COMMUNICATE 98 Communicate. Collaborate. Celebrate.
SERVANT LEADER SHIP
NOVEMBER 2021
DISTRICT 98
DISTRICT 98 LEADERSHIP TEAM 2021-22 Mukta Nadkar, DTM
District Director
Vishal Garg
Area Director, B1
Vinay Jain
Area Director, J3
Sapna Ohri, DTM
Program Quality Director
Vijaya Monteiro, DTM
Area Director, B2
Prathmesh Thanekar
Area Director, M1
Amandeep Singh, DTM Program Quality Director
Vrindavani Mulik
Area Director, B3
Nilesh Karande
Area Director, M2
Joy B. Hans, DTM
Program Quality Director
Pooja Daiya
Area Director, B4
Raj Bharat
Area Director, M3
Hardik Shah
Club Growth Director
Tanaya Sahu
Area Director, C1
Rohan Parakh
Area Director, M4
Sanjay R
Club Growth Director
Nishu Sharma
Area Director, C2
Riya Agrawal
Area Director, N1
Sandeep R Madasu
Club Growth Director
Varghese Vattathara
Area Director, C3
Gunjan Banarsi
Area Director, N2
Abbas Akbar, DTM
Administration Manager
Manish Kumar
Area Director, C4
Sapna Acharya
Area Director, N3
Pramod PB, DTM
Finance Manager
Himanshu Mahanta
Area Director, C5
Sakshi Bhuwal
Area Director, N4
Smita Mishra, DTM
Public Relations Manager
Kanchan Sonik, DTM
Area Director, D1
Sushil Pawar, DTM
Area Director, O1
Niteash Aggarwal, DTM Immediate Past District Director Tanay Rajwal
Area Director, D2
Deepika Kumari
Area Director, O2
Neha Bhatt, DTM
Division Director, A
Shreea Banerjee
Area Director, D3
Prashant Pote
Area Director, O3
Mohnish Dukhande
Division Director, B
Rahul Rashinkar
Area Director, D4
Unmesh Mohitkar
Area Director, O4
Milind Patwardhan
Division Director, C
Manasa Lakkakula
Area Director, E1
Aditya Saxena, DTM
Area Director, P1
Sanjukta Kundu, DTM
Division Director, D
Amulya Konda
Area Director, E2
Rabin Shetty
Area Director, P2
Kavitha Reddy, DTM
Division Director, E
Sai Santosh
Area Director, E3
Rajendra Waghmode
Area Director, P3
Shivani Singh
Division Director, F
Sunku Pruthvi
Area Director, E4
Sonia Cheulwar
Area Director, P4
Ravi Teja Peri
Division Director, G
Sivacharan Kollipara
Area Director, F1
Shubham Deshmukh
Area Director, P5
Haripriya Cherekar
Division Director, H
Swapna Pachala
Area Director, F2
Sriya Jambukar
Area Director, S1
Sakshi Shrivastava
Division Director, J
Kasturi Sydaiah
Area Director, F3
Poornima Thakur
Area Director, S2
Sunish Babu
Division Director, M
Jahanavi Rampalli
Area Director, F4
Ramanand Bhatt
Area Director, S3
Deepalika Kowar
Division Director, N
Charan Singh
Area Director, G1
Divya Iyer
Area Director, S4
Shaikh Shakil, DTM
Division Director, O
Alphamary Kuriachan
Area Director, G2
Ketkee Kamdar
Area Director, U1
Joylan Andrade
Division Director, P
Vamsi Yerrapragada
Area Director, G3
Dimple Mehta
Area Director, U2
Sunita Vinod
Division Director, S
Bhavana Tadiboina
Area Director, G4
Akshay Singh
Area Director, U3
Sanjan Shetty, DTM
Division Director, U
Vijay Kumar Bansal
Area Director, H1
Snehal Barve
Area Director, U4
Clyde Tellis
Division Director, W
Rishik Singh
Area Director, H2
Rajesh Kenkre
Area Director, W1
Rohin Sharma
Area Director, A1
Nivedita Rajurkar
Area Director, H3
Alvima Almeida
Area Director, W2
Utkarsh Dange
Area Director, A2
Nitya Sri Kalari
Area Director, H4
Anthony Gomes
Area Director, W3
Pinky Bahroos
Area Director, A3
Jayesh Kaushik
Area Director, J1
Pradnya Kosare
Area Director, W4
Nidhi Goel
Area Director, A4
Jyoti Bhat
Area Director, J2
Swapnil Jawale
Area Director, W5
Shailendra Singh
Logistics Manager
Ajit Limaye, DTM
Parliamentarian
INDEX
1 2 3
District Director's Address District Finance Manager's Address District Administration Manager's Address
4
Cross District Connect
6
Cover Story
8
District Officers Training Program - Rewind
10
Member Perspective
12
Prospective & New Clubs
13
Cross Culture Learnings
15
Member Achievements
17
Club Spotlight
DISTRICT 98
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
DISTRICT 98
What is common with Mother Theresa, Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr.? They have all considered people before self. That is what Servant Leadership is all about.
