Page 37 - September 2020 Voices

FIELD NOTES

It’s All in Your Head

Laurie Canney, DL2

Truly off the cuff speaking can sometimes seem like a skill easier and more enjoyable for me than prepared speeches.
that is unattainable for someone who does not have a ton of There is a freedom in off the cuff speeches that allows you to

facts rolling around in their head. Surprise, you do not have to incorporate the audience and feel of the room that may not be
have a ton of facts so long as you have had any kind of hint of possible with a prepared speech.
contact with a topic, you can speak off the cuff. A speech broken down is really a circle of information.

How? How can I speak confidently off the cuff if I don’t It has a beginning, middle, and an end that usually takes us
know what I will be speaking about? Simple. You, believe it or back to the beginning. The best speeches set the stage, give
not, are a subject matter expert. Really you are. Take any topic you a point of view, and lead you on a merry dance to end in
and when applied to your personal experience, your life, your a satisfying heap.
perspective…YOU are the subject matter expert. It is a journey every time that our listeners take with us and

Here is an example. Give a child a plain cardboard box. It you know what they say the hardest part about a journey is…
becomes a spaceship, a sailing vessel, a car. It is only limited the first step.
by their imagination. They are the subject matter expert on the We have so many opportunities to take that first step in
box and they have tons of stories and adventures to tell. Toastmasters. Table Topics is a great place to practice with the

Think of the topic like a box. Picture it in your hands. Look at box. Start with a single word topic. Ball for example. Everyone
it from every side. Side 1 is how your experience has interacted at some point in their life has a (Side 1) personal story about a
with the topic (story). Side 2, how do you feel about the topic? ball, (Side 2) Has feelings about a ball (tennis ball, basket ball
Side 3, do you have any information about the topic (personal or even a dance), (Side 3) personal knowledge about a ball

knowledge)? Side 4, is there any distant relatability, have you (how it is made or history of masked balls), (Side 4) read about
read a story, seen an article, or third hand account that meant a ball, read a story that had a masked ball, saw a movie about
something? a ball (Field of Dreams).
Playing with your topic like a box, gives you a way to relate Off the Cuff or speaking “extemporaneously” is a 1938

to it. Once you pick a side, you have your solid starting point American colloquial term, suggesting an actor or speaker reading
of view and focus for your speech. Voila, you are organized from notes jotted on his shirt sleeves rather than learned lines
and ready to go. (Literally speaking from off the cuff). Only for you it’s all in your
Topic, point of view (approach), focus, and you are ready to head, not on your cuff, waiting to be shared. (etymonline.com,

speak. But what about time! How can we speak for 5-7 or more n.d.)
off the cuff if we don’t prepare? Easy. Choose more than 1 side You already have everything you need to truly speak off
of the box for longer speeches. Of course this takes practice the cuff. You are the subject matter expert of your life. Grab the
and getting used to playing with the mental box. box and get started, we can’t wait to hear you.

What I have found is that off the cuff speaking has become

VOICES! | SEPTEMBER 2020 37