Abu dhabi toastmasters 1950 issue 3

ISSUE 3

January to March, 2015

ABU DHABI TOASTMASTERS, 1950

SPEAKING UP AREA 2 , DIVISION H

FIND OUT INSIDE: LOG ONTO LEADERSHIP TAKE THE CALL, ITS IMPORTANT THE LONELY MAN

KEEP INTEREST IN YOUR MEETING ALIVE CLUB CONTESTS

SPEAKING UP

President’s Message ……………………...………………………..…. 3 Editor’s Message …………………………………………………….. 4

My experience as editor ……………………………………………… 5 Nothing is impossible ………………………………………………... 7 Please have faith in yourself………………………………………..… 8 Enjoy the coffee………………………………………………….…… 8 Keep the interest in your club meeting alive……….………………… 9 Take the call, it is important …………………………..………..……. 11 Listen more and talk less ……………………………………………. 13 The Lonely Man ………………………………………..………...…. 14 Log Onto Leadership……………………………………………..….. 16 Leaders of AbuDhabi Toastmasters Speak ……………………….…. 18 Days to remember …………………...………………………………. 20 New member speaks ……………………………………………....…

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Club Meetings …………………………………………………… .…

22

Club Contest Season ……………………………………………….… 24 Members Progress………………………………………………….… 28 Fun Time ……………………………………………………......…… 29 About Us……………………………………….…………………….

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ISSUE 3

President’s Message According to Dr. Joe Vitale’s “A lot of people feel stuck or imprisoned or confined by their current circumstances.

Whatever your circumstances right now, that is only your current reality”. When you want to change your circumstances, you must first change your thinking.

Toastmasters’ club is a venue where everyone is a learner on a regular basis. Here, no one thinks they are perfect, they evaluate and get evaluated, give candid feedback and receive candid feedback, make mistakes and get corrected all are part of this great movement. One should only sit and think whether they are really making use of the opportunities available in Toastmasters club. This cognizance matters a lot.

If we just do the projects for the sake of it then we are not utilizing the great forum to the desired extend. We need to have a real passion to progress and prosper.

Without this even if we spend too many years in Toastmasters also, we

remain at the start point.

We just finished our club contests, and we could really see our sea-

and find out how we can help them become more effective and efficient leaders. When members

soned Toastmasters competing with new and young Toastmasters.

Our seniors do this time and again with passion.

This passion is what helps anyone to move ahead in the communication and leadership track. One attribute we all should learn from the Senior Toastmasters.

We believe our members are our future. In our club we try and listen to their needs and inquire about their aspirations. Invite them to take up leadership roles,

are in need and request assistance, it is an opportunity to point out the values they reap from the great club.

We believe, by sharing and by becoming more supportive, we march ahead to achieve a common goal for ourselves “A better and efficient human being”.

Enjoy Toastmasters !!

Aby Hans President Abu Dhabi Toastmasters—1950

Where there is no vision, there is no hope. George Washington Page 3

ISSUE 3

Editor’s Message

Today I can very well say with a smile that time flies.

Looking back in 2014 when I started working on the 1st edition of club newsletter, I remember the pressure experienced by me in preparing the Newsletter. But after the 1st issue, I thought it would be easy but I was mistaken.

Struggle started again when time came to prepare the second issue. After releasing the issue 2, I again thought I would have a smooth ride. As I am on my way to 3rd issue, I now realize VPPR job is a challenging task and an interesting one too. I can say that although time flew away but my experi-

ence as editor of magazine has left me with a wonderful experience.

I remember encouraging words from TM Loyola Pinto during my working on Issue 2, he said: “Saima, today you are facing high pressure but tomorrow you will really feel good about yourself for being the editor of club newsletters. You will realize that you learnt a lot”.

Yes, TM Loyola and dear readers I have gained a lot not only in terms of learning computer skill (MS Publisher), preparing newsletter layout and more significantly interacting with every member of Club to put the Newsletter together. Being editor I screened all the articles, which gave me an opportunity to learn so much. I learnt better techniques for organizing things and presenting to others.

I also thank all the toastmasters who provided me with articles, senior toastmasters who reviewed each and every article, support by our President

and all the readers who have been providing feedback. Without support of co-toastmasters editor cannot prepare Newsletter.

I also take this opportunity to pay my special thanks to our senior TM Sanjay Vissa for his support, time and valuable comments to make the newsletter effective.

Being VP PR is really a wonderful experience, I suggest all toastmasters to take the initiative and have this lifetime experience of being VP-PR.

I hope you will find this issue interesting and I request each one of you to provide your feedback on our Club Newsletter. Your comments are valuable and will help to make future issues even better.

MTM SAIMA IMRAN

A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.

