Communiqué - June 2013

TCS Maitree Toastmasters Club, Mumbai

Communique!

Club News And Events Editor Desk Dear Readers, Welcome to the second edition of CommuniquĂŠ! It was great to hear that majority of Toastmasters have enjoyed reading the ďŹ rst edition of the newsletter which was launched at our th 75 session of Malad location.

At a time when we are all waiting for the summer to start there has been plenty of sunshine at TCS Maitree Toastmasters club with prestigious GOLDEN GAVEL award. The purpose of this newsletter is to provide members and guest with useful information regarding the club activities and club events.

I hope you enjoy this edition of our newsletter and I look forward to hearing from you if you have any comments or suggestions regarding this publication.

Editor - Indrajit Suryawanshi, CC, ALB

Scan this with your mobile and read Communique! On the go

June / 2013

INSIDE THIS ISSUE 75th Session Happy Mentoring

75th Session The Diamond Jubilee session of TCS Malad location had on board special guests and toastmasters who evidenced the vibrant celebrations of the milestone session. Atrayee Bhattacharya presented a brief account of the journey the club has undergone since its inception.

Idiot Box Aging 25 in Mumbai Guerdon of words and Audacity Rediscovery of passion Rendezvous with President International Speech Contest Timeless Bond Why Toastmasters works?

What is your song?

Distinguished Club Program Post January 2013, we have combined session count of all locations. Last week we have th conducted 234 Session at TCS Malad.

Happy Mentoring!!

It was 10:30 pm, I was still writing my P3 speech, which has to be delivered the very next day. Totally confused and baffled, not even sure if I should even give it a try, I then messaged my mentor, waited and waited and no reply till 11:30pm, the message read, Don‘t worry, mentee, just give it a try and mail me your speech, I didn‘t had the soft copy so I told my mentor that I am still preparing it and he still said, you should give it a try, if you fail to meet the objective, you can repeat but GIVE IT A TRY.. These 4 words were enough to give the much needed strength and the support and I completed the speech title ―Sports - A metaphor for Life" and delivered it without flaw and better than I had expected.

Public speaking is her first love and bullet is second. Having spent 4 years in TCS, she is a Toastmaster since last one year and has completed 4 speeches till now. She loves Mumbai and spending time with friends.

Her current target is to complete CC and CL by August. Lastly, a strong believer in the quote "Live and let live"

Vanshika Shrivastava

The point here is not how I delivered my speech or how I faired in it but that I gave it a try only on encouragement from my mentor. That‘s the power Mentor-mentee relationship of Toastmaster has...

In this article I want to emphasize that all of us have the capabilities and the hidden talents but at times we all shy and get timid to accept those talents and fear to bring it in front of public, at such times, you need someone to push you, push you hard enough to cross the winning line. TMI's Mentor-Mentee relationship has very well understood and utilized this concept for the betterment of its members.

In our club, we have recently adapted this culture but I am sure some of you must have reaped the benefits already and would agree with me. For those who are still in their cocoon‘s and are shy to reach out to their mentors, I would suggest, please so and you would realize what you are missing on.

Your mentors are old players of this game and have experienced it all, be it nervousness in P1, speechless 2 minutes in table topics or not able to gather and properly arrange the endless thoughts when writing initial speeches, so take the advantage of their experiences and learning to make sure you don't repeat the same mistakes.

Recently, I was assigned a mentee and for the first time I experienced the joy of being a mentor. Being new to this platform, my mentee thought that the speeches were supposed to be aligned with the theme of the day and was all set to give his P1 on the theme of the day, I casually asked him if he had prepared his speech and it was then I came to know the misbelief he was living with. I then educated him on the concept of theme and that P1 is all about you... Had he approached me for some opinion on speeches especially the first speech, he would not have wasted his time googling over the theme. And Had I NOT approached him, he would have told about the theme in his P1 when he was supposed to tell about him, his family and education. All thanks to the mentor-mentee relationship of TMI. I have reached a stage where I can discuss and consult my mentor for anything and everything on this mother Earth, be it a simple advice about the topic or regarding handling work pressure and toastmasters sessions or about release from my unit. :) So if you don't have a mentor/mentee yet, get one; if you have, approach them, as at the end it's all about give and take nature that nurtures the true spirit of TMI Having understood the value and benefits Mentor-mentee relationship has to offer, I urge to all of you to take advantage of it in your stride and be a better speaker, leader and may be an all-in-one Mentor like mine someday!!

