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tremendous. Speakers also need to connect with • Many funny lines were delivered well.
themselves first in order to do this. The people • The revelation in the speech was a great
who connect more deeply under this pressure
will tend to place higher. On any other day, the twist.
results may be different as some may be more • Great tie-in to the hot topic in the news,
relaxed and connected with themselves, but that
is not how competition works. Pokemon GO.
Next Time
One more thing before we start: This, I
believe, was the first year with five women and • Great last line. We thought it was over,
five men in finals. Whether you are an expert or but then he added, “Just wait and see.” I
a contestant, your onstage image is important at felt the close would have been stronger
this level, like it or not. If you are not a fashion by ending on the line before that. Then
expert, please get some coaching or insight from Sherwood did not pause at all before he
someone who knows. Make sure your clothes are said, “Mr. Contest Master.” This diluted
fashionable and fit properly. If you lost or gained his powerful close even more. As Patricia
weight recently, consider getting your clothes Fripp says, “Your last words linger.”
tailored. I needed this advice myself a couple of
years ago, so I’m just passing on what I learned Coaching Point for All
from experience. When you are on stage, unless First, Sherwood had a very funny and timely
it is connected to your message, we should not
notice your clothes in either a good or bad way. line and tied the Pokemon GO game into his
message. What I loved about the way he did it
I’m going to start with the finalists who did was that it wasn’t forced, but seamless. Whenever
not place in the order they spoke. Again, I did you can tie your message directly to a hot topic, it
not coach any of them. I’ll break it down into makes your message stickier. It also, as he proved,
Loved It and Next Time. has the potential for humor as well.
Thien Trang Nguyen Phan: Second, do not dilute the effect of your closing
by adding soft words. Find your strong close,
“The Right Words” and stick to it. Point to the contest master; do
not verbalize the words.
Loved It
• Thien had a powerful Kim Kaufman
message. “Recalculating”
• I felt the passion she
had for her message, Loved It
which is important. • I really felt her message
• She made us see deeper in the dialogue she had
into domestic abuse and with the barber. Well
how to help. done.
• She had a few great
Next Time laugh lines that I choose not to give away,
• Consider naming your characters. and she delivered them perfectly.
• Use more dialogue than narration. • Kim had a great revelation moment. If
you are not familiar with this term, I’m
Coaching Point for All referring to the Aha! Moment that accom-
Can we feel your message as we did Thien’s? panies the twist moment in a speech.
This is where the cure is delivered. It is
Can we tell you are committed to your message? sometimes referred to as the Aha!Moment
Make sure you name your characters. This will when the character on the journey receives
help your audience visualize them and connect the lesson.
more deeply with your story. • She also had a powerful close, “Not just
yet!” I loved it. Then Kim continued, “. . .
Sherwood Jones:“The because the joy is in the [more. . .]
Greatest Super Power”
Article reprinted by permission. For the full article
Loved It visit Darren LaCroix’s blog, Stage Time. Darren is
• The super power, which the 2001 World Champion of Public Speaking. He is
I will not give away, was a frequent visitor to District 7 Toastmasters.--Editor
a great message!
Volume 3 Issue 3 - SEPTEMBER 2016 27
