On dedication, attention to others and growth
Keith Westmacott is a name synonymous with wit, wisdom, and the warm camaraderie that defines the best of public speaking circles. He was among the visionary founders of the Lausanne International Club more than two decades ago. A Distinguished Toastmaster, Keith has honed his craft over many years, assuming diverse roles from club leadership to district guidance. His mastery of rhetoric and personable mentoring style have made him a cherished mentor and friend within the community. In this feature, Keith distills his years of experience into expert advice, revealing how members can maximize the benefits of Toastmasters tools and community while also contributing positively to the growth and enrichment of others and the club.
How did the idea of the Toastmasters club in Lausanne come about?
It was 20 years ago, there were about 9 or 10 people keen on the club, who didn’t follow any rules whatsoever. They just enjoyed themselves: reading their speeches from paper etc. Once I got invited and called up for a table topic on something very simple, like deliberating about my favourite movie. And I couldn’t believe it: I absolutely froze and in the 2 minutes, I had about 27 ums and ahs, which I didn’t even realise I had until I sat down. I was furious and asked the table topics master, why didn’t they give us the topic in advance, so that we had time to prepare. Of course, the whole point was to get you up on your feet and make you speak, as this might happen in your job, at a wedding or a funeral: “Would you like to say a few words?”. However, that is a challenge, 27 ums and ahs – that is appalling. This is how I joined and we stuck together. And now I’ve, actually, got down to zero ums and ahs (laughs).
What happened then?
At one point they made me a president and we had only around 9 members – not enough for a Toastmasters club. One of us volunteered to do PR, went on English radio in Geneva and told everybody about the club. Sure enough, within the next 6 months we were up to 20+ people. I stayed on as president for about 10-12 years. However, every year I would ask others whether they wanted to be president. They would say all sorts of things: too busy, children, jobs and so on. So I had to stick it out. One day I was at a district meeting in Portugal and someone told me that it was against the rules to remain a club president for that long. Eventually, two people came up to me at the same night and said they wanted to be president. I had to say to the second one, that the job was already taken, but that he would get it next time. And so it was. From there on, it went on from strength to strength.
The strength of the club is that you’re made very welcome and that very few visitors turn down the opportunity to join the club. We tell them to come thrice because each meeting is different. Another strength we have is that we are all very friendly. What I enjoy most after all these years is seeing those people improving.
What do Toastmasters mean for you now?
I enjoy seeing people, especially the young ones, coming up and making great progress. It’s really important for young people to learn how to speak in public today as they are asked to update their managers or coworkers more and more. Toastmasters is just wonderful for that. Another thing I enjoy is mentoring. I didn’t get mentored and my progress was slow, just to mention that it took me probably six months before I made my first speech. Now people can learn how to speak pretty well within a month or two if they’re mentored.
Tell me about the process of getting rid of your ums and ahs
I was just about to say “ah” (laughs). Pause is the secret. Pause, when you’re stuck for your next word – that helps you to relax. But some don’t give themselves that second to pause. They just say, “ah – yes -well – of course – if that was the case – yeah – I suppose – I would”. You have to discipline yourself to pause. Then observe the audience: it gives you time to contemplate what you’re going to say next. Like that you will get silent feedback. You see a reaction from somebody in the audience.
Pausing requires courage and self-confidence. Did those qualities change in you with time?
I had to. When you learn how to relax, i.e. by looking at someone from whom you feel some support and encouragement, you feel that they want you to succeed. And so you feel okay.
When I mentor somebody, I say “Your audience wants you to do well, so you will do well.” By believing in them you will have confidence in yourself. Unfortunately, I have seen the opposite, when speakers don’t connect with the audience. They’ve learnt what they want to say, and they’re trying to remember every single word that they wrote down, and they’re fighting to get through it. So they come across rather aggressively to people. And that doesn’t help you get the feedback that you need.
It goes beyond what we do at Toastmasters. Let me give you an example. I remember a lovely lady, who came to Toastmasters in her late 60s. She was extremely shy. She would refrain from reaching out to people and she would blush and step back when someone would greet her. However, she listened intently to all the meetings. She got all the magazines from International Toastmasters,kept them under her bed and read them all the time. And one day she got up to speak. Her speech was soft, calm and beautiful. Everybody just loved her and wanted the best for her, because they knew that she had struggled for six months where she just couldn’t even answer a table topic. Later she thanked me for being promoted to become a team leader in her job. She said that this would not have happened without Toastmasters.
