Newsletter September 2015

NTI Toastmaster Club • Where Leaders Are Made NTI Building • Al Khuwair Service Road, Al Khuwair www.http://1079197.toastmastersclubs.org/

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FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK

Attending

Toastmasters meeting is very important for a member who wants to learn something better and rediscover his potential. Some members due to other commitments are unable to attend meetings regularly but at NTI our constant effort is to make meetings the top priority on your To-do list.

We work towards this by having education programs and a variation in every meeting where not just the role players and speakers but even the visitors and other make every meeting a lively educating and engaging is a million dollar question. To keep members motivated is the biggest challenge for club leaders.

The one thing that keeps me going is the enthusiasm of the new members and the satisfactory smile on the face of the guests each time they attend the sessions. Their positivity and eagerness to take up roles attracts others to join the club as well. We enjoy welcoming new guests and are always ready to expand our toastmaster family.

At NTI we are privileged to have a blend of senior experienced members and new energetic ones. Senior members are ever ready to help with their expertise and knowledge while the new members have fresh ideas and vigor to perform. Every opportunity is a step further to enhance our skills. We must not miss any opportunity to seek guidance and support from the fellow toastmasters.

I have seen myself transform from a new member to taking up much challenging roles like the one now, and it is my personal advice to all members that if you want to learn there is no better way than taking up roles at meetings voluntarily. No matter what role you play, timer or word master, I assure you there is something new to learn each time.

We believe that every member has a unique quality. We value each one equally and miss them in their absence.

I urge all fellow toastmasters to make it a tradition to be at the venue by 7:35pm. This will not only spur the role players and speakers but also give us time to interact with other members as well.

Sharda Daga, CC President NTI Toastmasters Club

CONTENTS • • •

From the President’s Desk A Note from the Editor A peep into the TMI Magazine -

2 3 4

Article review by member

• • • • •

Travelling Toastmasters Welcome to the Toastmasters Family - New member review Welcome Back - New ventures Insights - Book review Executive Committe - Introducing

5 6 7 8 9

the new Ex-com 2015-2016

• • • •

Meetings at NTI Find your style - 10 Simple ways Master the role of TMOD Direct from Vegas - International Convention 2015

14 16 19 20

NTI TOASTMASTERS CLUB

“If you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far go together.”

NTI Toastmaster Club • Where Leaders Are Made NTI Building • Al Khuwair Service Road, Al Khuwair www.http://1079197.toastmastersclubs.org/

WE ARE ON

http://1079197.toastmastersclubs.org

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A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR As we begin our Toastmasters calendar year, it gives me great privilege to introduce our executive committee for the year 2015-2016. We have an excellent team of dedicated and capable members all set to put educative year ahead.

We hold our promise of educating and guiding you at every step and through every initiative of toastmasters.

This newsletter aims to bring to you the latest trends in the club, the highlights of our members and some tips and tricks to be a great speaker and leader. This will be your pocket guide to keep with you always. NTI has been very lucky to have the most diverse range of members from the Distinguished Toastmasters, Division officers, Area officers and new members. Our enthusiastic members are always on the quest to improve and get sure you will enjoy each article.

Knowledge gaining can be fun too and that’s always our aim. To make learning fun we have an interesting quiz for you.

As the editor of this newsletter I would like to thank our newsletter team, TM Ahsan Qureshi, MTM Vrunda Joshi and MTM Bhagya Solanki for giving their valuable time and providing their unconditional support. Special thanks to TM Yogesh Naik for making a quiz for the magazine.

Noopur Joshi Vice President Public Relations NTI Toastmasters Club

DO YOU KNOW ABOUT TOASTMASTERS? 1. held?

2. Who is the founder of Toastmasters International?

3. What is the Toastmasters International Mission statement?

4. How many clubs function under toastmaster?

5. What is the education program in toastmasters?

6. How many manuals are there in advance communication series?

7. What are the different types of speech contest?

8. To publish in Toastmaster Magzine what is the word limit for Testimonials and Articles?

9. Who is the winner of 2015 International Convention?

10. When is 2016 International Convention and where will it be held?

Answers on page no 18

Share with us If you too have something valuable to share with us, something that changed your perspective towards life or a lesson you learnt the hard way or anything that would inspire other members contribute towards our next newsletter issue.

NTI Toastmaster Club • Where Leaders Are Made NTI Building • Al Khuwair Service Road, Al Khuwair www.http://1079197.toastmastersclubs.org/

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A PEEP INTO THE TMI MAGAZINE

All of us often come across,

Vrunda Joshi Secretary NTI Toastmasters Club

A Mother’s Mission August 2015 issue TMI Magazine

experience and appreciate the efforts, the parents put in for their loved ones. In the process, what is interesting is that we seldom practically come across any example of a child teaching, supporting, caring and enhancing the knowledge of the parents.

