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Some Toastmasters jump in
feet first. They sign up to speak and are active in their clubs from the
outset. Other members, however, are reluctant to participate fully or
regularly. They may have practical reasons for less active
participation; some feel intimidated by the abundance of experienced
speakers in the club, while others are particularly frightened about
public speaking.
有些演講會會員首次演講會後，主動的參與分會的演講，也很快的進入狀況；而其有些會員，卻不太願意固定的參與。他們也許有特殊原因，讓他們較不主動參與活動；像是有些人是因演講會一些，有豐富演講經驗的會員而感受到壓力，有些人則是特別害怕公眾演講。
Clubs
should not let any member slip through the cracks. We must encourage
active and balanced participation by everyone, while understanding that
each of us learns at our own pace. Try these proven strategies to help
you engage all your club members:
我們的分會，不該讓任何會員，在這種縫隙中流失。我們必須要鼓勵每位會員，要主動的、固定的參與與會，因為我們瞭解，每一個人有自己的學習進度。試著用這些有效的策略，來應用在分會的會員身上。
Methods
方法
What’s the Best Method for
Filling Meeting Roles?
要扮演好例會角色最好的方法
Some clubs allow members to voluntarily fill club roles, while others
instruct the vice president education (VPE) to prepare an assignment
schedule. Some clubs use a combination of the two methods. Advantages
and disadvantages exist for both the voluntary and non-voluntary
systems. The volunteer method allows people the freedom to fill roles as
they see fit; however, this usually leads to an imbalance of
participation – some members tend to volunteer quite often and others
may not sign up to participate as often as they should.
有些分會允許會員們自願來擔任分會的角色，有些分會，則是要由教育副會長準備指派任務的計畫表，有些分會是兩種方式做結合。自願或非自願的方式，都有優缺點，自願的方式，可以讓會員自由選擇他們覺得適合的角色，這種方式通常造成會員的參與程度不平均；有些會員常常自願參與分會的角色，而有些會員，卻很少參與。
In one club that uses the
volunteer system, the VPE tracks each member’s participation and plots
the information on a chart. Those who are not participating fully are
contacted privately and asked if they’d like to participate more. Thus,
the volunteer system requires careful tracking of member participation.
The advantage of the VPE assigning meeting roles on a schedule is that
everyone is rotated, so everyone participates equally. At least, that’s
how it is supposed to work.
有一個分會是用自願參與的方式，教育副會長會追蹤每一個會員參與的情形，並將資料做成圖表，再與一些很少參與的人私下聯繫，並詢問他們是否願意有更多機會參與。因此，自願參與的方式，更需要追蹤會員的參與程度。而由教育副會長準備指派任務方式的優點，是每一個人平均都有輪流參與， 至少，這是例會應該進行的模式。
My experience with this
method is that invariably those who do not wish to participate actively
will find a way to back out; they will cancel or just not show up
regularly. Juggling this system can frustrate the VPE, the Toastmasters
of the respective meetings and others, because the schedule often
undergoes last-minute changes.
對這種指派的方式，我的經驗是，一些不太想參與活動的人，總是會找方法來退出，他們會取消他們的任務，或直接不到例會現場。使用這種方式，對教育副會長、例會總主持人、以及其他的會員來說，都是很挫折的，因為在最後一分鐘，還是要修改例會的議程。
For
clubs that assign roles, consistent communication between the VPE and
membership is vital. Merely placing names on a schedule and distributing
it with expectations of full participation is seldom effective. Members
must be notified of their assignments well in advance and later
reminded. In my club, the schedule is sent out at least one week before
the meeting and again one day before. Also, members on the schedule must
confirm their participation to the VPE and Toastmaster. Thus, in order
to be effective, this system requires two-way communication. Whatever
role-filling method your club chooses, be aware of the potential
pitfalls and act to alleviate or eliminate them.
