Speaking Up by District 20 Toastmasters

NEWSLETTER OF ABU DHABI CHAPTER 1950 Area 2, Division H, District 20

Issue 1, July to September 2013

SPEAKING UP

What Makes One A Champion Speaker

CONTENTS

FEATURE BY TM LOY MACHEDO WHAT MAKES ONE A CHAMPION SPEAKER Everyone wants to be a World Champion of Public Speaking. The Eleven Characteristics that form the DNA of being a True World Champion Page no: 7

From the President

From Area Govern

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Desk

Executive Committee

Reflections from a Champion Speaker

New Member Speaks

Club Picnic - Photo Feature

Mess to Message

Bloom Where You are Planted

Vitamin B1

Networking Secrets

A Talk with DTM Sujatha Parthasarathy

Life Influences

The Devil's Double

Between the Cup & Sip

Club News

Member Progress Chart

Club Goals & Progress

Division H News

2 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Toastmasters, Welcome to the first issue of our newsletter. The untiring efforts of our Vice President-Public Relations, Sasi Nair in bringing out this newsletter is evident as you read through the pages and I would like to congratulate him and all those who contributed towards this first issue. In June you unanimously elected a new executive committee for the year 2013 2014. It is indeed a pleasure, privilege and honor for me to once again accept the mantle of leadership of the Abu Dhabi Chapter, a club which is not only the first club to be formed in U.A.E, but a club which is still highly regarded by all the clubs in the UAE. Tell any outside Toastmaster that you are from the Abu Dhabi Chapter and they will look up to you with respect.

LOYOLA PINTO

PRESIDENT

This is because of the ocean of talent that we possess both in speaking and leadership. Our club’s strength are our senior members who are our back bone and I can confidently say that there is no club in the Middle East which has so many senior members, all regularly attending and are so passionate about the club. If I may borrow a slogan from the Onida TV’s advertisement in India – Abu Dhabi Chapter is ‘Neighbor’s envy and owner’s pride’. I am fortunate to have a great team of dedicated, enthusiastic and passionate Toastmasters in the committee and together we will strive to meet the educational/leadership aspirations and goals of each and every one of you. Our VP Education TM Aby Hans has ensured that the three meeting agenda is circulated well in advance and displayed at every meeting so that you have enough time to prepare for your projects. We organized a joint meeting with Achievers Toastmasters in the month of August. The ‘Meat of the Meet’ is now being regularly circulated by TM Saima Imran after every meeting. For the first time we have started an advance table topic session before every meeting to help members overcome their fear of table topics. Our own past president Salim Sayyid, who has a penchant for writing regularly posts pictures and write-ups of our meetings on Facebook. I would take this opportunity to extend my sincere appreciation to our Immediate past President Althaf Ahmed and his team for a successful Toastmaster year 2012 -2013. Toastmasters provides leadership opportunities outside the club and we are proud to have the Division H Governor DTM Bharat Mehta and Area 2 Governor Bhojraj Mane as our members. We will look forward to their guidance during the year. Finally, I wish you all a richer, fruitful and satisfying Toastmaster year. May all your dreams come true. Enjoy the newsletter….Happy reading! TM Loyola Pinto

3 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

FROM AREA GOVERNOR

Dear Toastmasters I feel really privileged to be among Toastmasters for the past 6 years and more so to get the opportunity to serve them. As Area Governor, I understand my responsibilities, but I am also aware that it is an uphill task especially when filling in the shoes of the legacy left behind by my predecessor TM Sujatha Parthasarathy, a prolific leader. Knowing the commitment of our club leaders, I know that all clubs in Area 2 will meet the goals for recognizing them as Distinguished Clubs. However, in my opinion, helping club members to meet their aspirations should be of higher priority. Retaining new members and keeping them motivated is also another challenge club leaders need to confront. BHOJRAJ MANE

What makes Area 2 different is the passion of its club leaders. Passion to excel makes them stand out. Passion & dedication is the hallmark of great personalities and we have seen the tribute given to Indian iconic batsman Sachin Tendulkar by media last week when he decided to hang his boots after successful sporting career spanning 24 years. What made Sachin Tendulkar great were not his records but rather his passion and dedication to the game which brought about the records. Having the passionate, dedicated and supportive team of club leaders and the guidance of Division Governor DTM Bharat Mehta, I have no doubt in my mind of achieving Presidents Distinguished Area for Area 2 this year.

AREA GOVERNOR

When it comes to Abu Dhabi Chapter Club, it is leading not only in Area 2 but also in Division H. I am proud to be a member of this club which is a melting pot of new and senior members producing recipes that every club envies. TM Loyola Pinto taking the mantle of club again as President after completing a round of leadership roles is inspiring g the club to achieve greater glory. I feel very assured with his wisdom while also seeking his advice on any matter. Wishing Abu Dhabi Chapter a great year ahead !!! TM Bhojraj Mane

4 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

EDITOR’S DESK

After many deliberations the much awaited first issue of the club magazine is out. At the outset let me say a big thank to you members for the help and support. To be honest with you, I am enjoying the task of editing a magazine which I never attempted in my life before. All I had, if it can be related, was a limited experience of editing and reviewing audit reports, a skill which I acquired simply because of the virtue of my profession, that of an auditor. When I took over the position of Vice President Public Relations I was skeptical whether I would be able to do justice to it, but the confidence that toastmaster movement installs on its members proved my apprehension wrong. SASIKUMAR NAIR

After being a Magazine Editor I realized the importance of responding to calls and emails from VP PR for club magazine articles, and how it could make life of the editor easier and comfortable. Excelling in what one does is something that everyone aspires and wishes to accomplish. In Toastmasters this turned to be how can one be a good speaker and ultimately a champion speaker at the International level. In this edition, the cover story tells us what makes one a champion speaker, by a champion speaker TM Loy Machedo. Two club members who achieved and accomplished new heights in this journey of communication also feature in this edition, who are indeed shining stars and inspiration to all our members. As we are in midst of a season change, summer slowly retreats and we are in for the best season in the year. Hope everyone plans family outings and barbequing. Let’s enjoy the warmth of the best period of the year.

