PULSE – Volume 01 , Issue 02 by Newsletters of District 82

CONTENTS

THE EDITOR’S DESK In my interactions with the members of different clubs so far this year, I’ve found that preparing a newsletter at any level is looked upon as a dreaded activity. But I would like to differ from this common thread of emotion because newsletters, if used wisely, can serve as a vibrant representation of everything your club, area or division stands for. It can bring out its strengths and illustrate the many different activities that were / will be conducted by that particular unit, sealing itself in our memory for life. Do read this issue to know more on how best you can prepare a newsletter that achieves this purpose.

The patrons of District 82 (left to right): TM Sudash Liyanage, Lieutenant Governor - Marketing (LGM), DTM Sastharam Ravendran, Lieutenant Governor - Education and Training (LGET), DTM Balraj Arunasalam, Second Vice President, Toastmasters International, and DTM Yusuf Jeevunjee, District Governor

The District Governor’s Address

Chaos or clarity in newsletters? You choose!

Report from the International Convention at Kuala Lumpur

The woman behind Reverbs 2014

The mantra to success from DTM Aditya Maheswaran, Runner-up, Semi Finals, International Speech Contest

DTM Deepak Menon, International Director, Region 13, on the power of preparation

Milestones of Toastmasters International this year

How to speak from your life and memorize speeches

Change the world with Toastmasters

The Founder of Toastmasters International leaves a message to ponder

The power of props

Exclusive Interview with the World Champion of Public Speaking 2014

Pulse | 2014

he year 2014 has been phenomenal for District 82. We’ve not only had the honour of having one of our very own members accomplishing the monumental victory of winning the ‘World Championship of Public Speaking,’ but we’ve also had an effective and efficient leader from amidst us climbing the leadership ladder in Toastmasters International. I feel immensely privileged to be a part of this district – the home of TM Dananjaya Hettiarachchi, the World Champion of Public Speaking 2014, and DTM Balraj Arunasalam, the Second Vice President of Toastmasters International – because it is here that communication and leadership have travelled hand in hand towards the pinnacle of success.

After highlighting the importance of ‘Planning’ in the first issue of ‘Pulse,’ it was a no-brainer when I sat down to think about the theme of our second issue; for when we look at the process of accomplishing anything in life, ‘preparation’ serves as the foundation to a strong plan. And hence, here’s your key to the robust foundation of preparation that will benefit you in Toastmasters, and otherwise. We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we’ve enjoyed preparing it for you. If you have any feedback to share, do write to me at: editor-in-chief@d82.org Happy reading! TM Noorain Mohammed Nadim Newsletter Editor District 82

Pulse | 2014

COMMIT TO SUCCEED 150 plus Sri Lankans, were basking in the reflected glory of our historic achievement. The only regret I have is that the Tamil Nadu section of District 82 was very poorly represented at this convention because it was a fantastic learning opportunity that could have been enjoyed at a relatively low cost. However, there was a deeper message in all the excitement...and that came in the acceptance speeches given by both our champions. They both spoke of their humble beginnings, their early trials and tribulations, the challenges they faced, and the need to immerse oneself in the Toastmasters movement to improve confidence, selfesteem, knowledge and focus.

ugust 23, 2014 was a red letter day in the history of District 82. It all happened that day at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. The morning started with a resounding victory for Dananjaya Hettiarachchi, who was crowned the ‘World Champion of Public Speaking.’ What uproar there was when the results were announced! It was euphoria to the point of hysteria! Hardly had the din died down when the elections at the business meeting resulted in our own Arunasalam Balraj being elected as the Second Vice President of Toastmasters International. Once again, the uproar erupted, and the air was thick with emotion, with many tears of joy being shed, and the sense of euphoria continued unabated. The members of District 82 who were present at the convention, in particular, the

Pulse | 2014

There is no alternative route to success. As Robert Kiyosaki once said, “The size of your success is measured by the strength of your desire, the size of your dream, and how you handle disappointment along the way.” Add to this determination, hard work, and thorough preparation, and we have the formula for success. It is my fervent hope that within the next three years, we have another World Champion of Public Speaking from District 82. I am confident we can do it, if we work at it. The message is clear - we are participants in what is perhaps the greatest training programme in the world, and if we all are prepared to commit the time and effort, and to put in the hard work, the path to glory is open to all. It’s up to us! DTM Yusuf Jeevunjee Governor District 82 Pulse | 2014

LET’S AIM HIGHER and clubs already getting ‘Distinguished,’ and even ‘Select Distinguished!’ Wow! That, indeed, was fast. But I must admit these were probably the best four months of my life in Toastmasters as I have personally learnt a lot of new things, stretched my goals a bit, challenged myself a little more and definitely met new people and made quick friends.

t just feels like we were discussing on action items to start a fresh Toastmasters year. Now, it’s already November and we are done with the first quarter. Whew! That went fast; really fast. July, August and September have been real busy months at the District. Starting from our officers’ and judges’ training programs, and then to ‘Emergence’ and a lot of international experiences from Kuala Lumpur - these four months have been simply busy. They have also been great for us to plan for the entire Toastmaster’s year, drafting budgets, working on the District Success Plan and seeing our selected/elected officers start their leadership journey. What has been amazing is watching our members already submitting applications for various educational awards, and clubs

Pulse | 2014

With the focus now shifting to contests and conferences, I thought that I could take some time to share some of my learnings from the International Convention that I believe are most valuable when it comes to preparation and execution. Somehow, an average man never spends too much time in introspection, and this is something that I have realized is integral for continuous self-development. We fail to constantly try and reinvent ourselves and eventually, we feel exhausted and demotivated to do something. At such a juncture, we probably will add oil to the burning fire by comparing ourselves with friends, family members and sometimes, even mere acquaintances, beating ourselves over it. Of course, this is a natural way in which our minds react to the growing tension brewing within our heads. What I have realized, in the course of all this learning in Toastmasters, is to never compare ourselves with anyone else. The only comparison that we ought to do, or rather the only comparison that is healthy, and will help us better ourselves is a comparison of our present selves with our past selves. If I ever wanted to be better at time management, the only comparison I probably

need to do is with how I dealt with time may be two years back, or six months back. That will not only be a measuring tool for me to improve myself, but also, it will motivate me to help myself. Somehow, I only realized this when I was at the convention. One of the biggest pre-learning tips I’ve learnt is to understand the nature of comparisons, before we start to plan and execute some kind of a project. The next lesson that I have learnt recently is actually a deeper understanding of procrastination. Now, most of us are very good at this, I don’t know how we all turned out to be this way, but I can say hands down that most of the younger generation these days have become victims to this. Thanks to Rory Vaden, I was able to devote sometime to think about this. Rory says there are three kinds of procrastination: 1. Classic Procrastination: The most common type where we consciously delay what we know we shouldn’t be delaying. He even says that this is the kind that we all know of; in fact, we believe that this is the only type. He also adds that some of us are territorial classic procrastinators – meaning, we are probably doing office work, but we delay household work, or something like that in order to accomplish one task. 2. Creative Avoidance – I liked the way he had named it. The more dangerous of the procrastination types, where we end up unconsciously filling the day

