presentation - BASF Toastmasters

14 Feb

Where Public Speaking Skills Take Center Stage

If you find yourself stumbling over words or feeling uneasy when speaking in front of an audience, BASF Toastmasters is the perfect platform to hone your public speaking skills. As a part of the global Toastmasters International network, the Ludwigshafen club provides a supportive and encouraging environment for individuals to develop their communication, leadership, and presentation abilities.

At BASF Toastmasters, members come together to improve their public speaking skills through a series of structured programs and activities. Our next meeting will be on April 22, 2024, 17:45 - 19:30. From impromptu speeches to prepared presentations, participants have the opportunity to engage in various speaking opportunities that allow them to practice and refine their communication techniques. Constructive feedback from fellow members and designated mentors further strengthens the learning process, ensuring that individuals receive valuable insights to enhance their speaking prowess.

Diversity and inclusivity are fundamental pillars at our Toastmasters Club. We welcome individuals from all backgrounds, ages, and professions, fostering an environment where everyone’s unique perspectives and experiences are valued. This diversity not only enriches the learning experience but also reinforces the understanding and appreciation of different communication styles, ultimately contributing to the overall growth and development of each member.

Whether you aim to become a more confident public speaker, elevate your leadership skills, or simply connect with like-minded individuals on a journey of self-improvement, for BASF employees and externals we offer a welcoming space for personal and professional growth. By becoming a part of our community, you can embark on a transformative journey that empowers you to conquer your fear of public speaking and unleash your true potential.

19 Feb

Renew your membership now and be with BASF Toastmasters until September

Dear fellow Toastmasters

currently we are still meeting online — so participation in our Toastmasters meetings is just one click away! As you have been with BASF Toastmasters in the past I’d like to share a look at our upcoming (educational) activities in the next time:

08. Feb “Develop (with) Toastmasters”
We would like to get your needs to develop skills regarding communication and leadership — this session will be moderated by experienced Toastmasters from neighboring clubs
22. Feb “The Classic”
Toastmasters meeting with presentations of new members and power members
08 March “To be prepared or not to be prepared”
We are going to focus on Table Topics and “Off the Cuff” speeches and offer one slot for a prepared speech
22 March “Workshop”
Area F1 Toastmasters show you how to improve leadership and feedback skills
April 2021 “Flower Power”
Inviting you to visit the Flower Festival in Freinsheim
Mai 2021 “Spring Into Action”
Debating / speaking with mic / Table Topics® Gala / upside-down-meeting, last year we had to cancel our series of meetings with an extra portion of fun and learning so we hope we can make it happen this year!

All of us are looking forward to have personal meetings at Toastmasters again. Nevertheless once we will meet face to face again we plan also to include those members who have diffculties to reach out to BASF Ludwgishafen site all the time. In September 2020 we already had successful “hybrid meetings”, we want to continue doing so and invite members to join us by computer wherever they are.

Please contact our Vice President of Education Lei or me if you have further questions.

Reinstating or renewing your membership is easy. To do so we kindly ask you to remit 6 x 8 EUR / month = 48 EUR (2021-04–2021-09) to our account!

15 Jul

Joke of the Evening — present it in comedy style!

The “Joke of th Evening” is part of most Toastmasters meetings. It’s an oportunity to train your skill in providng BASF Toastmasters Germany presentation joke fun comedy blog public speaking formulahumor to the audience. Many jokes consist of one finishing punchline. At BASF Toastmasters we recently had a different kind of presentation. Kathrin Isenhuegel, members of our BASF Toastmasters, presented a joke in comedy style with contradicting comparisons about everyday people where the audience saw themselves in both, the set-up and the punch lines.

Two new additions to the periodic table of elements

Element Name: WOMANIUM
Symbol: WO
Atomic Weight: (don’t even go there)
Physical properties: Generally soft and round in form. Boils at nothing and may freeze any time. Melts when treated properly. Very bitter if not used well.
Chemical properties: Very active. Highly unstable. Possesses Strong affinity with gold, silver, platinum, and precious stones. Violent when left alone. Able to absorb great amounts of exotic food. Turns slightly green when placed next to a better specimen.
Usage: Highly ornamental. An extremely good catalyst for dispersion of wealth. Probably the most powerful income reducing agent known.
Caution: Highly explosive in inexperienced hands!

Element Name: MANIUM
Symbol: XY
Atomic Weight: (180 +/- 50)
Physical properties: Solid at room temperature, but gets bent out of shape easily. Fairly dense and sometimes flaky. Difficult to find a pure sample. Due to rust, aging samples are unable to conduct Electricity as easily as younger samples.
Chemical properties: Attempts to bond with WO any chance it can get. Also tends to form strong bonds with itself. Becomes explosive when mixed with KD (Element: CHILDIUM) for prolonged periods of time. Neutralize by saturating with alcohol.
Usage: None known. Possibly good methane source. Good samples are able to produce large quantities on command.
Caution: In the absence of WO, this element rapidly decomposes and begins to smell.

sources: http://www.jokebuddha.com, Tim Reckmann / pixelio.de

02 Jun

Make them say “Yes” (2/2)

As a speaker you try to convince the audience of your opinion. They should agree to the major views of the speech. Apart from the contents there are certain techniques that can be uses for to create a feeling of firm conviction. Proceeding one of the previous posts I’d like to give some more suggestions that are based on Robert Cialdini’s principles of persuasion.

Liking or “just be nice”

Have you heard that a waiter in a restaurant can increase the tip simply by adding another peppermint sweet to the bill in front of the customers? Showing sympathy to someone increases your chance that she / he will agree with your own needs. So try to buil a good relationship to your audience. How can you do so if you have just limited time in your speach? Some ideas:

use positive body language techniques,
share something personal with the audience that makes them feel special
show appreciation that people came along to listen to your speech.

Authority or “the prove by power”

Usually we tend to follow people in positions of authority, we feel more obliget to accept what they say. Most of us will do what our managers request us to do or agree with someone who is in a high position.
For this reason try to find a prominent and outstanding personality of your point of view or your proposal. Got a quote or an example given or experience by a well known person with best reputation? Brilliant — take her / him to strengthen your thesis.

Scarcity or “now or never”

If people have the feeling that they might miss something if not acting immediately they decide quicker. To pile pressure on customers limited stock or closing dates for special offers are announced to gain a buying decision on the spot. That way you can influence your audience if you expect them to support your idea or project. By exposing an urgent problem that can (only) be solved by your suggestion your audience will likely agree. When speaking in front of a decision-making body point out the need for a clear and positive decision.

Give it a try, working with the specified techniques will make the audience agree to the strong points and ideas of your speech!

pictures:
Jetti Kuhlemann / pixelio.de
Tim Reckmann / pixelio.de