Next Tuesday, join us as we dive into the world of balance, agility, and flexibility—both on stage and in communication! This acrobatic-themed meeting will challenge us to think on our feet, adapt quickly, and deliver our speeches with finesse.
Thank you Zuribergers for another fun evening and thank you Fereshteh, our Toastmaster of the evening, for taking on the challenge for the first time and organizing a flawless evening!
Speakers
We had three speakers this evening: Vanessa, Roland and Vadim. Vanessa gave us her “Hiking 102” speech for the second time, complete with backpack, hiking poles, and other equipment. It was an excellent use of props to support her message. We learned some tips on how to pare down the weight of our hiking packs, while leaving room for non-essential essentials : in Vanessa’s case – a small bottle of Greek olive oil 🙂 Roland began his speech by apologizing for choosing a boring topic “Patient Directives as a form of digital self-determination in e-Health”. His project involved a speech followed by 13 minutes of Q&A, which we could easily have extended to half an hour, because it turns out his topic was not boring at all. We had endless questions about a topic that is relevant to us all – how do we best legally express our medical care wishes in the case that we become incapacitated. Vadim delivered the last speech of the evening “Are you taking the stairs?” a mentoring speech that was well-delivered and earned him his very first Best Speaker ribbon!
Insightful evaluations and challenging table topics
The evaluations were also high quality, with Tatyana even relying on the new FREEE technique we learned during our improv workshop in August to evaluate Vanessa. It reminded us that evaluators can focus on many different aspects of a speech, including breathing technique.
Thank you Suavek for the challenging and “extremely complicated” (to quote Joran, our General Evaluator for the evening) table topics of the evening. We will miss you and hope you come back soon.
Congratulations Vadim on winning Best Speaker, Joran for winning best Table Topics, and Tatyana for winning best evaluator!
Announcement: novice speech competition
As I mentioned in the meeting and on WhatsApp, there is a novice speech competition taking place on October 26th (online) and November 23rd (in-person finals). This is a Switzerland-wide speech competition open to everyone who hasn’t yet completed Level 2 of a path. It is an excellent opportunity to get some competition practice in and get to know some Toastmasters outside of our club. If you would like to participate, please let me know asap.
Join us for a special Toastmasters meeting where we embrace the power of tolerance. In a world that grows more diverse every day, the ability to listen, respect, and communicate across differences is more important than ever.
Date: 10th September 2024 Time: 6.45 pm Location: Zum Königsstuhl Theme: “Tolerance”
Meeting Highlights:
Speeches Celebrating Diversity: Our speakers will explore how tolerance shapes our personal and professional lives, offering insights on how open communication fosters understanding.
Inclusive Table Topics: Take part in impromptu speaking sessions designed to challenge your perspectives and build bridges across differences.
Constructive Evaluations: Receive feedback that strengthens your ability to communicate with empathy and respect.
Featured Quote: “Tolerance is giving to every other human being every right that you claim for yourself.” — Robert Green Ingersoll
Join us as we celebrate the beauty of diversity and learn how tolerance can help us grow, connect, and lead in a more inclusive world.
It’s been almost a week since we enjoyed a truly energizing workshop with Tara Brodin, a talented Canadian improv and acting instructor who lives right here in Zurich! We all owe our thanks to Vanessa Stournari, our immediately past president, and her months-long effort to make this workshop a reality.
Tara reminded us that great speeches are made up of a lot more than just well-structured sentences and paragraphs. In fact, only 7% of the message an audience receives comes from words, while the vast majority of communication is actually transmitted through body language and the tone of our voice. With Tara we all stood in a circle and explored the range of our voices with handy techniques and acronyms such as FREEE (Feel, Respirate, Elevate, Energize, Enjoy). For those of you who couldn’t make it, ask fellow members for some tips!
Tara is a founder and director at the close encounter theater –https://www.closeencounterstheatre.com/ – and offers improv and acting courses. Quite a few of our members have taken part in her classes in the past (Vanessa, Elias, Alice, Tatyana & more).
In addition, at the beginning of the meeting, we were able to listen to a brief presentation by Stephanie Chen, Toastmasters’ District 89 Finance Director, who gave us a glimpse of the wealth of TM clubs that exist in China. It was a reminder that we are part of a vast ecosystem of speech lovers here at Toastmasters, and that “Toastmasters Tourist” (where TM members systematically attend toastmasters meetings in every city they visit), is real and a cool way to travel.
Now – what can you do to practice all those new skills Tara brought to your attention? You can sign up for roles and, in particular, speeches! Tomorrow is a committee meeting, so you have plenty of time to sign up and prepare a speech for next Tuesday, September 10th! See you then!
