Communicate 98 July edition

Communicate. Collaborate. Celebrate.

I N S I D E

JULY 2017

THE DISTRICT OFFICERS’ TRAINING PROGRAM

#LearningTogetherLasts

EDITOR

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S

NOTE Don’t forget to access the feedback links at the bottom of every story and leave your comments!

When you peek inside, some things will be familiar and some different, because beginning anew does not mean discarding the past; it means building the future on its strong foundations.

KARAN GUPTA COMMUNICATE 98 EDITOR As District 98 begins its third term, we are bigger than ever. We stand more than 4,300 strong, with 160 clubs. There are 9 Divisions and 45 Areas, the most we’ve ever had. Geographically, we are spread across 14 cities and looking to add more than 6 cities to our reach this year. We saw a record growth of 30.5% last year and we are setting more ambitious targets this time. But the newsletter, well, that’s another story.

Our vision for the year is a minimalist, content focused newsletter for every member. This is why you are seeing sweeping changes in the way our content is curated. The article categories seek to enhance the amazing stories of our fellow Toastmasters from all across the District.

The design strips away all but the words, giving a richer reading experience. Our theme-less concept is unabashedly borrowed from the Toastmaster Magazine.

This month’s cover story features the District Officers' Training Program, where all our leaders came together to learn and form lasting friendships. If you’ve ever wondered what happens at this mystical retreat, we give you an insider’s look. This issue also carries a message from District Director DTM Arvind Nair, who brings his vast experience to the highest calling in our small community.

We continue to look beyond our horizons with an amazing perspective from Rubina Fatima, founder of the women’s group, SAFA. You will also see a popular social media feature, Humans of D98, which highlights growth stories from members you’ve probably never heard of. Finally, thank you all for contributing to our article categories! It is my honour to tell your story.

When I wonder how we got here, I remind myself that we owe it all to those who brought us this far. Pooja, Beena, we dedicate this issue to you.

“If I have seen further, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants” – Isaac Newton Karan "Content" Gupta

Going forward, this editor’s note will not appear often in the newsletter.This space will transform into Letters to the Editor, where we will highlight what you think about the issue and the stories we shared.

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COMMUNICATE 98 | JULY 2017

IN THIS ISSUE EDITOR'S NOTE

2

LEADER SPEAK

CELEBRATING THE MILESTONES

4

COMMUNICATE 98 FEATURES

COVER STORY

5

THE TOASTMASTER PROFESSIONAL

MENTOR MOMENT

9 10 11 12 HUMANS OF D98

aRISE MOMENT

THE OPINION PAGE

13 14 15 FROM THE ARCHIVES

3

UNLEASH

THE WIRE

JULY CONTEST #MonsoonNanoTales WINNERS

17 18 19 20 COMMUNICATE 98 | JULY 2017

CELEBRATING THE MILESTONES

TCS MAITREE HYDERABAD 500TH MEETING-RUBARU 7th JULY

TOASTMASTERS CLUB OF PUNE-WEST 300th MEETING 15th JULY

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BROADRIDGE HYDERABAD 125th MEETING 6th JULY

PIMPRI TOASTMASTERS CLUB-25TH MEETING 24th JUNE

GAVELS CLUB OF AMANORA SPEECH CONTEST 18th JUNE

DOUBLE DTM ASHLEY MAPUSA CLUB, GOA

GENESIS TOASTMASTERS OUTING AT LEKHA FARMS 8th JULY

COMMUNICATE 98 | JULY 2017

COVER STORY

THE DISTRICT OFFICERS

'

TRAINING PROGRAM, MUMBAI #LearningTogetherLasts

The Toastmasters motto says, “Where Leaders Are Made”. As a member, I thought little of this sentiment. We often do not see the lengths our leaders go to for our sake. However, as a participant on the inside, I was awed by the effort, resources and time that is spent in building our leaders. This is the inside story of the District Officer’s Training Program, the spectacular event that enables our leaders to lead anywhere, within and beyond Toastmasters.

D A Y

1 :

W E

B E G A N ,

W I T H

T R E P I D A T I O N

After an uneventful journey to Mumbai, I checked into the neatly maintained hostel accommodation. My roommate, a Mr Pramod Mohandas, District Training Manager, had not yet arrived. Having judged him just by his name, I formed a mental image of a boring old-timey Toastmaster. As I entered the training room, I was happy to find myself seated in the very last row. I could sleep my way through the agenda, which seemed to be session after boring session. It featured success plans, contest rules, strategy development, and on and on it went. I was only partially right - it wasn’t boring! All the sessions had a clear purpose and added value in different ways.

