Presentation Mastery Level 2

Level 2 Checklist and Completion

Track which requirements you've completed as you progress through Level 2.

1. Speaker by delivering your required speeches
2. Grammarian
3. Evaluator of another member's speech
4. Topicsmaster for a club meeting
5. Additional role: Toastmaster of the Day, Timer, Ah-Counter

Understanding Your Communication Style

The purpose is to learn about different communication styles and identify your primary style.

Complete the Discover Your Communication Style questionnaire to help you identify your style. Deliver a 5- to 7-minute speech at a club meeting about your communication style and its impact on your professional and/or personal relationships. If you are uncomfortable discussing your communication style, you may speak about the communication styles you have encountered and how they impact you. Your speech should not be a report of the content of this project.

This project includes:

• The Discover Your Communication Style questionnaire
• A 5- to 7-minute speech

Effective Body Language

Purpose: To deliver a speech with awareness of your intentional and unintentional body language, as well as to learn, practice, and refine how you use nonverbal communication when delivering a speech.

Prepare a 5- to 7-minute speech on a topic that lends itself to expression through your movement and gestures.

Record your presentation and get feedback from your mentor or another reviewer before speaking to your club. If you do not have access to a recording device, perform your speech in front of a mirror and make adjustments before your scheduled speech.

Introduction to Toastmasters Mentoring

Purpose: To clearly define how Toastmasters envisions mentoring.

Write and present a 5- to 7-minute speech about a time when you were a protégé. Share the impact and importance of having a mentor. This speech is not a report on the content of this project.

Get up and walk!

Greeting

Good evening, fellow Toastmasters.

Opening

After a long day working, it's ok to get home and sit to relax, maybe watch a movie or navigate the internet. Nothing like to enjoy your favorite couch, or to play a game while sitting in your ergonomic chair. After all, our bodies love to sit, right?

Statement 

Well. Not really. Sure, sitting for brief periods can help us recover from stress or recuperate from exercise. But nowadays, our lifestyles make us sit much more than we move around, and our bodies simply aren't built for such a sedentary existence. In fact, just the opposite is true.

Argument 

The human body is built to move, and you can see evidence of that in the way it's structured. Inside us are over 360 joints, and about 700 skeletal muscles that enable easy, fluid motion. The body's unique physical structure gives us the ability to stand up straight against the pull of gravity. Our blood depends on us moving around to be able to circulate properly. Our nerve cells benefit from movement, and our skin is elastic, meaning it molds to our motions. So if every inch of the body is ready and waiting for you to move, what happens when you just don't? 

Authorities 

Recent studies have found that sitting for long periods is linked with some types of cancers and heart disease and can contribute to diabetes, kidney and liver problems. In fact, researchers have worked out that, worldwide, inactivity causes about 9% of premature deaths a year. That's over 5 million people. So what seems like such a harmless habit actually has the power to change our health. But luckily, the solutions to this mounting threat are simple and intuitive. 

Research shows that adding even a modest amount of walking to your daily routine can dramatically improve your health. So, what exactly happens to your body when you increase your daily step count? A single afternoon stroll can improve your mood and ease symptoms of anxiety and depression. Walking, especially at a brisk pace, is thought to trigger the release of pain-relieving endorphins and curb the release of the stress hormone cortisol. 

Within weeks of adding more steps to your routine, your body adapts. While it may seem simple, walking requires the coordination and effort of many muscles in your legs, torso, and back. To keep up with the increase in energy demand, the vessels around these muscles are remodeled to deliver more oxygen. At the same time, your heart becomes more efficient at pumping blood. In a few months, these changes can lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. Carrying the weight of your body as you walk places stress on the bones. But this stress actually makes the bones stronger, as it stimulates the absorption of calcium and minerals. That's why years of consistent walking can help retain bone density, which usually declines with age.

