SOUTHERN CROSS

PAGE 2 APRIL 2015

SOUTHERN CROSS

Newsletter of Toastmasters

International District 73

April 2015– Edition 114

Published bi-monthly. Editions

will be available online from the

Southern Cross page of the

District 73 website

(www.d73.toastmasters.org.au/

southerncross) on the first day

of the month available.

Editor:

Andrew Breeden DTM

Email: newsletter@d73.toastmasters.org.au

Publisher:

Anthony Murray DTM DG

Email: districtgovernor@d73.toastmasters.org.au

The views and opinions

expressed in Southern Cross

are not necessarily those of the

editor, the district executive or

Toastmasters International.

To submit articles and photos

for Southern Cross:

Email them to the editor at newsletter@d73.toastmasters.org.au

Next Edition:

June 2015

– Edition 115

Convention Review

Edition

Deadline for articles:

Wednesday June 1st

2015

Released on:

Wednesday June 15th

2015 at

www.d73.toastmasters.

org.au/southerncross

Next month, the District Convention comes to Launceston!

However, as seen in on the front cover of this edition of the

Southern Cross, the town of Launceston has been in the

Toastmasters news for a while now. This was the cover of The

Toastmaster magazine in March 1966, which recognised

Launceston as the Toastmasters Town of the Month. The

supporting article appears in this edition of the Southern Cross

on page 13.

The next edition of the Southern Cross will be delayed by two

weeks to give people time to write about the Convention.

Editorial .................................................................................. 2

What’s in this edition of the Southern Cross .......................... 2

District Governor’s Message .................................................. 3

Lt. Governor Education and Training’s Message ................... 4

Lt. Governor Marketing’s Message ................................. 5 & 6

Public Relations Officer’s Message ....................................... 7

Anthology of Speeches .......................................................... 8

Convention ............................................................................ 9

Convention – Draft Program ................................................ 10

Convention – Registration process ............................. 11 & 12

Convention – Launceston Toastmaster ............................... 13

Articles from past editions of the Southern Cross ....... 14 & 15

Club News – Naracoorte Toastmasters 1000th meeting ...... 16

Educational .......................................................................... 17

Contests - Some Recommendations From a Judge ... 18 & 19

Club News – Advanced to Community

– Metamorphosis or evolution ..................................... 20 & 21

Dinner with the DG .............................................................. 22

District Officers .................................................................... 23

Awards Recipients ...................................................... 24 & 25

Delay in production of the Southern Cross .......................... 25

District Diary ........................................................................ 26

SOUTHERN CROSS

EDITION 114 PAGE 3

Like most of us, when I joined Toastmasters I

was very nervous and shy. My fellow

members were far more experienced than

me; and I was in awe of how they delivered

their speeches with apparent ease.

One of these experienced members was

Bob, who was also the founding member of

my home club Tea Tree Gully. Bob was a

gentleman who epitomised what it meant to

be a Toastmaster. Despite his age of ninety-

two, he very seldom missed a meeting and

was always ready to offer his wisdom. When

I asked him why he kept coming back at his

age, he looked at me very seriously and said,

“Because every time I come to a meeting I

learn something new.”

I know I have come a long way since my first

meeting. I am sure many of us have. We

feel far more comfortable today than when

we first walked into a meeting, but have you

been in Toastmasters for so long that you

feel you "know it all?" Have you achieved

you Competent Communicator or gone onto

advanced manuals and are thinking that

Toastmasters no longer offers anything of

benefit to you? Perhaps you have been a

club president or even an Area Governor and

feel you have a handle on leadership. Well,

have I got news for you!

If this is you, you are likely thinking the

Competent Communicator manual and the

Competent Leader manual is pretty basic

stuff, and you’d be right. They are both

designed to teach basic communication and

leadership skills to new members but I

challenge anybody to pick up either the

Competent Communicator manual or the

Competent Leader manual and tell me they

did not learn something new with every

project.

The VPE often assigns the minor roles such

as Timer to the newer members; and it is

true that newer members learn a great deal

from this role; but if you are a Distinguished

Toastmaster, when was the last time you

were Timer? Why not ask your VPE to

assign this role to you? Remember that this

project teaches us the importance of time

management; so if you are a Distinguished

Toastmaster (DTM) that believes the

acronym stands for “Don’t Time Me” then I

recommend you do this pretty soon.

I have been a Toastmaster for 19 years, I am

a Distinguished Toastmaster and I am also

the current District Governor, but guess

what? I don’t know it all! That is why I have

two Competent Leader manuals on the go. I

bring one with me to every meeting -

because every time I do a new project I am

learning something new.

I think we sometimes need to go back to the

basics and start again.

SOUTHERN CROSS

PAGE 4 APRIL 2015

The May 2015 Annual District 73 Convention

is almost upon us. It is going to be amazing,

are you going?

I recall with much fondness my first

convention. It was held in Hahndorf South

Australia in May 2009 and I was the test

speaker for the Evaluation Contest. WOW.

To say the least I was overwhelmed – and a

little nervous! I was going to be speaking in

front of approximately 250 people – when

District 73 consisted of members from

Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and

Western Australia. Note to self – remember

to breathe!

On reflection, I can honestly say I am

extremely grateful for the opportunity I was

given and thank Sandra Glass DTM - from

the bottom of my heart - for approaching me

with this daunting yet amazing offer. Has an

opportunity like this been presented to you?