with trivial work. He says this is the type where we feel like we have done a lot of work, but in reality we haven’t actually done anything much. He adds, this is where we are simply ‘busy being busy.’ 3. Priority Dilution: Rory then explains the third type, where we allow our attention to shift to less important tasks. In other words, we are distracted. When Rory finished his session at the International Convention, I was thoroughly convinced that at the end of the day, every effort mattered and making sure that we were able to do this to ourselves every day also mattered. May it be contests, educational sessions, or milestone meetings that you are planning for your club; may it be a life changing project at your office, or life taking project at home; planning and preparation are most important in order to get to your goal. Take some time to think about the two points I have mentioned in this article – comparisons and procrastination. I hope it may change your life for the better, like it has helped improve mine. All the best with the contests, and good luck for this new quarter! Let us aim higher, plan smarter, prepare harder, deliver better and celebrate grander! Let’s do it, District 82! DTM Sastharam Ravendran LGET District 82

We fail to constantly reinvent ourselves and eventually, we feel exhausted and demotivated to do something. Pulse | 2014

AN ACTION PLAN

feel on top of the world as I reach you through this second issue of our newsletter. District 82 created history in the world of Toastmasters. I believe it’s the first time that Toastmasters of the world witnessed a leader of outstanding stature, DTM Balraj Arunasalam, getting elected as the Second Vice President of Toastmasters International, and a World Champion of Public Speaking, Dananjaya Hettiarachchi, emerging as grand winners – all this from a single district in a singular conference. I tend to believe that the said record is hard to be repeated; and even if so, it will only be possible for members of District 82, provided we plan and set a goal to create another World Champion of Public Speaking from our district within the next three years. The hacked quote - “Failing to plan is planning to fail,” is by far the worthiest motto to be successful in our journey. The three laws of success begin with planning and establishing a definite goal. Secondly, embarking on the action plan with adequate preparation, a positive frame of mind and selfconfidence is critical. Thirdly, staying focused in directing yourself and your team until you reach your goal is the deal-cincher. Therefore, I urge our Club Executive Committees to collate all Toastmasters International and District 82 initiatives to be achieved during this year into a single document. This will help comprehend the ultimate target of the club at a glance. For example, let us take the membership development programs introduced for a club in this year:

Pulse | 2014

ship growth and retention, will be yours. Hence, prepare action plans for every aspect, form teams, delegate tasks, improve enthusiasm and inspire the membership to reach a particular target. If you ask the two of our own champions - DTM Balraj in leadership, and TM Dananjaya in communication, they will certainly vouch that their success stories involve a tremendous amount of strate-

gizing, planning and unwavering commitment to reach their set goal, or vision. Therefore, as leaders, let us take a note of the importance of planning towards the success of our members, club, area, division and district, thereby making District 82 the bench mark for the world of Toastmasters. DTM Sudash Liyanage LGM District 82

1. Under Distinguished Club Program (DCP) - Need to add 8 new members within the year 2014/15 2. Under the Golden Gavel Requirements - Need to win at least 2 membership awards ( 10 new members) out of the 3 (Smedley, Talk-up and Beat the Clock) awards 3. Under the new “Eight-80” for Season 1 – Need to add 8 new members and have 80 per cent retention of the July 01 member base

PUBLIC SPEAKING #101

4. Under “Eight-80” for Season 2 Need to add 8 more members and have 80 per cent retention of the December 31, 2014 member base If you look at these as the ultimate membership development goals of your club, success, in terms of memberPulse | 2014

WELL BEGUN = HALF DONE

istrict 82 has been on the Toastmasters map for close to a decade now. It has been a trendsetter every year with exceptional achievements in membership and educational goals; and this is the ultimate reason why District 82 split twice in the span of four years. With all these etched hard in our minds, initially, we were all a bit reluctant to take up different roles in the District Public Relations team as it was very hard to match up to the work of our predecessors. May 2014 was the month when we knew that we will be working with a team of young men and women, headed by the Public Relations Officer, who was just 21 years old. It was the first time our District had entrusted a big responsibility to a very young Public Relations (PR) team. We were under the pressure to perform because we hadn’t proven our bit yet. Our team was given the liberty to start things from scratch, because of which we were able to revamp the District 82 website, the District Facebook Page, the Communication Processes, and create Whatsapp groups. Two months went by like a flash, what with late night Skype calls, frequent mail exchanges and hangouts at DTM Sastharam’s office. When the clock struck 12 AM on July 1, 2014, a brand new District 82 website was launched, and the first issue of ‘Pulse,’ our District Newsletter, was released during the same week. We also saw the release of our official Facebook fan page on Day 1 of the Toastmasters year.

10 Pulse | 2014

Four months into the Toastmasters year and here we are: Our District’s Public Relations’ strategy was discussed as a case study in the District PRO forum. The PR team has successfully covered the International Convention 2014 on Facebook and on our website, with a minute-by-minute update on all the events. All the manual processes of submissions have been replaced with automated processes, making the District website inch a step closer on becoming the central hub of District 82’s activities. Words can’t explain the achievements of the District 82 PR team. So, here are some numbers:

A snapshot of the District 82 PR team’s performance in the last four months.

Pulse | 2014 11

It is not just the effort of three or four officers; it is the hard work of these leaders who make our District 82 flag fly high in terms of public relations:

District Design Team – TM Pranav Vinod Kumar, TM Laxmi Priya, TM Nisal, TM Saketh, TM Sundaresan Sekar, TM Pradeep, TM Abhishek Mazumder, TM Pratima Yadav

District Webmaster Team – TM Vidiya Prasanth, TM Kush Tripathi, DTM Sastharam Ravendran, TM Pranav Vinod Kumar, TM Sandeep Kumar, TM Sundaresan Sekar, TM Sai Divijender, TM Feroz Mohammed

Well begun is just half done as we know that sustaining this pace will be the toughest task for us. With all the hope, we wish all the Toastmasters of District 82 a well connected year!

