Toastcaster 153: Making Freaking Meetings Fun & Productive - Matt Abrahams

[29:55] Many people avoid meetings at all costs - they feel they’re unproductive, a waste of time and simply a bandaid for bad communication in an organization. In this episode Greg speaks with return guest Matt Abrahams, educator and coach whose extensive exploration, research and experience has led him to discover a collaborative approach to keep meetings fun and exciting. More importantly they be can productive in achieving the goals of the organization and add value to the teams. And you might even be thanked for running a meeting.

You’ll learn about the importance of planning, executing and setting expectations up front - and even determining whether there is an alternative to holding a meeting. 

You’ll hear how to invoke emotion by leveraging meeting invites and making agendas valuable and how the information, emotion and actions are the three important key elements of any communication.   This includes the importance of paraphrasing and how that leads to better communication and boost engagement during the meeting. 

He also stresses the value of focusing on the experience and the creative order of things and not just the content and also using physical engagement and leveraging the use of technology tools and more.

Matt also touches on how to ensure the new way of running meetings endures and tips for running virtual meetings.

And finally, Matt talks about his new podcast, Think Fast Talk Smart from Stanford GSB.

Matt Abrahams teaches Strategic Communication for Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and Presentation Skills for Stanford’s Continuing Studies Program and co-founder of coaching consulting practice Bold Echo Communication Solutions. If that’s not enough, Matt is also the author of the book Speaking Up without Freaking Out, now in its 3rd edition. 

You can also hear Matt on episode #93 Speaking up without freaking out and also on the Toastmasters Podcast, Episode 111, with Greg Gazin and Ryan Levesque where he spoke on how to be confident.

Toastcaster 151: Starting Effective Conversations that Yield Results – Chris Fenning

[31:31] Conversations are fundamental to everyday life – at work or at home, yet little emphasis is ever put on improving it as a skill, particularly in getting one started and keeping them a succinct as possible.

In this episode, Greg speaks with Chris Fenning - subject matter expert and author of the new book, The 1st Minute: How to Start Conversations that gets Results. Chris will share his expertise and insight with lessons taken for the book that you can apply in many communications situations, like job interviews, conversations with the boss, presentations and even written communications.

You’ll discover some of the most common mistakes made in that first minute and some of the misconceptions that surround it. You also learn about when that first minute really starts.

You’ll takeaway two methods you can out to use right away:

1) Framing, a simple 3-part process that in 15 seconds helps you provides context, clarifies your intentions, and makes your message clear: and

2) Structured Summary: How everything we do can be described in the form of a GPS – no, not your car’s GPS but rather Goal, Problem & Solution.

You’ll also learn why you should never ask someone, “Do you have a minute,” and more…

Chris Fenning, in addition to author is also a husband, father and communications instructor. He lives in Amsterdam in The Netherlands and can be reached at ChrisFenning.com.

Toastcaster 149: How to Host a Live or Virtual TEDx Event Part 2 – Noel Bentley

[27:39] This episode, Part 2 is the final part of our conversation with Noel Bentley on how to host a TEDx event where he continues to share his expertise on being the best host you can be.

Noel also talks about getting help by borrowing - not copying but rather be inspired by others and other TED or TEDx events but at the same time being you own person and letting your own personality shine through.

Noel also shares additional best practices along with a few do’s and don’ts  and how you can prepare yourself even for impromptu situations and the unexpected.

You’ll also learn about some of the differences between live and virtual presentations and what you can do to make the latter seem more natural. He also shares some of the special considerations they had to make given the current global climate and environment which they knew could change without notice. He used real examples from TEDx BearCreekPark 2021  that took place just one month ago.

Noel Bentley is a speaker, humorist, storytelling coach, emcee and Toastmaster.  He started project called Power of 3 Speaking, a new way of doing keynote speaking. He can be reached at https://powerof3speaking.com or coming soon at NoelBentley.ca

You can also watch the latest TEDx BearCreekPark 2021 at https://tedxbearcreekpark.ca

If you missed part 1, you can find it (Toastcaster 148) at: http://bit.ly/toastcaster148

Toastcaster 148: How to Host a Live or Virtual TEDx Event Part I – Noel Bentley

[27:28] There’s a plethora of resources spotlighting do a TED Talk or speaking on the TEDx stage, but few realize that a great host or emcee can make or break that event. In this episode Greg speaks with Noel Bentley, a three-time TEDx host who’s hosted both live and virtual events at TEDx Bear Creek Park in Surrey BC, Canada.