指派角色安排，對分會來說，教育副會長和會員之間，不斷的聯繫是很重要的。僅僅把會員的名單做安排分配任務，然後期望會員能達成，通常沒什麼作用。教育副會長必須要提早告知會員，有關他們的任務，之後再次提醒他們。在我的分會，例會議程通常在一週前寄給會員，然後在例會前一天，再寄一次。在議程上有任務的會員，必須要與教育副會長及例會總主持人做確認。因此，為了要更有成效，這是一種兩方面的聯繫方式。不管你們的分會選擇那一種執行角色任務的方式，你們必須要注意，並避免一些可能犯的錯誤。
Mentors
指導會友
Assign mentors who can help and encourage.
指派能協助和鼓勵會員的指導會友
It is important to promptly assign a mentor to each new member. These
mentors must take an active interest in the participation and
progress of their mentees. In most clubs, a few members do not
participate regularly. I recommend that their assigned mentors speak
with them privately (preferably face to face and away from the
club meeting place) and find out why. Some members have good reasons for
not being active, such as heavy work loads, job changes, family
commitments and temporary emergencies. These reasons should be
respected. We should try not to place excessive pressure on these
members, because it may backfire and cause them to leave.
對新的會員來說，很快的指派一位指導會友給他，是很重要的。這些指導會友，必須要主動關心新會友的參與和進度；就大部份的分會而言，有些會員不會固定參與例會，我建議這些被指派的指導會友，可以私底下和這些會員聊聊天(最好面對面，並在非例會的地點)，了解一下他們不常參與例會的原因。有些會員不能常參與例會的原因，譬如說工作量大、換工作、家裡的事情、或是臨時有事等等。我們都要尊重這些情況，我們不應該過度給這些會員壓力，否則會造成反效果，造成他們離開分會。
Each
of us is entitled to learn at our own pace. On the other hand, if the
member is not actively participating out of fear of failure or
intimidation, the mentor and club leadership should actively offer
encouragement.
我們每一個人，都應該學習自己的學習步調。另一方面，如果有會員因為害怕失敗，或是有壓迫感，而沒有積極參與例會，指導會友和分會的幹部，應該要主動給予鼓勵。
Mindset
心態
Establish a club climate that fosters learning and growth.
要建立一個能促進學習與成長的風氣的分會
Create a club atmosphere in which one is not expected to be near perfect
in the performance of speeches and club meeting roles, in the way one
would expect on opening night of a stage play. Instead, instill the
mindset that your club is more like an ongoing rehearsal than the play
itself. And like ongoing rehearsals, your club should be a comfortable
place that encourages its members to work out the kinks in their
speeches, try new things, hone their skills, and, yes, maybe look
awkward at times in the process. However, none of the above should be
interpreted as an excuse for lack of preparation. Members should
always prepare adequately for each assigned role.
創造出一個分會的氣氛，不是要做出完美的演講，和完美的例會角色，也不是用首次演出的一個舞台表演方式，而是要保有一個心態，也就是分會是持續不斷的演練，而不僅僅只是一個表演。就像所有的表演一樣，你們的分會必須是一個自在的場合，來鼓勵所有的會員，發揮他們的演講，並能嘗新，加強演講技巧。即使在這過程，可能會表現不理想，對會員來說，缺乏完善準備並不是藉口，會員們應該要適當的為他們所被分配的角色來做準備。
Your goal should be to
create a relaxed and inviting climate, one that encourages balanced
participation and where no one is made to feel inadequate. Twenty-five
years ago, my Toastmasters mentors created a similar mindset for me.
Consider my story:
分會目標是要創造一個放鬆、吸引人參與的氣氛，來增進新進會員的參與，讓大家感到自在。25年前，我的指導會友，提供了我類似這種分會的氣氛，以下是我的故事：
Metamorphosis
完全的改變
Becoming a strong speaker took patience and perseverance.
