Whilst schools might be breaking up this week, many of us are getting ready to head back to the office after months of working from home, furloughs, and redundancies. I don’t know about you, but it all feels a little daunting to me. I think I may have lost some of my social skills over the last few months (I may never part company with my slouchy trousers) and I’ve certainly lost some of my confidence.
Getting back to business
Whilst many of us have learnt new skills on Zoom or Teams, suddenly we have to resurrect old skills that we haven’t used in a while. And I’m not necessarily just talking about doing a presentation in front of a large audience (although for many of us, we have got to get our head around that one too).
I’m talking about meeting with the team in person, having a one-to-one chat (in person), going for an interview, pitching an idea or just going in for an appraisal. These are the things we used to do every day but last time I went into an office, I noticed that it all felt, well, a bit awkward. I didn’t know what to do with my hands, the direct eye contact all felt a bit intense and I stuttered and stumbled my way through what I had to say. Not a great start, I said to myself as I retreated to the ladies.
Getting in some practice
Cue Speakers Club and the ASC. If you haven’t come across a Speakers Club before, let me explain. It’s a place where you can go and practice your public speaking skills in a safe and supportive environment. Everyone is or has been in the same boat, so it’s a great place to try, fail, succeed, practice, and learn.
Importantly, although it’s a “Speakers Club”, it’s not just about public speaking. There are opportunities to chair a meeting, or a small part of a meeting, you learn to give feedback in a positive and constructive way, you meet new people, can develop your leadership skills and with a well-designed Development Pathway, you can also earn valuable CPD points.
On top of all that you will of course learn lots about public speaking and how to improve your skills. And you’ll get lots of constructive advice, enjoy a massive boost to your confidence.
Is it affordable?
Yes. The aim of the ASC is to make everything that they do accessible to all. Contact your local club for precise details but as a rough rule of thumb, you can expect to pay about £30 for a year’s membership and a small amount for each meeting you attend. You also receive a copy of the Speakers Guide which is packed with great advice and information.
If that all sounds good to you, have a look for your nearest club using our Find a Club feature. Or just drop us a line. Most of our clubs break for the summer, but we’ll be getting back to business in September and we’d love to see you at one of our meetings.
Leave a Reply