In Part 1 of this 2 part series, Noel inspires us with his own story, what it means to be a TEDx host, what the role entails and the excitement and opportunities it presents for speakers and individuals. You’ll as be introduced to TEDx BearCreekPark and a glimpse as to what goes on behind the scenes of a TEDx. 

Noel enlightens us with his experience in his role as a TEDx host - how he got there, what he learned, how he (over) prepares mentally and physically and about the help he got along the way. You’ll also learn about other key players like the curator, speaker coach, program coordinator and of course the speakers and how the host interacts with them. You’ll also find out what speakers have to go through to be on that stage.  

Noel will also share some of his best practices and things to avoid, touching on the topics of introduction, bridging between speakers, scripting and humour.

Noel Bentley is a speaker, humorist, storytelling coach, emcee and Toastmaster.  He started project called Power of 3 Speaking, a new way of doing keynote speaking. He lives in Surrey, BC, Canada and can be reached at https://powerof3speaking.com or coming soon at NoelBentley.ca.

You can also watch the latest TEDx BearCreekPark 2021 at https://tedxbearcreekpark.ca

Watch for Part 2 (Toastcaster 149) coming up.

Toastcaster 147: Nurturing Young Minds Through Podcasting – Kevin Achtzener

[22:13] Kevin Achtzener, DTM is in the process of doing his practicum at a Spanish bilingual school to earn an after degree in Education. He had the idea to teach his students new material as part of a Spanish Language Arts curriculum by getting them to create their own podcasts.

In this episode, Kevin, a regular on ToastCaster, shared his experience as to why he chose podcasting as a teaching medium, what he was trying to accomplish, how the class took to it and how the podcasts turned out. He talks a little about the methods he used, the subjects he selected as well as what both he and his students learned from the process.

He also tells how he got our Podcast Host Greg Gazin involved by interviewing him as both a sample podcast  and as a way to share his knowledge with the students through a podcast which was to be played in the classroom.

Kevin Achtzener is from Edmonton, Canada and can be reached at VisualProductivity.net.

Toastcaster 145: Podcasting 101: Hosting & Interview Techniques - 2018 Live Educational [Toastmasters ]

[43:52] When I first started podcasting 15 years ago, the most frequently asked question was, ‘What’s a Podcast?” Five years ago, It was, “Why are you doing podcasts? It’s going the way of the radio, video is where it’s at. Today I’m often asked, “What are the benefits of podcasting?” And “How can I get involved? How do I get started?”

In April 2020 Apple Podcasts had over 1M podcast and over 35 million episodes. With the lockdown I’ve heard estimates ion 1.5 million and many many more episode. So Podcasting is not going away any time soon.

People do want to know more. In fact I’m questioned about podcasts and podcasting everyday.

As luck would have it, I recently came across a 2018, recording of a Podcast educational session I delivered - in a last minute request, to a group of Toastmasters which covers many of those questions and more. And while podcasting certainly continues to evolve, the information presented is still relevant today

This episode is not only for Toastmasters but for any communicator or leader who may be curious or interested in this topic.

• We’ll look at what a podcast is, what it can do for you; the benefits of podcasts from a listeners, guests and a creator’s perspective.
• You’ll hear stories along with tips and tricks in preparing, creating, hosting and moderating a podcast. 
• You’ll discover how to preparing effective questions and interviewing Techniques.
• We’ll also make reference to a number of resources, other podcasts,
• and more.

You can also download a PDF of the slides used in the presentation. http://bit.ly/gregtli2018

You may also want to check out The Toastmasters Podcast: Creating Interesting Podcast Content  (Part 1) episode #157 and (Part 2) episode #158, featuring yours truly and co-host Ryan Levesque.

I also encourage you to read, "Is there a Podcast in Your Future," feature cover story in the  Jan 2021 issue of Toastmaster Magazine. 

Look for other upcoming podcast themed episodes here at ToastCaster and the Toastmasters Podcast. 

Toastcaster 140: Grantasms: Making Communication Fun and Great Again – Grant Crowell

[29:21] Just when we thought the world had enough jargon, acronyms and other confusing verbiage, Grant Crowell, a self-professed social wordsmith comes along and creates his own words or “Grantasms.” His motives are sincere – his intention, to make communication fun again while helping people build confidence, better relationships and increase their productivity.

