West Rand Toastmasters cover team work
The West Rand Toastmasters centred their 20 May meeting around the word ‘TEAM,’ using it as an acronym for Together Everyone Achieves More.
‘Team work makes the dream work’ is not an uncommon turn of phrase, yet despite the frequency with which it is used, the importance of its message is constant.
Knowing you are part of a reliable team, made up of people who make the load easier on each other, significantly lessens a lot of the stress you may be feeling.
The West Rand Toastmasters centred their 20 May meeting around the word ‘TEAM,’ using it as an acronym for Together Everyone Achieves More. The six prepared speeches for the day revolved around the benefits of teamwork, togetherness and stepping outside of your comfort zone. Shuaib Allebhai delivered the first speech entitled, ‘Why are you so quiet’.
It is a question he is often asked due to his quiet nature, and he hoped that being a part of a supportive team like the Toastmasters would challenge him to become more confident in public speaking. Shuaib’s speech was followed by those of Sipokazi Swana and Phumzile Cele, who both used their personal experiences to explain how stepping out of their comfort zones and meeting new people educated them in many ways – especially on cultures different to their own.
Michael Glencross, a long-time Toastmaster, used his speech to describe how the only way people learn is by doing. He used a quote from the famous mathematician Andrew Wiles to help him make his point clearer. The quote reads, “Just because we can’t find a solution, it doesn’t mean that there isn’t one”.
Lynnette Harris and Oarabile Tlalang presented the last speeches of the evening, each explaining different aspects of the various Toastmasters goals and objectives.
Due to the large number of prepared speeches, the Table Topics session was given a skip and the winners of the night were announced. Thato Majela, the club’s president, chose the evening’s theme and took on the role of Toastmaster, subsequently winning him the Best Contributor prize.
Shuaibs thought-provoking topic won him the Best Speech title, and Max Kaan took home the title of Best Evaluator.
For more information about the West Rand Toastmasters Club, contact Glen Campbell on 073 538 9560 or email glencampbell@telkomsa.net.