Have you jumped at the chance, eager, with

both hands open? I implore you. Don’t let

any opportunity pass you by - seize the

moment! You will not regret it!

Did I mention that I was also told that the

2009 convention was going to be a very,

very special convention? I know what you

are thinking. No, not because I was going to

be the test speaker… Oh no, this was a

special convention because the International

President of Toastmasters and Accredited

Speaker Jana Barnhill DTM, was attending -

along with her husband Robert Barnhill,

DTM, who is also a past International

President and Accredited Speaker. No

pressure!!!

I am pleased to say they were both

absolutely wonderful, generous and kind and

I felt 10 feet tall, inspired and in awe for

many weeks after the event. Whilst my first

convention will always hold a special place in

my heart, I look forward to every event with

excited anticipation. The people, the

workshops, keynote/inspirational speakers,

the speech contests, gala dinner and

dancing… So much fun to be had with like-

minded Toasties. Come on – are you going?

This year it will be held at the Country Club in

Launceston Tasmania, which is awesome

because I haven’t been to Launceston!

While I wait for May, I busy myself with club

visits, reading Area Governor reports with

our Lt. Governor Marketing Yoke-Ching Tan

and studying the district dashboard as I see

the number of clubs who have achieved 4 or

more Distinguished Club Points goals grow.

Keep up the wonderful work!

See you soon, warmest regards, your D73

Lt. Governor Education and Training.

SOUTHERN CROSS

EDITION 114 PAGE 5

Dear Members,

I would like to start by thanking all clubs

(particularly Club Treasurers!) who have

commenced or completed the process of

collecting renewals from members for the

April-September 2015 period.

The timely payment of renewals will ensure

that clubs and their members can continue to

enjoy the wonderful benefits that

Toastmasters International has to offer.

Winners of the April membership renewal

incentives will be announced in the next

edition of this newsletter.

Membership Retention

In last edition of the Southern Cross, I

provided examples of effective membership

building strategies that are working in our

clubs across District 73.

To complement these strategies, I would like

to share some membership retention ideas

that a number of clubs have successfully

implemented:

Ask existing and new members what their

Toastmasters/personal goals are - by

understanding the needs of members,

club Vice President Educations and

mentors can better assist them in

achieving their objectives.

Incorporate variety into meeting agendas

- examples may include a club 'debate',

themed meetings and 'reverse' meetings.

Socialise outside of club meetings -

enable members and guests to connect

and develop friendships in a more

informal environment.

Ask members/club officers to visit other

clubs to experience different club

meetings and deliver

speeches/evaluations.

Ask experienced members from other

clubs to attend and assist at the club.

Run a 'Moments of Truth' session at a

club meeting - this is an opportunity for

members to evaluate the club, through

recognising strengths & areas of

improvement, and exploring development

opportunities.

Celebrate achievements - these can

include non-Toastmasters-related

accomplishments!

SOUTHERN CROSS

PAGE 6 APRIL 2015

Request a Club Coach (for clubs with 12

or fewer members, if the Club President

is agreeable) - if your club is interested in

having a Club Coach, please contact me

at marketing@d73.toastmasters.org.au.

All members (not just the Vice President

Membership/Vice President Public

Relations!) can play an active role in

membership building and retention.

There are also a number of opportunities to

achieve recognition in the Competent

Leadership manual (please see projects 6, 7,

8, 9 and 10).

District 73 Convention

The 2015 Annual District 73 Convention -

"Discover Your Voice" is only a month away!

The convention is a wonderful opportunity to

attend an array of exciting workshops, meet

Toastmasters from across Victoria, South

Australia & Tasmania, and see the best

speakers/evaluators in action at the District-

level speech contests!

One of my favourite Toastmasters memories

was my first (full) convention - the 2013 'Mind

Alive' District 73 Convention in Adelaide. I

attended this Convention with my friend and

former Toastmaster, Swati Gupta. Just like

the previous year's Convention in Melbourne,

the workshops and contests were exciting

and high quality. I also attended the Gala

Dinner for the first time - the theme was 'The

70s' and it was a lot of fun. I discovered that

Toastmasters members absolutely love to

dance! The dance floor proved to be way too

small for the vast number of Toasties who

danced and partied the night away to classic

70s hits performed by a lively band! After that

Convention, I was officially 'addicted' to

Toastmasters!

If you are attending, I look forward to seeing

you at the District 73 Convention! In the

meantime, I hope you are continuing to enjoy

your Toastmasters experiences within and

beyond your club(s)!

SOUTHERN CROSS

EDITION 114 PAGE 7

It is getting exciting.

Before we realise it, all the efforts of the year

come to a head in the next few months.

So many clubs are kicking goals in the

annual Distinguished Club Program,

reflecting successes in training, growth and

leadership; and with Division Contests all

done, we have some fine speakers preparing

for our Annual Convention in Launceston.

I remember of my first convention in District

73. It was in Launceston too. I particularly

remember the keynote as the finale of the

event – a powerful presentation that showed

the great things happening through the

ARTS ROAR project in Launceston - finding

their voice – changing their world.

Since I had been to a convention in District

70 before, I didn’t identify myself as a first-

timer. That was a mistake!

While I met some great people from across

the Toastmasters community, I could have

had an even better introduction to District 73.

