Page 7 - November 2017 Voices

CHAMPIONS DELIVER TOP

PERFORMANCES

by Erik Bergman, DTM

District 7 crowned its champions in Table the Evaluation contest
Topics and Humorous Speech at the Fall in 2014. That leaves the International Speech as
Conference on Nov. 11. Voices! spoke with the two the only Division-level contest he has yet to win.
winners to learn how they did it and what guid- His experience has taught him that the benefit
ance they have for those who want to compete. of competition is that “it raises your game. It’s a
Table Topics champion: Eric Winger different speaking environment. Your butterflies
are more jumpy. A contest takes you out of your
With the name Winger, it’s no surprise that comfort zone, and that is where you grow.”
Eric Winger, DTM, could “wing it” to win the As he puts it: “We spend too much time being
Table Topics contest. He and seven fellow contes- complacent. You have to get uncomfortable with
tants were judged on their responses to the first your discomfort. If you’ve never competed, give
line of a novel in progress: “Hester’s friends had it a try. If you tried and were discouraged, try
no idea about her secret, inner life.” again.”
Winger opened by acting out the frustration Competing also taught him “to take a loss well.
of a thwarted writer dealing with false starts and I’ve lost far more times than I’ve won.”
bad first sentences, then introduced his message Winning Table Topics gave him a feeling of
of how people succeed when they persist. He “surprise and happiness” that he wants to pass
wrapped up his ad lib speech by looping back to along to help others. He notes that Toastmasters
his opening words and offering encouragement offers many opportunities to help fellow
to the would-be novelist. members become better speakers or overcome
“Good stories often return to where they a hurdle. “It’s complex, it’s challenging, even
started, but with a change for the hero,” notes difficult at times, but boy, is it rewarding. That’s
the public speaking coach, who represented Sage what drives me.”
Toastmasters. “People like that.” For future contestants, or for anyone aiming
(Later, when asked what thoughts came to achieve something big, he says, “Small steps
to mind when he first heard that challenging every day will do so much more for you than
speaking prompt, he laughed, saying, “I don’t trying to take a giant leap.”
think you can print it!”)
To prepare for Table Topics, Winger clears Humorous Speech champion: Lorna
his mind to “focus on nothing.” He advises that Dobberstein
it is “a disservice to guess what the question will A new speech title was one key to winning the
be.” He aims to be relaxed before hearing the title of Humorous Speech champion. Another
question, “then I focus on the question itself was a little help from her Toastmasters friends.
and let my mind go to work. Whatever comes Lorna Dobberstein, CL, ACS, was quick to
up, I go with it.” credit members of her home club, Milwaukie
It’s crucial to stay attuned to the audience, Talkies, for their support of her winning effort.
he says, to give them time to laugh and think: Their feedback on early versions of her speech
“Their reaction will help you craft your answer. included a new title that raised it above the
You can keep going or turn the direction.” ordinary. Her working title had been “Common
A Toastmaster since 2009, Winger is no Sense,” which they thought was a bit too common.
stranger to District 7 championships, having She changed it to the quirky acronym “RTFI”
won the Humorous Speech contest in 2012 and to add mystery. As she explained onstage, RTFI
Top to Botton: Eric Winger, DTM & Lorna Dobberstein, ACB, CL

VOLUME 4 ISSUE 5 NOVEMBER, 2017 7