Page 4

John C. Maxwell

SPEAKING UP

My Experience As Editor

I remember a case of one member who used to be very vocal about newsletter. I started to chase him for article , one time he told me “Sasi the moment I see you I think about newsletter” next time he said “ oh, Sasi am writing something for you”. Another time he said, he is half-done. I never got any article from him.

I got the opportunity to be the TM Club VP PR in the year 2013-14. Abu Dhabi Toastmasters has a long list of active and vibrant senior toastmasters who were once the president of the club; I do not know how many of them held the position of VP public relations. For me it was a challenging opportunity.

One of the important tasks of the VP PR is the preparation of Club Newsletter, minimum of 3 newsletter in a year. I was skeptical as whether I would be able to do justice to it, given the legacy of Abu Dhabi Toastmaster where the club had won prestigious District best newsletter award a couple of times.

To be honest with you, I never edited a magazine in my life time so far, am sort of guy who never paid any special attention to the layout, content or structure of any magazine or weekly newsletter, I used read whatever I get hold of.

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. I don’t know how far this can be compared with editing a newsletter/magazine and how far one would agree

with such a comparison!!

I must say that I got a very high level of encouragement and support from my fellow toastmasters at least in words; I would say a well-articulated verbal symbolism, which gave me immense confidence and strength to be the newsletter editor.

The first thing I realized after being the VP PR is that how important it was to respond to the calls and emails from VP PR and how it could make the life of newsletter editor easier and comfortable. I also confess that I never wrote any articles for the Club magazine till the time I become the VP PR. All the mails from the VP PR for articles and support were always finding their way to the dustbin. As said, when you put yourself in to someone’s shoe you would understand and feel what that someone has experienced. I got this in its true letter and spirit as how my emails chasing article could end up in dustbin too.

The first I started to do was paying attention the magazine, how the layouts are , the way cover page is designed, color combinations used, magazine structure, content etc. I remember one time my wife was asking “why are

you steering at front page instead of reading?? “ Which happened to have a beautiful lady’s face? It took some time for me to convince her that I was actually looking at the cover page design so that I can design our Club Newsletter cover page, though she ended up with a comment “you men always have excuses for anything and everything” Second thing I mastered was the MS Publisher the utility which help you to actually put the magazine in its best presentation form. I also learned how to play with snaps and pictures where I was very poor in those skills.

It was really interesting to see the excuses that the members were coming up with and which itself can give you scope for humorous speech. This is not a sweeping statement, there are a few members who always contribute and help with articles.

Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other. John F. Kennedy Page 5

ISSUE 3

My Experience As Editor Let me share some experience, the normal response one get asking for article is “let me see” “Am busy these days” “Am travelling” “I started to write something”. I would believe all those responses are true, I think on a priority the articles drafting takes a back seat and that’s the true story. It’s not a mandatory compliance that one should write for the magazine to get a CC or any other education award.

The best approach I think that would help a newsletter editors is to work on meeting themes, the best person for this is the TME itself or any other senior toastmasters who could articular the theme with his or her own personal experiences. And it would make a very good article.

The next approach is to get

the speech from speakers and make them in to an article form, this can be done either by speaker themselves or the editor, additions of anecdotes and personal story would enhance the article and make it looks fresh and new.

This is an easiest method and this worked a lot in my case, some are edited by me and some by the speaker themselves. The one thing that goes against this is that article might be that interesting as the members had heard the speakers speaking it. It’s the ability rather creativity of the editor that brings the freshness and make article as something new and interesting.

I learned the art of editing a newsletter it gives me a lot of confidence, it came very handy to me when I was asked to be the lead in preparing a members’’ directory and also the editor of the community newsletter for the community organization where I do some social voluntary service.

Toastmasters empower us in many ways, it makes us wear different caps, it makes us perform different tasks and role in club committees with responsibility.

Sometime we may be re-

I have experienced very funny and humorous situations whilst chasing the articles from members.

luctant to take up the positions due to lack of confidence or our inability to spare time for it. Taking up such roles empower us, it enhance our confidence, capability, leadership skill and which collectively add up in our personality. And which help to face the challenges that life throw at us.

To be honest with you, I enjoy the task of editing a magazine which I never attempted in my life before, When I took over the position of Vice President public relations but the confidence that toastmaster movement installs on its members proved my apprehension wrong.

By: TM SASIKUMAR NAIR (VP-PR 2013-2014)

The most difficult part I went through and Am sure most newsletter editors would agree with is to get the articles from the club members on time.

I don’t blame the members for their lukewarm response as all of us are busy in one way or other, with too busy and too demanding professional and personal front.

Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality. Warren Bennis Page 6

SPEAKING UP

Nothing Is Impossible

LIFE HISTORY OFAN ARTIST

“There is nothing in this world which is impossible to do, so keep trying then you will find your own victory by giving your greatest efforts and succeed gradually to achieve your goals to win your own victory”

This story is inspiring & impressive for everyone in which the journey of the artist began from a garbage collector to an artist with a great difficulty.