District Social Media Team – TM Kush Tripathi, TM Pranav Vinod Kumar, TM Vidiya Prasanth

TM Vidiya Prasanth Webmaster (On behalf of the District 82 PR Team)

12 Pulse | 2014

Pulse | 2014 13

GOING INTERNATIONAL

hat does the word ‘international’ mean to you? To me, the word was redefined in just four days, thanks to the International Convention at Kuala Lumpur in August this year. Every time I would turn my neck, I would see a person from a different nationality; when I turned again, I saw another person from yet another nationality. An International Convention is an annual conference hosted by Toastmasters International to celebrate the next set of leaders and the World Champion of Public Speaking. However, I felt that this year’s Convention was an exception. Here’s why: 1. Out of 2,200 registrations, 1,450 were first timers. 2. The World Champion of Public Speaking was our very own Dananjaya Hettiarachchi from District 82. With his

14 Pulse | 2014

victory, he is now the first Asian to have won the title. 3. Our very own DTM Balraj Arunasalam was elected the Second Vice President of Toastmasters International. 4. This was the first ever International Convention to have been held outside USA. The Convention was also very special because we had managed to win many accolades: 1. District 82 was recognized yet again for our outstanding performances, and for having achieved the President’s Distinguished District status. 2. The Lieutenant Governors of Marketing received the ‘Excellence in Marketing’ award, while the Lieutenant Governor of Education and Training received the ‘Excellence in Training’ award. All this made us feel awesome!

Pulse | 2014 15

Wow! On the one end, I was proud to represent my country and on the other end, I was a little disappointed. India had close to 50 representatives at Kuala Lumpur (KL) this year; that, out of a total Toastmasters strength in India of 12,500. I have consoled myself with the thought that Indians like to think big and hence, we are gunning for the conference in Las Vegas next year. For those of you who hadn’t attended the conference, I’ve prepared a quick report. This can be divided into four sections: The Grandeur - I have never in my life seen an auditorium as grand as the one at KL. The glittering lights on the ceiling couldn’t match the glitter of all the diamonds in the world. The strong, sternly and magnificent stage reminded us of the beauty of a lion, who commands respect from its people. Silence when required, laughter ringing through the air, energetic applause - it was magical. The inauguration ceremony unfolded and saw the hoisting of flags by different countries. The closing ceremony saw all Toastmasters turn into kids at a candy store when they saw the wide spread of food that would satisfy even Kumbakaran for a lifetime. They danced like no one was watching; and trust me - no one was watching. The Elections - We have elections too at the Convention for posts of the International President and the International Directors. This year, our very own Balraj won the election and will be the International President in two years. The Education - This often misconstrued word was like a breath of fresh air at KL. Back to back educational sessions

16 Pulse | 2014

under one roof on topics ranging from how to structure a speech, and how to create a niche in an industry, helped all feel intellectually empowered. The Contests - There is no camera in the world that can capture the atmosphere of 2,200 people sitting silently in the grand auditorium, with nervous energy and excitement, listening to one speech after another. My favourite part of the convention was the address by a lady who has left a lasting impression in my mind - Dato Rohana Rohzan, CEO of the number one company in Malaysia Astro Entertainment. When she spoke, we all felt the struggle, the pain and the sacrifices she had to make over her 15year journey. She was the recipient of this year’s Golden Gavel award. From this convention, I also learnt some interesting facts: 1. Region 13, which comprises of Asian Countries, is the fastest growing region for the last four years. 2. Did you know that Zig Ziglar, Antony Robbins, Robin Sharma, Carolyn Kepcher and even Steven Covey were Golden Gavel recipients? 3. The President - Elect position cannot be contested; only the Second Vice President and the First Vice President positions can be. This is to make sure that the President who will be elected on to the Board would have had at least a year’s experience as a Vice President. I really wish and urge you to save INR 2 lakh for next year’s convention in Las Vegas. It’s not much, if you plan properly. You have eight months to go! DTM Sastharam Ravendran LGET District 82

Pulse | 2014 17

WINNING WITH WORDS

ananjaya Hettiarachchi — World Champion of Public Speaking (WCPS), 2014 — is a 30-year-old motivational speaker and human resource development specialist from Sri Lanka, who holds the distinction of participating eight consecutive times in the annual International Speech Contest before winning the much-coveted title in August this year. Hettiarachchi, who represented Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka at the competition organised by Toastmasters International (TI), was in Chennai recently to deliver keynote addresses at multiple conferences. With this victory, he is now the first Asian to be crowned the champion of this competition, beating over 33,000 contestants from around the world. Excerpts from an interview: Tell us about your childhood, the background ingredients that have made you.

18 Pulse | 2014

I was born in Nuwera Eliya, a beautiful city located in the hills of central Sri Lanka. My dad was a planter and my mother was a hotelier. I was a mediocre student for most part of my life. In my younger days, I spent time with the wrong company and turned into bit of a thug because I thought being aggressive would help me gain respect. I was arrested when I was 18 years old because I had assaulted someone. My mom came to see me when I was in remand and I had never felt so ashamed in my life. I realised how I had never achieved anything substantial and how I had let my parents down. I wanted to change that. This was the turning point of my life. It was at this time that my dad took me to my first date with destiny — a meeting at a Toastmasters club in Colombo. This changed my life. What are you first experiences in public speaking?

I first contested as a public speaker in 2006 when ‘South Asia’s Best Speaker Contest’ was held for the first time in Sri Lanka. I delivered a speech and thought I would win. But the results declared that I hadn’t even made it to the fourth place. After a couple of months, the President of my Toastmasters club called and asked me to participate in the ‘World Taped Speech Contest’ conducted by TI. I thought he was mad to ask me as I had just failed miserably. Then, my mentor at the club, Balraj Arunasalam, asked me to participate. As I could not say no to him, I gave it a shot. Three months went by and one fine morning, TI called, telling me that I had won. I was invited to the US to attend TI’s International Convention and it was there that I first saw the World Championship of Public Speaking. One part of me said that it was impossible for me to get on that stage. Another part yearned to compete and win. What was holding you back from winning the first eight times you’d tried? I think it was my fear of speaking English before foreigners. In 2011, I cleared the fourth level of the International Speech Contest (held in Mysore, Karnataka) for the first time. I went to Las Vegas for the semi-finals of the contest and five minutes before I got on stage, I realised that I was going to talk to a room full of foreigners. I grew extremely conscious because English was not my first language. I froze and I did a horrible job on stage. In 2012 and 2013, I made it to the semi-finals again; but I still didn’t make it to the finals. Last year, I went to USA two weeks in advance and practiced my speech several times before an audience of native English speakers. This helped me overcome my nervousness.

Why was winning the World Championship of Public Speaking so important to you? Besides what my mentors and loved ones wanted me to do, my mind was also in two places when my son was born. A part of me told me that my time was up and now I had to focus on my kid. Another part of me wondered what my son would think if I would give up. This year, I competed for my son. What would you advice people pursuing their dreams? If you don’t quit on your dreams, then your dreams won’t quit on you. Life will first break you, drag you, and then cut your spirit into a million pieces. Then, when you’ve proven that you’re still willing to fight for your dreams, you will achieve whatever it is that you want in life. This article was first published by TM Noorain Mohammed Nadim in The Hindu on October 26, 2014.

