Pressure in Lewisham

At 7.30pm Paul, our Sergeant at Arms, asserted himself and smoothly launched the meeting.

Flavia, our President, welcomed our guests putting them at ease and encouraging us all complete our CC manuals

Habibu our Toastmaster then explained our theme of “Pressure” by commenting on how we are all under pressure, but what matters is how we handle it, before introducing his team.  Lucinda, later on in the meeting, as General Evaluator reminded us how Habibu’s more relaxed style possibly reassured us?

Flavia, our Warm up leader got us to recall a Pressurized Incident.   The  main memory is how we all rose to the challenge of the challenges, from “Elevator Speeches” to twelve mile walks, very encouraging.

Verna ensured we kept to time and she encouraged, as the Grammarian, to be “Insightful” and she was.

Paul presented his fourth speech (How to Say It) about drinking in context, and recounted how often we all drink and told us some stories, but also warnings, that we can be too relaxed with colleagues.

Richard entertained us with “What One Man Can Achieve” speaking about his desire to be a Champion inspired by his grandfather, recounting various setbacks and dreams, including being knocked out in boxing and at snooker, before realizing he is a Champion by being himself and valuing his wife.

Richard Green - Best speaker award

Julie, spoke about how she celebrated her birthday with “Is It Worth It” and she is certainly ‘young’ enough to know better but put herself under pressure by attending so many meetings and story telling events. However she informed us that,  ‘yes it is worth it’, if we connect with people and bring them alive, and have many lives in our years.

Philip, Flavia and Chris as evaluators encouraged our speakers, by acknowledging the power of using experiences from life and how they are all maturing like wine, and use of rhetorical questions can add power, in story telling how it helps to have a constant “guru or sounding board” and once again the power of three and how with practice we can be taken into someone else’s world and finally, how even our imperfections can enhance our speeches by making them “ours.”

Our visitor Orlando wins best table topic speech

After the break Anne led the table Topics Session around our theme, with James stressing over ambiguity at work.   Orlando was proud of how he coped when he had to take over a role in the Young Entrepreneurs scheme and learned new skills, Robert finds physical activity helps him cope and encouraged us all to run or walk.  Miriam enjoys social occasions to de-stress along with a drink, Zumba or singing.  Reuben, on how to relax, was very insightful, encouraging us to find what works for us as he finds a good film and a drink to be helpful.  William, felt that if we can embrace pressure it can be good and finally Maureen, felt that we are less likely to make good decisions under pressure because we can lose perspective.  All that can be said is thank you to everyone who took part in Table Topics as the challenge to think on our feet and deliver a short speech does put us under some pressure, but everyone rose to the challenge especially our guests, Orlando, Robert, Miriam, Reuben, William and Maureen.

A great start to our New Toastmasters Year!

The new Toastmasters Year started in real style for Lewisham and below are some of the many highlights.

Paul had set-up the room really well and encouraged us to enjoy the break or “break out session.”

Flavia as President introduced our new theme of “Communicate, Commit and Connect” and almost offered our guests a money back guarantee if by getting involved they don’t improve in a year as speakers and leaders (OK we are all biased but feel the Club Funds are safe!).

Richard as Toastmaster spoke of his journey so far of 6 years by admitting he’s not perfect (yet) but doesn't matter we need to relax and enjoy ourselves in the meeting and just grow.

Anne as Timekeeper explained how knowing that she is being timed reduces the risk of waffling.

Max as Grammarian and Ah Counter encouraged us to pause rather than um and ah and was able to report that we took his advice to heart to some effect.

Flavia leading the Warm up was both relevant and controversial, by asking how we cooled down (as a warm up!) The top answer was ice cream with one member going for beer!

Then we had three well prepared speeches:

Robert with “Limiting Beliefs CC 2” made some powerful points, acknowledging that he doesn't find speaking easy but by changing his perspective to one of growth opportunities it is much easier, all without notes.

Habibu speaking about divorce, used some powerful arguments based on statistics and experience reminding us that sometimes differences are what attracts so need issue to be lived with not run away from, a potentially difficult issue dealt with in style.

Verna “My Journey CC3” was certainly well organised as she took us from being a proud 11 year old going to secondary school to being a proud business coach, though she has had some detours, and a few months ago after being “recognised” as a Speaker decided to join Lewisham Speakers.

The evaluators, Lucinda, Philip and Paul all encouraged and supported the speakers, by using rhetorical questions asking if a speech was relevant and the answer was yes, the power of body language coupled with a powerful ending, and finally how pace and excitement can elevate a speech.

After the break out session, when we were encouraged to request roles for the next few meeting and a complete a survey by Lucinda (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/V3F9GSF) we had the Topics session.

James kept us on our toes with 9 topics and quite a few about building/ DIY and some of the responses are below, sorry can’t recount all. Orlando, a new guest and still a teenager, asked if he was a night owl or early bird, admitted to getting up late, but is both a night owl and early bird, because he is busy in the early hours, great stuff, Flavia’s ideal extension would be a walk in clothes cupboard whilst playing to the stereotype still very amusing and engaging and Julie uses a note book to record her thoughts when her mind wanders and uses these in her stand-up, a very good way to recycle and last was Max with his ideal tool, a plane with a brush and smart phone and had time permitted possibly a 3D printer for mark 2?

Julie as General Evaluator thanked the audience for the vigorous applause that is such a powerful motivator for all the speakers

Overall a great meeting was had by everyone and the best Speaker was Robert and Evaluator Philip and if this meeting is anything to go by, then miss our next meeting on July 15 and whatever the weather is like, you will be missing another scorcher.


Meeting date: 1 July 2015