Communicate98 nov15

The District 98 Newsletter

COMMUNICATE

| COLLABORATE | CELEBRATE

NOVEMBER 2015

Hello Hyderabad Confluence 2015

C C hange

The Art of

begets

ommunication

hange

1

1

and lots more

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery.

– Harold Wilson

Do we embrace change?...With open arms? The status quo is the most comfortable position we would like to stay in...but it is not necessarily the most profitable one. Fledglings feel safe and secure in the comfort of their nest. Their constant screeching ensures they get fed and the routine is set... But not for long. The mother nudges them off the nest once they come of age. It is now time to fly the coop and they better do it.

This rite of passage, the passing over of the baton only ensures continuum of the family, the institution, the history of mankind. Thoughts and ideas are conveyed, the art of communication, perfected and we advance to a better tomorrow, to a newer world.

Change communication and progress are intertwined. Please read what our readers have to say. We have some interesting points of view.

November is the month of the Semi Annual District Conference and as you read this issue you will probably be enjoying yourselves in Hyderabad.

Beena Mandrekar Newsletter Editor, District 98 You can get a lot of inspiration from our regular feature ‘Learning's from Toastmasters' and do promise us that whatever you feel about this issue you will write and tell us. Send your thoughts to newsletter@d98tm.in and enjoy the conference if you are in Hyderabad or read about it as we tweet or post our experiences on Facebook.

“The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said” - Peter Drucker

www.d98tm.in

2

CONTENTS

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

Features

10 COVER

Change Begets Change ADITYA MAHESWARAN

Mumbai Toastmasters Club

Articles

6 VETERANS TALK

The Golden Rule BRILLIAN S K , DTM

18

District Director

Are you a competent leader

8

AMEET PHADNIS

Genesis Toastmasters Club of Pune

VETERANS TALK

Communication and Connection CHANDRASHEKAR DP, DTM

Program Quality Director

9 VETERANS TALK

Keep Walking ARVIND NAIR, DTM

Club Growth Director

27

DISTRICT 98 CORE

KNOW YOUR LEADERS

20

30

TEAM

We are what we think

COMMUNICATE98

LUVEN RODRIGUES

ICG Toastmasters Club, Goa www.d98tm.in

3

CONTENTS

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

12 Investing the Smart Way NISHANT MEHTA

District Finance Manager

26 An important learning in my journey SUNIL KHUNTETA

Past Division Governor

16

24

Dear Editor

Change the only Constant

PRATHIMA MADIREDY

Area Director, F5

CHETAN PAI

Aon Vashi Speaks Toastmasters Club

3 ways to be connected with your

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CONTENTS

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

TABLOID A DIGITAL FLYER TO CONNECT YOU ALL Know what’s going on in other Divisions/Areas/Clubs 

Mail us your Division/Area/club achievements to make your clubs presence in TABLOID  Let us know how unique is your club  Happenings @ your Division/Area/Club  Acknowledge your club members while they complete CC,CL

For more information please visit www.d98tm.in/site/tabloid.html

connect@d98tm.in

13

22

Watch Which Way You Lean

You Can Speak…

Can You Communicate

NIKHIL SALVI

Division B Director

VIKRAM SIVAKUMAR

15

Barclays TMC

My Experience In Toastmasters VIKRAM CHANDRA

17 Demo Meet in IIM Visakhapatnam

Area Director F2

RATNA KUMAR

Waltair TMC

14 Change For the better

21

VIPUL JAIN

Do the same thing again and again

Area Director A1

KRISHANTH ARUNASALAM

Deloitte Hyderabad Toastmasters Club

19 Souvenir the Keepsake TM AKHILA & ADITYA RAJA

The Souvenir Team www.d98tm.in

5

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

THE GOLDEN RULE I have found the Golden R U L E for being effective as a leader, communicator and a skilful learner: The ability to learn, unlearn and re-learn as required.

“Two roads diverged in a wood and I - I took the one inner parts of our memory. Relearning is the easiest, less travelled by, and that has made all the differ- just some guidance and we can be there! Leadership essentially involves listening, time management, organ-

ence.” - Robert Frost

isation, delegation and providing feedback. We all When was the last time you did something for the first time? A clichéd question, you may say, however if you think deeply it is more than a question.

Many a times we do not embark on a journey because we are afraid – afraid that we may fail, afraid

know about these but seldom get to practice them.

Toastmasters’ philosophy of “Learn by doing” is the essence of the program - we re-learn. What we do continuously stays with us for a long time. Surveys indicate that we retain almost 75% of what we do.

that this is not a norm, afraid that we do not know anything. But let’s go beyond our comfort zone

Unlearn

and maximise our learning. Based on my experiences, I have found the Golden R U L E for being effective as a leader, communicator and a skilful learner: The ability to learn, unlearn and re-learn as required. Leadership is all about creating our own space, our identity, our presence. We are not APES. We are unique so being ourselves and bettering our

We cannot make mistakes - this is one belief that we need to unlearn. It is OK to make mistakes. If this was a school probably I would be standing outside the class punished for making this statement. The fact is that we all learn from our mistakes. However no one wants to risk making mistakes for the fear of being ridiculed. Imagine walking on stage in front of hundreds of people –

last performance is what is essential.

getting nervous and not being able to speak. Develop-

Relearn

ing cold feet or stage fright is common and can be overcome. It is never too late to unlearn, if we are will-

Everything we learn never gets utilised. What is

ing to take the first step, mentors are there to help.

used stays; unused elements are relegated to the www.d98tm.in

6

Contd ...

