My Award-Winning Table Topic (Impromptu Speech) at London Business School

At London Business School the Division L (London) Humorous Speech and Table Topics Contest was held on October 15. Toastmasters International clubs and contests go like this: Clubs and Contest Levels Club Contest (usually 3-7 contests, from 7-70 members). Area Contest (usually 4-7 contestants from 4-5 clubs) Division Contest (about 7 contestants, usually from several areas). District Contest (a small country such as Singapore. The UK split in the last decade into north and south, including Scotland in the North and Wales and Ireland in the South). I had successfully been first or second in the club and area contests. Being third, at Division level I won't be in the finals. However, if both of the other contestants were to be ill, away on business or holiday, or to get lost or delayed en route, I would be eligible. So I have booked my ticket for the District contest. What are my chances of going forward? Rather slim, in this case. Freddie Daniels has been quite high up in Toastmasters, so he is likely to make the contest a priority. On the other hand, this is only the humorous speech contest plus the Table topics contest, not the prestigious International contest, which ends up with a trip to the USA or other overseas venue, which enables you to become eligible to be World Champion. Has anybody ever fallen ill or been late? Yes. I went to a contest and workshop day in Cambridge. One of the contestants could not find the venue. We had trouble finding it, but we set off to arrive in time for the morning workshop in advance of the contest, so we were still sure to be in time for the afternoon contest. My Table Topic Question You are not allowed to record the contests because it might distract the speakers. So I have to reconstruct what I said from memory. Question: Many inventions benefit mankind but others cause problems. Apart from cars causing pollution, and mobile phones, which invention do you think should never have been invented? Angela Lansbury’s answer: Ladies and Gentelmen and fellow Toastmasters I’m sure you will all agree with me that this is an outrageous question. What modern invention should never have been invented? I can’t think of one. What nonsense - why would we want to turn the clock back to living in a cave or on a camp sides. All inventions should have been invented. Who dreamed up this impossible topic? I shall find out! Of course there are some inventions which have not been success and have not sold well. Every day I am sent emails asking me to buy products I don’t need such as - cockroach crackers, which are probably only needed in Timbuktu. Every invention leads onto a better invention. To sum up : the question is impossible to answer, because everything we benefit from today should have been invented.

Analysis of Topics The first place winner spoke about the Rugby ball. Totally original.Informative on the origins of Rugby. Pun and surprise opening on the pill, nickname for a rugby ball. I suspected he had given the speech before and adapted it. Likely to capture those who liked rugby, males, as well as those who didn't. The second place winner was Freddie Daniels. I was not a judge because I was in the contest, but in both contests (humorous prorated speech and impromptu table topics) I wrote down my guesses as to who would be chosen and in which order). I thought Angela Lansbury, ACG, CL