TOASTMASTERS REBRANDED
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oastmasters International unveiled a new logo, tagline and positioning on Wednesday, August 17, 2011; the first day of International Convention. The rebrand is a significant step forward in achieving the mission of Toastmasters International. By creating a consistent identity across the globe, we ignite efforts to build membership and increase recognition of the organization. This consistency will inform prospective members, regardless of location, that Toastmasters is the leading
2 WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE
organization dedicated to helping them become the speakers and leaders they want to be. The powerful combination of strengthening one’s competence in communication and building leadership skills through participating in Toastmasters – thereby gaining the confidence to lead – is what differentiates Toastmasters International from other skill-building programs. Toastmasters truly is where leaders are made.
contents 2
Toastmasters Rebranded
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From the Desk of President
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From the Desk of Editor
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From the Desk of Area Governer
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About Toastmasters
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24-25 ISC Gavel Club & Summer Gaiety
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Club Officers Members Achievements
Club Awards
10-11
Hall of Fame and HUMOROIDS
New Members and Celebrations
20 Failure Stepping stone to success
articles 14 Sustainability 12 Remembering Gandhi
30-31
18 Ask to Get
22 Innovation
ISSUE 1 SEPTEMBER 2011
QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF ISC TOASTMASTERS CLUB-01334189, AREA-55, DIVISION-H, DISTRICT-20
ISC TOASTMASTERS SEPTEMBER 2011
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PUBLISHER
From the Desk of
the president
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SC Toastmasters has completed its first quarter of its third year. Since its formation, we have been on a steady growth path. In our very first year, we achieved Select Distinguished Status. Last year, we notched up a President’s Distinguished Club award by clinching all ten DCP goals. This year, within the first quarter, we have already registered seven points, with just three to go for our next President’s Distinguished Club award. A well laid out plan, clear vision with focus on objectives and above all our enthusiastic and committed members – this is the secret behind our achievement. Setting goals and prioritizing them is a very important step in achieving the desired result. As soon as the new committee for 2011-12 term was formed, the first thing we did was to set our goals for the year and start working on it immediately. The club officers actively participated in preparing the club success plan and followed it. Regular Excom meetings and continuous followup ensured that we are right on track. For any structure to stay in place, the foundation has to be strong. Foundation of ISC Toastmasters Club was very well cast by several senior toastmasters 4 COMMITED TO INOVATIONS
of Division H. We are thankful to the Immediate Past President TM Manmohan Sreedhar and his excellent team for having built on this foundation and setting a fast pace for growth before handing us the baton, Aristotle said, a journey well begun is half done. We believe a journey well begun also stands a far better chance
Sunil Kottarathil ACS ALB President, ISC Toastmasters
bers in the club and how they can help them and in turn help the communities they live in. When the realization strikes that it is not ME but it is WE that is when we can guarantee that the club will remain strong. We the club officers of ISC Toastmasters clearly believe in this tenet and know where to focus to be suc-
HE WHO FAILS TO PLAN, PLANS TO FAIL. to reach its destination on time. ISC Toastmasters, with its strong foundation, has never looked back since its inception. “Success is due 15 percent to professional knowledge and 85 percent to the ability to express ideas, to assume leadership, and to arouse enthusiasm among people” – Dale Carnegie A Toastmasters Club can be assessed as “STRONG” based on the commitment level of its members. When the club leaders understand this correctly, they can lead the club to new heights of success. At club level, the best leaders are those who believe in knowing it is all about mem-
cessful in the long run. A Toastmasters club goes through three phases during a year - Planning, Implementation and Recognition. The most enjoyable phase is the third one – Recognition and celebration. At ISC Toastmasters Club, together as a team, let us complete the first two phases by first half of the year and celebrate for the next half by fully involving in Club / Area / Division / District contests and conferences. I wish all our very committed and enthusiastic members a very satisfying Toastmasters year ahead…
From the Desk of
the editor
Dream until you achieve it Dream to bring a change in you And Dream to bring a change to this world around you
FAILURE IS WHAT REMINDS US OF THE SUCCESS AHEAD OF US…. Editorial Team Thanks to my colleagues who shared their time + wisdom
Sunil Kottarathil Manmohan Sreedhar
Mohammed Zubair
VP PR, ISC Toastmasters
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ife is a journey and in this journey we may sometimes fail to achieve our goals. But failure is not what matters - what matters most is what we have learnt out of failure. It’s not about how much you have been hit by life that counts, but what matters is how much you can take and keep moving forward. Believe in yourself, even if no one believes in you. Believe in yourself, and you will soon begin to live the life you always wanted to live. Never underestimate what is within you which is what makes you special. Therefore folks, take failure positively and learn from it. Success is in store for you. And if you are failing in achieving your dreams or goals, it only means you are not trying enough or you have stopped trying. Remember always, failure is what makes the success ahead of you sweet and fulfilling… Of late, ISC Toastmasters Club has been savoring the sweetness of success at all levels – Success of its members, of the Club and for the Area and Division. Many of these success stories come alive in this issue. We therefore dedicate this issue to SUCCESS.