His name is Anandh. He is married with two kids. He had a huge belief in his dreams as he headed to the city of Chennai. He wanted to become a co-operate manager, but in all his attempts he got rejected.

Anandh Maakappa lives in a mansion in Chennai India. One day while he was crossing along in the mansion he came across a garbage bin , he found ripe bananas, then he asked from his neighbor, why the bananas are thrown rather than consuming.? This clearly states that he was not in a good state financially that made him ask the thrown bananas to eat…

Next, he started to post posters on walls for earning followed by selling grapes as a vendor. Then, he thought to work in a book store in the music section. He used to dust all the popular singers’ albums & used to keep the place clean. Keeping away his pride he started to do all the cleaning work he could. His wife told that everyone used to say that he was a beggar, that he did not deserve anything

and he will not find victory. They were heart broken after hearing that.

Still, he did not give up.

He thought of his next level in life & tried the task of being a DJ. He tried all the channels in Chennai except for Vijay TV. He gave auditions, got rejected, no recommendation, didn’t know anyone and was helpless, but apart from this his pillar of support was his wife & kids.

His Wife said emotionally, “I have been with my husband from the beginning, he has been trying his best & with great difficulty he has come to this position” At last through a friend’s recommendation, he got an opportunity to face an interview in a Radio Channel. Finally it was unbelievable for him. He got an opportunity in a reality show in Vijay TV “Super Singer”. Today everyone salutes & supports him & most importantly his post-

ers came out on walls. He said excitedly, “I started to paste others’ posters initially, but finally I’m overwhelmed to see my posters on wall & that was by the help of this channel..”. He praises Vijay TV. He finally received “The Entertainer Award”. He praises saying that after all difficulties his dreams came true and he felt as if he has achieved a lot.

His wife told that though he has been featured as a jovial person outwardly, he is a very emotional & a soft hearted innocent person in real.

Then, he started anchoring in some of the channels in Vijay TV and he got introduced into the South Indian Film Industry.

So, by hearing about his life story, I think everyone could be inspired by this story.

By : TM Faiz Hashim

Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower. Steve Jobs Page 7

ISSUE 3

Please have faith in yourself November 2004 – On this month, I lay on a hospital bed battling for my life. I was suffering from Hepatitis A. At one point my condition worsened to such an extent that doctors felt I wouldn’t survive.

Every time a doctor/nurse enters my room, the first question that I would ask was whether I would survive or not. The doctor always gave a sad look saying “Sabin, you are a brave young man. Please have faith in yourself”. I felt it was an indirect way of telling me “Your time is up!!!” It was on this particular day that I happened to watch a philosophical dis

course on TV. The TV program started by saying “There is no greater truth than death, so why fear death when it is inevitable?” This thought truly struck me. It gave me a new hope. Every time when people spoke about

my medical condition I would just laugh out loud.

Two days later the doctor said to me smiling “Sabin, Please have faith in yourself, your condition is improving”. That is the power of faith. It was God’s way of telling me “This is your second chance”. No matter how strong you are, lack of faith takes you nowhere. Sometimes you should listen what your heart says rather than listening to someone else.

Within one month after fully recovering, I left the hospital smiling. I graduated as an engineer and until now all my successes I owe it to my faith in god.

Fellow Toastmasters, no matter what you do in life please have faith. It will certainly give you an extra edge to succeed…

By: TM Sabin Satyapalan

Enjoy the coffee A group of highly educated students visited their old University Professor.

Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.

Offering them coffee, Professor returned from kitchen with a pot of coffee and an assortment

of cups-porcelain, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite, telling them to help themselves to hot coffee.

When all had then cup of coffee in hand, the professor said, “If you noticed, all the nice looking cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best, that’s also the source of your stress.

What you really wanted was coffee, not the cup,

but you still went for the best cups and were also eyeing other’s cups.

If life is a coffee, then job, money & status in society are the cups.

They are just tools to hold and contain life.

Don’t let the cups drive you.

Enjoy the Coffee By : TM ABDUL SATTAR

The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves. Ray Kroc Page 8

SPEAKING UP

Keep the interest in your club meeting alive

Creative people make meeting interesting and attractive.

Meetings are at the heart of an effective organization, and each meeting is an opportunity to clarify issues, set new directions, sharpen focus, create alignment, and move objectives forward.

Paul Axtell

People join Toastmasters because they have a goal they want to learn something. The Club is where they learn. If the learning environment is not focused and not full of fun, members won't learn as effectively. Most people learn best when there is a fun element involved, which keeps them engaged and enthusiastic.

Humor is an excellent way of involving people, get-

ting people's attention and bringing your message across. Focus is also required and is helped by having a framework so that people know where they are heading and what is coming. An agenda helps in getting through any meeting, also a TM meeting.