"Magic happens," agrees Pat Falotico, a former executive leader at IBM who is now CEO of the Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership.
When the Sergeant At Arms opens a meeting, we read and pledge on our mission statement : We provide a supportive and positive learning experience in which members are empowered to develop communication and leadership skills, resulting in greater self-confidence and personal growth.
We have recently expanded our business to United States of America and after 22 years as a Chartered Accountant running my own consultancy, I would give all the credit to my team because I learned the Art of Servant Leadership.
Thus, a supportive environment can only be created with the help of Servant Leadership. Every role we take benefits us and the club, area, division and the district at the same time.
So, the next time you enter a meeting, try to help others in your capacity, it can be just a word of encouragement. You will be a servant leader. "If serving is below you, then leadership is beyond you" - Bishop Dale C. Bronner
In fact, we can take the same learning outside the Toastmasters meeting room and apply at our workplaces, communities and families. "Performance goes through the roof," says Art Barter, founder and CEO of the Servant Leadership Institute and CEO of Datron World Communications, Inc.
Dr. Nishant S Mehta, DTM Chief Editor, Communicate 98
DESIGNER OF THE MONTH The reason I joined Toastmasters was because it is "Where Leaders are made". During my experience in Toastmasters I learnt about the concept of Servant Leadership.
Tanisha Singh Capgemini Mumbai Toastmasters Club
At first I thought the phrase was an oxymoron, but with time I realised it is most effective philosophy of leadership. The goal of a leader is to serve and it is upto the leader to invert the pyramid of hierarchy. I look forward to a fulfilling learning journey in Toastmasters and implementing all I learn to all my future endeavours.
COMMUNICATE 98 | NOVEMBER 2021
DISTRICT DIRECTOR'S ADDRESS
DISTRICT 98
Being a Servant Leader….
"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." - John Quincy Adams, Sixth President of the United States But there is more to becoming a servant leader…. it is not just about inspiring and getting results but about how we do it and how we get there. For me, serving selflessly is the most rewarding facet of being a leader. If I can put the needs of our members first, help them learn, develop as individuals and perform to their potential, that would be most satisfying. And that is what we should all strive to do every single day….. to elevate the confidence and competence of others. It is not easy to conceptualize or become a servant leader overnight. There are scores of attributes, traits and skills that we need to develop. Amongst the many qualities that are required to be an exemplary servant leader, my top 3 are, Listening, being Aware and showing Empathy. I can teach, conduct workshops, lecture, be a role model and do other things to impress or wow the member.
But, if I do not LISTEN to issues, opinions and the needs of others, how can I lead? If I am not AWARE of the situation, problem, or of things that drive others, how can I lead? If I do not show EMPATHY, and make people feel good, special and important, how can I call myself a leader? I did not learn servant leadership in school or at my workplace. I learnt it over many years from my mother-in-law. She inspired every member of the immediate and extended family to be the best we could. She did this by LISTENING and being fair to all, by being AWARE of the needs and relationships in the family and most importantly, by showing EMPATHY to those who needed it. She used these skills to strengthen and empower all around her so that we could go out and achieve, with self belief. I have certainly learned a lot but need to practice even more. So let us ask ourselves, ‘Have those whom we’ve served, grown as persons? Have they become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely to become servant leaders?’ I hope the answer will be ‘YES’!
Mukta Nadkar, DTM District Director
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COMMUNICATE 98 | NOVEMBER 2021
01
DISTRICT FINANCE MANAGER'S MESSAGE
DISTRICT 98
Toastmasters & Servant Leadership I first came across the concept of “Servant Leadership” when I joined Toastmasters. I am a person who has always been interested in understanding the intricacies of good leadership. Even before I joined Toastmasters, I had read about the different prevalent corporate leadership styles and tried to inculcate them in my approach towards Team Management. However, Toastmasters opened up an altogether different window that showcased a different perspective on leadership. I was initially baffled to see people from different walks of life, engaged in different professions and in different levels of the corporate ladder, sharing responsibilities equally and working shoulder to shoulder without any need for titles. But once I embarked into the journey of developing my own leadership skills by taking up various roles in Toastmasters, I began to understand the true essence of Servant Leadership. Leaders in Toastmasters always believed the age old saying,
We rise by lifting others. Toastmasters molded me into a servant leader. However, the awesomeness of it really dawned on me when I saw the impact it has had on the team I lead. I could see my team members, who were earlier hesitant to share their apprehensions, challenges and success with me, transform to people who appeared really comfortable to work together with me, with a great sense of belonging for the work they do. My leadership approach became a widely admired style within the organization and today I am seen as a leader with a different style to team building.
Pramod PB, DTM District Finance Manager
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COMMUNICATE 98 | NOVEMBER 2021
02
DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION MANAGER'S MESSAGE
DISTRICT 98
Finding your VOICE with Leadership First rule of leadership: everything is your fault. - A Bug's Life Leadership is a funny thing. It starts when you are least ready, and ends maybe never. The ideology of a servant leader is a living paradox. It’s about achieving a common goal, by leading a team, much of it from the back. We are all leaders in different capacities. Some of us lead at work, some at home, and some by our actions. Hence, leadership is indispensable from our lives. We are leading, even at times when we are unaware of it. My tryst with leadership has been a funny one, especially this year as the District Administration Manager for District 98. All these learnings can be put in 1 phrase – Find your V.O.I.C.E. Vocalize your thoughts: As a leader, it is very important to speak your thoughts and to present your opinions. One may not always be right, but that does not make you wrong. Hence, speak up. At the end of the day you will be happy you did.