VP PUBLIC RELATION

Now with your magazine in your hand, the next important thing you can do is reading it . Whilst you read it please don’t forget to shoot me an email with your feedback as I welcome your bouquets and brickbats. Your response would be an encouragement and could certainly make a difference to the next issue. Lastly, its my pleasure and privilege to carry on the legacy of Abu Dhabi Chapter Toastmaster Club, the Mother of all clubs in UAE, left behind by the great leaders. Enjoy reading… TM Sasikumar Nair

5 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

The Executive Committee

Aby Hans VP Education

Loyola Pinto President

Rizvi Mohammed VP Membership

Sasikumar Nair VP Public Relation

Narayana Pillai Treasurer

Saima Imran Secretary

Abdul Sattar Khan Sergeant at Arms

Althaf Ahmed Immediate Past President

6 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

A FEATURE BY TM LOY MACHEDO

The 11 Characteristics that form the DNA of being a “True World Champion”

Loy Machedo Award Wining Speaker, Writer, Trainer & Mentor to many world ranked champion. Known as “ The Tattooed Trainer”

Everyone wants to be a World Champion of Public Speaking.

Imagining, Believing Encouraging others.

I mean who wouldn't want to?

But my point of contention is simply this - No matter how much a donkey tries the above - he can never become a horse.

To be able to flash the badge of excellence and the bragging rights of being the Best Speaker in the World is truly an attractive feather in the cap. One that cannot be purchased from e-bay or amazon.com but that can only be earned through a Contest - The World Championship of Public Speaking. But now the question arises - is it possible for anyone and everyone to become a world champion? Through my experience, my answer would be, an emphatic and resounding 'No'. Positive Thinkers, Encouraging Hearts, Nurturing Leaders would disagree with me and say on a given day anyone and everyone can become a World Champion. They would extol the virtues of Praying, Visualizing, 7 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

yourself

and

So allow me to give you my 2-cents on what I believe forms the Crux of being a World Champion and the you can decide for yourself. In order to be the World Champion of Public Speaking, you need to have the following:

Is it possible for anyone and everyone to become a world champion? ……. “No” !!!!!

Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

A FEATURE BY TM LOY MACHEDO

1. Script Writing Mastery:

4. Public Relations & Likability

Winning the World Champion of Public Speaking is all about your Script. If you do not have a script or you do not know how to write a truly amazing one - My advice to you - don't even bother enrolling yourself. If you know how to write scripts, you can edit, re-edit, change, manipulate, form, transform, skew, slice, trim and juggle around with your script. And don't depend too much on Script Writers. A hired script writer may provide his or her services to you. But what is the drive to want to give you 100%? Trust me, unless you are his child, there is no reason for your hired Script writer to want to give you the same effort that you are willing to put into your chances of winning. Now here the point of difference is this - People have this belief that you can get lucky.

John Lennon sang the Song 'Imagine' whose lyrics have inspired a generation. Though we would like to imagine a perfect world or for that matter Toastmaster as a Perfect Organization, remember we are dealing with human beings whose brains, hearts, value systems, thought processes, tolerance levels and emotional quotients are unpredictable. No matter how much we try, in the end if our hearts and our emotions take over the logical seat of control. Want evidence? You don't need to go far. Check out the drama that unfolds during elections. The one who less competent but is liked, always wins over the one who is more proficient but not liked. So keep this in mind - If people do not like you, those very factors can lead to hurting your chances of winning.

Lets analyze this bit. With a bad script You may get through one round, you may get lucky in the next, you may even have divine intervention in the third round but the chances are you will get knocked out in the fourth. Now you may say, wow, isn't that a good thing - being able to climb up the ranks? My answer - No. If you keep competing with a bad script, you will have etched a permanent image of yourself for the judges to prejudge you for the rest of your Toastmaster life.

5. Command over the language

2. Creativity

6. Voice

Almost all the World Champions of Public Speaking have had one thing working out well for them The ability to get creative and to do something different. Now creative doesn't mean bending over backwards and being able to play a xylophone. Rather it is the presence of mind to be able to Create and Craft something Communicative that stays Charismatically Constant in the Minds and Hearts of the Audience. And that begins with your Script and then manifests itself through your delivery.

I know, I know. How can you change a voice that is a result of your chromosomes? Well become you get all shrill and raspy about it, imagine having Obama deliver a World Class Speech with a Squeaky Voice or Indira Gandhi with a Croaky Voice. Not a very good sound idea.

3. Time, Money, Effort and Security What has this got to do with competing Everything. The World Champion of Public Speaking is not a casual affair. If you do not have these four legs, your chair of competitiveness would not be able to sustain the pressures of imbalance that comes with competing. And what do I mean by Security? Imagine your presence of mind if you do not have job, financial, emotional, relationship or mental security. Think you can compete? 8 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

By command over the English language, I do not mean to imply that if you are not an native English speaker, you cannot win. Nope. You must have a penchant and effervescence towards the English language. Unless you naturally imbibe this into your DNA, half hearted and fragmented jerks while communicating will be visible, especially as you climb higher.

7. Personality I wonder why do we always admire good looking men and women? For that matter, why do we have our leaders who try their level best to keep fit and look smart? In fact, when I say 'World Champion of Public Speaking' do you imagine someone perfect or someone with a 48 inch waist having trouble walking up the stairs? If you look like a Champion, you will be judged like one and treated like one.

Winning the World Champion of Public Speaking is all about your

Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

A FEATURE BY TM LOY MACHEDO

CV Writing Skills: Today I teach and

8. Personal Brand Have you noticed this strange dichotomy - No one takes a Humorous Speaker Seriously. In fact, if you are known to be rude, no one would believe a heart wrenching story from your end. And if you are a bashful extrovert flaunting his family jewels at all occasions, no one would subscribe to your lessons of charity. Remember this - Ask yourself what kind of a brand are you and stick to it. Violate this - and you would not get the results you expect.