IDIOT BOX

A football fanatic and movie buff, who loves to entertain people using his witted sarcasm.

Last year I joined Toastmasters to overcome fear of public speaking and in this process I discovered my hidden skills. My goal for next year is to achieve second Triple Crown.

Indrajit Suryawanshi CC, ALB

We would like to keep it fresh in tune with Morning spirit.

Breaking news, IOC has suspended IOA. The Big question tonight. corrupt official in governing body of IOA?

Do we need

An IT professional killed his supervisor over onsite issue. Tune in @ 11PM when we unravel mystery of this murder.

Do these dialogues give you an indication of something?

Yes I am talking about IDIOT box or TV. From my point of view a daily schedule of IDIOT box is divided into 3 sections. First is morning news, second is news hour show or debate show and third is the late night show. I know why some of you are smiling.

For most of us the day starts either at 8 AM or at 9 AM. In the morning everyone would like to hear news about good things. News channels in India are flooded with morning shows such as Breakfast India on CNN IBN, Tea Toast & sports on NDTV. Instead of broadcasting news about good thing they will broadcast news about bad things such as some has been murdered, someone has been kidnapped or involved in some sort of accident. Breaking News 10 people died on the way to Amarnath, A Private bus knock down 6 year old in city, 2 college girls have been robbed at gun point in broad day light.

Really is this we want to hear in morning? But if you look at foreign news channel such as BBC or CNN they will always start morning show with news about good things such as sports, culture or any political development.

The second section is either a debate show or talk show which is broadcasted at 8PM or 9 PM. The News hour show. Left right center. At this time news channels pretend that either they are very sensitive about what has happened today or they are highly intellectual. The format of these shows is standard. An utterly rubbish topic, bunch of self-proclaimed experts and an anchor, whose job is to make mountain out of mole hill of the topic. What more same topic is discussed by every news channel with different set of panel? I don‘t know how long they are going to milk the cow.

My personal favorite news channel is INDIA TV. They are undisputed king of Indian news channel. They will discuss anything. I remember two debate shows on India TV wherein they discuss stupid issues. First was. HOW DID A TINY RAT MANAGED TO STOP A 500 TONE JUMBO JET. Background of this story was a rat manages to sneak into Ney YORK bound AIR INDIA flight. One of the cabin crew spotted the rat and decided to delay the take-off flight as that rat need to remove from aircraft. Indian TV made big news around this story with nice animation.

An Expert panel has people from AI pilot association, CSIA ground staff and animal activist representing PETA. Anchor was shouting repeatedly. HOW COULD HE? I wonder how come anchor knew the gender or rat. It could be she also.

The second was possibility of rebirth of MJ. Last year MJ died last year under suspicious circumstances. Again gentlemen‘s on INDIA sat together and discussed POSSIBLITY OF REBIRTH OF MJ. These time panelists were different set of people.

Self-proclaimed God man‘s representing different religions such as Hindu, Muslim and Christian. Everyone contended that MJ will take birth in India.

The last section is late night show... Before 2008 definition of late night show was something else. But nowadays late night shows are dedicated to crime. CRIME PETROL, DASTAK, ACP ARJUN from INDIA TV. I still don‘t understand what is the purpose behind these shows? PAUSE Producers claim that they are educating you but on other hand many youngsters are getting free training about how to commit a crime.

Recently two boys were arrested in connection with murder of senior citizen. Everyone was shocked when they came to know how this murder happened. These boys got an idea from famous series called CRIME Petrol. Another example is CLASSROOM ad

by THE HINDU. A professor walks into classroom and informs his students that today we will discuss rural development bill. He divides students into 2 sections. Those who are on left hand side will speak in favor of bill and those who are on right hand side will speak against the bill, with a proper parliamentary behavior. After 2 minutes everyone ends up beating each other and one message is flashed. BEHAVE YOURSELF, INDIA. Youths are watching.

But at the end of the day it is up to you to take a wise decision and decide who is an IDIOT, a box or you?

Aging 25 in Mumbai

Anurag is like an open book.

His principle lies with taking care of relationships, love and passion. He love watching movies; In fact He is movie freak. Sometimes he likes to write about personal experiences but on other hand he is bad reader (don‘t like reading). He love s challenges and he will keep writing.

Anurag Agarwal

Mumbai, it‘s the place where every young man or woman can live the quintessential and free independent life. The City: which adopted me? The city: where I have learned to find my feet, where I have started my career. The city where I have discovered who am l? And began to dream about where l wanted my life to go. Brick by brick I am trying to build my life here. It‘s a place where I have turned twenty five.

