The Target

It's contest season again at Toastmasters. Clubs are planning contests to decide who will compete in the area contests. The spring contests this year are International Speech, a speech on any topic and Evaluations, which means contestants will compete to see who can give the best evaluation of a speech.
I was not surprised when I got an email from Lynn, the contest chair, asking for help. She needed judges, timers and counters. I told her she could fill me in any place she needed me. I had no plans to compete and I've filled all of the roles except for chief judge and contest chair, two jobs I am unable to do. I asked her if she had a target speaker for the evaluation contestants. The target speaker gives a speech for the evaluation contestants to evaluate.
She answered back with my assignment. I would be the target speaker. I mentally said a few cuss words. I had not intended for her to make me the target speaker. I had only asked because as a new Toastmaster, she may not have known that she needed one.
I didn't want to be the target speaker. A target speech is not an easy speech to write. It isn't that it has to be on a specific topic, but it has to be a really good speech. It has to be a speech that is challenging for the evaluators to allow them to display their skills for the judges. It also has to be entertaining for the audience. The last few speeches I've given weren't very good. I don't think I'm up to the level of target speaker.
The only way I could get out of it is if no one wants to compete in evaluations. A few days ago Lynn sent out a contest agenda. No such luck, two people are going to compete.
That means I'd better get to work writing something. I have six days to work on it. Hope I'm ready.....

Comments

  1. brojerFebruary 18, 2011 at 11:08 AM

    Maybe she thinks you are a better speech writer than you do!

    ReplyDelete

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