9. Obsession Without Obsession you will not win. And by Obsession, I do not mean just wanting to win badly. For some people it transcends wanting to win more than wanting to breathe. There should be nothing more important to you than wanting to win - and though I would be hesitant to state this you should want to win at all costs. In the end, if you won the 1st place, no one would bother how you won it. (provided you didn't do anything explicitly illegal)

train hardcore professionals on how to Create, Craft and Compose their Resume's. CFO's, Directors, Senior Manager - I charge them per page and I get paid for it.

Public Speaking Contests: After winning over 600 trophies and awards, I retired from Public Speaking Contests. In fact, if you are looking for time based speeches, The longest speech I have ever given is 14 hours for a Educational Seminar I was conducting. (with 4 breaks in between) And to date - I've never forgotten a single speech.

Blogging: Google my name, and you will access

to over 919 articles I have personally written which attract roughly around 3,500 + views every single day on my website.

As a Trainer: Today, I get an average of 15 minimum people per seminar. The highest I have attracted to my seminar has been 106.

As a Networker: Today I have 48,000 people on my Social Media Circles.

10. Education, Educational Material & Educative Research

In fact, right now at this moment, I am teaching and training myself on the following skills:

Humor: 25 years ago, I cracked my 1st joke in

Adobe Photoshop & Adobe Illustrator

front of a family crowd. No one laughed.

CV Writing Skills: 20 years ago, I drafted my 1st

Cartoon Animation

CV. It was a 5 paged disaster.

Cognitive Science

Public Speaking Contest: 15 years ago, I took

Social Media Strategies

part in my 1st Public Speaking Contest. It was for 3 minutes and I forgot my lines.

Blogging: 10 years ago, I wrote my 1st article. Took me a week to compose 100 words.

As a Trainer: 5 years ago, I attempted my 1st Seminar. Only 2 turned up for the session.

As a Networker: 1 year ago, I had 150 people on my Social Media Platform

Fast-forward to today. Humor: A few days ago I delivered a 60 minute presentation to a National Insurance Company. They laughed so hard for the entire 60 minutes that I got 3 letters of recommendation sent to me via LinkedIn.

Personality Analysis & Character Profiling So why am I bragging about this? Because I have put in the time (4 hours per day) money ( $2,000 per month) and effort ( I head a Mastermind Group) to Educate myself. And I am very passionate about it. (And no, I am not humble or reserved about it. My brand is Controversy, Charisma and Communicative - and that is exactly what I am). If I look back at myself and I see myself today, I know I am growing. And that will help you become a Better Communicator, Networker and Leader.

Without Obsession you will not win. And by Obsession, I do not mean just wanting to win badly. 9 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

A FEATURE BY TM LOY MACHEDO

The point I am trying to make here is simply this How much time, effort and money do you put into educating yourself? The answer you give will directly or indirectly contribute to your ability to rise through the ranks to become a true World Champion.

11. Character: This is the last if not the most important point of them all. If you do not have the Heart and Substance of a True Leader, a Sincere Person and an Authentic Human Being, you will never succeed at being a World Class Champion. This is the one point I find hard to explain or elaborate on. But this is what I have noticed. All the World Champions - All, have the Head, the Heart and the Human Spirit of being a World Champion. And this is something that cannot be taught or inculcated. It is either you have it or you don't.

The point I am trying to make here is simply this â&#x20AC;&#x2DC; How much time, effort and moneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; do you put into educating yourself? The answer you give will directly or indirectly contribute to your ability to rise through the ranks to become a true World Champion.

So this my friends are the 11 Characteristics that form the DNA of being a True World Champion of Public Speaking.

1. Script Writing Mastery: 2. Creativity 3. Time, Money, Effort and Security 4. Public Relations & Likability 5. Command over the language 6. Voice 7. Personality 8. Personal Brand 9. Obsession 10. Education, Educational Material & Educative Research 11. Character

10 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

RELECTIONS BY TM OUDI ABUCHCRA

Reflections from a Champion Speaker Have you ever wondered if the compliments people give you are really true….? Well…….I was told that I had a really good chance of being the world champion of public speaking, by seasoned toastmasters who have seen previous winners. Although this was flattering, I was scared about competing. It's one thing to speak to a group of people at a seminar, it's another to compete with other speakers. I nevertheless worked up the courage to enter into the 2013 Toastmasters International Speech Contest. Did I win? No….. But I was one step away from being in the world's top 90……!!!!!!! Do I feel like a winner? Yes….. The experience of creating, refining, and polishing a speech taught me so much about speech content, structure and delivery. But this experience also taught me a ton about pursuing excellence in general.

TM Oudi represented Division H at DTAC International Speech Contest in Dubai. It was indeed a proud moment for Abu Dhabi Chapter as it was yet another entry of our club member into DTAC International Speech

See right after the competition I felt defeated….. Competition does that to you when you are competing with OTHERS. But a great friend once said just go for your PB. PB in sports stands for Personal Best. If you consistently beat your previous personal best record whether it is a speech contest or any area of your life, win or lose you will be on the path of excellence. So I encourage you to step up your speaking game by visiting a Toastmasters club and stay in hot pursuit of your personal best.

Contest.

11 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

NEW MEMBER SPEAKS BY MTM SAIMA IMRAN

New Member Speaks... Although I have not completed one year with the club still I feel tremendous changes in myself in terms of confidence, improvement in speaking capabilities, acquiring knowledge by listening to other Toastmasters, improving my memory day by day and good interaction with people from different professions. This is a very beneficial platform to improve personal and professional skills and proceed more confidently in life. Today I feel that I joined this marvelous club late and should have joined earlier.

