The London Speaker

What makes a speech powerful?

Posted by Dorothea Stuart

Thoughts for a bank holiday Monday. Watch and listen as Maya Angelou give her views on what makes a speech powerful and long lasting.

 

Speakerthon Report

From Andrew P Bennett, President Berkeley Square Speakers and Area 45 Governor elect

Toastmasters, Timers, Speakers and Evaluators of Berkeley Square Speakers, Area 45, joined forces for the Speakerthon at the Concert Artistes Association Club in Covent Garden on 14 May 2011.

A fantastic 4 hour programme of high calibre speeches and evaluations, presented in a warmly humorous and relaxed atmosphere, has greatly raised the public profile of our club and brought positive feedback on all sides.

We were joined by special guests; Malachi Talabi UK & Ireland (District 71) International Speech Champion 2011 together with his delightful wife Mildred, Chris Boden UK & Ireland Evaluation Champion 2011, Toastmasters Declan Cluskey, Area 32 Governor and Dorothy Margison from Eastbourne and Battle Speakers – each making their own very special contribution to the day’s proceedings.

Persuasive speaking skills - learning from debate

Following his packed workshop at the Spring Odyssey (UK & Ireland Toastmasters) Conference we asked Paul Carroll of London Athenians, Hammersmith, to give us some tips on using debate skills in our daily lives. Here is what he said...

OK, most people aren’t going to debate during elections or in Parliament.  But lots of people might want to say something at a public hearing, for example a local planning meeting. They might feel very strongly about the issue. But they’re not sure how to do it.

Besides speaking before an official body, people don’t realize that they’re debating all the time. Some of these debates are more important than they seem. Your opponent won’t be a fellow Toastmaster in a club debate. Your opponent will be a colleague at a departmental meeting. He might be trying to convince the rest of your colleagues and your boss that he should have a bigger slice of the budget for his projects and that the burden of cuts should fall on you. 

When you find yourself in a similar situation, here are six basic pointers for getting your points across:

• DEFINE YOUR ARGUMENT CLEARLY
• EMPATHIZE WITH YOUR OPPONENT Put your self in your opponent's shoes and see the argument his/her point of view.
• RESPECT YOUR OPPONENT
• LOOK FOR POSSIBLE STRATEGIC AGREEMENT.  "People who are really effective at persuasion tend to agree as much as possible with the other side.” Katie Shuster. Read more in the Toastmasters magazine article. Click here.
• REBUT YOUR OPPONENT
• PROJECT CONFIDENCE.

Where does anticipating the arguments from others fit into all of this? Watch this video clip to find out...It's a crucial element of persuasive speaking.

If you have any questions about debate add a comment below and Paul will get back to you.

London (and nearby) Toastmasters events coming soon!

Posted by Dorothea Stuart

Saturday 21 May 2011 Worthing Speakers Club 2pm-4pm Worthing Libary, Richmond Road BN11 1HD. Join us for a table topics demontration AND have a day at the seaside.

Tuesday 24 May 2011. Meeting starts at 7.30pm Polish Your Polish meeting in English Venue: Ognisko Polskie (2nd Floor), 55 Exibition Rd, SW7 2PN (nr South Kensington underground). Come and join in the fun!

Maximise your learning from the Toastmasters conference - get a copy of the DVD!

From Andy O'Sullivan, London Divison B Governor

Since last weekend’s District Conference, everyone has been telling me how impressed they were with the high standard of all the contestants and speakers. 

Fortunately a professional recording was made of the key parts of the conference which will be released on DVD.

This recording from the conference is a must have for all our collections. 

Pictured from left: Yvonne Jordan, Malachi Talabi, Andrew Chuks. Photo by Barry Crabtree

Watching the DVD will show us all -

- Excellent ways to construct and deliver a speech evaluation in our clubs.

- How to deliver a contest winning speech evaluation.

- How to deliver a winning speech.

Click Here  to order your DVDs 

Also included is the 60 minute key note  speech from our Toastmasters International President Pat Johnson, and the workshop given by Jim Key (World Champion of Public Speaking), in which he delivered his winning speech from the 2003 International Speech contest. 

It’s worth buying the DVD just to see Jim Key in action. 

I’d strongly recommend that every President purchases at least one copy for their club, as this will help all our new members to develop their public speaking skills. 