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

coach and mentor new members. It seems difficult

Learn

to be a mentor or a coach, but support and feedback If we have to enhance our leadership and communi-

is always available.

cation we need to continuously learn and develop skills. We all know leadership and communication are skills that can be developed and enhanced with practice. The more we do, the more we learn. The

Trust me every mentee would give you a different learning. Take this challenge and see the difference in you as a leader and learner.

more we learn the better we become. The better

This is the simple, easy to implement RULE that can

we become, the journey becomes more enjoyable.

help create a paradigm shift in our learning, leading and communication style. Dear friends this is the

Educate

time to take that plunge dive deep and become not

The best way to enhance our learning is to teach

just good leaders and communicators but good hu-

others. If we teach we retain 90% of what we share.

man beings as well. Remember if you are ever at a

The best way to enhance our learnings is to groom,

crossroad - taking the road less travelled would give you opportunities to explore and may be make your own road.

Brillian SK, DTM District Director

3 ways to be connected with your

District 98 on the GO !

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COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

COMMUNICATION AND CONNECTION CONFLUENCE 2015 saw the coming together of many minds. It has surely taken over 6 months, 60 meetings, 600 con-calls, 6000 mails and messages to bring together this mammoth conference.

Now, if I have to dissect and look into the makings of it, it all boils down to just 6 simple steps or you may even refer to it as 6 Up’s.

Chandrashekar DP, DTM | Program Quality Director

I don’t think I need to explain each of these UP’s.

Now, as we come together at CONFLUENCE 2015,

They are self-revealing, to say the least. But, what is

here are some ways of staying connected through

important for all of us to note is, the link between

communication.

each of these UP’s, is often invisible. That invisible

When Leading:

link is what I call ‘Communication.’



Be positive and encouraging



Give feedback and report progress

I define communication as the energy that exists



Respect everyone

between people when they feel seen, heard, and



Listen actively to everybody

valued; when they can give and receive without



Share the vision repeatedly

judgment.

When Contributing:

Hence, communicating with people often provides



Be collaborative

additional insight for a better connection.



Speak up and share your ideas

At Toastmasters, we can communicate with people



Keep your word



Volunteer instantly



Share the leadership message

in many ways. When we take advantage of these opportunities, leaders can better serve members, clubs can better attract guests, members can make better decisions, and together we all can have a bet-

As we take part in

ter experience of the program.

Communicating with others, keeping the Toastmasters values in mind, promotes a supportive and positive learning environment. This results in contributors who feel empowered and motivated, because their input matters.

the

Semi

Annual

District Conference we

will

see

for

ourselves the truth of the

www.d98tm.in

theory.

8

KEEP WALKING

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

Keep Walking is the tag line of a

unlearn and then relearn many things.

famous brand and I wonder if

To keep the

one becomes famous or one

- informed and committed, we con-

becomes a brand by keeping on

ducted sessions before the meeting.

walking.

We

members - old and new

explained the

Distinguished

Club Program and how they could contribute to seeing the club achieve

As a Charter member of the Bombay Toastmasters Club, the 3rd to be chartered in Bombay on

Arvind Nair DTM Club Growth Director

excellence. Mentors were assigned and a speech slot given only if the

February 1, 2008, I have walked three Districts: 82, 41,

mentor wrote to the VP Ed that the speech had been

and 98. We were aligned to District 82 and had to

reviewed. This helped the speaker achieve a greater

travel to Pune for the Area Contests. We had no

level of confidence and satisfaction whilst the

experienced or hardly any experienced Toastmasters

audience was treated to a well delivered speech.

who could guide us with the program. Those were the

Evaluations became more constructive.

early days when we had to rely on visiting District

Change, as it is said, is the only constant. In 2010 the

Officials for education sessions. These were few and

District 82 split and we were aligned to District 41.

far between. We read the manuals and conducted our

We became part of a Division in District 41. New

meetings in the best possible way.

clubs were chartered and the movement began to grow. No more travel as Area contests were held in

I was quite passionate about the program and as VP PR

Mumbai. Change begets change. I went beyond the

began spreading the word. Clubs were formed and it

club to the area. As I began walking the talk, I got

was a wonderful experience doing an info meet

noticed by the District Leaders. Unknowingly change

followed by a Demo meet. Progressed to become VP

was taking place. My first taste of the District came

Ed of the Club and then faced challenges. Many of the

with my appointment as District Chief Judge.

Charter members left the country or got transferred to another city. Many felt they had gained confidence having achieved their CC. For me it was time to www.d98tm.in

9

Contd...

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

My canvas got wider. Got to interact with leaders from across Divisions and in the years to come, I would of-

Communication channels like the Google groups and the whatsapp groups have helped to get across messages quicker. An enthusiastic and innovative

ten revisit those experiences.

Webmaster has worked on the District’s website Four years, four leaders each with their own style. It

www.d98tm.in.

has been a unique learning experience. The ‘positive and supportive learning environment’ has helped me look beyond the challenges. Resistance changed to

Enthusiastic Area Directors appointed through a transparent procedure are pursuing leads under the leadership of the Division Directors. Five new clubs

Resilience.

have already been chartered. Innovative awards Many companies began to understand the benefits of the program which helped to form corporate clubs and

have been announced and clubs are vying for these.

It is said, the best way to be in the game is to raise the bar every time you reach it.

soon it was time to spawn another District.

The newest baby of the Toastmasters world is District 98. Having been part of two districts, it is time for us to drop old baggage, blot out blemishes and set new norms in our march towards excellence.

As someone has rightly said, If the road is beautiful first confirm where it goes. But if the destination is beautiful, don’t bother how the road is. Keep

Walking!

Why are we called “TOASTMASTERS” Dr. Raplh Smedley, chose to name this wonderful organisation "Toastmasters" because “toastmaster” was a popular term that referred to a person who gave toasts at banquets and other occasions.

3 ways to be connected with your

District 98 on the GO !

