An Important Message From Tony the Turkey:
A Story Of One Turkey’s Remarkable
Public Speaking Journey That Saved His Life!
Dear Valley residents,
Tony the Turkey here and do I have a story to tell you!
I have seen death and laughed in its face!
I cheated death.
I’ll tell you how in a minute. But first there’s something that’s really been ruffling my feathers as of late.
It’s about you.
You’ve paid your dues – many, many, many times over.
You’ve earned the right to have a financially and professionally rewarding job and career.
You deserve the peace of mind and stability that should come with a great job and career.
If you’re frustrated because you don’t have said job or career – because your current position isn’t what you thought it would be – or maybe the opportunity for advancement doesn’t look promising…
If you don’t trust your company to recognize and reward you the way you deserve – heightening your worries about job security, financial freedom and your ability to provide a quality life for you and your loved ones…
If you’re fed up being looked over for promotions, raises, job recognition or you can’t seem to get your team motivated to take action on your ideas…
I Tony the Turkey, feel your pain and understand your concern.
You see, at a time when most of my friends aren’t having a good month, to say the least, I have been granted a full pardon. I am alive and well and the reason for it: my ability to persuade the right people to my message with ease, confidence, and passion.
Yes, that’s right, I’m talking about my ability to speak in public, get my message heard and to get my audience to take action!
Here I am being called to the podium. I was so persuasive with my speaking one journalist approached me afterward to say, “You had me at ‘gobble.'” Who knew a turkey could speak in public? I admit I was a little nervous. But once I got over those initial fears I was able to get my point across and get the audience to act on my idea – To save me being the next Thanksgiving Day meal! Even though I’m a turkey I spoke like a true public speaking professional!
Do you remember the last time you were called to speak in front of your colleagues or co-workers and how nervous you were? The sweaty palms, jittery knees, you couldn’t even swallow it was so bad. I know because I’ve been there. I was so bad at public speaking they used to say, “Hey, he looks and sounds like a Turkey!”
Take it from a turkey…
No one wants to be a turkey. Especially not in front of an audience of your peers, colleagues or superiors – that could be career ending! But when your neck’s on the line (pardon the pun) and you’re trying to express a crucial idea but you’re so nervous you barely feel your own two feet on the ground, it’s tough to impress anyone under those circumstances.
But it’s not your fault. Public speaking takes a lot of skill, dedication and hard work. But even then, if you’re working hard on learning the wrong things the problem will get much, much worse.
There’s only one way I know to permanently rid yourself of the fear of public speaking and master the art of getting your audiences to listen to and act on your ideas. It’s an easy to implement step-by-step approach using proven methods to manage your fears while persuading audiences, and having a great support group to cheer you on with encouragement and constructive feedback.
I’m talking about Toastmasters.
Toastmasters is the most complete system for individuals and professionals at all levels – employee, mid level, c-suite; business owners, MBA candidates, parents looking to communicate better with their children or anyone with personal and professional goals that includes learning to get their messages heard and acted on. Toastmasters is the only system that lets you practice multiple leadership and call to action situations without fear of embarrassment or waiting years to climb up the corporate ladder. It focuses on only the core skills necessary to get your message heard and acted on. After all, it’s better to spend less time on the haystack and more time on the needles you want to draw from it, right?
Ooh, and I may be a turkey but I’m no dummy. I know what you’re thinking. You’re probably asking yourself:
“Is Toastmasters All A Bunch of Hype?”
Honestly, how should I know? I’m a turkey. But what I can tell you is this: despite the countless public speaking successes our members have experienced (including 5 media appearances this year!) there are people who race to join Toastmasters, have revealed to them a ‘blue-print’ for public speaking success and yet 6 months down the road are still stuck or parked in the same spot!
You do get what you put into it.
I don’t think this will be your experience. After all, you found our blog and read this far so you must be interested in furthering your personal and professional goals through public speaking. Congratulations on completing the first step.
Now, the next step is to stop by as a guest, introduce yourself and watch and learn as we all move forward overcoming our fears, growing professionally through better public speaking and having a great time doing it!
Scottsdale based Airpark Toastmasters, meets at noon every Thursday at the Copperstate building at 7725 E Evans Rd Scottsdale, AZ 85260. That’s one block north of E. Redfield next door to the Scottsdale Airpark Airport. Please click here for directions and feel free to drop in anytime as a guest.
“Hey, he sounds like a turkey when he speaks in front of the board.
I’m giving him a promotion and a raise!”
Said no CEO ever.
Don’t be a turkey. Learn to speak in public.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Tony the Turkey
Author: Anthony Contreras
Airpark Toastmasters (480) 269-5815 