MTM Saima Imran

I suggest all professionals should join Toastmasters club for their own benefit and move one step up on their success ladder.

“The ability to conquer nervousness and speak with self-confidence is not difficult to acquire. It is not a gift bestowed by Providence on only a few rarely endowed individuals. Everyone can develop his own latent capacity, if he has sufficient desire to do so”.

Although I have not completed one

I realized the importance of the above quote by Dale Carnegie after I joined one of the best Toastmasters club “Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950”.

year with the club still I feel

I had been giving presentations in my professional life and heading teams during my School life, but what I am gaining today after joining toastmasters is what I never experienced before.

terms of confidence, improvement in

Although, practice made me more confident, but to do it more proficiently I required skill enhancement for which I joined the Club. I came to know about Toastmasters from a friend of mine when I was searching for some educational center for my son. I attended some meetings initially as a guest and found myself comfortable with the club environment. Eventually I decided to join the club myself first and see for Gavelliers Club for my son next year when he will turn 12.

12 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

tremendous changes in myself in speaking capabilities, acquiring knowledge by listening to other Toastmasters,

improving

memory day by day and good interaction

with people

from

different professions

Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

PHOTO FEATURE

Club Annual Picnic in Pictures Members with their family enjoyed the club annual picnic with a fun filled evening trying their skill at Bowling followed by stupendous dinner

13 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

PHOTO FEATURE

Club Annual Picnic in Pictures……….. ……………………...Contd.

14 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

MESS TO MESSAGE BY TM SANJAY VISSA

Mess to Message School. After completing his 12 years of schooling in Abu Dhabi, Pranay was to leave for Allahabad, a traditionally rich educational city in north India to pursue a professional degree course in electronics and communication engineering. He would be stepping out of the comforts of a cozy house to move to a hostel.

with AGE you get to see the MESSAGE in every MESS that you have experienced.

Sanjay Vissa

Having experienced life in a hostel myself when I was a student of engineering, I was apprehensive on how he would cope with the change especially since he had to move and reside in a new place and country which is so different from living in Abu Dhabi. The other big worry was his food. One of the challenges facing me was how to explain the importance of proper nutrition to a lad who has grown well over six feet tall on a diet of junk food.

“Abu Dhabi Toastmasters had its 474th Meeting on September 27 and it was a wonderful Meeting with a thought provoking theme “MESS to MESSAGE”. As I sat through the Meeting listening and enjoying the speakers of my Club perform, my thoughts went to the catchy theme of the Meeting “MESS to MESS-AGE”. It had a subtle yet powerful meaning, with AGE you get to see the MESSAGE in every MESS that you have experienced. It was July 2009, just over 4 years ago when my elder son Pranay was ready to step into college after finishing his schooling. Pranay is known to many of our Club Members (he was a member of Abu Dhabi Gavel Club) including our two charming Madam Toastmasters who were his school batch mates at the Abu Dhabi Indian 15 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

Eating proper meals in a timely manner on a daily basis is so important for any growing youngster. It provides the necessary energy and peps up their appetite to learn and excel in their academics and development. The choices for eating available to him at his hostel in Allahabad were limited and practically none. Like every other student he would have to depend on the hostel MESS. This as a thought was messy for him and making him very uncomfortable. I was determined to do whatever it takes to get this phobia of eating in the MESS out of his mind. I knew that in a hostel at a remote location way out of the city, the MESS was his life line.

Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

MESS TO MESSAGE BY TM SANJAY VISSA

Mess to Message ………………………………………...……….Contd. To get him started, I spent the initial 4 days of his college life with him, staying at the college guest house and taking all my meals with him in the MESS. It was imperative that the message on eating proper and timely food so necessary for his health gets understood and practiced by him I wanted to pass the MESSAGE to him that I had learned with AGE by example of action rather than as a mere verbal advice. After all for any desirable outcome, we must practice what we preach. Pranay survived his 4 years at Allahabad and did well. He is now in the US pursuing his MS at the University of Illionis, Urbana Champaign close to Chicago. He has taken up accommodation within the campus and has to fend for his food himself which includes procuring the required materials, cooking, cleanup and storage. Above all, he has to pay for all his bills out of the fellowship grant the University is giving him.

The few comments he has put up on the Facebook about his living suggests he is out to prove the age old adage “Man does not live by bread alone” wrong.

Ironically, today he does not even have the luxury of a MESS. The few comments he has put up on the Facebook about his living suggests he is out to prove the age old adage “Man does not live by bread alone” wrong. He eats bread four times a week. I expect soon he should be posting some mouthwatering recipes that he has created with bread. Hopefully with AGE and maturity a decade from now, he would get to see the MESSAGE from all the MESS of eating that he would have experienced in his journey through college.

MESS TO MESSAGE BY MTM SAIMA IMRAN

How can I forget the mess which happened due to which I had to walk out of an interview. I was so happy when I received the call letter for an Interview by the Manager of a Company. I was quite confident about my abilities to clear the interview. Who knew what will happen next………… I was waiting outside the Manager’s office in a queue of 5 persons. After waiting for approx. 30 minutes, when I was called for the interview, my heart started beating fast. Anyway with good confidence I entered the room, I stepped in the manager’s room and saw the manager sitting relaxed on his beautiful black chair. I took a few steps more and greeted him, he revolved the chair in same comfortable posture and all of a sudden fell down as he couldn’t 16 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

maintain balance. My first response was I started smiling and eventually couldn't stop laughing. Anyways, I was told to go out and come back after 5 minutes. I went outside and controlled myself, then again I went for interview but mess continued, as soon as I saw him again recalled the scene and started laughing again. Same thing happened 3 times, so fourth time I was told to go back home and no need to come again.