Wearing a first-timer ribbon encourages

people to introduce themselves; and the

guided discovery helps you learn more about

the organisation and its people – and when

all is said and done, people are what makes

Toastmasters the great organisation that it is.

Attending a conference or a convention is

great way to extend your involvement in

Toastmasters. It would be hard not to find

something to enjoy, learn or inspire you

through to the next convention. “Bet you

can’t have just one!”

It’s that infectious enthusiasm that attracts

people to join our clubs, too. When we’re

sharing what we’re doing in Toastmasters

with our networks, they may not fully

understand the buzz we get from giving that

speech. They may not understand why it

takes the time it does. They may not even

really understand what Toastmasters really

is…

They will understand the enthusiasm that

you share about Toastmasters.

We know from our speaking that people

remember the feeling they had at the end

of your presentation. Just as I remember

the feeling about ROAR, you will remember

your feelings from your last convention, and

your network will remember the feelings you

give them about your involvement in

Toastmasters.

Remember to share what you’re doing in

Toastmasters – and pass on the passion

we have in our clubs.

SOUTHERN CROSS

PAGE 8 APRIL 2015

Order the 4 DVD Set

http://www.d73.toastmasters.org.au/Anthology2014

Available April 13, 2015.

“Winning is a

by-product of speaking well”

Kevin Kosky

2007 Humorous Speech Champion

International Speech Contest

&

Humorous Speech Contest

Championship Speeches

1999 to 2014

ALSO

Interviews

What inspired them? How did they make the journey

from club to the dizzying heights of District 73

Champion?

Historical, Educational, Informative and very very

Entertaining.

$50 per DVD set

Contact Norman Lingwood

nlingwood@enel.com.au

0411 403 880

World Championship

Competition Speeches

Included

SOUTHERN CROSS

EDITION 114 PAGE 9

“One of the hardest things in life is having

words in your heart that you can’t utter.”

James Earl Jones

Passion adds power to your voice. In May

2015, Discover Your Voice at the District

73 Annual Convention!

Your mission, should you choose to

accept it, is to congregate at the Country

Club Launceston, Tasmania with your

ideas, your hopes and your dreams.

Be prepared to be inspired, to be

motivated and to discover your voice.

Whether you are motivated by the beauty

and complexity of nature, of people, of

situations or by food, the weekend of May

15th - 17th promises to be liberating,

invigorating and captivating.

The keynote speakers will embolden you

to believe in your dreams, to accept the

challenges you face as mere stepping

stones to magnificence.

The workshops will offer opportunities for

personal and professional growth. Our

workshop presenters are vibrant,

enthusiastic and articulate.

An exciting masterclass to help you bring

your words from the page to the stage will

provide an opportunity to discover your

voice.

90% of the early bird tickets have been

purchased. Book your place now

http://d73.toastmasters.org.au/annual-

toastmasters-convention-may-2015/ from

the District 73 website.

Options are available to order:

a DVD of the contests,

a CD of the photos,

your seat at the DTM breakfast,

extra Gala Dinner tickets,

full tickets without the Gala Dinner

for those wanting to sample the other

eating options in Launceston

Some members have expressed problems

with the online booking system. Check out

the instructions for registering found in this

issue of the Southern Cross.

Accommodation is available onsite at the

Country Club with the venue offering

discounted rates for members of

Toastmasters attending the Convention.

Accommodation can be booked by calling

the venue on 1800 420 156 and quoting a

secret squirrel code found on the following

pdf: http://d73.toastmasters.org.au/wp-

content/uploads/2015/01/Toastmasters-

2015-TCC.pdf

The social event of the weekend is the

gala dinner. As Launceston is the last

contest before we travel to Las Vegas with

our District representative for the

International Convention, our theme is

Vegas, Baby! Bring your Celine Dion t-

shirts, your sequins, feathers, suits or

magician's outfits and dance the night

away with the band.

Discover Your Voice in Launceston May

15 - 17 at the 2015 District 73 Annual

Convention!

SOUTHERN CROSS

EDITION 114 PAGE 10

DRAFT CONVENTION PROGRAM

Friday

3:00 pm Registration and socialising

4:30 pm Credentials Desk opens

5:30 pm Welcome Reception

7:00 pm Opening Ceremony

7:20 pm

Keynote speaker - Charlie

Starrett DTM

8:00 pm

2015 District 73 Humorous

Speech Contest

9:45 pm Close

Saturday

8:00 am Registration and socialising

Credentials Desk opens

9:00 am

2015 District 73 International

Speech Contest

10:40 am Morning Tea

11:10 am Workshops

12:10 pm Lunch

12:40 pm Credentials Desk

1:25 pm

2015 District 73 Table Topics

Contest

2:30 pm Afternoon Tea

2:30 pm Credentials Desk Opens

3:00 pm District 73 Council Meeting

6:30 pm

Pre-dinner drinks and

socialising

7:00 pm Gala Dinner

12:00 am Close

Sunday

8:00 am DTM Breakfast Come and celebrate the achievement of the year's new Distinguished Toastmasters. Be inspired by their stories of how they achieved the highest Toastmasters award. Registration and socialising

