Letter from the President – July 2009
The new Toastmaster’s year has got off to a good start with 2 successful meetings. I believe the new committee is doing a sterling job, don’t you? Being on the committee for the third year in a row, I know the confusion that goes on when someone starts a new role. Then by the time you really understand the role and know exactly what to do, the year ends!!
Last year when I was VPE, I only managed to do one speech (poor excuse, I know). This year I plan to do one a month (take note Danie!!). I found that I lost quite a bit of confidence when it came to giving prepared speeches over that time. On the program you will see a list of names and the last speech given. If you are near the bottom of the list – phone Danie NOW and get back on the program. Constant practice is what gives you the learning edge.
We have a big club, which means that speaking slots are limited. However, there are plenty of clubs close to 4th Dimension, who are often looking for speakers. You will be amazed at how much you grow when you speak to a different audience. Danie and I, and even Andrew, who is the area governor, would be happy to accompany you to visit another club. Just give us a call, and we will arrange everything.
If you want to progress steadily, make sure you take on a role at every meeting – this way you get to speak regularly. REMEMBER to bring your CL manuals to every meeting – you may get asked to do a role at the last minute- then at least you can get that recorded towards your Competent Leader.
Your committee, specifically your Mom’s are here to support you. Let us know what you need. Our contact details are on every program.
Bernadette Devlin’s quote is what Toastmasters is about:
“Yesterday I dared to struggle.
Today I dare to win.”
Yours in growth,
Lowdown of the meeting held on the 17th of June 2009
Opening
David Black the Sergeant at Arms called the meeting to order at 18.23.
The Acting President Kirsten Long welcomed and asked everyone to introduce themselves. She confirmed the programme, Clinton ‘offered’ to handle the CL assignments.
Zibu Mntambo, having outlined the excellent progress South Africa was making towards being 100% prepared, then proposed a Toast – that we all be positive towards the Soccer World Cup.
The Programme
Kirsten handed over to Ray Smit, the Toastmaster for the night.
Ray opened his assignment with a couple of quotes to emphasise what a
Wonderful theme we had in “Count your Blessings”. These included:
If you have food in the fridge, clothes on you back and a place to sleep you are among the riches 75% of people in the world!
If you have money in the bank, cash in your wallet and spare change you are one of the 8% riches people in world.
The Grammarian Richard Riche introduced the word for the meeting – GIRN – to complain in a whining voice or contort ones face and grimace.
The timekeeper Monica Oosthuizen explained the timing.
The Hark Master – Coralie Rutherford summarised what she would look for.
The evaluation Chairman Kirsten Long told us why evaluaiton was arguably the most important part of the evening.
Speeches
Liz Pearson – Bullying CC
Liz had our full attention as she opened with horrific examples of bullying. She outlined the reasons people became bullies and highlighted why so often it stayed hidden.
She urged us to realise that bullying was not part of growing up and must be opposed. She looked at the reasons why adults bully and how they need help and what we can do to help.
Liz finished by saying that it is a long hard road for both the bully to stop their destructive behaviour and the person being bullied to overcome the effects of bullying
Danie Roux – Modified Sandwich Technique ACB
Danie told us how in Toastmasters we are taught about the sandwich technique of evaluation, starting with the speaker’s strengths, then areas for improvement and finishing with more strengths.
In Danie’s eyes this was very boring – dry bread, dry meat and again dry bread but no condiments, to make the evaluation tastily beneficial. This was the modified sandwich technique.
So the bread was unconditional praise and the condiments areas for improvement with practical suggestions on how to improve.
To reinforce his proposal he provided examples of the original technique and his recommended modified technique, leaving us all fired up to apply this creative evaluation technique.
Saar Ben-Attar – Recovering my creativity – CC4
Saar opened by saying what a bizarre notion to recover your creativity?
His quest started by accident, while wandering around Waterston’s book store in London, here he came across a book so fascinating he read half of it before paying for the book and taking it home to finish and start actioning.
In the book, entitled The Artist, the author Julia teaches about creativity, we are all basically creative but today most of us need to recover our sense of creativity.
The first step is a very practical exercise which should be done every morning. Take a blank piece of paper and start writing, up to 3 pages, of whatever comes into your mind. You will be amazed at your thoughts, which are often very negative. Then summarise the key points.
Following this for 12 weeks, clears out ones negativity and enables us to recover our creativity and sense of faith. The results are astonishing.
Table Topics
A fun Table Topics session was lead by Liz Pearson
Christa Roux entertained us on how we can benefit from the world cup, in her case it would be watching a soccer match for the first time.
Brendan told us that his formula for beating the winter blues was to do the opposite to everyone else. He didn’t hibernate but spent more time at the gym keeping fit and trim so when Yebo summer came all his slim trim body needed was a tan!
Richard gave us a good tip on how to survive the financial crash, by paying off your debt rather than creating more debt, especially when you don’t have the money. The end objective to save and only buy anything when you can pay cash for it.
Clint entertained us by describing what he would do if he was the Coach for Bafana Bafana.
Coralie a non chocolate addict spoke on the “The Joy of eating chocolate”.
For Danie Roux it appears that what he loved most about his job was meeting a range of stimulating people over lunch.
Evaluation
The evaluation session was chaired by Kirsten Long
Karen Geyser evaluated Liz Pearson’s speech, Kirsten Long Danie Roux’s speech and
David Black Saar Ben-Attar’s speech.
Presentation
Leadership Excellence – Delegating to Empower was presented by Kirsten Long as her final assignment in the advanced leadership manual.