做為一個強而有力的演講者需要有耐心，並堅持不懈
Impressed by my public speaking ability, a member of my current club
nicknamed me “Mr. Smooth.” Believe me, neither I nor anyone else is born
to appear polished and professional in front of an audience. For
example, 25 years ago I gave my first Ice Breaker, and about halfway
through I lost my place and froze up like an iceberg; I nervously stared
into space for what seemed like minutes until I regained my composure. I
was quite embarrassed, but the club gave me the encouragement to move
forward. Members told me that what I perceived as a disaster was merely
a minor bump on the road.
我現在的分會有一個會員，感受到我的演講技巧，幫我取一個小名，叫「流暢先生」。事實上，不管是我，或者是任何人，都不是天生就可以在聽眾面前表現完美，或是表現得很專業。舉例來說，25年前，我的第一次演講，講到一半的時候我忘詞，我像一座冰山一樣，佇立在台上。我緊張得凝視著一個地方，似乎過了許久，我才回神。我當時很尷尬，但是分會鼓勵我再接再力，會員們告訴我， 我不應該把小小的障礙，看成是一個大災難。
In my early speeches, I was
overly animated; my arms were flailing all over the place. As I worked
toward more refined, purposeful gestures, I felt and appeared quite
awkward at times. However, with practice and guidance from the club, my
gestures gradually became more controlled and purposeful.
剛開始的幾次演講，我表現得太過，我的手臂到處揮舞著，而當我的演講愈來愈熟練，我的手勢就比較收練，雖然，有時候還是不太自在，但是經由分會的指導與自我練習，漸漸地，我更能有目的性的控制我的手勢。
The
moral of my story is that it required time and focused effort coupled
with many moments of awkwardness – a lot of “rehearsal” – for me to
become Mr. Smooth. It also required a club climate in which I was not
expected to be perfect, and my development as a speaker and leader was
encouraged and mentored.
我的故事是要告訴大家，經歷了時間、專注的努力、伴隨著好幾次的笨拙表現，再不斷的預演，才讓我成為「流暢先生」，這需要整個分會的氣氛來幫助，分會並不期望我成為完美的講者，而是要鼓勵我、指導我成為一個演講者，以及一個領袖。
Measuring Up
評量
Create fair and fruitful activities.
創造出合宜、豐富的活動
It may be a cliché, but it’s true: Your only competition is you and you
alone. New members, please do not feel that you are competing with the
experienced members of your club. Instead, absorb their knowledge
and experience.
聽起來，或許你會覺得老話重談，但是這是很實際的，你唯一的競爭對手，是你自己。對新的會員來說，不要和那些有經驗的會員來做競爭，而是要吸收他們的知識與經驗。
Clubs also need to think
about how to best encourage success in club activities. All too often,
the most entertaining, but not necessarily best delivered Table Topic,
speech or evaluation wins top prize at a club meeting, or the ribbon
goes to a popular club member. However, it is detrimental to the club’s
overall well-being when one member continues to win most of the ribbons,
or the awards become a popularity contest. Each club must offer
incentives for improvement, pose challenges and avoid whitewash
evaluations to the more advanced or popular members. All of us can help
encourage new or shy members and instill confidence in them by
fostering an atmosphere in which anyone has a chance to win a ribbon.
Implement the following guidelines for the voting process at each
meeting:
分會也需要考慮到，要如何激勵使分會的活動都很成功。在一個分會裏，對於即席問答、演講、或是講評等最佳表現會員的獎項，常頒給那些受歡迎的會員，這對分會來說是不利的。如果一個會員經常贏得獎項，就變成受歡迎程度的比賽了。事實上，每個分會都必須要激勵會員進步，接受挑戰，並要對資深或受歡迎的會員做有成效的講評。我們每一個人，都可以藉著提高分會的氣氛，來幫助，並鼓勵新的會員，或害羞的會員；誘導他們增加自信，使他們有機會贏得獎勵。下列的指導方針，可以應用在每一次的例會上：
1. Consider
each individual performance on its own merits instead of
measuring each participant against the rest of the group.
