Flourishing at Zuriberg Toastmasters: A Recap - Meeting March 12th

Dear fellow Zuriberg Toastmasters,

In the heart of vibrant Langstrasse, nestled within the dynamic confines of L200, we experienced another enjoyable evening last night. The venue, adorned with a unique stage setup featuring spotlights and a microphone, promised to elevate our speakers to new heights, fostering an atmosphere ripe for flourishing.

Under the moderation of our Toastmaster Joanna, the meeting embraced a spirit of growth and development, seamlessly matching the flourishing theme of the day.

Speakers Highlights

The meeting commenced with an engaging Icebreaker speech by Vassilis titled “Thank you, but who am I?” as part of the Engaging Humor segment. Vassilis set the tone for the evening with humor and insight, captivating the audience with his introduction.

Rafael took the stage to deliver his speech titled “At Least It Flies” as part of the Presentation Mastery segment. He delved into the art of receiving feedback by drawing parallels to Gaudi’s resilience in the face of criticism and sharing his personal experience from the architect school. Rafael emphasized the importance of discerning between constructive feedback and mere criticism—a crucial aspect of personal and professional growth.

Fereshteh presented “Poetry” as part of the Leadership Development session. By incorporating feedback into her speech, she exemplified the transformative power of reworking and refining one’s ideas—a testament to the flourishing potential within each of us.

Gabriel addressed “The elephant in the room” in the Strategic Relationships segment. With strategic finesse, Gabriel demonstrated the correlation of AI, human cognition, and the importance of formulating messages within a positive frame. A reminder that, once we think of the pink elephant in the room, the pink elephant will always be somewhere there.

The art of evaluations

Our evaluators including Karina, Etienne, Zsolt, and Christina led by our General Evaluator Selin and her team, provided valuable feedback in a constructive, energetic and empowering way, fostering an environment conducive to learning and development. Aaron served as the Grammarian, ensuring linguistic precision, while Joran managed the Ah & Vote Counting, maintaining the flow of the meeting while Alessandro expertly kept track of time! Etienne with his story-telling evaluation took the best evaluation trophy home.

Denisse led the Table Topics session, encouraging participants to think on their feet and express themselves spontaneously on awkwardness. Rafael’s insightful response earned him the first prize, highlighting the club’s commitment to fostering creativity and quick thinking.

As we reflect on the evening’s proceedings, one thing is clear: at Zuriberg Toastmasters, the stage is set for flourishing in all its forms, and the journey ahead is brimming with possibilities.