Interestingly, what we hardly come across is always different or unusual and thus quite noteworthy.

By convention, it is embedded in our system that parents are the guides, helpers, inspirations or ideals for the children and never the other way round. What happens when a mother moulds her child into her own shape while the child craves for an altogether different design for him? As a caring parent, have you ever come across such situation? Yes, I think many of us face such critical moments these days and that’s exactly what makes the parenting so challenging.

Today’s parents’ concerns of the child rearing have perfectly been echoed in ‘A MOTHER’S MISSION’, an article by DTM Mona Cooley in the August issue of Toastmaster International Magazine. Though the name of Mona Cooley might be new to us, it is a prominent name in Calgary, Canada. For Mona, the mother is the child of her daughter! However impossible this sounds, it is true. When the mother and the child have different ideas and concepts of rearing, it becomes the mother’s mission to listen to the child, to listen to the inner voice of the child and to think differently in challenging situations.

will surely get inspired to comfortably handle the pressures and emotional overloads as and when they become obstacles in the family bonding. The line that hit me the most “Mom, you don’t listen, and by the way, quit telling me what to do and help me problem-solve”.

This is what Candace, the daughter, tells her mother. Her assertion left me pondering, ‘Do I do the same with my children? Do I only give them advice from my perspective, without even considering theirs?

Parenting at every step is a challenge. We need to ask ourselves; are we just sinking under the pressure or when Candace the daughter interacts with her mother.

Hard work, luck, passion and experience are all our companions on the journey towards successful parenting. But one more companion we need to consider with the changing times is the patience to listen.

Listen to your child’s up-roaring cries for help and support. Listen with patience to the small and big things that they have to say to us. This is how you are to refuel the time on your journey towards mission success.

Listening has the power to sooth the person who is in deep grief. To be a good listener is the best quality to care for a living being. The journey to success has lot of companions but developing the skill of careful and patient listening will widen your perspective.

In any case, parents are not dictators; in fact they are leaders for their children. We don’t have to enforce our own commands and considerations upon them to make them move ahead; instead we should say

“Let’s move ahead TOGETHER”.

Toastmasters’ club meetings develop our listening skills and practice which in turn help us develop and excel, professionally as well as personally. This listening power will make you a child of your child and grow hand in hand with them for wellness of the family.

I am sure whoever reads the article ‘A MOTHER’S MISSION’ NTI Toastmaster Club • Where Leaders Are Made NTI Building • Al Khuwair Service Road, Al Khuwair www.http://1079197.toastmastersclubs.org/

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TRAVELLING TOASTMASTERS

Faiz Al Mamri Explored India, Sri Lanka and Maldives.

Noopur Joshi Explored Barcelona and Valencia.

Girish Kumar and Dr. John Enjoyed the Toastmasters International Convention at Las Vegas.

NTI Toastmaster Club • Where Leaders Are Made NTI Building • Al Khuwair Service Road, Al Khuwair www.http://1079197.toastmastersclubs.org/

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WELCOME TO THE TOASTMASTERS FAMILY MY EXPERIENCE WITH TOASTMASTERS After shifting to Muscat from Brunei, I found myself in the calm place where I could pursue my hobbies and enjoy the life at my pace. On my TO DO list, among the top 5 was joining a Toastmasters club. I think it is the most interesting

Bala Murli New Member NTI Toastmasters Club

public speaking and learn new ideas to address the crowd. It is the best to keep myself occupied with the and I believe “Empty Mind is devil’s workshop”.

When there is a will there is a way. After searching for a while I found more than 30 toastmasters clubs running in Oman. I visited NTI Club the one among them where I found like minded people and as a guest I received a warm welcome by the club members which impressed me and also I got inspiration to join.

MY FIRST DAY IN THE CLUB Diverse personalities and various nationalities still a perfect blend of inspiring thoughts was the interesting environment I found in this club. Without giving a chance for a second thought, I joined the club. The environment was conducive for a healthy interaction.

I observed the approach of the members in club, the spontaneity in the interaction, witty responses, and great time management. As a part of the routine procedure of the meeting, I was asked to introduce myself. Generally we prepare ourselves to address the crowd but at this moment, though I was unprepared to speak I could introduce myself in a calm way. In spite of little nervousness I could speak nicely. I was appreciated and welcome by member with a round of applause.

club. To encourage the public speaker overlooking comfortable and it encouraged me greatly. I noticed the members complemented each other at the end of the session, and also gave positive feedback to the speakers which would motivate them to write thoughtful speech with interesting content.

BECOMING A MEMBER it does. Here my interest was to meet people to interact to develop my personality.

Learn from students and not teachers!

I think this was a different concept of any toastmasters club. We learn from fellow toastmasters who are students too.

As a member of the NTI Club, My journey of toastmaster club started in August 2015. I was so inspired that in looking forward to develop my leadership quality with perseverance and consistent efforts to work hand in hand with fellow toastmasters.

