Our topic for this month’s luncheon was Speak Confidently.

Hopefully you were able to make it. If not, you missed a very engaging presentation.
We had local Toastmasters Thomas and Barber talk to us and coach us through common public speaking fears. The fear of being judged is the #1 biggest fear of public speaking. Shaking, sweating, and stumbling over your words are common signs of anxiety when public speaking. Toastmaster Barber said those are also signs of excitement when (if) you win the lottery. You have the same reaction. Our mind plays tricks on us. We need to train our minds to be excited about public speaking. It can boost your confidence.

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Additionally, the Toastmasters touched on second hand anxiety. When you are watching your troop, peer, or leadership brief and hoping they do not mess up, and being nervous for them is second hand anxiety. That is something to keep in mind, to hopefully boost your confidence when publicly speaking. You have people rooting for you, not judging you. We ended with our very own, Capt Ireland doing an impromptu speech which is a common Toastmasters exercise. He was a pro! Communication is very important in the Comptroller career field. I hope by either your attendance or reading this you can go back to your work centers with tools to help you speak confidently.