Examples 

Building a lifelong walking habit comes with many other benefits, from aiding in weight management to reducing your risk for type 2 diabetes, numerous cancers, and dementia. Simply put, walking is exercise. And unlike other forms, it doesn’t require equipment, and is often more accessible to people of varying ages and fitness levels. While activity trackers usually bill 10,000 steps as the ideal benchmark, studies show that any increase in steps per day can yield health benefits. And these steps don't need to be taken continuously. For those who live in walkable neighborhoods, steps are easily accumulated throughout the day; walking to work, to pick up groceries, or to meet with friends.

Conclusion 

But, if you have no choice but to sit, try switching the slouch for a straighter spine, and when you don't have to be bound to your seat, aim to move around much more, perhaps by setting a reminder to yourself to get up every half hour. But mostly, just appreciate that bodies are built for motion, not for stillness. So, when this Toastmaster session finishes, remember those words that since ancient times bring health, and even life, "Rise up and walk". Your body will thank you later.

Structure of a presentation

Connectors for speeches

Signposting

• Good evening and welcome.
• Today, we are going to be looking at...
• We eill be discussing...

Signalling

• So to begin...
• This brings me to...
• Finally...

Summarising

• To conclude...
• I'd like to invite you to...

La turbulenta noche de van Gogh

Saludo

Buenas noches, Toastmasters

Apertura

En junio de 1889, mientras estaba internado en un manicomio tras haberse mutilado la oreja izquierda en un ataque de nervios, Vincent van Gogh pintó La noche estrellada, una de las obras de arte más conocidas, reproducidas e intervenidas de la historia. Pero ¿por qué nos gusta tanto?

Descripción objetiva

La noche estrellada es un óleo sobre tela que representa la vista nocturna desde la ventana de su habitación en Saint-Paul-de-Mausole, la institución psiquiátrica en la que van Gogh se internó voluntariamente. Y el protagonista es el vasto espacio estrellado que ocupa los dos tercios superiores del lienzo. En él, van Gogh logra capturar el turbulento fluir del cosmos mediante pinceladas cortas y enérgicas que alternan del blanco a diferentes tonos de azul. La enorme luna, a la derecha del espectador, y las estrellas son logradas a golpes circulares de pincel que transitan del blanco al amarillo y cuyo contraste con el azul oscuro las hace titilar, creando un efecto de movimiento.

 Argumento de autoridad

En 2006, físicos de la UNAM digitalizaron la imagen y midieron las fluctuaciones de luminosidad entre pixeles cercanos, encontrando que estos cambios se ajustaban estadísticamente muy bien a las ecuaciones del flujo turbulento de Kolmogorov. 

Años después, en 2019, astrofísicos de la Universidad Nacional de Australia analizaron la pintura y encontraron que los trazos encajaban casi a la perfección con los que predice la turbulencia subsónica que se utiliza para estudiar la evolución de las nubes de polvo galáctico que dan origen a las estrellas. Encontraron, además, en las caóticas pinceladas, el efecto de Batchelor, asociado a la mezcla de fluidos. Lograr captar de manera simultánea los efectos de Kolmogorov y Batchelor es extremadamente difícil y los científicos no dejan de preguntarse, y maravillarse, sobre cómo van Gogh logró, de manera totalmente intuitiva, capturar estos complejos fenómenos naturales.

Ejemplo

Lo curioso es que otras obras de van Gogh, pintadas en épocas de calma, fuera de sus periodos psicóticos, no presentan patrones turbulentos, por ejemplo, su autorretrato con pipa, donde las volutas de humo, al elevarse por el aire, a pesar de formar espirales, no captan ese efecto de vorágine. Más aún, en obras de otros autores que a primera vista pueden parecer que tengan escenas agitadas, como El grito, de Edvard Munch, o El torbellino de los amantes, de William Blake, no presentan estas trazas de turbulencia.

Tesis

Así que, volviendo a nuestra obra, todo parece indicar que son la mezcla de las trayectorias en el trazo y los contrastes en la paleta de colores los que provocan en el espectador estos efectos de movimiento y luminosidad que nos cautivan, o que al menos, conmigo, lo hacen.

