The "Pick Me, Me, Me approach"

1. During TT intro use the "Pick Me, Me, Me approach." Approach the lectern with positive body language and empty head.

2. Over-Accept the topic. Love the topic no matter what it is. This will create positive energy.

3. Start talking and see what develops. Begin broadly and search for one specific theme/subject.

4. Add a teaspoon of risk such as humor, energy, emotion, character, etc.., The risk will give your talk direction.

5. After finding the ONE THING advance the story and reach the middle part of story/talk.

6. End your talk on a HIGH POINT when you have said something interesting, funny, finalizing or summarizing

Specific STRATEGY

• Break down TT into a set of achievements : 1. being relaxed, 2. feeling spontaneous, 3. saying something spontaneous, 4. giving a talk that has a beginning, middle, and end.

• Incorporate the Word of the Day in your opening line so you don't have to try to remember it later in the talk.

• TT is about being spontaneous. Is there some other area of your life where you are spontaneous? Use that experience.

• TT starts before you get up there - while in your seat when you hope they call on you.

• Body preparation/relaxation is important - we all have read how the body and mind influence each other. People speak better when relaxed and positive. People who reluctantly approach the lectern rarely do well.

• TT is about "being light on your feet" not heavy. Eager and Ready. Approach the lectern lightly. Change your body language and you can change your TT response.

• Nervous- That is the energy you need to tap into. Don't let it shut you down but use it. Nervous is good if you use it.

• TT is NOT about being right, it is about playing a game & telling a story with confidence & imagination and "selling" something for one minute.

• TT experience is cumulative - your experience one week can be "called on another week." Review your Table Topic talks.

• Start in the "middle" of a subject when possible not the very beginning because you only have a minute to talk.

• OVER ACCEPTING the topic can help because it gets your mind going in the right direction sooner. Agreement frees up the mind and will give your talk a place to go. Ever seen anyone do TT well who "sort of" accepted the topic?

• TT Requires listening to the topic closely.

• TT has a beginning, middle and end....break it into parts so you can manage it.

• It is helpful to add a touch of risk to what you are saying- the risk will give you "a place to go," in your speech. It opens your mind to possibilities.

• A decision on what to talk about will present itself early. Just expand on it. Learn to trust yourself. "I will always find something interesting to say."

• Everybody has Table Topics/Spontaneity skill inside, they just need to release it.

• At a loss for words on a subject- just start talking and YOU WILL SEE THE LIGHT, how often in life have you been unable to think of anything to say? DON'T FIGHT "NOT KNOWING." NOT KNOWING IS GOOD AND EXCITING.

• Envision yourself doing well.

• Progress. How do I know I am getting better?

• Less nervous, you trust yourself to always find something to say and you do well each time, you feel like your talk has a beginning middle and end.

• Some humor pops up in your talk and you capitalize on it. If you say something funny then explore the humor, that means you have the audience's attention.

• At the end of a minute you don't want to leave the lectern

• How can I practice ? In the car. Tell a story about another driver and car you see. Your car's movement keeps you thinking ahead, from thinking too deeply and not dwelling on one thing. Singing, yes singing. Give yourself a topic and start singing about it. Singing frees up a person's mind because there is rhythm and we relax when singing. Best when practiced alone or in shower. The goal is not singing well but telling some story in verse form. Are you good at rhyming? If so that will help you move a story along.

- Practice in all customer service situations, co-worker situations, and at home. Think of these situations as TT opportunities.

- Experts: Watch kids talk and play - they are experts at Table Topics - they play, justify everything and keep the story moving.

• Avoid:

• Trying to get all aspects of TT correct immediately - break it down into achievements. A good beginning etc..,

• Talking fast - no points for how much you say just how well you play the game...

• Forcing the Humor - Humor isn't everything - a well done TT will beat one that has one funny line. Let the humor happen naturally.

• Not narrowing the topic and going from sub topic to sub topic. This makes it harder to make the speech about something.

• Not playing the game. The audience wants you to "play the game," and win the ribbon.

• Table Topics is about having confidence or pretending to have confidence. Good TT will give you confidence for regular speeches.

What if I don't know anything about the topic?

• The key when you know nothing about the topic is:

•To pretend you KNOW SOMETHING about the topic.

•Remember to "sell" whatever you say and believe in it.

•You can sell the speech with positive body language and bravery.

•By pretending it gets your mind going in the right direction.