9:30 am

2015 District 73 Evaluation

Contest

11:00 am Morning Tea

11:30 am Workshops

12:30 am Lunch

1:30 pm

Master Class – Charlie Starrett

DTM

2:30 pm Inspirational – Terry Travers

3:00 pm Closing Ceremony

4:15 pm Close

SOUTHERN CROSS

EDITION 114 PAGE 11

Registration process for the District 73 Annual Convention

1. Access the website

http://d73.toastmasters.org.au

2. Click on the D73 Conventions link

identified with a yellow lightning bolt

to go the website address

http://d73.toastmasters.org.au/conv

entions/

3. Click on the links identified in the

image below with the yellow arrows

to go to the website address

http://d73.toastmasters.org.au/annu

al-toastmasters-convention-may-

2015/

4. Click on the link identified in the

image below with the yellow arrow

to go to the website

5. Click on the Register button

identified in the image below with a

yellow lightning bolt

6. Select how many tickets you want

and the fee you want to pay e.g.

Early Bird

Enter your email address, first

name and last name

SOUTHERN CROSS

PAGE 12 APRIL 2015

Click on the NEXT button identified

in the previous image with a yellow

lightning bolt

7. Complete the information on the

form as per the image below and

click on the NEXT button as

identified with a yellow lightning bolt

in the image below.

8. Check the summary of the

information, complete the billing

address and select the payment

method. Please note that the

PAYPAL option will lead to a page

that allows you to pay by credit

card

Click on the Next button to proceed to

the payment options

9. Credit Card option looks like this

EFT/Direct Deposit looks like this

SOUTHERN CROSS

EDITION 114 PAGE 13

A reprinting of the Toastmasters Town of the Month article from The Toastmaster,

March 1966, Page 11

LAUNCESTON, AUSTRALIA Toastmasters Town of The Month

LAUNCESTON, TASMANIA, AUSTRALIA, is one of the oldest cities in the Commonwealth of Australia. Only two cities, Sydney and. Hobart, were established before Launceston, which was founded in 1806.

The geographic centre of the state, Launceston has a population of 60,000. Called the "Garden City," it is located where the North and South Esk Rivers meet to form the Tamar River, a navigable river which flows 40 miles to Bass Strait.

Launceston is a city of parks and gardens. Foremost among its attractions is Cataract Gorge. The City Park has 12 acres laid out with lawns and flowers and the John Hart Conservatory features beautiful displays of Tasmanian flowers. Another favourite attraction is the City Museum with its Chinese Joss House. The city forms the hub of the transport systems of the northern half of the island state and is a crucial link between Tasmania and the Australian mainland. There is busy traffic by both sea and air, shipping being handled both at Launceston and at wharves farther along the Tamar River.

The Tamar River is virtually the front door to Tasmania and its deep water wharves comfortably accommodate ships and tankers. Along the banks of the Tamar, which twists and turns, widens and. narrows, are farms, orchards, towns and bushland.

Chief exports from Launceston are agricultural produce, wool, timber, textiles and aluminium. Industries include woollen mills, flour mills and breweries.

There is one Toastmasters club in Launceston, Tasmanian Club 2751-TCA. One of three clubs in Tasmania, the other two being at Hobart and Devonport, Launceston Toastmasters participate in many exchange visits and inter-club speech contests with the island's other two Toastmasters clubs.

The Toastmaster salutes Launceston, Tasmania, Australia, Toastmasters Town of the Month.

SOUTHERN CROSS

EDITION 114 PAGE 14

Here is an article from a past edition of the

Southern Cross. This one is from the April

2012 edition. It was entitled “Why I went to

that first convention (and became a

convention junkie)” and was by Marlene

Sinclair DTM PDG.

Above: The cover of the April 2012 – Edition 87

Southern Cross

“Come to the Convention” they said

I had turned up as a visitor on Monday

night the convention was in Hobart the

coming Friday night.

“Come to the Convention”, they said. “I’m

new, what for?”, I wondered.

“Why should I go?” was the question I

mulled over for the next few days – surely

only seasoned Toastmasters go to

conventions?

I had met several very enthusiastic Knox

Toastmasters who encouraged me to take

the trip to Tasmania – the sad thing is that

if it wasn’t for their encouragement I might

never have gone, and that would have

been a tragedy!

SOUTHERN CROSS

EDITION 114 PAGE 15

I considered my options: Stay at home

and miss out on an event that will never

occur in the same way again, or, plunge in

for a totally new experience. Where else

would you have the opportunity of seeing,

feeling and hearing the 6 (then) best

international speakers as well as the 6

best humorous speakers all at one time?

I couldn’t think of an answer, so I plunged.

I was thrown into one of the most

enthusiastic gatherings that I had ever

been involved in. Cocktail parties, gala

dinner dance apart it was chock-a-block

full of presentations and workshops. I still

remember my favourite workshop was on

speech writing, which was related with a

lot of humour and anecdotes, and I

learned early how easy and how much fun

it was to construct a good speech.

The speech competitions were held in a

large auditorium where an expectant hush

gave way to rousing applause at the end

of each incredible speech.

You can’t help but gain something when

you witness the best- watching how they

relate to the audience, how they present,

their body language, intonations and

expressions in person! You could feel the

buzz in the air, the atmosphere was

incredible. I have never forgotten some of

those humorous speeches either.