IF YOU HAVE NEVER FAILED. YOU HAVE NEVER LIVED, PERIOD. ISC TOASTMASTERS SEPTEMBER 2011
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From the Desk of
the area governor
Santosh J. Shetty CC ALB Area 55 Governor, Div-H District 20
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ONE HAPPY FAMILY
they will inject that enthusiasm through their respective clubs. The Division Officer Training was very well received by our new club officers of Area 55 and they are also looking forward to their year ahead. It was great to see the enthusiasm from our first time club officers and I know they have an exciting time ahead of them.
THE NEWSLETTER IS A WEALTH OF RESOURCES FOR CLUB OFFICERS AND MEMBERS
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t is indeed an honour and a privilege to be the Area Governor for Area 55, Div H District 20, Abu Dhabi. I believe we have put together an experienced, eager and exciting Toastmasters team to lead us through this foundation year that will set us up to be a consistently high performing Area in the years ahead. We start the year with 23 Toastmaster clubs throughout the Division and our goal this year will be to extend our network of clubs and to consolidate the existing clubs. To give our members the
opportunity to hone their communication and leadership skills we have scheduled a number of Educational workshops throughout the year, lead by our Division Education & Training team. Clubs will be encouraged to look for every opportunity to promote their clubs and Toastmasters in general to the public, especially with the new branding this year. Our Division H is extremely enthusiastic and with guidance from our Division Governor DTM Dr. Nasef Dhafari, has put together an exciting program for our club leaders. I am sure
I am really excited about ISC Toastmasters club newsletter that has been put together by your team members under the able guidance of president TM Sunil Kottarathil. The newsletter will provide information for your prospective new members as well as a wealth of resources for your Club Officers and members. It will keep them informed about current and future events on the area & Division calendar and help us all to keep in constant communication. You all have worked extremely hard over the years to be able to make the best newsletter this year and I would like to acknowledge the pioneers, who had the foresight and belief that ISC Toastmasters under Arae55 shall once again become a president distinguished club this year. That time has arrived and we now start a new era of Toastmasters in Abu Dhabi as Area 55. What an exciting time awaits us. Please join us on this wonderful journey. ISC TOASTMASTERS SEPTEMBER 2011
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ABOUT TOASTMASTERS
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oastmasters is an organization devoted to furthering the public speaking and leadership skills. It is a non-profit educational organization. A nominal fee is charged just for administrative expenses only. Toastmasters is organized as voluntary clubs of members conducting meetings weekly or twice a month and go through a measured - step by step – approach for helping members learn the arts of speaking, listening and thinking. The atmosphere within the clubs are conducive to growth of the members. Generally the clubs are open to anyone willing to join, above 18 years of age from College students to professional speakers, salespeople, attorneys, teachers, and retire. Generally the meetings are conducted in English. But Toastmasters has grown from being an English-only organization to one that develops communication skills in several languages. Each Club is, through a multi layered organization, connected to the apex body, Toastmasters International, Headquartered in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, USA. The organization has now grown into a mammoth one, with more than 270,000
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members in more than 13,000 clubs in 116 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people of all backgrounds become more confident in front of an audience. Thousands of corporations and government agencies sponsor in-house Toastmasters clubs as communication training workshops for their employees. Specialized clubs meet at military bases, colleges and universities, churches and prisons. There are Toastmasters clubs for senior citizens, professional groups, bilingual groups singles and the visually impaired. Between then and now more than three million men and women have benefited from the Communication and Leadership program of Toastmasters International. Shortly before his death in 1965 at the age of 87, Toastmasters founder Ralph C. Smedley reminisced: “As I look back at over half a century of connection with the Toastmasters movement, I am impressed by the fact that a simple idea put to work in so simple a manner, has grown into such an instrument for service for so many people. It must have met a real need.” Indeed it does. We are all testimony to that fact.
THE TOASTMASTERS VISION
Toastmasters International empowers people to achieve their full potential and realize their dreams. Through our member clubs, people throughout the world can improve their communication and leadership skills, and find the courage to change.
CLUB 2011 OFFICERS
THE TOASTMASTERS VALUES
Toastmasters International’s core values are integrity, dedication to excellence, service to the member and respect for the individual. These are values worthy of a great organization, and we believe we should incorporate them as anchor points in every decision we make. Our core values provide us with a means of not only guiding but also evaluating our operations, our planning and our vision for the future.