Initiate Initiatives: An aspect that becomes the crux of leadership, is to look at things differently and initiate new initiatives. Travel paths untraveled and set new examples. It’s always easy to do what’s been happening this far, but it’s often difficult to scratch the surface and reinvent the wheel and sometimes, that makes all the difference. Critique: When you embrace leadership, criticism comes with it uninvited. One cannot make everyone happy, as we are not Maggi. But the world will forget all the good you have done, and remember the one small error that may have happened. Embrace the 2 C’s: As a leader, one needs to learn how to embrace the 2 most important aspects of leadership: changes and challenges. Embracing to changes may sound difficult at times, but then the butterfly is the prettiest part of the caterpillar. On the other hand challenges sometimes are crucial too, both in terms of situations and people. That’s my 2 cents on finding my V.O.I.C.E with leadership. At the end of the day, it’s less about you, more about the TEAM!
Organize You: When you lead, you become the center for yourself and for your team. Hence, it is very important to be organized, both in your thoughts and in your work. I believe in being organized as an individual and that helps me serve my team and people well.
Abbas Akbar, DTM District Administration Manager
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03
CROSS-DISTRICT CONNECT
DISTRICT 98
In conversation with
Sravanthi Vallampati, DTM District Director (2019-2020), District 10
Tell us about your Journey in Toastmasters & Professional Life I stumbled upon Toastmasters as I looked for a public speaking program for my daughter when she was in middle school. Little did I know that I had hit a jackpot! ☺ My journey with Toastmasters started in February 2013. I have since rediscovered myself and developed a keen appreciation for all aspects that help make me the person I am today. At the heart my journey is joy – joy that is a culmination of two dimensions that Toastmasters offers: empowering education program and immersive human experience. I just gave my Ice Breaker for my seventh path (Team Collaboration) and am working towards my 4th DTM. Outside of Toastmasters, I am a working mother of two daughters, both Toastmasters, who likes a good challenge as much as she does sitting idle, just admiring the world around her. Work in IT Management flexes me in ways I did not know I needed to or could flex, but my Toastmasters’ learning keeps me nimble and resilient. What are the leadership?
characteristics
of
servant
I’d like to begin by sharing what Servant Leadership is not: it is not about control, power, or politics, it is not about ceding responsibility, and surely, it is not about accolades and celebrity. It is an honest approach to immersing ourselves in a people-first attitude to develop, empower, and elevate those whom we lead to unlock potential and create a sense of purpose and fulfillment.
Over the years, I have learned from observation and mentorship that servant leadership starts with an unselfish mindset and continually works towards an end that nurtures a culture of respect, trust, and harmony. I believe that servant leaders are both servants and leaders because leadership demands service as much as it does vision, character, and competence to lean in and lead with courage and purpose.
COMMUNICATE 98 | NOVEMBER 2021
04
CROSS DISTRICT CONNECT
DISTRICT 98
How can we be good servant leaders in Toastmasters? Toastmasters offers the perfect model for servant leadership. If you flip through the first couple of pages of any of our Leadership Handbooks you will see how evident it is that at the top of our hierarchy is the member, the beating heart of the toastmasters’ experience. It is for the service, empowerment, and achievement of the member’s goals that leaders fall into their respective places, and in return enjoy the extraordinary rewards of agility, commitment, harmony, loyalty, productivity, and trust, to name a few. As members of this amazing organization that facilitates servant leadership with the right amount of structural foundation, we can each strive, with or without a leadership title, to serve our members when we take time to listen to their stories, learn about their needs, and lead with sensitivity and empathy. We also have countless opportunities to further member development while honing our leadership skills via roles at the club, area, division, district, region, and beyond. The multiplier effect of our leadership learning ultimately helps our clubs and districts shine! I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities to connect and be of service, now even beyond my home district as a virtual member or guest!
What are the challenges of Servant Leadership? The top five that come to my mind are: Decreased direction and motivation due to lack of perceived accountability and rigor Servant fatigue due to the leader operating at an extreme level of empathy Lack of focus on organizational priorities due to member-first mindset Promotion of artificial harmony over courageous debate due to fear of conflict Insufficient attention to priorities and results due to lack of accountability
Servant leadership, although soft and indirect on the surface, is not for the faint at heart. It takes an extraordinary level of self-awareness, strength of character, and support network for servant leaders to come through for those who look up to them. To be effective leaders, it important to understand the traits that are natural to us and blend in a healthy dose of servant leadership. The beauty of servant leadership is that it complements other styles. For e.g., mine is a mix of Affiliative and Coaching leadership styles which could be complemented as easily by the tenets of servant leadership as other styles such as Authoritative, Autocratic, Democratic, Pacesetting, or Laissez-Faire. What is your message for D98 Leaders? Continue to operate from the seat of humanity – let yourselves be fully human while allowing others to be the same. It is only then that you can leverage your strengths and succeed as one, not because we do not have vulnerabilities, but because our collective strength has far outweighed our shortcomings. It is through exploring our humanity that we give this leadership experience a soul and elevate it to an art. I want all my friends in District 98 to know that they are leaders – they have within them the capacity to embrace their true selves, live by our core values of integrity, respect, service, and excellence, and realize their potential through self-awareness and humility, and in doing so, enable others too.