With an every clock tick I am learning many things in my career and in my life.

Also like every boy fancies a girlfriend/Wife, who could cook him a meal...Me, too I wish the same, after all I am 25 now. Hahaha.. But sometimes I feel like, instead I am happy to order in! Because, I feel bit puzzled and insufficient to start to think about this new life. I wonder if I am really ready for this step ahead or not. It‘s all confusion here...

Actually the reason is I am very low maintenance boy who works in an IT Industry (which gifts the less but sucks more). I enjoy at weekends. I party hard. This is what I do. But to start a new life, one needs courage and for which I am not prepared now. In the last few years I have learnt a lot about friendship, relationship, responsibility, love and family. And what I finally came to know is that, these virtues are very fragile. They need to be taken care of and this is what completes us. In age of 25 We want to be responsible, new thoughts automatically gets imposed on us (Like, we start thinking about promising new apartments, moves to new cities, daring hair changes, cars, bikes, sex, marriage, handsome salary, competition.......blah blah and blah). This is what we want...

After all its 25...Don‘t forget.

At this bloody age of 25 lots of questions mingle around in my head: 

What I would be after 3 years?



Should I go for further studies, should I switch company or let it go as it is?



Do I need wife/ Girl Friend?



Am I really looking for one perfect soul mate?



What would be my salary after 2nd hike?



Is the petrol price will be going down?



How can I help my family?



What I need, the SLR camera, bike or the LIC on my next promotion?



Is she going to come back?



Where should I plan for the coming 31st DEC?

And X...y... Z...

Age 25 is an awesome experience to grow with. There is something very beautiful saying about Age 25: Age 25 is an important year of once life wherein you — not the details of your life, which are constantly in flux, but the very filters with which you see things, the principles that guide your existence — will change. You‘ll realize who you are, make decisions about who you keep company with, solidify your priorities, and generally see yourself in a bigger context than ever before.

SIX Things we learn at 25: 1. We 1st time agree to our self about the fact that we don‘t know everything.

2. Future generation will be far better.

3. We 1st time feel, that now we are grownups.

4. Expectations yield heartache.

5. We and our friends are on different pages.

6. We are still around the crowd and yet alone.

It‘s Age with confusion, curiosity and fun! And I am loving It! 25 Rocks!

Guerdon of Words and Audacity

The next few paras made a list of things we needed to work upon, in the area of poverty A young army officer stationed in India in 1897 wrote ‗Of all the talents bestowed upon men, none is so precious as the gift of oratory‘. This young army officer was the most acknowledged leader and magnificent orator of his time, Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister of Britain. Churchill took the leadership of Britain during the toughest times in the English History. Hitler was on the pinnacle of his dominance invading Belgium, France, Holland and Luxemburg and Churchill had nothing to promise to the people of Britain except a long battle full of blood, sweat and tears.

Nidhi is from Haryana. She just loves to read books & probably that's why she has developed an interest in writing as well.

Her favorite book so far is Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach. Besides reading she loves to play Basketball and represented her college in Intercollege Tournaments.

Nidhi Singh

Churchill‘s strongest weapon was oratory. His speeches of 1940 became legendary and their relevance in 21st century cannot be denied. They were magnetic and more importantly they had a strong influence on public morale. He was the leader in true sense. He demonstrated defiance, courage and confidence when the world was a gloomy place and hope was just a word. He had in fact staked his own survival as PM on his strategy of ‗No Surrender‘. He said, ―I shall take a rifle and put myself in a pillbox at the bottom of Downing Street and shoot till I‘ve no more ammunition, and then they can damned well shoot me‖, such was the passion of the PM. He exuded optimism where there was none and he made his people feel good about them when there was very little to feel good about.

Churchill succeeded in rallying a nation largely by equal measures of iron determination and splendid oratory. These two personality traits were also prominent in his rival, Hitler, also considered to be one of the powerful orators in the history of mankind. The thing that separated Hitler and Churchill was Leadership. A leader is a person who empowers people to succeed and creates a new future. A leader selflessly sacrifices time and energy to a cause greater than themselves. A leader defies the status quo and sprints towards the future that way inspires hearts and minds. A leader has the audacity to tell the world that tomorrow will be different, that tomorrow could be better and this was the thing that Churchill had and Hitler lacked and this was the thing that made the difference.

This was the story that demonstrated that the Words and Audacity of a person can change the World, a change for a better world.