Sunil Kottarathil President
Thomas Pandari VP-Education
Ramesh Taurani VP-Membership
Mohammed Zubair VP-Public Relations
Bharat Gupta Secretary
Mathew Kurien Treasurer
Ramanunni Sgt. At Arms
Manmohan Sreedhar Imm. Past President
THE TOASTMASTERS MISSION
Toastmasters International is the leading movement devoted to making effective oral communication a worldwide reality. Through its member Clubs, Toastmasters International helps men and women learn the arts of speaking, listening and thinking — vital skills that promote self-actualization, enhance leadership potential, foster human understanding, and contribute to the betterment of mankind. It is basic to this mission that Toastmasters International continually expand its worldwide network of clubs thereby offering ever-greater numbers of people the opportunity to benefit from its programs.
MISSION OF THE CLUB
The mission of a Toastmasters Club is to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment, in which every member has the opportunity to develop and practice communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth
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COMBINED MEETINGS
with other clubs during summer
Combined Meeting with Inner Universe Toastmasters Club (Meeting no. 55 on 24th August).
Combined meeting with Millennium Toastmasters Club (Meeting no. 54 on 10th August)
HALL OF FAME Meeting
Date
Best Speaker
Best Evaluator
Best Table Topics
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13 Jul, 2011
Ronnie Pais, Venukumar
Basil Sylvster
Savad Abdul Rasheed
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27 Jul, 2011
Thomas Pandari
Devlal Sahadevan
Sujith Vijayamohan
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10 Aug, 2011
Athira M Raj
Rajagopalan M
Shivprasad Gowda
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24 Aug, 2011
Eilin Francis
Pramila
Mathew Kurien
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14 Sep, 2011
Mathew Kurien
Pradeep Kumar
Ravi R Nair
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28 Sep, 2011
Riju Eratta
Rajagopalan M
Navya Thomas
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Humoroids
ADVANCED TOASTMASTERS CLUB
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SC Toastmasters Club hosted the first charter meeting of Humoroids Advanced Toastmasters Club on 18th September. HUMOROIDS, the only advanced club in Division-H, was officially chartered on 26th September 2011. Along with Millennium Toastmasters Club, ISC Toastmasters Club also shares the sponsorship of this new advanced club. This is the first advanced club in the whole District focusing on development of humorous skills of its members. HUMOROIDS ADVANCED TOASTMASTERS CLUB
Humorists
WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE
ISC TOASTMASTERS SEPTEMBER 2011
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Ramesh Taurani CC CL VP-M ISC Toastmasters
12 COMMITED 12 WHERE LEADERS TO INOVATIONS ARE MADE
GANDHI JAYANTI
REMEMBERING GANDHI We all value our feet, but if you really want to know its true worth, then ask a person on a wheelchair. In the same way, If you want to truly appreciate freedom, then ask those who are fighting for freedom.
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or us Indians, we have to thank our father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi, who along with thousands of freedom fighters has given us freedom. Hands that serve are better than lips that pray. Dear friends, it’s now our turn to ensure progress and take the country to greater heights. We do blame our government for the long list of our problems, don’t we? And why should we not? After all, we are citizens of a democratic country. Our slogans will put politicians to work. But along with this we ourselves be prime ministers for our own actions, identify problems and do our best to improve on it. I personally believe that the solution for many of our problems, many of which can be eradicated very easily, is by educating our citizens. We understand government is not able to reach each and every individual; we in our own capacity should sponsor at least one child who is not able to get an education due to the lack of resources, due to the lack of funds. I am cent percent sure we will not stop at one child. Once we start, we will find ourselves adding to our spon-
sorship list, because the results will be very much encouraging. One more reason is, sponsored children are grateful someone took them under their wings, and brought them success. Such children tend to become great assets of the country rather than liabilities. You may come up with other areas of development. Where you put unselfish and selfless efforts, again things have to work wonderfully.