MESS TO MESSAGE: ‘Laughing at’ is dangerous during job interviews

Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED BY TM SALIM SAYYID

BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED societies. She is frequent guest on television and radio segments and she speaks with confidence and enthusiasm. What are the lessons that I take from this brilliant article: “Bloom where you are planted.” – Speak about what you are familiar and be aware of your strengths, interests and aspirations. This applies both for gardening and for Toastmasters Let the captured kernel of an idea be expanded gradually and develop into a speech based on a topic that excites you.

Toastmasters and garden lovers, does the name Colleen Plimpton ring a bell? Who is Colleen Plimpton? Why am I mentioning her name? What is so special about her? Well, friends, this is the magic of Toastmasters. In Toastmasters, you get so much of knowledge, so much of inspiration and so many ideas which can be life changing. I was reading the August 2013 issue of Toastmasters and came across the article “Lessons from a GARDEN SPEAKER” by Toastmaster (TM) Colleen Plimpton. TM Colleen says, “As both Toastmasters and gardening have taught me, it’s important to sow the seeds of a talk by securing ideas as they occur.” She further adds, “Your speech conclusion where you leave the audience with a lasting impression is similar to the overall impact of a garden.” She concludes this superb article by mentioning that gardening and public speaking are soul-satisfying and productive endeavors that improve us as individuals and the end result of each is a fine and fruitful harvest. So friends, do read this article in the Toastmaster magazine and reflect that here is a passionate Toastmaster Colleen Plimpton who is also a passionate gardener who overcame her trepidation of speaking before an audience and became a success. Today, she has a thriving garden communication business and she speaks to thousands each year at garden clubs, libraries, nurseries, resorts, museums and historical 17 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

Design the speech as you would a garden. The introduction and the attention that you want to grab would be akin to a garden edge having small interesting plants that immediately holds the attention of the observer. The body of the speech where you support the introduction with facts, figures and ideas should be similar to beautiful robust plants in the center of the flower border that delights the viewer The conclusion should leave a lasting impression comparable to the overall impact of a garden The article created a colorful lasting impression in my mind and made me realize that there are so many opportunities within our reach to seize. We need to look out for things within our reach that we are passionate about and endeavor to give it our all to ultimately come out with a most beautiful, colorful and enchanting ‘garden’ that could take the breath away of the beholder while touching the cores of your heart. This opportunity can help make a successful career as in the case TM Colleen.

SO BLOOM WHERE YOUR ARE PLANTED

Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

VITAMIN B1 BY NARAYANA PILLAI

Vitamin B1 boat waiting to row people to the other side. When I stopped nearby the tea stall the boatman approached me and asked whether I would like to travel across. I nodded negatively and ordered two teas and offered one to the boatman.

“A truly happy person is one who can

enjoy the scenery while on a detour” We walked together to the bank. It was close to sunset. The Boatman was in his sixties, reasonably healthy, calm and had a smiling face. I asked him, “Have you got many passengers?”. “When I was 5 years old my mother always told me that happiness was the key of life. When I went to School, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up. I wrote down “happy”. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment and I told them they didn’t understand life”. Those were the words of John Lennon. During my last vacation I reached a guesthouse in a Hill Station and checked in. I hired a bicycle and started to cycle through the forest roads. The scenery around was so beautiful, full of natural lush, flowers of many colors and fragrance, which any nature-lover would enjoy. When I passed some distance, the road ahead was blocked and a detour was to follow. As I took the detour road, fear started to strike my mind. My mind filled with anxiety. I was pedaling faster, and I remembered a saying: “A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery while on a detour” Was I happy? , really not.

He said, “Yes”. “When are you closing and go home?” “I had no passengers for the last two hours and I could have gone home. I don’t think anyone more would be going there today. My wife also asked me to return home early as today is her birthday. But I cannot go now, there are four people gone to the Sanctuary. They would be returning. At any time I expect a shout from the other side to row them back. Once they return, I will go home. It is my duty. If I leave, they will be stranded on the other side” . “For whom do you work?”. “I work for myself, my father was the previous Boatman. After him, I took over”. I asked him, “are you happy?”. “Yes”, he replied. I noticed the firmness and his commitment to his “Duty” ,though there was no pressure on him.

I passed the detour, moved forward and reached the bank of a large lake. It was a beautiful and serene place.

I thought is he doing his moral duty?

There was a small tea stall and a sign board pointing to the other side of the lake, a Bird Sanctuary. I saw a Boatman with a small wooden

I remembered what George Washington had said “Happiness and moral duty are inseparably connected”.

18 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

Is that what makes him Happy?

Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

VITAMIN BI BY NARAYANA PILLAI

May be he believed “Duty is ours, results are God’s” as John Adams said.

It was innocent happiness coming from little things.

I returned to the guesthouse. I was calm and peaceful at mind.

The butterfly flew away. The girl started to look outside through the window glass. The father was still glued to his laptop screen.

Next Morning, I woke up early, and walked inside the forest. I could hear the singing of birds. The leaves and flowers were still wet with drops of water from the previous night’s rain. The air around was cool. The fragrance of flowers mixed with fresh smell of earth soaked in the first rain after the summer was really mesmerizing. I walked to the dining hall and started my breakfast. A small girl was curiously looking at a picture of a butterfly. The butterfly has wings of multiple colors, green, blue, yellow, and red. Her mother was watching her closely. The father was busy with his laptop apparently worrying on something. As the child looked at the picture, a real butterfly flew closer. It started to sit on the picture exactly on top of the picture butterfly. Now, she could see only the live butterfly not the picture. The smile on her face developed to loud laughter with happy claps. Her mother smiled at her. I could see happiness in both of them.

There was a small garden outside. It was full of green plants, flowers of many colors, white, yellow, red, blue, purple, rose and violet. There were many butterflies flying over the flowers. The drops on the leaves and flowers were shining in the morning sun reflecting the rays emerging from the sides between the trees. A smile was again returning to her face. It radiated to her mother. I moved close to the window, looked calmly outside. I could feel I was smiling too. I remembered “Happiness appreciation of little things”.

comes

from

I turned to my breakfast, searched my pocket for my vitamin tablet. I decided not to take it. The best vitamin to be a happy person is B1. I returned home thinking that we are no longer happy when we wish to be happier.