As the Trio formally introduced the program, I got acquainted with Pramod, another dedicated backbencher and a dynamic young Toastmaster (so much for my assessment!). We formed an instant kinship and launched into detailed discussions on how best we could bring good quality content to members. All around the room, such partnerships were beginning.

Our discussion was enhanced by the session “You and Your Team”. Before the event, we had taken a personality test (My result: Executive). This session taught us fundamental traits of different personality types and how to communicate with each one. We role played situations where the leader had to communicate with different personalities – “An AD is only focused on one club out of five, how you engage him?” By the end of the day, one

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The entire program was the product of intelligent design...everything was designed to enable us to think like leaders.

COMMUNICATE 98 | JULY 2017

COVER STORY thing was clear. The entire program was the product of intelligent design, from room allocations to sessions, everything was deliberately designed to enable us to think like leaders.

That night, we went for dinner with many fun games and much hilarity. We then headed to Powai Lake and sat under the stars, laughing and playing games. The point of these events is also to build real friendships and enjoy each other’s company. How else can you work together?

D A Y

2 :

W E

B U I L T

A N D

P E R F E C T E D ,

W I T H

D E T E R M I N A T I O N

For me, Day 2 began when four of us stayed up till 3 a.m. talking about all things Toastmasters.

From cultural differences between Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Pune, to pressures of organizing a conference, to leadership styles. Such discussions, possible only in such close proximity, lay the foundations for innovation and collaboration.

This day, we covered breadth and depth.

We learned how to build a brand for Toastmasters. I finally understood what Pathways have in store. The nine Division teams defined their success plans; the strategies, tools, and resources they will employ to achieve our goal of becoming President’s Distinguished District third time running.

District Chief Judge Mukta gave us several eye openers on contests. For instance, did you know that no proxies of any kind are allowed for contestants? I have contested four times and this was news to me. District Parliamentarian Shireesh educated us on club elections. They need to be conducted in person with at least a quorum of members present. I have always witnessed elections over email. Every person attending expressed admiration for the detail that all the sessions achieved and especially the session recaps, which featured role plays in difficult leadership situations.

We also tried to get the pictures taken, though the unpredictable rains of Mumbai had other plans. Halfway through the photo session, it started pouring which sent us scattering for cover.

At one point, I was squashed under a tiny awning with twenty other people and still getting wet!

The most memorable part of the trip was the night of Day 2 when we ventured far into the city guided by our very own Mohandas. We went to Carter road and spent hours sampling the food from the tiny, but amazing eateries. Despite the intermittent heavy showers, we went to Marine Drive, reaching well past midnight. We picked a spot, played some dumb charades and then had a gala time getting drenched at the seafront. A day well spent and a night to cherish forever.

D A Y

3 :

W E

C O N S O L I D A T E D

A N D

S T O O D

R E A D Y ,

W I T H

C O N F I D E N C E

Day 3 began with a lot of back slapping and inside jokes. In the space of just 48 hours, we knew each other much better. Fostering a community spirit is what Toastmasters does best and when you put together leaders from all across the District, the community just gets stronger.

The highlight of the day was the session on “Conflict Management” by IPDD, DTM Chandra.

Conflicts can quickly sour relationships if not defused well. I understood why people get angry – they have unmet needs. We introspected to find our own anger triggers and identified the unmet needs. We learned to appreciate the needs of others and how to defuse situations.

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We stayed up till 3 a.m. talking about all things Toastmasters...such discussions, possible only in such close proximity, lay the foundations for innovation and collaboration.

COMMUNICATE 98 | JULY 2017

COVER STORY

It was actionable learning, where everything was directly applicable to the real world. The next time you see a District leader demonstrate these skills, remember that they were taught and learned, not innately present. After all, Leaders Are Made.

We concluded the three-day sojourn by devouring a delicious cake to celebrate our PDD status, with a promise to continue the legacy (and eat more cake). We parted ways as empowered leaders ready to build stronger communities.

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I eagerly await our next meeting at Confluence 2017 in Indore (#ekNumber!). The DOTP was not a mere training program. It was about learning, living and laughing together as leaders. The relationships forged in those three days will last far longer than this coming year.Â

Fostering a community spirit is what Toastmasters does best and when you put together leaders from all across the District, the community just gets stronger. Edited and compiled by Karan Take a moment to give us feedback for this article, or the issue HERE. You might get published in Letters to the Editor!

