POWERtalk Stirling Blog

CALEDONIA COUNCIL SPEECH CONTEST

LD — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 14:59:00 +0000

Sunday 8th March 2015.

Caledonia Council Speech Contest was held in the Terraces Hotel, Stirling and was well attended.

The first item on the agenda was the speech contest. There were four contestants, Iris and Brendan from Pollokshields POWERtalk and Rosemary and Elizabeth from Stirling POWERtalk.

The happy contestants with the Contest Chairman, Marian following the contest.

After lunch we had greetings from Region by Colin Gray, Region Treasurer who gave members information regarding the Region Conference on 5th 6th and 7th June in Birmingham.

Following this there was a short Business Meeting which included news from all the clubs and the selection of the nomination committee for the AGM in May.

N ext on the Agenda was a presentation from Nancy on "Grizzlies". This was interesting and expertly done.

Nancy setting up the slides with a little help from Iris.

The day concluded with a Vote of Thanks from Rosemary and we all agreed that we had had a very interesting and worthwhile day.

The date of the AGM is Sunday 3rd May in the Redhurst Hotel, Giffnock, Glasgow and we look to welcome as many members as possible.

POWERtalk POLLOKSHIELDS WEDNESDAY 18TH FEBRUARY 2015

AC — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 22:29:00 +0000

We held our informal Speech Contest this evening at the Club.

Guests came from the Stirling Club as well as past Eastwood members and friends.
Our theme for the evening was RECIPES FOR LIFE.

Liz was our Chairperson for the evening and led us into a Topic Session which
was based on quotations from Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Audrey Hepburn and
Stephen Hawking. Ruth, Carole and guests Nancy, Anne and Terry all took part.

Following the Topic session our speakers were introduced.
Iris gave her speech on the subject of "The moving image" and her title was " The second fellowship of the ring"

Brendan followed with his speech on the subject of "Time Capsule" and his title "Desert to disc".

Brendan

Both were "to inform" were very enjoyable, full of well researched information and both ran to time.
In a break away from the norm we then held evaluations of the speeches by dialogue
where Louise and Roz quizzed both speakers on how they arrived at their titles and subjects.

As this was an informal speech contest, all audience members were asked to give their own
written evaluations of the speeches. These evaluations were then given to Iris and Brendan in order
to help them refine the speeches further for the next round which will be the Caledonia Council Speech Contest to be held on the 8th March.

Following a tea break we all reconvened for a light hearted "Question Time" which was chaired by
Ruth with panellists Carole and Roz from our Club and guests Terry and Morag.

Our next meeting will be held on Monday the 2nd March at the Pollokshields Burgh Hall (7.15 or 7.30pm start) and the theme for the evening will be 'Onward and Upward".

CALEDONIA COUNCIL MEETING.

LD — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 15:42:00 +0000

Caledonia Council met on 2nd November 2014 in the Redhurst Hotel, Giffnock, Glasgow.

The meeting started with a welcome from the Hostess Roz Keenan following this the President, Liz Duncan chaired the Business Meeting.

The second item on the agenda was the "Lifeboat Contest". Ably chaired by "Admiral" Laurence we had three contestants for the last seat on the lifeboat. Thor Heyerdahls (of Kon-Tiki fame), Marie Curie and a mystery Witch who became a contestant at the last moment (something strange!!).
The contest was won by Thor Heyerdahls (Carol) with Marie Curie (Elizabeth) and the witch being thrown into the water.

Brendan (The witch), Elizabeth (Marie Curie)
Carol (Thor) and Chairman Laurence.

Following a delicious lunch we had a guest presenter, Freda who led us in an interesting and useful workshop designed to help members to interact with our audiences.

The Vote of Thanks was given by Rosemary.

The next meeting of Caledonia Council is on 8th March in the Terraces Hotel Stirling and will be the Speech Contest.

POWERtalk Pollokshields Meeting 20th October 2014

AC — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 13:54:00 +0000

Our theme for this evening was "A Leap in the Dark" and after our Brendan B's welcome,
Scilla B was introduced to be the Programme Chair for the evening.

Scilla giving us all inspiration for our evening

Her inspiration was a quote from Agnes de Mille, the dancer and daughter of Cecil B de Mille
and her quote "The artist never entirely knows. We guess. We may be wrong, but we take leap
after leap in the dark."

We had a lively and very interesting topic sessions with contributions from Iris G, Louise L, Anita C and Carole F and followed this by an very informative Education Session given by Liz D on strategies for impromptu speeches.

Iris entertaining us all with her amusing road rage topic!

The remainder of the evening was taken with correspondence and the planning of our President's Function which is being held on Monday November 3rd in the Stirling Hall at Pollokshields Burgh Hall, 7.15 for 7.30pm start. If you would like to attend this function please make contact with
any of the club members prior to Thursday 30th October.

Following timings from Louise L, we have a general evalution given by Iris G and a VOT by Roz K
before the meeting closed.

We look forward very much to our President's Function where our Guest Speaker is Sister Denise Dunn who will speak to us on her charity ' Special Olympics Scotland West' and her talk is entitled
"Let me win, but if I can't, let me be brave in the attempt".

CALDEONIA COUNCIL AGM.

LD — Sun, 11 May 2014 17:59:00 +0000

Caledonia Council held its Annual General Meeting on 11th May, 201 in the Golden Lion Hotel, Stirling.

Following the Business Meeting the President, Liz D. presided over the AGM. The Board for the 2014-15 Session will be, Liz D. President, Terry McC., Vice President, Iris G. Secretary and Louise L. as Treasurer. The Peebles Cups were presented to Stirling for the most new members and Rovers for the best percentage of members attending meetings.

Nancy S. installed the Board.

Following the Business Meetings Liz D. presented an Evaluation Workshop using Chocolate which seemed to be appreciated by members.

After a delicious lunch the members enjoyed a most stimulating and interesting workshop by Scilla B on Journaling.


Members show their appreciation

This brought the 2013-14 Session of Caledonia Council to a close. Best wishes were extended to Diana P. Region President for Conference and also to the contestants in the Region Debate and Speech Contest.

Happy as a Leaf

LGC — Sat, 21 Sep 2013 17:54:00 +0000

Gyles Brandreth was on the BBC News Channel this morning talking about his new book The Seven Secrets of Happiness. Why the BBC allowed him to plug his book I don't know, but one of his strange-sounding secrets was to be a leaf.

A leaf? What he means is that a leaf on a tree is part of something bigger. You should join an organization.

If you are belong to a POWERtalk club you are part of an organization. A leaf receives nourishment from the tree but the branch is not the tree, it is only part of the tree.

The organization is POWERtalk International because it is international in scope. A twig may be part of a branch which is part of a limb which, in turn, is part of the trunk. In POWERtalk a member is part of a club, the club is (normally) part of a council, the council is (normally) part of a region which is part of the international organization.

It is myopic to see the club purely as an entity in its own right. The member can have a much richer experience if he or she is involved in council, region and even international level.

Region Board Meeting

LGC — Sun, 15 Sep 2013 17:02:00 +0000

The 2013-14 Region Board

The Region Board met on a wet and blustery Sunday at the Westmorland Hotel, venue for the 2014 Conference.

Originally the plan had been to meet on the Saturday, which, as it turned out would have been much better weather-wise.

There was a wedding on the Saturday and the room was going to be used for storage so the meeting had to be changed to Sunday.

It was a productive meeting and clubs can look forward to hearing from the board soon regarding some interesting developments.

Reading Aloud

LGC — Sun, 27 May 2012 19:00:00 +0000

If ever you are asked to read aloud there are three things you have to do:

Read the words
Read the punctuation
Read between the lines.

