Nearly three-quarters of the U.S. adult population—74% to be exact—fears the idea of speaking in public, according to a 2013 National Institutes of Health survey.
Some say they fear a turn at the podium more than death, a statistic that prompted comedian Jerry Seinfeld to famously quip that the average person would rather be in the coffin at a funeral than giving the eulogy.
Even a moment in the spotlight to give a toast—much less a speech or presentation—might send many scurrying to the back of the room to hide behind a curtain, hoping no one calls on us to raise a glass. It’s a humorous image—and one many can identify with as a genuine concern.
The fear of speaking can have less-than-humorous repercussions—it can disrupt careers, limit social engagement, and cut short academic opportunities, said Dennis Olson, spokesperson for Toastmasters International, which celebrates its 90th anniversary this year.
The Rancho Santa Margarita-based nonprofit is among several organizations designed to help conquer the fear of tackling the public podium. It was formally founded in 1924 to help people develop their public speaking skills and now has more than 300,000 members around the world, according to its chief executive, Daniel Rex.
“People want to be leaders, in their businesses, in their communities, in their homes. Toastmasters provides the vehicle so individuals can build their leadership skills, practice their leadership skills, and emerge from the program as the kind of leader they want to be.”
Fear of public speaking manifests itself in all sorts of ways—the business executive who breaks into a cold sweat before a presentation, the person who longs for a social connection but skips a get-together out of fear they’ll be asked to say a little something about themselves.
There are a plethora of books on the market meant to help people overcome their fear.
And then there are the hands-on groups like Toastmasters.
Humble Beginnings
The organization today has close to 15,000 clubs in 126 countries, but its early days were humble.
Founder Dr. Ralph C. Smedley was a new college graduate in 1924 when he joined the staff of the Young Men’s Christian Association in Santa Ana as director of education.
Many of the young patrons, he noticed, were nervous—even fearful—when they were called upon to speak in classes on such subjects as comportment and good manners. Smedley himself was naturally gregarious, according to the group’s history, and he designed a training program he called Toastmasters to help his students overcome their hesitancy to put themselves center-stage.
He set it up as a social club, in part to allay the men’s reluctance to participate.
The first meeting was held at the YMCA, and within months, word of the fledgling club spread, and people expressed interest in starting their own clubs. The organization established its own governing body in 1930 and created a standard program for teaching public speaking skills. It went international that same year—just six years removed from a humble start in a basement.
Smedley remained involved throughout his career. He died in 1965.
This year, in addition to celebrating its 90th year, Toastmasters recognizes 21 consecutive years of growth. Since January 2013, overall membership has increased 7.3%, and the number of new clubs has jumped 17.2%. Five new countries added Toastmasters Clubs: Guinea, Iraq, Liberia, Uganda and Uruguay.
Local Ties
Toastmasters clubs are spread throughout Orange County—especially in businesses and corporations. Olson said most of the new clubs in OC are within corporate institutions, making it simpler for executives and employees to join to become more confident speakers.
Those are skills that he said translate to confidence in the workplace, personal relationships, and in social settings.
Ingram Micro, Western Digital, Wells Fargo, Unisys, the University of California-Irvine, Emulex, the County of Orange, Applied Medical, and Edwards Lifesciences have office-based clubs for their Orange County employees.
That presence will only grow, said Toastmasters Chief Executive Daniel Rex.
“We have a number of initiatives under way, including expanding our presence in corporations. (We are) modernizing our education program. That will continue to make us relevant to a new generation of professionals.”
Public speaking and presentation skills are essential for any manager, executive, or business leader, Olson said, because they enable people to communicate ideas clearly and with passion. A skilled speaker can persuade others to see an issue in a particular light and thereby gain their buy-in.
The planning that goes into a speech or presentation is also crucial, as is being well prepared. Toastmasters members are taught to organize their talks to emphasize the most relevant points, as well as how to make the most of their particular speaking styles.
They either choose their own speaking topics or request ideas and make their speeches in a nonjudgmental atmosphere. They’re trained to make eye contact, project their voices, and to use various tricks to overcome bad nerves, such as pausing for three seconds in order to avoiding stammering if they lose their way or freeze up.
Need for Leaders
Toastmasters’ increasing popularity can be attributed in part to people’s desire for self-improvement and the demand in the marketplace for strong leaders and speakers, said George Yen, the organization’s 2013-14 international president.
Yen is chairman of the board of Taipei, Taiwan-based Great Sequoia Corp., whose biggest export partner is the U.S., and has been a Toastmasters member for nearly a quarter century.
Toastmasters Chief Executive Rex expressed similar sentiments: “We help the new supervisor who just got promoted and doesn’t feel comfortable talking to the five people working for him. We teach people skills, but what we really teach is confidence.”