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COMMUNICATE 98 | JULY 2017

DISTRICT 98 OFFICERS

OUR

DISTRICT

OFFICERS

(2017-2018)

Arvind Nair Ravi Teja Marrapu Leo Kurians Paulose Chandrashekar D P

District Director Program Quality Director Club Growth Director Immediate Past District Director Patrick Pereira District Administration Manager Nishant Mehta District Finance Manager Niteash Agarwaal District PR Manager Chidanand Pradhan District Logistics Manager TM SHEKHAR KHOBREKAR Hasnain Changi Division Director - Div A MUMBAI TOASTMASTERS Raunak Kulwal Division Director - Div B Vinod J Sharma Division Director - Div C Akshay Chillal Division Director - Div D Siddharth Suman Division Director - Div E Anant Katyayni Division Director - Div F Smita Mishra Division Director - Div H Shijin Sreeraman Division Director - Div M Ajay Hiraskar Division Director - Div P Dhanraj Kamdar Area Director - Area A1 Dipankar Das Area Director - Area A2 Mahesh Puranam Area Director - Area A3 Manish Kamdar Area Director - Area A4 Debahooti Basu Area Director - Area B1 Tanmaya Panda Area Director - Area B2 Parakh Kukreja Area Director - Area B3 Prashant Sampat Area Director - Area B4 Kannagi Mishra Area Director - Area B5 Poonam Kumar Area Director - Area C1 Chris Kingsley Area Director - Area C2 Seema Rani Area Director - Area C3 Vijay Bhanushali Area Director - Area C4 Pramod Kiwande Area Director - Area C5 Ravi Parikh Area Director - Area D1 Mayank Naidu Area Director - Area D2 Priya Lekha Area Director - Area D3 Ajit Shah Area Director - Area D4

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Sapna Ohri Aparajitha Chakilam Ankur Agarwal Rahul Ghelani Priya Mathur Anutosh Ghosh Pavan Kumar Tulsija Shefali Johar Prudvinath Malepati Narita Rai Subramanyam KV Abhishek Shukla Tanay Tejasvi Asha Pratyasa Sunil Sharma Dr. Tejinder Singh Rawal Shubhangi Pandey K Srikanth Ravi Sharma Pratibha Jithesh Umme Salma Babrawala Navin Raj Abraham Vinay Prabhu Mhambre Shreya Kanabar Angad Sathe Syed Moazzam Daimi Ravi G. Motwani Swapnil Sonawane Pramod Mohandas Arjuna Shivangi Usha Udayshankar Eknath Hole Karan Gupta Mukta Nadkar Shireesh Nadkar Suryaprathap Reddy K

Area Director - Area D5 Area Director - Area E1 Area Director - Area E2 Area Director - Area E3 Area Director - Area E4 Area Director - Area E5 Area Director - Area E6 Area Director - Area F1 Area Director - Area F2 Area Director - Area F3 Area Director - Area F4 Area Director - Area F5 Area Director - Area H1 Area Director - Area H2 Area Director - Area H3 Area Director - Area H4 Area Director - Area H5 Area Director - Area H6 Area Director - Area M1 Area Director - Area M2 Area Director - Area M3 Area Director - Area M4 Area Director - Area M5 Area Director - Area P1 Area Director - Area P2 Area Director - Area P3 Area Director - Area P4 Area Director - Area P5 District Training Manager Club Extension Chair, Hyderabad Club Extension Chair ,Pune Credentials Chair District Newsletter Editor District Chief Judge District Parliamentarian District Web Master

COMMUNICATE 98 | JULY 2017

LEADER SPEAK DISTRICT OFFICERS’ INSTALLATION AT ELOQUENCE 2017, MUMBAI

A

MESSAGE

THE

FROM

DISTRICT

DIRECTOR This experience has surely added to my repertoire of knowledge. If this makes my journey look easy, let me add that it hasn’t been smooth sailing all along. I have had my share of opposition but harbour no malice.

DTM ARVIND NAIR DISTRICT DIRECTOR Hello Toastmasters, The start of July has seen the beginning of a new Toastmasters year. The new executive committees at both the Club and the District levels have just taken charge. It also means that District 98 enters its third year. As the third District Director, I have had the privilege of being a member of three Districts: 82, 41, and now 98.

