The Toastmasters Club Project

Feed me to the lions than let me stand on stage.

Well that's what I would often say.

Ever since I realized how critical people may become and how jittery, clammy and faint I felt since I took that challenge in high school, (more details I'll reveal in private) I've treated that moment as my BIGGEST.

most frightening.

life-threatening.

ENEMY.

But thanks to Theo, Philo, Thesis oral defense and my endless blabbering on the likes of it during college, I managed to overcome it little by little. Now suddenly I'm a chatterbox (especially when I'm into the subject). I could endlessly chatter, prattle, ramble, mumble, mutter, (and also lose my bladder) in front and lose you (and my train of thought) every now and then.. But being coherent, informative and holding your audience's interest are skills that would definitely go a long way.

So when Achi Susana and John invited us to sit in Toastmasters Club in Greenhills, I was thrilled =D It was high time to bring in the confidence and ramble with sense.

So there I found myself in the presence of remarkable speakers.

The club welcomed us warmly and also there to welcome us in our seats is the agenda for that night's meeting.

[caption id="attachment_453" align="aligncenter" width="510" caption="Greenhills Prime Toastmasters"][/caption]

Every other week there was already a theme and this time we got The Magic of Believing. Even the theme itself sparked my interest. Inspires you to think of a lot of things.

[caption id="attachment_462" align="aligncenter" width="510" caption="Renelyn Tan (VP Education, Greenhills Prime Toastmasters) hosting tonight's meeting"][/caption]

Then my first test began. For their Table Topics, one question / topic is given and you were supposed to talk for 2 minutes about it. This night it was:  If you were to be at any age (for one week) what age would it be? [Now I wasn't sure if I got it right because I was too busy taking deep breaths and calming my nerves.] Please feel free to correct me.

[caption id="attachment_455" align="aligncenter" width="510" caption="Eduardo Catayoc III (ACB, ALB President of Camanava Branch Toastmasters, Guest Evaluator), Zaldy Co (ACS, ALB Area 3 Governor, Guest Timekeeper)"][/caption]

3 of us dared to give it a shot and each of us were evaluated during the latter part of the night. We were given guides on how to answer the question like SMG which stands for Story - Message - Gain. This is just one of the many others. It really depends on us on how we would like to deliver our speech.

I really learned a lot of things like (I should learn how to listen, so I can answer the question correctly) when I give my answer I should expound on it to reach the time limit of 2 minutes (I got 44 seconds), and also I have to learn how to make that smooth landing. Thanks to Third for the very helpful evaluation.

Then followed 3 prepared speeches from the members. Each speech had an objective whether it should be able to move your audience or it should project sincerity / conviction.

[caption id="attachment_463" align="aligncenter" width="510" caption="Vince Tintoc on Believing in the Right Things"][/caption]

I was really impressed with how the three speakers conquered the objectives. For me all three were solid speeches but then the evaluators were still able to point out what needs to be improved on.

[caption id="attachment_465" align="aligncenter" width="510" caption="Rey G. Pineda delivering his speech on The Self Belief"][/caption]

Each evaluator was also evaluated by the General Evaluator for that night who really left me literally speechless with the range of his vocabulary. But despite all these evaluation going on, the atmosphere was kept warm, friendly, and ultimately constructive to each speaker to help them become better communicators.

[caption id="attachment_467" align="aligncenter" width="510" caption="Frialyn Chuacokiong (VP Public Relations, Greenhills Prime Toastmasters) evaluating Rey Pineda"][/caption]

What surprised me was that hidden in the group are 3 "secret agents". One who took count of the "umm's and the ah's" of every speaker, the Grammarian who would spill the "gems" (notable words used for tonight) and the "germs" (wrong usage of vocabulary), and the timekeeper who reported everyone's observance of the time limit.

You can go as creative as making a poem to report the time (as what Rey G. Pineda did the last Toastmasters), or even do a stand up comedy, monologue, stage play if you dare to. After all you have to communicate these usual technical reports as interesting and as effectively as you could.

[caption id="attachment_468" align="aligncenter" width="510" caption="Greenhills Prime Toastmasters"][/caption]

It was really an experience that was very helpful to articulate your thoughts and express them intelligently. So come sit in the nearest Toastmasters in your area! And for that extensive training, go for that membership and soon become that better communicator and better leader.

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Toastmasters Greenhills Prime

Contact Edison Kwong (VP Membership) - 0917-5391809

Meeting held every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at Club Filipino Greenhills

Camanava Brunch Toastmasters Club

Third Catayoc (President) - 0922-8606756 / 0905-3912486

Meeting held every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month in Kalye Timog