will like to drawn your attention towards our own Indian Social Centre, where contribution towards the betterment of the mankind is tremendous. They work tirelessly for community service. You need to learn the arts of speaking, listening, thinking and developing leadership qualities to help improve your country instead of being resigned to blaming others. ISC runs a wonderful program that accomplishes this. Yes, I am talking of
BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD I shall like to remind you that October 2nd is not only celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti in India, but by Indians around the world. Other nationalities too celebrate it. The philosophy of simple and peaceful living has been supported by many great philosophers. Today Gandhian Philosophy is adopted by many countries mostly in the west. Drawing inspiration from Gandhi Jayanti celebrations, I
the ISC Toastmasters Club. I appeal to each and every one who reads this to take this wonderful opportunity and bring out your hidden potential in you to help build your nation. Join ISC Toastmasters Club, an affiliate of Toastmasters International! Let me conclude with a relevant quote from Mahatma Gandhi “Be the Change you want to see in the world”. ISC TOASTMASTERS SEPTEMBER 2011
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SUSTAINABILITY I
would not be entirely wrong if I say that sustainability is the key to survival for future generations and for the planet itself. We have all come across the word sustainability sometime or other in
SUSTAINABILITY - KEY TO SURVIVAL OF FUTURE GENERATIONS our day to day life. In fact, now days, it is fashionable to bandy about the word sustainability, with reference to nature and natural resources. But how many really know what sustainability means? How many really care? The word sustainability is derived from the Latin “Sustinere”, that is, to hold. Dictionaries provide more than 10 meanings for sustain, the main one being to maintain, support or endure. However since the 80’s, sustainability 14 WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE
has been used more in the context of human sustainability on planet earth. This has resulted in the most widely quoted definition of sustainability in the context of development - Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The Earth Charter speaks of a sustainable global society founded to respect nature, universal human rights, economic justice and a culture of peace. The history of sustainability traces human dominated ecological system from the earliest civilization to the present. In early human history, the use of fire and desire for specific foods may have altered the natural composition of plant and animal communities. The industrial revolution of 17th to 19th centuries tapped into the vast reserves of energy in fossil fuels. Coal was used to power engines and later to generate electricity. 20th century witnessed the emergence of petrol and petroleum products which have become almost indispensable source of energy in modern day life. The Energy Crisis of the late 20th century, demonstrated the extent to which the global com-
munity had become dependent on non renewable energy resources. Among the key elements of sustainability are Water and Population.
AMONG THE KEY ELEMENTS OF SUSTAINABILITY ARE WATER AND POPULATION Water covers 71% of the earth’s surface. Of this 97.5% is the salty water of the oceans and only 2.5% is fresh water, most of which is locked up in the Antarctic ice sheet. the remaining fresh water is found in glaciers, lakes, rivers, the soil and atmosphere. Due to the water cycle, fresh water supply is continually replenished by precipitation.
However there is still a very limited amount of water, necessitating management of this resource. Increasing urbanization pollutes clean water supplies and much of the world’s population still does not have access to clean and safe water. According to the United Nations, the world population is projected to reach 7 billion in 2012, up from 6.9 billion in 2009 and expected to exceed 9 billion in 2050. it is the combination of the population increase in the developing world and unsustainable levels of consumption in the developed world that poses a stark challenge to sustainability More and more data indicate that humans are not living within the carrying capacity of the planet. The sustainability goal is to raise the
global standard of living without increasing the use of natural resources beyond the globally sustainable levels. That is not to exceed “ONE PLANET” consumption. In March 2009, at a meeting of the climate council in Copenhagen, climate experts from 80 countries issued a keynote statement that there is now” no excuse” for failing to act on global warming and without strong carbon reduction targets, “abrupt or irreversible” shifts in climate may occur that willl be very difficult for the contemporary societies to cope with. The question is not, what is happening to the climate, but how bad will it be before the world statrs doing enough! Continued >>
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SUSTAINABILITY
HOW CAN WE HELP? GO GREEN EATING HABITS Eat locally produced diet. Grow our own food and support local farmers. We will save money, eat quality food and create jobs.
our children and grand children, is not Going to help them if they can not breathe fresh air and drink clean water.
“OUR WORLD HAS ENOUGH FOR EACH PERSONS NEED BUT NOT ENOUGH FOR EACH PERSON’S GREED”.
SAVE WATER Water is a precious commodity. Don’t waste it. As far as possible, harvest rain water. BUY SMART Buy products that consume less energy and last longer than others. ENERGY Buy energy saving products. Running the home appliances at peak efficiency also saves electricity. Allow natural light inside the house instead of turning on the lights. PAPER Re-use and Recycle paper Re-use and Recycle paper. Use electronic mail. One ton of recycled paper uses 64% less energy, 50% less water, 74% less air pollution,
Mahatma Gandhi
saves 17 trees and creates 5 times more jobs. DRIVE WISELY Transportation consumes about 25% of the total energy used. Driving releases harmful chemicals and other air pollutants in the air. use public transport. Drive only when necessary.
