We Are In Pasadena Now: Earthquake Expert Dr. Lucy Jones Fêted by the Parsons Toastmasters

Parsons Toastmasters' 40th Anniversary has been reported in Pasadena Now. It was a great turn out, well organized and the guests were exceptional. The guest of honor, Dr. Lucy Jones proved beyond worthy of the award when she delivered a captivating acceptance speech.



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On April 22, 2014, Parsons Toastmasters Celebrated 40 Years and Dr. Lucy Jones

Highlights from our 40 Year Anniversary Celebration History was made when Parsons Toastmasters Club 2151 celebrated its 40 year anniversary and presented Toastmasters Communication Achievement Award to Dr. Lucy Jones who is a US Geological Survey Science Advisor for Risk Reduction. Division B Governor Ryan Matsunaga presented our club with a certificate to commemorate our anniversary and honored us by stating that our club ranks best in class standing among our peers. We enjoyed a speech from Tom Volz one of the founding members of the club and Janet Suzuki past president and long standing member of our club. Dignitaries from Parsons and Toastmasters International organization joined the festivities along with member & non-member guests who thanked us for inviting them to be part of such a well organized and exciting event. Our planning committee Kristin Blomstrom, Krystal Rose, Pam Tartaglio & Michelle Bender deserve special honors for making the event a great success.  View all the photos here

Parsons Toastmasters 40th Anniversary in the News: Pasadena Now

Parsons Toastmasters to Honor Earthquake Expert Dr. Lucy Jones

Event to be Held in Honor of Club’s 40th Anniversary

photo provided by Erin Burkett on behalf of Dr. Lucy Jones

http://www.pasadenanow.com/main/parsons-toastmasters-to-honor-earthquake-expert-dr-lucy-jones

Highlights from April 1st Meeting

Word of the day “thwart” transitive verb \ˈthwȯrt\ : to prevent (someone) from doing something or to stop (something) from happening. Nothing could thwart our productive and fun meeting. Our Toastmaster Vernon Budinger explained the history of April Fool’s Day. Jolene Horn and Nancy Huang both gave speeches from CC Manual Project 2 “Organize Your Speech”.   Sonja-Sophie and her team of evaluators provided us with feedback on what was done well and offered tips for improvement. Kim Acedo is no prankster when it comes to being Table Topics Master who offered up great questions allowing participants to practice speaking for 1-2 min. with no advance preparation. Best awards went to: Speaker - Jolene Horn; Table Topics – Andy Tien; Evaluator – Michelle Bender. Congratulations to Shannon O’Connell who won 2nd place in the Area B2 International Speech contest! Kudos to Michelle Bender and Leslie Suhy who competed in the Table Topics speech contest and to Vernon, Rose & Karen, who volunteered and helped to make the area contest last Saturday a successful one

Parsons Toastmasters is Celebrating its 40th Anniversary and honoring Dr. Lucy Jones!!

Division B April 2014 Newsletter is Now Available

Produced by Parsons Toastmasters' Michelle Bender

Great Communicators Don't Leave People Hanging

Found this article in the New Jersey Journal. 
Great communicators understand they need to be proactive. They understand that most people on the other end are expecting you to reach out and let them know where things stand without that person having to follow up with you.

The simple concept of "closing the loop" is so significant, not just in terms of client service, but also for professionals who report to their managers and leaders of organizations. Ask yourself this question: If you were the head of a department or division in a company with many people reporting to you dealing with numerous projects, would you rather chase down information about where things stand or have your team members proactively communicate about the status of those projects and the projected completion of them? The answer is obvious.

But in spite of this, too many people are too passive in their communication and wait to be asked, prodded, begged and sometimes pushed very hard by their boss to do what is essentially their job. Simply put, keep your boss in the know. Close the loop. Doing this will reduce your boss' anxiety level, will make you look good and, further, will allow the leader of your team to focus more on the bigger picture rather than micromanaging the information flow.

Even if the project or assignment you are working on is not completed, or you are facing real obstacles or challenges, close the loop by sending an email or communicate via phone or in person to those who need to know about the situation. That way, you can deal with the situation together.


Written by Steve Adubato. View full article http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2014/03/great_communicators_close_the_loop.html

Lance Miller: Speaking With Conviction

Lance Miller, World Champion of Public Speaking recently published a letter on Speaking with Conviction: 

The speaking world is filled with clever catch phrases, 6 second sound bites and speeches written for their political correctness or sensational impact. But I have found that NOTHING communicates, NOTHING penetrates and NOTHING motivates more than a speech based on the convictions of the speaker.

 

"Speaking with conviction" has almost become a catch phrase of its own.  