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@d98tm

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10

CHANGE BEGETS CHANGE

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

The crux of communication is selling credibility as a

It’s the speaker and the addition of maturity since the

speaker. However, we all come with baggage. For

last time they saw you. They should be able to see re-

example, your club members might have seen you finement in your personality, humility in approach, phias a young boy a few years ago and still continue to losophy in thought, structure in articulation – and the do so, which does not allow you to sound credible new speech you have is just a channel to sell who you with motivational speeches. How do you change really have become – a new person with an ability to perception? How can you sell credibility as a speak- change lives. er?

And the year after that, you become a new person

Most of us assume that we will get better at speak- again – even better, even more powerful – and that is ing by coming back with a new speech. For exam- how perceptions change. Change begets change. ple, if your speech got you to the area level this year, you’ll work on a new speech for the next year

If you need your audience to change

hoping it will take you higher. But what we do not

their perception of you, you need to

realize is that it’s the ‘same person with a new speech’ and therefore there is no reason for the

become a better version of yourself

audience to see you at a higher pedestal just be-

each time and not remain the same

cause you have a new speech. There is no reason

version of yourself with just a new

for your club members to see you as a grown-up if

version of your speech. Go, become a

you are the same person with new speeches each time!

new you!

What is required is your ability to come back as a ‘new person with a new speech’ each time. It’s not just the speech that the audience gets wowed with.

Aditya Maheswaran Mumbai Toastmasters Club First Runner up—World Championship of Public Speaking

www.d98tm.in

11

INVESTING THE SMART WAY

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

NISHANT MEHTA District Finance Manager

Before investing your savings in any instruments

Mutual Funds: - Mutual Funds gives you the option

please follow these two cardinal rules:

to invest in diversified portfolio in different asset

•You should have one life cover in the form of a pure

classes. You have an option to invest in equity funds,

term plan.

debt funds or the balance funds. As per the track

•You should have at least three months of your

record, on an average spread over three years, any

income readily available in your savings account, so

investment in mutual funds would give you a return

that you do not need to sell your investments.

of 14 % tax free income (Assuming investment in eq-

Contrary to popular belief, the stock market is not just

uity based funds). It also helps in cost averages using

for rich people. Investing in the stock market, is one of

the SIP route.

the best ways to create wealth and become financially

Stock Market: - Avoid investing in a few stocks.

independent. A strategy of investing small amounts

Spread your portfolio across many industries, so

continuously can eventually result in what is referred

your risk can be reduced. Invest in Primary and

to as the snowball effect, in which small amounts gain

Secondary Stock Markets like IPO’s, Right Issues or

in size and momentum and ultimately lead to

directly through the Stock Exchange.

exponential growth. To accomplish this feat, you must

National Pension Scheme: - Finance minister Arun

implement a proper strategy and stay patient,

Jaitley announced an additional tax deduction of

disciplined, and diligent. These instructions will help

Rs 50,000 for those investing in the NPS under Sec

you get started in making small but smart investments.

80CCD (1B) in his Budget speech. This is over and

Multi Deposit Savings Bank Account: - Open a Savings

above the Rs 1, 50,000/- deduction under Section 80-

Bank Account which gives you the maximum rate of

C. The best part about the NPS is that you are not

interest and a multi deposit option wherein your ex-

stuck to one fund for life. Unlike a pension fund or

cess funds in the bank accounts automatically get

an Ulip, investors in the NPS can choose from six

transferred to a multi deposit term deposit which can

pension fund managers and even shift from one to

be broken at any point of time without any loss of in-

another if they are not happy with the performance

terest. A few banks which have this facility are Kotak

or services of their pension fund. But you are al-

Bank, Yes Bank, HDFC Bank.

lowed to switch managers just once in a year. You

PPF: - PPF is among the most popular long term invest-

can also invest only through one pension fund

ment option for long term savings. It provides tax free

manager.

interest income @ 8.7 % and also deduction under Sec-

Happy investing!

tion 80- C. Minimum Amount – 500 and Maximum Amount is 1,50,000/-.

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12

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

WATCH WHICH WAY YOU LEAN

phenomenon to like

Recently, I was part of a conversation between

someone

two club officers – let’s call them Ms A and Mr. B.

or

some-

thing more than its

Ms A was suggesting a particular toastmaster in

peer. In most cases,

the club, let’s call him Mr. C, to be the contest

such biases may be

chair for the upcoming club contest. Mr. B did not

harmless (like prefer-

seem too keen, as according to him, Mr. C was

ring filter coffee over

not up to the mark for a contest chair role. I was

Nescafe). It becomes

surprised to hear this, since having heard Mr. C

Nikhil Salvi | Director Division B

trickier and more harmful when it comes to people. Apart

speak in the past I thought he would do a

from hurting someone emotionally, and causing tensions

competent job. A little more probing revealed

among individuals, it can make you look bad as a leader if

that Mr. B thought Mr. C had too much of mother

you are perceived as being biased for or against anything -

tongue influence, no clear diction and not enough

all the more important to guard yourself against your

presence of mind. Eventually, the contest chair

own biases.

role went to another Toastmaster. Interestingly, another club invited Mr. C to be the contest chair

There are a few ways we may become more informed of

for their contest, where he did a good job and

our biases. First, stop assuming yourself to be fair-

was appreciated. So why did Mr. B think Mr. C

minded. Regular introspection helps. So does taking feed-

was not good enough?

back from others on your leadership performance. Also, every once in a while, simply force yourself to go against

In my opinion, Mr. B acted as per his bias. In his

your own instinct and trust someone to do a role, know-

opinion, a contest chair must have impressive

ing full well that there may be goofups and challenges.

English diction, ready wit and be smart. It was not

You may be surprised at how your own biases will be re-

enough for him that Mr. C was a sincere

vealed to you, and how avoiding them may help you

Toastmaster who would prepare in advance and

come across as a fair leader.

do the role without much fanfare. It’s a common

SEARCHING FOR A CLUB??