Do you notice some difference in public speaking depending on where people come from?
What I admire the most in our club is that we are an English-speaking club, but there are very few native English speakers. To me, that’s very courageous not only to get up to speak, but speak in the foreign language. I probably couldn’t do that.
There are indeed cultural differences, not in the way people present. Some people are more structured and organised. For some, pronunciation might pose a problem and derail the audience’s focus on the speech.
How much does a speaker need to rely on the non-verbal part of their presentation?
I think that body language is really important. When you see somebody naturally expressing themselves in addition to their words, it adds something enormous to their impact on the audience. But there is a fine line between using your body and acting or overacting. You have to get the balance between the body expression and the message.
When doing my speeches, I write every word out to see if it’s making sense. But then I give myself that speech looking in the mirror to see if I look convincing. Then I throw away the speech and that gives me freedom to speak from my heart. Then my body is aligned with my words.
When you give evaluation speeches, your performance is so natural, but at the same time full of various elements: jokes, pauses, examples, change in tone and speed. How do you achieve this?
I think it came with practice. At one point, I focused a lot on pauses. At another, I worked on keeping eye contact with people in the audience trying to explain my ideas. It was a realisation that if you want to make a difference, you need to focus on those small things.
What is the connection between you being a writer and a Toastmaster?
I became a writer when I got deeply disappointed in a highly recommended book. As I was reading the book in bed, several times I threw the book across the room exclaiming that it was rubbish. My wife was very upset and suggested a challenge of writing something better than the book. I took on the challenge. The following morning I sat in front of my computer at 6:30 a.m. and it took me a year to write a 500 page book. When others read my books, they tell me that they can hear me telling my story.
When I mentor at Toastmasters, I ask for a story, something that I would believe in. So, you need to tell an interesting story that would convince people and, hopefully, they would take something away from it. The other day in the club someone gave a table topic speech asking us to remove all the media and talk to the person next to you. After the meeting people were talking to each other and there was something in the air that helped make real contact with people and develop friendships. When I was young, my grandmother told me to go across a room at a Christmas gathering and to make sure to talk to every person there. I was terrified, because I preferred to get my back up against the wall and wait for the chocolates to come pass my way. I hated to get out there and kiss my uncles and aunts, because they all had moustaches. That helped me overcome my shyness. That’s what people do nowadays – they hide behind their phones and become too busy. So, by creating this friendly ambiance of talking to each other, at Toastmasters we develop relations with others.
What is the importance of the feedback at Toastmasters?
Feedback is a very powerful tool, especially when it’s anonymous. It gives points, helps to see our blind spots. “I didn’t know that I kept my hands in my pockets, I didn’t know that I looked down when delivering that thought.” So, you learn.
If you are a mentor sometimes it’s hard to deliver feedback without being critical. So, when you are asked, it’s important to say not only what you found great, but also what needed improvement in their speech.
What is your formula for delivering evaluations at the Toastmasters?
I divide my sheet of paper in two columns and as I listen to the speech, I write in one column what I like and what I don’t like in the other. I take notes of what really stands out. Before I get on stage, I look at my notes and deliver my evaluation.
How did you get the Distinguished ToastMaster (DTM) award?
I’ve been in the club for so long that I made all the speeches that I could. I took on all the tasks, for instance, being a contest chair, organising a contest, being a judge. I got a great deal of help from fellow Toastmasters because I was not that interested in getting the DTM award. Someone came to me to encourage me to apply, fill in the forms etc. They gave me this wonderful plaque and now that people come to visit me and ask me about it, I feel good. I participated at the area contests in Switzerland and met great speakers. At one point I was the area director and I went to Bern to meet my Toastmasters boss who told me about my duties. I was caught unprepared, because I was there for fun. At some point I went to Portugal, Italy for these area meetings and met some wonderful people who are still friends today.
What advice would you give to the new Toastmaster?
Make friends with the people in the club early on, they will explain to you what the activities are, and get involved. And then get yourself a mentor because you will accelerate the process.