It may seem obvious to say that you have to read the words but is that what the audience is hearing? Don't whisper, don't gabble. You may feel that your objective is just to get through it as quickly as possible but no, your objective is to communicate with the audience. There is such a thing as speaking too slowly so don't over compensate – just try to speak at a reasonable pace.

The words only tell us what to say, the punctuation tells us how to say it. There should be a slight pause at the end of a sentence or when you encounter a comma. You might use a longer pause when you encounter a semicolon, colon or dash. If nothing else, pauses give you a chance to take a breath.

When you encounter quotation marks your tone of voice should indicate the change from narrative to quotation.

In normal speech we tend to use an upward inflection at the end of a sentence when we ask a question. So if you encounter a question mark you should inflect your voice in the same way (note: in some dialects of English an upward inflection is part of normal speech).

An exclamation mark is the most obvious indicator that emphasis should be applied but if you read between the lines and try to imagine how it should be said. Which parts should be louder or softer? How can your tone of voice replicate the tone of the piece you are reading?

When reading poetry you have to capture the rhythm of the poem but prose can have rhythms as well. Modulate your voice and avoid monotone. Your audience will appreciate it.

POWERtalk members can find more on this subject on the POWERtalk International Website under Member Resources>>Training and Publications>>Education Features>>Speech Delivery>>The Art of Oral Reading.

Presentations: Best Practice

LGC — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:16:00 +0000

Last night I was at a meeting of a professional body. The speaker gave a presentation using an overhead projector linked to a PC.

The speaker was clearly confident in giving presentations to his peer group. The overheads were mainly black text on white. He proceeded at a rapid pace. One overhead might have a heading and a line of text, the next another point under the same heading.

Half way through the presentation he said "You don't need to take notes, the slides will be available on the website".

At one point he looked at the screen and said "I didn't mean to concentrate so much on ***".

After the meeting, I heard a few people say "A lot of that went straight over my head".

What do you think the speaker could have done to improve the presentation?

Speech Construction

LGC — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 15:52:00 +0000

Before you start on any speech, presentation etc., ask yourself some questions:

Why… have you decided to do this? (For fun, to raise money, to help a friend, a professional obligation etc?)
Who… are you speaking to? What age, sex, profession etc? How many people will be there? What are the common links amongst them, and between them and you?
What… are you aiming to do? Persuade / entertain / impress / inspire…etc?
Where… are you speaking? How big? What are the facilities – lighting, sound system, data projector etc? Do they work? Can you check them out personally? Do you need special advice about it (eg are you on TV or radio)?
When… are you speaking (eg at 10am or after dinner) and how will that affect your audience? How long have you to prepare for this? How long do they want you to talk?
How… are you doing it? A speech / presentation / discussion / debate…etc?

Material
1. If you have choice of subject, think of what you might talk about.
2. Collect your ideas on the subject(s) – lists or mind maps or pictures – whatever works for you. Don't exclude humour. (If you don't know about mind mapping, look into it, it works).
3. Research – books and publications, internet, newspapers, talk to other people; expand your ideas.
4. Decide what material you want to use – but throw away nothing in case you change your mind.
5. Think about/draft a possible order for your material - a logical progression for the beginning to the end.
Introduction
A speech will usually have a beginning, a middle and an end. But before you begin to speak you should be introduced to the group. Write your own introduction, ask the person introducing you to use it.
Write it to enhance your speech and support what you are trying to achieve. So it might explain your qualifications to speak on the subject; make you sound like a person the group can identify with; raise questions you will be addressing in your talk etc.
Beginning
1. If you start with something like ‘Mr Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen’, it gives people time to tune into your voice and it gives you time to get to grips with the microphone / acoustics (if you haven’t has a practice run).
2. The beginning is important, try to make it make it clear, relevant and attention grabbing.
3. How much of your time will you give to your beginning?
Middle
1. There is a balance to a well constructed speech. 3 or 5 main points seem to give it. Decide what they will be and put the rest aside – but throw away nothing in case you change your mind.
2. Consider how to link your main points – a speech should flow, not jump, from one idea to another.
3. How much time is available for each point?
End
1. The end should (rather like the beginning) be clear, relevant and memorable. Sometimes switching your planned end and beginning works well.
2. Make the end clear to the audience – beware of letting them think that you have ended when you have more to say.
3. How much time will you give to your ending?
Review and refine what you have drafted, until you are happy with it.
1. Stand up in your biggest space and read it out loud, listen to it. Maybe record yourself.
2. Are you comfortable with it? Do you believe it will achieve your purpose?
3. Does it sound right spoken out loud? (e.g. isn’t or is not; we or you; short words or long?)
4. Is the timing going to plan?
5. Is there a place for more topical references or humour? (Keep listening to the news).
6. Take any help or advice going.
7. Be ruthless in getting rid of what isn’t working for you, even if you love it.
And some final preparations.
1. Are you using notes? (Why would you not?)
2. Print or write them on – cards? top part of A4 paper? Practise to find what suits you.
3. Ensure that you can read notes in bad light and number them in case you drop them.
4. Give someone a 2nd set, in case you forget or lose them.
5. If you are using IT equipment / pen drives / autocue etc, try to have spares and a run through before the meeting starts.
6. Decide an appropriate outfit for the event – have it clean and ready.
7. Have clear directions to where you are going and plan the journey – recce it in advance?
8. Arrange for feedback on how your speech goes from someone you trust; learn from it.
9. Whatever goes wrong – keep smiling. Audiences are both forgiving and slow to recognise mistakes!

Ruth Maltman, DC, FITC,
POWERtalk Pollokshields

A Simple Guide to Newsletters in Word

LGC — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 22:34:00 +0000

POWERwrite

Online, On Paper or Both?

Are people going to be reading your newsletter on a computer screen? If so any web addresses should be hyperlinks i.e. the reader should be able to click on a link to be taken to the web address. If it is to be printed you may want the number of pages to be a multiple of four especially if it is to be professionally printed. One sheet of A3 can accommodate four A4 pages (this is the advantage of the ISO system of paper sizes over the ANSI standard used in North America).

Tick TOC

If you want to use a table of contents insert a TOC field. It will make life much easier for you. Why? because the table of contents is updated Automatically. By default the TOC entries will be based on the heading styles so make sure that you use the correct heading rather than arbitrarily changing the size and weight of the font to match a heading. The page number will be a hyperlink to the item and you can add the \h option to make the entire entry a hyperlink (this is the default in newer versions of Word).

As an alternative to mapping the TOC to headings you can set the \f option to use TC fields. This means that you insert a TC field before any item that you wish to appear in the table of contents.

Add Your Own Style

You may wish to add a style for a particular purpose for example a byline style might use right-justified paragraphs and bold text to display the author of an item.

Columns

Columns can complicate the layout of your newsletter but you may prefer this style of presentation. Use section breaks to separate collimated parts of the newsletter from non-collimated parts.

At the Drop of a Cap

If you leaf through a magazine you will notice that the first paragraph of an article and possibly some of the other paragraphs start with a large capital letter. This is a dropped capital or "drop cap". In word you can format the first letter of a paragraph as a drop cap. Do not use it on every paragraph and especially avoid it on short paragraphs. You might want to use drop caps as a way to break an article into sections.

Pull Quote

That eye-catching quote in your magazine highlighted in large print is known as a pull quote. You can add a pull quote in Word by inserting a text box and choosing a large font style. Format the text box to allow text to flow around it.