My journey started in January 2008 when I joined the Bombay Toastmasters Club, the third club to be chartered in Mumbai. I was quite passionate about the program. Guests attending our meetings helped spread the word. I began visiting corporates to speak about Toastmasters and its benefits. Since then, I have been associated with most clubs in Mumbai as a mentor or a sponsor.

As a Toastmaster, the learning curve has only gone upward. Along with communication came leadership roles at the Club—from the Sergeant at Arms to the President—and then at the District level as Area Governor, Division Governor, District Chief Judge, District Secretary, Club Growth Director, and Program Quality Director.

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I was fortunate to meet members who had developed themselves as good communicators and leaders. I saw them as mentors and never hesitated to approach them. I encourage new members to keep trying and not be afraid of making mistakes— this is how I have learnt to do things better.

Accept feedback in the right spirit. For members who have been in the Toastmasters program for a while, I suggest that you continue the journey and grow as mentors.

For senior members, it is time to pay it back.

As the District 98 Director, I aim to see us become the President’s Distinguished District for the third time in a row. Completing the hat-trick could earn us the Excellence in Leadership Award from Toastmasters International. We also hope to extend the Toastmasters program to new cities and create greater visibility in the existing cities.

The District has an energetic and youthful team of district leaders waiting to take servant leadership to the next level by caring and sharing. This year we shall see some new and innovative ideas being implemented. On behalf of the District Team, I wish you a successful and fun-filled Toastmasters year.

Edited and compiled by Karan Take a moment to give us feedback for this article, or the issue HERE. You might get published in Letters to the Editor!

COMMUNICATE 98 | JULY 2017

COMMUNICATE 98 FEATURES

THE

SAFA

STORY How do you train your volunteers to manage all the centers that SAFA has?

RUBINA MAZHAR FOUNDER AND CEO, SAFA We catch up with Rubina Mazhar, the founder and CEO of SAFA, a self-funded organization that works for the socioeconomic empowerment of women through income generation and education.

One of the four daughters of a lieutenant colonel, huge feats were expected from Rubina. After completing her graduation, she joined a travel agency and became a travel expert. In 2002, she set up an entrepreneurial training venture, the first woman enterprise of its kind in Andhra Pradesh. She trained and placed over 700 youths in the travel sector.

You had a great Travel business going.

What made you move to something as serious as transforming society?

The bug to do something in the area of social cause was always there. While the Travel business was on, I joined an NGO, but felt that my skills were grossly under-utilized. I also realized they were not functioning the way NGOs were supposed to. I got trained on how a sustainable NGO should run from CSIM (Center for Social Initiative Management).

While I was doing the course, I registered my NGO and was getting ready to do something deeply impactful. I did this while keeping my travel business running as I needed the financial support initially.

A few months down the line I realized I could not do both and had to decide which was closer to my heart and let the other go. I stayed with this as this was my calling.

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All the centers are managed by social workers. They have the freedom to experiment with what works in the locality they are operating in. One thing we do consistently is, at every monthly meeting we have, we first celebrate our failures. We have good laugh about it and then learn to strategize better. That is something my people appreciate about how we function as a team.

What vision do you have for SAFA in terms of its impact on the society?

For over a year now I have been grappling with that question myself. We want to go to other cities. We are currently working on building on the foundation of operations and finance. That will help us take this to the next level.

Have you helped any other NGO or entity in changing their course?

Yes, I am a consultant for a very large and successful NGO in areas that they had not chartered in. They approached me for work with women empowerment. They are working on many social causes and are charity driven. I was surprised to be approached by them and we are now in the process of doing feasibility studies and giving them direction.

What is it that SAFA does that makes it as successful as it is today?

We walk the talk. When people ask us what we do, the first thing we do in invite them to see for themselves. Our centers are a clear demonstration of the work we do. Each member believes in the kind of work we do and gives it their 100%.

Edited and compiled by Prathima Take a moment to give us feedback for this article, or the issue HERE. You might get published in Letters to the Editor!

COMMUNICATE 98 | JULY 2017

THE TOASTMASTER PROFESSIONAL

TOASTMASTERS CHANGED

MY

SPEAKING

PUBLIC

SKILLS However, it was also true that my brain had not organized my spontaneous speech. I was appreciated for having spoken from the heart but deep down I knew it was my most un-articulated speech ever. It was then I decided to work on my public speaking skills.

Phase II: May 2017 - Member of Nagpur Toastmasters Club

TM MAYURI ASSUDANI NAGPUR TOASTMASTERS Phase I: November 2016 – When I wasn’t a Toastmaster I was a trainer in a National Conference for teachers of French at St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. I was asked to conduct a session for teachers on the pedagogical resources of the website www.tv5monde.com.