I had never achieved anything substantial. I had let my parents down. I wanted to change that. That’s when Toastmasters happened. Pulse | 2014 19

THE PRINCE OF PERSEVERANCE

ananjaya Hettiarachchi swears by perseverance. Having contested eight consecutive times at the Toastmasters International’s (TI) Speech Contest, he beat over 33,000 contestants from around the world to be crowned the World Champion of Public Speaking (WCPS) in 2014. He is the first Asian to win the coveted title and has represented both India (Tamil Nadu) and Sri Lanka at the contest over the years. In his contest cinching speech, ‘I see something,’ Dananjaya shared how, for a very long time in his life, people around him saw ‘something’ in him; but they could never figure out what it was. As a result, he lived a desultory existence during his early years. He reminisces, “I was a mediocre student for most part of my life, and my school life was nothing short of turbulent. I spent time with the wrong company and I had turned into a bit of a thug because I thought I could claim respect from people that way. I was arrested when I was 18 on charges of assault. My mom came to see me in remand and I had never felt so ashamed in my life. I realised how I had not achieved anything substantial and I wanted to change that. This was the turning point in my life. I came back home and started studying to get into university. However, I didn’t make it. I was lost and I didn’t know what to do with my life. It was at this time that my dad took me on my first date with destiny — a meeting at a Toastmasters club in Colombo.” Public speaking was never Dananjaya’s ambition. However, those around

20 Pulse | 2014

him believed in his ability. He elaborates, “When I walked into the Toastmasters club that evening in 2004, my life changed completely because it was there that I met some amazing people, including my mentor, Balraj Arunasalam. He saw me speak at the club and he walked up to me and said, “Kid, I see something in you; but I don’t know what it is. Let’s try to bring it out.” This was the first time that someone ever told me that they saw potential in me. I was really happy, and soon after, Arunasalam took me under his wing. For the next few years, my life was all about speaking.” It is not uncommon to wonder why the title of the WCPS meant so much to Dananjaya, who, by then, had already established himself as an accomplished speaker over the years. He elucidates, “In 2006, I won the World Taped Speech Contest that was organised by TI. I was invited to attend their International Convention in US and I was blown away by what I saw. It was there that I had first seen the International Speech Contest. As I was witnessing it, one part of me said it was impossible for me to get on that stage. Another part of me yearned to get there and become the WCPS. I returned to Sri Lanka a changed man because I had now seen what success looked like. I went back to school, finished my exams, got into a private university, and started studying. I was hungry to achieve something in life, and in the next five years, I did my degree, my MBA, and started my career in HR.” While perseverance is a delectable ingredient in the recipe for success, it

does come with a lot of peer pressure. Fortunately for Dananjaya, the support of his loved ones kept his appetite for victory going. “Contesting consecutively every year put me under a lot of mental pressure. I started off as the underdog. People loved me and my perseverance. But when I failed to win year after year, my critics started questioning my ability as a speaker. A lot of people wanted me to stop trying. Fortunately for me, I have always had a inner circle of strong people in my life who kept my confidence going.” In order to master the art of public speaking, the champion has made innumerable sacrifices. He shares, “In 2010, after losing the WCPS four consecutive times, I decided that if I had to win, I had to go all out. I quit my job and decided to become a full-time soft skills trainer

because I wanted to spend time practising my skills before an audience. Things weren’t smooth then, as I had just got married and I was struggling to support my family financially. I decided to give up; but my mentor and wife pushed me to finish what I had started. In my 10 years as a public speaker, I’ve spoken for over 9,000 hours on stage and spent over `4 million on coaching myself, but most importantly, I’ve sacrificed my time with my family and friends.” Those who know Dananjaya vouch for the intense practice and preparation he undergoes. He says, “I start preparing for my speech by first thinking of a message I want to deliver to my audience. I write it innumerable times until I think it is easy to remember and recall. Then, I start building the content of my speech, and practise, prepare and rehearse my delivery on stage. Then, I close my eyes and visualise how I will deliver my speech. I do this multiple times until I know what exactly I will be doing on stage. A day before the contest, I lock out everything — my family, friends, and phone, and get into a private zone before I finally deliver my speech on stage.” Today, as he basks in the glory of his hard work, Dananjaya reveals how being the champion can be challenging too. He divulges, “When you’re the WCPS, people expect pearls to fall out of your mouth every time you speak. That’s the responsibility of your title. I’m willing to work hard to deliver my best to my audience because I know where I want to go now. I want to become the world’s best motivational speaker.” This article was first published by TM Noorain Mohammed Nadim in The New Indian Express on November 09, 2014. Pulse | 2014 21

“IT’S TIME TO GIVE BACK” In an exclusive interview with ‘Pulse,’ TM Noorain Mohammed Nadim talks to the World Champion of Public Speaking 2014, TM Dananjaya Hettirachchi, as he opens up about life after his victory and how his home district, District 82, has changed his life.

ou are the epitome of the quote - ‘Try, try, try until you succeed.’ It took you 10 years of consistent practice and participation in the International Speech Contest until you won the ultimate title of the ‘World Champion of Public Speaking.’ Why was winning this title so important to you? It was important for me to do it for my son. I didn’t want him to have a father that quit half way in life . It is so easy to lose belief in yourself even if you lose once or twice in a

contest. What kept you going? Yes, your resolve will crack many times; but what I never lost was the ability to heal. Sometimes, I had to pull myself back together, but most of the time, the people in my life came together to piece me back. With my years of experience, my skin didn’t tear as easily and my bones didn’t crack under the pressure of contests. It was easier to take the blows. What kept me going before my son was that there were a few people in my life that had unflinching belief that I would win this contest. I couldn’t face them if I had given up.

Here’s a question that I’m certain most people in Sri Lanka and India want to know - It is heard (and seen) that you often isolate yourself from your family and friends before a contest. Why do you do it and how does it help you? You can’t go to battle with distractions. Early on, even as a dancer, or as a sportsman, I used to isolate myself to make sure I had focus, clarity and foresight to take on a challenge. Any one who is serious about a goal will tell you that when you want to pursue a dream, you have to let go of everything for a moment - your attachments, your emotions, and your distractions if you want to win. I knew why I was in the game. I knew I was doing this for the people who mentored and supported me; but I knew to achieve this seemingly impossible task, I had to be focused. Nothing else should matter. That’s what it took for me. Your winning speech - ‘I SEE SOMETHING IN YOU,’ was a TED talk, before you transformed it into a speech. How did this story germinate in your mind?

TM Dananjaya Hettiarachchi in conversation with TM Noorain Mohammed Nadim.

22 Pulse | 2014

My best ideas come to me in my sleep. I just clear my mind and think of the impact I want to create and it comes to me. Some times, I still myself and meditate to plant the thought at the back of my mind and I let it incubate till it creeps up to my consciousness. So, to be specific, I think of the impact I want to create, and I visualize the audience’s reaction when I finish. I read plenty of books and watch plenty of documentaries and videos and then, for a few days, I let the idea simmer. This idea is usually a reflection of my life, of exactly how I became who I am.

