Dear Zuribergers,
Before the official end of the week, I wanted to share a brief recap of our meeting last Tuesday. We listened to three very interesting and very different speeches.
The speeches
Monica kicked off the evening with an intellectual speech about how decisions are made at work. She gave us a thoughtful introduction to the Cynefin Framework, which describes the different ways organisations make decisions – from ordered and simple systems, to complicated and chaotic ones. This framework helps explain how some big, multinational corporations make nonsensical decisions. Monica is available to discuss the topic anytime 🙂
Richard followed with a tale about Sedna, the Inuit Goddess of the Sea. We have not had a speech structured in the format of a fairytale for quite some time at Zuriberg, and I was hooked. It reminded me of the many different kinds of speeches that one can give at Toastmasters, and I look forward to hearing more in the storytelling format.
Pietro, our final speaker, had a unique take on the “Understanding Your Communication Style” project, using very personal examples of how important it is to understand the communication style of other people to make sure our message is heard. It was effective. Congratulations on winning the Best Speaker award! It was well-earned.
Table topics, evaluations & the rest
Vanessa prepared blissful table topic questions (in line with our theme of the evening), and mercilessly picked members to answer, myself included. Congratulations Michelle on winning Best Table Topics!
Thank you Thomas for hosting our evening, and everyone who participated and attended last Tuesday. Congratulations Selin for winning Best Evaluator!
As usual – a few announcements
100 years of toastmasters
This coming Tuesday we will be celebrating Toastmasters’ 100th Anniversary at ZIMMERLEUTEN! Please don’t forget to sign up on EasySpeak. It will be a fun evening with many opportunities to participate. Please feel free to bring guests. The price is the same as usual, you will be able to pay in cash, by Twint or on our Website (we will share the link tomorrow).
Awards Dinner
On November 26th, we will have our Awards Dinner. Please let me or Roland know if you would like to give a toast! To give you an idea of what you might expect, Elias, who gave a brilliant toast last year, shared his thoughts:
Last year, I had the honor of giving a toast for one of our incredible members – a member whose dedication and contributions had a profound impact on our club. As I spoke, I reflected on the countless ways this person had shown dedication, kindness, and support to our community and it was a true honor to celebrate her in that way. A toast is more than just raising a glass – it’s a moment to share your hearfelt appreciation, celebrate someone’s impact, and express gratitude in front of others. Moments like these remind us of the power of giving back.
That’s why I want to encourage all of you to take the opportunity to give a toast. It doesn’t have to be formal or elaborate – what matters is the recognition and gratitude you’re expressing. A simple toast can build a deeper sense of connection, remind us of our shared goals, and celebrate the people who make our communities stronger.
See you all on Tuesday at Zimmerleuten!
Please click here for details of our next club meeting
Anna Franzen