I have watched people try to speak with conviction, try to create a little conviction on the spot, like putting some extra salt on their popcorn.

This is the speaker who is acting like he has conviction. This all too often ends up with the speaker trying to convince the audience, that he is convinced, in the rightness or correctness of the subject.

Webster's defines conviction as: "a:

a strong persuasion or belief", "b: the state of being convinced."  

Webster's also defines conviction as, "the act or process of finding a person guilty of a crime especially in a court of law."

So we see that we can have conviction, but we can also get a conviction. To get a conviction, to prove someone guilty of a crime, the prosecution must prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt.

When I ask myself, "Do I have conviction?" I am really asking, by the definition, "I have handled any reasonable doubts that I have on this subject?"   

Having conviction is not about convincing the audience of your conviction, it is about convincing yourself.

If I have doubts in the correctness of what I am saying, I will withhold myself from the audience. I will assume a slightly defensive position, based on the possibility of someone calling me out on my doubts.

To impact an audience, I have to speak without hesitation or reservation. I cannot do that if I doubt what I say.

Speaking with conviction is not something you do, as much as it is something you are. 

Message from The World Champion of Public Speaking

There are numerous theories on how and why stage fright occurs. But two things are certain:

(1) It is not caused by fear of a hostile audience, as stage fright occurs with even the friendliest and sympathetic audiences,  

(2) It is something that occurs on the speaker's side of the equation.

 

Over the years of speaking and personal coaching, I have been asked for magic cures and secret solutions to address people's fear of public speaking.

There is only one solution I know of for stage fright. That solution is frequent public speaking.

There is no silver bullet, no magic pill or no self-actualized-mental-exercises that I have found that resolves speaking jitters and the tongue-tied mental blankness of stage fright.  

Speaking is a muscle, you have exercise and strengthen it!  If you don't use it, you will lose it!

Here are some tips that I use to handle speaking nerves:

1. Being nervous about speaking before a group is natural.  Do not feel like it is "only you" and that you should not feel that way. Just say, "I am nervous, therefore, I am normal!"

2. Know what you are going to say. Practice and drill your speech until you know it completely. If you are unsure of what or how you will say it, you will be unsure when you are speaking.

3. Get excited about your message! Believe its value to the audience. If you have doubts about your message, if you think that the audience is not interested or won't like it, that can cause anxiety and nervousness.

I use the analogy of:  "If the room was on fire, would you be able to speak to everyone and tell them to get out!?" That is a message I would definitely want to deliver! Then I create the same amount of importance for my message.

4. Get comfortable with the room you are speaking in. Get there early. Walk the room. Stand in each corner, stand at the front, stand at the back, sit in the seats. Stand for 5 - 10 minutes where you will be speaking from, until you are comfortable being in the location. If possible, rehearse your speech in the room.

5. Speak to one person at a time. Look at one person and speak to them for 1-2 seconds and then speak to another person for 1-2 seconds. This way you're only talking to a few people and not a large group.

Source: Lance Miller, World Champion of Public Speaking

Highlights from Last weeks:

Kristin Blomstrom induced Alaaddin Mogeem as a new member to club. Toastmaster Krystal Rose kicked off our meeting by introducing our topic "Membership". General evaluator Nancy Huang introduced her team who gave feedback on time, grammar use and filler-word use. Our word of the day “optimal” proved that our club is best at keeping our meetings running smoothly and on time. Michelle Bender presented an Advanced Speech, Project 3 from the Storytelling manual titled “The Moral of the Story” and Nancy Flentie presented CC Speech #2 titled “What was that Teenager Thinking?” which was informative and well organized. Best Speaker went to Michelle Bender, Best Evaluator to Kim Acedo and Best Table Topics to Alaaddin Mogeem. Thanks to everyone who participated in the meeting and helped to optimize its success by giving us all a chance to practice & receive valuable feedback in a supportive and encouraging atmosphere.  Written by EVP Rose Abbott, CC, ALB

Aggressor vs. Socializer—What's Your Communication Style?

Consider these four communication styles and how you can effectively communicate with each one.