In a recent interview with a magazine, you said that, “It took you 10 years to learn to be yourself on stage.” This can be a challenge in a forum like Toastmasters where after every speech, we receive feedback from so many members on what we could have done differently on stage. How do you take this feedback and improve yourself, while retaining your originality? This is a matter of confidence. I always take feedback, but through Toastmasters, and through my mentors, I have conditioned my mind to bend the feedback to fit my requirement. There is no magic formula here. You need to be able to keep out what is not relevant, bend certain feedback to fit your style, and then absorb the good feedback. You need to have a healthy ego to do this. Start by loving yourself and surround yourself by people who validate your true self. After a while, you will allow yourself to come out on stage. According to you, what are the qualities of a champion speaker? Humility, the ability to learn, sacrifice, desire, self respect, and an impermeable will make a champion. If you could list out three people in Toastmasters who kept you going, who would they be and why? There’s more than three - Balraj Arunasalam, Rajiv Gonatilake, Asgi Noordien, Yusuf Jeevunji, Nagaraj Rao, and Dilip Abesekara. You will have to wait for my book to see how they all came together in making me what I am today. You’ve conquered the much-coveted title of the’ World Champion of

Pulse | 2014 23

Public Speaking 2014.’ What is your goal now in Toastmasters? My goal is to give back as much as I can to the organisation that has helped me graduate from the world’s best public speaking university as its top student in 2014. Now, I am at the base of another mountain that is much bigger than Toastmasters. I am going to stop to catch my breath and then, it is time to climb to the summit again. At the top of this mountain, lies the title of the world’s best motivational speaker. I want to achieve that now. While competitions help us uncover the hidden potential in us, on the flip side, it also unleashes a lotof stress in our lives. How do you destress before a contest and keep your-

24 Pulse | 2014

self motivated? You don’t de-stress; instead, you let the stress break you. You fall to the floor, cry, kick, scream, shout, and when you are done, you pick yourself up again, or ask someone to give you a hand. “Behind every successful man, there is a woman.” Does this quote hold well in your life? How? Every word of the quote is true. My wife, Himasha, is the goddess that keeps the devil at bay. What has been the biggest learning that Toastmasters has given you? Public speaking can also save a person’s life.

TOAD TALK

Pulse | 2014 25

NO SHORTCUT TO PREPARATION The International Director of Region 13 for 2013 - 2015, DTM Deepak Menon, talks to the team of ‘Pulse’ on why preparation is essential for success, and how all roles at the club are integral for a member’s growth.

n Toastmasters, what do you prefer - a prepared speech, or a Table Topic? Why?

Presently, I challenge myself to treat prepared speeches as table topics! I usually ask the Toastmaster of the meeting, or my designated speech evaluator, to provide a speech title just before I go to the podium to speak. The challenge lies in ensuring that I meet the time and speech objectives, as well as do justice to the topic. It trains and prepares me for what I end up doing on a number of occasions – speaking impromptu when I attend meetings, functions and events. A word of caution: Do not try this method of delivering prepared speeches unless you have achieved at least one Advanced Communicator Gold (ACG) award the tried and tested way – preparing and rehearsing your speech well ahead of your speech slot. A famous quote by Benjamin Franklin says, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Do you believe in this quote? Please explain your stance. I believe this implicitly. There is no shortcut to preparation. As I stated earlier, even when I present prepared speeches impromptu, I am preparing for the occasions when I shall need this skill the most. Whether its Toastmasters or outside Toastmasters, meticulous plan-

26 Pulse | 2014

ning must precede implementation and that is a sure fire way of achieving success. This cannot be left to mere chance or luck. For instance, when you join Toastmasters, rather than ramble aimlessly through the program, you can make the most of it by planning your goals and charting a course for yourself with the help of your mentor for achieving it. Plan for success and you will not fail! As the International Director of Toastmasters International, you have to constantly travel and deliver speeches for different purposes in different countries. Do you prepare for every speech you deliver? If yes, how do you find the time?

This is precisely where my preparation, as I mentioned above in response to your first question, comes in handy. Speeches that I deliver are usually impromptu and crafted to fit the occasion that I am called upon to speak. However, presenting a workshop or delivering a keynote address requires a significant amount of prior preparation. I make the time for this preparation irrespective of however busy I might be, as I owe this to my audience. As regards availability of time, I firmly believe that there is enough time and more for things that we want to do and never time for things we don’t! When it comes to preparation in contests, it is said that too much of preparation can hamper your speech. Is this true? If yes, how much is too much? This a fallacy spread by lazy people! Ask the World Champions of Public Speaking and they will confess to you that they practiced their winning speeches over five hundred times, some over a thousand times. By practicing and rehearsing a number of times, you inculcate a speech to such an extent that it becomes a part of you. There is no number that can be defined. When you find that the speech speaks itself with spontaneous body language and emotions flowing from it, you can say you are ready for the contest.

are on offer. If we treat these roles casually or with nonchalance, we are doing injustice to ourselves. Whether the role we perform is that of the Toastmaster, General Evaluator, Timer or Ah Counter, each role provides us a learning opportunity. A core value that we learn and follow in Toastmasters is dedication to excellence. Prior preparation and aiming for excellence ensures that we achieve the purpose for which we joined Toastmasters and at the same time, provides every member a high quality experience. Can you please share an example from your life (professional / Toastmasters) when being prepared had saved your day? There have been innumerable occasions when we have had members drop out from roles at the eleventh hour. As a practice, I have as back up, a handy supply of table topic questions, a word of the day, as well as other materials that can be used by anyone who takes up that role at the last moment. The result is that the meeting is presented flawlessly without the audience realizing the last minute changes that have taken place. Planning obviates embarrassment and leads you to the glorious path of success!