Format Painter

If you incorporate a submitted article into a newsletter you can use the format painter to copy the paragraph style from elsewhere in the document. The format painter is a brush found on the home ribbon or standard toolbar. Select a piece of formatted text and then click on format painter. Select the text to be formatted and when you release the mouse button the format is applied. If you want to apply the format to several places you can use a double click to activate the format painter. It then stays active until you press the escape key.

An alternative to format painter is to use Ctrl-Shift-C to copy the formatting and Ctrl-Shift-V to paste formatting to other places.

Take care with formatting paragraphs containing hyperlinks. The hyperlinks will still be active but will have the appearance of the surrounding text.

Compatibility Issues

Somebody’s just got a brand new shiny computer and suddenly you cannot swap files. What’s wrong? The chances are that the recipient is using an earlier version of Word. If you are the sender you can fix the problem by ensuring that you send files in Word 97-2003 document format (Instead of “Save” choose “Save As” from the file tab and find said format in the pull-down list for “Save as type”). If you are the recipient of a “docx” file and your version of Word can only load “doc” files, do not despair; you can download a compatibility pack from http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/open-a-word-2007-document-in-an-earlier-version-of-word-HA010044473.aspx

Pictures

Insert your picture and experiment with the different formatting options until you are satisfied that it is presented the way you want it.

The Devil

… is in the detail so they say and the detail will depend on the version of Word you are using. Use what I have said above in conjunction with the help system to add a little sparkle to your newsletters.

Message to Members From The International President

LGC — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 20:36:00 +0000

Members,

As I write this I have 26 more sleeps before the start of Convention that is a really scary thought.

I know that there are members still trying to decide whether to come to Indianapolis or not. Obviously I think you will be missing out on a lot if you don’t, so if you are still deciding make the decision a positive one and book your seat now. We are still receiving registrations so there is some procrastination still going on.

For those members who just cannot make it to Convention you do not need to completely miss out. Blog Master, Wyn Bowler, is ready to launch the Blog; in fact, there is a message from me already there. Check it out and put the address into your bookmarks so that you can see and share what is happening day by day at the Convention.

http://ptconvention2011.blogspot.com/

Those of you who are attending can make a contribution to the content of the Blog by just letting Wyn know what you wish published. Give it to Wyn on flash drive, I am sure she will return it, or clearly written on a piece of note paper.

Well, for me right now, it is back to working on information that the Protocol Chair, Irene Laidley is waiting on.

President

ONE + ONE
Every member recruit a member and watch our membership grow

POWERtalk International Convention

LGC — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 21:21:00 +0000

2011June POWERtalkpackage

Post Conference Excursion

LGC — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 20:09:00 +0000

Approaching Glenridding

On Sunday Morning we headed for Pooley Bridge for an excursion on an Ullswater steamer. It was a little breezy on deck and the clouds looked a little threatening so most of us stayed under cover for the greater part of the nearly hour-long sail to Glenridding at the other end of the lake.

In Glenridding we had two hours to have lunch and look around the village. There were a few small shops, a tourist information centre and obligingly, they had put on a craft fair in the village hall. As it approached time to head back to the pier a few spots of rain began to appear. It remained wet and windy for most of the journey back to Pooley Bridge and so again we mostly stayed under cover.

At Pooley Bridge we said our farewells and headed home in different directions. In spite of the weather I think most people enjoyed the scenery and the chance to relax after a busy conference.

Persuasive Speaking Part 3 - Charm and Hex Words

LGC — Sat, 21 May 2011 18:34:00 +0000

To understand persuasive speaking you have to understand the power of words. If an advertisement for a food product claims it is “full of natural goodness” they are trying to make you believe the product is wholesome. The phrase is meaningless but it circumvents laws against making demonstrably false claims.

Words can have emotional resonance that strikes deeper than rational argument. When a tabloid journalist talks about “Frankenstein food” he or she is trying to stir up revulsion at the idea of “tampering with nature”.

Words like pure, natural and hygienic are what I call charm words. Words like artificial, synthetic and “germy” are what I call hex words. The former have a positive connotation, the latter a negative one.

A vitamin made by artificial means is no different to the same vitamin from a natural source. Is it meaningful to describe a soap dispenser as “germy” if it harbours a few hundred bacteria? If it harboured a few thousand the advertisers might have a point.

In a TV studio discussion programme they were talking about whether obese pregnant women should be given a drug hitherto given to diabetics (including pregnant diabetic women) in order to prevent the foetus from receiving too much insulin. One of the panel said that if she were pregnant she would want to make sure that anything she took was “pure”. Pure what? Pure poison?

When I hear words like “chemical” being used a hex word I take it with a pinch of sodium chloride (that’s a chemical commonly known as salt by the way). If you want to avoid chemicals, avoid the sugar and spice and go for the healthy protein of the rats and snails.

To recap, in Part 2 I explained that an Adult-Adult transaction at a social level can also be an Adult-Child transaction at a psychological level. As a persuasive tactic you can appeal to the Child in us through charm words, words that make us feel safe and comfortable or you can use hex words to frighten the Child (scary monsters – hide behind the sofa).

In debating think about the use of words and the resonances that certain words have. Don’t forget about humour. sometimes the charm words that work best tickle the Child.

Persuasive Speaking Part 2 - Transactional Analysis

LGC — Fri, 20 May 2011 22:11:00 +0000

In his book, Games People Play, Dr. Eric Berne described ego states as being “a system of feelings accompanied by a related set of behaviour patterns”. He tells us that ego states are categorised as exteropsychic, neopsychic or archaeopsychic. The first resemble ego states of parental figures; the second are autonomously directed towards the objective appraisal of reality and the third are ego states that remain from early childhood.

The expression of the three kinds of ego state may be referred to colloquially as the Parent, Adult and Child respectively.

Berne defines a transaction as a unit of social intercourse. Parents indulge in gossip. Adults solve problems together. Children or Parent and Child play together. These are known as Complementary Transactions. However a Crossed Transaction occurs when one party addresses the other as Adult-to-Adult and the other party responds as Child-to-Parent or Parent-to-Child.

What does any of this have to do with persuasive speaking? In Part 1 I talked about Aristotle’s three types of persuasion. Ethos (moral character of the speaker) is an appeal to the Parent, Logos (reasoned argument) is an appeal to the Adult and Pathos (an emotional appeal) is an appeal to the Child.

Berne points out that transactions involving the activity of two ego states simultaneously (Ulterior Transactions) are the basis of games (games are complex social behaviours with their own rules not necessarily games in the literal sense). He cites the following example:

Salesman: ‘This one is better, but you can’t afford it.’
Housewife: ‘That’s the one I’ll take.’

On a social level the transaction is Adult-Adult but on a psychological level the salesman’s Adult is addressing the Housewife’s Child. Notice that there are two sets of Complementary Transactions here. Berne states that “the first rule of communication is that communication will proceed smoothly as long as transactions are complementary; and its corollary is that as long as transactions are complementary, communication can, in principle, proceed indefinitely.”

Perhaps now you can see why the emotional appeal is particularly powerful. In Part 3 I’ll examine the use of language in persuasion and how we are easily persuaded using words with a positive connotation (charm words) or those with a negative connotation (hex words).

Hands Across The World Chain (HAWC) Delegates

LGC — Thu, 19 May 2011 19:17:00 +0000

We are looking for HAWCs. If you are going to the 2011 Convention in Indianapolis, we would like you to soar into action and be a HAWC delegate.