1st London Toastmasters have already ordered 15 copies!  Can you beat that? 

The President of 1^st London Toastmasters will use the DVD’s to help members prepare for the contests, as thank you gifts and prizes at Christmas. 

Let's see if we can find a club to place a bigger order than 1st London Toastmasters!  The member placing the largest order will receive 2 limited edition key rings that were commissioned especially for the District conference.

To recap: the professionally recorded DVD will contain -

- Keynote speech by International President Pat Johnson: "What Leaders are made of"

- District 71 International Speech Contest Final

- Workshop from Jim Key, 2003 World Champion: "Hitting the mark. The quest for excellence"

- District 71 Final of the Speech Evaluation Contest. 

The price of the DVD is only £20. Click Here  to order your copy or go to http://www.aspringodyssey.com

Remember it the Speakerthon this Saturday in Central London

Posted by Dorothea Stuart

Yes...this Saturday 14 May 2011 Berkeley Square Speakers is holding its very first Speakerthon. You are cordially invited to attend and enjoy the plethora of speeches at this free event!  Sounds like a unique and fun occasion.  Venue: The Concert Artistes Association Club, 20 Bedford Street WC2E 9HP

**Our UK & Ireland 2011 International Speech Champion Malachi Talabi will be participating**

Club President Andrew P Bennett says: "Don't miss the chance to find out what a London Public Speaking club is all about-- tell your friends about it! Let us know via meetup how many guests will be accompanying you.We hear there will be a great turn out. Guests come for FREE!" Meet Up.com

Read full details in the post below CLICK HERE or scroll down.

Can you help launch Active Speakers of Purley on Wed 11 May?

From Peter Gerlach, Active Speakers of Purley

Our new Toastmasters club launch meeting is this Wednesday 11 May 2011. Please come and join us to get us off to the best start possible.  If you are an experience Toastmaster we would value your support. If you've never been to a club and are looking to improve your public speaking, presentation, communication and/or leadership skills please come to find out what we are all about.  Everyone is welcome!

UK & Ireland Toastmasters 2011 Contest Results

Posted by Dorothea Stuart

There are lots of tired Toastmasters in London and across the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland this morning!  A Spring Odyssey - the District 71 Conference held in Windsor was a great success.  We'll be posting more picture and information in due course. But for now I'm sure you want to know the CONTEST RESULTS!

The winners of the UK & Ireland 2011 Evaluation Contest were:

First Place Chris Boden (Division H Champion - also member of Division B Clubs Holborn Speaker and Excalibur Speakers)

Second Place Lynne Cantor (London Division B Champion)

Third Place Jason Buckley (Division G Champion)

The UK & Ireland 2011 International Speech Contest Winners were:

First Place Malachi Talabi (Division H Champion)

Second Place Andrew Chuks (London Division B Champion)

Third Place Yvonne Jordan (Ireland Division D)

A big "Thank you" to all the contestants in both contests who created two wonderful events for their audience. 

We wish Malichi well as he prepares for his trip to Las Vegas in August to compete in the next round of the International Speech Contest (which is held at the Toastmasters International Convention).

Last minute bookings for Toastmasters Conference Old Windsor this weekend

The UK & Ireland Toastmasters A Spring Odyssey Conference starts this afternoon. The hotel team are working very hard to ensure we have a fantastic weekend.

You can still make a last minute decision to come along!  If you'd like join the conference for one day or for one section such as the UK & Ireland Finals of the International Speech Contest (the winner will compete in California in August) with the keynote speech by our International President Pat(ricia) Johnson you still can.

Anyone wanting to stay at the hotel please still reserve a room direct (01753 640000) and you can register/ pay for your conference package when you arrive at the Beaumont Estate.  Remember to bring your cheque book. Very much hope to see you in Old Windsor at some stage in the next three days.
www.aspringodyssey.com

Tall Tales Contest. Why not join in?

Posted by Dorothea Stuart

Marlow Orators are hosting the annual Tall Tales Contest with competitors from Toastmasters club across the South East.  You are welcome to come and enjoy the fun on Friday 3 June 2011. 

If you'd like to compete by stretching your public speaking skills with a 3-5 minute tall tale contact Trish Weller.  Full information and contact details can be found at www.southeastspeakers.co.uk.