Experiencia personal

Porque debo decir que mi gusto no es objetivo. Hace muchos años siendo estudiante universitario, un amigo me prestó una novela, Anhelo de vivir, Lust for life, del escritor Irving Stone, la cual narra la vida, obra y muerte de van Gogh. Y tras la lectura quedé fascinado por el personaje, empecé a amar al artista, antes que a su obra.

 Descripción subjetiva

Así que cuando veo La noche estrellada, no creo que sean sus curiosidades matemáticas las que me atraen. El manto azul obscuro que cubre casi todo el lienzo me recuerda las tristezas del autor: el rechazo de su familia por su vida bohemia, sus cuadros sin vender, su economía en bancarrota, la humillación de tener que ser mantenido por su hermano menor Theo, sus propuestas de matrimonio rechazadas, el rompimiento con su mejor amigo tras una violenta pelea a puñetazos. Pero también veo, como esa enorme luna, la esperanza brillando, de alguien que disfrutaba de manera desaforada, un apasionado de la pasión, apurando la vida hasta el último trago, buscando capturar a toda costa la luz.

Conclusión

Aún no sabemos por qué Vincent van Gogh pudo plasmar de manera tan realista el fenómeno de la turbulencia durante el periodo de mayor sufrimiento en su vida, pero ese desconocimiento no nos impide sumergirnos en la contemplación de La noche estrellada. Te invito a apreciar esta obra y si ya la conoces, a valorarla con nuevos ojos.

Despedida

Es cuánto. Te regreso el uso de la palabra, Toastmaster.

El vino tinto y el corazón

De seguro has escuchado que una copita de vino es saludable, que hace liberar endorfinas, o incluso, que ayuda al corazón de una u otra manera.

Hoy vengo a decirte que cualquier cantidad de alcohol, por mínima que sea, es perjudicial para la salud.

En 2021, la Agencia Internacional para la Investigación del Cáncer clasificó al alcohol como una sustancia tóxica, psicoactiva, que produce dependencia y lo colocó en el grupo 1 de carcinógenos, ligado a 7 tipos de cáncer: oral, de faringe, esófago, hígado, páncreas, colorrectal y mama.

Por otra parte, un estudio realizado por médicos de la Organización Mundial de la Salud y publicado en 2023 en la prestigiosa revista The Lancet estableció que no hay una cantidad segura de alcohol que no afecte la salud y que a la fecha no hay ningún estudio que demuestre que existe un umbral a partir del cual no se manifiesten los potenciales efectos carcinógenos del alcohol. Dicho de otra manera, entre menos consumo, mejor.

Además, la Comisión Europea advierte que incluso un consumo regular y moderado (y quiero hacer énfasis en estos dos conceptos) regular y moderado de alcohol aumenta el riesgo a largo plazo de sufrir cardiopatías, enfermedades hepáticas y cáncer.

Y ¿qué es un consumo regular y moderado? Regular, al menos tres o cuatro veces por semana. Moderado, tan poquito como 10 g de alcohol. Esto es, media cerveza, media copa de vino, medio caballito de tequila o un dedo de ginebra en el Dry Martini de James Bond, agitado, no mezclado. Pero ¿Cuántas personas piensan que una cerveza en la comida es inofensiva? ¿Cuántas acostumbran una copita de vino por las tardes?

En una cena de año nuevo se me ocurrió comentar algo de esto mientras se servían los brindis. Nunca lo hubiera hecho. De inmediato alguien dijo que los cardiólogos recomiendan el vino tino, otra persona dijo que contenía resveratrol y flavonoides. No faltó quien dijera que una copita es un buen digestivo, y alguien incluso comentó que el vino tinto ¡no contenía alcohol!.

Hay muchos mitos y malos entendidos que es necesario desmontar:

Primero, The American Heart Association (la asociación de cardiología americana) aclara en su página web que el consumo óptimo de alcohol es cero, que las personas menores de 21 años no deben consumir alcohol, por supuesto, tampoco las mujeres embarazadas o que busquen embarazarse y quienes tomen medicamentos contraindicados. Que incluso el consumo moderado puede incrementar la presión sanguínea y que no existen estudios que demuestren una relación entre consumo de vino tinto y mejor salud cardiaca. También hace patente el aumento de cardiopatías asociadas al consumo de bebidas alcohólicas.