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05
COVER STORY
DISTRICT 98
WHERE LEADERS
ARE MADE - Covered by Madhuri Vadari
Literally speaking, with more than 15,400 clubs worldwide and seven officer positions for each club, that’s potentially 107,800 leaders – that why it’s said Toastmasters is the place “Where Leaders are Made”! As many clubs all in the district are gearing up to elect club officers for the new semi-annual term, we try to unravel how the journey from a member to a club leader and beyond can be transformational. Interestingly, every member’s initial focus is on becoming a confident speaker and communicator, while Leadership is considered the final step in the journey. However, to become a club officer, you just have to be a member in good standing. Although, the roles vary in terms of time commitment and skill sets, no prior experience is required to take up any Club officer role. Vandana Mehta from Rajkot Toastmasters Club, a newbie to Toastmasters, was just getting settled when she was shouldered with the responsibility of VP Education of her home club. Reflecting on her accidental role Vandana ponders, “As VPED there are lots of hats one has to wear. There were lot of areas to focus on for the club’s smooth functioning. Now that tables had turned, rather than saying this was missing I had to hold all corners and join them together.” Serving as club officer, enhances your confidence as a speaker and provides a platform to practice and strengthen your leadership skills in a supportive environment.
Garvit Sharma from Deloitte Hyderabad Toastmasters Club shares his journey as a VP Membership. “In 3 words – VPM role is about Purpose, Networking, and Influencing. As I understood the true value of Toastmasters, I learnt the most important skill in the corporate world. I was able to use my networking skills to add members. If you understand the purpose of toastmasters and use your networking skills - you can be a very successful VP- Membership.” Neha Verma of Oracle Hyderabad Toastmasters club shares her experience as a VP Public Relations. She says " I learnt to use Canva to promote club meeting marketing. Using Canva I was able to create posters using existing templates as well as I am able to create new templates from scratch by following Toastmasters Brand guidelines". It helped her to develop a new skill set which has not only helped her in her toastmaster journey but also in her professional journey. The success of a Club is a collective effort. Each role is equally important with its own share of learnings. Pravina Bharija of RG Orators Toastmasters Club, Jamnagar, states “Being a Treasurer of a community club comes with its own Challenges. Budget approvals and renewals tested my tenacity but enhanced my negotiation and motivational skills, while bringing down costs and maintaining transparency in handling the expenses augmented my organizational skills. Eventually, the role endowed me with the confidence to takeover as the President of our Club.”
COMMUNICATE 98 | NOVEMBER 2021
06
COVER STORY
DISTRICT 98
Hargun Singh Kochhar of Raipur Toastmasters Club believes that the journey of an ExCom member is not only fun but engaging in various different aspects. His stint as the Secretary of his club taught him that the minutest of the minute is what one needs to focus on to be a leader in a true sense. He states that all club officers not only have a responsibility but a duty towards satisfying the Club’s motto – to provide a supportive and positive learning environment. Nivedita Rajurkar whose leadership journey started with an ExCom role of Club Secretary vouches that, “Collaborating with other officers, keeping track of documents and maintaining them, as well as interacting with members not only improved my planning and presentation skills but also instilled in me the confidence to be a Trainer at the Club Officer Training Program (COTP).” Abilash D, from Deloitte Hyderabad Toastmasters Club shares his experience as Sergeant At Arms (SAA). “When I started with Toastmasters, I was a shy, introverted person struggling to talk to people in the club. Then I took up the role of SAA. As a SAA, I had to talk to various people inside/outside of his club as part of the meeting prep, start and set the tone for every meeting, voice my opinions during the excom meetings etc. Within months I grew into a confident and a known face inside/outside the club - taking on more responsibilities and delivering on them.”
I also learnt how to be an active listener when others put forth their grievances, ideas, arguments or opinions. And finally, I learnt conflict management, how to agree to disagree and only choose what lies in the best interest of the club & its members.” Doubtlessly, the biggest reward of being a leader in Toastmasters is strengthening your confidence. Whether you are the President, VP Education, VP Membership, VP Public Relations, Club Secretary, Treasurer or the Sergeant at Arms, you get to brainstorm with your fellow officers on ways to improve your club and also have opportunity to network with people outside your own department (as in corporate clubs) or those who work for other companies (in Community clubs). Toastmaster Clubs have the ability to change members’ lives. By taking on a leadership role, you not only enhance your skills, you become a Better Person and a Better Leader. Challenge yourself to Make a world of difference by making a difference in yourself! Take that first step outside your comfort zone and see the way it changes “YOU”.
Let the journey Begin!
