Infuse Your Club With Vitamin C: Creativity!

为您的俱乐部注入维他命C:创造力!

September 2019
By Craig Harrison, DTM

Over time, many clubs become a bit stale, with members lapsing into a routine pattern each week. Sometimes it’s a result of the sameness of the room, identical meeting formats or the absence of enough new members to infuse the club with new energy. Over the years I’ve watched clubs succumb to lethargy. Yet the remedy is as easy as a little dose of vitamin C—creativity.

随着时间的推移，许多俱乐部变得有点沉闷，会员们每周都陷入一种例行公事的模式。有时是因为相同的房间，相同的会议形式，或者缺少足够的新成员来为俱乐部注入新的活力。这些年来，我目睹了俱乐部的萎靡不振。然而，补救方法很简单，只要少量的维生素c创造。

Administer this vitamin to your club whenever you feel you’re in a rut or want to do some team building. Past International Director Paula Tunison, DTM, puts it this way, “Toastmasters is like a love affair. Everything is exciting at first and then, if you’re not careful, it can become dull and routine. Changing your meetings helps to keep it exciting.”

无论何时，只要你觉得自己墨守成规或想做一些团队建设，就给你的俱乐部注入这种维生素。前任国际总监，DTM的Paula Tunison这样说:“演讲会就像一场恋爱。每件事一开始都是令人兴奋的，然后，如果你不小心，它就会变得单调和例行公事。改变会议形式有助于保持令人兴奋的状态。”

Here are some ways to spice up meetings with changes of pace, fresh ideas and a dose of fun to create a renewed vitality:

下面有一些方法可以让会议改变节奏、有新意、有乐趣，从而创造新的活力:

A different room layout. Many times, we accept the room layout as a given: the placement of the lectern, chairs and tables. Change it up by reversing the location of the lectern before the next meeting. If possible, put it at the opposite end and feel the difference. Other variations: If your lectern is at the narrow end of a long table, try placing it in front of the wide side. Or consider removing the table and holding the meeting in a circle or semi-circle, a chevron pattern (inverted-V shape) or some other configuration of chairs. Remember, environment informs experience. Add flowers, a scent or some fun decorations for further effect. Create a new environment and the experience will surely feel fresh and exciting.

改变会场布局。很多时候，我们接受既定的会场布局:讲台、椅子和桌子的位置。下次开会前把讲台的位置调换一下。如果可能的话，把它放在相反的一端，感受一下不同。其他变化:如果你的讲台在一张长桌的窄端，试着把它放在宽边的前面。或者考虑把桌子移开，在一个圆形或半圆形，一个人字形(倒v型)或其他椅子的结构中举行会议。记住，环境影响体验。添加鲜花，香味或一些有趣的装饰，以达到进一步的效果。创造一个新的环境，体验一定会感到新鲜和兴奋。

Campinas #1 Toastmasters, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, shared its charter party via Skype with the Minnesota Returned Peace Corps Volunteers club in the U.S.在巴西圣保罗的国际演讲会会员通过Skype与美国的明尼苏达返回和平队志愿者俱乐部分享他们的创会派对

A joint meeting with another club. Find one that meets nearby at the same time. You can host them for one meeting, and they can reciprocate another time. It’s exciting to entertain guests who already know the Toastmasters traditions. The extra people and energy from this joint meeting doubles your fun! For a truly different experience, schedule a Skype meeting with a club in another part of the country or the world. It will require some creative logistics and cooperation between clubs. For example, a Minnesota club with a connection to a club in Sao Paulo, Brazil, joined a lively charter Skype party for the new Brazilian club.

联合会议。找一个在附近同时开会的俱乐部，可以为他们主持一次会议，他们可以在另一次会议上回报你。招待那些已经了解国际演讲会传统的嘉宾是一件令人兴奋的事情。这次联合会议带来的额外人员和能量使你的乐趣加倍！如果想要获得真正不同的体验，可以在同一个国家或世界的另一个地方与俱乐部安排一次Skype会议。这将需要俱乐部之间的一些创造性的后勤和合作。例如，一个与巴西圣保罗的一个俱乐部有联系的明尼苏达州俱乐部，通过Skype参与了这家新的巴西俱乐部的创会派对。

**A grab-bag meeting. **Designate your next meeting as a grab- bag where, upon the arrival of members, all meeting roles are drawn from a bag filled with slips of paper. Use a fill-in-the-blanks agenda, or a flipchart or whiteboard where you write in the roles chosen from the bag. Any member may end up as Toastmaster, speaker or evaluator. The drama adds a layer of excitement as even the prepared speeches feel like Table Topics.