I was well prepared and the session went well. During the closing ceremony, after all the office bearers had conveyed their gratitude and the last vote of thanks had been delivered, something happened to me. I jumped up from my seat and asked permission to address the gathering.

Everyone was surprised, it wasn’t a part of the agenda. I went up and said a thank you on behalf of all the participants, there were about 250 people. Words just gushed out from my lips, it was evident that I was speaking from my heart, having enjoyed every bit of the three day conference.

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I joined the Nagpur Toastmasters Club and in no time, I saw the change in myself. This time, when I was at a Rotary Club meeting, and was asked to deliver the vote of thanks at the last minute to felicitate the guests from a Foundation, I saw a significant difference.

This time, when I went up to the dais and expressed gratitude on behalf of all those present, it was in a well-organized, structured and an orderly speech. I even narrated a small incident from my visit to the Foundation, all due to the impromptu Table Topics practices at my club. I was pleased with myself, with my speech and was one happy soul that day.

Friends, this is what Toastmasters is all about. What we learn in our various projects at Toastmasters is what we practice in our professional and personal lives. We learn how to address a public gathering no matter how big or small. Our confidence grows, we evolve and develop skills to articulate and deliver our speech effectively. I have lived many such experiences and they all helped me grow as a better speaker.

Edited and compiled by Fatima Take a moment to give us feedback for this article, or the issue HERE. You might get published in Letters to the Editor!

COMMUNICATE 98 | JULY 2017

MENTOR MOMENT

THE

POWER

PUTTING

OF

PRESSURE ease. She told me about her home and family. I learnt that she had recently appeared for her final exams and was awaiting results.

TM SHEKHAR KHOBREKAR MUMBAI TOASTMASTERS For an article on Mentor-Mentee relationships, the title of my article must have made a bad impression. 'The mentor must, at all times, put the mentee at ease' isn't that what is expected?

But there's a different aspect too. Pressure, by definition, is force per unit area. In the present context, we can call it the complement exerted upon someone to do something. As excessive physical pressure can rupture an object, mental pressure can shatter a person's confidence. Yet, when carefully applied, pressure can bring about desired results. When applying mental pressure, one must be mindful of the other person's capabilities and sensitivity.

2015 was the first time I experimented with the power of pressure in Toastmasters. I received a call from a Toastmaster named Gayathri that I had been assigned as her mentor. We met on Monday morning and Gayathri said she wanted to prepare for her P1 speech. 'That's great, tell me all about yourself.' I asked her, to put her at

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'Fine,' I said 'there's a P1 coming up in five days. Book your slot.' Gayathri was shocked and said there was no way she could do this. 'Well, tell me why not. You have all the time in the world, what's stopping you?' I asked, 'Oh, nothing in particular, I don't think I can do it so fast.' came her reply.

Instinctively, I put pressure on her. 'Book it or this is the last time we meet!' My words surprised me as much as her. She did this reluctantly. I gave her the guidelines for her speech, telling her to finish writing it the same day. I also said that I wanted to hear it that very evening. She left my house full of uncertainty and hopelessness.

As promised, I arrived at her house at 7 pm and was greeted by a big smile. 'I have finished it', she said, 'but can I hold the script to refer to, if I forget?' I assured her that as a P1 speaker, she could. While she was practicing speaking, her father joined us. A short while later, her mother too joined. They were amazed to see that she had met her deadline. They told me that they had pampered her as their only child, and would never have got her to do this.

I smiled silently, knowing that I had used a special power over her. The power of putting pressure!

Edited and compiled by Fatima

Take a moment to give us feedback for this article, or the issue HERE. You might get published in Letters to the Editor!

COMMUNICATE 98 | JULY 2017

HUMANS OF D98

MY

TOASTMASTERS

JOURNEY

TM KURAKULA VERA ELAN TOASTMASTERS CLUB, HYDERABAD TM Veera is the IPP for Elan Toastmasters club and a Humorous Speech Contest Division Champion. This is his story, in his words.

“When I joined Toastmasters, I did not know the difference between ‘He Do’ and ‘He Does’”.

I started my career in Infosys. I was a good performer but I got no promotions or opportunities and the reason was my communication skills. On the suggestion of my manager, I joined Toastmasters. At that time, TM Mukesh was my mentor and with his help I gave speeches till CC4. But I had to take a break of one year because of work.

