This Toastmasters thing is starting to make sense. I prepare a speech and then do some rehearsals for at least 3 days and the whole structure, points, etc. take care of themselves as I practice. The whole thing is becoming more polished, more refined – it all starts to make more sense. I finished my Pathways Level 1, time to Level Up.

‘Carles, want to do a Speech next Wednesday?’

Sure! – said the Naive Carles without looking at What this first Level 2 Project is all about.

‘Communication Styles’ – oh oh… talk about dry, lecture type of topic. What do I do, bring some friends to roleplay different behaviors and we all end up mad and yelling at each other? Put up some Powerpoint slides and send everyone to dozeland?

Also, there is a Flu going around and half of the office is sick – like one of those movies where a mysterious force makes some of the villagers disappear. Guess what? That force took me too. For the weekend before the presentation I am bed ridden (Hey! The Man Flu is pretty tough!) and guess what? I don’t have much time to prepare. My brain is on zombie mode, just thinking about sleeping and resting. No stories come to mind (my goal with Toastmasters was to improve my storytelling). Screw it, the universe wins – it will be a Powerpoint style lecture. Everyone, prepare to snooze!

Oh well, I ask my always helpful Burwood Toastmasters whether I can use supporting materials – they say Yes, although that usually comes a bit later in the projects. My inner rebel kicks in, but I strike a deal with him – hey, let’s just use a diagram on a whiteboard! It won’t be that ‘conforming’, ok?

So with my fridge marker pen, some extra loads of Paracetamol and a brain that does no longer know on which Hemisphere on Earth I reside anymore. I miraculously make it there in one piece. Surprise! We are presenting on the big main room of Burwood RSL – so the whole Council can have a power nap!

With stoic resignation, I grab the board, I use some serviettes to clean the whiteboard (that was probably my best job for the night!) and Carles, the name is called, the lights are on. And much like that song by Ice-T, my speech, ‘Colors’, is delivered.

And miracles abound, I lost my fridge marker on that night, but also won the Best Speaker award for the first time 👊