Thane Chapter It gives me immense pleasure to announce that we have started new chapter of Toastmasters session at Yantra Park, Thane. It began with queries from few guests and ended up with having 15 members from Thane location. Toastmaster Shruti and Mohammed took the mammoth responsibility to spearhead the session in Thane.

What benefits will this have for you?

Chance to attend six sessions in a Month Deliver your speech in front diverse audience Complete your educational and leadership track within short time frame Stay connected with various TCS locations

Rediscovery of passion

Passion is the engine which turns dreams into reality.

His biggest dream is to open a school, best in the world and free to all. Reading, writing, coding and exploring are some of his passions. He loves to meet new people and interested in learning new things.

I completed my graduation in June 2012 and joined TCS in July 2012. As a consequence I witnessed a huge change in my life just in a month‘s time. Journey from cozy comfortable life of hostel to loaded locals of Mumbai just baffled me.

Suddenly the group of friends with whom I used to bunk classes, night outs and parties left somewhere dealing with their own struggles. All I got is a strange emptiness. Initial excitement of earning my own money converted into a routine life.

Everything started to seem so mechanical. I found new friends in my colleagues but the warmth of friendship which I was used to was missing. Then I heard about Toastmasters Maitree Club. I don‘t know why but it appealed to me. I joined it instantly even without attending any sessions. Thought about presenting myself in front of people kind of challenged me. I gave my first speech in my first session itself.

Honestly, I made it on my way to venue in the auto-rickshaw, let alone the preparations. I delivered it in front of total strangers (Yes, I was seeing them for the first time in my life!). Delivery was not good, and I felt little disappointed. My evaluator suggested me to repeat the speech.

High optimism and risk taking is kind of his second nature. He keeps challenging himself on every achievement that he pursues. After all what stands between our dreams and reality is what we do.

Ankit Jain

Back at my cubicle when I was reading the feedbacks, I noticed something which I never knew. Almost everyone liked my voice, all of them written that I was very confidant, content was appreciated equally. Only the delivery was bad, and I realized that if I would have practiced it could have been a great speech. So I wrote down my mistakes. First: I kept my speech in my mind, I never wrote it down. Second: I didn‘t practice. Third: I had no Idea about my audience. So I started to write my second speech but this time in a proper way. The more I practiced, the better it felt. I remembered that I was very good at co-curricular activities in my school. I never missed any opportunity. But college mystified the whole thing. The derivatives and programming languages over-wrote what I was passionate about. But as I practiced more this dormant passion of mine started to emerge. I found myself at a whole new level. I was looking at myself in a different light. And when I delivered, I was deeply satisfied. My evaluator said I just crossed every checklist of a great speech.

Feedbacks were overwhelming. And later on they gave me the ―Best Speaker‖ award.

So for me the Toastmaster is not just a platform for communication skills and leadership. For me it is tool by which I can create magic. The magic of leaving an impression, magic of story-telling, and magic of self-discovery.

Rendezvous with President by Namrata Srivastava TCS Maitree Toastmasters club has always been endowed with proficient and ingenious members.

In these 8+ years the club has been under the dexterous and accomplished leadership of many Executive Committee members. However one person who needs a momentous acknowledgement is the best Ex Com in Area D3 for 2011-12 TM year, a certified Competent Leader, Competent Communicator and the current President of the Club, Mohit Chhabra.

You might have a prima facie prejudice intimidated by his personality but it would not take much time for you to discover his real status quo: eased and chilled out. In a recent tete-a-tete with the Mr President, we questioned him about the Club‘s achievements in his tenure, his future course of actions, his goals and aspirations, the coveted Golden Gravel and a sneak peek into his world outside Toastmasters.

Here are a few snippets from the interview.

In his 3.5 active years with TCS Maitree TM Club, Mohit has been a diligent VP-M, a vehement VP-PR and an immaculate President.

An avid learner with a keen quest for knowledge, his interests vary from travelling, trekking to reading. He is a software tester by profession and has an eagle's eye for perfection.

A passionate public speaker and a surprisingly sterling actor, Mohit aims at spreading the Club at all TCS locations to make the organization a hub for orators and leaders of the future

Mohit Chhabra – CC, CL

So Mr President, that is what you are called these days, how did it feel when you were offered the post of the President of the club: The title President itself gives you a high (chuckles).On a serious note while I was excited on one hand, I had big shoes to fit in and there were responsibilities to fulfill and goals to achieve. TCS is a big company and is located at many locations in Mumbai. My aim is to reach out to all TCSers and benefit everyone I can through it.