Then a colleague, TM Aparna got me back to Toastmasters as a member of Elan.

DTM Alfred told me to start my journey again. I agreed with him because when I compared myself to others speakers, their grammar and language were much better than mine. I struggled to find words, so I started reading grammar books and kept practicing. I repeated every project 3-4 times with different topics, incorporating the evaluator’s comments every time. After my CC7, I got mentored by other senior members like TM Sudha also. They kept rejecting my speech topics for CC9 until I got the right fit for the project.

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After this, I wanted leadership roles so I applied for the VP-Education position.

However, I was elected as the Secretary. I thought this will really improve my writing skills and I kept at the role, writing emails.

Afterwards, I got into the VP-Education role.

At the time, the club was really struggling for members. I used to take up any role we were not able to fill. I also asked the experienced members, TMs Padmakumar, Alfred, Sudha, and even CSK to take up these roles. We used all social media channels to promote the clubs and asked every EC member to get at least 2 people to the meeting. Now the club is in good condition, both in terms of members and financial condition.

I am grateful to Toastmasters. I was not a confident person, could not express myself and I made thousands of grammar mistakes. People estimate you based on how you speak and how can they believe you if you always speak incorrectly?

Communication and leadership skills cannot be built in a day, they need constant work and support, like building a house.

In college, I topped all my subjects except English. I failed to get a good teacher who could tell me the importance of this subject.

Even when I was hired, it was for my technical skills only. Now, this is changing. I am getting new opportunities and I even got a promotion at work.

Toastmasters has helped me grow. In the future, I would like to nominate myself for the role of Area Director and explore other opportunities.

Edited and compiled by Karan Take a moment to give us feedback for this article, or the issue HERE. You might get published in Letters to the Editor!

COMMUNICATE 98 | JULY 2017

aRISE MOMENT

IMPLEMENTING VALUES

IN

VENKATA DITTAKAVI CHIEF AMBASSADOR PATHWAYS

NEHA WARRIER DB MUMBAI TOASTMASTERS Toastmasters is a platform which provides innumerable opportunities to showcase the hidden talent one possesses. Whether its leadership, team work, creativity, or respect, one can find all this under one roof. A corporate set up, educational institution or even a family run business has a common theme of belief and practises certain values.

I have been a toastmaster for a year and feel proud to have been elected as an aRISE values ambassador. I am glad to share an incident from my life where I was able to showcase the Toastmasters values of Integrity, Respect, Service and Excellence.

When policies are implemented, some people try and find other avenues to violate the rules. Early Monday morning at 10 a.m. I was at my desk in office, engrossed in replying to emails. A colleague who sits next to me received a call from her team mate on her personal phone. She walked towards the computer of her team mate, still talking

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aRISE

LIFE on the phone. To my shock, they shared passwords to access each other’s systems and replied to some urgent request which had come up.

Being a senior on the floor, I asked her if she was aware that password sharing can lead to termination of both the employees.

She was stunned and said she was not aware this could lead to such strict action.

As this was the first instance, I explained the important guidelines and asked her to approach the relevant team when in doubt.

The Toastmaster practise of helping others and mentoring is in my blood now!

I am associated with an NGO named Blue Ribbon Movement. Last week, I had arranged for MS Office training for this NGO and had called for volunteers to help me conduct these sessions. One of the volunteers who had enrolled for conducting the excel session backed out at the last moment. I felt miserable but instead of reacting I kept calm and changed the format of session. The training session, was huge success. The students learned a lot and felt more confident after these sessions. Again, I realised how taking up multiple roles in my club helped me - when we had last minute back-outs for our regular Toastmasters meetings we always ensured that the show must go on.

Lastly, Toastmasters has helped me take up new challenges and helped work in a team, with dignity and respect for my fellow members.

Edited and compiled by Fatima Take a moment to give us feedback for this article, or the issue HERE. You might get published in Letters to the Editor!

COMMUNICATE 98 | JULY 2017

THE OPINION PAGE

PATHWAYS B U I L D I N G

T H E

T O A S T M A S T E R

O F

T O M O R R O W

VENKATA RAMANA DITTAKAVI CHIEF AMBASSADOR, PATHWAYS Everyone dreams and strives for a better tomorrow and Toastmasters leaves no stone unturned to make members’ tomorrow brighter. To revitalize the existing education program, we have devised a new formula which we call the Pathways programme.

Pathways feature online learning, cutting-edge content, interactive tools, strong mentoring and evaluation components, and a multitude of options. It has been tailored to benefit the needs of individual members. With Pathways, one has greater access to materials and tutorials to every project.