BENEFITS OF JOINING TOASTMASTERS Here communication is more on general topics, table topic, learning through observation, the choice of words used by fellow toastmasters, the evaluation of speakers (“THE” best part I like in TM concept), some are laconic and lucid enough for anyone to grasp. in public speaking and improve my vocabulary and leadership where everyone volunteers to do some role.

Finally, I look forward to participating in toastmasters topics. I am looking to increase my consistency, clarity and persuasiveness with the support of “FELLOW TOASTMASTERs”

NTI Toastmaster Club • Where Leaders Are Made NTI Building • Al Khuwair Service Road, Al Khuwair www.http://1079197.toastmastersclubs.org/

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WELCOME BACK “Having somewhere to go is home. Having someone to love is family.

Having both is a blessing.”

I consider myself blessed to have both of the above. Muscat (Oman) has always been a home to me. Residing here since 22 years now, spending almost my entire life in this beautiful country makes me an Omani by nature, and I’m proud to say that. This country has always welcomed me with its arms wide open. Along with its natural beauty, the cherry on the cake are the warm hearted people residing here, be it the locals or the expatriates. Coming back to this place always feels great.

As most of you know, I was away from this beautiful place for a few bang! Staying in a different country, different surrounding, away from your comfort zone always teaches you something.

I did a short course in jewellery designing in Mumbai. By education, I am a computer engineer and post graduate in marketing. Due to few made me take up this new path. Learning or taking up something

Nilofer Tanna CC, Member NTI Toastmasters Club

I am not extraordinarily good at drawing, but my course demanded me to be that way. As the saying goes “Practise makes a man perfect”, it rightly worked for me. I spent hours at the institute drawing and at times scribbling out of frustration when I didn’t get things right, but I think that’s the way we become better, don’t we? It took me some time, but I started getting better at what I was doing. After that, time

The point of narrating this is that for doing anything in life, you need to work hard, be fully dedicated towards it and as good as I expected. What I learnt from this is that there is no shortcut to success; hard work is the only key to it.

Another very important factor is ‘positivity’. Keeping a positive attitude makes things much easier. There is a saying “What

you think, you become; what you feel, you attract and what you imagine, you create.” So why not think positive, feel good and imagine bigger!

All this positivity and dedication in me has come from toastmasters. 3 years of being a part of this wonderful club has taught me a lot. The club to me is like a power bank, I connect to it when my battery is low and when I disconnect it at the end of 2-2.5 hours, I’m fully charged. It’s charging is so powerful that it lasts for the entire week so by the time I get low on energy or fuel, I get back to the club to energize myself. The theme for the magazine is so apt. NTI: Nourish your Thoughts to Inspire. That’s exactly what NTI toastmasters club does, it inspires us! “To be inspired is great, to inspire is incredible.” Stay inspired and keep inspiring others.

NTI Toastmaster Club • Where Leaders Are Made NTI Building • Al Khuwair Service Road, Al Khuwair www.http://1079197.toastmastersclubs.org/

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INSIGHTS

During my travel last month to Maldives, Sri lanka and India, I had a good friend who made my trip better and more entertained.

It is a special friend, a book named ‘The Power of Now’.

The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment is a book by Eckhart Tolle.

The theme of the book it is ‘our thoughts and mind’. It says that we have to realize that are not our mind, we are not living our life as it is.

He says most of us are not living in the present; we are either living in the past or in the future. We are still living in the past and effected by old experience and what happened, especially the bad ones. This will hold us back and weaken us further. It will not allow us to take step forward because we are afraid of the same result.

Faiz Al Mamri CC, Member NTI Toastmasters Club

On the other hand we are thinking of the future and we keep our self nervous because we don’t know what will happen even if more than 90 % will not happen. Also this will keep us worrying all the time and our mind busy with waste or negative thoughts. In between this we lose ourselves, we forget to live the present, we forget to enjoy our self and live the current moment. We forget to take care of our family, friend or every relation. This leads to nervousness and stress and may be a cause of many diseases. It also hampers our productivity drastically.

Instead we must enjoy our work or achieve the goals of now. We must learn to live the moment and enjoy it. Keep in touch with life, with others, with loved ones and family. Don’t let the experience of the past hold you back. Watch yourself and health before you destroy yourself.

Prepare for future but don’t take that tension because you don’t know what will happen, so don’t worry about it.

Finally I really I enjoy the book and I will read it again and again to get better understanding and share it with you too.

NTI Toastmaster Club • Where Leaders Are Made NTI Building • Al Khuwair Service Road, Al Khuwair www.http://1079197.toastmastersclubs.org/

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EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

THANK YOU EX-COM 2014-2015

a lot in store to make your journey for the coming year, entertaining, enriching and educative.