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Finally, we are now running out of time. The air, water and earth are precious gifts from nature to Mankind. To achieve sustainability, we do not have to reduce the quality of our life but we do have to Change the way we live. All that wealth we create and save for
Ronnie Pias
ISC Toastmasters
M E M B E R S
ACHIEVEMENTS RIJU ERATTA
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alents at the ISC Toastmasters are not confined to merely developing leadership or effective oral communication skills. Toastmaster Riju Eratta is a prime example. A professional in the area of Information Technology Security, he works for a leading
films but with no professional experience in the film industry or the film-making process. Before the making of Breaking Point, these amateurs had not as much as witnessed the shooting of a film. Pure grit and determination, and the ample use of the internet
Eilin Francis It’s a matter of immense pride for ISC Toastmasters that our young TM Eilin Francis has done it yet again! Earlier, she had won the second best speaker’s position among all the students from Qatar that participated in the 31st World University Debating Championships held in Botswana some time back.
RIJU ERATTA in the movie Breaking point (left) and Maathra (below)
utility industry in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Breaking Point was his first short film where he explored his long time passion,
BREAKING POINT WAS HIS FIRST SHORT FILM acting. What is truly unique is that this film has been made by a group of friends who are passionate about
helped them learn the ropes. It was a tough call as all of them are full time employees in different organizations
and the film was shot over an extended weekend. Watch this film with a truly poignant story line and enjoy the histrionic talents of our very own TM Riju Eratta, the protagonist in this movie.
This time around, she was selected to be a part of a team representing the ‘School of Foreign Services’ of Georgetown University Qatar to participate in the recently concluded International Model United Nations Meet in Vienna. She did us as well as her university proud by bagging the best delegate award under the Food and Agriculture Organization Committee category. It’s truly unique achievement that we all take pride in.
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Sunil Kottarathil ACS ALB President, ISC Toastmasters
ASK TO GET WOW!!! What was this!!! I opened the morning newspaper to see a full page photo of my favorite movie star. His movie was to be released the very next day at the nearby cinema theatre. I made up my mind. I was going to watch this movie. I was only 10 years old then and was so excited. I imagined myself watching the movie. For two days I was in a dream world. From the third day onwards, my enthusiasm started waning because no body seemed interested in taking me to the film. Why were my parents not showing any interest? Why didn’t anyone in the world care about me? I cried silently.
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After one week, the theatre changed the show. I was so sad that I had missed the movie. Seeing my face, my parents asked “What happened?” I couldn’t stand it anymore. I broke down in front of my parents…. “No one cares for me. No one loves me.” “But, what is the matter?” After learning about my wish, they told me “If you had such a wish, why didn’t you tell us?” Oh..Oh… I understood! I missed the opportunity of making my dream come true just because I did not speak out!!!! Dear Toastmasters, many of you would have gone through similar incidents in your life where you missed something just because you didn’t speak out or it was too late when you expressed your interest. Recently I read about the experience of Self-Help Guru Robin Sharma who always made it a practice of drinking lots of water. Especially, while on overseas flights, he drank water to avoid dehydration and jetlag. But on one such trip, he had forgotten this bottle of water. The airlines usually provided only one or two glasses of water. But he went up and explained to the flight attendant that he drank a lot of water and whether she could help out with a large bottle of water. He wasn’t pushy while requesting. He was polite. The flight attendant responded, “With pleasure sir” and gave him a large bottle of water. If he had missed that, he would have been compromising on something vital for him throughout his journey. He would have been forced to break his habit. Just by asking, he could avoid disappointment and continue to be fresh all through his journey. In toastmasters, I had opportunity to mentor seven members. Each member has a different approach. There is one specific case I remember, of this Toastmaster, who used to ask me lots of questions about how I handle each role in Toastmasters, How I prepare my speech etc. Seeing his interest, I used to give him helpful tips to improve. As the contest season approached, he asked questions about
contest and seeing his enthusiasm I suggested that he participate in the International Speech contest. He emerged FIRST at the club level! He made it to the second place in the Area contest and WOW, he got an opportunity to perform at the Division level. That is the power of asking. You have a much greater probability of reaching closer to your goals just by asking.
YOU WILL HAVE A GREATER PROBABILITY OF REACHING CLOSER TO YOUR GOALS BY ASKING Nothing happens if you don’t ask. People are not mind readers. They need to know what is meaningful to you. If you ask nicely, they might say YES. Imagine a volcano. When you see it from outside, everything is at standstill, calm. But within, there are lots of happenings which are not communicated to the outer world. Suddenly, one day when the pressure is beyond its capacity, it erupts and destroys its surroundings. The human mind is similar. A sudden explosion can be avoided if we keep communicating regularly. Pent up feelings need to be vented out from time to time. It is not a good practice to accumulate pressure inside by not communicating or venting out regularly. To keep a state of mental health, it is better we ask or speak out what we have in mind.