The Aggressor-Asserter
These are your CEOs in attitude. They are competitive, goal-oriented, demanding, task-oriented and fast-paced. To these people, time is money and money is time. You know where you stand since they are blunt and direct in their communication. Their biggest fear is losing control and they ask the “What” questions. The “aggressor-asserter” has key strengths that include providing momentum, providing focus and making quick decisions. Their “on top of it” approach to projects can keep the rest of the team on target or even get it done early. This must be balanced with their weaknesses, however, which include overstepping their assignments, taking over tasks that have been assigned to others (and not necessarily because they can do them better, they just want to get them done).
To effectively connect with the aggressor-asserter, you must:

• Be brief, direct and concise
• Provide options
• Keep a quick pace
• Focus on results and return-on-investment
• Avoid providing lots of details
• Provide short answers
• Look them straight in the eyes
• Be truthful

The Socializer  
These individuals are charismatic, enthusiastic, persuasive, lively, loud, talkative, friendly, people-oriented and social. They are also visual and creative. Their biggest fear is social rejection and they ask the “who” questions. The “socializer’ is a great motivator. In the most organizations, they are on sales team. They are creative and enjoy brainstorming. They do not keep track of time well and sometimes work tight to deadlines. They enjoy being the center of attention.
To effectively communicate with the socializer, you must:

• Allow time for social interaction
• Put details in writing or email
• Have a fast pace, positive approach
• Use a whiteboard in your discussions (socializers are quite visual)
• Use phrases like “Picture this” or “Do You See”
• Avoid a harsh, aggressive tone

The Mediator  
These individuals are calm, level-headed, great listeners, team-oriented, introverted and loyal. They make decisions in a consensus manner. Mediators like to marinate on questions—you will not get an answer immediately. They dislike conflict so they will internalize and tolerate it. As a result, this internalization builds until they explode. Their biggest fear is loss of stability and they ask the “How” questions. Team and project managers are typically fall into this style. Weaknesses include being hesitant in their approach slowing decision-making—they are going to try to keep everyone happy at the expense of their happinesss. Mediators are hard-working who are humble and do not pat themselves on the back. They make great teachers/trainers and mentors due to their calming and supportive nature.
To effectively connect with the mediator, you must:

• Be patient and logical
• Use a steady, low-key approach
• Involve mediators in the planning process
• Praise them privately
• Allow time for “marination of ideas”—you will not get a quick answer
• Start conversation with a warm and friendly greeting
• Keep your tone of voice at discussion level

The Analyzer  
These individuals are meticulous, detail-oriented, introverted and task-oriented. They can be considered perfectionists, and they are suspicious of others. They may answer a question with a question. Their biggest fear is criticism of work and they ask the “why” questions. Key strengths of the “analyzer” include being detailed-oriented, superb problem solvers and providing the team’s reality check. Weaknesses include having tunnel vision on projects and looking for the perfect solution.
To effectively communicate with the analyzer, you must:

• Be organized and logical
• Support your position using facts
• Make sure that each point is understood before moving to the next point
• Do not use the phrase “Let me give you some constructive advice”
• Use words such as process, data and procedure
• Realize that analyzers are motivated by quality and data

Communicating effectively with the various types is an art. Understanding a person’s style allows you to create harmony and avoid confusion. Developing your “adaptitude”—your ability to adapt your communication style to the listener—is a critical element of being an effective team member. When you are able to recognize the various styles and adjust your approach, your life will be easier and void of the common communication “ills.”


Source GovExec

March Madness? Find out in the last newsletter issue

(Click on image to download/view PDF)

Topics Include:

Message to the Club 

Around the Club 

Member Development 

Announcements 

Why Join Toastmasters 

Mentorship 

#flashback friday - 2010 Founders Film Award Winning Video

Carolin von Petzholdtof, past Parsons Toastmasters Club president, won first place in the Founder's District Film Award, which celebrates Toastmasters International's 85th Anniversary. 

Kinetic Is the Only Way to Describe It

“Kinetic” (kə-ˈne-tik def: active or lively; dynamic or energizing) was the word of the day and perfectly describes our meeting! VP of Public Relations Krystal Rose, CC, CL and crew (Sonja Sophie, Lesli Suhy and Vernon Budinger) filmed a public service announcement (PSA) before, during and after our meeting. The PSA will be entered into Toastmasters District PR Contest. VPM Kristin Blomstrom welcomed a group of 17 high school speech & debate club to our meeting; a few students had the opportunity to speak and one student won the table topics - kudos to Kristin on the community outreach. Sterling Wainscott gave CC Speech #2 titled “Glimpse of an Underground Mine” with much energy, good use of vivid language, and movement. Kim Acedo gave an informative Advanced Speech Project #1 from “Communicating on Video” manual titled “Sitting, Standing, or Walking: What’s the Best Way to Work?” the audience was energized and was compelled to stand-up at the end of her speech! Five Table Topic questions centered on our theme “Spring Flowers” and gave our members and guest a chance to practice impromptu speaking. Awards went to: Best speaker - Sterling Wainscott, Best Evaluator – Krystal Rose and Best Table Topics to a guest student. If you missed it, you missed out. See you at next week's meeting. 

Are You In the Know?

Have you had a chance to read the February newsletter yet? It provides great insight for your skill and personal development, what's happening around the club and introduces new members. The March issue will be published shortly, so catch up on what is going on with your club. 