Por otra parte, si bien es cierto que el vino tinto contiene flavonoides y resveratrol, que son compuestos vegetales polifenólicos con propiedades antioxidantes, The American Society for Nutrition aclara que el alcohol potencia la liberación de radicales libres e incrementa el estrés oxidativo y recomienda a aquellos preocupados por sus requerimientos de polifenoles que obtengan estos nutrientes de otras fuentes, principalmente frutas y verduras de color rojo u oscuro, como fresas, arándanos, betabel, granadas, manzana roja, mandarina, papaya, moras, higos, y un largo etcétera.

Respecto a la fama de digestivo que acompaña al alcohol, es cierto que acelera el metabolismo, y con ello la digestión, pero también lo es que es tóxico para los enterocitos, las células que absorben los nutrientes en el intestino delgado. En marzo de este año, se publicó un estudio en la revista especializada Alcohol Research Current Reviews que encuentra que el consumo regular de alcohol ataca la barrera intestinal la cual reacciona aumentando el espesor de su mucosidad, lo que disminuye la absorción de nutrientes junto con la microbiota simbiótica, aumentando la población bacteriana que provoca inflamación sistémica, todo lo cual contribuye a ciertas patologias crónicas como la enfermedad hepática alcohólica o la inflamación colorrectal.

No podemos negar que el agua de un charco a mitad de calle hidrata, pero creo que todos trataríamos de evitar tomarla para aplacar la sed porque los beneficios de hacerlo son más que contrarrestados por los  riesgos y potenciales daños.

Dejemos de normalizar el consumo de alcohol. El slogan "Bebe con moderación" ya es en sí un exceso. Si eres consumidor, te invito a que disminuyas la ingesta. Y sobre todo, no incentives con tu ejemplo, en particular a los más jóvenes, a consumirlo. Es una buena idea no tomar alcohol. Considérala. Quizá tu yo del futuro te lo agradezca.

Te regreso el uso de la palabra, evaluador general.

Icebreaker

Introduction: The Ice Breaker marks the beginning of your new Toastmasters path. It is your opportunity to introduce yourself to your group and share something about yourself. You may choose to share anything from the reason you chose this particular path to something personal about your life.

The Ice Breaker speech is 4 to 6 minutes in length and it is the first one that all Toastmasters present to their clubs. It is also the speech Toastmasters deliver when they embark on a new path.

You will learn to distinguish the basic elements of speech structure and learn about rehearsal techniques that will help you balance preparation and spontaneity.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to introduce yourself to the club and learn the basic structure of a public speech.

Structure: The four elements of a good story are:

1. Interesting topic.
2. Opening.
3. Body.
4. Conclusion.

Overview: Write and deliver a speech about any topic to introduce yourself to your club. Your speech may be humorous, informational, or any other style that appeals to you.

Practice: There are many ways to practice. Choose a technique that works for you or develop one of your own.

• Rehearse with Friends or Family.
• Record Yourself.
• Use a Mirror.
• Practice Sections.
• Time Yourself.

Relax, Breathe, Enjoy, and Overcome Anxiety.

How to overcome crutch words

1. Embrace the pause. They create suspense, slow down fast talkers, demonstrate confidence, draw audience attention and give speakers the time they need to communicate with precision. With practice, you will soon be pausing instead of using crutch words, and there’s no penalty for pausing. 
2. Slow down. But when speakers slow down, they have much more time to plan out the precise phrases they want to use and will not need nonsensical fillers to connect random and pre-baked thoughts.
3. Know your point. Prepare your points in advance and know them well. If you start talking before you know what you want to say, you’re bound to say something pointless.
4. Practice your speech. Practicing mitigates that anxiety by making the speaker more familiar with the material. A comfortable and confident speaker has more control, enabling her to embrace pauses and deftly avoid the “ums” and “ahs.” Practice may not always make perfect, but it can give you the confidence to make good public-speaking decisions.