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FAILURE - STEPPING STONE TO SUCCESS said, “That’s easy; there is a pond near our school, I will teach you from there”. Next question, was when? He had an answer for that as well. “Lunch time, Friday”, he told me. Lunch breaks on Fridays were long - all of two and a half hours. Friday lunch break, and off we went to the pond. He showed me how to swim. I watched him carefully and followed his instructions or at least tried to. I failed miserably. He barely managed to save me from drowning. I was too scared to make another try. Failures are the stepping stone to success – a
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ike most children, when I was in school, I too had a burning ambition. When I tell you about my ambition, you might find it hilarious. Well, whenever I watched my friends swim in one of the many ponds that dotted the countryside, I looked at them in awe - as though they
were angels or may be Spiderman with this out-of-this-world ability. The magic of swimming attracted me like a magnet. I desperately wanted to swim just like them. But when it came to how, I was at a complete loss. My mother wouldn’t dream of letting me go swimming, because she knew I couldn’t swim.
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What would you have done? I decided I would learn swimming without letting my mother
I DESPERATELY WANTED TO SWIM JUST LIKE THEM
know. The next question was when and how? I spoke of my ambition to my friend. He
Venukumar
ISC Toastmasters
proverb of anonymous origin, but often attributed to Mahatma Gandhi. But I was too young to relate it to my personal failure to learn swimming. Years passed. The ambition to learn swimming faded – or so it seemed. But it had only hibernated, much like a computer was waiting for the restore command. After several years of an uneventful working life, somehow the dormant ambition resurfaced. This time, I could perceive the significance of the old proverb “Failure is the stepping stone to Success”. I started all over again, an attempt here and an attempt there…
only, this time, the attempts were at regular swimming pools instead of a village pond. By observation and by trial and error, I learned to swim and soon became proud of my self-taught skill, acquired completely without professional coaching. At every opportunity, I showed off in front of my friends. One unfortunate evening, in the deep end of the pool, I suddenly couldn’t swim; This time the lifeguard saved me. Again I had failed. I realized that I didn’t know swimming. Whatever I had been doing was gone. At my age, I said to myself, I can’t take a risk. So I decided not to pursue
my self learning. I began again and pondered about simpler ways to learn. What was the easiest and way to learn this skill safely? Go for professional coaching of course! There were many coaching programs available, typically ten to fifteen days programs. Was it so simple then? I couldn’t bring myself to believe it. This time I decided to test the simple, straightforward method. I signed up for a fifteen day professional training program and learned the basics. I practiced rigorously for a few months and honed my skills. Had I taken this simple
step earlier I realised, I would have saved years of struggle and unhappiness. The best lesson, I learned from this experience wasn’t swimming, but something far more valuable - I learned how to learn. In turn, this discovery sparked a new ambition. I decided to learn another vital skill, the skill of Public Speaking. But this time I knew I would take the best way and what better way there is than to join Toastmasters International? It’s this new ambition that I am now doggedly pursuing. Learning through professionals is effortless and effective.
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iNNOVATION Steve Job’s Legacy to Mankind
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his might be a bit clichéd, but let me mention the three apples that changed the world. First, was the one that seduced Eve in the Garden of Eden. The second apple fell on Newton’s head and gave students a whole new chapter on Gravity for all times to come. The Third and most recent one was that half bitten apple Steve Jobs gave us. With Steve’s passing away, the world paused to contemplate the key to his unparalleled success. From Presidents to lay men, from homemakers to computer buffs, from students to bankers all analyzed his success. The key to success that set Steve apart from his contemporaries was without doubt the power of Innovation. Look at the iPhone. Who could have imagined a phone with just one button that did everything? Yet Steve was able to think of the unimaginable. He had developed that uncanny ability to visualize what the customer would possibly like and achieve that. This is the magic of innovation.
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Yet innovation is not the exclusive prerogative either of scientists or of multinational companies. It’s not necessarily technical or business oriented. It can come in an astonishing array of ideas. In fact, it can even be hilarious! Let’s look at this little gem of innovation, My classmate from college, Madhu Thangavelu was a master of innovation. Today he is a professor settled in the US and is a leading authority on space architecture. Back in those days, our hostel was full of mosquitoes and we slept under mosquito nets. One night, Madhu found a nice large hole on his net. What would you have done if you were in that situation? I would have looked around for some thread and a needle and would have sewn it up. Not Madhu. Instead, he cut a similar hole on the opposite side of the net. What does he expect, I thought. That those mosquitoes would fly in through one hole and without disturbing him fly out the other? Then in one masterful stroke he completed that innovation.
