Colchester Speakers ClubJames McGinty
Communications and Marketing Consultant
Joined
1. Why did you join the
Speakers Club?
To get over my fear of
speaking to large groups of people.
I had been in avoidance about public speaking for years.
2. Why did you feel you
needed to improve your public speaking?
Because I was
over-anxious when speaking to more than about 6 people at a time!
No one noticed this fear at work and if I ever mentioned it they
were surprised because I am an articulate and inspiring talker with 1:1
and small groups. I suppose
I was competent at the public speaking required at work but the price I
paid in nerves and over-preparation was ridiculous.
3. What is your career to
date?
I started out as a stage manager which is the only
profession I actually trained for.
The pay is not very good in the theatre and the hours are
incompatible with family life so I moved into advising people on their
rights and especially their debts in
citizens advice bureaux before moving to Colchester Borough
Council as a welfare rights officer.
Since then I have worked in a range of customer rights,
communications, event and marketing roles within Suffolk County Council
and for a partnership between
Suffolk County Council and BT.
4. When did you first
realise you had a problem speaking to large groups?
At university – in the
seminars. I had not
experienced such fear ever before but there were about 20 students and I
was asked something repeatedly by a tutor and I froze - I could not get
a word out. Before then I
had been super-confident and at school I had been part of a winning
school debating team.
5. How did you find out
about the Colchester Speakers Club?
I walked into
Manningtree Library one Saturday and on the wall was a large pink A3
poster advertising it. I
took down the number and rang James.
6. What was your first
meeting like?
I was fine until I
realised that table topics were part of it.
I thought it was going to be all about honing the content of
speeches and finding ways of getting your message across. I had
not bargained for getting up with no notice and just talking about a
subject and when I realised I refused to move from my seat saying “I had
not realised this was part of it”
7. What stage are you up
to in your Speakers Club manual?
I have just completed
the 7th module in the manual – the one about use of notes –
so I’ve got 3 to go.
8. What have been the
benefits of the Speakers Club for you?
The benefits have been
in learning to be spontaneous and just going for it when faced with a
situation in which speaking is demanded on the spot, there and then.
So, in meetings I no longer prepare for my turn, I no longer make
notes in my margin about what points I am going to make – I wait for my
turn and then I speak. When
I need to give a presentation I am confident I can prepare the material
(because I could already do that) but am now confident I can show the
material to best advantage.
9. What would you say to
anyone who is anxious about speaking in public?
It changes your life -
you can be happier and more effective.