Ah counter speech

Greetings General Evaluator, fellow Toastmasters, and guests. The purpose of the Ah-Counter is to note words and sounds that are used as a "crutch" or "pause filler" by anyone who speaks. During the meeting, I will listen for overused words, including and, well, but, so, and you know. I will also listen for filler sounds, including ah, um, and er. And when a speaker repeats a word or phrase, such as "I, I" or "This, this, this means." At the end of the meeting, I will report the number of times that each speaker used these expressions.

Thank you, General Evaluator. Go back to you.

The ah counter

The purpose of the Ah-Counter is to note any overused words or filler sounds used as a crutch by anyone who speaks during the meeting. Words may be inappropriate interjections, such as and, well, but, so and you know. Sounds may be ah, um or er. As Ah-Counter you:

• Request a copy of the Ah-Counter’s log from your sergeant at arms. If a log is not available, be prepared to take notes.
• When introduced during the club meeting, explain the role of the Ah-Counter.
• In the Ah-Counter’s log, record overlong pauses, overused words and filler sounds relied upon too often by all speakers. Examples include: and, but, so, you know, ah, um.
• During the evaluation portion of the meeting, report your observations when called upon.

Pathways

The current education system Pathways consists of eleven differing paths suited to their needs and requirements, based around Public Speaking, Interpersonal Communication, Management, Strategic Leadership, and Confidence. Each path consists of 14 projects. Content consists of online and print materials, it being the first time in the organization’s history to provide modern technology in its programme. Content is available in English, and as of 2023, translations are available in 10 languages.

Evaluation criteria for a speech

This criteria lists the specific goals and expectations for the speech. Please review each level to help you complete the evaluation.

Clarity. Spoken language is clear and is easily understood.

5 – Is an exemplary public speaker who is always understood 
4 – Excels at communicating using the spoken word 
3 – Spoken language is clear and is easily understood 
2 – Spoken language is somewhat unclear or challenging to understand 
1 – Spoken language is unclear or not easily understood 

Vocal Variety. Uses tone, speed, and volume as tools.

5 – Uses the tools of tone, speed, and volume to perfection 
4 – Excels at using tone, speed, and volume as tools 
3 – Uses tone, speed, and volume as tools 
2 – Use of tone, speed, and volume requires further practice 
1 – Ineffective use of tone, speed, and volume 

Eye Contact. Effectively uses eye contact to engage audience.

5 – Uses eye contact to convey emotion and elicit response 
4 – Uses eye contact to gauge audience reaction and response 
3 – Effectively uses eye contact to engage audience 
2 – Eye contact with audience needs improvement 
1 – Makes little or no eye contact with audience 

Gestures. Uses physical gestures effectively.

5 – Fully integrates physical gestures with content to deliver an exemplary speech 
4 – Uses physical gestures as a tool to enhance speech 
3 – Uses physical gestures effectively 
2 – Uses somewhat distracting or limited gestures 
1 – Uses very distracting gestures or no gestures Audience 

Awareness. Demonstrates awareness of audience engagement and needs.

5 – Engages audience completely and anticipates audience needs 
4 – Is fully aware of audience engagement/needs and responds effectively 
3 – Demonstrates awareness of audience engagement and needs 
2 – Audience engagement or awareness of audience requires further practice 
1 – Makes little or no attempt to engage audience or meet audience needs 

Comfort Level. Appears comfortable with the audience.

5 – Appears completely self-assured with the audience 
4 – Appears fully at ease with the audience 
3 – Appears comfortable with the audience 
2 – Appears uncomfortable with the audience 
1 – Appears highly uncomfortable with the audience 

Interest. Engages audience with interesting, well-constructed content.

5 – Fully engages audience with exemplary, well constructed content 
4 – Engages audience with highly compelling, well constructed content 
3 – Engages audience with interesting, well constructed content 
2 – Content is interesting but not well-constructed or is well-constructed but not interesting 
1 – Content is neither interesting nor well-constructed 

Topic. Shares some aspect of his or her leadership style and the impact of that style on self or others.