NETWORKING SECRETS BY MTM ELINZABETH VAZ

The first step to network is to become a club member. The higher I go up the more I extend my horizon and the circle of potential relationship. I learnt how to work with people whose methods and characteristics are different. It is a life time experience. I thank our club for giving me this opportunity to grow and to get to know many different people. Each contact is so precious. One should preserve it. Remember each smile, extended hands and words of wisdom from a mentor.

19 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

A TALK WITH DTM SUJATHA PARTHASARATHY

A Talk with DTM Sujatha Parathasarathy Its like getting into a train and not having to get off. And while you are in it, you can be just the passenger enjoying the scenery rolling by, or take control of the direction of the train by being the driver.

How was the preparation? Preparation for the

final stages of DTM has to be well planned surely. In my case, I took on the role of Area Governor without realizing that this would be a step towards DTM. But that exposure nudged me to complete my final manual and HPL. So the last 6 months has been fast track and the chapter accommodated my speaking slots at a quick pace. My mentor Salim Sayyid always picked the advanced manuals for me, and guided me on what is needed. TM Salim always gave me a fresh perspective on commonly tread projects and this allowed me to bring in unique presentations to the table. I have loved working with him and will continue to do so.

Sujatha Parathasarathy recently achieved the highest milestone in Toastmasters’ journey of communication & leadership “The Distinguished Toastmaster “ DTM

Which are the manual you choose to complete your DTM? Speeches by Management - very useful

You achieved the highest order, The DTM, how do you feel about it? Feels like I have only just stepped into the world of communication and there is still so much more to learn. It has taken me a while to get here (15 years since I joined TM) but i feel the journey has been much more educational than it would have been if I had achieved it in lesser time.

How was your journey towards DTM milestone? I never realized that I was very close to

DTM, till one of my long time TM friends' pointed out that the project I was working on with my organization in establishing a Toastmasters chapter, was really my HPL project! That was when I got excited and moved at a quicker pace with my final manual. To add to my anxiety, my 40th project was really the most difficult in my whole journey. I felt that I had done justice to attaining my DTM by picking up, by far the toughest advanced manual - Interpretive Reading, for my final 5 projects.

What kept you going? It is my complete faith in

the Toastmasters structure of "development based on a personal agenda" that fuels my passion. Toastmasters is a journey, one that need not have a final destination.

20 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

for the corporate life. Special Occasion Speeches - most enjoyable. Story telling - intriguing and allowed you to explore the world of voice and gestures. Communicating on Television - came naturally to me, that some TMs recommended that I change my career!. Speaking to Inform - Allowed me to tap into my varied project experiences from work. Interpretive reading (Oh My God!, take a deep breath before you dive into this one!)

How do you look at the changes TM brought in your professional, social and personal life?

TM has taught be to give back to the community what I have gained out of it. Professionally, it has given me the ability to emotionally disassociate myself from any situation and analyze for action.

After being a DTM what difference you feel now? Really? Nothing, another milestone yes, but a Toastmaster is a Toastmaster be it at project 1 or at project 40, live it.

What’s your advice to TMs aspiring to be DTMs? Its a journey to be relished and savored.

Don't rush it. Its not the title but the learning through the process that makes you a better communicator and leader.

Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

LIFE INFLUENCES BY MTM DEVI NARAYAN

LIFE INFLUENCES What a mother sings to the cradle goes all the way down to the coffin.

friends, through our role model, hobbies, career options and many more. Our favorite sport or hobby is generally a result of the influence of the people you are close to. For example, if you spend a lot of time with a friend who plays soccer, you too will get interested and start practicing the game. In today’s scenario, with the vast amount of information, ideas, people that each one of us is exposed to everyday, choosing that the right influence becomes even more important and difficult. ‘Life is partly what we make of it and partly what it is made by the friends we choose’. Who has influenced you the most in your life? Each one of us here can easily remember the people who have influenced us the most.

It has rightly been said ‘ Show me your friends and I will show you your future’

As per Jiddu Krishnamurthy’s theory, we are influenced from the day we are born. Our parents, siblings, family, neighborhood, community, culture, environment and each little piece of information that we are exposed to.

They determine our ambitions as in what we want to do in our life, the direction that we take and most importantly, our values and character. The information that one is exposed to influences our thoughts. Our thoughts influence our daily actions which lead to our values, habits and own future!

It has been rightly said : What a mother sings to the cradle goes all the way down to the coffin. As we grew up, all those fairy tales and the characters in them influenced us. As we grew older, our teachers started influencing us. Many a times, children become more interested in studying the subject taught by their favorite teacher; which can eventually influence his or her career options. At the age of 5 or 6, a child gets its first chance to choose the influence on them : through their friends, peer group, kind of games they start playing, heroes and the books they read. As we grow older, our authority over the choice of our influences becomes stronger : apart from our

21 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

Research indicates that the people with whom we spend most of our time influence us in 3 ways :

As said by the English Philosopher John Locke : We are like chameleons, we take our hue and the color of our moral character from those who are around us. If you tend to spend a lot of time with people who appreciate each other, who admire the beauty around them, discuss helpful and constructive ideas : we know how positive and charged you will feel. But if one spends time with someone who finds faults in others, complains about everything, indulges in inappropriate habits : it will be a tough time for you. We can easily identify such people in our life. People who criticize in an unconstructive manner lower your self-esteem.

Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

LIFE INFLUENCES BY MTM DEVI NARAYAN

The legendary Zig-Ziglar said it best: ‘If you want to fly with eagles you cant continue to scratch with the turkeys’.

and personality. We are the ones who decide who or what should influence us.

But how much can we control our influences? Every new person we meet, every image we see, every sound we hear, each and every influence however small it may be influences us.