On behalf of all the members of the NTI Toastmasters Club, I would like to thank all our Ex-com members for the year 2014-2015. The ex-com comprised of the President TM Rajasekaran, Vice president Education MTM ShardaDaga, Vice president Membership TM Faiz Al Mamri, Vice president Public relation MTM Camila Rodriguez, Treasurer TM Abdullah Al Barashdi and Secretary MTM Samya. We would like to thank dedication, commitment and perseverance to take the club to new heights.

We thank you, our members, for electing such a great team.

“Leadership is action not position” - Donald McGannon Our team leaders believe in this very motto. Their actions speak more than words. So let us get to know each of our ex-com member personally.

WELCOME EX-COM 2015-2016 “Leadership is not a popularity contest; it’s about leaving your ego at the door. The name of the game is to lead without a title.”

-Robin Sharma Happy New Year all!

Yes you read it right! It’s a new year in the Toastmaster Calendar! New year means new beginnings, new enthusiasm, new committee, new programs and new resolutions. Our EX-COM cannot wait to commit a great year ahead for everyone. They have new ideas and

Executive Committee 2015-2016

NTI Toastmaster Club • Where Leaders Are Made NTI Building • Al Khuwair Service Road, Al Khuwair www.http://1079197.toastmastersclubs.org/

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PRESIDENT - ShardaDaga “I am counting on you to do what we do best- create leaders” ShardaDaga is a bubbling member of our club. Her absence is felt, as much as her presence. MTM Sharda belongs to Nagpur but has been in Muscat for the last two decades. She is a homemaker, which she considers as the most challenging profession of all, with no holidays and no weekly offs.

She has completely dedicated herself to Toastmaster for the last 5 years. She has given as much as she has received from this program. After completing her CC, she took up the role of Vice President education for the term 2014-2015 and did an exceptional job at it. Having never done any leadership role before, she sphere of life.

After successfully handling the Vice President Education role, MTM Sharda aspires to give the club her experience in a multifold manner and has accepted the role of the President. As the Club President she will front our team of able leaders and be the guiding light in every sense. She believes that the challenges and opportunities she will face during the term will also help her get out of her We wish her all the best for her term ahead!

VICE PRESIDENT EDUCATION - Kishore George

After coming to Muscat three years back, straight from the port city that holds the title of Queen of the Arabian Sea, Kochi in South India, Kishore George joined the NTI Toastmasters club and has had an enjoyable learning experience ever since. He works for the Royal Oman Police as a Technical Project Director now and loves to listen to music and do some photography in his leisure time. thankful for all the wonderful memories he has had on the way. He takes great pride in being associated with this club and wishes to share the knowledge that he has gained from it for the enhancement of everyone who comes here.

“NTI is a vibrant and notable club which has given leaders and champions at area, division and district level. My mission is to take it a step further and let every member of becoming a better communicator and an effective leader. My goal, as a VP of Education, would be to help the members in achieving their goals faster and easier.

Further, this leadership position is a challenging opportunity to test, train and hone the leadership skills.”

NTI Toastmaster Club • Where Leaders Are Made NTI Building • Al Khuwair Service Road, Al Khuwair www.http://1079197.toastmastersclubs.org/

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taken a big step in the leadership front. By accepting the role of the Vice President Education he has solemnly pledged to do everything in his capacity to improve the educational quality of the meetings.

“One of the core values of Toastmasters is dedication to excellence. I want all our members to feel valued and to reach their fullest potential. My aim is to act as a catalyst to enhance club quality, develop and lead successful teams and thrive in the Distinguished Club Program.”

VICE PRESIDENT MEMBERSHIP - Abdullah Al Barashdi “You can speak well if your tongue can deliver the message of your heart.”

The above stated quote is exactly apt for our toastmaster Mr. Abdullah, who has perfected the art of delivering the message straight from the heart to the audience. He has been associated with the NTI Toastmaster club for 4 years and because of his valued and relentless contribution the club stands a fairly distinguished position amongst the other clubs in the region.

Abdullah, has a Bachelor Degree in Science and is very enthusiastic about cars; especially sport one. Additionally, he likes to spend his leisure time watching movies and reading books.

In his journey at toastmasters, he has completed the Competent Communication skills. Additionally, he has served various Leadership roles and has honed his leadership skill by being a part of EX-Com officers for the club previously.

Currently, he will be serving the role of VP Membership and under his leadership

VICE PRESIDENT PUBLIC RELATIONS - Noopur Joshi “As I look ahead, I see endless possibilities awaiting us to synergize and co-create avenues which could take us in mutually rewarding directions.”

Having grown in Muscat for all her life she considers herself to be Omani more than Indian. After completing her graduation in architecture from Pune, India she decided to take up a job in Muscat, her homeland. She joined toastmasters to enrich her professional experience and learn something new. She began her journey in toastmasters at the NTI club 8 months back and has been an active member ever since.