At Toastmasters we love feedback, we like it to be immediate, positive and constructive. This is the one place in the world (apart from your parents) you get straight forward feedback.

Being Dutch giving feedback is in my veins. Dutch are known for wanting to state their opinion when asked and (unfortunately also) when it is not asked!

I was asked by our

friendly and modest Editor to write this article. Dear Readers, You can give me your feedback on how successful I am in this goal.

I joined the Abu Dhabi Toastmaster 1950 club in September 2014. I was welcomed into the Club with much friendliness and I enjoyed joining in for the Indian meal afterwards, a great opportunity to get to know members informally.

Don't find fault, find a remedy.

Page 9

Henry Ford

ISSUE 3

Keep the interest in your club meeting alive Soon thereafter I was invited to speak at the 500th meeting which made me feel a trusted member of the worldwide Toastmaster family. The meetings are extremely well organized and everyone is very well prepared. It is almost a business meeting. There are a few things that I believe we can benefit from if they were to be changed.

The Club meeting at AD TM club is usually filled with many items in the agenda. Because this is a big club with a large number of members (most TM groups hold 20 members) there is a need for a full agenda so that sufficient number of members are given a speaking slot and members can get through their manuals in a reasonable amount of time. However, the risk is that due to time pressure spontaneity is jeopardized. If we keep a bit more room in the agenda there is more time for spontaneous interaction and participation of the club members. For example we could on occasions skip the prizes and/or photography so that some more 'air' is in the programme. What about an unexpected Round Robin half way through in case there is sufficient time?

Or, an Educational given by one of the members on a topic that the members

have chosen democratically beforehand? To change the normal routine we could also start with Table Topics or with a Round Robin so that all tongues are loose and warmed up!

The unplanned parts of TM agenda are usually the best, as everyone is taken out of their comfort zone, this brings out creativity. Being taken out of your comfort zone and having to speak to an audience in a structured way nevertheless, prepares you for all aorts of situations where you have to step up and speak respectfully and convincingly even though having had no time to prepare. In this way TM Meeting can provide you an excellent opportunity to practice for real time situations.

Recently, the club circulated a questionnaire, a great way for members to give their feedback to the club officers about the way the meetings are run (are changes required or desira-

ble? and if so what kind?).

A TM Club is there for its members and only with their input and ideas can a Club be a true representation of its members. Another way to ask feedback from members is to build time into the agenda at the end of the meeting (bi) annually. Dedicating part of the meeting to club business and having a conversation on some topics that are important for the members to know about might also be an idea for engaged participation. We have different back ground, gender and nationalities in the group, we have a great opportunity to show case various ways of speaking and listening.

Finally, I would like to give suggestion for humor used in meetings. As speakers (all attendees of meeting), and as leaders we have enormous responsibility. We must leave audience with new perspective on a topic. It is listener’s responsibility to apply it to their lives and then reflect on it. Humor is a great way to get people’s attention and make them think. In a diverse Club we need to consider whether humor or jokes we use may be received differently than we intend due to different cultures, gender or background. Accordingly humor on culture, gender can only be funny if they are selfdepreciative.

Questionnaire always help to improve the quality.

I hope that with my ideas & insight I am contributing to improving. I have enjoyed to speak my mind, as you know now this is the biggest gift you can give to the Dutch!

By: MTM INGEBORG

When you can't make them see the light, make them feel the heat.

Page 10

Ronald Reagan

SPEAKING UP

Take the call, it is Important It was Friday evening, 7.00 PM when my cell phone rang. As I reached for the phone, I knew the caller. It was unusual to get a call from her, that too on a Friday evening. I answered and greeted MTM Sujatha. After we had exchanged the pleasantries, she made her request, can I manage the Gavel Club Meeting that was due the next morning. I was re assessing my commitments for the next morning, findings ways to reschedule them as she went ahead to reassure me everything was in place and all that was needed from me was to present myself to oversee the Meeting. I had to take this CALL, it was important for the young Gavel Members to have their Meeting, it was important for me too to reconnect with them. I gladly gave her my consent.

This phone call took me back a decade ago when I was on vacation in India. I got a similar phone call from the then President of the Abu Dhabi Toastmasters Chapter TM Ravi Verma. He wanted to start a Gavel Club and needed me on board as an Assistant Coordinator. I had some idea about the Gavel Club.

It is like any Toastmasters Club except that it is meant for children in the

age group of 11 years to 18 years. The Gavel Club Meetings are managed by the children and follows an agenda similar to what we have at our Club Meetings.

I saw the importance in starting the kids early on public speaking, it would give them the edge as they progress in life. It would certainly shape and prepare them for a better tomorrow. All this got me interested. I took the CALL and accepted the responsibility to support the Gavel Club in whatever manner it was deemed necessary.

I also saw this as an opportunity to give back to this wonderful movement of Toastmasters from which I had benefitted immensely.

