Containing the crowd - sometime in December 2018
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step – Lao Tzu.
So hey? Why not start that journey with laughter ...
...and end it with tears?
No, end it with laughter as well preferably.
Organising any event is no joke, especially for Toastmasters! Even more so when time is not at our favour. To end 2018 with a bang, our immediate past president, whom we endearingly call Fish, insisted on having a special meeting. She joined hands (or rather dragged hands) with the current young and excited Executive Committed members of the club to organise the special meeting in just a mere three weeks!
Like any other club would, we took on the challenge! Plans were made, brainstorming sessions were conducted, people were approached, the red carpet was laid (just kidding, too expensive) and most importantly, the food was ordered. Surprisingly, or unsurprisingly, the debate on what to eat/order went on for two and a half weeks.
After scouring high and low and negotiating for the best price, the most unforgettable nasi lemak was made the official meal of the day. Even though the food was ordered twice the amount for the number of participants who attended the meeting, we are proud to announce that nothing was wasted.
Without sweat, we also found the perfect, cosy, casual seating area and atmosphere. Themed “Live, Laugh, Love”, the meeting began with, A minute to Arrive, our signature 60 seconds of mindfulness where we pay attention to our breath and try to be present.
A member of the club, started off with his project speech by sharing his obsession with Starbucks coffee. We could literally smell the intoxicating aroma of coffee while he explained the different types of Starbucks coffee available, how it’s made and how it turns your Mondays into Fun-days. A Toastmaster through and through.
Getting down to business, as we all might someday give an impromptu speech at an anniversary celebration, a wedding or a funeral, we are expected to at least say something witty or heartfelt. Either way, we need to be prepared!
We brought in the some professional toastmasters who gave us some insights on using your body language to convey a message. There are some simple yet powerful techniques that you can use to get your message across on stage; Move on stage effectively and with purpose, gesturing and being dramatic when telling a story helps and practice makes it perfect!
Then came the highlight of the day, a Table Topics workshop where Stephen Fernando, a jokes master, soft skills trainer and a toastmaster, shared his expertise in injecting humour into speeches.
French author Victor Hugo once said, “Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face”.
Humour creates a bond between the speaker and the audience, keeps the audience energised and the speaker’s points are easily remembered!
The audience were then asked to put all that they have learned on that day into action!
Shock, on the other hand, drives the colour away from the human face at a much quicker rate! - Yours truly
As per Toastmasters’ tradition, the meeting as a whole was evaluated by a General Evaluator of the evening. Joining hands, there were also a team of efficient role players such as the project speech evaluator, timer, ah-counter and a grammarian.
The moment everyone was waiting for arrived, the moment to go home…but with loads of useful information and the motivation to become a better humorous speaker.
We are so proud to have practiced the club’s vision to empower individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders. Till next time!
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