Ice Breaker Speech

Objectives of the Ice Breaker Project

The Ice Breaker speech is a level 1 compulsory project for all toastmasters pathway track. It is the first prepared speech project for every toastmaster. 

The purpose of this project is to introduce yourself to the club and learn the basic structure of a public speech.

Being the first project that a toastmaster undertake, Toastmasters International assumes that most people do not have much experience in public speaking and are not accustomed in writing a script for public speaking. Thus, in this project, a toastmaster is given some basic instruction from Toastmasters International resources on how to write a script that consists of

• an introduction,
• a body with a few main points, and
• a conclusion

These instructions on how to write a script for public speaking are elaborated on further in the level 1 second project, “Writing A Speech With Purpose”.

Ice Breaker – Daniel Sun’s Pathway Project

This is a Prepared Speech Project presented by me (Daniel Sun). It is my first prepared speech project after about 8 years when I have completely stopped presenting prepared speeches. My last prepared speech project was the third project of “The Entertaining Speaker” manual from the Advanced Communication Series. 

At around 2015, Toastmasters was revamping its former traditional communication track comprising the Competent Communication manual and the Advanced Communication Series to the Pathway tracks. I was personally in disagreement with that decision. I continued as a member in my club supporting the club in an administrative role, but I no longer present any speech project. 

In the process of creating this website, I inevitably had to study and write a page on the Pathway education track. In doing so, I got myself familiarised with what the Pathway education track is. After much persuasion from my club, I decided to restart my prepared speech projects.

Speaker: Daniel Sun, CC

Pathway: Engaging Humour

Level 1, Project 1, Ice Breaker

Title: I aM, aka Mr M

Date: 16 March 2023

Background To The Inception Of This Speech

The script of this project is based on my memory of my second Ice Breaker speech which I presented in 2014. I personally refer to it as, “Ice Breaker Version 2.0”. 

My very first “Ice Breaker” project in 2012 was presented during the SpeechCraft workshop. Being my first prepared speech project that I had to present at the SpeechCraft workshop, owing to a lack of time and inspiration, I could only came up with a boring script filled with those uninteresting facts that anyone would fill in an application form:

• My name
• My gender
• My age
• My job
• My marital status

To my misfortune, I received an unkind, demeaning and smirk remark from my evaluator that I was being “subtle” in mentioning my marital status.

As I grow in my understanding of public speaking skills, I constantly think about how to craft an interesting script and how to be less ordinary. I pondered about how to give a self-introductory speech much more than telling the obvious about oneself.

Having the time, hindsight and inspiration, I realised that whenever I talked about myself and my areas of interest, most of these things begin with the letter “M”. I thought to myself that I could write an Ice Breaker script based on the letter M. 

My second Ice Breaker (version 2.0) entitled, “I aM”, with a capitalised M, was presented for the purpose of giving my new club members an idea of how the Ice Breaker project could be. It need not be a boring speech like that of my first Ice Breaker project.

To inject life into the subject, I also introduced props and multimedia presentation that I had learned along the way in my toastmasters journey, into my demonstration.

The Idea Behind This Speech Title

I thought that it would also be a good idea to purposely capitalising the letter “M” instead of the letter “A” in the word, “am”. Nevertheless, I felt that the audience could possibly miss that subtle twist. After my speech, I thought to myself that I could have changed the title to “Mr M” instead. So for this current project, I decided to include both ideas and entitled it, “I aM, aka Mr M”.

My Ice Breaker Version 2.1

As I have mentioned earlier, this script is based on scraps and pieces from my memory of the lost script of my Ice Breaker Version 2.0. I had to recall and rewrite the script afresh with new materials in replacement of those that I could not recall. Back in 2014 when I presented it, I cramped so many details into the project that I went way beyond the 6-minute limit. My club graciously allowed me to continue and finish my scripts to the last word because they too had a good time listening.

Trying not to exceed my 6-minute limit of this project, I consciously remove much of the content and much of the elaborations. Despite that, I still exceeded much more than 8 minutes during my speech rehearsal. I had no choice but to remove almost half the content of my written script. Yet, I had to speak faster than I would have wanted to, not even allowing myself any moment where I should have paused in my speech.

Below, is my script to my first Pathway Project, Ice Breaker version 2.1:

“I aM, aka Mr M”.