When you think about it, every activity of our life is a communication of a sort, but it is thru speech that a person asserts his distinctiveness. When you are unable to say clearly what you mean thru either nervousness, timidity or foggy

thought process, your personality is blocked off, dimmed out and you are likely to be misunderstood.

Many amongst us realize it, a few understand this needs correction and very few act responsibly on it.

The good news is that it can be corrected provided you are willing to work at it. The one and best way to achieve this is through a proper training process that also allows you to practice whatever is learned. Be it the Gavel or the Toastmasters Club, here you learn the elements of public speaking and improve upon it as you participate and progress with your Projects. Along

the way you also pick up the vital leadership skills.

Leadership is about taking responsibility, not making excuses.

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Mitt Romney

ISSUE 3

Take the call, it is Important Most of the limitations that hold us back from our dreams are self-imposed.

Way back when I walked up to present my first speech at our Club Meeting, it took a great effort to stand up, face an audience and try and get some of my message across to them. It was not easy. I was probably 10% successful. It still was worth it. I persisted. I took the CALL. With time I realized it is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because

we do not dare that they get difficult.

The choices we take today will affect our tomorrow.

The doors of opportunity will open for each one of us. To make the best of the opportunities that come our way, we must equip and prepare ourselves to walk through these doors confidently. Toastmasters will help you to tap the opportunities. My message is straight and simple. The next time around, when: Our VP Education offers you a role in the Club

Meeting, take the CALL. tells you to prepare and present a Project Speech, take the CALL. Our VP Public Relations requests you to pen an article for the Newsletter, take the CALL. The Gavel Coordinator wants you to attend a Gavel Meeting, take the CALL. This list is not exhaustive.

Believe me they are all IMPORTANT for you.

Cheers, TM SANJAY VISSA Your conscience

Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.

Page 12

Margaret Fuller

SPEAKING UP

Listen more and talk less I thought I would share a simple tip from another person who had an enormous impact upon my life – my dad.

When I grew up our house was always a hive of activity, with Mum dreaming up new entrepreneurial schemes left, right and centre, and me and my siblings running wild. I helped Mum with a new project as outside climbing a tree, plucking fruits.

Amidst all the fun and chaos, Dad was always supportive, calming influence on us all. He wasn’t quiet, but he was not often as talkative as the rest of us.

It made a wonderful balance, and we always knew we could rely on him no matter what.

Within this discreet support lay one of his best and most simple pieces of advice for me: listen more than you talk. Nobody learned anything by hearing themselves speak. I try to spend as much time as possible listening to the people I meet. I am fortunate I come across fascinating characters from all walks of life. While I am always happy to share my own experiences with them, it would be foolish if I didn’t listen back.

It is one of the reasons why I always carry a pen and notebook, not to mention an iPad, to note my

thoughts. You never know what you might learn from simply listening to the people around you.

Whether it is an attendant on a train, an engineer beneath a spaceship or a customer service Rep at a computer shop, I am endlessly surprised by what new and useful information I can gather just by keeping my ears open.

I sometimes come across people in business, especially if they have been fortunate enough to have some success, that are very fond of their own voices.

After saying their piece, they visibly switch off from what others are saying, offering a perfunctory

nod or fiddling with their phone, rather than making eye contact and really engaging. Conversely, the most successful entrepreneurs I know all have excellent listening skills in common.

I presume those who choose not to listen must think they have already learned all there is to know. Taking my dad’s advice visually, I like to think of a circle that represents everything we could possibly learn.

What I personally know would make up a dot so minuscule it couldn’t be seen. What humanity has collectively learned so far would make up a tiny mark within the circle.

Everything we all have to learn in the future would take up the rest of the space. It is a big universe, and we are all learning more about it every day. If you aren’t listening, you are missing out.

MTM ELIZABETH VAZ

A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd. Max Lucado Page 13

SPEAKING UP

The Lonely Man He walked across the street alone He walked by the crowded shops alone He crossed the busy junctions alone He crossed the river alone He walked through the subways alone He walked past the statues of the martyrs alone He walked across the fields alone He walked across the beaches alone He walked along the boundaries of life alone All alone; All alone Neither the joyous people in the crowded streets noticed him Nor the vendors in the crowded shops noticed him Neither the musicians performing in the square noticed him Nor the dancers in the streets noticed him Neither the farmers in the fields noticed him Nor the children in the beach noticed him So he walked along the boundaries of life alone All alone ; All alone For he knew he was old, dirty, shabby dressed For he knew he is no more of any use to anyone For he knew he is of no joy to hang around For he knew he had no charm left to woo everyone For he knew his ‘real’ friends have ended their journey For he knew he cant make any more new friends He simply wanted to finish the last miles of his long journey All alone; all alone