盲盒会议。指定你的下一次会议作为一个盲盒，当成员到达时，所有的会议角色都通过装满纸条的盲盒里抽出来。使用一个空白议程，或一个白板，列出在盲盒中抽中的角色。每个会员都可能成为主持人、演讲者或评估者。这样一来备稿演讲都感觉像即兴演讲，增加戏剧般的兴奋。

The theme’s the thing.Turn a normal meeting into a special event! One club in the United States held an Academy Awards meeting where the Toastmaster wore a tuxedo, the Table Topics questions related to movies and the winners gave acceptance speeches! Another club honored the American baseball season with a meeting in which each member assumed a baseball- related role: The Toastmaster became the manager, the General Evaluator became the head umpire, speakers became batters and the Topicsmaster became the pitcher. Members fielded topics. You can do the same with football/soccer—the General Evaluator becomes the referee, the Topicsmaster becomes the goalkeeper, kicking ideas back to members, and the speakers become the offensive line. Add a cheering section!

Other themes may relate to topical holidays or current events of a local, regional or national nature. Celebrate the Cherry Blossom Festival in Japan, Independence Day in your country or even a club, district or company anniversary.

主题很重要。把一场普通的会议变成一场特别的活动！美国的一个俱乐部举办了一次奥斯卡颁奖典礼，主持人穿着燕尾服，讨论与电影相关的话题，获奖者发表了获奖感言!另一个俱乐部为了表彰美国棒球赛季，召开了一次会议，每个会员都扮演与棒球相关的角色：即兴主持人变成经理，总评估员成为首席裁判，演讲者成为击球手，即兴演讲者成为投手。会员填充话题。你可以用足球或橄榄球来玩类似的玩法——总评估员成为裁判，即兴演讲主持人成为防守方，把想法踢回给会员，而演讲者成为进攻方。增加一个欢庆环节！

其他主题可能与局部、区域或国家性质的节日或当前事件有关。在日本庆祝樱花节，在你的国家庆祝独立日，甚至是俱乐部、大区或公司纪念日。

Members of the Port Melbourne club in Melbourne, Australia, celebrate the launch of Pathways in Region 12.

A reverse meeting. Once a year, say on April 1 (“April Fool’s Day”) or January 31 (“Backwards Day!”), you begin with the closing thought, hear speech evaluations before the speeches and generally reverse the order of your entire meeting. Shaking up the order of meetings draws longtime members out of complacency and gives a fresh perspective on each segment.

反转会议。每年一次，比如在4月1日(“愚人节”)或1月31日(“倒序日!”)，你从结束语开始，在演讲之前进行演讲评估，通常颠倒整个会议的顺序。改变会议的顺序可以让长期会员从自满中清醒过来，并为每个环节提供新的视角。

A costume party meeting. People tend to be more relaxed when they’re dressed differently than usual, so a costume party presents a great opportunity to practice composure and professionalism even while wearing a mask or crazy outfit. Think about a celebratory time of year in your country that you could tie into—Halloween, Carnival, Day of the Dead, the Lunar New Year. Just be sure to clearly explain to any guests what you are doing and make sure they feel included. Maybe bring along some extra adornments in case they want to participate!

Alternately, try wearing “uniforms” during Table Topics. Members of the corporate club KT Talkers in Milpitas, California, held a Table Topics session inside their company’s semiconductor cleanroom, a room almost entirely devoid of airborne particles. They dressed in their sanitized “bunny suits,” which included a head cover, face mask, white suit, blue gloves and boots. If you’re in an industry with uniform regulations, see if wearing different types of clothing causes you to talk or behave differently.

化妆舞会。当人们穿得和平时不同时，他们往往会更放松，所以化妆派对提供了一个很好的机会，可以锻炼沉着和专业，即使是戴着面具或穿着疯狂的衣服。想想在你的国家，一个可以与万圣节、狂欢节、亡灵节和农历新年联系在一起的庆祝时间。一定要向宾客清楚地解释你在做什么，并确保他们感到可以融入在内。也许带一些额外的装饰品，以预备他们也想参加!

A time machine. If your club is ambitious and likes a challenge, tie your costumes or themes to a historical period. Encourage members to dress like a past generation: platform boots and silk shirts with wide lapels for the ’70s, bobby socks and leather jackets for the ’50s, the gangster suits or flapper dresses for the ’20s. You’ll find a new energy comes with such wardrobes. Or go back further: the Renaissance era, Roman or Greek empires or even the Stone Age. Perhaps you’d rather fast-forward to the year 2058 or 3008? When the time comes, come in character.