Speech Introduction

Someone once told me that I am like an onion. He meant that there are so many layers to me just like an onion does. Whenever he thought that he had already known all about me, I never failed to reveal another layer of myself that he was totally unaware of. 

Club Presidents, Distinguished Toastmasters, fellow toastmasters, ladies and gentlemen. Today, I shall unveil who I am to you by peeling “this onion” layer by layer.

Don’t worry! I shall not bring tears to your eyes by peeling this real onion. Instead, I shall be peeling this paper onion (a paper ball made up of several sheets of paper).

Mathematics

The first outermost layer is Mathematics.

People who have known me for a while, knows that I was a Mathematics teacher.

Ever since when I was a child, I have always been logical, rational and objective.

Whenever I came across a combination lock, I would ponder in my mind what is the maximum number of tries needed to get the right combination.  

Mathematics was a subject that I did very well in, over-powering and overshadowing other subjects I did badly in, to achieve an overall good enough grade, to get me promoted to the next level in my education. 

Music

Second layer: Music.

This was supposed to be one of my innermost layers, but most of you have already come to know about it. 

I began receiving formal education in music at primary 3. By secondary 4, I have attained a Grade 7 in music theory as well as a Grade 7 in piano. Why are they not Grade 8? That can be another story all by itself, but I only have 6 minutes. 

Not only did I play the piano, but I also learned to play the guitar from a church friend in 1990. In 1993, I began playing the guitar for my church cell group.

One day, my pastor told me, “Daniel, you should not just simply play the guitar alone, but you must also sing while you play.” 

During then, I was still an amateur at playing the guitar. It was very difficult for me to sing at the same time while I was struggling to get a firm hold of the guitar strings, with my fingers twisted like an arthritis patient. Those who have ever attempted to play the guitar would understand what I mean.

One day, my pastor decided to disappear from the cell group meetings. He was forcing me to lead the worship. From then, I took over my pastor in leading the worship in my cell group and began singing. Not long since then, a lady in my cell group came to me and lent me all her Jack Cheung’s CDs and told me, “Learn to sing all these songs”. From then, she and her husband began bringing me to karaoke regularly. The rest was history.

Movies

The third layer: Movies.

I am a movie buff and I especially like watching rare movies that most people do not appreciate nor understand. One of my most highly favoured directors is Wong Kar Wai. 

After having watched that movie for more than ten times, I had my Eureka moment. I began to understand all the subtleties of the movie, the subtle facial expressions, those casual scenes that flashed across for just a split second. It was more than an education for me, it was in fact an enlightenment. 

I am a person who do not like to follow the crowd and I like to source for music and movies unavailable locally. In 2007, I took a 9-month leave in 2007 to write my Master Thesis. Hey, that is another M. During those 9 months, I collected and watched the top 40 Korean movies listed on Wikipedia. I used to jest by telling people that during my leave, I took a Master in Education and … a PhD in Korean movies.

Mandarin

Fourth layer: Mandarin.

I grew up speaking Mandarin as a child. To those who know me superficially, they think that I speak only English. 

My parents and my siblings were all Chinese educated. I was the only person in my family who was English educated. While growing up as a child even before I attended school, I used to listen to my elder brothers and sisters reciting their textbooks in Mandarin. 

I loved the rhythm and the rhymes in the language. So, I picked up their textbooks, turned to each page, matched the sound of those recitation with each word written on those pages and began reciting likewise: 

东一片，西一片，隔个山头不见面。猜身体的一个部位。

I would love to recite another interesting passage which is a  tongue twister but my time is running out. 

Martial Arts

Fifth layer: Martial Art.

I have been deeply rooted in and exposed to the Chinese culture. Growing up watching Chinese TV programmes and movies, reading Hong Kong Chinese comics and Louis Cha’s (金庸) novels, I am greatly fascinated with martial arts. 

I have begun learning Chinese martial arts and Qigong since my undergraduate days until now.

I love to learn how to channel the cosmic energy throughout my body from the top of my head to the soles of my feet.

However, I am not a martial art exponent, nor am I someone who is itching for a fight.

Relax! I only beat people whom I dislike into a pulp … in my mind. 

Conclusion

Perhaps you have realised by now, why is the title of my speech, “I aM”, with a capital “M”. Time will fail me if I were to tell you about many other M’s:

• Magic
• Marketing
• Money

… just to name a few.

Just remember: “M and M Melts in your Mouth, not in your hand.”

Back to you, Toastmaster!