5 – Delivers an exemplary speech about the topic and its impact
4 – Delivers an excellent speech about the topic and its impact
3 – Shares some aspect of the topic and its impact
2 – Mentions some aspect of the topic and its impact, but does not fully address 
1 – Delivers a speech on a topic other than some aspect of the topic proposed

How To Speak Like The 1% Elite

Natalie Dawson

1. Stop speaking to be liked. Speak to lead. Mindset: I am a leader. Be certain of. 
2. No emotions allowed. High emotion, low intelligence. Swayed based off of logic, based off of data. Never let your emotions override your message.
3. Have authority. Don't speak more, speak with weight. Conversations, meetings have to matter. What is my target? Struggle with the most important point. Steer the conversation with clear confident delivery.
4. Become a question master. Understand what really matters. In order to solve the most complicated problem you need to know what questions you need to ask to be able to make the best decisions to move on.
5. Stop oversharing. Overexplain is a signal that you are not confident. Be direct. Don't seek validation. Show confidence.

Conmutación

Conmutación o retruécano, es una figura retórica de repetición que consiste en la reorganización de los elementos de una oración en otra subsiguiente.

Por ejemplo, «hay muchos que siendo pobres merecen ser ricos, y los hay que siendo ricos merecen ser pobres.» (Quevedo).

Pathways de Toastmasters

Toastmaster

Los niveles de Toastmasters están organizados en el programa Pathways, que es un programa educativo que ayuda a desarrollar habilidades de comunicación y liderazgo. Los niveles son: 

1. Dominar los aspectos fundamentales 
2. Aprender el estilo de comunicación y liderazgo 
3. Aumentar el conocimiento y negociar el mejor resultado 
4. Desarrollar habilidades 
5. Demostrar experiencia 

Cada trayecto Pathways tiene cinco niveles, y al comenzar se dominan los fundamentos para luego pasar a habilidades más avanzadas. 

Completar un Pathways puede llevar alrededor de dos años, pero se puede avanzar más rápido si se es miembro de más de un club. Al incorporarse como socio por primera vez, Toastmasters International incluye un trayecto Pathways. Para obtener y desarrollar trayectos subsecuentes, se deben adquirir en la página web internacional.

Five vocal exercises

Vinh Giang

Lip flutter:

1. No sound ***
2. Spurts *
3. Constant pitch ***
4. Low to high pitch *
5. Favorite song *

3 Exercises to Strengthen Voice

Laryngopedia

So

• Vocal cord/ tract muscles can be strengthened by challenging them
• Short bursts of intense voice use can build vocal cords and related muscles
• Aggressive voice does not harm vocal cords if done briefly

Do

• Voice of Authority. 
• Ship Ahoy Voice.
• Siren.

For

• 20 seconds on each task.
• 4 to 6 times a day.
• Minimum 2 weeks.

3 Techniques Obama Uses that will Elevate Your Speech

1. Anaphora. Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses.
2. Epizeuxis. Repetition of a word or phrase in immediate succession, typically within the same sentence, for vehemence or emphasis.
3. Parellelism. Repetition of grammatical structures in a piece of writing to create a harmonious effect.
4. Antithesis. opposition or contrast of ideas.
5. Chiasmus. Repetition in reversal order of grammatical structures in successive phrases or clauses.
6. Juxtaposition. Placing two things close together or side by side to compare or contrast them, or to show similarities or differences.
7. Isocolon. Succession of phrases, clauses, or sentences of approximately equal length and corresponding structure.

10 consejos para mejorar tu oratoria

1. Apasiónate. Conoce el tema.
2. Practica. Repetición. Memoria muscular.
3. Simplifica tu Lenguaje. Lenguaje no técnico. Usa ejemplos.
4. Improvisa. No leas tu discurso. Conexión visual.
5. Conciso. No hables de más. El objetivo es comunicar con eficiencia.
6. Naturalidad. No impostes la voz.
7. Lenguaje corporal. Utiliza gestos para acompañar tus mensajes.
8. Muévete. Prestancia. Manejo de escenario.
9. Espontaneidad. Interactúa.
10. Termina con fuerza. Con lo último que se queda tu público.