Go to d98tm.in > District 98 > Club list  

Enter club name or club id Click on the result

please visit www.d98tm.in/site/clublist.html enough

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info@d98tm.in

13

CHANGE FOR THE BETTER

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

In the year 2007 I spent Diwali all by my-

they looked so lovely and festive. Designs

self. Some of my friends went off to their

for Rangoli were laid at the door and the

homes and the rest spent time with their

house looked lovely. Meanwhile, I got

girl friends. I was all alone. I was sitting

ready and started decorating the Puja

idle and sad in my room. I didn’t know

room. She had promised to cook a sump-

what to do. That was the worst Diwali of my life. I

tuous meal and she chose to make South Indian

roamed the commercial Street of Bangalore somehow

delicacy – Idli and Sambhar with Coconut Chutney.

sad but also interested in what was happening around

Every corner of the house was lit up carefully, and a

me.

large diya, bigger than usual, was kept in the puja

I got married in Feb-2008, and things have been fabu-

room. We met our landlord upstairs and went

lous since then. It was my first Diwali as a couple and

across to the neighbors to greet them.

without my parents. Diwali that year was more precious

After the puja, we sat together for our dinner. It

to me and my wife as we celebrated it in our new found

was awesome and the feeling of “being-at-home”

happiness. With the guidance from our parents long dis-

is quite a different experience. Nothing is more

tance, we performed the puja, made sweetmeats at

pleasing than having your loved one by your side

home and exchanged pleasantries with everyone. The

during a joyous occasion. After dinner, we burst

celebrations started a day early with a round of spring

some crackers and it was then that I thought

cleaning and decorations. We had our own time to do

fondly of my parents and my brother. I missed my

some eleventh hour shopping, prepping the ambiance

family too. Diwali is all about family bonding,

and even making trips to get some firecrackers, extra

having meals together while catching up with each

decorations, Rangoli and enough fairy lights to illumi-

other. It was a fantastic day and I had such a great

nate the entire house.

time with my wife.

As expected, Diwali was a hectic day. My wife was enthusiastic enough to put up the lights around the house www.d98tm.in

Vipul Jain Area Director B1

14

MY EXPERIENCE IN TOASTMASTERS

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

In the year 2012, I surfed the net for a Website on adventure. The search threw up several sites and one of them was “Secunderabad Toastmasters”. It piqued my curiosity and I wondered if it was some cookery stuff…Of course not. We all know now what toastmasters is and since then I developed a keen interest in Public

speaking

and

most

importantly

started

contributing to the club.

Secunderabad Toastmasters was not chartered and I as a guest in that club attended meetings for over 8 months took various roles and eventually became a chartered member of that prestigious club on 1st April 2013. Since then, I visited many clubs across the city of Hyderabad and got familiar with most of the roles and got to know many Toastmasters.

Molding a new club Vikram Chandra | Area Director F2

I was working with Tech Mahindra and the organization too wanted to charter the club. But it took its toll on me to schedule meetings regularly, get members to attend and take more than dual roles.

Finally, the Tech Mahindra club got chartered after its

of my Management and even the Senior Toastmasters and learnt the art of negotiations (be it for F&B, Logistics, etc.). Chandra was my guru for that purpose. Handling the entire event with not a single em-

40th meeting was completed.

ployee of Tech Mahindra not knowing about Toast-

Know the Unknown Undertaking a role that was very new to me was the biggest challenge in Toastmasters. The event was “Orafest 2014- Division E, F, and H Annual Conference during April 2014. A point to note, Tech Mahindra club was not even chartered then. As the Division was looking out for a venue for its annual event, I had chipped in and suggested to Chandrashekar (the then Division Governor) that Tech Mahindra could host that year’s Conference. Not knowing the challenges, I walked into the unknown and challenged myself to ensure the success of the event. I was mediating between Toastmasters and my Management for this purpose.

In the process, I got to interact with the top leaders

masters before the conference unfolded, helped me in a great way in achieving membership drive for Tech Mahindra club. Being the Logistics Chair for this conference helped me to know many a thing about coordination, time management and more important taking responsibility for a big conference.

Wide Exposure During Oct 2014 at the Semi-Annual Conference-“Fun n Furore”, I was given the task of being the Conference Chair of such a large event. Phew…This was a dream come true. A moment came where in our Division Governor TM Srinidhi was away for her official duty 10 days prior to the start of Conference & even

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15

Contd...

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

my Co-Conference Chair TM Leel Bahadur was away for

My most cherishing Moments in Toastmasters

3-4 days at the critical juncture. This made my task

•President of Secunderabad Toastmasters Club

even tougher. Coordinating with the entire team for

from 2014-15

the 1st time gave me an unbelievable experience.

•Mentoring, sponsoring and helping Charter Tech

Donning various roles

Mahindra Toastmasters

Be it a Club/Area/Division contest, I was up for taking

•Charter member of both Secunderabad and Tech

roles from that of a Chief SAA, Logistics Chair, Timer,

Mahindra Toastmaster clubs

Tally Counter, Chief Judge and so on. For me, distance

•Donning the role of Conference Chair and

never mattered. In spite of my work place being 25 km

Conference Mentor

away from the main hub of Hitech City where all com-

•Registrations Chair for Confluence 2015-District 98

munity and corporate clubs were situated, I was happy

Semi Annual Toastmasters Conference

to oblige. Most of the Toastmasters were of the view

•Being an Area Director for Area F2 for this year

that that I had been working out of the IT hub location, but that wasn’t the case. In fact I was working out of my organization’s 2nd branch located out of the city.

Congratulations on the newsletter! I liked all of it.

I am glad we are not sticking to articles related to public speaking only. I loved the bits on travelling, more because of the first-hand experience and not travel advice type. I enjoyed the interview style too. Not to mention TM Mohan’s informative/ strategic article.

Over all, it was a pleasure reading it. Look forward to the next one.