“Toastmasters was initially just a platform to develop public speaking skills, however when I attended DTAC 2015 at Dubai, I realized that this is not just some NTI Toastmaster Club • Where Leaders Are Made NTI Building • Al Khuwair Service Road, Al Khuwair www.http://1079197.toastmastersclubs.org/

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course but a Lifetime, Life changing, Largely enriching forum, an international forum where everyone from various backgrounds shares one common vision. “ As the Vice President Public Relations, she wishes to provide her undivided support to help reach maximum people through the toastmasters’ platform and promote the club activities. She dreams to take NTI members as contestants, volunteers and spectators to the coming DTAC in Abu Dhabi.

“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence” help the club reach new height of excellence.

TREASSURER - Mahesh Ramamurthy “Ours is the only organization I know dedicated to the individual, we work together to bring out the best in each of us and then we apply these skills to help others.”

Mahesh has been reverent and highly regarded member of our NTI Toastmasters club and has been associated with club for more than a year now. He hails from Bangalore, India and has been in Muscat for 16 years. Professionally he is a Chartered Accountant from India and ACCA from UK. He likes to spend his leisure time in reading books, watching movies and practicing golf once in a while.

The journey in toastmasters has been an interesting one and has helped in improving leadership and communication skills it has also helped in the art of public speaking. It has helped in extempore speeches where you are made to think out of the box .

The club has been quite valuable in learning how team work and enthusiasm of fellow members helps in developing a positive mind set. It has also helped in sharing useful knowledge and learning from other members’ experiences which can be put to use in our daily lives.

As a tressurer, Mahesh wishes that the club scales new heights and is able to get most of the awards this year thereby making it number one club in the region.

SECRETARY - Vrunda Joshi Whatever the mind of the man can conceive and believe it can achieve –Napoleon Hill To raise a toast is a phrase from which we get the meaning of toastmasters.

The members of toastmasters club have uniqueness in supporting the fellow members positively.

NTI Toastmaster Club • Where Leaders Are Made NTI Building • Al Khuwair Service Road, Al Khuwair www.http://1079197.toastmastersclubs.org/

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Vrunda comes from the vibrant state of Gujarat in India. She made a difficult decision of moving to Muscat for her family leaving her well paying job back in India. This was a life turning point in her life 18 years back and ever since she has been involved largely in social activities, improving her hobbies and developing in Marathi, Gujarati and Hindi, English has always been her weak point. However she does not let that stop her anywhere. She joined toastmasters with the passion to share her experience at Public speaking with others and at the same time learn and get better with every rising sun.

In her leisure time she loves to cook. She is multitalented and loves to write, read, stitch and also direct plays and choreograph dances. She is a radiating personality and makes her presence felt by her positivity and motivation.

After joining the club in April 2015, she has constantly moved ahead and likes to take responsibilities and carry out her job with perfection. From the beginning she has taken up many roles and given four speeches from the CC manual. But this was not challenging enough for her enthusiastic mind and decided to take up more responsibilities. She opted to be in the core committee of club. Vrunda found the job of the secretary to be the most suitable for her nature of being organized and a stepping stone towards perfection of responsibilities. This job gives her a two way connection. Her job is a bridge between the VP Education and Treasurer.

“I liked the NTI Club because of its high thinking, simply supporting style. This club has given achievers to the division. They are the inspiring fellow members of the club.

In my opinion toastmasters club is the place to share, to learn, to care, to suggest and to develop to perfection.”

We are sure she will do a great job at it.

SERGEANT AT ARMS- Shameer Kedarkutty “A journey of a thousand miles must begins with a single step” Shameer is a fresh entrant to the NTI Toastmaster’s club. He hails from a town called Trichur in Kerala, India. He been in Oman since 2001 and has spent approximately 14 years in Oman. He currently serves in the capacity of Sales Manager for a Technology Company.

He has delivered Project No. 1 from the Competent Communications Manual and has served 4 months in the club. While still in the budding phase of becoming a Toastmaster, Shameer is ambitious to become a great leader and to help the club and its member in every possible way.

His journey till now has been thoroughly rewarding and helped him increase his club in the region.

NTI Toastmaster Club • Where Leaders Are Made NTI Building • Al Khuwair Service Road, Al Khuwair www.http://1079197.toastmastersclubs.org/

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IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT - Rajasekaran “To the other values of Toastmasters training let us add this one, with emphasis - that it is the busy man’s best chance to take a post graduate course in general information without inconvenience or loss of time.” club amongst other clubs. He has been with the club for 4 years. He originally hails from Chennai, India whereas in Oman he been for the past 6 years. He is a Chemical Engineer by profession and his carrier is evolving as a water expert and helping His Majesty’s vision to provide the clean water for every citizen of interior villages in Oman. reading books and at the same time he enjoys his time on golden sand beaches of beaches and tracking in the mountains.