We cannot choose perfect humans as our friends, since no one in this world is perfect.

This literally can result in a battle in our mind. A battle of the various ideas and thoughts we have gained through our experiences; A battle for which theory or idea to be adapted into our life. Yet, your right influence should be yourself. Another quote by Zig-Ziglar states that ‘ The most influential person who will talk to you all day, is you. So you should be very careful what you say to you.’ How we look at us influences our

self-esteem

Similarly, we cannot guarantee that we will come across only positive experiences and events in our life. It is our responsibility to filter the right thoughts and adapt them in our lives. If we feel one of our friends have negative thoughts, we need to use our influence to improve their thoughts if possible. As Kimberly Jones said ‘Don't let people pull you into their storm. Pull them into your peace.’ In simple words : The choice is ours program ourselves or be programmed by others.

Distinguished Toastmaster DTM Ravindra Rai with club members A proud moment for Abu Dhabi Chapter

22 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

THE DEVIL’S DOUBLE BY MTM KRITIKA

The Devil’s Double Not to be a hypocrite here, but my BlackBerry is precious to me. It has saved me on countless occasions. I’m sure some of you will relate. Ever had an awkward run in with someone? Or maybe just a really long queue or ride in the elevator. What do you do when you have no idea what to do? You flip your phone open purposefully and pretend you’re having the most important discussion with the imaginary people on your phone. It’s a great way to avoid the creepy eyes of people staring at you. And long journeys and waits would be a lot different without one of my smart gadgets accompanying me. In short, you’re never bored, you’re always connected and you have an application for things you didn’t even know you needed! But there is a limit! And that limit knows no bounds presently. We are so heavily reliant on these little devices that we have entirely changed the definition of living! By overusing these ‘Smart’ phones,

colleague of mine was recently telling me to watch a scary movie that involved humans being possessed by the Supernatural. And that’s when it hit me...We are so afraid of the unknown ghosts and monsters that we fail to see the real demons around us! Do you not feel a presence within you that makes your arms inch towards those little boxes of wonders? The Devil’s double here is synonymous with Smart phones, tablets and laptops! Yes, I am talking about technology! These are the demons that pull us away from our real lives and have already possessed the greater part of the world. These revolutionary gadgets were created to bridge the gaps of communication and simplify life. And while some bridges of communications were opened, many others were shut.

23 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

WE are the ones growing dumb! Sure, my phone has access to every news channel on the World Wide Web and countless electronic book readers, but just how well am I making use of these applications? Despite having it all in a smart phone or tablet, I still prefer picking up an old fashioned illustrated book and reading it! : we know how positive and charged you will feel. But it was only at a recent Iftaar held by my office that I was smacked in the face by the reality of today. These demons are unbiased and age is only a number to them! So at this Iftaar, we had a bunch of little kids weaving their way in and around tables at the restaurant. After a point, they had begun to get quite unruly and cranky.

We are so heavily reliant on these little devices that we have entirely changed the definition of living, by overusing these ‘Smart’ phones.

Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

THE DEVIL’S DOUBLE BY MTM KRITIKA

The Devil’s Double …………

Contd.

How did their parents pacify them? By handing them their phones to play with, off course! This was not how it worked in my days. We were given a beating for bad behavior…not a game. But that was not the astounding bit.

How effortlessly the kids used these gadgets was what worried me. A line of 6 tiny tots, all immersed in virtual reality! As a kid, the only “Angry Birds” I encountered were the ones that flew over my head dropping waste on me. And the only “candies” I crushed were the ones I stole from the kitchen! So while I danced around them trying to distract them from their games, I realized they were not the ones to blame. We as adults are teaching these kids to use phones as an escape route! Forget the kids; we are all submerged till our eyeballs in technology. We are sinking with every year that passes us by. And then comes social media! Social media is doing nothing to help us out of this marsh. Instead, we are weaving our own pitfalls. Our social media selves have become an extended part of ourselves. This extension is starting to outgrow our real selves! We judge ourselves with not the number of good deeds we have enacted, but with the number of likes our profile pictures get! We judge ourselves not with the number of faithful and loyal friends around, but the number of superficial and alien “Facebook” friends we have! We love publicizing our possessions and ourselves. We open our doors wide open to stalkers and are all possible victims of 24 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

cyber crimes and yet we cry out for privacy! Hypocrisy rules our world and we are oblivious to everything but our selves. The workaholics are the other set of people our demons love! All work and no play makes Jill a very dull girl. Half our lives are consumed by work. No matter how passionate we are about our careers, we all need to unwind and take a little time off. Replying to e-mails is not a form of relaxation. Our fingers get enough exercise thanks to most of our desk jobs. A little disconnection from the virtual world will help us reconnect with our own selves and reality around us! They say being connected is the biggest factor a Smartphone can offer. Connected to whom? People across continents? Sure! But what about the people sitting in the adjacent room of your house? While we all believe that becoming tech savvy means walking with the hands of time, I believe it is because of technology that we are losing out on time in so many ways! The answer here isn’t to forsake our social media selves and gadgets. Trouble arises when virtual reality takes over real life. Take a moment and look out of that window. Watch the sun rise and see the birds flutter their wings. Say hello to the neighbors you’ve ignored. Learn to fill life’s awkward silences with funny conversation. Move out of your comfort zone. Don’t hide behind that 4 inch screen! The Earth will not fail to rotate if you miss a mail out. You’re the one running out of time here. So stop for a moment and breathe your surroundings in. I believe that we can have the best of both worlds. Let us try and not give in to the demons that surround us! Let’s balance it out!