PRATHIMA MADIREDDY Area Director, F5 www.d98tm.in

16

DEMO MEET IN IIM VISAKHAPATNAM Toastmaster Chendil Kumar is a visiting faculty at the newly set up Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Visakhapatnam and wanted to introduce the Toastmasters movement to the IIMV graduates as he believed firmly that the spirit of toastmasters will help them in their future endeavors. And so he contacted the president of Waltair Toastmasters club, TM Sandhya. She and TM Sruthi swiftly assembled a team for the demo meeting. The team consisted of toastmasters from both the corporate and community clubs of Vizag. Each role player was briefed a day or two in advance by TM Srinivas Savaram and TM Sandhya.

On the day of the meeting, 15 toastmasters gathered at the IIMV campus. The meeting was flagged off by the SAA TM Chaitanya and was handed over to TM Sandhya. TM Sandhya gave a brief introduction about the Waltair TM club and called upon the TMoD to take over the session.

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

TM Chendil Kumar started the session in his own unique style. He briefly introduced the toastmasters by letting the audiences know how it all started. He then provided the information about the movement without overwhelming the audience too much. TM Nikhil Jain gave a hilarious speech following which the TMoD conducted a table topics session. This segment gives an opportunity for the guests to participate and the students of IIM came forward in large numbers. Both speakers and audience thoroughly enjoyed the table topics session.

The speech by TM Nikhil was evaluated by TM Srinivas Savaram. The various role players ably assisted the TMoD - TM Manoj, TM Ratan, TM Mythili and TM Madhuri. At the end, a couple of Toastmasters were requested to speak about their journey of Toastmasters and how have they benefited out of it. The IIM students were invited to attend the toastmasters meeting in the city and with that the meeting ended on a high note.

www.d98tm.in

TM Ratna Kumar Waltair TMC

17

ARE YOU A COMPETENT LEADER

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

so happened that when Abhimanyu was still in the

John Maxwell wrote ‘A Leader is one

womb, Subhadra urged Arjun to explain to her the

who knows the way, goes the way, and

Chakravyuha military formation: the arrangement of

shows the way’

soldiers in the form of a wheel, which was considered the most difficult arrangement to infiltrate in a war.

There are three key qualities a good

Arjun explained the best method for en-

leader must

tering into the formation. Subhadra fell

possess:

1. He should know the way.

asleep, yet Arjun continued, but unfortu-

2. He should have tried it himself

nately he was interrupted by Lord Krish-

before

na. He could not therefore explain to her

putting

his

followers

at risk.

3. He should be able to transfer

Ameet Phadnis Genesis Toastmasters Club of Pune

the trick to get out of the intricate pattern. All this was absorbed by

complete knowledge to his followers so they can

little Abhimanyu in the womb.

take it ahead

Now when Abhimanyu as a young soldier, penetrated

It is important for the leader to know the exact

the Chakravyuha formed by the Kauravas, he found

direction in which to take the organization. His vision

himself incapable of breaking it and coming out of it.

and mission should be clear. He must decide and lead

And as a result Arjun had to lose his son. An example

after examining all consequences. This is true of a

of incomplete transfer of control.

platoon leader. He gauges the situation finds out as best he can the position of the opponent and gives

In this day and age when planning and strategy

the order to strike.

formulations, have assumed importance, having

A good leader should lead by example.

good leaders has become inevitable. But more im-

Mahatma Gandhi is great example of this. In the

portantly it has becomes necessary for the leader to

1930’s a young boy had become addicted to and ob-

be extremely attentive to every small step he initi-

sessed with eating sugar. His mother decided to get

ates. We are handling big and small teams in office;

help and took him to meet Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi

do we pay careful attention to the qualities of a good

told her “I cannot tell him not to eat sugar. But you

leader? Do we transfer knowledge completely or do

may bring him back in a few weeks and then I will talk

we hold something back to let the subordinate bear

to him.” The mother was confused. Two weeks later

the consequences? So the question arises who has to

she came back. This time Gandhi looked directly at

pay the price for the leaders’ negligence? Followers

the boy and said ‘Young lad you should stop eating

are equally responsible and they have to figure out

sugar. It is not good for your health’. The boy nodded

the consequences and the possible gaps in their lead-

and promised he wouldn’t. The boy’s mother was

ers’ thought process. Napoleon Bonaparte rightly

puzzled. “Why didn’t you tell him that, two weeks

said ‘A leader is a dealer in hope’ and yes we have to

ago?” Gandhi smiled and said ‘two weeks ago I was

keep this hope alive every single time we lead.

eating a lot of sugar myself.’ Transfer of complete knowledge Abhimanyu, the son of Arjun and Subhadra, is well known as a phenomenal warrior. It www.d98tm.in

18

SOUVENIR THE KEEPSAKE

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

TM Akhila | Souvenir Team

These two intrepid toastmasters Aditya Raja and Akhila Kakeri are at the helm of affairs where the Souvenir for ‘Confluence’ – the Semi Annual District Conference - is concerned. No two persons could be more dissimilar. If Akhila is highly charged and worried that the work never seems to be ending, Aditya Raja is quite contained. ‘Used to it’ he says nonchalantly. ‘The tempo builds up only towards the end.’ Akhila thought that telling people well in advance to contribute to the souvenir, was enough for them to send in their articles. Little did she realize that people promptly forget such requests.

What she experienced is every editor’s nightmare!

After several ‘gentle reminders’ and phone calls and a few chewed nails, some pieces started trickling in.

And now that the Conference is round the corner there is a sense of panic! But she has Raja for support and he is cool. He can get it done he says…no problem. Everything is under control. By the time this Newsletter is published the Souvenir will be hot off the press and we are certainly in for a treat.