In addition to dressing for a particular epoch, try using bits of related language, phrases and speech topics. Methinks you speaketh the King’s English fits in your Elizabethan era. For the Roaring ‘20s, work in a few quotes from F. Scott Fitzgerald or Virginia Woolf. And your Table Topics and speeches can relate to the themes of the era as well. Again, explain to any guests what you are doing and why—in case they think they need to dress like Antony or Cleopatra next time.

时间穿梭机。如果你的俱乐部是雄心勃勃的，喜欢挑战，把你的服装或主题与历史时期联系起来。鼓励会员穿得像上一代人：70年代的流行是厚底靴和宽翻领丝绸衬衫，50年代的流行是波比短袜和皮夹克，20年代的流行是黑帮西装或时髦连衣裙。这样的衣橱会给你带来一股新的活力。或者再往前追溯:文艺复兴时期，罗马或希腊帝国，甚至石器时代。也许你更愿意快进到2058年或3008年？时机一到，就表现出个性来。

除了特定时代的着装，还可以尝试使用一些相关的语言、短语和演讲主题。比如我觉得你说的是你那个伊丽莎白时代的标准英语。在咆哮的20年代，可以引用f·斯科特·菲茨杰拉德(F. Scott Fitzgerald)或弗吉尼亚·伍尔夫(Virginia Woolf)的话。你的即兴主题和演讲也可以与这个时代的主题相关联。同样，向宾客们解释一下你们在做什么和为什么——以防他们认为下次需要穿得像安东尼或克利奥帕特拉。

A progressive story. The Topicsmaster begins the fun, and it’s continued by all the members. Collectively, you tell a story designated by the Topicsmaster. This requires listening skills, creativity and quick thinking to complete. Each member contributes a sentence or two in the co-creation of a new story.

故事接龙。即兴演讲主持人以有趣的开头，并由所有会员接龙故事。总的来说，你们讲述一个由即兴演讲主持人指定的故事。这需要倾听技巧、创造力和快速思维才能完成。每个会员贡献一两句话，共同创造一个新故事。

The KT Talkers club members, in Milpitis, California, U.S., donned “bunny suits” to meet in their company’s semiconductor clean room.

A debate. Your Table Topics can have two participants arguing alternate sides of an issue. Or plan a debate with numerous “candidates” for a fictitious election to involve as many members as possible. Another alternative: You can ask Table Topics respondents to argue both sides of an issue. To further develop debate skills, allow a Table Topics responder to rebut the previous participant’s topic.

Debates build both listening skills and persuasive skills, and also challenge listeners to consider a different point of view and think more deeply about a topic.

辩论会。“Table Topics”可以有两个参与者就一个问题的不同观点进行辩论。或者策划一场有众多“候选人”参与的辩论，以进行一场虚构的选举，让尽可能多的会员参与其中。另一种选择是:你可以让即兴演讲的参与者就一个问题的正反两方面进行辩论。为了进一步发展辩论技巧，允许即兴演讲者反驳前一个参与者的主题。

辩论既能培养倾听技巧，也能培养说服技巧，还能促使听众从不同的角度思考问题，更深入地思考一个话题。

A television newscast. Bring journalism to your club. Your sergeant at arms can give the countdown until you go live and also be the “voice-over” that introduces the newscast. Your Toastmaster of the day is the anchor, with the Topicsmaster and the General Evaluator as your sports and weather co-anchors. Speakers become field correspondents with reports. You can even turn some roles into commercials.

电视新闻节目。把新闻带到你的俱乐部。你的接待官可以给你倒计时，直到你去现场直播，也可以是介绍新闻广播的“画外音”。今天的主持人是节目主持人，即兴演讲主持人和总体点评师是体育和天气的共同主持人。演讲者通过报告成为现场记者。你甚至可以把一些角色变成广告。

A speech marathon. Help your members earn their educational awards as you dedicate an entire meeting to prepared speeches. For clubs with a lot of members and the constraints of a one-hour meeting time, this periodic pumped-up housekeeping event helps more members speak and shortens the wait time between speeches. It’s educational for audience members to see multiple speeches in rapid succession. These popular events can be staged at a regular club meeting or scheduled in addition to your regular meeting time and place.