We have a number of clubs that are unable to send a delegate so they rely on a HAWC delegate to represent them. Don’t just sit on a tree branch waiting for things to happen, we need you to be part of the action by volunteering to be a HAWC delegate. At this time we do not have enough HAWC delegates. Some of you will be potential last minute delegates since you might not have registered but you recently won your region Speech contest. For those speech contest winners that will stay for the business meetings, be a part of the action and sign to be a HAWC delegate.

For those alternate delegates for your own club, please contact me if you might be available so that we can work out a process to make you available to be a HAWC delegate once your own delegate has signed up at the credentials desk at the convention.

For those potential HAWC delegates in the Japan Region, please address your request and inquiries to Kazuyo Sugitani, HAWC Committee member in the Japan Region. Please submit format to her and a copy to me. She can be contacted at kksugi@nifty.com and I can be copied at hawc@powertalkinternational.com.

For those attending let’s have fun at the convention but also let’s make sure all the clubs are represented.

Alan Nakano, Chairman

Hands Around the Word Chain (HAWC) Committee
POWERtalk INTERNATIONAL

Persuasive Speaking Part 1 - Aristotle's Rhetoric

LGC — Thu, 19 May 2011 16:06:00 +0000

The Greek Philosopher Aristotle defined rhetoric as “the ability, in each particular case, to see the available means of persuasion”. Aristotle’s Rhetoric was a very influential work in the development of the art and now, millennia after it was written, it is still regarded as an important work in the academic study of rhetoric.

Aristotle identified three types of persuasion that a speaker can use:-

Ethos: Persuasion based on the moral character of the speaker,
Logos: Persuasion based on logical argument,
Pathos: Persuasion based on emotional appeal.

By far the most powerful persuader is pathos. If you want to win people over trying to appeal to reason can be difficult as can relying on your reputation – would I lie to you? Emotion will trump these almost every time.

2011 Convention

LGC — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 17:15:00 +0000

To: Members of POWERtalk International
From: George VanSickles
2011 Convention Coordinator

RE: Convention NEWS
The members of the 2011 Convention are excited about the series of
packages we have put together for the members of POWERtalk International
for the 2011 Convention to be held in Indianapolis, IN USA, July 23-27,
2011.

Hotel Information:
RESERVATIONS PROCESS & BOOKING WEBSITE
Online and phone reservations will be accepted until 18 June 2011.
A dedicated booking website has been created for your event so you will
be able to make, modify and cancel their hotel reservations online, as
well as take advantage of any room upgrades, amenities or other services
offered by the hotel.

To preview the website, please click the following link:
https://resweb.passkey.com/ Resweb.do?mode=welcome_ei_new& eventID=2575226

Phone reservations, or for assistance ( Handicap rooms, etc.) please
call 800-266-9432 and ask for the POWERtalk group rate.

Please make reservations EARLY. We have only a limited number rooms available.

Hotel amenities:
Washer and Dryers available
Ironing boards, refrigerators, available on request

Convention Registration and Meal Packages:
All Spouses and Friends Welcome
Please go to the POWERtalk website and download the Convention
registration form and send in your documentation as early as possible.
We want to make sure that you can take advantage of all the amenities we
have to offer during your stay in Indianapolis, USA. Pass any of this
information on to other members of your club, council or region.

Tours Indianapolis, USA

Accent on Indianapolis – 5 tours (Information and Dates to be announced)
Taste of Indy (Information and Dates to be announced)
Beef and Boards Dinner Theater – Tuesday evening
Golf and Baseball Outings (Dates to be announced)

Workshops
A series of workshops and training sessions have been compiled by our
2011 Programming Team to ensure that your personal development needs
will be met. Details can be found on the POWERtalk International
website. Seating is first come first served, so immediate convention
registration is required.

Volunteer Opportunities
In addition to the quality training, the business sessions, speech
competition, sight seeing and renewing old friendships in a great city
in the midwest, there are several volunteer opportunities available. If
you truly want to elevate your 2011 POWERtalk Convention experience
don’t sit on the sidelines. Volunteer your time and talents while you
are here in Indianapolis. Please eMail me at nikki@indy.net immediately
so we can slot you in.

2011 Member Check List:

Make your hotel reservations today Through the PASSKEY reservation
system or by calling:
800-266-9432.
Vera, our Registration chairperson has a seat for you, your spouse or
best friend at the 2011 Convention with your names on it. Download and
complete the registration form, send in your payment, and we will do the
rest.
Pack accordingly because the hotel has all the amenities so you can
wash and wear and not pay for extra baggage.
Spread the word about your plans for July 2011 in Indianapolis, USA.

Looking forward to seeing you in Indianapolis, USA

George VanSickles
POWERtalk International
2011 Convention Coordinator

POWERtalk on You Tube

LGC — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:41:00 +0000

A video presentation from members of Trends Club, Austria on how POWERtalk can change your life. If you didn’t think that public speaking could be fun the enthusiasm of these ladies might just change your mind!

For clubs in Great Britain see the panel on the right – Where Are We?

PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR INTERNATIONAL SPEECH CONTEST

LGC — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 14:38:00 +0000

A list of program participants for the International Speech Contest is being developed. Judges, hosts to judges, timers, tellers, pages, and evaluators are needed.

If you plan to attend the 2011 POWERtalk International Convention, July 23-27, 2011, in Indianapolis, IN, and are interested in serving in one of these roles, please contact Melton Baxter, International Speech Contest Chairman, via email at meltonb202@aol.com or by phone at (North America) 202-723-1328 as soon as possible and indicate your preference.

Melton Baxter

International Speech Contest Chairman

New Speaking Club in Derby

EDF — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 22:33:00 +0000

We're launching a NEW CLUB in DERBY which will meet on 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of every month

at 7.15pm for 7.30pm until 9.45pm
at DAYS Hotel - Derbyshire Cricket Ground, Pentagon Roundabout, Derby DE21 6DA

The Launch will be on Tuesday 8th February 2011

If you're interested in:

Public Speaking
Presentations Skills
Building Confidence
Winning Presentations
Increasing Sales
Succeeding at Interviews
Leading Discussions
Chairing Meetings

then this is the club for you

For more information contact Lorna Sheldon on: 07860 806381

Find Coaching in Effective Speaking From Your Mobile Phone

LGC — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 21:38:00 +0000

Find POWERtalk clubs on your mobile phone!

Increasingly people access the Internet without using a computer. Now you can find POWERtalk clubs in Great Britain with a web-enabled mobile phone.

A website designed for computer access is difficult to use on a mobile device. Direct your mobile phone to m.powertalk.org.uk to find links to information on POWERtalk Clubs in a format more suited to a hand-held device.

How to Create an Impromptu Presentation

LGC — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 17:34:00 +0000

According to Mark Twain it usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech. Most of us however when called on at short notice to give a brief presentation in a meeting (for example) probably don’t even have the luxury of 5 minutes preparation time – let alone 3 weeks! So how can you still deliver a reasonably successful presentation if you’ve got about ZERO Preparation time?

Presentation Structure is the Key

In a situation like this, you need to have some form of standard structures in your head that you can call upon at very short notice.

One example structure that you can use quickly (if it’s relevant) is:-

What’s the issue
How is it affecting things?
And what is being done about it?

Using the Power of Three – so 3 main points and then if needed break down each of the points into 3.

Chronological Structures

Another structure you can use for impromptu presentations is:-

Past
Present
Future

Another similar structure is based on:-

What was it like before?
What was the event?
What’s the result now?

The Three 'W's Structure

What?
Which?
Who?

e.g. Buying a car: What sort should I buy? Which brand should I purchase? From Whom should I buy it?