The big night time event was the “Black

and Red” gala dinner. I had a black dress

and grabbed a red feather boa to

accompany me. That feather boa had

more fun than everyone else put together,

as it twisted its way around the room and

was worn by everyone at some stage

during the night. There were feathers from

one end of the room to the other, feathers

in the lift, on the stairs, in the casino, in

the gutter and the main street next day-

even in the men’s loo (I’m told…..)

I did and learnt so much just in my first

foray:

the speeches, all different, all enthralling

how to introduce speakers, done so

exceptionally

how to write a speech and connect with

your audience

the fun and lasting friendships made

there

met the mentors who would help me

red feathers in the loo

I had very few preconceived ideas before I

went, but I am certainly glad I got the last

seat on the plane. It is a well-known fact

that we are the sum total of all our

experiences and I feel THIS experience

certainly enriched me greatly. Thirty-six

conventions later……….

COME TO THE CONVENTION, SHE

SAID!

SOUTHERN CROSS

EDITION 114 PAGE 16

Naracoorte Toastmasters 1000th

Meeting

Naracoorte Toastmasters club is

celebrating 1000 meetings on Thursday

23rd April at 7pm during a dinner meeting

at the Naracoorte Hotel, 73 Ormerod

Street, Naracoorte.

However the fun does not end there,

sample the food and wine with a vibrant

volunteer from the Naracoorte club as she

takes you on a magical mystery tour of the

local wineries.

But wait! There is more. Friday night will

be a night of firsts for many of us with a

joint meeting of Toastmasters and the

local Square Dancing club. Who will

recruit more members? Will the dancers

become speakers or the speakers

become dancers - or will we all be Square

Toast?

Milton McKenzie from Southern Vales club

in South Australia will be our caller for the

night.

Email naracoortetoastmasters@gmail.com

if you want to be one of the lucky

speakers to strut your speaking skills

during the evening. Let us know if you

want to speak early in the evening or if

you want to challenge your memory and

grasp of the English language after a few

sets of energetic dancing and sampling

fine beverages of your liking.

Still not convinced? Strathyre Woolshed

has been opened as our camping spot. No

charge! Enormous thanks to Peter Stuart

from Naracoorte club. He has graciously

promised a bonfire, BBQ (BYO meat and

salad to share), tall tales, ambience of

said bonfire, chatting all night long - what

more could a group of Toastmasters ask

for?

Organise a car load, a bus load, bring

your tents, swags, sleeping bags or

choose one of the many accommodation

options Naracoorte has to offer, practice

your tall tales, your toasts, your roasts,

bring marshmallows and pillows.

Join us for the celebration of 1000

meetings of the first club in South

Australia.

RSVP A.S.A.P to

naracoortetoastmasters@gmail.com or

phone Karen 0488 556540. Numbers are

limited!

We’re making history... See you there!

SOUTHERN CROSS

EDITION 114 PAGE 17

By Darren Fleming, Adelaide

A better way to open.

In Toastmasters, we’re taught that it’s

great to open a presentation with a

question. Whilst opening with a question

can be good, it’s not as sophisticated as it

could be.

The logic behind opening with a question

is to get the audience to come on board

with your message. If you ask a question,

“Have you ever been to the beach? Have

you ever been for a drive? Have you ever

wondered what it’s like to be a multi-

millionaire?” the idea of those questions is

that people will say, “Yes,” and get on

board with your message.

Unfortunately, though, if you are putting

across a message that may be

challenging the audience, coming up with

a question can be tough. What happens

then is we end up creating questions that

are lame, they’re not as powerful as they

could be, and don’t encourage the

audience to follow the message.

A more powerful way to get the audience

on to your message is to open with a

statement. Instead of asking a question,

take your question and deliver it as a

statement. Take the question, “Should you

go to the district conference?” If you open

a presentation with the question, “Should

you go to the district conference?” you’ll

have people in the room saying, “Yes, I

should go” or “no, I shouldn’t.” If you

reword it as a statement - as a directive -

people subconsciously get on board your

message and go along with the journey.

You do that is by taking the question,

“Should you go to the district conference?”

and stating it as, “At the district

conference, there will be…”

What this does is it gets people on the

train, on the journey of the message that

you’re sending. When you do this, it

positions you as someone who has

authority, someone who can stand there

and say, “This is the future, this is the way

we should be going.” That is what your

audience wants.

.

Cheers

Darren Fleming

SOUTHERN CROSS

EDITION 114 PAGE 18

Some Recommendations From a Judge By Keir Wells DTM

Unbelievable! Totally unbelievable! Yep,

the number of Toastmasters speech

contest contestants whose level of

forethought and preparation is pretty well

negligible is something I find pretty well

unbelievable.

Here’s the reality. Most judges - good

judges - will be looking for areas to mark

you down. Utter a profanity, dress poorly

or offer even the slightest comment that

could offend, and there go the marks that

can make the difference between first and

last place.

Swearing: It’s a no go area. Frankly, I see

no reason at all to swear or

blaspheme (in any religious context)

in a speech. If anyone says

something along the lines of: “It’s

essential to the speech itself” then

they’re - in most cases - fooling

themselves.

I’ll swear with the best of them,

thanks to nine years in the Army. But

once the meeting or contest starts,

swearing is simply not on. In the 80+

speeches I’ve given in Toastmasters

I have never once had to use a

profanity. There is always another

option.

Crudities: If your speech is crude, then

rewrite it. Look, quite frankly I think

farting is funny. I really do! But get up

on stage and deliver a speech that

focuses on this subject and is crude

by its very language, and you’re

going to lose marks.

