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