Dr. Matthias Catón

My name is Matthias Catón. I’m the Director of Corporate Development at Frankfurt School of Finance & Management.

Public Speaking

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My year as Toastmasters Area Director

July is the month of change at Toastmasters, as officers’ terms end and new volunteers take over. For me, it marks the end of my one-year tenure as Area Director of Area F3 in District 95. The Area encompasses four clubs in the Frankfurt and Rhine-Main metropolitan region of Germany: Professional Speakers Frankfurt (my home club), Esprit de Corps (where I was a member for many years), Darmstadt Toastmasters, and Rhetorik-Club Bergstraße in Bensheim.

The Area ended up being “Select Distinguished“, the second-highest of three levels of excellence. Two of the clubs (Esprit de Corps and Darmstadt Toastmasters) even reached the highest distinction, “President’s Distinguished“ and one club (Professional Speakers Frankfurt) reached “Distinguished“.

Overall membership in the Area grew slightly from 114 to 119 members. We have promising prospective clubs, most notably those at Deutsche Börse and Deutsche Bank, which may charter in 2019/20.

Welcoming participants at the Area Contest

We held two successful training sessions for club officers in August and January and hosted the English-language Area Contest for our Area and neighboring F4 in February.

Our Area was also well represented at this year’s District Conference in Gothenburg. Kai-Jürgen Lietz (Professional Speakers) placed third in the German Speech Contest. Franziska Wiebel (representing Rhetorik-Club Wiesbaden, but also a member of Professional Speakers) came in third in the English Evaluation Contest.

With contestants and the Chief Judge at the Area Contest

It’s been an honor serving the clubs in my Area. Of course, the successes we’ve had are primarily the fruit of active membership and the club officers’ great work. Thanks for your support!

I now hand over to Valérie Tettinek, who, coincidentally, also hails from Professional Speakers. I’m sure she will do a fabulous job!

After almost three years with challenging leadership roles in Toastmasters – first as founder and Charter President of Professional Speakers and then as Area Director – I’m happy to currently be “only“ Vice President Public Relations of my Club.

I will now concentrate a bit more on my speaking – my career as a professional speaker and a contestant in Toastmasters competitions.

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Toastmasters Area Contest in Frankfurt

On 26 February 2019 Toastmasters and guests from Frankfurt and the Rhine/Main metropolitan region met for the annual English-language Area Contest for Areas F3 and F4. A group of 32 participants enjoyed great speeches and conviviality over food and drinks.

There were three types of contests: Evaluation, where contestants had to evaluate a so-called target speech; Table Topics, which is an improvised speech contest where contestants have to talk about a topic previously unknown to them; and the International Speech Contest, which is a general topic contest that continues all the way to the World Championship of Public Speaking. Below are the results of the different contests.

Click here for the photos.

Evaluation Contest F3

  1. Neha Attri (Esprit de Corps)

Evaluation Contest F4

  1. Oliver Grytzmann (Business Club Frankfurt)
  2. Daniel Pfeiffer (Taunus Toastmasters)
  3. Serchan Look (Rhetorik-Club Frankfurt)

Table Topics Contest F3

  1. Abhishek Vyas (Esprit de Corps/Professional Speakers Frankfurt)
  2. Christopher Jones (Darmstadt Toastmasters)

Table Topics Contest F4

  1. Martin Gamble (Business Club Frankfurt)
  2. Piyali Bhaumik (Taunus Toastmasters)
  3. Serchan Look (Rhetorik-Club Frankfurt)

International Speech Contest F3

  1. Abhishek Vyas (Esprit de Corps/Professional Speakers Frankfurt)

International Speech Contest F4

  1. Oliver Grytzmann (Business Club Frankfurt)
  2. Christa Fajen (Rhetorik-Club Frankfurt)

All winners will proceed to the Division F contest on 23 March 2019.

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How to create a Toastmasters Club

I’ve been a member of Toastmasters International for more than nine years now. I’m convinced that it is one of the best (and indeed the cheapest) ways to improve one’s public speaking ability.

About two years ago I wanted to do something new: found a so-called Advanced Toastmasters Club that is geared entirely toward experienced speakers.

First meeting of the Advanced Toastmasters Club in Frankfurt

The first informal meeting took place in November 2016. A little less than a year ago, on 6 July 2017, eight other people and I created Professional Speakers Frankfurt as a registered association (“e.V.”), and I became the Club’s first President.

Since then, the Club has grown in members to 20 and meetings from one per month to four—two face-to-face meetings and two online meetings. In May we chartered, which means that we became an official Toastmasters Club.

I’m incredibly proud of what we have achieved together. There’s still a lot of work to do to make our Club genuinely excellent, but we have a solid foundation with a growing and dedicated membership. We’ve come a long way!

July marks the beginning of a new Toastmasters year. Last week we elected a strong new Executive Committee, led by Michael G. Parker as President. It will steer our Club into its next phase.

I will remain on the Executive Committee for another year as the ex officio Immediate Past President. My primary focus, however, will be on my new role as Area Director of Toastmasters Area F3, which includes four Toastmasters Clubs: Professional Speakers, Esprit de Corps Toastmasters, Darmstadt Toastmasters, and Rhetorik-Club Bergstraße.

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New Advanced Toastmasters Club launches in Frankfurt

First meeting of the Advanced Toastmasters Club in Frankfurt

On 23 November 2016 fifteen experienced Toastmasters met at Saalbau Südbahnhof in Frankfurt to start the new Advanced Club for the Rhine/Main region.

Ben Parsons (left) and Steven Feller

We discussed many ideas of what the club could do, how it should be set up and so on. A highlight was the humorous speech given by Steven Feller. He was about to compete in the District level speech contest and used this opportunity to get some last-minute feedback and suggestions. The very extensive and in-depth feedback he received from participants was a great example of what the club will be able to provide to its members.

The next meetings will take place on 5 January and 2 February, also at Saalbau Südbahnhof. If you would like to know more about the Club and its purpose, click here.

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Mastering Public Speaking

Microphone (3:2)

Speaking in public is an essential skill for anyone who aspires a leadership role. For the first time this winter semester, I will offer a full module with 6 ECTS credit points on public speaking at Frankfurt School of Finance & Management. It is an elective of the Advanced Study Phase of the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.

[Read more…] about Mastering Public Speaking

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An Advanced Toastmasters Club for Frankfurt

Public speaking has long been one of my passions. Speaking has always been an important part of my work and in 2009 I joined Toastmasters International to see how I could increase my capabilities in this field. I’ve been an active member ever since, first in the International Geneva Toastmasters Club and now at Esprit de Corps in Frankfurt. I’ve reached Advanced Communicator Silver (ACS) level and am about to reach Advanced Leader Bronze (ALB). Earlier this year I decided to embark on a new project: to set up an Advanced Toastmasters Club.

[Read more…] about An Advanced Toastmasters Club for Frankfurt