With thousands of associates in the company we have the potential to become the No1 Club in our district.

The Club has been there for 8+ years now and there was a time when you had joined the club and then you became dormant. What was that phase like?

I regret that .Had I been active I would have progressed much ahead from my current status. I joined the Club when one of my senior colleagues and friend Shabbir Dholkawala asked me to and I joined for the sake of it without realizing the difference it was about to bring to my life .There was a time when I had become quite dormant that was owing to the irregularity of sessions and my laziness. But then things like Malad session reports, quality of sessions and members brought back my interest in the Club.

I love interacting with people and therefore I took up the responsibility of the Vice President Public Relations (2011-12) and it was that year when under the leadership of Anurag Sir, we became a President distinguished Club for the very first time.

When you took up the role of an Ex-Com officer in the club what changes were you aiming at?

Firstly there was a lack of awareness of the club in many locations of TCS-Mumbai.

We were struggling with the frequency and consistency of the session in locations other than TCS Malad. There were however few leaders and speakers who did a brilliant job then.

When I took up the charge of VP-PR, we started sending invitation mailers through Mumbai Maîtree and then we started getting queries about the Club and in no time the word was spread around. We now have regular sessions at Powai, Malad, Banyan Park and Yantra Park

You have been criticized for spreading the branches to many locations and not been able to do justice to all of them. What do you have to say on this?

Firstly, I would like to tell everyone that we do justice to all the locations by attending every session irrespective of the distance and location. There are around 40-50 TCS offices (including Client locations) in Mumbai but the Club functions only at four locations. Area wise we cover western and central line both.

We want all TCSers to benefit from the Club. Traveling is tiresome at times but thanks to our managers who give us this liberty of pursuing our passion for Toastmasters and allowing us to reach office late by an hour or so on the day of the session. Active involvement from the members is what makes sessions both informative and fun filled.

I wish that the club session should be conducted at every TCS location.

Namrata Srivastava – CC, CL

How do you expect TMs to attend meetings on every 4th day? Does it not affect their project work?

Toastmasters can be seen as Soft skill training. Apart from making you a good orator and leader, Toastmasters teaches you time management skills and ways to prioritize your activities. It is a great return on investment on your time. It will reflect in your daily work.

I want sessions to be held every day. Stay 2 hours extra and complete your project work. I suggest that apart from people who want to hone their public speaking skills, there should be participation from the senior management as well.

So much agility and enthusiasm, whom and what do you attribute this energy to?

My passion for Toastmasters gives me the agility to give my 100% and contribute as much as I can to the growth of the club. There are too many benefits which the Club extends to its members. I welcome things and ideas with an open mind and keep experimenting.

How many hours do you have in a day?

(Laughs)Like everyone 24.

How do you manage to do so much?

Even I am surprised. I have a good team comprising of capable members and managers. Also the flexibility that the organization offers inspires me to take up challenges other than my project work.

Was that straight from your goal-sheet?

(Laughs)It is good that the managers acknowledge the efforts and results we put in both for the project work as well as Toastmasters. Apart from benefitting an individual, it ultimately benefits the organization

A leader’s job is to create more leaders. Have you created a replaceable or a second line of leadership in the Club?

Followers should be willing to become leaders too. Onus doesn‘t lie entirely on leaders. It‘s a team who runs the club. There are a defined set of responsibilities on everyone‘s shoulders. As the President I try my best to give them responsibilities and bring out the leader in them.

We don’t see much participation in the division level from your club .Don’t you think some improvement is required on that part?

I would attribute this to lack of awareness of the same. Also people have the potential but don‘t showcase their talent due to laziness or unwillingness to move out of their comfort zone.

What title do you like most? Taking cue from some of your memorable speeches, Mr Gumar, Telebrands, Mr Mumbai local or the recent Anonymous.‘ (Laughs) Mr President.

Finally what do you have to say to the people who want to join Toastmasters?

If you really want to grow then get up and join. There is a life and a sea of knowledge waiting for you outside the walls of your cubicle. Join for one year and participate actively and see the difference in yourself. Don‘t think about the money you are investing. After all as they say There is a difference between cost of something and its value.

Click by Nitin Adlakha Born and brought up in a joint family in Ujhani, a town near to Bareilly (The Jhumka City). He loves to visit new places and click photographs

International Speech and Table Topics Contest

The session on 10th March was special indeed, as it laid down the stepping stone for the Toastmasters ―International Speech and Table Topics Contest‖.

