SPEAKER_01 0:00

For the icebreaker, I think I'm gonna need to do some deep dive on what I want to present to the group. As you've mentioned, you don't want to go dark or reveal your deepest, darkest secrets.

SPEAKER_03 0:15

Let me clarify something. Toastmasters in general are very interested in your deepest, darkest secrets. My advice as mentor is more protective of you. You might not feel comfortable to go straight to that. It's more challenging to be vulnerable. But eventually everyone will want to know. Welcome to my Toastmasters World Tour podcast. Please join me as I travel virtually around the world and chat to Toastmasters from different countries and all walks of life. Let's explore! We travel virtually back to my hometown Brisbane, famous for its river city lifestyle, jacaranda trees in spring, and will be the host of the 2032 Olympic Games. I have an unplanned impromptu chat sprung on today's guest at the end of my first mentor session, my home Toastmasters club mate, Beryl Ratia, who recently joined Toastmasters for the first time. Let's hear how her impressions compare to her expectations and what she hopes to gain. Hey Beryl, welcome to the show. Can you tell me a bit about yourself?

SPEAKER_01 2:09

Thanks, Brendan. Um, so my name's Beryl Richard. Um I think usually people would describe themselves by their profession. So I'm an environment and planning lawyer based here in Brisbane. And I live in Brisbane, have been here for about seven years or so, and having done my university at the University of Adelaide, so I was previously in South Australia, and but my background that always comes to the forefront is everyone wants to know where you're from. And so I do give people a bit of some difficulty in answering that because I usually would say, Oh, I'm from Brisbane or from South Australia, but my parents are uh born in Kenya and I was born and raised in Kenya. So that's a general overview of myself.

SPEAKER_03 3:10

Lovely. And recently you joined Toastmasters. What made you want to join Toastmasters?

SPEAKER_01 3:16

I wanted to join Toastmasters because I had a development in my life that had um got me thinking about my presentation styles and my capabilities at work. Um generally, I believe that I am quite a confident person, speaking wise as well. But however, there was just a moment when there was some concern that I was losing that confidence, and um I decided that Toastmasters would actually be a sort of good stepping stone. It was actually a decision between um improv comedy or toastmasters, and so I thought which one is less uh less um challenging, and I thought, oh, let's go with Toastmasters, I'll I'll do improv later. So that's the reason.

SPEAKER_03 4:12

Can I ask what was the development? What happened exactly?

SPEAKER_01 4:17

It was more along the lines of just losing that capability to speak up quite quickly, as well as either having interestingly quite a shaky voice, which um had not been the case ever or previously. So it is quite a a laughing situation between my sister and I because she keeps saying something happened, something happened to your voice. So but anyway, yeah, so I I can't quite pinpoint exactly um what the development was, but just that general decline in voice projection. Um that's even without public speaking, but generally in just normal ordinary speaking, voice projection decreasing, and that um inability to also think quite quickly and respond and to retain that information while responding.

SPEAKER_03 5:21

So is this work situations where you were getting public speaking opportunities?

SPEAKER_01 5:26

Both work and social situations. So work-wise, of course, we've got the general internal meetings, and we've got opportunities to also lead client meetings as well as presentations. So you have three sort of different opportunities ranging in formality, and then socially you would have social engagements like community engagements where they would require people to show up and have a conversation or present a position to the audience. So there would be those two situations.

SPEAKER_03 6:10

With the social ones, were they still work-related?

SPEAKER_01 6:14

No, they actually weren't. So with some of the community events, you have either charitable organizations or uh national holidays for different communities, and I have a couple of contacts who usually contribute either financially or in other means to those programs, and at times they're unable to attend those programs. So when they have a slot that requires this individual who has supported this organization to give a vote of thanks or give sort of a a spiel about the organization or what they're trying to achieve, I would usually be nominated to do that on behalf of these people. And so those would be the situations.

SPEAKER_03 7:08

Oh wow, okay. So what sort of charity was it?

SPEAKER_01 7:11

There's one that is called Lighthouse. And it is an organization that is geared towards repurposing old laptops and having these given to donated to less fortunate communities, which are usually in the Pacific Islands.

SPEAKER_03 7:37

And how long would you have to speak?