More Conventional Structure

Introduction
Main Body

Point 1 – with 3 sub points in support
Point 2 – with 3 sub points in support
Point 3 – with 3 sub points in support

Conclusion and call to action if relevant

Conclusions
As with most things the more you practise something the better you can become at it. And impromptu speaking is no exception!

Give yourself some topics to speak on and then allow 2-3 minutes of preparation for each one. Then try presenting on each of about 5 minutes. Learn as you go get someone to watch you and give you feedback on how it went. Try it in your POWERtalk club!

Not a member yet? See the links to clubs in the right-hand panel or ask about starting a club in your area.

Stella Sneddon

Why bother with Accreditation?

LD — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 12:47:00 +0000

Accreditation assignments are tailored to individual needs within a recognised, optional, multi-level format, which offers a flexible and self-paced program. From the simplest of beginnings of a one-minute ‘speech’, to the complexity of leading two-hour workshops at International Conventions, the Accreditation Program provides a disciplined and graduated personal growth path.

We all need a yardstick to measure our progress - whether it was the baby steps at School, culminating in achieving your school leaving qualifications, moving onto University and obtaining a degree - these are life skill assessments of our ability. We are a top quality training organisation based on assisting our members to achieve professional status in their chosen field and as such our Accreditation programme assists them to assess just how far and well they have progressed.

You receive a written evaluation for every assignment – very useful to measure your achievements.

Being on the Accreditation Programme gives you the incentive to undertake assignments you would not normally do – such as Workshops at Council and Region or even perhaps at International.

You receive encouragement at all levels from the Accreditation Team.

Clubs which have many members on the Programme find that their club programmes are more interesting as members ask for assignments to complete the different levels.

You receive a qualification Starting with EC(Efficient Communicator), PC(Proficient Communicator), SC(Skilled Communicator), AC(Accomplished Communicator), and DC(Distinguished Communicator) and your employer will be advised of your success (if wished)

The Latimer Trophy is awarded to the person who has the most signatures in their book in the year in Great Britain Region.

Caledonia Council Meeting 19/9/10 – Presentation Planning

LGC — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 16:39:00 +0000

The first Council meeting of the new session was held at the Redhurst Hotel, Giffnock, Glasgow.

Hard-working Council President, Stella Sneddon, presided at the business meeting and led workshop sessions before and after lunch.

Workshops this year are focussing on delivering presentations. Stella’s workshops were thought-provoking and made everyone aware of the amount of preparation that is required before delivering a presentation and indeed before even undertaking any research for a presentation.

So what skills makes an effective presentation?

Here's a list of just some of the key things that make an effective presentation...

What the presenter has to say...

is well researched
has a good structure
is clear, concise and easily understood
is pitched at the right level for the audience
uses visual aids wisely

How the presenter delivers it ...

creates an immediate and positive impression
engages well with the audience
speaks clearly, confidently and with conviction
deals with questions effectively
comes across as a relaxed and “natural presenter”

The impact on the audience

They feel the experience worthwhile
They believe in what is being said
They want to respond positively
The presentation is remembered and acted on afterwards

Self-Accreditation Through Origami

LGC — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 22:14:00 +0000

In preparation for the POWERtalk International Training Weekend in Kobe, why not brush up on your origami skills with this simple self-accrediting model? You can obtain origami paper from any good arts and crafts shop

Start with your piece of paper colour side up. Fold the top edge to the bottom edge, make a firm crease with your thumbnail then unfold. Fold the right-hand edge to the left hand edge and again make a firm crease and then unfold. A fold with the colour on the inside is known as a valley fold.

Turn the paper over and fold in half across each diagonal, crease firmly and unfold. A fold with the colour on the outside is known as a mountain fold.

Holding the paper at the marked points on the left and right fold into the creases to bring those to points down to meet the marked centre point.

Flatten the model. This is called the water-bomb base but we are not going to make a water bomb!

Fold the top triangle into the centre and unfold. Using this crease, open out the triangle and flatten. This is known as the squash fold.

Repeat the previous step on all four of the flaps of the water bomb base. The model will now look like this.

On the uppermost diamond, fold the outside corners into the centre line, crease well then open.

Fold the whole model in half and unfold.

Using the creases made in the previous two steps, lift the bottom point of the model (the uppermost layer only) up to the top point, bringing in the sides of the model at the same time, as shown. This is known as the petal fold.

Repeat the previous three steps (petal fold) on each of the remaining three sides.

Now fold down each of these triangles halfway, on all four sides.

If you have followed the instructions, award yourself a star.

Notes on Debating - Rovers

LGC — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 22:35:00 +0000

Basic Set up

Chairman, Chair, Moderator, Speaker


Proposers, Government

Opposition, Opposers

Right of the chair –
those for the motion:

Proposers, Government

They speak first
(and traditionally also last)

Proposers define what the motion means

Left of the chair –
those against the motion:

Opposition, Opposers

They speak alternately with proposers

(But always check the local set up and rules, inc. timings)

A motion is always a positive statement… this house is / will / would / likes / wants / believes / can…

E.g. this house would fight for King & Country; believes in God; wants cannabis legalised; values higher education.

Discussion and Challenge (again always check the local set up, customs and rules)

Usually only address (talk to or through) the chair – never directly to another speaker
Point of information – providing information to or challenging the person speaking e.g. Madam Moderator, is the lady aware of the survey in today’s Times…; Mr Speaker, I have already explained this point… Can also be used humorously e.g. Mr Chairman, I cannot believe that the gentleman is over 21!
Point of order – providing information to or asking for guidance or intervention from the chair e.g. Mr Speaker, can I remind you that we need to leave the hall by 10pm? Madam Chairman, it is surely not acceptable for the gentleman to use that kind of language here! Can also be used humorously but with care, not always appreciated e.g. Mr Chairman, Surely the lady is too young to have that drink brought to her!

Team work

If you’re debating competitively, check the rules for what you are (each) meant to do and what the judges mark you by. Generally the expectation will be as 2 – 5 below:
The first speaker for the motion is expected to ‘define’ it – to say how it is being interpreted, what it means.
All speakers are expected to be able to refer to previous arguments already used on both sides and it helps to refer to what your team mates will say later (‘My colleague Jenny will develop this…’)
All speakers are expected to take and deal with some points of information, and to give points of information.
The final speaker is expected to summarise the arguments. It can pay to have your most confident speaker in this position.
There is great value in joint preparation and anticipation of the other side’s arguments.
Consider your team’s appearance – all jackets / all shirts / all jumpers?
Don’t get waylaid by complex points of information – practise cutting someone off / dismissing the point.
It’s meant to be fun for participants and audience – enjoy it, laugh at it.

Ruth Maltman DC FITC

Writing Contest - Fiction Winner.

LD — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:26:00 +0000

Read all About it

by Laura Jane Barnsley

It was the start of a normal day for all those who worked on the station. The steam surged across the platform from the first train of the day and would be repeated at regular intervals throughout the day. Then for some reason he glanced across the platform and saw her, as her figure became clearer as the steam and smoke evaporated. Even though this scene had played out many times before, this time it was different. On previous occasions it had seemed that she had always been with someone else, either arriving with an entourage or being met off the train. Now she was on her own. He got the feeling that she had noticed him as he was staring at her. After a moment she started to smile. He had seen that smile before, a warming smile reserved for that special person who was on the platform waiting for her. He made a move to respond to it, when he noticed, from the corner of his eye, the one person who was stopping him. The tall, immaculately dressed man, now in officers' uniform, pushing past him. In one movement he picked her up by the waist and kissed her on the cheek.