In this light hearted yet informative episode you’ll learn why he wrote this book, what you can take away from it and how he himself uses his own Grantasms for laughs, socio-emotional wellness, and his own ADHD management.  Listen for new terms like spousish, GERK, fillerflabber, messy-tasking, acronumb, playful mindfulness and more.

Grant Crowell is a learning facilitator for Dell Technologies Digital Events team and is the author of GRANTASMS: Twisted Creative words for cool people! He lives in Durham, North Carolina USA. Grant and can be found on LinkedIn and get his book on Amazon.

Toastcaster 137: Discover the Future of the Future AGAIN! (FREE Summit) – Angelo Tirhas

[30:30] For Angelo Tirhas, like many around the world, everything more or less came to a dead halt when the current global crisis hit, leaving him stuck with literally nothing to do. 

Instead of wallowing in defeat asking the same questions on everyone’s mind, his professional mind kicked in realizing that he had to define the problem and find solutions.  He asked himself: “What’s the biggest problem in the world today, what are people what most scared of and can we help them?”

Of course he realized people were already overloaded with data they couldn’t make sense of and he himself didn’t have all the answers. He had an epiphany. “Let’s get all these people into one place and share what the future possibilities are and figure out what to do to survive the future. Get people asking questions in touch with those who have answers and let them have a chat with each other.

And thus Future Summits Online series was born.

In this entertaining and informative episode we learn more about Angelo’s journey, what he saw, what he heard, stories and insights and why he vetted and handpicked from over 150 speakers. You’ll also learn about his F.A.I.T.H framework (Fundamentals Awareness Implementation, Transformation and Humanity) and how it’s being incorporated into the summit – and more.

Angelo Tirhas is keynote speaker, corporate trainer and coach specializing in transformation, business and personal development, founder and host of "Future Summits Online”, the first ever Global Future Focused Online Summit Series. Angelo can  be reached on LinkedIn or via e-mail.

About the Future of the Future Summit (On-Line)

Date: NEW!!!  SEPTEMBER 17-22, 2020. 

Cost: FREE. Low cost VIP packages with added benefits also available.

Takeaway: Actionable information, skills, strategies and insights from 25 leading global experts, futurists, innovative thinkers and thought leaders to help you prepare, be future ready and future proof. (4 speakers/ day)

Tickets: Visit now to get more information on the Summit or to get FREE Tickets

This episode: bit.ly/toastcaster137

Toastcaster 135: A Quest to Learn Arabic while Abroad during Lockdown – Kevin Achtzener

[26:06] Learning a new language while abroad particularly during these unprecedented times can be a challenge yet rewarding.  But our eight-time guest, Kevin Achtzener, who is currently overseas with his family in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), was certainly up for the quest.

In this light-hearted episode, Kevin humbly shares how he was first inspired to learn Spanish the traditional way many years ago and some of the things he learned what not to do as he set upon a quest to learn Arabic – a much more challenging task.

Kevin also shares a number of techniques he’s been using like a language exchange as well as some of his valuable resources including: Anki– a Flashcard app, 50Languages– 100 Free Audio lessons; LingQ– which helps you learn a language from content you love and his go to book: Arabic Script Hacking by Judith Meyer, which helped him to learn to read signs.

Editors Note: Once you have a good working knowledge of a language, there are also many bilingual Toastmasters clubs around the world one can also check out.

Toastcaster 131: Keeping Mentally & Physically Stimulated During Quarantine – Lisa Wentz

[29:31] Keeping the COVID-19 pandemic from spreading has just about put the entire planet into lockdown mode. In this episode, Greg speaks with Lisa Wentz about her short article on LinkedIn about keeping mentally and physically stimulated and engaged and not feeling frozen during this unprecedented quarantine. 

Lisa shares with us her recent journey of self-isolation.  She explains how news overload and too much of the wrong kind of mental stimulation can affect people physically and how we can combat that and ensure we continue to pursue things that are relevant and important to us. Wentz explains how mental stimulation means different things to different people and how we need to find the time to reach out to others, not just those we know. You’ll also discover why getting through these times is not just about balance but about choices we make. You’ll even hear her interesting observations about changes in people like celebrity Stephen Colbert, who was forced to self-isolate, and more.