Prathima Madireddy Area Director F5 Aditya Raja |Souvenir Team

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19

WE ARE WHAT WE THINK

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

This is an old quote which reflects the fact, that we design the quality of our life, through the medium of our thoughts. The creative power of our mind is bewildering and seamless within the realm of that which is possible. Like a magnet, our thoughts attract the relationships in our life, our job, health, wealth, failure, success... Positive thoughts generate positive feelings and attract positive life experiences and vice versa.

Luven Rodrigues | ICG Toastmasters Club, Goa

Accepting oneself and believing in self-potential truly creates an aura of positivity from within. At times, we are engulfed into a vicious circle of comparing ourselves with the success of others. Ironically, a person's success is only the tip of the iceberg we see.

The only person you should be better than, is the person you were yesterday- an elixir of true

outlook seems unsustainable. Just indulge into activities that create happiness from within. Spending time with your loved ones, breaking into weekend getaways, blogging some snippets about your hobbies or positive life experiences, in fact just surrounding yourself with positive people can make a remarkable difference.

happiness.

Toastmasters International undoubtedly, is an epitoAt times, when you get into annoying situations with family members, friends, colleagues at work, people in stores, restaurants, buses or trains, just try and reflect that people are not always wrong, they are just different from us. Their thoughts are a reflection of their surroundings, perhaps experience for the day or in life at large and we need to respect and understand them.

me of positivity in my life. At Toastmasters, one is surrounded by a group of positive-thinking individuals from all walks of life who have the drive to become successful. Networking and associating with such people reflects the caliber of person you want to be. It is like magic dust that captivates whomever you sprinkle it on and leaves a trail of a magical experience.

A positive mind certainly reflects a positive life. Let

In a life situation, when you look through this magical

the magic begin!

mirror of positive attitude and change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.

A simple smile, listening ear and a word of encouragement or gratitude are precious gifts that we can give away to people we meet across our journey through life. Inevitably, negativity streams into our existence through the people we meet, day to day happenings or social media and perpetual positive www.d98tm.in

20

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

TO DO THE SAME THING AGAIN AND AGAIN It was a regular day at office. I was doing some installations. Owing to those countless times I’ve done them repeatedly, I had attained a state of familiarity where I could do it with my eyes closed. I was quite impressed, but wasn’t very satisfied. That inner voice kept whispering, “It’s repetition, it’s repetition; there’s nothing much you need to do; don’t try much because your brain juice will dry such”.

I was disturbed about not being able to use my intellectual capabilities to a larger extent at work. I thought about school and college days where I embraced thinking, acting and creating. I was quite disappointed. I stretched my thoughts. I looked for examples in other people’s lives if they had work where they were tweaking their creativity through the day.

In school I was taught in Hinduism class that Brahma is the lord of creation. I used to marvel at the job he had. There is no person in the world that looks exactly like the other... Seven billion different faces and counting, that’s quite an impressive work record he’s got. Yet again, it’s only the face that’s different.

When he is creating a human, probably he follows the same algorithm or steps such as fix two legs, fix two hands, make sure five fingers are present in each hand, confirm that stomach is below the lungs and so on. Aha! Even the lord of creation has a repetitive job! Then there is that tiny interesting part where he has to apply his artistry to create a different face, a face that’s not been there in the history of mankind.

No. They too did certain things over and over again. For example, a scientist set up experiments every time he was trying to make a breakthrough or a musician did the same process every time he wrote or recorded music.

One can argue that repetition builds skill. It does. At Toastmasters we Krishanth Arunasalam write Deloitte Hyderabad Toastmasters Club speeches, we practice them, add rhetoric, and subtract complexity. We try to connect with the audience – it is all the same, all the time. The topics we choose to speak about are almost always different, and that’s an entirely unique task in itself.

When you repeatedly do something you become comfortable with it. Then you look to step out of the comfort zone, to be creative; it’s not mundane. That makes life more interesting.

It is the key.

Repetition is everywhere. It builds skill. Yet there is so much to uncover where creativity and intellect can be applied. Keep looking. It is right there, everywhere.

That’s mythology. There is always science connected to birth. I had to look at realistic examples. What about artistes in music, painting, and drama? They are considered to have the highest levels of creativity, so there should be something I could learn from their lives, right? Did they constantly tap into creative avenues?

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21

YOU CAN SPEAK...CAN YOU

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

When I was 2 years old, I uttered my

•Why are they here and what do they

first word –‘Ma’ I learnt more complex

want from my speech

words quickly – food, chocolates, cycle and so on. While the choice of words

Now imagine how they would react

might be different, this is the case for

to the current draft of your speech.

most of us. That’s both fortunate and

Deliver the draft to a few people who

unfortunate. Fortunate because most of us can speak. Unfortunate, because we

can represent your target audience.

Vikram Sivakumar Barclays TMC

confuse speaking with communicating.

Based on these reactions, modify and fine-tune the speech. In this approach,

Speaking is about expressing an idea. It is a one way

though the audience is not giving you immediate

relationship. Communicating goes beyond. It is about

feedback – you’ve already gotten feedback in ad-

forming the bridge with the other party. It is about a

vance and can build the bridge quicker.

two way dialogue.

Gauging the audience:

So how can we be both - a public speaker and com-

You are on stage to give the audience the best

municate?

experience you can. By continuously gauging the

We think of speeches as a fully prepared script. We

audience’s non-verbal cues, you can adjust your

rehearse every motion and deliver it. However, a truly

speech.

powerful communicator can use static scripts if he

•

knows his audience. I propose that you think of your

segment is not new to them (assuming you are a

speech as a slightly fluid piece of work and alter it

great entertainer). Skip over this part of the talk

based on what the audience is telling you. There are

and go to the more juicy parts.

loads of techniques and loads of things to learn. But

•

let’s get started with three.

posed to speak now? Open the floor up to ques-

Knowing your audience:

tions and you’ll understand why they feel

This step is to let us predict our audience in advance

confused. Then get the confusion sorted.

and plan for it. Start by building the persona of your

•

audience…

people disagreeing, you need to do something

•What is the knowledge level of the audience

about it. A question like ‘you look concerned, how

•What is their physical and mental state (tired because

can I help’ may help. But do this early, not at the

of a journey, just lunched)

end of your presentation. www.d98tm.in

They look bored: Maybe this particular

They look lost: maybe you were not sup-

It looks like they disagree: If it is a lot of

22

Contd...