He was just the news vendor on one of the many platforms in this large station. He was one of those people who loved to watch people, observe life, the one person who saw everything. From what he saw he would then make up stories about the people and incidents and take them home to his brothers and sisters. These stories were always the highlight of their day. The descriptions of the fashionable ladies and gents rushing around going from here to there, going to places they thought they would never see. He would bring home discarded magazines for them to wonder at the exotic pictures. But the story, about this mysterious woman, was just for him.

Then, a day earlier than normal the steam and smoke cleared from the arriving Express train and there she was. This time it was different, the smile was gone and replaced with tears. This time the light white cotton outfit with light straw hat she wore for the summer was replaced with black crepe. This time the officer didn't appear, in his place was an older gentleman also dressed in black with a black crepe armband on his coat.

The news vendor always found time to look at the pictures in the newspapers and magazines but never had time to read the text around them. That day he saw him, he saw the officer staring back from the newspaper page. For once he took the time to read around the picture and find out why he was there in amongst the other pictures. It read 'Captain Lorimore was killed in action.' The article went on 'He had only been at the front for four days and was leading his men on their first assault on the enemy...' It didn't seem that long ago that he had seen the officer leave with his men on the now regular troupe trains that were leaving the station. He had an idea where they were going, but did not realise how real this war would become to him till now. It was now very real. It now affected his stories, as it affected her.

Weeks seemed to go past and he didn't see her. Then a train came in, one he hadn't seen before. One full of soldiers, not like the soldiers on the troupe trains, these soldiers were muddy and bloody. While they milled around he thought he caught a glimpse of her. Again the steam cleared to show her elegant silhouette. This time the black crepe dress and black veiled hat were replaced with a starched white and blue nurse's uniform. This time the smile and tears had gone and had been replaced with concern. This time she never looked up as she knew that he would not be there to meet her.

Once all the injured soldiers had gone it was time for the station to slowly return to its everyday selection of wives and daughters going home to prepare the house for the returning husbands and fathers, to their palatial suburban villas. He again prepared to sell his newspapers and magazines to them. Then for the first time since he first saw her, she walked straight to the kiosk. As she arrived in the front of the kiosk she hesitated, unsure why she had walked there. Was it the draw of the familiar face of the boy behind the piles of papers? She looked at him.

"Can I help you Miss" he said in his cockney accent that seemed to grate on her ears.

"I would like..."she paused "I would like a magazine, please." She was slightly breathless but still audible above the usual din of the station.

He selected a magazine he thought she would like, a magazine that he had given to other ladies. He collected the money off her and gave her the change and magazine. The total transaction was no more than a couple of minutes but to him it was as though time had stood still. He hadn't realised that she had gone and had been replaced with one of the many city gents that visited his kiosk requesting their usual evening paper.

Time seemed to pass slowly for the next time he saw her at the station she had again replaced her starched nurse's uniform with the white cotton summer outfits of before the War. However she did not arrive at the station alone, another officer accompanied her. The gentleman had met her at the station before; he was much older than her. This time he was the one arriving by the Express train and she was waiting on the platform for him.

Not for the first time as she passed the kiosk the news vendor thought she smiled at him. Was it him or was she just smiling at someone over his shoulder. He could not see behind the kiosk and so would never really know. A week later she returned to the station, with the officer on her arm. She stood on the platform and waved the officer off. She stood on her tiptoes and waved her handkerchief at the departing train and remained on the platform till the smoke and steam were long gone. She remained on the platform until she was the only one left. When she turned round he saw the tears running down her face. Her face glistened in the half light of the station lamps with the streaks of tears down her cheeks.

At that moment he wanted to leave his post in the kiosk. At that moment he wanted to run up to her. At that moment he wanted to put his arms around her. When he looked again at the platform, she was gone. The only people on the platform were the porters or other station staff.

As time went by she would be at the station. Never arriving and never leaving, but she would meet the trains. She would meet them full of injured men. She would meet them full of fresh faced soldiers in transit before embarking for the front. She would also meet them full of boxes with women dressed in black crepe with white handkerchiefs dabbing at their faces as she had once done. Every time she was at the station now she was dressed in the starched while and blue uniform. He never saw her in anything else. Every time she returned she never smiled as she had done that day. Not that there was anything to smile about, it was probably that she had lost her smile. Every time she went passed the kiosk now she would nod her head in acknowledgement. They seemed to have come to an agreement. He would smile or wink, she would nod and walk past. That she now noticed him was what he had wanted, but not like this. He had become part of her story.

Winners - Writing Contest - Poetry

LGC — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 20:32:00 +0000

PAST GLORIES by Margaret Emery

Dizzy with scented blooms of brilliant hue.
Which filled our world with pleasure so that few
Would fail to bake the sponge or grow the leek -
In hope to see the label ‘Best in Show’,
The judges almost fearful then to speak
Their preference for the one they deemed to grow
The perfect carrot or the straight-glassed flower...
So different now, grey headed, we present
A static audience, restless for the hour
When Colonel Baverstock, with best intent,
Ceases to drone forever on his bees
And we, tea sated, leave to take our ease.

Margaret Emery
Sutton Coldfield Communicators
Rovers

Winners - Writing Contest

LD — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 17:55:00 +0000

MUSINGS ON BICYCLES by Marjorie Brooke

A strange thing happened to me on the way to work this morning - I didn't see a single cyclist. Well, you don't get too many on the motorway. But I have seen the future and it is a world without bikes.

I want to share with you my views on bicycles and the reasons why I believe that all cyclists will eventually be banned. This includes schoolboys on school bikes, postmen on post bikes, mountaineers on mountain bikes (if mountaineers ever do ride mountain bikes ..) and particularly those totally crazy, murderous women with tiny children perched precariously in little seats on the back of their bikes.

I’d also ban the major menace in our cities, the dedicated cyclist. You know the ones I mean, they’re usually men. They wear helmets and face masks and padded cycling shorts and lurid lycra clothing and they race through the streets with total disregard for the rules of the road. They indicate right and set off without another look, going diagonally across 3 lanes of fast moving traffic as though they were quite immortal. Sadly, its not always the case.

I truly think my car attracts bicyles, like a magnet. When I see a cyclist ahead of me, my heart sinks. At any moment I expect the bicycle to topple over and its rider to disappear under my wheels. I carefully creep past, then, expecting the worst to have happened, anxiously check my rear view mirror - just to reassure myself that the bike is still upright, and that the cyclist hasn't fallen off.

That’s not the end of the episode, oh no. Inevitably the traffic slows, and the cyclist catches up with me, wiggles past on the inside, and the whole process is repeated.

But please don't think that I'm a misery, someone who doesn't appreciate the joys of cycling. I had a second-hand bicycle once, when I was 8 years old. Your first two-wheeler bike was one of the major milestones of childhood, a rite of passage from being one of the little ones on their tricyles to the world of the big kids. It gave you freedom and independence and status.

I still remember the exhilaration, the fantastic sensation of speed as I swooped down the hill to our home, freewheeling at twice the speed of sound. I also remember the ambulance that took me to hospital when I failed to negotiate the bend at the bottom of the hill and ended up under a car. When I came out of hospital, I asked my father where my bicycle was. He said : ‘Don’t ask’ and I never did find out what happened to it. My short cycling career was over, my independence was gone.

This happened more than 50 years ago, in a small village where it should have been safe for a child to ride a bike, and I almost lost my life. That's the real reason that I want to ban bicycles from our main roads. Because I don't ever want to be responsible for an accident involving a cyclist, don't ever want to feel the distress that my accident caused my parents and the people in the car that hit me. And if bikes continue to be allowed on our crowded city streets, then it's bound to happen some day.

