The London Speaker

This Sundays Speakers Corner event is cancelled

Unfortunately, this Sunday’s trip to Speakers Corner has been cancelled. Only a few expressions of interest have been given so far, and the event really needs a good crowd to make it worthwhile. My guess is a mix of the changeable weather and the fact that the odd person may be watching a certain footie game on Sunday may have had something to do with it. Anyhow, we will try to re-arrange for later in the summer.

PS Please don’t forget the Division B Evaluation workshop next Wednesday. Two UK and Ireland champions passing on tips that people of all levels of experience can benefit from. It will be a great event. Still plenty of tickets! Details are here:

http://thelondonspeaker.typepad.com/weblog/2008/06/learn-how-to-do.html 

Hopefully see you there.

The Grand Toastmasters Tour of Ireland, Part 2

Posted by Freddie Daniells

Having just done Killarney, we’re now off to Kilkenny!

I have just received a short note from Lucia Hughes for readers of The London Speaker. She is the organiser of the Three Castles Toastmasters conference in Kilkenny, Ireland. It is on Nov 7-9th. I’ll let her take it away:

Are you feeling left out of the loop? Are you tired of reading about the great fun fellow members have had at the conference in Killarney? Well, now is your chance to join that great club of conference goers and experience the fun and benefits of attending for yourself. Come along to Kilkenny on November 7th, 8th and 9th for the Three Castles Conference and attend the Humorous Speech Contest, Table Topics Contest and Education Workshops. Both your Division Governor, Dick Dixon, and Area Governor, Freddie Daniells, will tell you, any chance they get, about how they were welcomed and enjoyed coming to Ireland on each of their visits. If you are in any doubt that they are exaggerating (Ed – moi??) ask your Asst Division Governor,Iain Duthie, for verification, because he is not given to overstating the facts!

At Three Castles we can offer you an incentive to attend by becoming your club’s conference booking coordinator. This task could earn you a step along the way in your Competent Leader manual in project 6 ‘Organizing and Delegating’, - module ‘Help Organise a Club Special Event’. If you take on the role of conference coordinator in your club it involves encouraging fellow members, (more than two, in order to derive some value from the exercise) to commit to attending. Help them fill out the form, compile the applications, arrange payment and forward all to the Bookings Secretary Noel O’Farrell ([email protected]).

This done, you will have learned and used quite a lot of organizing and delegating skills on the way and earned a positive evaluation for your efforts. Many clubs may not have a special event coming up every year, so why not run with this idea. It is a ready-made opportunity to complete ‘Organising and Delegating’ Project 6 (only one module is required).

One more thing, when you are booking could you assist us by having your booking with us before the end of August when bookings are certain to become very brisk with the return of club meetings in Ireland. We at Three Castles are committed to maintaining the sanity of our Bookings Secretary Noel O’Farrell. You can play your part by making your booking sooner rather than later. Noel will be glad to discuss payment methods with anyone who makes contact with him at 00 353 85 1741506.

I look forward to meeting you in Kilkenny for the Contests, Workshops and seeing you sporting your 60’s style for the fun and frolics on Friday evening. Best efforts will not go un-noticed - a weekend break is on offer to the best 60’s guy or gal!

So please get November 7th-9th in the diary! All the information you will need is here on the d71 site:

http://d71.org/portal.php?page=36

Interestingly, I was recently asked my thought on projects that members could do for Project 6 of the Leadership manual. Lucia has an excellent idea. It would be great if each club appointed an aspiring leader to keep conferences in people minds and help co-ordinate registration. If you can get a small group from your club to go it is even more fun. Perhaps bring this up at your next committee meeting?

I had a great time in Killarney so barring major catastrophes you will see me in Kilkenny too! I hope to see you there as well.

An easy catch up on your Public Speaking reading

Posted by Freddie Daniells

 

Recently I was asked by a fellow Toastie whether I know of any good blogs or websites on Public Speaking. I sent through links to a few sites. As of this week, I would send them to Alltop.

A short while ago, Guy Kawasaki, renowned venture capitalist and speaker, launched a new site called Alltop (www.alltop.com). The site collects the most recent stories from ‘all the top’ sites around the Internet. These are then aggregated by topics of interest. There is a page with all the top sports stories, one for political stories, one for cars etc etc.

Anyhow, this week a page has been launched based on Public Speaking and Presenting. The link is here:

http://speaking.alltop.com/

This is a great way to quickly get an overview of current public speaking articles across the Internet. Several of the sites are specifically focused on the Toastmasters audience. You may also notice that our very own Jason Peck of Grosevenor Square is included on this list of top authorities on the subject. Well done Jason.

I will add this to the list of sites on our Links and Resources page. If you know a good site or resource that we can all benefit from let us know.

Learn how to do Evaluations from the best

Posted by Freddie Daniells

 

2nd July - get this date in your diary! A special opportunity this one – a chance to learn from not one, but two UK & Ireland Champion Evaluators in one evening!

