Specialty Speeches Advanced Manual with Vicky Nann

As we wrap up the classic Toastmasters education with the advanced manuals, I know there are are a lot of Toastmasters who are looking for a fast manual to complete.  The Specialty Speeches advanced manual should be at the top of their list.  Many of the projects are based on work that may have already been done.

There's a controversy about repeat speeches in Toastmasters.

Specialty Speeches and Reusing Speeches

The Specialty Speeches advanced manual does focus on very different speech projects.  In fact, there doesn't seem to be a common theme in the projects.  What the manual does do is allow the Toastmaster to reuse speech projects from other manuals.  Uplifting the Spirit doesn't differ much from the Competent Communicator project 10, Inspire Your Audience.

The first project asks the speaker to be prepared to speak on one of five speaker-selected topics.  If a Toastmaster has completed a Competent Communicator manual, they've given five speeches.  By simply recycling these speeches, it's easy to complete this project with little prep.

All of the speech projects in Specialty Speeches can be reused projects from other books.  Is this a problem?

Usually not.  If you've ever had the opportunity to attend or judge a high school speech and debate tournament* you'll see the students have memorized their presentations and prepared extensively for the tournament.  Every speaker is given notes by the judges with comments that will be closely studied and modifications to their presentations will be made.  This kind of repetition produces finely-honed, excellent speeches.

But... but.. I can't repeat a speech, can I?

Yes, you can.  Unless your club specifically prohibits repeating a speech, you can.

Pathways Level 1 Speech Projects

We're still talking about the classic program here, but looking ahead to Pathways, there is a project that recommends repeating a speech.  The second project, Evaluation and Feedback, encourages the Toastmaster to repeat the speech with the same evaluator!

So reuse and recycle those speech projects with the Specialty Speeches manual.  You'll finish it quickly and find, like many other Toastmasters, it's fast and it's fun to revisit your past.

Our guest today is Vicky Nann, DD of District 10 for 2018-2019.  I'd forgotten that I'd evaluated her for one of the speeches in the Specialty Speeches advanced manual!

Vicky Nann, DTM, is a marketing communications professional.  She is serving as the 2018-2019 district director for Toastmasters District 10 (Northeastern Ohio). A Toastmaster since 2000, she is currently a member of five clubs. Vicky held Toastmasters leadership roles in districts in Colorado, Minnesota and Illinois before returning home to Ohio in 2012. Her hobbies include beekeeping and travel.

Our music is from Incompetech.com

"Cuban Sandwich" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

*You should definitely go to a high school speech and debate tournament.  Volunteer to be a judge!  Contact your local high school to see if they have a team you can support.