Vaishali Rai of Raipur Toastmasters Club, points out how her role as the President of her Club helped her harness her communication skills. “It made me choose my words wisely as words have incredible power to make people’s hearts soar or sore.
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07
DISTRICT OFFICERS TRAINING PROGRAM Mumbai/Zoom, 26-28 Nov
DISTRICT 98
District 98 leaders converged at Mumbai for a Hybrid District Officers Training Program and District Executive Meeting from 26th to 28th Nov. It was a brilliantly organized event, with amazing activities, impactful trainings, and lots of fun. Our District Leaders share their experiences.
Human beings are born with a powerful urge to learning. What makes special about learning is the journey. My journey to Mumbai for DOTP was enriching. The best part is to witness all the leaders of district 98 under one roof. The DOTP for me, beyond the learning, was finding out how tall the people are than what they look on Zoom! However, one of the exciting parts for me was meeting the Eloquence 2021 team with whom I had hundreds of hours invested online on zoom but never had met physically to date! The overall DOTP was indeed exhilarating for me - it being the first-ever training (in a physical setting) I have ever attended in Toastmasters, it was beyond what I thought a training would be. The constant getting on the floor to dance, the fantastic opportunity to collaborate with fellow leaders on various fun activities and the getting out of comfort zone to interact and work towards a unified goal were some of my favorite things!
2 Learnings I took back with me from DOTP: 1. Training: Relevant content with engaging activities scheduled to enlighten the leaders about their responsibilities kept squeezing every possible ounce of learning. 2. Networking: Socializing with more than 65+ Toastmaster across over 3 days and having intellectual conversations building insatiable curiosity towards leadership. It was a rejuvenating experience! - Raviteja Peri (Division Director,G)
- Tanay Rajwal (Area Director,D2)
COMMUNICATE 98 | NOVEMBER 2021
08
DISTRICT OFFICERS TRAINING PROGRAM Mumbai/Zoom, 26-28 Nov
The joy and excitement of hosting 70+ officers for the first ever in-person DOTP in the current program year cannot be described in words. While, a lot of us had our reservations, everyone was excited to meet people outside Zoom. We are glad that as the Host City we were able to help everyone have a good learning and fun experience in Mumbai. As the organizing team we had our inhibitions given limited past experience and the hybrid challenges, but the team led by Joylan and Mohnish pulled it off with much finesse and grace. The happiness and flood of photos are a testimony of the fact that everyone had a good time – which ensured I had a good night’s sleep the Sunday after. With god’s grace – no untoward incident has been reported, we all are now looking forward to the next meeting.
DISTRICT 98
The 3 days of DOTP was a pleasure. It started with the energy infused through team warm-ups and interactive mind engaging sessions on Day1. Amazingly Day 2 continued to follow the same energized ambiance and added to the wonderful experience and learning! I particularly loved the in between activities to Rev up the team spirits. Day 3 started with the excitement of photoshoot and fellowships; as we continued our sessions. In all loved the energy, the communion and the learnings that we experienced in these 3 days of Leadership connect! Lived it and loved it! - Sanjukta Kundu, DTM (Division Director,D)
- Hardik Shah (Club Growth Director) DOTP - District Officer Training Program was an eyeopener for the opportunities Leadership unfolds in the journey. Toastmasters International is the place where Leaders are made, because of such wonderful trainings and sessions. The agenda was planned around 2 and a half days. Learn with fun was the core of all the sessions.
MUMBAIIII - ye sitaro ki nagri hai (the city of stars) And ours stars (officers of D98) just lit the city even more brighter. The 3 days of DOTP got over too soon, An amalgamation of thought provoking practical sessions where we learned to take some important tricks and tips to implement and work on to execute our strategies in building new clubs, leaders and growing the community stronger and sustainable; the scrumptious meal with blend of networking opportunities over a starter or a dessert made some bonds for lifetime; we explored the streets of Mumbai and some important monuments at the night, Dotp’s are the time where you don’t feel sleepy and where your nights are your mornings :p The fun and frolic that was all around those 3 days will remain special and unforgettable which every district officer would have carried to their way back home! A big thank you to all the hosts of Mumbai team for making our experience a memorable one
I personally loved the session on Leadership from Joy Hans, as it added to my learnings and how do I improve in the journey ahead. Leaning the art of crucial communication and breaking the barriers and reaching your leadership for any assistance is a choice away. The District handbook and the sessions on the tools and techniques helped us to understand the bigger why. The cherry on cake was the recognitions on the work we as Area Directors have done. -Kanchan Sonik, DTM (Area Director,D1)
District Officers Training Program is where all leaders from various geography meet at one epicenter. The connect, the moments we share are priceless. It is a place of fun and learning. We enrich our journey by learning from their experiences.
- Neha Bhatt, DTM (Division Director,A)
COMMUNICATE 98 | NOVEMBER 2021
- Sanjan Shetty, DTM (Division Director,U)
09
MEMBER PERSPECTIVE
DISTRICT 98
Service Matters, Titles Don’t Leading by example makes all the difference.
This is one of the humblest leadership styles
Leadership can assumed to be either a choice or by chance.