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

They are shivering or reaching for jackets:

With such subtle changes, a communicator can gain

Simple way to win the audience – ask for the air con

acceptance from the audience and by the end of the

to be reduced.

speech – build a very strong bridge.

•

Delivering a message is step one, but when your audiInfluencing your Audience:

ence accepts your message and feels like they connect-

While material on this subject is worthy of a few

ed with you – then you’ve graduated from speaking to

books, let me illustrate with an (over simplified)

communicating.

example. Imagine a teacher at a boarding school

The true difference between the two terms is

trying to get her students to go shower.

highlighted when a speaker and communicator are put

•

Format 1: Go shower now.

in front of an opinionated audience. A good speaker

•

Format 2: Can you go shower?

will express his or her views very articulately, but not

•

Format 3: Would you like to shower now or

many in the opposition will change their initial views. A

in 30 mins?

good communicator can build a bridge with the

Format 1 works if the teacher has the power, but

audience and convince the audience to agree. Which

might lose respect. Ask my parents about the suc-

one are you?

cess rate of Format 2. However, Format 3 works wonders as it allows the children to decide that they will shower.

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23

CHANGE THE ONLY CONSTANT

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

"Change begets Change. Nothing propagates so fast." - Charles Dickens

What did he mean by that?

What does beget mean anyway? Beget means "to procreate" or "generate".

This quote holds true even today and is becoming more relevant as we progress further into the 21st Century. Look around us, everything that we see, hear and experience today was triggered by a change, be it in politics, religion, culture, technology and more importantly in communication. Of all these, communication has undergone significant changes over the last 100 years and yet it has received far less acknowledgement than it should.

Chetan Pai |Aon Vashi Speaks Toastmasters Club.

a powerful weapon for communication, the printing press, which started a printing revolution in Europe and then across the world. Every single mass communication medium we see today has its origin in what Mr. Gutenberg started. After the printing press came telephone, loudspeaker, internet, video conferencing, social media and chatting apps. What a significant progress from the humble press and yet

Specific to communication, what exactly has changed over all these years? Let's try and understand.

1.

every single medium is still used today. Each has its own unique way of communication and each is effective in its own way.

Language - Not to say the colonialization by

European powers was a good thing, but during this time a significant shift came in terms of language dominance across the globe. Regional languages and dialects were suppressed, became secondary, got extinct and European languages dominated (English, French and Spanish) the globe. However this change enabled millions of people across all geographies to communicate with each other using the common languages that the European rulers gave.

3. Globalization -Yet another factor which has changed the way we communicate is globalization.

All organizations today require people who can communicate across geographies keeping the cultural gap in mind. Organizations also require people who can represent them to speak in the public forum, in board meetings, to its own employees sharing both good and not so good information. Again all this is done in a language which is typically not your mother tongue. Take a pause and think about it, what is the single most important factor for all the organiza-

2.

Medium of communication - Around 150

tions today? It's communication.

years ago, Johannes Gutenberg gave the world www.d98tm.in

24

Contd...

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

4. Diplomacy - World today has become sensible,

organizations change to include and assimilate this

that war is not the solution is understood by all the

dynamic workforce? Organizations across the globe are

nations.

changing

What

works

today

is

diplomacy.

their

culture,

training

methodology,

Consistent, persuasive and effective engagement

communication mediums to reach out to this popula-

of world nations to advance. Imagine India faced

tion.

US sanction over nuclear test and yet emerged a

And it doesn’t stop there. the same Gen Y is

winner with a nuclear deal with the same nation.

tomorrow's voter, politician, Prime Minister, business

Imagine the level of communication between the

leader and he will take this nation forward. Look at our

two nations, the tough negotiations, engaging

political arena, traditional political parties using the

home base and carving out a plan which nations

most modern communication tools and techniques to

carry forward, irrespective of the government.

reach out to them, appeal to them and winning in the process. How relevant you are on social media and how

Today the way we are communicating with Gen Y

effectively you communicate is going to define

is very different from how we interacted with Gen

tomorrow, till the time we see yet another shift in tech-

X. Gen Y is growing up in the era of social media

nology or generation.

and handheld communication devices, completely different from how we were raised. Their attention

Every day we are subconsciously changing our

span is limited, they are creative, full of ideas and

communication style, with friends, in office, at home

visual communication appeals to them the best. Do

and in public place. "Change begets change" said

we expect them to change their thought process to

Charles Dickens and how right

understand the traditional work culture or should

he is even today.

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25

AN IMPORTANT LEARNING IN MY JOURNEY

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

Sunil Khunteta Past Division Governor

What are your expectations from yourself as a leader?

Traffic appeared more than usual and we reached

Take a Pause. And think of your answer.

the theatre late. Movie had already started, we

One of the simplest ways, I used to look at leadership in

blamed each other and the mood was spoilt. ….

very practical way was: An ability to lead effectively,

what

confidently and with credibility to meet the objectives.

Does it happen to you? Think about it, at the end,

An ability to lead people by inspiring and motivating

the actions and goals are met, but do you spend

them perform and get results. Holds good for most?

quality time together? That is the main reason we

But let me touch upon one important aspect. We lack

plan events.

something very important called Validation! Validation

This happens in companies, organizations as well as

of vision, goals and actions. Seldom have we validated

our toastmasters clubs. We get into a lot of actions

if our planned actions will meet our planned goals. And

without questioning WHY we are doing it. What will

then having completed the actions, most leaders don’t

change if we complete the actions?

validate if the results are close to the dream with which

Smart leaders ensure that the goals are SMART

we started defining the goals and from the goals to

(Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and

actions.