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ISSUE 3

The Lonely Man But there was a time when he was not alone When he was young, handsome and powerful When he charmed everyone to him When others were waiting to be his acquaintance When he had to choose his confidents When he had to select his friend When he had to simply walk across the street And all the people will simply bow to him He simply reimagined those old stories and smiled He had no regrets, no worries, no complaints For he knew it is the story of each and every one in this journey Everyone who embarks on this journey has to cross these paths He knew that its not him that they respected or shunned It was simply his power, his charm, his appearance While they exist people respect and honor him And when it doesn’t the same folks fail to notice him Hence he continued to walk along the boundaries of life To finish the last miles of his long journey All alone ; All alone

MTM DEVI NARAYAN

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SPEAKING UP

"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something -your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.". By Steve Jobs

Robin Sharma left me with a thought that if I want to achieve my goals, I have to immediately log on to leadership without fail.

The heart touching saying of Robin Sharma which changed my approach is: “If you can’t lead yourself, you can’t lead others. We have no business leading others into greatness if our own personal lives are a wreck. Being successful in the game of life precedes great leadership. Face whatever personal issues you’ve been avoiding head on and clean up on all fronts.

Refuse the lifestyle, the habits and the circumstances that weaken you.

Great leaders don’t just own their full potential on the floor or in the field; they claim their potential in all domains of their life.

You can’t be great in one arena and mediocre in another. Make it an immediate goal to get connected with your oxygen supply.

As I was trying to focus on leadership, the day came when I received an email from our Club President TM Aby Hans to attend Officers Training on Friday, 28th November. I went to attend the training just to secure DCP points but believe me after attending the training, the biggest change happened was that I came to know that I have already logged

on to leadership. While listening to training session on leadership and activities pertaining to become a competent leader, suddenly I said to myself that LOL… Saima, u are already practicing leadership in toastmasters. So friends I thought why not ask you all to LOL… please to chase your success ladder and reach the top step by step. However, this time the LOL is not laugh out loud but is “Log onto Leadership”.

Toastmaster roles like being the Club Secretary and VP-PR have and are playing an important role in enhancing my leadership qualities and changing my approach towards handling

A leader is a dealer in hope.

Page 16

matters both in personal and professional life. For me leadership qualities are not required for a successful career but also for being a successful individual with good values. Our values are linked to leadership, in fact are the manifestation of who we are.

So, we have to first work on our values and it will automatically help boost our leadership attitude, which in turn will make us a good leader.

In going through the bridge of leadership , many shaking waves can interrupt you in a path .

The crucial point about “LOL” is that it can break or make the company at any stage of life .

Napoleon Bonaparte

ISSUE 3

If everyone of us look back at our professional life , some terrible faces with ill managed mechanism come in front of our eyes . That someone is no one else except a leader / manager . We all had once met a terrible boss in our life . Once in my professional life , I had this terrible experience as well.

Completing a month task with a boss who was only concerned for output proved to be one of the hardest tasks I had gone through at the starting span of my Professional tenure.

My personal bad experience with that leader made me realized the importance of being a good leader and this was the best part of

that bad experience. It is very much important to analyze ourselves also, rather than just pointing out our leaders. Sometimes unknowingly we become terrible side for Leaders by becoming scapegoats, lazy workers , money makers and stubborn individuals.

Successful and result oriented leader is one who is concerned about what is right rather than who is right . After tr acking a lot about leadership one interesting thing I have come up about a leader is that he / she should be humble as well as aggressive too . Don’t you think these are two contradictory traits ? Obviously Yes .

Both of them are contra-

dictory but having these two traits balance out leaders personality. Listening to , at times , irrelevant queries need patience and humble attitude whereas achieving organizational strategic objectives efficiently and effectively requires aggressive personality .

Dilemma here is that employees , in certain situations, act as a scapegoat and blame leaders for any type of failure situation.

When something bad happens we act like a scapegoat and blame leaders .

Interesting thing here is that we owe success and says this is due to our strong commitment and enthusiasm . Isn’t it fishy that either we are taking failure to our side nor we are giving credit of success to our leaders . Very diplomatic approach is ultimately leading us to log on to leadership individually .

Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far.

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“When the going gets tough, the tough get going”.

History is packed with great leaders’, who started their career with full devotion with the intention for reaching the last step of the ladder and they ultimately are successful . One of the best example is of Steve Jobs .

Steve Jobs , Chairman and CEO of Apple, one of the most successful leader as well as legendary. Looking upon Steve history, mind start blustering with marvel that how hard he worked throughout his life for becoming a successful leader. His 56 years of life is full of examples and hurdles he faced but his strong charismatic leadership personality never took a break and he kept on struggling.

By: MTM SAIMA IMRAN

Theodore Roosevelt

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Leaders of AbuDhabi Toastmasters Speak Who is a Leader?

