I am delighted that The King’s Speech has won four Oscars to go with the myriad of other awards that this moving and inspirational film has received. I stammered as a child, and was fortunate enough to have parents who recognised the need to get me help. I attended a few sessions of speech therapy at the age of six, and thankfully only stammer now when faced with an aggressive questioner and an inability to think of an answer.
During my involvement with Toastmasters International I have met a number of recovering stammerers who have joined Toastmasters to aid their recovery and work on their confidence in front of an audience. They are awesome people, confronting their deepest fears head on, and I have great respect for anyone who does that in any sphere or walk of life.
Many of our recovering stammerer Toastmasters members come to us after having attended McGuire programme courses, or workshops run by other, similar groups. Russell Eden, one of the Area Governors I support in Toastmasters this year, is a McGuire programme graduate and tutor. A few weeks ago, Russell asked me if I would come along to one of the McGuire courses and speak to some of the delegates. I was intrigued, and delighted to accept the invitation.
I caught the train to Swindon as I was to deliver my speech on the Friday evening and wanted to avoid the Friday traffic. Arriving at the hotel where the course was taking place, I was informed by Russell that the event was running behind schedule. We went up to the large function room where everything was happening. The energy in the room reminded me of a weekend I spent on a Tony Robbins ‘Unleash The Power Within’ course a few years ago. There were 8,000 people in London’s ExCel centre on that occasion – here there were perhaps 120 people, generating the huge energy that can only come from a large group of people sharing a journey of personal development.
I was humbled by the McGuire programme students. They were taking on a huge obstacle in their lives and conquering it, led and supported by the trainers and coaches who were all themselves graduates of the programme. The time came for me to deliver my inspirational speech. I told the students and graduates that I felt inspired by them. Then I told a little of my story. I was warmly applauded at the end and received some very positive feedback as I was leaving the hall to catch a train back to Peterborough.
The feelgood factor lasted all that weekend, then I was amazed to receive some written feedback by email from the delegates. I reproduce some of it below:
‘Graham, you sincerely are an inspiration – you prove that all things are possible if you believe and put in the effort’
‘Really took a lot from this, it will help me to be more open and honest with others and to believe in myself’
‘Great speech, very inspirational on how you turned your life around overcoming your obstacles along the way. I was realy glad I was there to hear it’
‘You are an inspiration. You have turned your life around and don’t let things hold you back’
‘Very inspiring stuff. Will be looking forward to reading your book. Your past sounds very tough! Thank you for coming down’
‘Thanks for an inspiring session last night. Really felt the energy surrounding me, lifting me to new heights’
‘Thank you for sharing your story – it was very moving and inspired me’
‘Thank you for your time and your story – joining Toastmasters is my next goal – Cheers’
‘Your talk was a real inspiration and I’m sure will encourage us all’
‘Thank you. That speech was a real eye-opener. Thank you once more for a really motivational speech’
‘A good example of how you can turn your life around and how knockbacks can be used positively for the long run’
‘An inspirational demonstration how you can continually develop’
‘Great example of overcoming adversities and coming out stronger for it’
‘A very motivational speech and an excellent example of what can be achieved’
‘Thanks for sharing your personal experience of life and what you overcame. Very inspirational’
‘Very inspirational and encouraging. Thanks for making it here and giving this talk’
‘Very moving and inspirational. Thank you for sharing your experiences, they have proved invaluable insight into my own recovery from stammering’
Great speech – well done! Thanks for coming. Inspirational!’
‘Brilliant workshop – inspirational!’
I’m not ashamed to confess that reading those remarks moved me to tears. I am hugely proud to have had such a positive effect on a group of people who are changing their lives for the better. I’m looking to help many other groups of people in the same way, so please contact me if I can help you or a group of people that you know.
The book? 62,000 words and still growing. It will be out in the summer of 2011.