In Toastmasters International clubs, the very first speech towards the Competent Communicator Award is known as the Icebreaker. It is an opportunity for the speaker to tell the audience about themselves and obtain some great feedback along with a verbal evaluation.

For many new speakers, that exercise is stressful for a variety of reasons. However in every case I've witnessed those "Icebreaker" speeches, the speaker finds that the experience is nowhere near as bad as they thought it would be.

This picture I conjured up for my last meeting as a member of Twin Oaks Toastmasters on March 26, 2008, is my offering to those future aspiring speakers. It attempts to illustrate that their course may initially seem difficult to navigate, but knowing that a calmer, more open passage awaits them beyond on their journey.

I also created a GarageBand tune of the same name, Icebreaker Blues to support the image.

This image is also available as a Desktop.

Don