Kirsten presented an excellent summary on how to delegate, the process, the barriers, the steps, choosing the right people and communicating effectively to them.
Hark Master and Raffle
Coralie Rutherford was the Hark Master and Christa Roux conducted a profitable raffle.
On a point
Danie reminded members of how they could obtain a DVD of their speech.
Kirsten Long reminded everyone of:
- COT, on Saturday 20 June
- The Installation dinner, in Sunninghill on 24 June, the cost was R120.00 and the dress smart casual. The speaker would be Douglas Kruger who won the South African District leg of the prepared speech contest and would now compete in the US.
- The next meeting, on Monday 6 July, when Danie Roux would be the stand in for the new President.
Kirsten asked for feedback from the visitors.
The meeting closed at 20.20
Lowdown meeting 1 June 2009
The president Andrew Timberlake called the meeting to order at 18.25 and requested everyone introduce themselves.
Kirsten confirmed the programme and Matt proposed the Loyal Toast.
The Toastmaster for the evening was Paul Smith.
Speeches
Thuli Makhene: CC1 Why I must learn the Tango
Thuli held the meeting entranced as she highlighted the two constants in her life – travel and learning to speak an increasing number of languages. Her parents seemed to want her to live in every province in South Africa and while living there to learn the language spoken most frequently in that province!
Once she was operating under her own steam she studied in the USA and then learnt French so she could really make the most of a field trip to Paris.
Now her ears are set on learning Spanish and the challenge of visiting Spain or the more exciting prospect of Tango-ing in the Argentine.
Terry Mashoke: CC1 Perfect work in Progress
Terry who started life in Zimbabwe was very relieved at the age of 6 that her mother decided to stop providing her with more brothers and sisters!
She loved school holidays, especially a trip to the Victoria Falls, when she went on a sunset cruise and game viewing.
Boarding school, at the age of 9 was a bitter sweet experience but taught her discipline & independence.
Her post school days started with secretarial training, which gave her access to, but not a seat in, the Board Room.
So she set off on the road to higher education, first a PR diploma in London, then a B degree in marketing communication and so to an MBA.
This enabled her to graduate from a sales rep, to accounts manager and then strategic management and so the trip continues from typing pool to Board Room and who knows what tomorrow will bring.
Theresa Muller: CC2 Small Business in South Africa
Theresa provided us with a range of fascinating business statistics, primarily from overseas, with respect to small and large businesses, their contribution to GDP, employment statistics, etc.
On the positive side she highlighted that it was actually small business that made the world go round, primarily because they had the flexibility to rapidly take advantage of and adapt to changing situations.
However on the negative side, small businesses tended to be hardest hit by economic downturns, but she countered this with innovative suggestions on how to overcome some of these problems, for example small businesses working together to pool their resources
She closed by saying that for South Africa to do well it must ensure not just the survival but also the success of our small businesses.
Danie Fourie: CC2 Conspiracy Busted
Danie posed the Question “Did NASA actually land a man on the moon or was it a well orchestrated hoax”.
He presented 3 strong arguments to prove the hoax theory and countered these with three equally good explanations to prove man really did land on the moon.
His first argument was based on the fact that the flag planted on the moon was flying and not drooping, when it was in a vacuum. The second argument hinged around the lack of stars in photos taken on the moon and the final argument discussed the footprint on the moon.
Having challenged our thinking processes Danie left the audience to weigh the evidence and decide for themselves.
Ray Smit: CC3 Random Acts of Kindness
Ray described Random Acts of Kindness as being kind without warning. He said Random Acts of Kindness were always a win-win, since both the giver and receiver benefited.
Google records half a million Random Acts of Kindness and websites are dedicated to the topic.
Classic random acts of kindness include paying a tollgate fee or stopping to help change a tyre for a total stranger.
Ray asked his son and daughter for examples, his daughter suggested playing with a child at school, who had no friends or sharing her lunch with someone who had none. His son suggested standing up for someone who was being bullied
Ray closed with a quote from Martin Luther King “The Time is Always Right to do What is Right”.
Presentation of ACS Badge
Before breaking for recess Andrew proudly presented Graham with his ACS Badge.
Media Education Session
Kirsten and Erich presented a fascinating very informative session on how to conduct a TV interview. Kirsten’s recorded TV interview on the role and value of a Life Coach was viewed and reviewed by everyone. Kirsten and Erich then reworked the interview, based on a number of suggestions and the audience again assessed this vastly improved and very much more dynamic interview.
Evaluation Session
Mathew, as chief evaluator, led the session in which Karen evaluated Thuli’s speech, Monica Terry’s speech, Andrew Theresa’s speech, Richard Danie’s speech and Mathew Ray’s speech.
Time Keeper – Emma Dougherty very efficiently provided the timing.
ALS Presentation – Richard summarised the Extensia project, how this club had been very successfully relaunched.
Grammarians Report – Danie Roux gave a creative humorous grammarian’s report.
Hark Master – The audience had listened well and Coralie as Hark Master was not able to extract much money.
On a Point
The next meeting would be on Wednesday 17 June.
COT Training for all new Committee Members was on Saturday 20 June.
The Clubs Induction dinner was scheduled for Wednesday 24 June 2009, details to follow.
The Clubs humorous contest was provisionally scheduled for Wednesday 19 August
and Mini-Con would be held in Johannesburg on 16 and 17 October at Woodmead
Danie Roux reminded members that he recorded on DVD all the speeches and evaluations. Copies could be had at a cost of R10.00. this money was to be put in a self addressed envelope and given to him after which he would forward copies of the assignment.
Members would be asked to vote, via e-mail, for the awards to be presented at the installation dinner.