Page 39 - November 2020 Voices

an authoritarian approach
to life spoon fed—no! shovel
fed—to me as THE ONLY
WAY. When I hear speakers

telling me what I need to do I
smile, think No, I don’t, and
disconnect from the meeting.
You want me engaged in your speech? Then importance of stories a couple years ago when

tell me a story about you! You want me to stay in I was a member of Storymasters Toastmasters.
my seat with my eyes glued to the monitor? Then I wanted to learn to tell better stories. You could
tell me about your struggles, tell me about your do a lot worse than joining a Club dedicated to
triumphs, tell me about the most embarrassing storytelling (Storymasters, Roseburg Speakers

day you ever had—that’s good for a laugh! Tell me and Storytells, Gateway Toastmasters, or Tell
about you. Connect with me. Be in the moment Me A Story). Oops, looks like I am slipping
with me . . . and the rest of your audience. dangerously close to telling you what to do.
Speakers and presenters are increasingly Instead of telling you what to do, here is

called upon to be more authentic in every talk. what I’m going to do. I am going to be sure that
Authenticity is in the stories you tell, but it is not all my speeches and presentations are full of
to be confused with bragging about yourself. interesting and engaging stories. Will you join
When I take the time to tell a group of Club me in telling more stories? Will you spread the

members a personal story they become a group belief that stories really matter? Good! Now get
of my close friends. Sometimes there is bragging, that snake off the road!
and sometimes the stories fall flat—that’s what
we have evaluators for!

Toastmasters Clubs everywhere will become
stronger, friendlier, and more authentic
if Toastmasters stop presenting and start
connecting—with stories! I recognized the

VOICES! | NOVEMBER 2020 39