Thank you for an enjoyable evening, filled with great speeches and contributions from our delightful post-antediluvian audience of members and guests.
The speeches
On our first meeting since the summer break, we had four of our members present four distinctively different speeches. Fereshteh told us how important her PhD mentor was to her in helping her find her voice in her community. Alice told us how she learnt from her Mysterious Maverick Luca, was supported by Luca, and eventually outgrew Luca. Both of these speeches were from Level 2 ‘Introduction to Toastmasters Mentoring’ projects. We got to know both Tatjana and Ishan better through their superb Ice Breakers. Tatjana’s sharing of her core values resonated with us. Receiving a special mention for her natural use of body language when illustrating her nephews and nieces spontaneous ‘Toastmasters’ meeting. Especially as this was an Ice Breaker speech. Ishan’s analogous comparison of the Persian prophet Zarathustra to his own path in developing a ‘startup’ drew some fascinating insights into the teaching of a prophet who had influence on many of the world’s religions including Zionism
, Judaism, Islam and Christianity. Zarathustra or Zoroaster is best know after the philosophical work of Nietzsche, “Thus Spake Zarathustra”.
The Evaluations
Evaluations from Michelle, Elias, Anna, and Richard were well-thought-out and to the point. All provided suggestions for improvement for the speakers. Suggestions which each and every one of us can learn from, even if we were not the speakers standing in front of the audience on the night.
The Table Topics
Table Topics challenged the speakers to compare contrasting ideas and present which may be best. Speakers showed that striking a balance between (for example) tradition vs innovation is equally important. And that the one without the other may not be possible. This was a good choice of topics, which speakers, including guests, were able to relate to and construct meaningful speeches.
The rest
Our Toastmaster of the Evening, Nicola, was her usual efficient self, as she conducted the evening, keeping to time, and bringing each participant on stage with a well-thought-out introduction. The Timer (yours truly) became so engrossed in the first speaker’s speech that he forgot to show the green card until nearly 30 seconds had passed. I should add that he did manage after this slip, to show the cards at the right time. Which reminded him how important it is to be fully focused on the task when you are the timer. General Evaluator, Joanna, commented on what was overall a well-run meeting. Despite dinner only being served twenty-five minutes into the break to some of our attendees, which resulted in them still eating when the meeting reconvened. An area where we can definitely seek improvement from the catering staff. Kevin challenged us to use the word ‘bygones’ 15 times in our speeches. He thought he had failed when he was only able to count 13 bygones from speakers. But th
en sneakily slipped in one of his own so that we stood at 14… And before long we had our 15… even though Kevin had sat down by this time. Our Ah-Counter Gabrielle, shared some tips on how he is managing to avoid erms and ahs that all of us can learn from.
One area where I think we can improve on is how we conduct our Table Topics sessions. Recently, we’ve developed a habit of asking for volunteers. Which does not always work, and often lead to wasted time. The intention of Table Topics is two-fold: to teach members to speak extemporaneously. Off the cuff. And to give members who do not have a role an opportunity to participate. So the way to conduct it, is to identify members without a role. The topicsmaster call on these members to present a topic. It is okay to ask if any of the guests want to volunteer. But we give our members a first chance to speak. And they do not have an option. See also the Topicsmaster role description on our website: https://zuribergtoastmasters.ch/roles-at-meetings
Awards
Awards went to, Alice for Best Speaker, Anna for Best Evaluator, and Roland for Best Table Topic. Fereshteh received a Level 2 Completion Award and our two Ice Breakers, Tatjana and Ishan received Ice Breaker ribbons!
Life is full of moments where we have to think on our feet, adapting quickly to whatever comes our way. At Toastmasters, we embrace these moments through Table Topics—our time to sharpen our quick-thinking skills and speak off the cuff with confidence.
But what if you could enhance these improvisational skills even further? Imagine being more present, more creative, and even funnier in those spontaneous moments. When these abilities come together, magic happens—innovation thrives, collaboration reaches new heights, and you have a blast doing it! 🤩
We’re thrilled to invite you to a special improvisation workshop led by Tara Brodin at our club.
Tara is the head of CET Theater in Zurich, where she offers well-structured improvisation courses for everyone from beginners to seasoned professionals. It’s no coincidence that many people seeking to improve their public speaking started with her courses—and thrived!
Join us for a glimpse into the world of improvisation. In this fun and interactive workshop, we’ll learn how to be more strategic and self-aware when called to speak on the spot, whether it’s during a Table Topics session or any other spontaneous moment.
