The Tale of Two Lecterns.

Warren Toastmasters-Nov 8, 2014

The last Warren Toastmasters meeting, two lecterns were set up in the church auditorium which has a stage.

This meeting,the Warren club tried the two lecterns again. One lectern was set up on the stage with a microphone and the other lectern was on the floor. Many members chose the stage lectern, which overlooked the members. The experience did give stage time as if the speaker was addressing a large audience. With the speakers, the speaker could be heard loud enough and clearly.

At the lower lectern, there was a better connection with the smaller audience because the speaker was on the same level as them. Also, a better chance for good eye contact.

The auditorium's acoustics were not that good, with fan noise constantly going. Actually, it was hard to hear the speakers at the lower lectern and the members sitting at the tables, when they spoke.

Ted, the General Evaluator said the use of the two lecterns was good, but he had a hard time hearing someone of lower lectern.

Ken Shellito, the Warren club supervisor, said about the two lecterns,” We are experimenting to be good communicators.”

New Members Doing Their Thang

The greatest thing about Toastmasters is to see the new members start out.

On Saturday, Becki did her icebreaker speech. Before, she went to the lectern, she talked about her fear of public speaking.

She got up and delivered an excellent icebreaker speech about her family, the family business, her start in becoming a dental hygienist and her husband and 16-month-old girl, Quinn.

Becki did a great ice breaker and I say that with all honesty, because I was her evaluator.

The meeting needed another evaluator for another speaker. Sue, a new member volunteered to evaluate. She said she had never did an evaluation ever.

Mike Gerrick gave her his evaluation guideline, which is excellent. I hope to post it soon. I need to ask Mike’s permission to post it.

When it was time for Sue to do her evaluation of someone reading a poem, which is hard  to evaluate. She was nervous and said she didn't know exactly what she was doing. The group altogether encouraged her to go with what she saw. She nodded and gave her impressions based on what she saw. Sue did a good evaluation. Her nervousness seems to go away.

What I've learned Toastmasters this week was a club can take a chance and experiment by having two lecterns available allowing members to have the option to speak with a microphone or not and find out what's the difference is. Also, I learned the inner strength of two new members had to overcome a fear in public speaking and taking on a new role.

90 Training Tip–If you're looking for source that can give you information to use in an open/close, word of the day, discussion, and speech ideas. Read Readers Digest.

 

Art Byrd has been a member of Executive 408 Toastmasters Youngstown, since 2009.

He has achieved his Competent Communicator, Advanced Bronze, Silver and Gold. Competent Leader and Advanced Leader Bronze. He is working on his Advanced Silver.
Currently, Art is the Area Governor for Area 13 in District 10 in Ohio.

  Follow Art @artbyrdview    and the Youngstown club @toastmasters408