Have you ever met Darren Lacroix, 2001 World Champion in Public Speaking in action in Kuala Lumpur ?
If you have seen him in action, hear him, and feel him, you just want to learn from him more, and more!
Darren Lacroix, bald headed like Yul Brynner, gave his most electrifying demonstration from Chump (Blockhead) to Champ (World’s Brilliant Winner Speaker) in front of a distinguished audience of 200 professionals in public speaking, and Toastmasters members of District 51 in Persona Toastmasters Club, at 41 floor Twin Petronas Towers (One). It was on 19 December, 2010 he delivered his talk with such immaculate precision of the right speech at the right time in the right ambience. He won the World Championship in Public Speaking in 2001, out of 25,000 contestants worldwide.
Having seen and heard him speak one row behind the front seat, I witnessed the world champion speaking naturally. His speech was AWESOME, ELECTRIFYING, MESMERIZING, AND INSPIRING WITH HUMOUR! YOU WOULD CRAVE FOR MORE OF HIS SPEECHES! YOU, TOO, CAN BECOME THE CHAMPION, OR WORLD CLASS CHAMPION, said Darren.
I think alot of politicians, church leaders, CEOs, leaders of communities, trainers and coaches, should attend his course in improving public speaking, with inspiration, and humour! Wow! you might say he was born Champion, but Darren himself confessed that his own brother and family laughed at him when he said he was determined to be a comedian. He could not speak fluently, because he spoke with stammering, like, uh, er, ah,…. even the comedian club slammed at his face! It was like a dreamer who was bottom in class who wanted to be the top brass! He was never daunted at the huge mountain he still had to do….being laughed at, ridiculed, never have any chance of built-in abilities to become the best, and other host of discouragement from well-meaning friends.
At his first performance as a comedian at the Comedy Club several years before becoming the world champion speaker, He acted foolishly by swinging his hand horizontally, instead of vertically, demonstrating the shooting of a rocket upwards! The audience laughed aloud and giggled. By accident, he knew he could make the audience laughed without any effort! That was the catalyst of stage-time for Darren from then onwards!
One thing he was very certain. He had the mind-set of being a champion; never mind the professionals, or well-meaning friends said of him: he had the OPEN mind to learn from other successful speakers, read their talks, see their actions and take part in stage-time, stage-time, and more stage-time; even he failed at times, until he became near perfect; Becoming perfect did not mean memorizing the speeches, but improving through analysis of speeches with right pauses or right questioning at the audience. “Look them in their faces by coming close to them!” he advised.
All his stage-time sessions were recorded; some were video-taped, and all had to be seen again and analyzed for improvement. Hey, it was hard work in the process on the road to be champion!!! Who ever said he was born to be champion! Stage-time made him a champion----remember that always with the fixed mindset of wanting to be champion! Yes, fix your mind what you want to be….. world champion speaker, or world class champion , average class speaker, or even a good speaker. Whatever you believe, you can be! An act becomes a habit which finally makes up your personality!
Darren has documented his work in audio CD and DVDs:-
Basic Skills of Public Speaking, Get more laughs by next week, Get Paid to speak by next week system, World Class Speaking Skills and Tools, and Go Pro Pack Secrets from the experts………all value for money and you will be giving a World Class Presentation of Public Speaking through Darren’s way and stage-time Darrenteed!
Darren was accompanied by Scott Friedman, President, National Speaker Association, USA 2004-2005, Michael A.Podolinsky, Developing Passionate Leaders and Teams, Jana Stanfield, well-known International Recording Artist and singer, and a few staff on “I Can Change the World” Tour.
The Proceeds, disc sales and donations of their evening show of Laughter, Music, and Meaning entertained by charming Jana were for charity of handicapped and the Permin Home of 50 orphanage children.
Jana Stanfield belted a song about Kuala Lumpur (KL) and encouraged the local audience to fill in more lyrics about what should be sung about KL by writing to her. I volunteered to write my poem on KL for an International Recoding Artist to sing! What a consuming privilege to write to Jana! Who knows I might want to sing along with her about my own city….in an album. That’s a tall order! Appropriately, Darren autographed his picture for me with his encouraging words: “Anthony, Stage-time! Darren, 2001 WCPS”
So, here are some tips of being world class champion in public speaking:-
1. Have a mindset what you want to be….a world class champion or a great speaker.
2. Get a book –be inspired, but not compare to the writer. Study for two months.
3. Love to learn with open mind.
4. Develop a habit to learn from a champion.
5. Still set makes mindset but do not be upset if people do not like you; leave
worry or phone behind.
6. Have fun, and enjoy your speech. Most important, connect to the audience.
7. Because of my intent, and not as the world champion, I will deliver my speech well.
8. Listen to music, song or tabernacle before the competition to ease your tension.
9. When I am done with my speech, what do my audience take back or learn?
10. Clarity in your speech deliverance, message, and what are the hope and crux of your deliverance for the audience remembrance?
Habits to develop:-
1) Never turn down stage-time. Be present when opportunity is given, even to 1,000 times. You will not grow if you do not have stage-time. Even block head can become Champion.
2) Record yourself every time you speak. Analyze and improve.
3) Be confident enough to be humble. I know I did not know.
4) Crave feedback—what I thought, what mentor’s/coach’s thought
5) Find a coach/mentor with honest feedback.
6) Every speech should have a pause by asking audience a question (looking at one person close up) for reflection and giving hope for audience.
7) Champs are not perfect. Do not memorize speech Analyze and correct. Internalize speech. Stop being perfect.
8) Listen to music, song or tabernacle before the competition to ease your tension.
9) When I am done with my speech, what do my audience take back or learn?
10) Clarity in your speech deliverance, message, and what are the hope and crux of your deliverance for the audience remembrance?
Written by Anthony Lim, 19 Nov. 2010.
Area Governor for P Division Toastmasters Club, 2006-2007.
Outstanding Award Area Governor, 2006-2007.
Nominated Poet of the Year 2006, 2007, 2008 on
“LOVE CONQUERS ALL!” poetry after 9/11 event, 2001.
Nom.Editors’Award, 2008,
International Society of Poets.
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