Toastmaster Rashmi, Contest Chair for the International speech contest, took the show ahead. She explained the rules of the speech Contest for the convenience of all.

Toastmaster Chinmaya was the Chief Judge and he ensured that all contested were in good standings.

The second half of the session, the Table Topics contest, was conducted by Toastmaster Vanshika. Prompt for contest was ―The best lessons of life are learned from Cartoon‖

WINNERS!!!!

INTERNATIONAL SPEECH CONTEST Sidarth Indrajit Deepak R

TABLE TOPICS CONTEST Deepak Mohit Anshul

A Timeless Bond I was just a day old in project and a month old in this tireless and sleep deprived city when my boss asked me to come to Gateway Park the following Saturday for a TM session.

It was my Birthday the day before the session and for someone like me who had never travelled by herself, finding Gateway Park Office and that too on a Saturday Morning was too much to ask for.

Way back in 2011 when Namrata joined TCS a little she knows that other than just coding.

She joined Toastmasters Club in 2011 and there has been no looking back since then.

An avid reader, who loves travelling and meeting people, Namrata loves to experiment in life and believes in improving herself by each passing day

But owing to my inquisitiveness and the newly instilled values by the Business Ethics WBT (which I had completed by a friend‘s help by the way) I couldn‘t say no to my Boss.

I made sure I slept early because I had to attend this conglomerate of Toast and Master both of which I avoided; one for its tastelessness and the latter for my aimlessness.

With eyes still objecting for the untimely rise and heart wanting to open the gifts and check emails and posts for my birthday, I entered the room. A broad smile from Yasha, my cubicle mate in office greeted me. She took me around to introduce me to some familiar faces from my office, Vibhu and Ankit. Yes I knew them and I was not alone I thought. The session commenced and so did my counting of no of min left for the session to get over going by the agenda. There was one demo speech which I liked only because the guy delivering it looked supercool. I was analyzing him for the filer words he was using and the notes he was referring to occasionally.

Namrata Srivastava, CC, CL

It was time for the Table Topic Round and the TTM called me up. She gave me the topic and now I could understand the need for Ahs and Ums and how my mind could not differentiate between accept and except when 20 pair of eyes were gasping at me. After I was done I accepted that I had not performed as expected. I decided to join the Club and start on with this journey of learning and improving. Not only did I join the Club but I also started managing and preparing for the sessions. In no time this Club became like one of the things I lived for and I became a synonym for TM in my group of friends and people around.

I attended various area, division and district level meetings of the Club and came across thousands of speakers and leaders. There have been various opportunities that I have got because of TM and various instances where I have been appreciated because of TM. Every session and every individual had something new to offer which helped me to become a better person.

One of the things which I attribute to TM is the kind of people I have met who have added value to my life in several ways. I met mentors and guides and made friends for a lifetime.

Now that I am 1500 km from where my journey started (Lucknow and Mumbai are approx. 1500km away), I miss every session and leave no stone unturned to be a part of any celebration or event at TM Mumbai. Having said that, I will be starting a TM Club in Lucknow soon and I hope whatever experiences I have gained so far with my association with TM Mumbai help me to improvise myself and lay a platform for better orators and leaders of the future…. 

Why Toastmasters works?

The mission of a Toastmasters Club is to...... well, fill it yourself. And if you can't, then take the role of SAA in the next session. : )

A movie buff, a gamer, and a so called "IT Professional", an apparently quiet yet active person, he loves to enthrall people around with his subtle sense of humor.

As a VP-Education, he feels elated to see people fight for roles/speaker slots for Club sessions.

For him, Ttoastmasters is a culture, a learning hub and a way of life.

As he always says, "Once a Toastmaster, forever a Toastmaster".

Chinmaya Dave, CL

Speaking about Toastmasters, as far as the organizational structure is concerned (Club, Area, Division, District and Regions), it is similar to any other MNC, or an NGO, spanning across the globe. And any structurally well-defined organization functions on either one of the following two concepts – Money or passion. Companies rely on the first. They pay employees and get the job done. Volunteer driven groups focus on the latter, where passion towards the particular cause fuels the engine of growth and selfsustainability.

Every morning we pick up the newspaper, and we read about today‘s ever grim economic scenario. We come across news items of business conglomerates and volunteer driven start-ups meeting an unexpected ‗death‘. And this is what provoked a thought in me – if everyone is failing, then how come Toastmasters isn‘t? How come an organization starting from a single club thrives, and not just survives, in today‘s ever changing, dynamic and competitive environment? New clubs are being added; new cities are getting introduced to the Toastmasters movement.