I’ve only ever seen it done

successfully once, and that was from

Judy Murphy (Lilydale) who is a

masterful speaker, both in delivery

and preparation. If you really feel the

need to cover subjects that can be

considered crude, get advice and put

real effort into making it funny rather

than just crude.

I listened recently to a speech in

which playing the piano was likened

to being with a woman. It was one of

the most offensive speeches I have

ever heard; and this was a sentiment

echoed by others at the meeting. It’s

all about common sense, folks.

SOUTHERN CROSS

EDITION 114 PAGE 19

Political: Politics can alienate. It doesn’t

matter what your opinion may be of a

politician and how many people you

may believe will agree with you, all

you need is one judge to disagree to

put you out of the running. Quite

simply, politics should be considered

a no-go area.

I chief judged at an International

Speech contest in which a contestant

gave nothing short of a “party

political” speech. No message. Just

a self-serving speech that had no

message of value to anyone except

the speaker. It’s no wonder the

speaker didn’t place. There was no

forethought at all for the audience -

and the judges knew it and marked

accordingly!

What you wear: If you rock up to a

speech contest dressed like a bag of

umm...what’s a better

word?...fertiliser tied in the middle,

then be prepared to lose marks. Yes,

there are definitely areas on the

judging form that can be used to

mark you down in this area.

When you dress well, you’re

respecting Toastmasters, yourself

and, most importantly, the audience

(which includes the judges). I’ve

seen far too many contestants lose

big points simply because there was

no effort and respect.

Read the form: Read the judging form.

Familiarise yourself with the criteria

against which you will be scored.

The judging forms are freely

available online at the Toastmasters

website. I have often sat down with

fellow members prior to a contest,

going over the form and refining their

speeches accordingly.

You may think you are delivering a

brilliant speech, but the fact of the

matter is that it is the judges who are

scoring you against set criteria who

drive the result.

Since joining Toastmasters in 2011, I have

spent an enormous amount of time

judging at club, area, division and district

contests. Those who have succeeded in

contests are those who have given

serious consideration to all these - and

more - factors.

Respect the audience and yourself, and

you’re more than half-way there.

SOUTHERN CROSS

EDITION 114 PAGE 20

Advanced to Community - Metamorphosis or evolution

by Helen McKenzie-Fairlie

Saturday 13 December 2014 was a day

few Satdy Arvo Communicators members

will forget. The room was full, the

atmosphere tense, one former founding

member attended as a visitor, and two

district officers were also there for this

event.

The club members’ struggle over the past

few months had finally reached a climax.

Would the members of this originally

constituted advanced club willingly

sacrifice its advanced status to become a

community club welcoming would be off-

the-street toastmasters or would they vote

against this change that threatened to turn

the club’s current agenda upside down.

WHERE DID IT ALL BEGIN?

Early days – health and growth

Satdy Arvo Communicators began as a

strong, healthy and vibrant club that

generously shared its skills and

experience (workshops) with other clubs

and was well regarded within the District.

The club was like a beautiful rose that had

not been regularly pruned for years.

Consequently its health, growth, and

ability to flower were compromised to the

extent that by 2014 it needed to be pruned

hard yet with skill.

Recent evidence

Towards the end of 2013, Satdy Arvo

Communicators was no longer growing

numerically. By mid - 2014 several

members expressed concern with the

club’s lack of growth and inability to

demonstrate its advanced standard. From

September 2014 the club’s membership

decreased and the situation was

becoming critical to the extent that if this

were not addressed it could determine the

club’s eventual demise unless growth,

balance (age/speaking ability/interests)

and challenge were restored. The

rumblings grew and more members

expressed dissatisfaction with the club’s

current performance and wanted to “raise

the standards” rather than reform the club.

Action taken:

This concern was initially introduced to the

Executive Committee in October for

discussion. The Executive Committee

then decided to offer club members the

opportunity to discuss the club’s

membership eligibility status and whether

to relax or retain the club’s eligibility

criterion at its November meeting. Club

members’ views reflected several

concerns.

SOUTHERN CROSS

EDITION 114 PAGE 21

It was evident that club members were

concerned about the club’s future and the

fact that meetings no longer demonstrated

the advanced standards that caused the

club to be esteemed within the district.

However it was also evident that had a

vote been taken at that meeting it would

not have succeeded in removing the

club’s eligibility criterion. At that point in

time change of status would not have

been accepted.

The Executive Committee reviewed the

members’ comments and debated how

best to frame a motion that could be put

before the members at its December

meeting, a motion that would be carried by

the majority. The Committee agreed upon

a motion that was simple, concise and

would direct the members to welcome the

need for change. The Committee also

decided to write an accompanying

document that would outline the

background and the club’s need for

change if it was going to grow into a

strong, vibrant and healthy club.

During this process the executive was

encouraged and supported by the

Northern Area Governor, Jacqueline

Bignell. Jacqueline saw this as the

opportunity the club needed to grow,

develop and to flourish once more.

Jacqueline attended regular meetings and

was witness to the club’s ground breaking

decision. Ground breaking because it was

not only the day of the birth of a

community club but it was also a day on

which a new born community club

recruited its first new member.