Manmohan Sreedhar CC CL ISC Toastmasters
He rolled up a large engineering drawing, something that every engineering student had by the dozen, and pushed it through one hole and out the other! The mosquitoes found the opening, flew in, and then flew out the other end without tasting Madhu’s innovative blood! Does innovation then require high qualifications? Is it only the educated that are capable of innovation? Well, let me tell you another story. This time it is definitely a cliché when I say I belong to God’s own country, the state of Kerala in India. It’s not an exaggeration to say that the coconut is the common denominator in the Keralite’s life. We use it for everything. It forms part of our culture - we make ropes with it, use it as fuel, it’s in our religious traditions, we drink of it and we eat of it. For centuries every home in Kerala started the day with getting coconuts ready for cooking. Now, like many good things in life, there are obstacles to get to where the action is – in this case, the white succulent kernel. Nature provided the coconut with a hard fibrous layer of husk, two or three inches thick. For centuries, our ancestors got through to the shell, hacking away with a heavy iron machete. It was hard labor. Literally, millions of coconuts were de-husked every day in Kerala the hard, hard way. Then some twenty five years back, a young girl who had learned the basic principles of the lever in her physics class took things into her own hands. She got a meter long, scissor like device fabricated by her neighborhood blacksmith. Like a scissor, while closed, the ends met and formed what looked like a sharp spearhead. And like the scissor, when the handles were opened up, the ends of the spearhead moved apart. All she had to do was place the coconut near her feet, effortlessly poke the contraption into the husk and then gently pry the
handles to separate the husk easily. It took a 10th grade girl, to do what countless engineers and professors could not imagine. Today, this device is in every home in Kerala. It forever eliminated a back breaking chore. In utility, this innovation was no less than the iPhone. Irrespective of your education, your profession, your gender, you can innovate. Look around you and there are a million opportunities for innovation waiting to be discovered. The point is to always keep thinking of how you can do something to dent the world, make a positive change, solve a problem, ease a process, reduce an expense etc. Let me share one last example. Years back, whenever my wife asked me to change the bottle on the water dispenser, it was an opportunity for displaying my machismo. Lately however, lifting that twenty liter bottle had become a painful chore that was best avoided. I never paused to think of a different mechanism to save the trouble. Then, just the other day, I came across an ad for a new water dispenser that looked like any other - Except that you just pushed the bottle upright into the bottom of the machine where you hooked it up to a small pump. No more calisthenics of inverting a twenty liter bottle of water above your waist onto the dispenser! This innovation was within our reach if we had paused to identify the need and apply our minds to it. Such opportunities abound. Let’s be inspired by Steve and discover them in our everyday lives. Your innovations will certainly improve things in some small way in your life but you will certainly be rewarded with a large measure of satisfaction. And who knows, if you keep at it, you might even end being another Steven Jobs!
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GAVEL CLUB
ISC
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T
he relevance of developing oral communications and leadership skills in youngsters in today’s world is well acknowledged. The Indian Social Center’s Literary Forum, which was instrumental in setting up the ISC Toastmasters Club felt the need to extend the benefits to the youngsters. The ISC Gavel Club took shape sometime back and regular meetings are being held. The members are children between the ages of 12 to 18. The club functions on the same lines as the toastmasters and children take up the roles of President, Vice President, and Secretary. The club usually meets on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays at 10 AM and is supervised and counseled by toastmasters Omana Kallarakkal and Hemaprabha Vincely. Our Immediate Past President, TM Manmohan Sreedhar is currently the Gavel Club coordinator.
ISC SUMMER GAIETY 2011
CAMP DIRECTOR
TM THOMAS PANDARI ACS ALB
S
ummer in Abu Dhabi could be dull and dreary, particularly for those unable to escape the scorching heat to their own homelands or to cooler climes of Europe. It’s even more torturous for the youngsters who have nothing much to do. This summer however, was remarkably different for a lucky few. Conceived by Indian Social Center’s Literary Section, our toastmasters played a pivotal role in organizing SUMMER GAIETY. Our VP-Education TM Thomas Pandari ably led the efforts as the Summer Camp Director. The camp was a rip-roaring success with the kids and covered a variety of activities. ISC TOASTMASTERS SEPTEMBER 2011
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EDUCATIONAL AWARDS Advanced Communicator Silver Competent Leadership
ACS ALB Sunil Kottarathil ACS ALB Thomas Pandari CC CL Noel Fernandes CC CL Bharat Gupta CC CL Manmohan Sreedhar CC CL Ramesh Taurani
SMEDLEY AWARD THE DEEPEST JOY OF BELONGING COMES AS ONE LEARNS TO COOPERATE, CONTRIBUTE AND HELP . . .”