Servant leaders transform the positive qualities of servitude into strong leadership qualities. They ensure that there is high engagement, keep their followers motivated and are driven by ethics.
There are some who consider themselves leaders, but I consider them 'TRADERS'. Service means nothing to them. It’s always 'What’s in it for me?' On the other side, we have some shining bright and always positive 'Servant Leaders', the ones who may not make a lot of noise but ensure that they take their people with them. Service and leadership go hand-in-hand, and the best leader is one who doesn’t make others feel that they are being led. In the words of the great philosopher Lau Tzu:
“A leader is best when people barely know he/she exists, when his/her work is done, his/her aim fulfilled, they will say: We did it ourselves.”
Borrowing from the tag line of a product mentioned in a famous advertisement: “It’s different, Boss!” there is a clear distinction in Service Leaders. Besides being service-oriented, these leaders are always selfless, aim to serve, respect everyone and focus on developing others.
Servant leaders focus on developing others, Look at our organization! It’s all about members. Leaders serve and move on, but the essence of service stays and is passed on from leader to leader. We have first-hand experiences of how service leadership is effective, be it providing support, motivating people or carrying people on their shoulders, Toastmasters embodies servant leadership across levels. Our focus on members is the essence of what drives leaders across the hierarchy. Service is in our DNA, and no one can take it away from us.
They are great story tellers. They do not hard-sell, they influence. Servant leaders have some amazing qualities that are easily transferable and learnable. They lead by example and ensure that they protect the interest of their followers. They are willing to roll up their sleeves and show 'How it can be done, together' instead of screaming out and dictating 'Here's how it should be done.' Servant leaders are exceptional listeners, they can empathize with others and are committed to the growth of others, providing all the necessary support to ensure that others succeed.
COMMUNICATE 98 | OCTOBER 2021
10
MEMBER PERSPECTIVE I am blessed to have worked with some outstanding Servant Leaders across levels. There are many who come to mind, but the one I wish to mention is Jai Prakash Chaurasia, DTM, past Division Governor based in Mumbai. JP embodies every element that you can find on Google about servant leadership. He is softspoken and knows how to take people along to get work done. I had the honour to have him as part of my team and despite the passing years, there is only one personality who stands out for me – JP! For him, it was never about the title. He always wanted to make a difference, his attitude to serve even when there were naysayers made him the most loved leader. JP’s goodwill and ability to start a sentence with “No problem” helped us tide over many tough situations. His calm and composed demeanour is simply worth emulating.
DISTRICT 98
We are awed by celebrities, poster leaders, and want to be like them. However, I encourage you to imbibe the characteristics that JP has and you will grow faster as well as into a better leader. We all begin our leadership journeys somewhere, but we can learn to serve. It starts with sharing, creating an impact and in many cases knowing what 'Not to do'. Remember in the end “Service Matters, titles don’t!”
Dr. Brillian S. K, DTM, PRA Bombay Toastmasters Club
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Call for District Leadership Nominations 2022-2023 It is the time of year when we begin preparations for building our Leadership Team for the year 2022-23. This year is even more critical as our District will split into 3 Districts; namely, D98, D125 and D126. Nominations are invited for the posts of District Director, Program Quality Director, Club Director and Division Directors of respective geographies. Nominations will close on 9th January 2022.
IPDD Niteash Agarwaal, DTM, has been appointed as the DLC Chair.
For more details, please check for an email from District Communications dated 9th Dec or speak to your Area Director.
COMMUNICATE 98 | NOVEMBER 2021
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PROSPECTIVE & NEW CLUBS
Orange City Toastmasters Club DIVISION N Nagpur Contact: Deepalika Kowar- 7420 904451 Sapna Acharya- 85848 32151 Kolshet Toastmasters Club DIVISION M Mumbai Contact: Ramanathan N.S. - 88794 98694 Rohan Parakh - 96198 18414
Ghatkopar Toastmasters Club DIVISION U
Mumbai
Contact: Sanjan Shetty- 97694 46292 Ketkee Kamdar- 98335 24556
Chalk & Duster Toastmasters Club Mumbai Contact: Kartik Srinivasan - 98929 78833 Raj Bharat - 81086 16240 DIVISION M
Pride Toastmasters Club DIVISION U Mumbai Contact: Avantika Narayan -98336 55216 Dimple Mehta- 98700 34109
Cocanada Toastmasters Club DIVISION F
Kakinada
Contact: Lasya- 91335 57887 Subhash- 98852 32661 Bilingual Hindi-English Toastmasters Club
Clowning Glory Toastmasters DIVISION S Mumbai Contact: Ramanand- 99206 51204 Sunita- 98201 85976 The Millennial's Toastmasters Club DIVISION S
DISTRICT 98
Mumbai
Contact: Muskaan- 81696 68570 Poornima- 73973 70200
DIVISION J
Jamnagar
Contact: Deepali Parikh -99989 86982 Jyoti Bhat- 78386 13506
Charismatic Speakers Toastmasters Club DIVISION A
Bhopal
Contact: Pinky Bahroos -9974117798
Know of a prospective club you'd like to be spotlighted? Share with us at newsletter@district98.org
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CROSS-CULTURE LEARNINGS
DISTRICT 98
With distance not being a constraint anymore, our members share their experiences attending meetings at International Clubs “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness” ― Mark Twain In Pandemic, I took advantage of online meetings and attended meetings in different clubs across India and other countries. The journey has helped me break those shackles of perceived notions. It helped me to identify and work on improving my rate of speech and clarity of language. I got to learn different practices in club meetings, hear some great speeches and evaluations. Some clubs started their meeting with a prayer while others started with a national anthem. Some clubs had round robin evaluations, some had round robin introduction, some used Pecha Kucha technique in Table topics. I had the fortune to attend clubs from 140 countries. From a club in Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, USA, Indonesia, Japan to a club in Guinee, Belarus, Latvia, State of Palestine, Montserrat, Burkina Faso, Mali, Myanmar and many more, it has been an amazing journey of more than 500 plus club with lots of learnings, bonding and friendship.
