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On the Toastmaters International website is an article titled, "Tackling Table Topics" that gives a number of "tricks" for taking the terror out of Table Topics. The article appeared in the April 2007 for the Toastmaster magazine written by Rajiv Ramaratnam.
I have a problem with the term "tricks." It conjures up a way to subvert the real work of doing table topics. I realize that the terror of doing the table topics is not necessary and it is important to reduce the terror, but I feel using the term "tricks" cheapens the advice. I would prefer tactics. It keeps with the aliteration and sounds much more sophisticated.
The tricks fall into 2 camps. Those that can genuinely help you with regards to table topics, and those that avoid the issue altogether.
Avoiding the Issue
Staying informed, creating a repository of topics and segue from the presented topic all avoid the issue. Making the table topic into a mini-speech does nothing to help with the anxiety.
Staying informed will no doubt give you an even greater body of knowledge to pull from when called upon to give an impromptu speech. That is great when your knowledge and the topic intersect. When they don't, you will be up a creek without a paddle.
Creating a repository of topics defeats the purpose of table topics in my opinion. It sounds like the suggestion is to have 10-20 topics that you can use when you are called upon. Table Topics is about coming up with something in the moment. When I give a great table topic, I am often surprised by what I said.
Using a segue is no better. You are going up and giving a short speech on something else. I don't believe anyone would win the table topics contest with a "I don't have an opinion on the World Cup in soccer, but let me tell you about..." We want to hear your opinions on soccer. More on this later.
Thinking of table topics as a mini-speech is good advice when you overcome some of your fears. I don't think that bearing this in mind when you are still terrified is helpful. If it helps you to organize your thoughts, then do it, but for most people, telling a story is good enough. If you are going to compete at table topics, you will do much better if you create a strong opening and tie in your conclusion with the opening.
Genuinely Helpful
Giving yourself some time at the start of your topic is a good idea. When competing you can take some time after hearing the topic to compose your thoughts. Be careful though, the longer you spend doing this, the better people expect your topic.
Avoid apologies. This is good advice for speaking in general. People just want to hear you speak. Go up with confidence. Most audiences will not notice what you are apologizing about. Apologizing at best will get you pity.
Repeating the question or topic can be useful to buy time, but again, easily looks like exactly what it is. Stalling. In a recent table topic competition, many experienced Toastmasters were thrown by a difficult topic. They repeated the question and were unable to really go anywhere with the topic.
Using your imagination is one of the gems of this article. Unfortunately, the trick is purely a few sentences telling you to use your imagination. Maybe the magazine article went into more detail, but examples would really help here.
Connecting with your audience and being passionate is fabulous advice, again, for any speech. No examples again, but the description is good. On the same line, have fun is a key part of connecting and being passionate.
Practicing is key to removing the fear. The description for this doesn't help at all. This trick could have been expanded upon to give real help.
My Advice
I would suggest the following advice from "Taking the Terror out of Table Topics."
Commit fully to some course. If the table topic asks for your opinion, choose a side. Either agree or disagree fully. Even if you don't believe what you are saying. It doesn't matter. Trust that you will find your way as you begin speaking. In the table topic contest where experienced Toastmasters repeated the topic, I went with it. Halfway through I wondered where I was going with it, and finished strongly. I won that contest.
Definitely use your imagination. You don't have to give a bland answer. For instance, "What are your thoughts on the World Cup?", you could answer that it is a sport and explain the rules. Alternatively, you could take the story from a different viewpoint. "There I was minding my own business, lounging around in the grass, when suddenly I was kicked 30 yards towards a net..." This is much more interesting. Who knows where that story will go, but you now have everyones attention. When given an oddball topic, I like to make it into a movie title and describe the cast of characters and the plot. There is no limit to what you can say. One time at my club, a Toastmaster described her boyfriend who turned out to be Jeffrey Dahmer!!! (not really of course).
Practice is key. I recommend volunteering early when table topics are at your club. This gives you a chance to listen to the other participants without sitting there worrying about what you are going to say. You have less anxiety and you can relax and see what other people do. Take every opportunity you can. Don't beat yourself up. Focus on what you did right. Notice how you talk with friends. Notice how they talk. Use these opportunities to practice using your imagination and commiting fully to a course.
Have a table topic evaluator role if you are in Toastmasters and start giving great evaluations to your members. Don't just recount the topic, suggest ways it could be improved.
Finally, how difficult is talking to your friends? For most people this is easy. Topics come up all of the time. How often has a topic come up that you didn't have an opinion on? How much do you need to think about the topic before you speak? Have you ever heard your friends repeat the topic out loud to buy themselves some time? Have they ever spent time increasing their knowledge so they could converse more? Most likely, you tell passionate stories about your experiences that you commit fully to and have fun doing it.
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