Lisa Wentz is from San Francisco, California and has an extensive background in psychology, professional acting training and live performance. Wentz is also featured in Episode 118 - Grace Under Pressure - A Masterclass in Public Speaking.

She can be reached at LisaWentz.com. 

Toastcaster 121: Building Future Seniors: Taking Ownership of our Aging Society - Angela Ostafichuk

[28:19] It’s no secret we have a rapidly aging population. Many seniors today were never properly prepared for their golden years; We don’t know how to age properly and kids today have no idea what it’s like to be a senior. Those are the strong opinions of Angela Ostafichuk, our guest on today’s episode.

Angela is an educator, consultant, curriculum developer, writer, photographer, world traveler and Toastmaster. Based in Edmonton, Canada, she’s spear-heading  and working in tandem on two projects: Future Seniors and Smart Strong Seniors. Together they are designed to not only inform and educate those who are already seniors to live better, but also to help society, regardless as to what generation they belong to embrace pro aging.

Today Angela will share some of her insights on the topic. This include highlights of her Pecha Kucha presentation Future Seniors, where she shares what we can do to take ownership for ourselves and others in an aging society. She’ll talk about getting Involved, Resources, Equality, Asking (the right questions) and Design, summed up by her acronym iREAD.

Angela Ostafichuk can be reached at SmartStrongSenior@gmail.com or TheFutureSenior@gmail.com. You can also check out her Pecha Kucha Edmonton presentation.

Toastcaster 117 – Memory & Visualization Techniques for Better Recall & Learning – Kevin Achtzener

[25:00] In this episode Greg speaks with regular guest Kevin Achtzener in his 7^th appearance on ToastCaster, as a follow up to Episode #97, “Memory Techniques to Remember Just About Anything.”

Today Kevin talks about how his techniques have evolved and shares with us a new concept he’s learned about memory and how he’s been able to not only memorize key facts for his University Classes, but also how he processes and synthesizes the information he’s learning.

Kevin reminds us that memory is not just about remembering or encoding, but also about being able to recall the information. He shares examples how he remembers things by visualization, creating images of phrases in his mind like avatars, placing then recalling them using the memories of his childhood home as a backdrop or storage grid.

Kevin also introduces the audience to the six levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy, a process that helps people learn and how this model fit into the big picture. Ideas and methods you’ll hear in the podcast not only apply to courses, but also for preparing and delivering speeches, presentations reports and anything you really need to learn.

Kevin Achtzener specializes in Mind Mapping, memory techniques, productivity and learning. He can be reached at VisualProductivity.net.

Toastcaster 114 Crutch and Filler Words Cripple Your Message and Reduce Credibility

[11:34] Simple crutch and filler words are sabotaging your speeches and crippling your communications and you may not even realize it’s happening.

In this episode, Greg takes a look at a number of these unwanted words and why we so often use them. He identifies some famous people who are also afflicted with this habit and offers tips and techniques as to how to rid them from your vocabulary as well as where to find help to do so. This is an updated version and reboot of Toastcaster Episode 42 and an article which can be found at GadgetGreg.com.    (Please Note:  The Ummo App mentioned in the episode is now no longer being supported by the developer)

Toastcaster 104 3I-Racer Technique for More Engaging Storytelling - Jock Mackenzie

  

Toastcaster 101 Mental Health Crisis – Saving Lives Through Honest Conversations - Mona Cooley

[28:17] In this episode we speak on a more serious note – the topic of Mental Health. Our guest is Mona Cooley, family support advocate and founder of Cool Family Solutions, Calgary, Canada. She is also a Distinguished Toastmaster, Past District 42 Governor and regular guest on Toastcaster.

Mona has taken leadership in her community with respect to Mental Health. Not only is she a subject matter expert, her family has also struggled with it. Mental Health is everywhere and it affects people young and old and from all walks of life. All you have to do is turn on the news – people are stricken with anxiety, depression and death by suicide has gone out of control. Kate Spade, Anthony Bourdain, Rick Genest (Zombie Boy) are just a few who have taken their lives.

Mona says families are struggling and don’t know what to do adding that things can and are being done – and one way is through having honest conversations. In this podcast, Mona talks about this serious subject, shares some of her stories including one that saved a life and offers some thoughts on what people can do.