I was taken aback with his down to earth attitude and his humility. Here was one human being who was giving all credit to his brilliant team and that I felt is Leadership at its best. Lao Tzu has put it so beautifully with these immortal words - A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves. – Lao Tzu

When our Abu Dhabi Toastmaster’s Vice President Public Relations MTM Saima Imran sent us an email requesting a short write up on “Leadership in my view point”, it set me thinking because I had read so much about leadership, that my mind seemed to be in a muddle in giving my view point on Leadership. Hence, I delayed providing that short write up until yesterday after watching Film fare Awards 2014 on Sony TV. The Film fare Awards are presented annually by The Times Group to honor both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Hindi language film industry of India.

Film fare awards are considered to be prestigious awards.

Vikas Bahl received the best director award for the film “Queen” and what he said while receiving the award enabled me to clear my mind regarding Leadership. During one of the shooting schedules of the film Queen, his father who had come to watch him directing was surprised that Vikas did not contribute anything to that particular shooting schedule. The dialogue writer, the actors, the camera man etc did everything and even when that schedule was over, the camera man shouted “Cut.” So he was not able to show his dad anything what his job was as a director. Why? Because he had brought together such a talented team for the film that his contribution seemed

nothing. That’s what I call classic leadership - the ability to choose the best team to deliver excellence in fulfilling the goals assigned to them.

TM SALIM SAYYID

When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier. Roy E. Disney Page 18

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Leaders of AbuDhabi Toastmasters Speak “Great Leadership usually starts with a willing heart, a positive attitude, and a desire to make a difference” said Mac Anderson.

People join Toastmasters to improve their public speaking skills. I am yet to come across someone who said that he/she joined Toastmasters to improve their leadership skills. However, Toastmasters gives ample opportunities to all of us to develop leadership skills and also take up leadership positions. So it’s up to us to recognize these opportunities and grab them when they come. A good leader should have a vision, passion, motivation, organization skills, integrity and eloquence.

2 months after joining Toastmasters, I was offered the role of Sergeant-at-arms which I willingly accepted. The sergeant-at-arms (SAA) roles taught me vital organizing skills which came in handy while organizing area, division and district conferences. This first leadership role of SAA was a stepping stone leading me into being the President, Area 2 Governor, Division H Governor and the Toastmasters Leadership Institute Chairman of District 79.

TM LOYOLA PINTO

Leadership at Toastmasters is different, in a sense even unique. It is not merely about decision making or stamping your authority or giving lectures. Leadership at Toastmasters is about communicating with each Member as a group and more significantly on a one on one basis to connect and understand them. It is to know how each of your Club Member can benefit from this program, guiding them and providing them the environment to understand themselves, evolve and grow.

Leadership at Toastmasters is more about giving. It begins r ight fr om the time a Member joins the Club and interacts with his first role model which is his Mentor. The Members first link to leadership in essence is set up with this bond which with time gets reciprocated when he or she becomes a Mentor to new Members joining the Club, helping them to grow and excel. Remarkably, this chain of developing Leaders at Toastmasters is a continuous process.

TM SANJAY VISSA

Leadership cannot really be taught. It can only be learned. Harold S. Geneen Page 19

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TM Abdul Sattar Khan TM Devkusum Datta TM Mohamed Rizvi Rasheed TM Rao D.A MTM Saima Imran MTM Sujatha Parthasarathy

TM Aby Hans TM Hammad Rabbani TM Makhbul Ahmed Khazi TM Salim Sayyid TM Santhana Anandraman TM Umakanth Devarajan

TM Peter Usietan Damogbe TM Gbolahan B. Shodipo TM Mohamed Nadeer Mullappullikkad TM Arunjithlal S TM John Praveen Kumar

Making good decisions is a crucial skill at every level. Peter Drucker Page 20

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New Member Speaks

Myself, John Praveen Kumar also called as John Benjamin raised from a small town in Tamilnadu, South India.

I’m married to a lovely wife, Phibia Agnes. We both were brought up in a closed circle with lot of human values pumped in. After completing my graduation, God has been so gracious to me in bringing me to UAE. After my 3 years tenure in UAE, I moved to Oman and spent 8 years there. Now I am back to UAE. Even though Dubai and other Emirates are relatively known to me, I am new to Abu Dhabi. Just finished my one month here and looking forward to have a great future ahead.

Being from a very

closed family, I don't have many friends and also I am not a outgoing person. But I started my career in sales. This field expects a person to be outspoken, bold and highly enthusiastic.

To build myself in my career, I was looking for a right place where I can groom my skills. Years went on and on.....but I never able to get into the right place. Then, I came to know about Toatmasters club during last few days of my stay in Oman.