Many a times, we fail to prepare well for the roles we take up at the club level as we underestimate their importance. Can roles at the club level be treated with such nonchalance? We join Toastmasters to enhance our skills. We learn and hone most of these skills by attending meetings and participating in them by performing roles that Pulse | 2014 27

SPEAK FROM YOUR LIFE DTM Tom Ware of District 70 wrote to ‘Pulse’ to share his tools, tricks, tips and techniques to preparing a successful speech.

f you want to write or speak about life, you need to not only study life, but to live it! Obviously, not everyone has the opportunity to take up every job and every position that they would like. But do what you can. Move! Move from one position to another, from one career to another. Expand your experiences, at least for the first half of your adult life. The famous author, Ernest Hemingway, went on various adventures so that he could experience things he thought were worth writing about. Consequently, he could write about everything - from war, to big game hunting, and fishing, to bull fights in Spain. He could put himself into the picture not as a theorist, but as one who had lived the life. Remote preparation is the stuff we draw on as we sit down to compile a speech. It involves not only the actual remembered experience, but the remembered words and phraseology; the language of that time. When one speaks of the sea and talks of “just abaft the bridge,” “decks awash, she was beaming under,” “wind shrieking through the mast and funnel stays,” the words well up spontaneously. They are not an affected thing. They are not artificial. The ex-sailor can speak this language. Or, “Control, this is Speed bird 702, our position is Juliet 30 at one five, flight level three three zero,” If you’ve worked in Airways Operations, this was once your language. This entire vernacular is grist

28 Pulse | 2014

to the mill as one stands before an audience and uses dialogue to enhance a speech or story. It wells up naturally. So, what are you to do if you want to steadily become better and better at being able to come up with riveting ideas for you speeches as the years progress? It has already been said: gain wide experience, keep gaining knowledge. You’ll pick up new areas of expertise; and new words will be added to your ‘Spoken Vocabulary.’ As you day dream and visualize experiences from your past, your ability to visualize will strengthen. With that will come greater creativity. All of this is ‘Remote Preparation. ‘ Be aware of it. Use it and you’ll continue to enjoy your experiences, never running out of ideas as to what to talk about, and what to bring to the hearts and minds of your audience.

Here are a few steps that you can follow while preparing for a speech: Step 1: Remote Preparation All your acquired knowledge, wisdom, wide experience, and lots of reading will help you in this step. The older you get, the more ‘Remote Preparation’ you’ll have to draw on. Your life story comes into this. Unlike so many life pursuits, the beauty about speaking is that generally, the older you get the better you get. Step 2: Intermediate Preparation Here you become aware that you will likely need to present a speech on a given subject matter some months ahead. So you begin your research and background reading. You fill you mind with the subject matter but do not necessarily make any notes or records. This might be simply what your employer or client expects of you - work knowledge. Step 3: Immediate Preparation You now have a date on which you have to present. Start immediately. Determine and then define your subject in one short sentence. Write it out, read it out loud, memorize it. This sentence is your most important key. Make sure this definition is clear and memorable. Next, ‘think yourself empty’ on the subject and write down every idea which immediately comes to mind on pieces of paper and not in a note book. Keep each idea or key phrase separate. When done, place them in a file or manila folder (not a computer file) and sleep on it. Let your subconscious mind provide you with more ideas and subject matter. Be sure to record whatever your mind presents to you. Keep a pad of paper and a pen handy at all times. Even if the idea pops up in the middle of

the night, or when you’re taking a shower or eating a meal, be sure to record it. After a while you will have lots and lots of ideas pertaining to the subject. Probably too much! Step 4: More Immediate Prep Work A few days later, lay all your notes and pieces of scrap paper out on a table. Place the specific and defined subject sentence at the top. It is your reference. It is your key. Look at all of the notes taken and toss out any which do not match up with what is written in that definition. You might toss out 50% - even 80% of those notes. But what is left will form the bones of your speech. You now have the potential structure. Now sort those notes into order. Sort them in the way you think it would be best to present them. Pick out no more than three main points. You may feel you need to supplement those points. Place the relevant supplementary points beneath each of the three main points. Bear in mind smooth transitions from one point to another. When this is done, write a number on each piece of paper. Using those scraps of paper in the order you’ve now placed them in, write or type out the speech in full. When done, read it through as you would deliver it; time it as you do so with a stop watch. Record it, if you can. Play it back so you can hear it. Do this two or three times. Next day, read it through and time it again. Play it back again. Now highlight the key sentences or the first few words of every paragraph. These are the words which will allow you to recall the content of those paragraphs. Print these words on a piece of cardboard in letters,

Pulse | 2014 29

LEGACY FROM THE FOUNDER Dr. Smedley’s last general message to Toastmasters appeared in the 40th anniversary issue of ‘The Toastmaster’ in October 1964. Read on to know the principles he encouraged Toastmasters to practice in order to excel as speakers and leaders. ognized them. Many men have written about public speaking in the intervening centuries, but they have not changed the simple basic principles, nor have they added very much to them.

big enough to be easily seen at a glance. Now go through the speech again, using only the key words or sentences to jog your memory. Time this as you do it. Record and play back. The words you come up with will not be identical to the written version. That does not matter. It is the essence of the message which counts. The next day, just use the cardboard and its keywords and go through the speech a couple of time. To make sure you remember for the long-term, repeat your practice but in a particular way. Do your rehearsals in the following manner to make sure you remember what you speak for long, without memorizing it word-for-word:

30 Pulse | 2014

Day 1 (3 times)- Day 2 (twice) - Day 4 (once) - Day 8 (once) - Day 15 (once) - Day 25 (once) You will find you can remember something for months, even years if you use this method. I go over a lot of my old speeches every two to four months to keep them fresh. Sometimes, I don’t look at them for years, but they’re still there. When you’re nearing the big day, go through your speech without any prompts at all. Time it. When you’re confident you got it all pretty right, you are ready to go. After all that work, that speech is yours. You will perform well. Good luck!

hen our Executive Director asked me for a special message for the 40th anniversary issue of ‘The Toastmaster,’ it reminded me of the minister who was asked if it wasn’t about time to for him to prepare a new sermon, instead of harping on the same old subject every week. The minister replied, “I have several new sermons, but I don’t think I will give them until the congregation uses the old one first.” I would like to remind you of some of the principles that have helped reach our 40th anniversary, and to suggest that if we continue to practice them, they will help us to reach our 60th, at least. Let’s keep it simple. Our basic training program presents the fundamental principles of public speaking. These are the eternal verities of effective oral communication. Quintilian and Aristotle rec-

Toastmasters is a “do-it-yourself” activity. We don’t have an instruction manual for everything you do or say in your club; nor should we have such manuals. Don’t be afraid to use your imagination and initiative. Our motto encourages better listening and better thinking because these habits result in better speaking. Listen to others and evaluate their thinking - then form your own conclusions and speak for yourself. Toastmasters is based on belief in the individual - and his ability to improve himself. Many organizations ask the individual to sub-ordinate himself to the group. Ours is the only organization I know that is dedicated to the individual. We work together to bring out the best in each of us, and then we apply our skills to help others. Let us never forget that we learn in moments of enjoyment. Fellowship is important in Toastmasters. Our members stay in their clubs because they like each other and they are learning together. If you observe these principles, I won’t need to prepare a new message. Toastmasters will serve men for years to come.