After some pondering, I couldn‘t solve the problem, and finally I decided to enlighten myself from the most obvious source – a usual 90 minutes Toastmaster session at our Club. After attending a few sessions, and noting members‘ behavior (Oh yes! I dared), before, during and after the session (not that I was planning to do a Ph.D. in Human Behavioral Sciences), it finally dawned upon me and I was able to crack the Toastmasters‘ success DNA. Here are my 3Ms about what makes Toastmasters work:  Motivation – Motivation is at the core of Toastmasters program. Either a ‗new-kidon-the-block‘ giving P1 or an experienced Toastmaster about to deliver ACG 10, the club environment helps members feel motivated, and motivate others too. This applies for both the Communication and the Leadership track. Unsurprisingly, this ‗M‘ perfectly aligns with the mission of the club, which the SAA reads out loud at the beginning of every session.

But will simply speaking for seven minutes, once or twice a month keep any member motivated? No, I guess. For a Toastmaster, the club sessions are just a springboard for the real world. And this is where it becomes interesting. The learning‘s from the 90 minute sessions are reflected in their lives and workplaces.

The stuttering you become the client communication expert, and impossible sales targets are achieved by delegation skills. The skills a member develops in the sessions and preparation are the real motivation – for you, and for me.  Mentoring – So you joined this team last month, and you were told about selflearning? Right? And how would you rate yourself on this so-called ‗self-learning‘ scale?

Team, or no team, self-learning is not so effective, unless facilitated by a Mentor. Mentoring is at the core of how Toastmasters program works; and is the essential ‗quality-check‘ for any Club. Tracking member growth, preparing for contests, getting feedback – yes, we all need Mentors.

But what is the differentiator here? Only one fact: Mentor never leaves you ever. This is different from how we deal with our life (Ah! Our search for ‗spiritualmentors‘) and work. Don’t have a mentor yet? Ask your VPE.

 Measurable (and attainable) goals – Personal goals. Financial goals. Project goals. All the time we are surrounded by goals, goals and goals. And we don‘t know how to achieve them? Are they even attainable or not?

A Club‘s success is judged by its performance in DCP (Nope, I am not telling you what it means) which starts from July 1 every year. Club Officers sit together and chart out what are the Club‘s goals and how they can be achieved. Help is available in plenty from other Clubs or from Area and Division leadership.

The fact is that the parameters for a Club‘s success in DCP are very welldefined and achievable. If you thought that your Club can only become Select Distinguished, spend some time on DCP, and some more with your members (both in and out of sessions), and your club will be well on 10/10.

Make a goal when it comes to Toastmasters - I am going earn my XYZ Educational Award this year, or I will mentor at least 4 new members. And as our District's LGET Prasad Sovani said, in the last Division D conference, when a member achieves his/her goals, the Club does, and it goes all the way up, to Area, to Division, and so on.

See you all on the ‗other‘ side in the next session!!

What is your song?

Shruti is working as Quality Manager with ABN AMRO. She is associated with TCS since 2008. She is member of Community club Mumbai Toastmasters.

Her passions are public speaking, writing and reading books. She believes that ultimate road to success can be achieved only through improving on one's skills slowly and steadily.

Shruti Pandit

God has created a wonderful world. Sky-high mountains, gushing rivers, moonlit sky and colorful butterflies. The list of wonders is endless. I believe that beauty of this world is captured fantastically in the song of Louis Armstrong "What a wonderful world?‖ Something that multiplies the beauty of the world is music. Music is an inseparable part of this universe. Chirping birds, rustling leaves, thundering clouds are multifarious examples of how world is embedded with music. Music is like a rough sketch of a picture and lyrics add colors to that sketch. When music and lyrics combine you get one of the most melodious compositions that are a "Song".

Songs are very special ingredients of everyone's life. When words are not enough to express your feelings, songs come to your rescue. When you are feeling bored, songs provides you a way for entertainment. When you are down and out, all ready to give up, a song lift you up and helps you in bouncing back. Everyone has a song that he or she clings to. A song that evokes special memory associated with that special someone. My special song to keep me motivated all the time is "Rise Up" by Yves La Rock.

I thought why not to write on this art piece that has got power to shake up the whole world. Look at the rockstars. The power of a single person making an entire audience thumping their feet to groovy tunes is magical. Why are songs inevitable parts of our life?

