Some people come out of the womb fantastic speakers; the rest of us need a little help. I WAS ACTUALLY A VERY SHY CHILD. The first time I got up to teach a class, I was 22. I thought I was going to vomit. When I was living in Atlanta, I gave a presentation. I was horrible. A woman walked up to me and said, “You have potential — but you need a lot of help.” She introduced me to Toastmasters.
I rejoined when I moved to Boston. People told me, “YOU HAVE A CHANCE AT THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.” It took me four tries. Speak is a documentary that follows competitors to the 2008 World Championship of Public Speaking. My speech, “Baby, Don’t Believe Them,” was about my journey from low self-esteem to the college professor you see now.
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For those of us who are card-carrying introverts and terrified of crowds larger than 5, my Curry College colleague Kathy Morrison offers great hope and encouragement. Speaking...whether in front of an auditorium filled with eager listeners or in a classroom populated with (sometimes...not always) reluctant attendees...is a challenge that isn't overcome easily. But it can be done, and Kathy is proof-positive of that. I'm proud that I'm able to work with and learn from professionals like her.