They say being connected is the biggest factor a Smartphone can offer. Connected to whom? People across continents? Sure! But what about the people sitting in the adjacent room of your house? Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

LAUGHTER CORNER BY TM SASIKUMAR NAIR

Between the Cup and Sip Exactly one month after joining I received a distress call from the fitness guys. They found out that my wife has the potential to harm their long built business reputation and goodwill . You can guess the rest. At that point in time my wife received a good news from her mother back home about a wonder drug. It’s a cream, all you have to do is to apply it on to the obese area and the obese area contracts within four weeks. The best part of it is my mother-in-law is sending four bottles with a person coming to Abu Dhabi the next day. The following day when I returned home, as I opened the door…I was shocked…my wife was standing with cup of tea and a colgate smile. As far as I could remember the last time this happened was around 20 years back during our honeymoon time. She asked ‘honey did u call the cream guy?’ I said he is still in the air That night at 10 I reached the destination. I saw a guy standing and besides him were 3 big boxes

The best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Lately, I realized best way to woman’s heart is also through her stomach as my wife has got a big fat belly. Her big pot belly was creating a lot of distress, not to me but to herself and her mother I was very much comfortable with it because it was something that helped to equate my physical outlook with her otherwise beautiful physical outlook, and made us look like matching couples.

As I walked to him he greeted me ‘hey Sasikumar ’. He then told me that his wife went upstairs and the cream bottles were in her handbag. ‘Can we go up ?’ I asked ‘ yes , as soon as I find someone to help me to carry these to upstairs’. I have always had this belief that one should help whoever’s doing you a favor. I said ‘there isn’t much let’s try together’. I looked at the boxes, I felt my old gymnasium-self arising in me like phoenix from the ashes.

Not only that occasional questions like ‘Are you carrying? When is the delivery date? excites me and makes me feel young as we had our last baby 15 years back. My wife did everything possible under the sun to control this with only one result draining my wallet. One time she joined for a famous fitness program. 25 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

LAUGHTER CORNER BY SASIKUMAR NAIR

Between the Cup and Sip…… Lifting it at first, it was heavy. I remembered my school karate master’s advice of not to show the heaviness of lift on the face. I lift with a grin. The other side the guy is struggling to lift. I asked him any problem?.

Contd. I immediately lifted the first box I asked him ‘where’s the lift?’ ‘Oh! ...It’s out of order!’ I asked ‘which floor? ’ ‘5th floor’ he replied.

Setting my heart on fire he said ‘ You see I had gone to India for a medical treatment for my back, so it difficult for me to lift it’. Sensing myself in danger zone, I realized what I got myself into. As I looked at the boxes helplessly a passing muscular guy made a teasing comment ‘need a hand?’

That instant, I felt a shot of adrenaline or was it something else form my foot to head. For a moment I was completely frozen. After the first box my sweater came off. 20 minutes later, the 2nd box too was at the top at which my shirt came off.

Suddenly my pride took over me. Can’t lift a box?’

At the end, I was surprised that I even had my clothes on. When he gave the bottle he invited me for a cup of tea. I kindly declined that very generous offer. Although I had an urge to ask him which doctor he had consulted for his back problem as I was pretty certain that I would need his able assistance soon to repair my back. Whilst driving back home I consoled myself and imagined my wife without her pot belly.

26 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

CLUB NEWS

Club Activity During July to September Meeting Number 468 469 470 471 472 473 474

Best Speaker Salim Sayyid Abdul Sattar Khan Bhojraj Mane Kritika Kadekodi Devi Narayan Salim Sayyid Kritika Kadekodi

Best Evaluator Sujatha Parthasarathy Ravindra Rai Sanjay Vissa Philomena Barodawala Bharat Mehta Sujatha Parthasarathy Bharat Mehta

Best Table Topic Speaker Reghunath Nair ——— Kritika Kadekodi Gil Javier Saima Imran Bharat Mehta Abraham Thomas

Special Event Joint Meeting with Achievers Toastmasters’ Club

Education Session on Mastering The Table Topic Speech By Champion Table Topic Speaker TM Abraham Thomas

27 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

CLUB MEMBERSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; PROGRESS CHART

MEMBERS' PROGRESS STATUS Umakanth Devarajan

Sujatha Parthasarathy

Sudha Datta

Subramanyam Palabathuni

Srinivasan Ramasamy

Shailesh Sawant

Shashi Kumar Nair

Santhana Anandraman

Sanjay Vissa

Saravana Kumar

Saima Imran

Salim Sayyid

Raveendra Rai

Rao D. A.

Rajgopalan Ramesh

Pradeep Chandranivas

Narayana Pilai

Mohammed Akram

Makhbul Ahmed Khazi

Mohammed Rizvi

Masood Balkhair

Loyola Pinto

Kritika Kadekodi

Joseph Roy

Jayakrishnan T.K.

Gupta Mayank

Faiz Mohamed Hashim

Elizabeth Vaz

Devi Narayan

Devkusum Datta

Chitra Gopi Nair

Binsal Abdulkader

Bhojraj N. Mane

Bharat Mehta

Anuj Tyagi

Althaf Ahmed

Aby Hans

Abraham Thomas

Abdul Sattar Khan

10 0

Projects Completed

28 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

CLUB GOALS & PROGRESS

Club Goals & Progress

VP EDUCATION TM ABY HANS on Club Goals and Progress

The prime goal for the club for the year 2014 it to achieve the President’s Distinguished Club status and keep the rich tradition of the Abu Dhabi Chapter Club. I am very proud to state that within the first 3 months itself we have achieved 50% progress on set goals. I am sure with the support of our member, we will be able to achieve it very comfortably. We had an excellent education session on Table Topic Speech Skills by our champion table topic speaker TM Abraham Thomas. Going forward, we are planning to conduct an education session on evaluation speech, international speech and humorous speech. I request all member to spread the news of Toastmasters among your friends and colleagues and encourage the to visit our club as guests. DIVISION H NEWS



Division conducted officers’ training for all club office bears

Division H conducted a Youth Leadership Program, YLP

29 Speaking Up

Issue : 1

Abu Dhabi Chapter 1950

TOASTMATERS WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

SPEAKING UP NEWSLETTER OF ABU DHABI CHAPTER 1950 30