Regular Meeting 125, Aug. 19, 2025 (Hybrid)

Impromptu speaking is tough. It requires quick decisions on what to speak, how to compose and how to deliver. Yes, it is one of the most nerve-wracking sessions while it is also the most enjoyable one.

How about the topicsmaster, who prepares the topics? In fact, it is quite tough.

A Pathways project “Active Listening” requests to demonstrate the active listening skill by making brief comments after each Table topics speeches, i.e. impromptu speeches.  Being the topicsmaster also needs to prepare the topics, think about who to call on, and facilitate the session while managing the time.

Yoshi, the topicsmaster, has carefully prepared the topics based on his recent experiences and inserted comments after each speaker

His evaluator Swan focused on how Yoshi demonstrated the active listening skill, observing Yoshi’s comments after each speaker; The comments subjecting the speaker demonstrated the good active listening skills rather than inserting facilitators’ opinions.  Indeed, evaluation requires active listening skills! It was a meeting that made me realize that active listening is one of the essential skills in communications and public speaking.

Vice President

Mariko