I have had the good fortune of attending Club meetings in Paris, Vancouver, Singapore and Muscat. I have been very warmly received and welcomed at each meeting. The meeting structure is almost the same everywhere. The clubs in Singapore were using technology more adeptly when I visited them. The clubs in Vancouver and Paris were in community set up and meetings were extremely well conducted; no member took up two roles. Agenda was shared with all via email before the meeting. It was a great moment for networking for me.
Mayuri Assudani,DTM Loyal Toastmasters Club
I learnt that it is just these barriers of borders that divide us, otherwise every person has dreams and desire to grow. Today I can proudly say that I have realized the true meaning of 𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐤𝐲!
I got an opportunity to attend cross-division and cross-district meetings. The first thing I observed was consistency and commitment to provide a supportive environment and helping each member to grow. The second aspect I liked was belongingness and I never felt that I was from another club which helped me to do my best in the role that I had taken. Listening to stories from great leaders through their speeches, educational sessions and panel discussions always gave me immense pleasure and a bundle of learnings to take away. At the end of the day, it made me feel motivated and inspired to do my best and lastly to improve myself.
Raghunadha Raju Sarikonda,DTM Golden Falcon Toastmasters
Sirisha Pammi Oracle Hyderabad Toastmasters Club
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COMMUNICATE 98 | NOVEMBER 2021
13
CROSS-CULTURE LEARNINGS
World is small if you decide to explore and it started with the first joint meeting of Pimpri Toastmaster club and Karachi Toastmaster club which also gave me an opportunity to attend Karachi Toastmasters Club in District 122. I took part in the Table topic session and stood out as best table topic speaker of that meeting. This opened the doors for me to attend various club meetings from different districts like Ajmer Toastmasters Club, Vicencza Toastmasters Club, Italy, London Toastmaster Club and also take various role like Grammarian, General Evaluator, time role and also Tally Counter for contest in District 41.
DISTRICT 98
Toastmasters has connected me to different people of different countries with diverse background through one common link. There may be difference in dialect, culture, and appearance of members but the mission and vision of all clubs is same. The desire to grow is same. I made some true friends through these meetings.
Hrishikesh Gokhale Pimpri Toastmasters Club
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DESIGN OF THE MONTH! Congratulations !! Venkata B. Pradeep Xlrators Miyapur Toastmasters Club
COMMUNICATE 98 98 || NOVEMBER NOVEMBER 2021 COMMUNICATE 2021
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CLUB MILESTONES
MILESTONES
DISTRICT 98
&ANNIVERSARIES
10th
Oracle Hyderabad Toastmasters Club
OHTM celebrated its 10th anniversary and milestone meeting #230 on 11th November 2021.
PHOTO CAPTION CONTEST
COMMUNICATE 98 | NOVEMBER 2021
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MEMBER ACHIEVEMENTS
DISTRICT 98
DISTINGUISHED TOASTMASTER
Congratulations on your persistent and tenacious efforts to achieve the highest accomplishment in Toastmasters!
Sanjukta Kundu Kharadi Toastmasters Club
TRIPLE CROWN AWARDEES Congratulations on achieving three (or more) educational levels in the year.
Bahroos, Pinky Mohan Cheulwar, Sonia Manoj Deshpande, Pawan Dhiman, Sakshi Gade, Adarsh Prudhvi sai Garg, Sandeep Jain, Anjali Dharmendra Jain, Pragya Jawale, Swapnil Jivrajani Naina Kamble, Swapnil
Kochhar, Hargun Singh Deepinder Singh Mishra, Sangita Monteiro, Vijaya Naiksatam, Swarangi Prabhu Gaonkar, Venkatesh Rahatekar, Manish S Rajurkar, Nivedita Shah, Deep Madhukant Sinha,Himanshu Wani, Krutika Wariar, Sudha
COMMUNICATE 98 | NOVEMBER 2021
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TOASTMASTERS TRIVIA Do you think you know Toastmasters without a doubt? Take this quiz and let’s find out! Presenting the Toastmasters Trivia: 11 Months ~ 11 rounds ~ 55 questions. Answer 5 questions correctly every month and at the end of 11 rounds, stand a chance to win exciting prizes from District 98! Mail them to newsletter@district98.org
DISTRICT 98
ANSWERS TO UNSCRAMBLE
1. Cynosure 2. Intrigue 3. Cozen 4. Criterion 5. Ephemeral Shaded Word : Mentoring
TRIVIA #5 1. What year did founder Ralph Smedley begin working full-time with Toastmasters? 2. What percentage of Toastmasters’ current members are women? 3. When did Toastmasters begin the Accredited Speaker Program? 4. Where was the first Toastmasters Club outside of North America founded? 5. Which Asian city hosted Toastmasters’ first international convention held outside North America?
