THUS SPOKE AARON BEVERLEY…

BY RAJULAL RAFEEK, DTM

TM Aaron Baverly was the world champion of the 2019 Toastmasters International Contest. In fact, the winners of the world championship are chosen through a multi-level screening process. Aaron Baverly’s speech in the finals is often talked about because of how well it was written and given. Aaron Beverly’s ability to base his speeches on ordinary events that happen in life and leave an indelible imprint on his listeners has been praised by many.

He agreed to talk to the ‘Last Lap’ and that had happened a few weeks back. It was a very positive and really inspiring especially for the contest aspirants. The relevant portions of the conversation he had with TM Rajulal Rafeek, Editor, LAST LAP, can be read down.

Q -1: Good Evening, Welcome to the District 105’s Newsletter ‘LAST LAP’

A : Good Morning ( Aaron Chuckles)

Q-2 : Yeah… It’s a good morning for you. Yes, you’re in the New York time zone right now, enjoying a bountiful morning, and I’m in the Dubai time zone, enjoying the first rays of a Muscat evening. Can I say that winning the 2019 Award for Public Speaking has given you a lot of chances to learn about more cultures, people, and places?

A : Yes…Definitely. Winning the world championship had paved a lot of ways to me being exposed to great number of people. It’s so natural that when you win a world championship, a lot of people tend to listen to what you say. This I already experienced when I won second place in the World Championship of Public Speaking in 2016. Yes, 2019 winning have brought more exposure that now I have got a chance to communicate to the District 105 (Smiles).

Q-3 : Winning a world championship is the ultimate aim of every Toastmaster. I think we can discuss it more, which can help many people who want to win the World Championship. Could you recall the very day of the 2019 final stage?

A : Yes, sure. In 2019, I was a bit nervous and also up-sided, obviously. I was really consumed with the fact that I am wearing a Kurtha; that was the attire I wore that day. And I didn’t want to be seen in Kurtha by anybody before that wonderful stage. We had a dress rehearsal before the final, and I appeared in shorts and a muscle shirt. People who were watching me must have wondered what the hell he was going to wear.

Q-4: By the way, Kurtha, where did you get that? Just for my curiosity.

A : laughs (as if it’s a secret). Yes… It was not easy. Once I was on the back stage, I just really tried to calm my nerves. I tried to move around. I believe that continuing to spar is one of the worst things you could do if you were nervous. Because your body is putting all of this energy to use. and it’s telling you to move. So I just went to the back of the stage so that I could move around. I just spaced back and forth. Then I listened to some music. I just wanted to take my mind off the fact that I was competing until it was time for me to do it.

Q-5: In your opinion, what are the things a contestant has to do in the last lap of his preparations to win any contest?

A : I would say you have to be confident in your materials. and that would come from practicing. But practicing only before the day of the contest is not enough and cannot do any magic. Practicing takes several months and days. Practicing every day is required. Even if just listening to your recorded speech can also do its best. It can help editing your speech and you can addition or deletion of certain lines of your speech that can make it stronger.

I was confident in the speech that I was giving because I started preparations at least two weeks before the contest season even started. Then comes the part about execution. Once you are confident about your speech, then you can focus on other things, like the actual execution. I do recall that I did not complete the 2016 contest to the standard that was expected of me.

I do have a big regret over that. I don’t know whether I would have been the world champion even if I executed it well. But, in reality, the three-year gap until I became world champion in 2019 was a promise I made to myself. If I ever had the opportunity to compete in the world championship of public speaking final again, I vowed to adopt and practice the best methods of speech execution so that I would be fully confident in delivering my speech. Evidently, that is what I had done.

Q-6 : Have you ever imagined yourself as a champion in a vital, major public speaking contest just before you joined Toastmasters?

A: I joined Toastmasters originally to get over my fear of public speaking. I also wanted to find ways to stand out. So that might get you a job. Toastmastering is something that I can include on my resume. I didn’t even know a world championship contest in public speaking existed. But after I delivered my icebreaking speech in 2009, the Toastmaster of the Day looked at me and the audience and said, “There is a future world champion of public speaking here.” That was the first time I heard about the World Championship of Public Speaking. But I took my own time and started to compete in 2012.

Q-7 : That’s a piece of inspiration. Shall I ask you to recall three names, just three names, of people who have inspired you the most?

A : Oh… When it comes to who got me interested in public speaking, I give the credits to two individuals. First and foremost, ex-President Barack Obama.I was amazed by his ability of public speaking especially in 2008 campaigns.

The way he handled the crowd, how he inspired the crowd, etc. engrossed me. But more personally, DTM Dilip Abayasekhara, who was the president of TMI for the year 2005–06, has inspired me. Actually, he was a professor at my college. I met him in 2007, I believe, when I enrolled in a leadership program and was introduced to taostmasters. And I saw his ability to speak. Part of the table topic training he gave us asked us to choose any material in the room as the topic. We had chosen, and he created his speech from nowhere. Then I decided I also should speak like that, but still striving and with the quest of learning to reach the top level of eloquence and wisdom.

And I can mention the name of Tostmaster Kwong Yue Yang, who was the runner up of 2001 as the third one inspired me. The speech rendering style of him really inspired me to compete for 2012contest.