Division B is hosting an Evaluation work shop on Wednesday July 2nd. Firstly, we have Hilary Briggs of Grosvenor Square Speakers, fresh from winning the 2008 UK and Ireland Evaluation contest just a few weeks ago. Her co-presenter is Bob Ferguson of Excalibur Speakers, the 2004 UK & Ireland Champion. Bob is also a Distinguished Toastmaster, the highest award at Toastmasters. Both are top flight evaluators, presenters and regularly train people in the dark arts of public speaking. This will be an amazing double bill in giving quality feedback.

Evaluation skills are a crucial part of Toastmasters – and of life for anyone who engages with other human beings at home or work!

Good quality evaluations help speakers to learn and develop more quickly. And a good evaluator will help the whole audience learn as well. Yet how do you do it, and more importantly, how do build your skills in a systematic way?

This workshop will cover:

• What makes a great evaluation
• The Do's and Don'ts for Evaluations (inc Topics Evaluations and General Evaluations)
• A process you can use to develop as an evaluator

Please join us on July 2nd at the Swedenborg Hall, 20-21 Bloomsbury Way, London, WC1A 2TH. The entrance is on Barter Street, just off Bloomsbury Way. A map is below: 

  

Doors open at 6.30pm and the event starts sharp at 7pm. There will be a short break and we will be finished by 9pm. A local hostelry may benefit from our patronage after (not included in ticket price!).

Tickets are £4. There are only 100 tickets for this event so get yours early. Click on the button below to buy a ticket!

PS We have raised the price slightly. We managed to lose money on the last workshops – obviously not a sustainable situation! No presenter gets any money from the proceeds. It is all swallowed up by the cost of hire for the venue, cost of the booking system and whatever (non-alcoholic) refreshments we can afford to get you!

Toastmasters Clubs - Special Events

Posted by Dorothea Stuart

Creating traditions. Making your club even more special.

In London (Div B) we all get involved in annual club contests culminating in the UK & Ireland finals or beyond.  But some of our clubs have special contests of their own.  Unique, fun events reflecting the culture and interests of those particular clubs.  And also giving members another outstanding opportunity to hone their speaking skills.

Two such events will be happening soon. Get out your diary and put in the annual Persuaders Contest at London Corinthians (this Thursday 12th June) and the Socrates Cup (Tuesday 8th July), an annual debate between London Athenians and West London Speakers.

Describing the Persuaders Contest Amy Jackson VPE, London Corinthians says "it gives a opportunity for new members to take the plunge and enter a contest, as well as challenging all the participants." 

How does it work? In the first round everyone gives a three minute persuasive speech on any subject they wish.  Having attended last year I can confirm that there was an extraordinary range of passionately argued speeches both serious and humorous.  The second round, for the five finalists is topics style so you hear very different persuasive arguments on the same subject.  As Amy says, "Persuaders is now a tradition. We couldn't imagine the end of the Toastmasters year without it."

At West London Speakers President Kimra Argus is looking forward to the next Socrates Cup debate.  Having just celebrated their second birthday in effervescent style the "Champagne Club" of Hammersmith is more than ready to field its team for the debate with its sister club. 

Why did they choose a debate? As Hakan Akbas, President London Athenians confirms, with the proud tradition of ancient Greece behind them they really had no choice.  He particularly values the Socrates Cup as "a way to encourage members to think more creatively."  The debate team members use all their Toastmaster speaking skills in a format  demanding persuasiveness and quick thinking.  "The debate brings out the skills we practice in table topics, as well as encouraging the audience to evaluate the arguments put forward. It's also an opportunity to bring the two clubs together in friendly rivalry."

All three clubs would love you to visit them on their big nights.  Perhaps they can persuade you to start up your own special tradition.

Technorati Tags: Toastmasters,debate,speech contest

Practice 'Public' Speaking at Speakers Corner

Posted by Freddie Daniells

So you think you are ok at this Public Speaking lark, eh? Well here is a chance for you to put the Public back into Public Speaking!

Dave Brooks, Area 31 Governor, is arranging this years first trip to Speakers Corner on the 29th June. All Toastmasters are welcome. Feel free to bring friends and family too.

The main event will be a Table Topics session held in front of the general public. This should last for around one and an half hours depending on your stamina. The event is going to kick off at 1pm and everyone will meet at the corner.

Weather permitting, it will be followed by a picnic in the park. Please bring along a bottle or two of whatever it is that you enjoy and some food if you are hungry. Suggestions for games will, I am sure, be welcome. Weather not permitting a small delegation is bound to find its way to a local hostelry.

Marble Arch is the nearest tube and you can see where to meet on the map below.

A flyer for the event is available here:

Download the flyer for the Speakers Corner event on June 29

Those who came last year to one of the two Speakers Corner events will remember how much fun these days are. They will also recall that the event is a massive change from speaking at our clubs. The general public has yet to learn the finer points of 'providing a supportive environment'! It is a great fun challenge none the less. To read a first hand tale of one of last years events click here.

This will also be the last get together of this Toastmasters year so will be a fun way for you all to see out the old before bringing in the new!

If you are interested in coming along, make sure to get your President let your Area Governor or Dave know.

Hope we see you then.