SPEAKER_01 7:39

It would be brief. It's not a full-on speech. It's just acknowledging what the event is, thanking the relevant audience members, the participants as well, and then just sort of more a long vote of thanks. So that usually can be as short or as long as you feel like it should be, but it's not really a slotted period on which you have to speak.

SPEAKER_03 8:09

And what sort of a crowd would there be in the audience?

SPEAKER_01 8:12

The audience would be mostly professionals.

SPEAKER_02 8:16

How large?

SPEAKER_01 8:18

You're looking at a room of about fifty to a hundred people.

SPEAKER_02 8:25

That's a lot to get up in front of. And how did that go?

SPEAKER_01 8:29

Uh I think for the one occasion that I can recall I wasn't actually prepared to give that message. But I think it just was a convenient time when Chat GPT had just come out. So I just had that uh prepare a quick vote of thanks, which I used. And so it was quite easy. And but again, this was pre-my confidence stage, so I was pretty happy to do it and had no qualms.

SPEAKER_03 9:07

Awesome. So recently you joined my home club, Mad Chatters. What made you choose Mad Chatters when you looked into Toastmasters?

SPEAKER_01 9:16

I was looking at the website generally and trying to locate a club that was close to home. So it just so happened that Mad Chatters is at the train line that I use every day. So I think that was a real, real big seller for me to join it because of the convenience uh given my work commitments.

SPEAKER_03 9:41

And how's the experience of joining Mad Chatters been? Does it been what you expected?

SPEAKER_01 9:49

It's very different from what I expected, but when I think about what I actually expected, I can't quite put my finger on it, but I did not expect the format. And I think I've also tried to explain this to people and explain that it's different speaking opportunities, different content. It's not always a speech-related event. And I think maybe that's what I thought it would be. I thought it would be um a meeting where you come in, have a couple of people prepare speeches and be on your merry way and go home. But then I think what I've seen is it's it's quite different and engaging, which actually is quite important to achieve so that you have people that are continuously interested, and it also changes the aspects and pretty much the different types of conversational and public speaking skills that people are trying to develop.

SPEAKER_03 10:59

So it's not quite what you expected. Has it exceeded your expectations then? Are you glad that it's is how it is, or are you got some disappointments there?

SPEAKER_01 11:09

It has exceeded my expectations. I think the only concern that I've had so far is the length of the sessions. I think in my mind what I uh had expected would be about an hour and a half commitment. But then it's about two going on a a bit more. But upon reflection, I think that is actually a substantive time to be able to commit, to be able to achieve what you're looking for, given that it's only two meetings each month. So having that two-hour time frame does make sense. It's just slightly a drain when you've had a long day at work and then committing to something similar, which is uh book-based and speech-based, which is what you've been doing the whole day.

SPEAKER_03 12:13

Is there anything else that you change about the meetings?

SPEAKER_01 12:18

I think the meetings are good as they are. Like there's no issues that I've come across. The location's good, the format is good. I think one query I've had is in terms of the timekeeping rule. I had a read of the of one of the manuals and it mentioned that it's good to keep people in time, but it's not clear what if there are any penalties or people are geared towards ensuring that time is kept. So I think that would be one thing just to understand the value of that aspect of that meeting, if the intention is to train people as well to be succinct and to make their presentations or um activities to fit within a time frame.

SPEAKER_03 13:16

Okay. Have you had a favorite moment in Toastmasters so far?

SPEAKER_01 13:22

A favorite moment. I think it must have been the first meeting, and I think it was a Valentine's themed one. And it was just it was a surreal experience. And I think that if I don't count the first meeting as the most enjoyable meeting because I didn't know what I was getting into, I didn't know what to expect, and it was just um me absorbing the experience. So I could say that is so far the most enjoyable.

SPEAKER_03 13:57

What would you like to get out of Toastmasters?

SPEAKER_01 14:02

Interesting is that what I wanted to get out of Toastmasters is that ability to master my public speaking skills as well as thinking on my feet. And so far from the meetings I've attended, that has really been challenging. So, and I think in addition to the public speaking mastery, I think it's just that ability to be comfortable, confident, and that quick thinking skills and being able to deliver, even if you're not completely prepared or um aware of what the question is. So it's actually quite interesting. It's also a listening skill and critical thinking skill. So that is what I'd like to come out to achieve from this me joining Mad Chatters. And I've also seen on the website that there's actually opportunities for leadership skills. That wasn't on my radar, but I would be quite interested to see once I do finish what I've set out to achieve, whether that is something that could actually be something of interest and how far I can take that.