Ten Tips on using Notes.

LD — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 14:53:00 +0000

Writing out the whole speech will give you too many notes to handle. Use key points for each paragraph or point.
Large notes, if held in the hand, will detract from the presentation. Use palm-sized cards as a prompt or reminder.
Print or type speech in large letters on while, unlined cards. Everything on the cards should be readable at arm's length.
Use card rather than paper as it is easier to handle and will not curl if placed on a lectern.
Use wide margins so you can find your place easily as you scan down the card.
Underline words and phrases you want to emphasise.
Mark reminders of pauses or phrasing in a bold, different colour.
Mark some of the cards for possible elimination in case your speech has to be shortened.
Number the cards in the top right hand corner. If you do have the misfortune to drop them they can easily be re-ordered.
As you finish with a card put it to one side. If it is placed at the back of the pile you may accidentally put it in the wrong place and thereby repeat your material or get lost.

INTRODUCING AND THANKING A SPEAKER

LD — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 15:40:00 +0000

1. Check that

The microphone and other electrical equipment is working
water is available for the speaker
the lectern is the right height for the speaker
You have enough background information.

2. Make the Speaker Welcome

Meet the Speaker at the entrance.
Ask if there is anything he/he requires.
Show the speaker to his/her seat.

3. Preparation.

Prepare your introduction and thanks beforehand.
Write key words on a cue card.

4. Avoid.

Cliches
Repeating yourself - remember to use your notes.

5. Use this Formula.

Why this subject?
Why this subject subject for this audience?
Why this subject for this audience at this time?

6. Don't

Exaggerate the speaker's qualifications
Read a lengthy curriculum vitae or biography
Say how wonderful the speech will be
Steal the spotlight

7. Do

Speak to the audience not the speaker
Be brief - never longer than two minutes
Be genuine and sincere
Smile and relax

8. Facilitating questions

listen carefully to the question
Repeat it clearly for the benefit of both speaker and the audience
Unobtrusively guide speaker to audience members signalling to ask a question.

9. Thanking the Speaker

Say what you enjoyed about the presentation
Don't simply repeat the main points of the presentation
Speak to the speaker and the audience.

10. Most Importantly

Be sincere
Be brief
Be seated!

Ten Tips on Mentoring

LD — Wed, 19 May 2010 15:47:00 +0000

Mentoring is a relationship that enhances the development of individuals by the passing on of knowledge, skills and values.
This relationship is a creative bond between a mentor (teacher) and a mentee (learner) which is to the benefit of both.
From a mentor, a mentee receives input about organisational culture, coaching and counselling, skills development, motivation and continuous feedback, thus becoming a useful member of an organisation much more quickly.
The mentor benefits by the development of interpersonal and leadership skills, and accomplishments in his/her mentee's success.
A mentoring programme should have the visible support of those at the head of an organisation, and it should form part of the culture of that organisation.
The ideal ratio is one mentor to one mentee.
Mentors should volunteer their services. The relationship should be one of choice, and should be committed to in writing.
The best mentors are experienced empathetic persons with a willingness to share, the capability of building trust, and with good listening skills.
Specific time periods should be set aside for mentoring. Opportunity should be given to the mentee for questions and feedback.
It is recommended that the mentee maintains a close relationship with the mentor, takes ownership of his/her own development and actively seeks new challenges.

Ten Top Tips Effective Delegation.

LD — Mon, 10 May 2010 17:40:00 +0000

1. Choose the Right Person.

You should consider the needs of the assignment and your knowledge of the person's skills, abilities, interests and motivations i.e. you need to be confident that the person to whom you are delegating will be able to achieve the required results.

2. Give Compliments.

Say why you feel they are the right person for the job.

3. Define the Results You Expect.

The focus needs to be on the GOAL rather than on the tasks performed in order to achieve the required results.

4. Emphasize the Purpose of Achieving the Objectives.

The importance to the organisation and personal benefit of achieving the objective or failing to do so, needs to be emphasized.

5. Ensure There are Adequate Resources

for the devised plan of action which ensures adherence to specified times.

6. Introduce Control Systems.

These need to be developed and introduced so that deviation from progress can be monitored and corrected.

7. Establish a Measurement of Success.

This is necessary to determine whether a satisfactory or outstanding result has been achieved. You want the best.

8. Offer Support

Get agreement and ensure that rules, regulations, limitations and policies regarding the area in which they are to work are understood. Back them all the way.

9. Delegate the Responsibility.

But allow a margin for minor mistakes in judgement.

10. Empower with Sufficient Authority.

For achieving results and reduce your authority. Then you will get the best performance.

Region

LD — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 15:30:00 +0000

GREAT BRITAIN REGION BOARD MEETING.

On Saturday 27th May the Region Board met in the Premier Inn Carlisle South. This was the fourth meeting of the Board and was, as usual conducted in a warm, friendly and happy way with the members in agreement about most things and sparking ideas off each other. The next meeting will take place just before Conference in the Premier Inn, Newcastle City Centre.

EASTWOOD COMMUNICATORS

LD — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 11:56:00 +0000

On Wednesday 17th of March Eastwood Communicators had a meeting and, of course, the theme of the evening was "The Emerald Isle". We had an appropriate Passing Thought and an interesting Talking Point on various Irish problems. The only speaker was Jean Carson who made us all laugh with her speech about Ireland and ended with a number of limericks.

The education was by Alan Kirkwood and was a very interesting presentation to

Remind us all of the Contents of the Master Manual/International Web page

Tips for delivering a basic PowerPoint Presentation

Summary on some books on Public Speaking.

The members all enjoyed this and everyone learned a great deal. It is always good to have something different and I think we would appreciate more presentations on PowerPoint.

Putting POWERtalk on the Map

LGC — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:48:00 +0000

The POWERtalk Great Britain Region website now features an interactive map. Map pins indicate the position of clubs. The table on the same page gives the key to the numbers on the map pins.

The map pins overlap but the map has plus and minus buttons to zoom in and out and can be scrolled by clicking and dragging. Alternatively the map can be traversed by by clicking on the arrows on the pop-up dialogue box. Needless to say clicking on the club name takes you to the web pages for that club.

So are you a little curious as to how this was done? Well the information to construct the map is taken from that very same page. Google Spreadsheets have an "ImportHtml" function that allows you to extract a table from a website. So I created a Google spreadsheet with a single entry in cell A1, =ImportHtml("http://powertalk.org.uk/ukclubs.htm","table",2). The '2' signifies that it is the second table on the web page (the first being the site menu).

By ‘publishing’ the spreadsheet as a web page, I was able to obtain a CSV link. CSV= Comma Separated Values, in other words each item in a row is separated commas (hint: why do you think the addresses use semicolons are in the original table?). The CSV link is used as the input to a Yahoo Pipe. The Pipe does all the clever stuff like working out the latitude and longitude and putting the pins on the map without any real programming.

TEN TIPS

LD — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 15:39:00 +0000

SHORT STORY WRITING

1. Concentrate on your opening sentence.

This is where you will grab the attention of the reader.

2 Write as if to a friend

A story has to read easily and should sound great when read aloud.

3. Use simple sentences

Readers do not read more than 25 words before they are distracted. Use

no more than 15-20 words per sentence.

4. Alternate long sentences.

Use sentences of 4-5 words or evens single word it creates an impact and makes

reading easier.

5. Make paragraphs of 3-4 sentences.

Small paragraphs will entice the reader to go on. and on. and on.

