
Why Bother Striving for Excellence?
Excellence
I belong to a nationwide club called Toastmasters. Though the name may lend itself to mastering the art of raising a glass and saying a few words to honor and pay tribute to someone, it goes beyond a well versed glass raising salutation.
Instead, this club calls its members to speak with integrity, respect, and excellence. Not only during casual conversations before and after the meeting, but during the meeting as opportunities arise such as with giving speeches.
Each week, at least two members present a speech from a particular pathway they’ve chosen to commit to. Presentation Mastery and Motivational Strategies are two of the pathways I chose and completed over the last two years.
Finishing these two pathways was not a stroll in a park on a warm sunny summer’s day. Instead, it was more like a steep climb in a desert sweating with each step.
You might be asking, “Why in the world would anyone do that?” I choose to do this because I am a communicator who desires to communicate well.
Polishing Rough Edges
Fulfilling the requirements for both pathways involved writing and presenting to my club’s audience, no less than twenty, 5-7 minute speeches. But, not only did I write and present my talks, I also listened to an evaluator critique each of my speeches.
Evaluations are good, but they are also tough to listen to. They hurt, but do not harm the speaker’s ego.
Those who assessed my speeches gave me important feedback. For instance, I remember my first speech and its evaluation.
Anxious to stay within the time limit of seven minutes, I watched as the clock ticked away. With still two minutes to go, my fear of running over time got the best of me and I abruptly ended my speech.
My evaluator noted my ending and in his evaluation said, “You need to bring us into a smooth landing, not an abrupt one.” I nodded my agreement and from then on, wrote my speeches with a 700 word count. Along with breath, pauses and adlibitum, speaking 700 words can be easily spoken in 5-7 minutes.
Then there were the evaluations that focused on my loud body language. I have an exuberant personality, especially when I am passionate about something. More than one of my evaluators noted how I bounced up and down on my toes. In another speech, the evaluator said I looked like an air dancer that car dealerships use to advertise their car lots.
Absorbing and accepting their words as truth, I’ve learned to quiet down my body language.
Why Bother?
Why bother striving for excellence? Although the truth at times may hurt, it does not harm. Instead, the truth motivates us toward becoming extraordinary and distinguished individuals.
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