This is an adaptation of my 3rd speech project delivered to Jabil Toastmasters on February 7, 2013. This represented a HUGE personal accomplishment for me.
I'm still addicted... but gratefully I'm now no longer stuck!
I'm still addicted... but gratefully I'm now no longer stuck!
 |
| On my way to achieving my Toastmasters Competent Communicator Certification! |
I recently joined the Toastmasters club at my current employer and I sailed through my first two speech projects. I must confess that I cheated somewhat though. Ten years ago I was part of another local Toastmasters club. It was easier for me to recycle those first two speeches than it was for me start over from scratch. I ran into a brick wall ten years ago and it happened again this time. My biggest challenge with this particular project was to deliver my speech without using any notes. That unnerved me then and it still did now.
This time I wanted things to be different. I was determined to face my fear head on and push through. No more safety nets! This project really opened my eyes to some of the "safety nets" in my life and how they limit me.
What are my safety nets? The first example I showed the Toastmasters crowd was a bulky binder of my daily planner pages from 2009 - my first full year employed at my current company. I highlighted that I had six more binders like that back in my cube and even more collecting dust in a bookcase at home. One of my most obvious safety nets is a drive to take copious notes in all sorts of situations. Call me a scribe or maybe even a historian. I love it when someone tells me I have a mind like a "steel trap" or can help set a record straight. I flagged an entry in that 2009 binder that documented a conversation with a colleague about a potential project in the Ukraine. Ironically, at this moment she and I are planning again how to support this site. Did I need these notes to remind me of the situation? No. But at that time in 2009 I evidently felt the need to document everything!
Spreadsheets are another one of my safety nets. Some people speak a foreign language, but I speak Excel. I'm not very comfortable adding up things in my head. It's easier for me to let the spreadsheet do the math for me. But, they're not fool-proof. Often I find myself in meetings with senior leaders and they start talking "what if" scenarios and all types of financial jargon. They think and talk in numbers, often at the same time and without the assistance of a calculator. Keeping up with that type of thought process challenges me. Spreadsheets make it easier for me. Unfortunately just as with my copious notes - they can make me lazy too.
I'm just much more comfortable with the written word. The habit of writing over speaking has become just that for me - a habit. There's something therapeutic to me to see handwriting fill up a blank page. Email is easier because I can pause to better compose my thoughts. But unfortunately I'm beginning to notice how being so focused on writing sometimes causes me to "check out" of the moment. Am I really present, truly listening to my audience? Often not.
I've thought long and hard about why removing some of my safety nets unnerves me so much. It all comes down to one simple fact - I'm a perfectionist. I don't want to forget an important detail or action item. I want to be able to "figure it out" or to keep up with the thoughts and directions of others. I fear messing up or letting people down when it really counts.
Perfectionism can be good - it drives me to excel and perform well. However, perfectionism can also be paralyzing. What am I doing about the negative aspects of my perfectionism? For one, Toastmasters is helping me step outside of my comfort zones. Toastmasters is a learning forum where many members share working on the same challenges in a safe environment. Involvement in this organization has helped me to begin relying less on my safety nets.
I'm also becoming more aware of positive examples other people set. Have you ever heard of Tony Hsieh? No?! Let me rephrase the question for the fashionista in you. Do you like a great pair of shoes and have heard of a company called Zappos? I thought so. Tony Hsieh (pronounced Shay) is the founder and CEO of Zappos. I heard him speak at the 2011 HR Florida State Conference and found him to be a dynamic and motivating speaker. He certainly wasn't leaning heavily on any notes or even a teleprompter during his speech. He captivates his audience by sharing how Zappos strives to deliver a culture of happiness among its employees and customers.
Hsieh was recently featured in an interview in Toastmasters Magazine. He shared several thoughts that made me aware I am not alone in being addicted to the written word. Hsieh started his public speaking career in a similar fashion as I have... painstakingly writing out scripts and memorizing speeches. His skills gradually improved over time until he suddenly realized something. It finally occurred to him that nobody knew what he wrote in his scripts or if he skipped over a paragraph or sentence. From that point he was able to better engage his audience by telling personal stories supporting his message.
That encourages me because I'm always looking for ways to improve. I will always have safety nets for sure. (My beloved husband laughs hilariously every time I tell him I'm setting a goal to go paperless). Over time though, I hope to make my safety nets smaller and less obvious. Hsieh's simple 3-point formula is a big help for me to remember where public speaking is concerned:
I'm just much more comfortable with the written word. The habit of writing over speaking has become just that for me - a habit. There's something therapeutic to me to see handwriting fill up a blank page. Email is easier because I can pause to better compose my thoughts. But unfortunately I'm beginning to notice how being so focused on writing sometimes causes me to "check out" of the moment. Am I really present, truly listening to my audience? Often not.
I've thought long and hard about why removing some of my safety nets unnerves me so much. It all comes down to one simple fact - I'm a perfectionist. I don't want to forget an important detail or action item. I want to be able to "figure it out" or to keep up with the thoughts and directions of others. I fear messing up or letting people down when it really counts.
Perfectionism can be good - it drives me to excel and perform well. However, perfectionism can also be paralyzing. What am I doing about the negative aspects of my perfectionism? For one, Toastmasters is helping me step outside of my comfort zones. Toastmasters is a learning forum where many members share working on the same challenges in a safe environment. Involvement in this organization has helped me to begin relying less on my safety nets.
I'm also becoming more aware of positive examples other people set. Have you ever heard of Tony Hsieh? No?! Let me rephrase the question for the fashionista in you. Do you like a great pair of shoes and have heard of a company called Zappos? I thought so. Tony Hsieh (pronounced Shay) is the founder and CEO of Zappos. I heard him speak at the 2011 HR Florida State Conference and found him to be a dynamic and motivating speaker. He certainly wasn't leaning heavily on any notes or even a teleprompter during his speech. He captivates his audience by sharing how Zappos strives to deliver a culture of happiness among its employees and customers.
Hsieh was recently featured in an interview in Toastmasters Magazine. He shared several thoughts that made me aware I am not alone in being addicted to the written word. Hsieh started his public speaking career in a similar fashion as I have... painstakingly writing out scripts and memorizing speeches. His skills gradually improved over time until he suddenly realized something. It finally occurred to him that nobody knew what he wrote in his scripts or if he skipped over a paragraph or sentence. From that point he was able to better engage his audience by telling personal stories supporting his message.
That encourages me because I'm always looking for ways to improve. I will always have safety nets for sure. (My beloved husband laughs hilariously every time I tell him I'm setting a goal to go paperless). Over time though, I hope to make my safety nets smaller and less obvious. Hsieh's simple 3-point formula is a big help for me to remember where public speaking is concerned:
- Be passionate.
- Tell personal stories.
- Be real.
No comments:
Post a Comment