Pulse | 2014 31

32 Pulse | 2014

Pulse | 2014 33

CHAOS OR CLARITY? YOU CHOOSE!

n Toastmasters, I’ve found that there is one role that always strikes fear in the hearts of many. There are no brownie points for guessing the correct answer because I’m certain you all have got it right - Newsletter Editor. Be it at the Club level, Area level, Division level, or even at the District level (Guilty as charged!), Newsletter Editors transform miraculously from being happy and tranquil Toastmasters into an exasperated version of themselves, thanks to all the associated pressure that comes with the job. From convincing members to contribute articles, to getting the indentation in your newsletter layout to behave, everything in the beginning seems to not work in your favour. But you don’t have to worry so much because pretty much like all things in life, with the right attitude and strategies in place, your role as the Newsletter Editor can be an immensely rewarding experience. Here’s what I’ve learnt in my experience as the Newsletter Editor at the Club and the District level: Select a theme – Instead of keeping a generic theme for the content of your newsletter, it always helps if you can pick a theme and bind all your content around it. When content is theme-driven, I’ve found that members are interested to contribute articles, and hence, they are also eager to read the newsletter when it is published. For instance, for our District 82 newsletter, ‘Pulse,’ we had decided to weave the theme of our four issues around William Ward’s quote – “Four steps to achievement: Plan purposefully. Prepare prayerfully. Proceed

34 Pulse | 2014

positively. Pursue persistently.” While the first issue focused on the importance of planning your goals as communicators and leaders at the beginning of the Toastmasters year, the second issue will constitute content that highlights the importance of preparation, what with the contest season in full swing at the District. This has helped us generate a lot of buzz around the newsletter, and we hope that with every issue, we’re able to convert our members into regular Toastmasters newsletters’ readers. Team Talkies – As the Newsletter Editor, avoid being in the following extreme zones: • •

Doing all the work all by yourself Delegating work to many people

Both these scenarios can add more challenges to your already challenging role. So, it’s best to delegate work to a small team of able members. You can brainstorm with them on different ideas and allocate work according to individual skills and capacities. How much is too much – Some clubs release newsletters on a monthly basis simply because it means more points on the awards score board. While the people behind monthly newsletters have to be commended for the efforts they put towards making them, sometimes, in the run for quantity, quality may lose out. If this happens, then chances are members may lose interest in reading your newsletter altogether. Now that’s a huge gamble! Pick a time frame of publication according to your

capacity and make sure quality always gets precedence in your newsletter. Market it right – As a member of my club (Chennai Toastmasters Club), I’ve always been amazed by the quality of newsletters churned out by members. But thanks to a dear friend in Toastmasters, it was only recently that I had realized how our marketing efforts to promote the newsletter were nothing short of dismal! While we did circulate our newsletters among members, we failed to see how our newsletter could also be used to convert guests into members by showing them what they were missing out on, and to help non-Toastmasters understand the power of this platform. Ever since this realization dawned on us, we’ve been trying to set things right by sending our newsletters across to all our guests, and by promoting it on social media platforms. Expect the unexpected – Sometimes, as the Newsletter Editor, you will find that nobody adheres to the deadlines you’ve set for them. As a result, your schedule for the publication of the

newsletter may get hampered. That’s why always make way for unexpected deterrents by effectively allocating your time for the collection of articles. If you want someone to submit an article on ‘X’ date, then make sure you communicate this clearly to them, send them a reminder at least 4 days before X, and hope for the best. This trick almost always seems to work, and if the odds still don’t work out in your favour, then get in touch with a senior member from your team and ask them to intervene. This would help you get the job done. The job of a Newsletter Editor requires an immense amount of skill, not just in terms of editing, designing and grammatical skills, but also in terms of time management, delegation and effective communication. Remember, it’s the lack of clarity that creates chaos and frustration. So chart out your plan and watch your newsletter create positive waves of news across divisions and districts. TM Noorain Mohammed Nadim Newsletter Editor District 82

Pulse | 2014 35

THE WOMAN BEHIND REVERBS 2014

In a tête-à-tête with the team of Pulse, TM Vijayalakshmi Soundararajan, the Conference Chair of Reverberation 2014, the semi-annual conference of District 82, that was held in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, on November 15 and 16, 2014, shares how the bond between her team added the Midas touch to the conference.

ow and when did you start preparing for the conference?

We had started planning for the conference about 3-4 weeks before Ovation 2014. The first job I did was to find my Co-conference Chair. After a massive search operation that involved scanning the length and breadth of the District, I found TM Ilangathir. We thought on the same lines of what we wanted to offer people through the conference, which was value for money, and so, our focus was in place. Then, we went about forming different core teams. We would have action items for every team and regularly, we would check if these tasks were

36 Pulse | 2014

being done. What inspired you to take up the role of Conference Chair in a conference of such large magnitude?

Firstly, Ovation 2014 was a huge hit and so, the expectations for Reverberation 2014 were really high. The biggest challenge was to therefore meet those expectations. Secondly, I felt it was quite challenging to bring Toastmasters from two countries, i.e., Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka together, and make them feel at home in the conference. To overcome these scenarios and the geographical barriers, my team and I would meet often and when this would not be possible, we would Skype, and stay connected over the phone as much as possible. The third challenge was arranging sponsorships for the conference. This was really difficult as most organizations are willing to offer funds for mainstream activities like cricket; but it’s very hard to find the same enthusiasm for communication and leadership programs. We spent a lot of time in identifying the right targets, and then, in convincing them to sponsor us. Instead of just promising them visibility in our event, we went a step ahead and offered to conduct soft skills training for their employees. According to you, how was Reverberation 2014 different from other district conferences, and previous editions of this conference? This was the first time that a conference of this size was priced so low for

Left to right: TM Ilangathir, Co-conference Chair, DTM Sastharam, LGET, TM Vijayalakshmi, Conference Chair members. Also, it was the first time that a World Champion of Public Speaking had conducted an educational session at a semi-annual conference in our district. Personally, what were the highlight moments of organizing Reverberation 2014? If you look at us a team, none of us had ever worked with each other before. In spite of that, against all odds, we bonded well and accomplished our goals for the conference. I also loved how people from the different regions of our District were so warm and helpful, volunteering and helping us immensely in any task for the conference.

I was looking for a leadership opportunity like this so that I could hone my skills. I’ve always felt that in Toastmasters, we have many forums to test our communication skills; but it is by playing roles in conferences like this that we can actually put out leadership skills to test. What were the biggest challenges you faced during the conference?