Finally, on 13 December, prior to voting,

President Vince Camilleri addressed the

club members as follows:

“Satdy Arvo Communicators, as it is

presently constituted has served its

purpose. Just like the typewriter and the

Telex machine that were useful items that

served a purpose at a point in time, so

Satdy Arvo Communicators has served its

purpose. The world has moved on and

technology has evolved through a number

of iterations. Satdy Arvo Communicators

is at a crossroads and needs to evaluate

its identity. Why? Because it is

increasingly difficult to grow this club and

to grow within this club, in its present

format “advanced” members come and

go. I could do an evaluative analysis of

the type of advanced Toastmaster that

this club attracts. I could even go further

and do an analysis of why they leave. But

that would be a clear cut case of looking

far too long in the rear vision mirror.

I prefer to look forward and dream of what

this club might become in today’s modern

environment. I think that with the right

culture, it can truly grow into an advanced

club without any labels. Being an

advanced Toastmaster is not, as I see it, a

destination but rather an aspiration. And

that aspiration is that we continue to grow

individually and collectively to become the

best that we can be.

It is time for us to vote and move forward

into the 21st toastmaster century of

opportunity, growth and strength.

Looking forward:

Opening the door to community

membership is the beginning. Growth,

health and vigour are current goals to

pursue. Regular review will enable the

club to monitor and assess its progress

and to make whatever changes will be

necessary in the future.

SOUTHERN CROSS

EDITION 114 PAGE 22

By Anthony Murray DTM District Governor

It was my birthday last August and my partner Jenny and I were on holiday in Sydney. To celebrate we found a wonderful new restaurant that had just opened right on the Harbour, the views were spectacular and the food and wine superb. Our conversation was, well let’s just say for the sake of this article - private.

And then it happened. My phone rang, and from across the table came “That better not be Toastmasters, I thought we were on holidays”. My phone screen showed Private Number, “I better take this” I said, “It may be important”

“Hello, my name is Daniel and I would like to learn about Toastmasters”. I looked across the table and I got that glare that could only be described as - don’t even think about it. Well what was I supposed to do? After all, I'm the DG.

“Sure, well you’ve come to the right place Daniel, I can help you”. I proceeded to give Daniel an outline of the Toastmaster program; he was very interested and wanted to join immediately without even visiting a club, and then came the really exciting news. He told me he was the Training Officer for an engineering company with offices in three states and he would like to add public speaking as part of the training.

This got me very excited and I explained about the Speechcraft program and how Toastmasters can help the rest of his staff. I gave him examples of other companies that have benefited from the Speechcraft program and how we can help set up a Toastmaster club within his own business.

The conversation was going really well but then suddenly, I became conscious of the stare I was getting from across the table.

It was time to close the conversation, “Perhaps we can talk tomorrow and I can give you more time” I said. “Sorry Anthony, I’m flying to New Zealand tomorrow”.

Right, it was time for me to think fast.

What was I to do now, a quiet romantic dinner or Toastmasters?

Hmmmm! What a wonderful opportunity Daniel had just presented to me, there is no way I can let this go.

Hmmmm! What a wonderful romantic dinner, there is no way I can let this go.

The stare across the table became intense. The silence on the other end of the phone waiting for my reply seemed to go on for ever.

“I’m sorry Daniel, but I have to go, please give me your email address, I’ll send you some information and we can set up a time to meet”.

There was still silence on the phone and I realised the call had dropped out. I was talking to myself. The call was private so I had no way of contacting Daniel, I waited for the call back, but it never came.

Needless to say, dinner was very different for the rest of the evening

So here’s my tip, always be prepared, you never know when someone is going to ask you about this great organisation of ours, be ready to help them but remember there are other things far more important.

SOUTHERN CROSS

EDITION 114 PAGE 23

NEW TITLES FOR DISTRICT LEADERS IN 2015

At its February 2014 meeting, the Board of Directors decided on new district leader titles that will take effect on July 1, 2015, when the incoming district leaders assume their new leadership roles. They will be the first generation of leaders to carry the new and contemporary district leader titles.

From a study of the competencies required for district leaders, it became clear that titles needed to evolve to better reflect their responsibilities and real-world practice. The new titles:

Are more modern. Accurately reflect the focus and

responsibility of each role. Are more familiar to potential

members. Create a parallel between district

leadership and leadership in the corporate and volunteer sectors.

Reflect the level of leadership required in each position.

The updated titles will apply to the elected and/or appointed district leader positions for the 2015-2016 program year. Leaders holding district roles prior to July 1, 2015, retain their current titles.

This change is a positive step for Toastmasters International and is in alignment with the organisation’s strategic plan objective to modernise the programs with a renewed focus on leadership.

