A well run Meeting

There are certain Meetings that we dread - they are overlong, chaotic and some people ramble on and on. Recently,  this writer was asked to chair a Meeting of an investment group. The request was simple  - encourage everyone to participate and ensure that a few people didn't dominate. My Toastmasters experience ensured that a reasonably constructive exchange of opinions took place. It was just another example of how the Toastmasters experience can be put to good use in "the real world".

In Speakeasy,  we don't just give Speeches. We learn who to conduct Meetings in an orderly and positive fashion. The Toastmaster of the Evening acts like a Chairperson,  introducing each Speaker and segment of the Meeting and aiming for a timely conclusion at 10.00PM.

The Topicsmaster is like a Discussion Leader who conducts the Topics Session or impromptu speaking.  At our last Meeting,  Bobby Buckley fulfilled this role with an abundance of flair and humour. A question on "Your least favourite day of the week" turned into a battle of the bands between The Boomtown Rats "I don't like Mondays" and The Cure "Friday, I'm in Love". The division of household chores in the tricky question  - "Does your partner share the burden?" brought much laughter and an interest in robot hoovers! Pre teenage ambitions elicited the revelation of wanting to be an Astronaut but ending up as a spacer. The curse of over engrossment in phones and body image brought contrasting views to the topic. And we learned that the accountancy term "Deprecating Assets" can have other meanings!

A Topics Session helps our Members to muti task  - to think on their feet and speak simultaneously. It can be entertaining,  informative and fun. In the capable hands of Bobby, it was all three.

Mastering roles like Chairing a Meeting and leading a discussion are important life skills. It is no coincidence then that so many voluntary Sporting and Charitable groups in our community have members who learned valuable leadership skills in Toastmasters. 

Speakeasy meet again on this Thursday night, October 1st at 7.45pm  in The Hibernian Hotel, Mallow. As always,  guests are welcome to attend. You will not be obliged to speak unless you wish to do so.For further information on Speakeasy Toastmasters,  please check out our website speakeasytoastmasters.com or on Facebook. 

The Officers at last week's Speakeasy Toastmasters Meeting - Topicsmaster,  Bobby Buckley; President, Rachel Liston and Topicsmaster of the Evening, Juan Camaraso.

Hope is the thing with feathers

Sometimes we take for granted how wonderful our use of language can be. Last week's Speakeasy Meeting was a prime example of beautiful language and everyday phrases that enrich our conversation. 

Olivia Cashman delivering her speech

It all began with Rose Murphy whose choice for the Poetry Corner was Emily Dickinson's inspiring poem "Hope is a thing with feathers". Is there a more beautiful opening line than "Hope is a thing with feathers that perches in the soul"?

It continued with Rachel Liston  and her speech "New Beginnings". She spoke about how Toastmasters helped her overcome her fear of public speaking, especially overcoming the dread of Impromptu Speaking   and "locking eyes with the Topicsmaster".

Rose Murphy reading her poem

Paul Corcoran continued the linguistic flurries in his contribution "Learning from the best" with lines lines like "the bells and smells of Catholicism". Paul delivered another uplifting line  that encapsulated the entire speech programme "Isn't that just perfect?"

Even the animal kingdom provided some memorable lines about "the waggle dance" which is a worker bee informs the rest of his hive about a newly discovered source of pollen! Peter Patton's "Dog gone crazy" took us on a journey of life from an animal's perspective. 

Olivia Cashman's speech "Hidden Treasures" was a fascinating tale of one family's contribution to the establishment of the Irish State in 1922." It contained, perhaps, the most profound contribution of the evening - not all Treasures are visible" but exist as memories that are handed down to each new generation. 

One of the main attractions of Toastmasters is the miscellany of ideas and opinions we hear. It's ordinary people leading ordinary lives presenting their ideas and gaining in confidence by so doing.

Peter Patton delivering his speech

Speakeasy Toastmasters returns to The Hibernian Hotel, Mallow on Thursday, 1st October at 7.45pm.  Now is always a good time to come along and witness what Speakeasy can offer. If enhanced communication skills can assist you in your job or in job interviews,  Toastmasters can help you achieve those goals.  If you require assistance with that"Special Occasion" speech or in the art of conducting a Meeting, Speakeasy can help you. 

Everyone is welcome to attend our Meetings and guests are not obliged to speak unless they wish to do so.

For further information, please check out our website speakeasytoastmasters.com or on Facebook.