He is parallelly doing his ACS & ACB.5 He has played many leadership role in his Toastmaster journey so far and his aim is to assist each officers to perform well and each member to realize the true potential.

MEETINGS AT NTI

NTI Toastmaster Club • Where Leaders Are Made NTI Building • Al Khuwair Service Road, Al Khuwair www.http://1079197.toastmastersclubs.org/

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MEETINGS AT NTI

NTI Toastmaster Club • Where Leaders Are Made NTI Building • Al Khuwair Service Road, Al Khuwair www.http://1079197.toastmastersclubs.org/

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FIND YOUR STYLE - 10 SIMPLE WAYS

In one of the club meetings while conducting a session, I chose to speak about fears and how to overcome them.

On asking majority of the people in the club I came across a fear we share in common - Stage fright.

Stage fright or performance anxiety is the anxiety, fear, or persistent phobia which may be aroused in an individual by the requirement to perform in front of an audience.

Every time we walk up that stage we expose our vulnerability. The reason we face this fear is because of one main factors that dominates the human psychology - Acceptance. While we are on stage we dread making mistakes.

We worry the audience may or may not like us. The need for acceptance and approval from our peers may cause us to hide our true selves and be fake. By doing this we are not being authentic.

Often we idealize some great speakers in the past or present and try to adopt their qualities to be better speakers.

However, according to Sally Hogshead, the author of ‘Your 7 triggers to Persuasion and Captivation’, you don’t have to be someone else to be good. On the contrary you have to more of yourself, to be the best. She claims “You already have certain naturally fascinating qualities that need to be explored and worked upon.”

But how to do we go about exploring and developing these qualities and making our own style.

In Toastmasters, the Competent Communication Manual has 10 projects that give us the nuts and bolts of public speaking. But our style, is something we have to develop. This is what makes us stand out from the rest of the crowd.

NTI Toastmaster Club • Where Leaders Are Made NTI Building • Al Khuwair Service Road, Al Khuwair www.http://1079197.toastmastersclubs.org/

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We all have heard the best speakers of the world, be it John Maxwell, Nelson Mandela or Narendra Modi. They all have the basics of public speaking, body language, vocal variety or persuasive contents. But what makes them powerful and unique speakers is their personal style.

3 Eye Contact - Most of us tend to look down or at

it to take it as our own.

Here are 10 simple ways to get started.

1

Relax

- It is not enough to appear relaxed, you have to feel relaxed. Increased heart rate, perspiration, nervousness and sinking feeling in the stomach are something we all go through right before we face those eyes. This can make our breathing abnormal and in turn makes our voice sound high-pitched or uneven. There are many ways to learn to relax. The ones which are tried and tested techniques for me are : a.

Breathing deeply - Take long deep your stomach and not your chest. This increases the supply of oxygen to your brain. Most of our anxiety stems from irregular and insufficient breathing. b.

Rapid exhalation - Exhaling air rapidly through your nose releases pressure and anxiety.

This works exactly like a pressure cooker. c.

Power poses - Try stretching your arms wide and sitting in open postures rather than with closed ones. Closed body language, like crossing your legs and hands or bending forward just before a speech can have a big impact on it. So remember to sit straight and stretch (if possible) before going on stage, just like an athlete prepares for his run.

There are many other ways to relax. Find a way that suits you the best.

2

you make with the audience. Be gentle and genuine.

Irrespective of the content of the speech it is important to reach out to the audience from your heart. So even if there is an opposite emotion, be genuine and try to feel the emotion of the speech yourself before you can make the audience feel it.

Smile - Smile from your heart. It is important to

not connect with the listener. Pause for a moment once you come on stage and smile at the audience.

other objects while we speak. Remember back in school we all had that one teacher who had an eye on each one in the class. Even if one person in the class did anything that teacher! Hold the attention of your audience with your gaze, so compelling that no one would want to look anywhere but in your eyes. Show your audience that you are watching them and are concerned about how well they are comprehending you.

4

Be Authentic - Our audience is not forced but

has chosen to listen to us. Make their time worthwhile.

All of us take help of the internet or books while we make our speeches. The content, however, must be customized and made our own. By picking up a story of another person or merely stating facts we make the speech uninteresting. Remember to add your personal experience, anecdotes, feelings, emotions and reactions.

5

Be Clear - Most of us at toastmasters belong to different parts of the world, where English is not the most commonly spoken language. Thus English is the second language for a majority of us. However it is the only language we use to communicate at this platform.

Therefore it is important that we develop our skills at it.

Apart from improving your vocabulary and grammar an important part of speaking is diction. Accent is related to the place we come from, however diction can be improved to make each word audible to the listener.

6

B

– It takes great courage to go on stage and speak in front of an audience. When you are on stage you have been given the golden opportunity calm while you give your speech.