After this workshop, you’ll never want to skip a Table Topics session again!
📅 Date: 27th Aug 2024 🕒 Time: 6.45 pm 📍 Location: zum Königsstuhl
Well. Perhaps not quite so much into the wilderness, as members stayed on familiar ground and delivered five inspiring and informative speeches.
The theme did, however, provide the Toastmaster of the Evening, Anna, with some great introductions of the speakers.
First up was Vanessa, who shared her first experience hiking with Michelle and Anna, and what she had learnt. Svetlana and Rafael both presented Level 2 projects – Understanding your communicational style, and both provided us with insight into communication patterns and styles. Svetlana explaining on Passive, Passive/Aggressive, Assertive and other styles. Rafael mimicked the style of a typical pilot. Making the point that the style is deliberate to instil a sense of confidence in passengers. Calm, Self-assured. Nothing can go wrong while I’m in control… Joram and Harry both completed Level 1 of their current pathways projects. Joram asked if the price is right? And, Harry’s takeaway message was, ‘Engage. Before you judge.’ which earned him the Best Speaker award.
All our evaluators provided valuable feedback to the speakers, with Michelle receiving the Best Evaluator award.
Thomas presented us with a series of topics based on the Wilderness theme. Michelle took this award as well. On top form, our Michelle!
Alicja was our timer of the evening. She explained clearly what the timing requirements were for each section of the programme (Prepared Speeches, Evaluations, and Table Topics), and provided the speakers with feedback on how long they had spoken for.
Vassilis chose the word vacillate as our word of the day. His feedback, on the use of our language, showed there’s always opportunity for improvement. Ah-counter Anton kept tabs on our use of filler words. And Fereshteh, as General Evaluator, gave us great feedback – especially as regards the introduction of speakers. We welcome speakers on stage, accompanied by applause. Then announce their name, title, title, name with no further applause at this point.
Our programme featured two major changes: Our Sergeant-at-Arms now calls the meeting to order, shares a few house-rules (like mobiles off or quiet), points out the toilets to guests (and forgetful members), then introduces the President.
The other change is that the timer works with the TME. Announcing times immediately before the prepared speeches, evaluations, and table topics. This way, the timing is clear in the speakers’ minds. The timer also provides the actual time for the speaker at the end of the session.
Our next meeting will the last before our summer break. We still have a few roles open for the evening. Please go and sign up. And, if you can’t make it, please mark yourself as not attending. I look forward to seeing you there! Please click here for details of our next club meeting
This is the first newsletter you’ll be receiving from me as President of Zuriberg Toastmasters Club. I am immensely proud to have been selected to lead this club this year. And will give my utmost to continue in the tradition of making this club a top club in District 109. In fact, it is my aim to make it the top club among top clubs.
One of the first tasks we’ve set ourselves as a committee is to have all seven officers trained during the Club Officer Training window. So far, we have four of our officers trained. This already puts us way ahead of other clubs.
In my first address as president, I spoke about “People who give of their time to serve their community”. In this case, our committee. First, they serve the immediate community. Us. The Club. And then by maintaining the club in a healthy, successful manner, striving for excellence, they are able to serve the wider community. The people who make their home in Zurich and surrounds. The team epitomising the words of Dr. Ralph C. Smedley’s, when he said: “We work together to bring out the best in each of us, and then we apply our skills to help others.“
Each of our 2024/25 officers introduced themselves and their aims for this year in a short speech. First up was our Immediate Past President, Vanessa, who mentioned that among her aims is to start an initiative to create an opportunity for advanced speeches for advanced speakers. Next up, Vice-President Education, Anna, who is available to help you reach your goals. VP Membership, Samira, will continue the fine tradition we have of welcoming guests and converting them into members. VP Public Relations, Richard, addressed us via video from Las Vegas. Promising to continue in the fine manner he has looked after our external communications. New to the committee, Elias takes on the task of Secretary – a key link in our organisation. Another stalwart, our Treasurer, Thomas, promised to keep looking after our money diligently and ensure that subs are submitted on time to TMI HQ. VP Mentoring, and Past President, Roland set out his vision for ensuring that every member who wants a mentor wi ll be assigned one. And how, through mentoring you become acquainted with your club’s culture. Finally, it was the turn of our two Sergeant-at-Arms, Vadim (in person) and Yesenia (via video) to share their aims for the year. Both new to the committee, they’re already showing why it is important to bring new blood on board, with their suggestion that we trial an electronic voting system for Best Speaker, Evaluator, Table Topic. Each of our committee members were also presented with an officer pin, which they can wear proudly at work, Toastmasters, or wherever they want to show off their commitment!
