Page 7 - 2017.May Voices

Speech Champions

Interviews wth Quint Crispin and Alexis Mason

by Phyllis Harmon, DTM

On May 6, 2017, two District speech champions were chosen by the judges at
Your Road to Extraordinary, the District 7 Spring Conference. Quint Crispin,
International Speech champion moves on to compete at the world semi-finals on
August 24th in Vancouver, BC. Alexis Mason emerged as the 2017 District Speech Evaluation champion.
Her on-point evaluation of the target speech, Say It Like Gale, presented by Dean Klaus gives her bragging
rights until the next Spring Conference. Quint and Alexis agreed to answer a few questions for the May issue
of Voices!

Quint Crispin joined Walker Talkers in 2009, speech idea?
and is serving as the club’s VP Education. When an idea for a speech pops into my head
What brought you to Toastmasters? I try to enter it in my smartphone or scribble it
down before I forget. I’m watchful for changes
I joined Toastmasters because I was tired of in my perception that could be crafted into a
the sick feeling in my stomach and sweaty palms message for others. Starting with something
every time I gave a status report at work. I put off that’s relevant to me means I’ll be more engaged
visiting a club for two years because why on earth as I write and deliver it.
would I want to do more of what was making me
ill? I should have joined much sooner.
I can’t believe how miserable I was worrying
about speaking in public. Just this year I felt
some of those feelings returning at a higher-level
meeting, and I made a personal commitment to
do more speeches and enter the International
Speech Contest. You might say it’s a ‘winning’
formula.

How has it helped your career?
Toastmasters has enhanced the quality of my
interactions both in meetings and one on one.
The impromptu Table Topics sessions are great What has helped you most to develop
practice for those “hey, what are you working an award winning speech?
on” questions in the hallway with zero time to Fully committing to the process, but that
prepare. I’ve also encouraged several coworkers brings with it a host of things: researching
to join Toastmasters which benefits my employer books on comedy, visiting other clubs to speak
as well as the club. and get feedback, recording yourself each time
and reviewing it and being willing to make
How has Toastmasters helped you tweaks when individuals are offering the same
personally? suggestions.

Being less stressed at work means I’m less As you practiced your speech for
stressed when I get home. Additionally being
a club officer has pushed me to improve my competition, how did you keep it fresh
people skills which come in handy dealing with and not sound over rehearsed?
family issues. I’ve asked this question of many seasoned
speakers and the answer is anything but straight-
What is your process for developing a forward. The goal is to maintain a conversational
Quint Crispin

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