SPEAKER_03 15:21

That was actually my next question. Any interest in the leadership skills? Is there any particular role that grabs your fancy?

SPEAKER_01 15:28

At the moment, I think it would be I'm not good at finances, so it wouldn't be financial precedent. No, not at the moment. Uh VP, that looks like a lot of admin work. So I think I would take it easy and do the least challenging role. If there's a role for beginners, I'll sign up for that.

SPEAKER_03 15:58

Anything else you'd like to add today, Meryl?

SPEAKER_01 16:02

Um I think I would like to uh commend the current club, Mad Chatters, um, that's currently been run at Sherwood RSL. And I'd like to also commend the participants and the membership people. Um, they've been very good at welcoming new people. There has been no pressure in joining the club, and all the information has been quite handy. I was quite surprised that you actually do get a mentor and someone to guide you through the process, which is a very mind-blowing thing to find in a club that is a not-for-profit. I'm assuming it's a not-for-profit, but yeah, that sort of structure and support that they're willing to give the new members. And most importantly, thank you, Brandon, for um agreeing to be my mentor and surprising me with this podcast.

SPEAKER_03 17:07

So we've just had a mentor session and then I've sprung this on you at the end. Yes, it is. The other thing I can spring upon you is that this is actually my first time being a Toastmasters mentor.

SPEAKER_01 17:17

Okay. Oh, good. I couldn't tell that you didn't know anything. No, but but thank you so much for that. That's I really appreciate it.

SPEAKER_03 17:27

One more question. How many meetings have you now been to, Beryl, and at Mad Chatters?

SPEAKER_01 17:33

If I recall, so if I joined in February, I've only missed one meeting. That was the April one. So February, March, April, May. That's four months. So I've done seven, seven.

SPEAKER_03 17:48

Okay. And you've got your icebreaker coming up. How are you feeling about that?

SPEAKER_01 17:54

Uh I don't have my icebreaker coming up. I'm supposed to put up myself for an icebreaker, but I suppose what it what I have in this meeting coming up on Thursday is the traveling tale, which seems like a very small role, which I think is very good to be placed as a beginner. So I'm excited because I think that will be a short, a short position to an segment to run. But more importantly, for the icebreaker, I think I'm going to need to do some dig deep dive on what I want to present to the group. As you've mentioned, you don't want to go dark or reveal your deepest, darkest secrets. And I think I've been accused of being unable to lie or to scheme over a few things. So for me, it's going to be like, oop, wait, that was too much. That was too much information. So it's going to be more of a challenge of having that structure. And but I think in terms of the confidence to present, I think that would be good. Assistant preparation that might be challenging.

SPEAKER_03 19:06

Let me clarify something. Toastmasters in general are very interested in your deepest, darkest secret. My advice as mentor was more protective of you. Might not feel comfortable to go straight to that. It's more challenging to be vulnerable.

SPEAKER_01 19:23

Yeah. Yeah. I'll I'll start with my with my uh highest vulnerability.

SPEAKER_03 19:29

But eventually everyone will want to know.

SPEAKER_00 19:32

Yeah. So yeah.

SPEAKER_03 19:36

One more question. Did you check out any other clubs before joining Mad Chatters?

SPEAKER_00 19:41

No.

SPEAKER_03 19:42

Okay. And so this was your first ever Toastmasters club?

SPEAKER_00 19:45

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 19:46

Awesome. Thank you so much for joining the show today, bro. It's been such a pleasure.

SPEAKER_00 19:51

Thank you for having me, Brendan. I'll send you my invoice.

SPEAKER_03 19:57

I look forward to seeing it at the club more regularly, too.

SPEAKER_00 20:00

All right. Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 20:07

Thanks for listening to today's show. One of the key elements of Toastmasters is evaluations. This is how we grow and improve, both by encouraging comments for things we got right and points for improvement. We all learn and benefit from these evaluations, not just the person being evaluated. So any feedback in the comments is greatly appreciated. If you have a Toastmaster story you'd like to share or would like to be on the show, to hear from you, you can reach me at Toastmasters World Store at gmail.com. Thanks for listening.