考量到個人自己的表現價值，而不是將每一位演講者和其他的人較量。
2. Consider
which individual exceeded his or her personal level of experience the
most.
考量到個人，達成自己的層級，並做到最好。
3.
Consider who best
meets the Toastmasters guidelines in that particular competition.
考量到誰能在某個特定競賽中，最符合演講會的指導方針。
Practice these three suggestions and every member will feel that they
have an equal chance of becoming recognized for their efforts.
確實執行此三點建議，如此一來，每位會員才能感受到他們的努力有被認同。
Me
– Ready?
我準備好了嗎?
Yes, you are, and the audience is on your side. How many times have we
heard a scheduled speaker say, “I’m just not ready” and then back out of
giving a scheduled speech? In fact, statements like this often imply
underlying anxiety; the speaker fears suffering failure or embarrassment
in front of an audience. This brings up the “rehearsal” issue again. If
the club atmosphere can resemble a rehearsal more than the “play,” it
reduces the sense of intimidation. New members, it will help you if, in
the beginning, you talk about subjects you care about and know well.
This will make preparation less difficult and delivery more comfortable;
plus it will boost your confidence.
是的，你準備好了，而聽眾會支持你。有多少次，我們聽到講者說：「我還沒準備好」。然後，他放棄已經安排好的演講。事實上，這樣的聲明，暗示著這個人其實很焦慮，害怕失敗，或是在聽眾前感到尷尬。因此，我們再來談「預演」這個話題。如果分會的氣氛，可以等同於一個預演，而不是一個演出；這樣或許會減低對講者的壓迫感。對於新會員，在剛開始的時候，如果演講的主題是你在乎的，而且比較熟悉的內容，這樣可以幫助你在準備時，減少準備困難度，並可以表現的更自在。另外，又可以增加你的自信。
I can’t tell you how many
times I have heard speakers tell me they were quite nervous during their
presentation, yet sitting in the audience I could barely detect
nervousness at all. Understand that a speaker perceives his or her
nervousness, mistakes and mishaps to be much more noticeable than they
really are. One piece of advice that I give to new members is this:
“When you get up to speak, don’t think the audience is looking at you;
instead, think that they are looking with you! Almost all of us
have been through those first few nerve-wracking speeches and we are
empathetic. Believe that the audience wants you to succeed and you are
more likely to succeed.”
其實，有許多次，演講者告訴我，他們在準備演講時，是多麼的緊張。但是做為一個聽眾，我一點也不覺得他們在緊張。如果，你知道這個講者有察覺到自己的緊張，或是犯錯；事實上，我們更不會注意到他們真正在緊張，或是有錯誤的部分。我要給新進會員的一個建議是：當你要開始演講的時候，不要認為聽眾在看你，事實上，他們是跟你一起在專注你的演講。我們大部份的人，都有經歷過剛開始時，精神緊張焦慮的演講，而會產生移情作用。你要相信，聽眾是希望你能成功的，而你差不多已經成功了。
No one
should be made to feel embarrassed by a performance in front of the
group, and there is no such thing as a failing speech in the
Toastmasters club environment. We are here to support and encourage our
members to move forward. Follow the advice and guidelines in this
article and your club will retain and better serve its membership.
沒有人在群眾面前表演，是為了要讓他自己感到尷尬的。而在演講會的環境裡，也不會有這種錯誤的情形。我們在演講會，是要支持並鼓勵會員更進一步的成長。請跟隨這篇文章的建議和指導方針，你的分會可以繼續為會員做更好的服務。
Robert A. Richert, DTM, is a member of the Helmsmen Toastmasters
in Huntington Beach, California. He is a professional artist
specializing in landscapes and seascapes. Reach Robert at
www.richertart.com.
作者：Robert A. Richert，傑出會員，美國加州杭丁頓海灘市Helmsmen演講會會員。他是專業的藝術家，專長是風景以及海景畫。他的聯絡網址
www.richertart.com.
譯者：康碧耘
Christina, ScienTech Toastmasters Club |