TRIVIA LEADERBOARD 1. Mayuri Assudani 2. Bhumi Panjwani 3. Akshay Singh 4. Jyoti Bhat
Winner: Akshay Singh ANSWERS TO TRIVIA #4 1. First official Toastmasters Convention was held in - Anaheim, California (in 1930) 2. The DTM award was introduced in 1970 3. Name of book written by Ralph Smedlley which elucidates 25 ways to build a speech is Speech Engineering 4. In 1962, the Basic Training manual was translated into two languages – Spanish and French 5. In 2020, Toastmasters International announced a strategic alliance with – Rotary International
COMMUNICATE 98 | NOVEMBER 2021
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CLUB SPOTLIGHT DIV A
Investis Digital India (7854559), Vadodara Tuesday,04:00 PM (2nd & 4th) President: Srikanth Swaminathan
DISTRICT 98
DIV B
DB Mumbai Toastmasters Club (5235362), Mumbai Saturday, 03:30 PM President: Laxmy Simon
Vatt Thi Gujarati Toastmasters Club (7842705), Vadodara Saturday,06:30 PM ((2nd & 4th) President: Shveta Brahmbhatt
DIV C
Infosys Pune Toastmasters Club (916446), Pune Wednesday, 05:00 PM President: Deeksha Khurana
DIV D
Aundh Toastmasters Club (7239392), Pune Sunday, 03:00 PM President: Adithya Narayan
DIV E
Elan Toastmasters Hyderabad (1272701), Hyderabad Saturday, 03:00 PM (1st & 3rd) President: Vijay Bansal
Vision Toastmasters (991226), Hyderabad Sunday, 10:00AM (Bi-Weekly) President: Sreeni
DIV F
ADP Hyderabad Toastmasters (1466666), Hyderabad Wednesday, 04:00PM President: Venkata Harish Kumar Roots Toastmasters (5030861), Hyderabad Thursday, 04:00PM President: Anikheth Goud
DIV H
CKM Toastmasters (7722776), Hyderabad Friday,04:00PM (Bi- Weekly) President: Hargundeep
Corporate Club
Wonders of Women Toastmasters Club (7780150), Pune Sunday,03:00PM President: Prasanti Kolla AllState Toastmasters Club (6006628), Pune Saturday,03:00PM President:
Microsoft Hyderabad Toastmasters (1390103), Hyderabad Friday, 04:30 PM (Alternate) President: Manohar
DIV G
Eminent Toastmasters Club (2854357), Mumbai Thursday, 11:00 AM President: Nazir Sumara
Vijayawada Toastmasters Club (7913211), Vijayawada Saturday, 06:30PM President: Sainadh Gupta S.R.K.R. Toastmasters Club (7327622), Bhimavaram Thursday, 06:00PM President: Gayatri
College Club
Community Club
Get in touch with the clubs at Toastmasters International - Find a Club COMMUNICATE 98 | NOVEMBER 2021
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CLUB SPOTLIGHT DIV J
DIV N
DIV P
DIV U
Gandhinagar Toastmasters Club (7636059), Gandhinagar Sunday,10:30AM President: Akanksha Verma
SSIPMT Spellbinders (7185394), Raipur Friday,04:00 PM President: Sakshi Bhuwal
Toastmasters Club of Pune (1141787), Pune Saturday,05:00PM President: Prasad Sovani
Thane Toastmasters Club (2017422), Mumbai Sunday,11:00 AM President: Aneesh Ramachandra
Corporate Club
DISTRICT 98
DIV M
DIV O
DIV S
DIV W
UBS Mumbai Toastmasters Club (6881120), Navi Mumbai Friday, 11:30AM (1st & 3rd) President: Amit Bajaj
SGAS Toastmasters (6885728), Pune Thursday,05:00 PM President: Thomas Christopher
Mumbai Toastmasters (993448), Mumbai Sunday,10:45AM President: Divya Iyer
GOA YMCA Toastmasters Club (1214543), Mumbai Tuesday,07:00 PM President: Runa Menezes
College Club
Community Club
Get in touch with the clubs at Toastmasters International - Find a Club COMMUNICATE 98 | NOVEMBER 2021
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MEET THE TEAM PR MANAGER
DISTRICT 98
CHIEF EDITOR
Smita Mishra, DTM
Nishant Mehta, DTM
CONTENT MANAGERS
Meenal Bale
Madhuri Vadari
Venkatraman B
DESIGNER
Tanisha Singh COMMUNICATE 98 | NOVEMBER 2021
Vinod Basalalli