Q-8 : Yes, that was a really good speech delivery. But do you think a leader should be a communicator too?

A : I have seen many people separate leadership and communication from each other and count But I believe a leader should be a communicator too. I effectively use the communication tips that I have gained from Toastmastering wherever they are required. A leader need to make sure that well communicate the vision, Making sure that the objectives being communicated, making sure that he push forward the under performers to the next level.

I came up from ordinary back grounds even considering the schooling. I promise that Toastmasters is the only place I’ve learned the best ways to talk to people. In some ways, leadership and communication are two sides of the same coin, and toastmastering will provide you with numerous opportunities to hone those skills. It really helped me advance my career, and I’m still hoping for bigger and better things with Toastmasters.

Q-9 : What would Aaron’s life be like if it weren’t for the Toastmasters World Championship?

A : That’s a really good question. I am still in the corporate world and wish to stay there for some more years. I must have been there only if I couldn’t win the world championship. But my achievement on the public speaking stage gave me more confidence. That motivated me to pursue and obtain a better job. We couldn’t have grown this much in such a short period of time if we hadn’t won the World Cup. I must have been doing the same old routine tasks for my old boss, and my career path would have been very definite.

Q-10 : After winning major titles, many speakers tend to move on as full-time speakers. Do you have any such plans?

A : In fact. I am such a person who doesn’t want to depend on only one thing. At the moment, I am a consultant, and I don’t have a quick plan to transform into a full-time speaker. But within the corporate structure, I shall focus on corporate training. Please don’t be surprised if you see me engaged in my own communication training activities after many years. I prefer to work among the youth, who really need some enhancement and support for their communication and social skill development.

Q-11 : What are the essential attributions that you think a public speaker ought to have?

A : Many people come forward and ask me what topic I should choose for public speaking or how I can excel to become a world champion in public speaking. But I would say that you should have a substantial message to share when you are on the stage. I look at the point of who can I help?” and “how can I help?” Next thing you should have a tough skin or thick skin as a speaker. There would be times that you would stumble on the stage or mess up, and you should know how to cross over the same hurdles next time. Everybody makes mistakes, and you are not excluded from making mistakes. Mistakes are guaranteed to happen, but what really matters is how you approach the same situation afterwards. At times, I still stumble. People have a misconception that world champions are perfect speakers. There is no such thing as perfect speech or a perfect speaker.

Q-12 : How do you get up every time you fall in the journey to reach your world championship?

A : If I had been on the winning team in 2016, I doubt I could have delivered the speech flawlessly in the 2019 finals. When I lost the title in 2016, I set goals not for winning but for reviving myself as a speaker. Throughout, I’ve done a gradual elaboration. I came as a runner-up in the district. winner of the evaluation contest. But those couldn’t satisfy me as I kept a fire in the belly burning for the world cup. But my focus was improving my performance in every single round and finding a better version of me.

Q-13 : How do you handle the criticism and feedback?

A : I would be honest with people and say that I do not like the process of getting feedback. For me, speeches are like my kids. Think, if someone is commenting that my children are worst in every way, cant digest. But I know feedback is essential for making a better product. A madam toastmaster who was the district director at the time commented that my speech title was too long and might not register properly with the audience. I felt it was relevant, and I had edited it to “an unbelievable story.” Anyone can give you feedback. But as a speaker, you should have the wisdom and comfort in what you are doing to apply the feedback. I shall assert overall the feedbacks are constructive. I would say that if someone gave me feedback on my speech, I would check the chances of inducting the feedback into my speech. If nobody gives any feedback, I shall entirely change my speech.

Q-14 : Let’s know more about your family and their reaction to your achievement?

A : My mother was the only person from my family present there, as my sister was not able to make that trip. My mother was overjoyed, and she was relieved that I no longer needed to enter any contests, because my contests caused her stress because she wanted me to win all the time. That day, she was over the moon. After all, to me, family is important. I live with my mom and sister, who are my first audience for all of my speeches.

Q-15 : Oh… Aaron, you promised to remain a chronic bachelor?

A : (Laughs out loudly) .. I still think I have time…

Q-16 : Toastmaster Aaron, do you have a fan base?

A : Oh, yes, and it’s natural. When you are a world champion, the people are interested in you, and they seek a piece of your wisdom, at least in the form of advice.

Q-17 : What inspired you to compile your speeches?

A : While compiling my speeches, I try to incorporate two things. How they are entertaining the audience is my first concern. Second, I’d look into how it could be a lesson to someone. Usually I adapt family stories for my speeches. But for the 2019 final, I have chosen the experience of traveling to India to participate in the marriage of a pal. I infused the message of the necessity of unity into my speech.

Q-18 : Your advice to the world championship aspirants?

A : Focus more than winning. Concentrate on the integrated development of yourself as a communicator as you go towards your world championship goal.

That was the world champion of toastmaster’s public speaking in the year of 2019. The Dsistrict 105 PR team expresses gratitude to toastmaster Aaron Beverley for sharing his experience and views for the benefit of all toastmasters. All the best. Go ahead.

District 105 is super proud to announce that Toastmasters International has recognized HSBC Bank Middle East Limited for its continued support of the Toastmasters program, and for enhancing its employees’ engagement, communication, and leadership development through their membership in HSBC Toastmasters Club.