Firstly, songs are a strong medium to convey your bottled up feelings. Songs can move people. They can stir up someone's emotions. There are moments in life when feelings overflow and words are not enough to explain it. For example: - a loss of someone special. Such moments leave an individual without any answer as to what he is going through or feeling. Nothing better can help him than a wonderful song like "Tears in Heaven" by the legend Eric Clapton. Songs can touch your soul and can give answers to the questions you have been searching for all the time. Sometimes, one song can say it all. So, the first reason for songs to be so inevitable is that they convey your feelings when you are speechless.

Secondly, they can help a human overcome the pain and the grief that he experiences at various points in his life. As a matter of fact, songs have healing effect on a person.

No wonder songs are so therapeutic. If you have ever listened to "And Jesus takes the wheel" by Carrie Underwood at a time when you are feel down and out, you will exactly know that what I am talking about. ―Let it be" by Beatles produces the same effect.

At times circumstances arise in an individual's life when he calls quits and is broken down. Songs have got power to heal an individual and lift him up from his emotional challenges and start anew like phoenix from ashes. Songs like "You Raise me up" by Josh Groban possess such an impact that can stir up a man's spirit and give him the energy to carry forward during difficult phases. Songs like "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield is another peppy song that can surround a person with optimistic air at gloomy times. It leaves a person enchanted by its tunes and melodious voice. Such is the beauty of songs.

Lastly songs add colors to the dull life. It is such a form of art that can make life zingy.

There is not a mood, not an emotion, not a thought which the vast world of songs has not captured. You want to work out; you can add spice to your fitness regime with songs like "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor. If you are happy at the dawn, you can feel the charm of the sunrise with songs like "Here comes the sun" by Beatles.

If you are thinking about World Peace sometimes nothing more can make enthrall you than John Lennon's "Imagine‖. Feeling Blue try "While my guitar gently weeps" by Beatles.

Such is the wonderful world of songs which can mesmerize and thrill every living being with its vivid colors. Plato has truly said "Music is a moral law. It gives soul to universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything."

Distinguished Club Program

Sr. No

What is the Distinguished Club program?

The Distinguished Club Program (DCP) is a recognition program administered by Toastmasters International (TI). TI tracks the progress of clubs in meeting educational and membership goals and recognizes clubs based on the number of goals achieved during the period July 1 through June 30. Clubs can achieve 10 possible goals.

Goal

Actual

Needed

Met

1

Two CCs

2

2

0

2

Two more CCs

2

2

0

3

One AC Bronze , Silver or Gold

1

1

0

4

One more AC Bronze , Silver or Gold

1

1

0

   

5

One CL, AL Bronze , ALSilver or DTM

1

1

0



6

One more CL, AL Bronze , ALSilver or DTM

1

1

0



7

Four new members

4

4

0

8

Four new more members

4

9

0

9

Officers Trained (both required) June-August December-February

4 4

7 5

0 0

 

Submit on time (both required) October or April dues renewal Club officer list

1 1

1 1

0 0

 

How does participation in the Distinguished Club Program benefit my club?

10 The DCP works hand-in-hand with the club mission by providing a structured, supportive meeting environment that is productive and fun for all the members. As members set and meet educational goals, they develop confidence and critical communication and leadership skills, inspiring others to do the same. The club‘s focus on individual and collective achievement also helps build team spirit and club pride that is infectious and selfsustaining.

Activity

 

Total Goals 10

What is the progress of my club?

TCS Maitree Toastmasters club has achieved President Distinguished club status. We have achieved 10 out of 10 goals (please see progress chart on right hand side).

Our club is third in District 41 to achieve President distinguished club status in short period of time For 2012-2013, we have achieved GOLDEN GAVEL award, which the highest award is given to any club in Toastmasters. Our club is the first club in Division D to achieve Golden Gavel award. This award will be presented at Oration 2013, District 41 Annual conference.

TCS Maitree Toastmasters Club “Making Effective Communication & Leadership a TCS-wide Reality” Meetings are held fortnightly in Malad, Powai and in Thane Office. Meetings are open to all TCSers. A typical meet has 25 members and guests, who participate in the Club's Communication and Leadership program.

Malad : Every alternate Thursday: 9.30 AM to 11.00 AM Powai : Every alternate Friday: 9.30 AM to 11.00 AM Thane : Every alternate Tuesday: 9.30 AM to 11.00 AM

Please send your feedback, comments And creative ideas for future issues to: Mumbai.toastmasters@tcs.com

Club # 616631 Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

All Rights reserved by TCS Maitree Toastmasters Club, Mumbai