-- Dr. Ralph C. Smedley Founder, Toastmasters International
It all began in 1924. Ralph Smedley invited a few men to meet in the Santa Ana, California YMCA where he conducted the first meeting of what would eventually evolve into Toastmasters International. One person initiated a program that would go on to affect millions of people. In his honor, Toastmasters International recognize the clubs that add five new, dual, or reinstated members between August 1 and September 30 with “Smedley Award” ribbon to display on the club’s banner. In addition to the ribbon, qualifying clubs will also earn a special discount code for 10% off their next club order.
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ISC Toastmasters Club is a proud recipient of SMEDLEY Award this year. This is the second time ISC Toastmasters Club achieves this honour.
ISC Toastmasters Club achieved all the 10 of 10 goals during last year to become President’s Distinguished Club. This year, in the first quarter itself, the club has reached seven of 10 goals and is all set to get the remaining 3 more goals within next quarter. Club is now qualified for CLUB DCP ACHIEVER AWARD announced by the District.
ISC TOASTMASTERS CLUB AWARDS
Top Five clubs with highest education awards per 7/1 base membership ISC TOASTMASTERS SEPTEMBER 2011
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MAGICAL MOMENTS
CLUB PHOTOGRAPHS
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ISC TOASTMASTERS SEPTEMBER 2011
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Welcome To ISC Toastmasters Lean Leader for MENA region in the Oil& Gas Turbo machinery Business segment. Her husband Vincely, also a structural engineer, works for Penspen. They HEMAPRABHA VINCELY are blessed with a son, Vinoin who is in the Xth ema Prabha grade at Abu Dhabi InVincely, moved to dian School. Her interests Abu Dhabi from range from philosophy Chennai in late 2010. She and reading to social netlost no time in joining ISC working. She has already Toastmasters the moment honed her speaking skills she heard of it. Hema is a and is a big help as the structural engineer who counselor for the ISC migrated to mechanical Gavel Club. engineering and works for General Electric as ITO
H
RONALD ARTHUR PAIS
R
onald Arthur Pais, is one of our newest members at ISC Toastmasters. Ronnie, as we fondly call him, hails from Karnataka, India. Happily married, they are blessed with two sons. Has been around here in the Abu Dhabi construction and contracting sector for
an astonishing thirty three years and is currently a Sr. Project Manager with Thani Murshid Est. A sprightly sixty, he is a very active tennis player and indulges in reading when he has the time. A gifted and articluated speaker, he is indeed a gift to our club!
FORTHCOMING ATTRACTIONS Club Regular Meetings Regular Meetings Meeting Date
Division / District Program Training Date Programs Training Program
58 59
12 Oct, 2011 26 Oct, 2011
07 Oct 14 Oct
District Council Meeting Judges Training
60 61 62 63
9 Nov, 2011 23 Nov, 2011 14 Dec, 2011 28 Dec, 2011
28 Oct
Chief Judges Training
12 Nov 18 Nov 09 Dec
VP-Education Meeting Humorous Workshop Club Officer Training
GIVE US YOUR
FEEDBACK 30    WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE
We hope this newsletter has been helpful. Let us know what you liked and what you would enjoy seeing in future editions.
Contact the Editor at amzubair@live.com
Birthday Celebration
THOMAS PANDARI ACS ALB
Club celebrated birthday of VP-Education ACS ALB Thomas Pandari during 55th meeting on 24th August 2011
TRAVELING TOASTMASTERS
WORDS OF THIS
QUARTER
PRAGMATISM (prag-mə-ti-zəm) noun A practical, matter-of-fact way of approaching or assessing situations or of solving problems.
TM Manmoh an Sreedhar Seoul, Korea thil TM Sunil Kottara Singapore
COMELY (kōm-lē) adjective pleasurably conforming to notions of good appearance, suitability, or proportion AFFABLE (a-fə-bəl) adjective being pleasant and at ease in talking to others FLABBERGAST (fla-bər-gast) transitive verb to overwhelm with shock, surprise, or wonder APLOMB (ə-pläm) noun complete and confident composure or self-assurance FAZED (fāz) verb to disturb the composure of.
ISC TOASTMASTERS SEPTEMBER 2011
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TM RAMANUNNI HON. LITERARY SECRETARY TM ABDUL SALAM HON. GEN. SECRETARY
FOR FURTHER DETAILS CONTACT : RAMESH TAURANI VP-Membership 050-4425312 www.toastmasters.org
ISSUE 1 SEPTEMBER 2011
QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF ISC TOASTMASTERS CLUB-01334189, AREA-55, DIVISION-H, DISTRICT-20
SUNIL KOTTARATHIL President 050-5314435 http://isc.freetoasthost.cc/