The programme has 5 areas of learning and 10 paths. Each area of learning has two paths, further divided into five levels. New members can choose any two paths based on their interests and choices. The paths are:

THE 10 LEARNING PATHS

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COMMUNICATE 98 | JULY 2017

THE OPINION PAGE As a member, you need to go through the ‘Base Camp’ once Pathways is implemented. Base Camp is your online gateway where you can track progress, access resources like videos, interactive activities, and quizzes. All your evaluations are stored online.

All the educational material is also available online and you need not wait for printed versions as is the case now. You can choose to get printed materials if you want.

Pathways have already rolled out to two districts as per the last report received from World Headquarters. The feedback has been very encouraging and members feel that it is easy to use the online facilities of the programme. Our District is in the 7th Phase of implementation and will be marching towards completion in 2018. For the final implementation of this program, the District PQD will select ‘Pathways Guides’. The efforts of Pathways Guides will be recognized by TI by giving credit for DTM as is in the case of Area Directors.

TODAY

WITH PATHWAYS

YOUR CLUB MEETING HAS AN AGENDA, MEETING ROLES AND SPEECHES

REMAINS SAME

YOU SIGN UP FOR A SPEECH AND RECEIVE AN EVALUATION

ADDITIONALLY, ACCESS AND STORE SPEECH EVALUATIONS ONLINE

CLUB MEMBERS SUPPORT YOU AND GIVE FEEDBACK

FEEDBACK IS ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE THROUGH BASE CAMP

YOU RECEIVE RECOGNITION

RECEIVE DIGITAL BADGES AND CERTIFICATES THROUGH BASE CAMP

THE ICE BREAKER IS YOUR FIRST SPEECH

REMAINS SAME

THE VPE TRACKS YOUR FIRST SPEECH

REMAINS SAME

SPEECHES LAST 5 – 7 MINUTES

DEPENDS ON THE PROJECT

LEARN 68 COMPETENCIES

LEARN MORE THAN 300 COMPETENCIES

ONE COMMUNICATION TRACK AND ONE LEADERSHIP TRACK

10 DIFFERENT PATHS TAILORED FOR YOU

The current and revitalized programs will run concurrently for a minimum of 24 months till all districts have been included in the program rollout. Existing members will have sufficient time to complete all their educational programs in the existing system to get their DTM. For more information, visit Pathways Learning Experience under Education on the TI website. https://www.toastmasters.org/pathways-overview Edited and compiled by Disha Take a moment to give us feedback for this article, or the issue HERE. You might get published in Letters to the Editor!

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COMMUNICATE 98 | JULY 2017

FROM THE ARCHIVES

ROMANCING THE

CITY

VENKATA DITTAKAVI CHIEF AMBASSADOR PATHWAYS

TM MEENAL BALE GOA YMCA TOASTMASTERS I went on a family vacation to Singapore and met another family that has grown closer to my heart in the last ten months.

It was an absolute last minute plan! Firstly, I didn’t know if there was any procedure or if I could simply walk in as a guest to an international Toastmasters meeting and secondly, I wasn’t sure which club to pick.

Finally I made up my mind that it was ‘better late than never’, I zeroed in on the Marine Parade Toastmasters Club (Club No. 1196035, Dist. 80). The timing suited me and it wasn’t very far from where I was staying. In all my excitement, I did not even realize that it was very short notice. I kept my fingers crossed, dropped a formal email to the club’s id at around 11.00 pm, then slept off, making up my mind to call the number next morning. Just after breakfast, I got a response from TM Cher Kim and the

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prompt gesture added to my bubbling excitement! I called and his voice exuded the warmth that being a Toastmaster teaches you (not being metaphorical here!).

I pestered my brother to help me with the route, jotted down the bus details and galloped away to my great escapade. The rest of evening on July 1st 2016 is history on social media (read Facebook, Twitter and Instagram)! I received an extremely cordial reception from the members – Joyce, Anthony, Amit, Ravi, Mihir, Paulson and Peggy. And the man who had replied to my email finally had a face – DTM Cher Kim! There was also a couple – Roy and Faith, who were Toastmasters based out of Australia for the past couple of years and had recently returned home. Faith had just joined a Bilingual Toastmasters club, a new facet that I found intriguing and decided to later prod upon.

