particularly afraid of public speaking any more than the average person,” she says. She first heard about Toastmasters when she was teaching English in South Korea. Since joining the club four years ago, she has spoken on topics that either interested her or were close to her heart.
In a regular meeting, the host of the meeting – known as Toastmaster of the Evening –chooses a theme to set the tone of the night. Then, four people speak for between four and 10 minutes on a topic of their choice (allocated time depends on how many speeches you have given in the club).
“You often learn a lot of surprising facts this way,” David says. “It turns every speech into a learning experience for the audience.” In this inspiring speech, Perçin İmrek, president of Istanbul Toastmasters, gives a candid rundown of the lessons he learned during his struggles as a young entrepreneur and individual:
After listening to the prepared speeches, members and guests take a 15-minute-break and drink tea or coffee while getting to know each other. Being able to improvise on the spot is a skill that we could all use sometimes. The “dreaded” (but always enjoyable)
“Table Topics” section allows members and guests to flex their improvisation skills. The Table Topics Master randomly selects people from the audience and asks them questions based on the theme of the evening. In this video, you can watch a Table Topics session from a previous meeting whose theme was “Civilisation”:
In addition to the practical training that the club provides, the stress-free environment and numerous opportunities to socialise also make Istanbul and Bosphorous Toastmasters clubs more and more popular.
“If someone is afraid of public speaking to any extent, it is the perfect place to come, because people are genuinely positive and supportive,” Arlene says. “After four years in the club with a trail of lapsed gym memberships, I think that what keeps me there is the people and the environment. After the meeting, we go to the bar of the hotel and chat over a coffee or a beer – sometimes two or three, depending on the night!”
David also believes that the club’s relaxed atmosphere has had a positive impact on the increasing number of memberships. Bosphorous Toastmasters was created this summer as a sister club to give a chance to members to give more speeches.
“Istanbul and Bosphorous Toastmasters are clubs that make it fun to speak and socialize –both for people like me who come with a fear of speaking – but also for professional speakers who want to polish their speaking skills,” he says. “By having this mix of people, you learn from each other, your network grows and you also grow as an individual. Besides, we also organise social events outside the club almost every month.”
When asked about her thoughts on Toastmasters, Leilani Van Rheenen, an emotional fitness coach, gives an uplifting answer. “You’re not in Toastmasters to give the perfect speech,” she says. “You’re here to grow, contribute, and it helps in getting you out of your own head.” Before joining Toastmasters, she used to give presentations during seminars for work, yet she struggled to be completely herself in front of an audience. “It gave me the courage to truly be myself on stage and in my personal life as well. It gave me freedom because I found my authentic voice.”
For those who’d like to attend a Toastmasters meeting but are still reluctant to do so, David gives this final piece of advice: “There is nothing to lose in trying something new. And I definitely would recommend an evening of Toastmasters over an evening of television.”
Toastmasters meetings take place every Wednesday at 19.30 at Taksim Gonen Hotel
Guests can attend the meetings for free twice. To find out more about the Toastmasters Istanbul and Bosphorous clubs, you can check out their Facebook pages below:
All photos courtesy of the author.