NTI Toastmaster Club • Where Leaders Are Made NTI Building • Al Khuwair Service Road, Al Khuwair www.http://1079197.toastmastersclubs.org/

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8

Opt

for it - Take every opportunity to speak.

Volunteer for roles, make a time chart to deliver your speeches and offer to evaluate other speakers. It is good to give speeches often but it is equally important to take up leadership roles and evaluation opportunities. This will enhance you as an all-round speaker. Volunteer to answer table topic questions. If you have a tendency of get rid of them. You learn best by doing.

9

Record yourself – One of the best ways of noting

when you are being natural and when you are not is to watch yourself on video. Take a video before you give Noopur Joshi VP Public Relations NTI Toastmasters Club Everyone in the audience is there to help you. No one is born with the best public speaking abilities. It is a skill that is developed with hard work and persistence.

your speech. This is one of the best methods of noticing when you are being yourself and when you are covering up. Your nervous gestures, awkward body language or lack of movement will be revealed – but only to you. Be ruthless and honest with yourself and make notes. Watch it with your mentor or another experienced member of objectively! Be prepared to make changes.

7 Practice - There is no glory in practice, but without 10 Be yourself – You were born to be unique. So don’t practice there is no glory. Practice your speech enough number of times before you deliver it. The amount of practice will vary for different people but how you do it makes all the difference. Once you have prepared your speech say it aloud as you would on the main day.

try and be like someone else. The best way to get going is to be more of yourself. Find out what are your strengths are and work on developing them. Your strength could be your voice, your persuasive power, your language skills, research ability or even your body language.

DO YOU KNOW ABOUT TOASTMASTERS? - Answers

Toastmasters!

It is time to renew your fees for the next term of toastmasters.

We at NTI have always done it in time and let us continue doing the same in order to achieve the valuable DCP points We request all the members to pay theirr dues to the tressurer at NTI latest by 20/09/2015.

1. October 22, 1924 2. Ralph C. Smedley 3. We empower individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders.

4. 14650 in 126 countries 5. communication track, leadership track, advanced communication, advance leadership, distinguished toastmaster 6. 15 7. International, Humorous, Evaluation, Tall tales, Table topics, Taped speech 8. Testimonial – 200, Articles - 700 9. Mohammad Qahatani of Saudi Arabia 10. August 17-20, Washington DC

NTI Toastmaster Club • Where Leaders Are Made NTI Building • Al Khuwair Service Road, Al Khuwair www.http://1079197.toastmastersclubs.org/

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MASTER THE ROLE OF TMOD

Rajesh Daga DTM NTI Toastmasters Club

The role played by “The Toastmaster of the day” is one of the most important and key role for the success of the club.

TMOD is the captain of the ship who maneuvers to sail smoothly through turbulences and storm and ensure the passengers have enjoyed the ride right up to the destination. If prepared and played well, TMOD will keep the members engaged, engrossed and entertained throughout the 2 hours meeting.

BEST WAY TO PLAY THE ROLE

HOW TO BRING IN VARIETY Humor is the best medicine that suits all shapes and sizes. Our Meetings are no different. If the TMOD can intersperse the meeting with a jab of humor here, and a funny anecdote there, the audience will love the effort.

Moreover, different themes can be chosen depending on the interest, idea and knowledge of TMOD. It could be as varied as a current topic affecting the world, information. All of this will require the TMOD to do a lot of research. Having collected complete information about the theme, TMOD can organize the information and sync with each role player’s introduction as smooth transition. The knowledge audience will gain by TMOD’s research will be remembered and appreciated. You may also go through Toastmasters website and check “master your meetings” for plethora of ideas.

WHAT NOT TO DO

First and foremost, in my opinion, is the preparation.

As soon as the role is assigned, the TMOD must plan a theme, prepare agenda and circulate it to all members at least 5/6 days before the meeting date. He has 7 days to execute his plans. He also must call all the role players speech title, manual information as well as the time limit for the speech. TMOD may also request evaluators to contact speakers to ensure and empathize the speakers evaluation needs and focus are of development. Having completed this requirement, the TMOD can now set for planning a vibrant and colorful introduction of role players.

HOW TO INTRODUCE A ROLE PLAYER This is one of the key responsibility of the TMOD. Ideally, it should be done in an uplifting manner, highlighting achievements or special qualities or background of the role player. This can be probed during the TMOD’s conversation with the role player during the week. The idea is to make the role player feel comfortable, capable and complete in performing the role, he is assigned for.

TMOD style and explanation will make the role player feel on top of the world, full of enthusiasm and vigor to do his best. This role helps bridge gaps, build healthy friendship among members as they talk openly.

spelling mistakes are a few things that bring the quality of meeting down. Last minute contact with key role players can also be avoided. The role players also have responsibility to respond to TMOD’s request promptly.