(click on image to download pdf of newsletter)

If you would like to contribute to the upcoming newsletters please contact Krystal, Public Relations officer. 

This weeks theme was the #Olympics-- Check out the highlights

Michelle Bender, ACB, ALB was our Toastmaster who introduced the theme “Olympics” using the athletes as an example of people who achieve their goal by being focused, persistent and working hard. Sonja Sophie Loeffler led Table Topics and our guest Richard Chamberlin won Best Table Topics speaker. Our General Evaluator Mary Marasco led our evaluation team who gave us valuable feedback on time use, filler words (“so” was the top filler word of the day) and grammar use. Best Evaluator went to Shannon O’Connell, CC, CL and best speaker went to Rose Abbott CC, ALB who presented an Advanced Speech from the Special Occasion Speech Series - Project 1 “Mastering the Toast” the toast was given in honor of Parsons Toastmasters Club 40 Year Anniversary. 

7 Tips to Calm Your Public Speaking Nerves

If you’re afraid to speak up, you may miss out on opportunities. The key is to use that energy – the racing heart, sweaty, palms, elevated heart rate – to your advantage. Use it to research your topic and your audience. Use it to craft your content. Use it to practice.

When you feel less nervous and more confident about public speaking, you can take advantage of opportunities (instead of miss out on them) and make a bigger.

7 Tips to Calm Your Public Speaking Nerves

1. Breathe. Inhale and an exhale before you speak. (Or smell the roses and blow out the candle.) Pause every now and then during a speech or conversation and do the same. You’ll decrease your “ums” and “ahs”, stay grounded and present, and your audience gets a chance to absorb what you’ve told them.
2. Straighten your posture. Boost confidence and energy with a quick posture exercise. Stand with your feet flat, shoulders relaxed and back, chest open, chin parallel to the floor. You’ll appear and feel taller and more confident.
3. Get support. Join Toastmasters, hire a coach, gather a group of like-minded colleagues.
4. Practice. Practice is the key to success as a speaker. Again Toastmasters can help. Also, attend networking events, take on leadership roles and practice at home.
5. Know your purpose. Why do you want to speak? A strong purpose will allow you to put that nervous energy to good use.
6. Focus on your audience. Know your audience and their needs to craft a message that helps them. Remember, public speaking isn’t about you. It’s about meeting audience needs.
7. Know your content. Pick a topic you have an interest in or knowledge about, do your research and practice, practice, practice.

Tips developed by Stacy Shipman

Meeting Recap, Lance Miller and A New "Roles" Sign-Up System

We had a great meeting yesterday. Our area Governor Naga Net installed our Club Officers; Bill Harmon gave two educational presentations focused on how to achieve your education goals and how to better perform Toastmasters roles. Kim Acedo conduced a round robin evaluation session and Shannon O’Connell our Toastmaster kept the meeting flowing smoothly. Special kudos goes out to Kristin Blomstrom who researched our theme “Servant Leadership” and came up with though provoking questions.

Our club was well represented last night with 7 members in attendance at the Division B meeting where TM world champion public speaker Lance Miller presented a motivating speech focused on leadership.

We worked out the bugs with our new on-line role sign-up sheet (thanks for helping out Krystal) click on the link here to sign-up for roles open in February, March and April. 

2013 World Public Speaking Champion PRESIYAN VASILEV

The title of 2013 World Champion of Public Speaking was awarded to Presiyan Vasilev (pictured center) of Chicago, Illinois, District 30, for his speech "Changed by a Tire." Second- and third-place winners were, respectively, Kingi Biddle (pictured right) of Rotorua, New Zealand, District 72, for his speech "The Sitting Place" and Shurooq AlBanna (pictured left) of Dubai, UAE, District 20, for her speech"Finding the Pearl."

View Presiyan Vasilev's award winning speech (below). I love that it starts out with humor and ends on an inspirational note.

Parsons Toastmasters Club Agenda and Highlights for Tomorrows Meeting: Feb, 4 2014

Attached is the Parsons Toastmasters Club 2151 Agenda for our meeting tomorrow. Below are a few highlights for tomorrow’s meeting

·         Our 2014 Club Officers will be installed by our Area B2 Governor Naga Net

·         Our theme is Servant Leadership

·         Bill Harmon will give two Toastmasters educational series presentations to our club

·         Get ready to be called upon to give a Table Topics speech

·         Kim Acedo will conduct a round table evaluation session where 3-4 club members will give evaluations of the educational presentations.

I’ll see you all tomorrow and don’t forget to bring your CL book to the meeting get and evaluation and sign off for your role.

 View Agenda