The Club members gathered every Saturday next to my office. I used to wonder what these guys are doing!! always clapping, laughing and very warm environment. I sneaked into the door and looked out what's

happening. I soon find out that it was right place for me. But finally I got opportunity in UAE called and I had to move swiftly. No sooner I came to Abu Dhabi, I was browsing for a Toastmasters club. I browsed so many clubs but some how, my heart made me select Abu Dhabi toastmasters 1950. When I attended the first day in Toastmasters as a guest, I enjoyed the meeting and decided to join the Club.

First and foremost, I would like to thank the Abu Dhabi Toastmasters 1950 club for accepting me in your club. I found on my first day itself that this club is extraordinary and has innovative ideas. Everyone in the club plays their role perfectly and their follow ups with the new members is awesome. I really look forward to have a great time in this Club and I am sure that this Club will enhance my skills and will have a great impact in my career.

My best wishes and thanks to Abu Dhabi toastmasters,1950 Club.

ABU DHABI TOASTMASTERS, 1950 IS THE PLACE I WAS LOOKING FOR..

TM JOHN PHIBIA You're only as good as the people you hire. Ray Kroc Page 21

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Club Meetings

Abu Dhabi Toastmasters Meeting 509 dated 27 January 2015 A reverse meeting is always a challenge as it involves imaginative and innovative role plays. The role players stood up to this challenge to provide an entertaining and lively meeting.

We had stellar performances by TM Abraham Thomas (Table Topic Master), TM Mohamed Azaza and TM Jason Dias (Project Speeches), TM Aby Hans opening address was thought provoking and we had some interesting and imaginative evaluations by MTM Devi Grishma Narayan, TM Loyola Pinto and TM Sasi Kumar.

The Toastmaster of the Evening DTM Ravi Rai gave a brilliant performance with hilarious one liners that energized the meeting. His time management was excellent.

Enjoyed this meeting as it was a refreshing change from the meetings we have and the dinner that followed was DELICIOUS!

Winners: Best Speaker: TM Jason Dias Best Evaluator: MTM Devi Narayan Best Table Topic Speaker : TM Dev. Umakanth By: TM Salim Sayyid

Example is leadership.

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Albert Schweitzer

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Club Meetings CONTEST : FEBRUARY 24, 2015 WINNERS A) Humorous Speech Contest 1st Prize Winner - TM Loyola Pinto 2nd Prize Winner - TM Oudi Abouchacra 3rd Prize Winner - TM Umakanth Devarajan B) Evaluation Contest 1st Prize Winner - TM Abraham Thomas 2nd Prize Winner - TM Loyola Pinto 3rd Prize Winner - TM Elroy Vaz

CONTEST : MARCH 10, 2015 WINNERS A) International Speech Contest 1st Prize Winner - TM Sudha Datta 2nd Prize Winner - TM Oudi Abouchakra 3rd Prize Winner - MTM Devi Narayan B) Table Topic Contest 1st Prize Winner - TM Sudha Datta 2nd Prize Winner –MTM Devi Narayan 3rd Prize Winner - TM Narayana Pillai

CONTEST : MARCH 27, 2015 WINNERS FROM CLUB A) International Speech Contest TM Sudha Datta - 1st Place TM Oudi Abouchakra - 2nd Place B) Table Topic Contest MTM Devi Narayan - 1st Place C) Humorous Speech Contest TM Loyola Pinto - 1st Place TM Umakanth Devarajan - 3rd Place D) Evaluation Contest TM Sanjay Vissa—2nd Place

A leader is a dealer in hope. Napoleon Bonaparte

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Members Progress as of March 2015

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Fun Time “You do not lead by hitting people over the head — that’s assault, not leadership.” – Dwight

"No man is lonely while eating spaghetti - it requires so much attention."

Christopher Morley

Guess the state 1 State flower Bird Motto 2 State flower Bird Motto 3 State flower Bird Motto Answers: 1. Mexico 2. Tennessee 3. New Jersey

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Yucca Flower Road runner It grows as it goes Iris Mocking Bird Agriculture and Commerce Violet Eastern Gold Finch Liberty and prosperity

Match the following numerical description with their suitable number.

1.Pints of blood in body.

2.Players on a hockey team 3.Baker’s dozen 4.Winning blackjack hand 5.Blackbirds baked in a pie 6.Sinbad’s voyages 7.Famous ball you get behind

A: 24 B: 7 C: 12 D: 8 E: 6 F: 13 G: 21

Answers: 1 ( C) ,2 (E), 3 (F), 4 (G), 5 (A), 6 (B), 7 (D)

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OUR MISSION The mission of toastmasters club is to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every individual member has the opportunity to develop oral communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth.

COME AND JOIN US NOW:

Come and join us now: Alternate Tuesdays From: 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm At: Foodland's Restaurant Airport Road, Abu Dhabi

CONTACT: VP MEMBERSHIP : TM UMAKANTH DEVARAJAN MOBILE; 0507806414 EMAIL: dumakanth@npcc.ae

EDITOR: VP Public Relations: MTM SAIMA IMRAN

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