演讲马拉松。帮助您的会员获得他们的教育奖项，因为您致力于整个会议准备演讲。对于会员多、会议时间有限的俱乐部来说，这种定期的、充满活力的家务活动可以帮助更多的会员发言，缩短演讲之间的等待时间。对听众来说，快速连续观看多个演讲是很有教育意义的。这些受欢迎的活动可以在定期的俱乐部会议中上演，或者安排在你定期会议的时间和地点之外。

**Tap into your senses and conduct your meeting with the lights off. **Members of the ALE HK club in Hong Kong used this experience as a way to practice vocal variety. Without seeing body language and facial expressions, listeners are better able to home in on speaking pitch, pace, volume and vocal pauses.

Participants loved the creativity of the session and how the darkness forced them to think outside the box when figuring out how to give timing signals. Members had to focus on taking mental rather than written notes and evaluators had to memorize their statements.

黑灯会议。香港ALE俱乐部的成员利用这段经历来练习声乐多样性。没有看到肢体语言和面部表情，听众能更好地感受说话的音高、语速、音量和声音停顿。

参与者喜欢这个环节的创造性，以及黑暗如何迫使他们在想出如何给出时间信号时跳出固有思维。成员们必须集中精力记忆而不是写笔记，评估者必须记住他们的陈述。

The ALE HK club in Hong Kong gave speeches in a dark room to remove visual cues and focus instead on vocal variety.香港的ALE HK俱乐部在一间暗室里发表演讲，消除了视觉上的暗示，专注于声音的变化。

Tall tales are terrific.Once in a blue moon, or on April 1 (“April Fool’s Day”) or April 4 (“Tell A Lie Day”), you can dedicate a meeting to embellishment, aggrandizement and bald-faced lies. Everyone can get into the act. Your speech introductions, speech theme, Table Topics and more can play fast and loose with the truth. Make outlandish claims and issue representations of gigantic proportions for comedic effect. Then, just to confuse your audience, throw a complete truth into the middle and see if they detect it! Make Pinocchio proud.

During Table Topics, play Truth or Lie. For some, this is easy. For others, it might be a challenge. Vote after each topic response on whether it was the truth or a lie.

If you’re troubled by fostering lies in a Toastmasters meeting, rest assured that each April 30 you can honor Honesty Day with a meeting dedicated to truth—which is often stranger than fiction!

荒诞故事会。千载难逢，或者是在4月1日(“愚人节”)或4月4日(“说谎日”)，你可以专门开会来美化、夸大和无耻的谎言。每个人都可以参与进来。你的演讲介绍，演讲主题，即兴演讲话题和更多的可以与真相谎话相关。为了达到喜剧效果，做一些稀奇古怪的声明和夸张的代表。然后，为了迷惑你的听众，把一个完全的真相放在中间，看看他们是否能发现它！让匹诺曹感到骄傲。

在即兴演讲环节，玩“真实vs谎言”游戏。对一些人来说，这很容易。对其他人来说，这可能是一个挑战。在每个即兴演讲回答后投票决定它们是真实的还是谎言的。

如果你在Toastmasters会议上编造谎言，请放心，每年4月30日你可以用一个致力于真理的会议来纪念诚实日——这往往比小说还奇怪!

**Go Hollywood! **Themes abound from the world of motion pictures. Whether you take your inspiration from Hollywood, Bollywood or the movies of Hong Kong, you’ll find wonderful ideas from films and TV shows as diverse as Game of Thrones, the Harry Potter series or Downton Abbey.

走进好莱坞！电影世界的主题比比皆是。无论你是从好莱坞、宝莱坞还是香港电影中汲取灵感，你都会从《权力的游戏》、《哈利波特》系列、《唐顿庄园》等影视作品中找到精彩的创意。

Whether you employ these or other ideas to spruce up your meetings, that extra shot of vitamin C will breathe new life into proceedings. While you never want to eschew the educational value of meetings, such variations on our traditional formats will add a new dimension to your Toastmasters training and keep everyone fresh. Any time you apply creativity to your meetings, the results will yield fun, energy and new perspectives. Ready . . . set . . . create!

不管你是用这些还是其他的方法来装饰你的会议，额外补充的维生素C会给会议带来新的生机。虽然您永远不想回避会议的教育价值，但这种传统形式的变化将为您的演讲会培训增加一个新的维度，使每个人都保持新鲜感。任何时候你在会议中运用创造力，结果都将产生有趣、活力和新的观点。准备……设置……创建!

It's important to have fun in your club, but it also helps to evaluate your club's strengths and weaknesses from time to time. and to download the Club Quality Checklist.

在你的俱乐部中获得乐趣是很重要的，但它也有助于不时地评估你的俱乐部的优缺点。并下载《俱乐部质量检查表》。

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