Our conversation with Mona is timely. According to a recent article in the Guardian (U.K.) Lady Gaga, had cast her friend Genest in her Born This Way video and wrote on Twitter. ”The suicide…is beyond devastating. We have to work harder to change the culture, bring mental health to the forefront and erase the stigma that we can’t talk about it. If you are suffering, call a friend or family today. We must save each other.”

You can reach Mona at Cool Family Solutions.com. There you can also find a great resource page.

Toastcaster 99 About Corey OutSMARTs the Butterflies - Greg Gazin

[31:08] In this episode we see a little switch as host Greg Gazin takes the other side of the mic and interviewed by guest host Ryan Levesque co-host of the Toastmasters Podcast. Motivated by reading the book, Ryan takes the host chair and gets Greg to come clean to finally speak in detail about his 1^st book, Corey OutSMARTs the Butterflies. 

Greg shares with Ryan a little about what his book is about and how he stumbled upon the idea and what and who inspired him to take on the project which lead him to find a new passion - writing for a young readers. Ryan gets Greg to pull back the the curtain to talk about his shy humble beginnings (long before he joined Toastmasters) but also what he learned about his journey, the writing process, the illustrations and what he’d do differently the next time. You’ll also here how it’s changed him and what people of all ages can learn or take away from reading the book including a glimpse into the book’s SMART model (not the one you’re thinking about).

Ryan also give his take on the book and how he feels it can help his young daughter.

There’s also a book give-away, but you’ll have to listen to the podcast to find out more.

OutSmartingtheButterflies.com

Categories: Public Speaking, Confidence, Youth Leadership, ESL

Toastcaster 97 Memory Techniques to Remember Just About Anything - Kevin Achtzener

[25:07] We're so busy and bombarded with information that it's sometimes so hard to remember even the simplest things let alone details. In this episode, Greg speaks with Toastcaster regular Kevin Achtzener, DTM, a self-proclaimed Future Memory Expert who shares techniques for better recall.

Kevin’s obsession for remembering things and these techniques have helped him not only memorize a shuffled deck of cards in five minutes but also creative methods to recall large numbers – like part numbers and serial numbers to names and words. What might surprise you is some of his techniques involve using pictures, humor and even cartoon characters.

Kevin is from Edmonton, Canada and known as a Visual Productivity expert. Kevin can be reached at visualproductivity.net.

Toastcaster 95 Presentation Too Long? Build it Like LEGO - Freddi Dogterom DTM AS

Toastcaster 93 Speaking Up without Freaking Out - Matt Abrahams

[28:08] In this episode Greg Gazin speaks with communications expert Matt Abrahams who shares six of his many techniques to calm presentation jitters and a whole lot more.

Matt is an educator and coach who teaches Strategic Communication for Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and Presentation Skills for Stanford’s Continuing Studies Program. He’s also co-founder of coaching consulting practice Bold Echo Communication Solutions where he helps presenters at all levels of an organization to become more confident and compelling speakers.

He’s also the author of the Speaking Up without Freaking Out, now in its 3rd edition.

You can also catch Matt on the Toastmasters Podcast, Episode 111, with Greg Gazin and Ryan Levesque where he spoke on how to Be Confident When Caught Off Guard.

Matt’s Six techniques are also available as an infographic for quick reference.

Matt can be reached at NoFreakingSpeaking.com.

Toastcaster 86 Mastering Skills through Creating On-Line Courses - Dr. Bo Bennett, DTM

[20:46] In this episode, Greg speaks with Dr. Bo Bennett. Bo is a successful entrepreneur, author, podcaster, instructor and Doctor of Philosophy. Many of you may already know Bo as the creator of FreeToastHost, founder of e-bookIt and founding co-host of the Toastmasters Podcast.

 
Bo and Greg talk about on-line courses, but not just about taking them, but creating them and getting them up on-line. Bo talks about the skills needed to create them and how these skills, like Toastmasters are a great way to practise and learn to become a more engaging speaker and presenter in a live, on-line and in a multi-medium environment.

Bo also breifly introduces us to VirversitY, an on-line learning platform he created where you can learn to create and produce you own on-line courses. This platform cannot only help you with your skills improvement, it also opens the doors for many business opportunities. For example, you can create on-line courses without limiting yourself geographically or turn books or existing content into courses as Bo has done.

Bo can be reached at BoBennett.com.