The meeting began and I was extremely proud of myself for having made that one tiny effort! A short trip to a foreign land. I could have easily immersed myself into exploring the tourist spots. Yet I overcame my momentary hesitation and decided to instead get acquainted with individuals that were an extended part of my Toastmasters family! Post this experience, I urge you all that if you ever get an opportunity like this to attend an international, cross cultural meeting, do not think twice because it is totally worth it!

Edited and compiled by Communicate 98 team 2016-2017

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COMMUNICATE 98 | JULY 2017

UNLEASH

CREDIT: NICK DE PARTEE VIA UNSPLASH MY

TREASURE

TROVE!

THE

SMALLEST

OF

HOPE

VENKATA DITTAKAVI CHIEF AMBASSADOR PATHWAYS

MADHUMITA SINHA MAHINDRA TOASTMASTERS CLUB, MUMBAI

Some scars are priceless, They tell me my stories of triumph, My victory over my struggles, My pride having overcome tough times, I treasure them one and all, As they are my source of inspiration, As a source of hope and resilience, My strength to bounce back, And having created endless milestones, Yes I do treasure my Scars !

RASHMI SINGH TOASTMASTERS CLUB OF PUNE

Where the smallest drop of hatred has divided nations, The tiniest flicker of hope has united millions.

Where in history the tallest of men have been reduced to ashes, The smallest of footsteps have also freed a nation.

Where an ounce of greed has taken lives away, The faintest prayers of love have also saved a life.

Where the wisest of minds have been baffled by the smallest of mysteries, The youngest of minds have brought the world to a halt.

We don't always need a sun, silver specks of light, that come rolling in small balls of hope, are enough to drive out the darkest of storms at times.

Take a moment to give us feedback for this article, or the issue HERE. You might get published in Letters to the Editor!

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COMMUNICATE 98 | JULY 2017

THE WIRE

DEMO MEET AT MASTEK, MUMBAI 7th JULY

HYDERABAD COTP 9th JULY

MASTER ORATOR CHAMPIONSHIP BY DIVISIONS E, F AND H, HYDERABAD 15th JULY MUMBAI COTP 16th JULY

AREA A2 MEET AND COTP, GUJARAT 21st JULY

PUNE COTP 23rd JULY

GHORBUNDER TOASTMASTERS CLUB CHARTER MEETING 22nd JULY

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COMMUNICATE 98 | JULY 2017

JULY CONTEST WINNERS As you continue to revel in the monsoon, consider these tales of rain, these weavers of words eloquent, the winners of the #MonsoonNanoTales contest!

1st PLACE I saw her and she saw me Together came the drizzle and so did we Nine monsoons hence, our love is still a petrichor Amazingly sweet, albeit a little sour.

TM Akash Tadikamalla Accenture Toastmasters

2nd PLACE When she arrived into this world, the sky opened up in joy. She is now leaving to another world. The same sky can't hold back its tears; nor can I. TM Raj Gopal HSBC Vizag

3rd PLACE Still drenched in rain she felt his heart, Tears lost in drops from the heavens apart..

For now he lay in quiet abode, washed by the torrents that heavens poured.

TM Abhinav Acharya JPMC Malad Toastmasters Club

SPECIAL MENTION A walk with a friend with constant chatter, The squelching sound of shoes filled with water, People starring at us but we didn't bother, Drenching and dancing, the best walk ever.

Vranda Rathi Amdavad Toastmasters Club We are really happy to have received 50+ entries and look forward to hearing more interesting stories from you!

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COMMUNICATE 98 | JULY 2017

THE COMMUNICATE 98 TEAM

F R O M

L E F T

T O

R I G H T

EDITOR KARAN GUPTA

DISTRICT PR MANAGER NITEASH AGARWAAL

LEAD COMMUNITY MANAGER CO-EDITOR DESIGNER SINDHUSHA GRANDHI PRATHIMA MADIREDDY RUCHIKA GALLANI CONTENT CURATORS DISHA GHOSHAL HALEEMUNNISA FATIMA TAAHA SHAIKH COMMUNITY MANAGERS MADHURI SUNKIREDDY LUVEN RODRIGUES MEHAK MARWAH SANTOSH AKELLA MALVI SHAH DISTRICT WEBMASTER SURYAPRATHAP REDDY

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COMMUNICATE 98 | JULY 2017

ZENTANGLE CONTRIBUTED BY TM PRATHIMA MADIREDDY, HYDERABAD TOASTMASTERS

DISTRICT 98 WEBSITE www.d98tm.in

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Communicate 98 July issue designed by Ruchika