Alice led a very interesting Table Topic session, tasking the speakers to present as politicians – most of whom had done something dodgy and having to explain their way out of this ‘scandal’. Pietro won the Best Table Topic award. Perhaps there’s a latent politician lurking within… being able to turn dodgy dealings into a speech of success.
Having changed our process so that the timer announces times before prepared speeches, evaluations, and table topics, we had slight confusion. With General Evaluator pointing out that the instructions for the role had not been updated at the time he was preparing for the role.
Our next meeting, on 16 July, is themed “Urban” with Anna in the Toastmaster of the Evening role. We look forward to sharing this evening, the penultimate before the summer-break with you.
“You give but a little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself [your time] that you truly give.”
We stay resolute and continue our steadfast journey in public speaking. With 25 members and guests attending last Tuesday, we had a fabulous evening, demonstrating perseverance in every sense.
Our TME Samira introduced our speakers promptly, presenting their goals and seamlessly weaving the theme of the day, “resolute,” into their introductions, giving the night a natural flow and energy.
Speaker Highlights
Kevin completed his path in Presentation Mastery with his speech “Reflecting on Your Path.” Over the last two years in Toastmasters, Kevin learned to never let the kid inside you leave, keep learning as a child, and never get disappointed by failure. With this mindset, he believes you can thrive in any sector, including public speaking. And guess what? He earned the Best Speaker award!
Richard reintroduced himself to the club with his Icebreaker, sharing the best journey of his life to Mongolia. With his newly discovered humorous path, his authentic facial expressions, descriptive language, and vivid metaphors delivered an enegaging and entertaining speech. We can’t wait for more of Richard’s humorous adventures!
Pietro introduced us to the leadership styles that have most impacted him, all from shared experiences and speeches at Zuriberg Toastmasters. He realized that there isn’t just “my,” “your,” or “his” leadership style, but that we should always adapt ourselves to the situation. Sounds like a recipe for success, Pietro!
The Art of Evaluations
Sabine, Joanna, and Roberta provided empathetic and insightful evaluations, educating us and our speakers on what they did well and should keep doing exceptionally. They also offered room for improvement, suggesting small efforts that could make a big impact in our persuasive power. Keeping the dynamics through the whole delivery, applying pauses (especially after jokes), and improving vocal variety were some of their tips. Roberta was granted the Best Evaluator award!
Joran and his team—Roland, Aliscia, and Suavek—provided the general evaluation of the evening, elaborating on every role and all critical aspects, including timing, ah counts, vote counting, and grammar.
Closing
A grand finale of Table Topics, led by Harry, lifted the spirits and made us work in pairs to handle crises in a resolute way. Yani and yours truly, went home with the Best Table Topics award by finding a resolute way to oppose the newly voted law to forbid TikTok! No worries, this is not going to happen!
What Is on the Horizon?
The Toastmasters year is coming to an end, but the summer is at its marvelous peak! We continue our journey together in the most creative and entertaining way with our very own Zuriberg Toastmasters Mystery Dinner on June 25th with Anna and Michelle as our hosts!
There will be fun, good food, many winners, and on top of all, our yearly raffle. Buy your tickets, and you may be the big winner of tickets to Cirque du Soleil in Zurich in October! Here is the link (also shared in WhatsApp).
Indulge in the finer things at our next Toastmasters meeting, where we delve into the theme of “Luxury.” Explore the many facets of luxury, from opulent lifestyles to the luxury of free time, through thought-provoking speeches and discussions.
Date: 11. June 2024 Time: 18.45 Location: zum Königsstuhl Theme: “Luxury”
Highlights of the Meeting: • Lavish Speeches: Listen as our speakers explore the concept of luxury, sharing insights on what luxury means in different contexts and how it influences our lives. • Table Topics: Engage in impromptu speeches that challenge you to think about luxury in unconventional ways. • Insightful Evaluations: Gain feedback that helps you refine your ability to convey complex and often abstract ideas like luxury effectively.
Featured Quote: “Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury.” – Coco Chanel
This meeting is not just about the extravagance of material things but also the richness of experiences and ideas. Whether you’re drawn to the traditional notions of luxury or interested in redefining what luxury means in modern society, this meeting promises an evening of enriching discussions and captivating speeches.
🥂 Dress to impress and join us for a night where we explore the luxurious aspects of life and speech. Let’s discover together the lavishness that words can convey!
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