Ah! go on, go on, go on.

“Ah! go on, go on, go on”, is probably the expression that most people associate with highly successful TV Series, Fr Ted. It is associated with housekeeper, Mrs Doyle as she endeavoured to persuade Fr, Ted, Dougall, and their visitors to have tea and more when they did not really want to.

So, I hear you ask, what does Mrs, Doyle and Speak Easy Toastmasters have in common.

The answer is quiet simple really, you see, if Mrs Doyle was a member of Toastmasters she would have a very different approach and indeed one that is sure to work.

We all have in our daily lives, cause to persuade people to do what we want them to do. Whether it is a work situation where we want to boss or people on a team to take on one of our ideas, or maybe we want to persuade the wife/girlfriend that a golfing holiday in Portugal is far superior to a cruise in the Pacific. Maybe even, as a wife/girlfriend you want to persuade him, that the cruise is way better than a boring ole golfing holiday.

You may want to persuade your son or daughter to tidy their room and have tried coaxing, dire threats even to the point that you will leave, and nothing seems to work.

Well, I have great news for you; Speak Easy Toastmasters is the place to be. As I have said before, Toastmasters International have many different programs and yes, there is even a program for you, if you can identify with any of the above. It is called, yes, “Persuasive Speaking”.

Like all Toastmasters Programs, “Persuasive Speaking” has five different projects in which all the required skills can be learned with practice.

If you find that in your life you need to persuade people to your viewpoint and are getting nowhere, why not try Toastmasters? 200,000 people in 92 countries around the world have, and have found a huge difference in their lives.

Speak Easy Toastmasters meet in the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow on alternate Thursday nights from 8 until 10pm and guests are most welcome. As a guest, you will not be asked to speak and you can come as our guest as often as you like.

On Saturday April 17^th, at 8pm sharp, The Radisson SAS Hotel, Cork Airport is the place to be, as Toastmasters from Cork, Kerry and West Limerick gather for the final of the International Speech and Evaluation Contests. Speak Easy Toastmasters are proud to have Pat Sexton as representative of the clubs in North Cork, competing in the Evaluation Contest. Best of luck, Pat.

Tonight, Thursday 10^th is the Club Tall Tales contest night which is going to be just fantastic, so why not come along?

Further information on Speak Easy Toastmasters can be had by visiting www.speakeasytoastmasters.com or contact Club PRO, Sean on 086 6054784

Toastmasters skills in your daily life

While most of public speaking/toastmaster training is centred on a person giving a presentation and the audience listening, i.e. you talk, they listen. This type of communication is training is extremely important when one’s job or community activities require such presentations.

Think about your daily life, however, and another kind of communication becomes equally important.

Each day we interact with many people in a variety of situations. We may deal with clients and co-workers at work, our family and friends. We may be called upon to calm an upset customer/friend/relation or convince a sales assistant to refund your money. Persuade your son or daughter to clean their room or negotiate a raise with your employer.

Special skills are needed to successfully handle these types of situations and Toastmasters International; “Interpersonal Communications Program” will help you to develop them.

The program consists of five projects that require different interpersonal communication skills.

In the first project we learn how to start a conversation with a stranger.

Project two requires one to negotiate using win/win strategies to achieve a goal.

In the third project, we learn how techniques on how to diffuse verbal criticism.

In the next project we practice coaching someone who is not performing on your satisfaction and finally, you’ll learn to assert yourself effectively.

The projects in this program are challenging but they will provide you with valuable experience in communication with others.

As with all Toastmasters programs, toastmasters are required to complete the basic program, called “The Competent Communicator” program in which all the basic skills of speaking are learned and practiced.

So why not come along to any of our meetings and see for yourself? Speak Easy Toastmasters meet in the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow on alternate Thursdays from September to May.

Toastmaster meetings are not a classroom but a workshop in which members learn at their own pace in a mutually supportive atmosphere where the emphasis is on fun and friendship.

You are welcome to come along as our guest for as often as you want and rest assured, you, as a guest, will never be asked to speak.

Congratulations to Pat Sexton who won the Area Final of the Evaluation Contest which was held in the Charleville Park Hotel, last Saturday night. Pat will now compete in the next stage of the contest which will take place in the Raddisson Hotel, Cork Airport on Saturday, April 19^th.

Well done, Pat.

The next 2 meetings of Speak Easy Toastmasters are on April 3^rd and April 17^th (Club Tall Tales Contest).

Further information on Speak Easy Toastmasters can be had by logging on to our website www.speakeasytoastmasters.com or contact club PRO, Sean on 086 6054784

Saints and Rats

What does a rat, St. Patrick and JB Keane have in common? They were all the subject of speeches by Speak Easy Toastmasters last Thursday evening in the Hibernian Hotel.

What an enjoyable meeting we had as five members of the club delivered great speeches.

The meeting was as usual opened by President, Anne Buckley who welcomed everyone.

Pat Duggan who is also Toastmasters International Area Governor was Toastmaster for the evening.

Pat started the evening with a slightly different format, by introducing Topicsmaster, Ray Ryan Jnr who kept our “speaking off the cuff “ skills sharpened with his well though out topics.

Pat then introduced the speakers and the first to the lectern was Jean Sayers.

Jean who is a relatively new member to Speak Easy Toastmasters was delivering her second speech which was entitled, “The wearing of the Green”. A most fascinating story of St Patrick which was filled with facts of the Saint himself and the day of celebration.

Following Jean was Anne Buckley with a speech entitled, “Distant Memories”. Anne told us of meeting JB Keane himself and also the contribution he made to rural Ireland and its people through the medium of his plays, stories, poetry and song.

Next to the lectern was Mary Buckley whose speech project was from “Speciality Speeches” was “Receiving an Award”. Mary is a past President of Speak Easy is the Coordinator of the Inter Schools Public Speaking Competition.

Following Mary was Marie Fitzpatrick with a speech entitled, “Closure” which told of her hilarious student experiences with a rat who took up residence in her apartment.

And last but not least to the lectern was the club’s newest member, Nora Murphy, with her Icebreaker Speech. (the Icebreaker Speech is one in which the new member delivers first to a club).

The speech was entitled, “The Volunteer” in which she told us of her experiences and the effect that being a full time volunteer for a year had on her.

Other members on the program were Sean Corcoran, Timekeeper; Michael Cronin, Ah-Counter; Bridie O’Connell, General Evaluator; Sgt at Arms, Mary Moynahan and Evaluators, Angela Sheehan, Loretto Barry, Jerry Mulcahy, Liam Flynn and Pat Sexton.

The next meeting of Speak Easy Toastmasters will take place on April 17^th and will be the club’s Tall Tales Contest. This is a contest were members vie to see who could in 3-5 minutes tell the tallest tale. It is an evening not to be missed as there are sure to be some fantastic yarns told.

So remember if you want to hear some “good ones” come along the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow on April 17^th at 7.50 for an 8pm start.

Remember that guests are most welcome to attend our meetings and are never asked to speak so come along and relax.

Further information on Speak Easy Toastmasters can be had by visiting our website at www.speakeasytoastmasters.com or contact our club PRO Sean on 086 6054784.