Pulse | 2014 37

WINNERS - REVERBERATION 2014

MEET THE WORDSMITH

All smiles (Left to right): TM Ilangathir Venugopal, Co-conference Chair, TM Vijayalakshmi S., Conference Chair, Winner - Humorous Speech Contest 2014, TM Keishara Perera, Second Runner-up, TM Arfath Saleem, First Runner-up, TM Susheela Saravanan, Representative from Radio One, DTM Yusuf Jeevunjee, Governor - District 82, DTM Sudash Liyanage - LGM, and DTM Sastharam Ravendran - LGET

The gladiators (Left to right): TM Rahul Shankar, Contest Chair, DTM Sastharam Ravendran, LGET, DTM Sudash Liyanage, LGM, DTM Yusuf Jeevunjee, Governor - District 82, Winner - Evaluation Contest 2014 TM Sridhar Ranganathan, TM Sandun Fernando, First Runner-up, TM Jehan Perinpanayagam, Second Runner-up, and Chief Judge, DTM Niroshan Nadarajah

38 Pulse | 2014

e came, he spoke and he conquered — this line best describes Aditya Maheswaran’s impact as an orator, if his performance at Toastmasters’ ‘International Speech Contest’ (ISC) this year is anything to go by. The 27-year-old emerged victorious as the Second Runner Up in the Semi Finals after battling it out against several first-rate speakers across successive levels of the contest, building a spot for himself at the ‘Oscars of Oratory’ — the prestigious ‘World Championship of Public Speaking’ (WCPS) 2014. A Toastmaster for over nine years now, he went on to achieve the title of ‘Distinguished Toastmaster’ (the highest award conferred by Toastmasters International on completing all communication and leadership projects) at the age of 23, making him one of the youngest members to have accomplished the feat. He has also been a TEDx speaker and a recipient of the ‘Young Achiever Award’ from the Rotary Club of Chennai Galaxy in 2011, inspiring many with his thought-provoking speeches and effortless performance on stage.

elaborates, “My speech at the contests this year, ‘The scratch,’ is based on a real life incident. I had bought a new car which got scratched on the very first day. I felt really bad about it. That got me thinking that if a scratch on a car could cause so much anxiety, then what about the invisible ‘scratches’ we create, consciously and unconsciously, in our relationships with people? That’s how my speech came to life.” To choose a good topic for your speech, he suggests to notice the events happening around you. “Observe the incidents in your life and find a message that will help impact the audience. We all have great stories to share. In just the last couple of hours, there may be a handful of incidents that you can turn into a beautiful speech. We simply don’t

Success in contests didn’t come easy to him for he lost at the club level when he first participated in the ISC in 2008. In 2011, he participated again and got placed second at the division level. Aditya brought truth to the adage ‘third time lucky,’ by hitting the home run and making it to the WCPS this time. He currently works as a Leadership Consultant for Hay Group, Mumbai. His mantra for success? “A simple yet powerful message in your speech is critical to touch the hearts of the audience and thereby win contests.” He elaborates, Pulse | 2014 39

notice this and fail to connect the dots. For example, someone picking up a piece of paper from the street and throwing it into the bin can make a wonderful story on accountability and responsibility.” One of the biggest challenges most speakers face on stage is being unable to connect with the audience. This, in turn, hinders their confidence and makes them question their effectiveness. The answer, says Aditya, lies in shifting the focus from yourself to your audience. “When I had first started participating in speech contests, I would see the whole exercise from my point of view. I would ask myself if my speech had a message, if I had included gestures and vocal variety to my speech, and so on. But now, I’ve learnt that in order to deliver a speech that makes an impact, I need to see it from the audience’s perspective. Two factors play a critical role: impact and connect. Every minute of your speech must create some impact on the audience. When you successfully connect with them, they’ll feel like they are a part of your life through your story.” Aditya believes enlightenment dawns from the journey rather than victory itself and adds, “My biggest learning from contests can be summed up in these words — ‘Conclusion is what you arrive at when you’re tired of thinking.’ I’ve learnt that a speech can always be improved at every level. Even if I deliver the same speech 10 more times, there will be 10 more elements that can make the speech better. My second lesson has been that it is relatively easy to achieve 95 per cent of excellence in your speech. But when you’re competing against topnotch participants, it is critical that you achieve that five per cent of excellence too. This can be quite stressful, as every hand gesture and every bit of your voice

40 Pulse | 2014

modulation matters. So it is imperative that you strive to achieve excellence and not just focus on delivering a good speech. Thirdly, I’ve learnt that humility plays a large role in your success. By competing with many speakers of great calibre, you realise that you have a long way to go.” His groundwork for success stems from hard work and preparation. “With respect to the content of my speech, firstly, I spend a lot of time contemplating on the message I want to leave the audience with. Only when I can articulate that briefly, in about 20-25 words, do I start scripting my speech. I spill all my thoughts out on a paper without worrying about the word limit. Then, I cull out what needs to stay in my story. When it comes to rehearsing my speech, I spend a lot of time with myself and mull over the speech in my mind.” Aditya’s definition of contests is simple. “Contests, irrespective of the level, are always hard. But if you think you have a good message to convey and create an impact on the audience’s lives, you’ll feel happy with your speech and you won’t be able to wait to deliver it. To make sure I leave a mark, I’m not going to focus on any other question but this — if the speech I deliver will be the last speech of my life, what message would I like to leave for the audience? Once I am able to answer this question, half of my preparation will be done.” For more insights on the art of effective public speaking and leadership, you can follow DTM Aditya Maheswaran’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/adityaspeaks This article was first published by TM Noorain Mohammed Nadim in The New Indian Express on July 21, 2014. Pulse | 2014 41

DO YOU ACT ON STAGE?

t was 2 AM in the morning. I was awakened from my deep sleep by a high pitched noise. Angry, I woke up and began looking for the culprit; it was my one year old baby daughter who was crying in her shrill voice. I held her in my arms, and gently rocked her. Her innocent gaze turned into sparkling eyes. She became a chuckling chime in no time! It was the most blissful moment for any father at that time of the morning. No strings, no hidden motives - Her genuine and sincere smile melted my heart. Sincere smiles and sincere words can leave a pleasant etch in any soul. Day in and day out, how many fake smiles do we encounter? We do recognise them, don’t we? Sometimes, we might forget the same fact while preparing our speeches. We want to insert a little bit of this and a little bit of that to dramatise our speech. Sometimes, we force points into our story and connect them somehow to complete our act on stage. Do we really need to act? Depends on the type of the speech, one might say! What are the lessons we could learn from the best speakers in the world? The World Champion of Public Speaking 2014, Dananjaya Hettiarachchi stressed that, ‘A speech should be conversational, rather than being dramatic.’ He was certainly sincere on stage. His speech was centered on the facts near and dear to his heart. How about the style of Mahatma Gandhi? Sincerity and honesty were the jewels of his great charisma, as a result

42 Pulse | 2014

of which, a whole nation followed his path. Barak Obama, a largely unknown figure about a decade ago, delivered an electrifying speech at the Democrats’ convention in Boston. Towards the end of his address, an emotionally heightened crowed could not stop applauding for him. Personally, I always had the dilemma of remembering the words of my speech, remembering the sequence of the flow and remembering when to trigger my gestures. I learnt some important lessons through my journey as a Toastmaster, thanks to my mentors. Here are th three rules I follow to deliver a successful speech: 1. Select a topic which is near and dear to your heart. You have a personal interest in it and so, it is very easy to remember. 2. