When The Model Breaks Down By Paris Qarabaqi

Success On Zoom: Stand Up. Look At The Camera. Close The Deal.

HiFi Speakers’ V.P. of Education, Bruce Ellis moderated a discussion about improving your communication skills in online meetings. HiFi President, Mark Whitney was the featured speaker. Afterwards, Mark took questions. Drawing from his background in television and video production, including recently building out a four camera studio for a new podcast that launches June 9th, Mark argues that high-stakes online meetings are too often treated casually, causing people to miss important personal and professional opportunities. He highlights the widespread failure of even media veterans—like Jon Stewart and Christiane Amanpour—to bring the same professionalism to their online conversations as they do to their legacy network conversations. Mark also provides some practical practical advice on audio-visual setups: maintaining unbroken eye contact with the camera rather than the screen ; standing up during meetings to project gravitas and non-verbal hand gestures ; investing in external webcams with superior sensors positioned at eye level ; utilizing external microphones ; and maintaining a controlled, artificially lit environment. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.myhifi.club [https://www.myhifi.club?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

You Should Love Your Car

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.myhifi.club [https://www.myhifi.club?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Full Circle By Ricky Savage

Ricky Savage's speech is sparked by an uncharacteristic moment of rudeness at the gym involving a lady and her dog. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.myhifi.club [https://www.myhifi.club?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

When The Model Breaks Down By Paris Qarabaqi

After moving to the U.S. for graduate studies and working as a data scientist, Paris faced significant life challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and her sister's cancer diagnosis. These experiences motivated her to reassess her definition of success, emphasizing the importance of personal connections and well-being over conventional achievements. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.myhifi.club [https://www.myhifi.club?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

General Evaluator 2.0 By Bruce Ellis

AI GENERATED TRANSCRIPTSpeaker0: [0:00] Okay, we will now move right into our speaking portion of the meeting. And first up, we have Bruce Ellis. It'll be a five to seven minute speech. Corinne, so in case you want to know how long you need, five to seven. And today, Bruce, who is our VP of Education, will be giving a speech about General Evaluator 2.0. So please help me in welcoming Bruce Ellis with General Evaluator 2.0. Speaker1: [0:28] Thank you. Thank you. I appreciate it. Sure, that's great. No problem. Great to see everybody. Wheaties is the breakfast of champions. Those who don't know, this has been around since 1933. It's the breakfast of champions. Now, what's interesting about Wheaties is they have professional athletes up here. And then they give you a brief bio. and this sort of this inspirational message as you're eating this fuel for your awesome day. Always dream big. Don't let anyone limit your dreams because the possibilities are endless. And every single month, there's a new person that happens to be chosen on the box and it's this breakfast of champions, Wheaties. Oh, Toastmasters, it's not Wheaties. feedback is the breakfast of champions for us as speakers and i'm here to talk about general evaluator 2.0 Speaker1: [1:34] All right let's do it fantastic so general evaluator 2.0 when we come to speaking here at hi-fi speakers okay we have a very diverse group as we continue to grow we want to make sure everyone has a chance, one, to speak, but two, can everybody get some feedback? And as you know, sometimes we don't start on time. Sometimes we have three speakers and we're short on time. Who is at the very end? Usually it's our GE, and that role gets shortened and shortened and shortened. And I'm here to tell everybody to be open and receptive, perhaps, to a new idea, which is, can we allow more time for that GE? Actually, I think GE is an unbelievably important role because this role can be more than it is today. Speaker1: [2:30] We can get feedback for everybody. Can we give feedback for our functionaries? Who gives feedback for our timer? Who gives feedback to the Toastmaster? Who gives feedback for the ah-um counter? Now, one, there's a couple of benefits in doing this. One is, as a GE, you're paying attention. So you're really paying attention to the entire meeting. But you're giving, the first thing you want to do is, what do they teach us in Toastmasters regarding evaluation? Start with something positive. So what are you doing? As GE, you're looking for something positive. How cool is that? Always look on the bright side of life. Always think about initial reaction is really positive. This is what I want to reinforce. Reinforce the positive things. Tell me about the timer. Tell me what you liked about the answer on table topics. Give me feedback for that table topics master as well. Speaker1: [3:29] Can you provide a little bit of things for improvement? Now, this is going to be a stretch because as GE, you've got a lot of people you want to give feedback to. The speakers are already covered. You have speech evaluations. But how do you, can you give feedback for, again, table topics master? How do you give feedback for the toast master? Can you give feedback for the grammarian, et cetera? Each of the functionary roles and give that feedback. Because that's what really sets Toastmasters apart, is the ability to speak, but every meeting, everybody gets feedback. Speaker1: [4:08] Now, I want to let you in on a little secret. Let's just keep it between us, right? So we talked about the importance of this. I am your vice president of education. And as so, I'm going to tell you about all the fantastic curriculum that everybody has available. That can be pathways right if anyone has questions i'm here to help there's a lot of material posted on my hi-fi.club right you have this these are the time fundamentals and this is incredible material but the secret is there's actually something better Speaker1: [4:46] What is the real benefit? The real benefit is coming up and actually doing it and actually speaking. And in so doing, you also can get feedback every single meeting. So as we think about this, as we think about what we're doing and where we're going, Speaker1: [5:08] And when we think about feedback, and can we implore everybody to think about getting feedback and make this a regular part of our occurrence? And as individual members, I'm going to challenge you as well, because maybe you can proactively reach out to your evaluator and say, I would like feedback on this. Don't just rely on the evaluator to assume. You can do that for sure. But if you really want to step up your game, proactively give your speech evaluator feedback or give the general evaluator feedback. Speaker1: [5:42] Hey, I really want to know when you evaluate me. Think about my gestures or think about this or give me feedback on this specific thing help your evaluator evaluate you and give you the feedback that you really want to do because again that feedback make this a regular part of a routine just like breakfast regular part of routine breakfast of champions because feedback right that is the key to continuous improvement in growth. Mr. Toto. Speaker0: [6:23] Please take a moment to jot down on those little pads any feedback for Bruce. Positive things that he should continue doing. Those are very valuable. People underestimate and overlook those. Speaker0: [6:36] And then think about anything, one, maybe two things specifically that he could work on. Speaker1: [6:41] And, This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.myhifi.club [https://www.myhifi.club?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]