6. Look at the verbs you use.

Are they strong or weak? Compare 'he has yelled at the top of his voice'

with 'he called out'

7. Use the 4 W's

What, Where, Why and When. There is a 5th W - Whether. Decide whether

you should use the word EDIT.

8. Believe in your Characters.

If you don't how can your reader? Your story should have one main character

and no more than one or two secondary characters. Only mention characteristics

or outward appearance if it adds to the story.

9. Check the rules.

If you are entering a contest check the rules. You don't want to be rejected for an

incorrect format or for using too many words.

10. One idea - one story.

When you have finished use your red pencil and edit again. Sometimes it helps

to put the story aside for a time and then look at it with fresh eyes.

LISTENING SKILLS

LD — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 15:32:00 +0000

10% of our waking time is spent in communication and 45% of that time is spent listening but we only retain 25% of what we hear.
Active listening is about listening for the purpose of understanding and interpreting the message the speaker is trying to convey.
Concentrate carefully - don't get distracted.
Listen for the explicit date (what is said) as well as the implicit data (what is not said)
Refrain from immediate evaluation - attempt to see the other person's point of view.
Check that you are really listening to the other person - not just waiting your turn to speak.
Listen for the main ideas. Acknowledge what you have just heard and give an appropriate response.
If you do not understand, don't be afraid to ask for clarification.
Read and listen to difficult materials just for the exercise. Jot down the main points you have noted and then check to see how you did.
For a day, keep a record of the time you spent listening. Consider the specific differences improved listening could have made.

Google Calendar Gadget

LGC — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 20:26:00 +0000

Dear Google,

Please fix the Google Calendar Gadget for Websites. The POWERtalk websites in Great Britain Region had nice little mini-calendars with a list of events below. Now the Google Calendar Gadget does not work so I have had to resort to using the embedded calendar instead.

I can still display the calendar on my iGoogle homepage but we want the world to be able to see it. It was by far the best of the Gooogle Gadgets.

Note to Rovers: please see what it says at the foot of the calendar!

Regards,

POWERtalk Great Britain Region Web Editor

Mentoring…

EDF — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:08:00 +0000

Mentoring - a Learning Partnership
If you have had a good experience of being mentored, or of acting as a mentor, you may recognise the definition of mentoring as a learning partnership. This idea of ‘partnership’ is what distinguishes mentoring from straightforward ‘coaching’ or ‘teaching’.

Who Needs a Mentor?
Anyone facing a new challenge could find it helpful to have a mentor. So, the answer to the question of who needs a mentor is: we all do at some stage in our careers.

Choosing a Mentor
It’s best if the initiative in seeking a mentor is taken by the person wishing to be mentored (the ‘mentee’). Mentoring isn’t something that can successfully be imposed on mentees.

The following checklist will help you choose a mentor:
I know what I want from a mentoring partner.
I have identified potential mentoring partners.
I know why I want this person as a mentor.
I have ideas about how it might operate.
I have a list of concerns for discussion.
You should have worked through these points before choosing a possible mentor.
The Mentor
The mentor’s role is to listen, provide constructive feedback and help their mentee consider options.

They may refer their mentee to other resources as well as facilitate decision-making or share their own experiences. They provide guidance, not direction; and do not solve problems, but act as a collaborator in the problem-solving process.

Primary responsibilities of a mentor include:
Maintaining confidentiality
Being accessible
Promoting decision making
Helping achieve the goals of the mentee
Ensuring a professional relationship
Acting as a role model
Knowing when to end the relationship
More Information for POWERtalk International Members
You will find a Guide to Mentoring in the members’ resource centre of the international website under ‘PREM’. There is also a workshop in ‘Education Features’, which can be used to promote the adoption of mentoring at every level.

Keys to Success
Any promotion of mentoring will only succeed if:
Potential mentors are identified who have an excellent track record in skills such as leadership, delegation, management, communication and motivation.
These potential mentors can be paired successfully with mentees in a true learning partnership.

LD — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 14:46:00 +0000

TEN TOP TIPSON

CHAIRING A MEETING

Prior to the meeting ensure a comprehensive agenda has been prepared and distributed to all members. Ensure that you have all relevant documents to hand in the same order as the agenda.

It is the chair’s responsibility to regulate the meeting and to ensure that a quorum is present before business commences.

Stick to the Agenda.

Only one person should speak at a time. Should discussions “on the side” become apparent, call for order.

Do not permit speakers to stray from the topic under discussion.

Do not hesitate to seek expert advice when necessary. It is in order to suspend the matter under debate until such advice has been received.

From time to time during a prolonged discussion summarize the main points. This helps those present to follow the argument.

It is sometimes advisable to set a time limit on debate. Such a proposal must be approved by the assembly. A time limit may be placed on each speaker and no speaker may speak twice to the same motion until all who wish to speak have had the opportunity to do so.

Be sure to remain neutral.

When it is necessary to take a vote, repeat the motion immediately before the voting takes place. The most common method of voting is by a show of hands. Remember to ask for votes in favour and for any against. When announcing the result, again repeat the motion so that all present are clear on the decision which has been taken.

Book Reviews in Club Programmes

LD — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:04:00 +0000

BOOK REVIEWS
(Club Programming)

Has your club every thought of having Book Reviews for a club programme?
Many members of POWERtalk are avid readers (when they have time) and have widely varied tastes in books. There are many advantages to having this sort of evening including making you much more aware while reading a book you intend to review and enjoying hearing other people’s views of something you have read your self or even finding out about one or more books that you would enjoy

Another interesting idea would be to ask members to review specific books – perhaps something that they would not normally read

Accreditation: The What, Why, Who and Where to get you started

LD — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 17:06:00 +0000

ACCREDITATION

WHAT ?

Accreditation is a way of recognising achievement and guaranteeing quality. In POWERtalk we all do assignments that we are proud of but we soon forget how well we did. If you have all of your assignments accredited as well as evaluated you will have a record of those you did well. Accreditation is not just a tick box exercise. To be accredited for an assignment you must do it to a minimum standard which is where the guaranteeing the quality comes in.

If you wish your employer will be informed when you complete each level.

WHY

Because it gives you a goal and a record of all the assignments we complete, together with a written evaluation for future use. It is a measure of your improvement.

WHERE

Can I find out more about this?
Go on line to the International web page at http://www.powertalkinternational.com/index.php/ps_pagename/members_home
Click on Resource centre for Accreditation (don’t forget to click go)
to read about
The Accreditation Journey
Accreditation Basics Master Manual UK Section 8
Lists of Accomplished Communicators and Distinguished Communicators

After that go to Master Manual for the Accreditation Programme

Master Manual - Section 3.1 Project Basics level 1
Effective Communicator (EC) Level One l
Master Manual - Section 3.2 Project Basics level 2
Proficient Communicator (PC) Level Two
Master Manual - Section 3.3 Project Basics level 3
Skilled Communicator (SC) Level Three
Master Manual - Section 3.4 Project Basics level 4
Accomplished Communicator (AC) Level Four;
Master Manual – Section 3.5 Project Basics level 5 Distinguished Communicator (DC) Level Five
Plus
Master Manual - Section 3.6.1 Appendices for Effective Communicator
Master Manual - Section 3.6.2 Appendices for Proficient Communicator
Master Manual - Section 3.6.3 Appendices for Skilled Communicator

WHEN CAN I START?

At any time – print off levels 1 and 2 (or more if you are really keen) and inform your Accreditation Chairman of the Club that you are on the programme and wish to be evaluated. Levels 1 and 2 can be completed all at Club level.

WHO?

All members can participate in the programme and it has been found that clubs where many members are taking part discover a new enthusiasm in the club with members eager to complete assignments.

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?