SOUTHERN CROSS

EDITION 114 PAGE 24

Competent Communicator

Tipple, Tamara Southern Cross

Weerakoon, Shan Bayside

Cassar, Bibi Carlton

Hartmann, Pascal Chesterville Chatterers

Smithson, Julia North Adelaide

Vivian, Goh City Centre

Macpherson, Helen

Hawthorn

He, Damian North Melbourne

Jones, Vanessa Bayside

Walliker, Simon Frankston

Millsom, Rachael Parkville

Hutchinson, Estella

Essendon

Sharp, Steve Docklands

Saber, Elle CFA District 13

Chen, Ching-Rui Mornington Peninsula

Guillaume, Henri Victorian Governors

He, Damian Footscray Skyline

Schade, Christopher

Eastern Shore

Cohen, Harvey Maccabi

Belkin, Margaret Maccabi

Sutherland, Ryan Pushing The Envelope

Goodman, Alain Moorabbin Saints

Davis, Sarah Essendon

Cullen, Tara WorleyParsons Melbourne

Nalla, Ramana Moorabbin Saints

James, Mirella WorleyParsons Melbourne

Thillainadesan, Senthil

Footscray Skyline

Le Lacheur, Paul Synergy

Jayarangan, Venkatesh

Chadstone Oaks

Roy, Ansuman Chadstone Oaks

Schonafinger, Birgit

Wangaratta

Competent Communicator cont’d

Garrick, David Werribee

Sheppard, Steven North Melbourne

James, Nicholas Northern Exposure

Van Holsteyn, John

Dandenong Ranges

Cranage, James Glen Iris

Pollard, Graeme Shepparton

Hickey, Carmen Rev-Anew

Clancy, Michael Carlton

Jacobs, Michael Carlton

Duggan, Catherine Kingston Communicators

Halapeti, Vani 505 Speakers Corner

Competent Leader

Ball, Joanne Frankston

Cornwell, Grace Talking Blue

Hughes, David Frankston

Cowell, Andrew Diamond Valley

Hart, Natalie Carlton

Olivier, Adolfo Essendon

Hidalgo, Cecilia Dandenong

Rieck, Adam Caterpillar of Australia

Weerakoon, Shan Bayside

Brunt, Ross Docklands

Bignell, Jacqueline Footscray Skyline

Ariyadasa, Eshantha

Adelaide City

Whiting, Paul PMI Melbourne

Glass, Sandra Hawthorn

Fleming, Darren Adelaide

Glass, Sandra Gourmet

Roy, Ansuman Chadstone Oaks

Brunt, Ross Brimbank

Coleman-Bock, Ashley

Box Hill Central

Ballinger, Anna Ivanhoe

James, Ray Adelaide Hills

Sheppard, Steven North Melbourne

SOUTHERN CROSS

EDITION 114 PAGE 25

Competent Leader cont’d

Davidson, Linda Shepparton

Tran, Loc Synergy

Duggan, Catherine Kingston Communicators

Advanced Communicator Bronze

Rhodes, Phiona Dandenong

Kneebone, Andrew Northern Exposure

Avedikian, Julian Manningham

James, Nicholas Nillumbik

Advanced Leader Bronze

Vella, Vanessa Business Talk

Bignell, Jacqueline Footscray Skyline

Kim, Gia Adelaide

Guy, Justin Boroondara

Barredo Kuech, Michael

Dandenong

Glass, Sandra Gourmet

Allwood, Elizabeth South Yarra

Roy, Ansuman Chadstone Oaks

Finlayson, Travis Manningham

Advanced Communicator Silver

Sutherland, Ryan Pushing The Envelope

Millane, Brendan Kew

Browne, Anthony Carlton

Mikolaj, Derek Southern Cross

Yow, Wang-Ling Yarra Valley Water

Advanced Leader Silver

Cowell, Andrew PMI Melbourne

Bhide, Rajnish Wandin

Tan, Yoke-Ching Victorian Governors

Advanced Communicator Gold

Lokot, Phillip Rowville

Leadership Excellence

Yow, Wang-Ling Yarra Valley Water

Shannahan, Paul Southern Cross

Tan, Yoke-Ching Victorian Governors

Roffey, Deborah Kingston Communicators

Delay in the production of the

Southern Cross

The production of the next edition of the

Southern Cross, June 2015 – Edition 115,

will be delayed by two weeks. Articles for this

edition will be due by Monday June 1st, with

the Southern Cross released on Monday

June 15th.

The delay is because of the 2015 District

Annual Convention finishes on Sunday May

17th. The usually deadline for articles would

be Monday May 18th. This would mean

people would have only one day to write

reports on the Annual Convention.

So to provide you with the best coverage of

the 2015 District Annual Convention we have

moved the schedule of the June edition

forward two weeks. This is a reminder to

those that want to write reports on the

convention, you have two weeks to write

them and submit them in after the

convention.

SOUTHERN CROSS

PAGE 26 APRIL 2015

APRIL

Thu 23 Naracoorte 1000th Meeting

When: 7:00 pm Where: Naracoorte Hotel,

73 Ormerod Street, Naracoorte RSVP: by 3rd April to naracoortetoastmasters@gmail.com

or phone Karen 0488 556540

MAY

Sat 2 Closing date for Above and Beyond, Positive Promotions Program, Newsletter Contest

Send entries to publicrelations@d73.toastmasters.org.au

Fri 15 – Sun 17

2015 District 73 Annual Convention

When: Friday night, Saturday and Sunday Where: Country Club Launceston, Tasmania Booking: Go to http://d73.toastmasters.org.au/annual-toastmasters-

convention-may-2015/ and follow the instructions on pages 11 & 12

JUNE

Mon 1 Southern Cross Article Deadline

Article Deadline for the June Southern Cross. Send to: newsletter@d73.toastmasters.org.au The deadline is delayed to allow people to write about the Convention

Mon 15 Southern Cross Released

June Southern Cross Released southerncross/d73.toastmasters.org.au The release is delayed to allow people to write about the Convention