Time bound.)

Let me give you a very simple example. I imagined I

Actions are listed, tasks are delegated, program or

would give ‘quality time’ to my family by watching a

the project is tracked, people are chased with dead-

movie with them and then going for a nice dinner. Sim-

lines and finally, things are completed; success is cel-

ple dream, envisioned, shared with the family. Excited

ebrated. But, what I find missing is, we don’t check if

discussions happened and SMART Goals were set. Tick-

the results achieved are really close to what we

ets were booked for the movie and dinner reservations

dreamt of. In the first place, we miss validating if the

made. We were to leave home by 5.00 pm on Sunday

planned SMART Goals really sync up with our vision

evening. But we slept in the afternoon, got up late. I

which was the very reason we wanted to do all this.

got ready before 5 o’clock but my daughters and wife

So friends, focus on WHY and not just WHAT and

were still getting ready. At 5.15, fretting and fuming I

HOW. When we “Validate” and ensure that our ac-

asked them what the delay was. They hurried through

tions, goals, results are in sync with the dream and

their makeup and at last we started from home 20

vision, that would be really a mission accomplished.

happened to the dream of ‘quality time’?

minutes late. And then Murphy’s Law kicked in. www.d98tm.in

26

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

KNOW YOUR LEADERS DISTRICT 98 CORE

BRILLIAN SK DISTRICT DIRECTOR

CHANDRASHEKAR DP PROG QUALITY DIRECTOR

ARVIND NAIR CLUB GROWTH DIRECTOR

FARIDA DSILVA DIAS DISTRICT ADMIN MNGR

NISHANT MEHTA DISTRICT FINANCE MNGR

SRINIDHI DASAKA DISTRICT PUBLIC RELATION

CHINMAYA DAVE DISTRICT CHIEF JUDGE

SOMNATH B DISTRICT WEBMASTER

BEENA MANDREKAR

MOHAN KARAMBELKAR

PANKAJ KOTHARI

VENKATA RAMANA DITTAKAVI

DISTRICT NEWSLETTER EDITOR

DISTINGUSHED CLUB PROG MNGR

DISTRICT PARLIAMENTARIAN

CHIEF AMBASSADOR, REVITALIZED EP

CHETAN THAKKAR DISTRICT LOGISTIC MNGR

ANAND KUMAR CLUB GROWTH DIRECTOR

ANKIT JAIN ASST CLUB GROWTH DIRECTOR

HITENDRA BHADANG CREDENTIALS CHAIR

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27

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

KNOW YOUR LEADERS DISTRICT 98 CORE

NIKHIL SALVI DIVISION B DIRECTOR

NITESH AGARWAAL DIVISION C DIRECTOR

RAVI TEJA MARUPPU DIVISION E DIRECTOR

ARUNA THAPA DIVISION F DIRECTOR

PRITAM AREKAR

NAMRATA SRIVATSAVA

PRAMOD MOHANDAS

REEBA GEORGE

AREA DIRECTOR A1

AREA DIRECTOR A2

AREA DIRECTOR A3

AREA DIRECTOR A4

VIPUL JAIN

SAHIL SHARMA

EKNATH HOLE

CHETAN THAKKAR

AREA DIRECTOR B2

AREA DIRECTOR B3

AREA DIRECTOR B4

MOHIT CHABRA DIVISION A DIRECTOR

AREA DIRECTOR B1

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LEO PAULOSE DIVISION D DIRECTOR

28

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

KNOW YOUR LEADERS DISTRICT 98 CORE

NAGAPPAN P

RAHUL KALE

ANUPRIYA SINHA

ARUN NAWGE

AREA DIRECTOR C1

AREA DIRECTOR C2

AREA DIRECTOR C3

AREA DIRECTOR C4

AKBAR KHAN

SHAILESH NATU

SANJAY UPADHYAY

TUSHAR SONJE

AREA DIRECTOR D1

AREA DIRECTOR D2

AREA DIRECTOR D3

AREA DIRECTOR D4

NAVNEET PERI

MANASA INAMPUDI

RAJASEKHAR M

PAVAN S

LAKSHMI KIRAN M

AREA DIRECTOR E1

AREA DIRECTOR E2

AREA DIRECTOR E3

AREA DIRECTOR E4

AREA DIRECTOR E5

SOWMYA C

VIKRAM C

MANISH R

DARSHAN KHANNA

PRATHIMA M

AREA DIRECTOR F1

AREA DIRECTOR F2

AREA DIRECTOR F3

AREA DIRECTOR F4

AREA DIRECTOR F5

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29

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

TEAM NEWSLETTER EDITOR , District 98

BEENA MANDREKAR WEBMASTER , District 98

SOMNATH BHATTACHARJEE

NEWSLETTER LEAD

SANJEEV PATRA Representing Hyderabad, Divisions E & F

NEWSLETTER LEAD

AISHWARYA CHANDRASEKARAN Representing PUNE

NEWSLETTER LEAD

PAVAN PUNJABI Representing MUMBAI AREA B TECH TEAM

SHALINI GANDHAM

NEWSLETTER LEAD

COLIN SAVIO COELHO Representing GOA

TECH TEAM

RAJIV PINGALE

TECH TEAM

MIHIR MANDSORWALE

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30

COMMUNICATE 98 |NOVEMBER 2015

Disclaimer: Although great care has been taken in bringing out this issue, we apologize for any inadvertent errors or omissions. The newsletter contains individuals views of contributors, District 98, the District Director or the Editor may not subscribe to the same. You may report errors, miss-outs and suggestions to newsletter@d98tm.in www.d98tm.in

31

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