WHAT MAKES THE TMOD TICK? Maintaining the agenda time, ring in laughter and bring in smile, share valuable information are some key take aways for members attending the meeting.

The audience will appreciate and the TMOD having and stage presence.

Happy Toastmastering.

NTI Toastmaster Club • Where Leaders Are Made NTI Building • Al Khuwair Service Road, Al Khuwair www.http://1079197.toastmastersclubs.org/

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DIRECT FROM VEGAS For a while she stood – clutching her walker, observing what was going on around her. But, as the energy grew, and the tempo went higher and higher, started tapping her feet and dancing as best as she could.

For me, observing an elderly Toastmaster, in her late sixties, joining in the Toastmasters celebration on the last day was the ultimate form of belonging, of being proud of being a member, of being a Toastmaster.

Attending the International Convention was a dream come true for me – or, as DTM Rajesh aptly put it, of crossing off one item on my “bucket list”. Whether it was observing the International Business meeting in its perfection and decorum, listening to world-class educational sessions by masters in their own respect, watching the much-heralded “World Championship of Public Speaking” or simply meeting and befriending Toastmasters from around the world… it was worth every dollar spent!

Girish Kumar Assistant Division Governor Education and Training NTI Toastmasters Club

of

This year’s TMI convention was held in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA – much hyped as the entertainment capital of the world. True to its reputation, Vegas will take you to a dream world. No one sleeps here, literally!

Even in the wee hours of the morning, one can spot people of every kind playing on the thousands of slot machines and blackjack tables at various hotels. Las Vegas is not only famous for casinos, but also for its hundreds of shows taking place every day, whether they be musicals, drama, magic shows, or circuses!

According to a hoarding in the airport, the McCarran International [Airport] contributes 30 billion dollars to the local economy. Las Vegas – where the world comes to get entertained!

But purely from a Toastmaster’s point of view, what amazed me the most was the energy and enthusiasm displayed by every single one of the attendees (nearly timers).

No one would pass you by without a smile, without shaking your hand, or giving you a hug.

NTI Toastmaster Club • Where Leaders Are Made NTI Building • Al Khuwair Service Road, Al Khuwair www.http://1079197.toastmastersclubs.org/

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The commitment of the senior Toastmasters, many of them who had been with the organization for more than 30 years, closer to 40, was amazing. It was very evident that, for them, Toastmasters was not merely a place where you meet once a week, give or listen to speeches, and table topics. For them, it was so much more.

I had begun to realize that with Toastmasters, you meet and make lifelong friends.

I was fortunate enough to make a few such.

For instance, I was sitting at a table for lunch in a restaurant at the venue hotel, and I had an empty chair across me, when along comes DTM Dilip Abhayasekara, Past International President and past World Champion.

I called out to him – Dilip, please join… he joins for lunch and we get into a conversation as though we have known each other for a long time. In fact, I was several times!

As to educational sessions and other events, each one was well attended, started on time, and ended on time.

Educational sessions by these eminent personalities complemented the overall learning experience – • Patricia Fripp (award-winning keynote speaker) and Darren Lacroix (past International Champion): Good to Great on STEROIDS • Marilyn Tam (business leader, author, and former president of Reebok and vice-president of Nike): Leadership Excellence, How You Can Achieve It • Tim Gard (humorous keynote speaker): Laughter Becomes You executive of CPA Australia): Life Is Too Short For Fear And Embarrassment • Dana LaMon (professional speaker, past International Champion): Making the Club Experience Meaningful.

The World Championship of Public Speaking is the crown jewel of the TMI convention, and, true to its reputation, was an event worth watching.

This time, Mohammed Qahtani of Saudi Arabia became the champion and made us proud, even though he comes from District 79 – after all, weren’t we all part of District 79 not so long ago?

As someone rightly said, three Mohammeds stood out in this year’s Convention – International President DTM Mohammed Murad, World Champion Mohammed Qahtani, and the recipient of the Golden Gavel Award, Professor Muhammad Yunus.

According to DTM Dr John, the speech by Professor Muhammad Yunus – founder of Grameen Bank and the and Golden Gavel Award-winner – was the best speech you could ever hear, touching on several challenges we face today. His message and methodology to create a world of zero poverty, zero unemployment, and zero carbon emission was worth listening to.

The Golden Gavel Award is given by Toastmasters International every year to an eminent personality for their contributions in various spheres. the International Convention was one of the best decisions I have ever taken. Even now, when I close my those halls… and I marvel at that bond that holds us all together, as fellow Toastmasters. And, if by chance, I am shaken awake at 3 in the morning and hear an urgent whisper in my ear, “Will you attend the Toastmasters International Convention next year in Washington DC?”, I out of my mouth will be, “Of course.”

Cheers!

NTI Toastmaster Club • Where Leaders Are Made NTI Building • Al Khuwair Service Road, Al Khuwair www.http://1079197.toastmastersclubs.org/

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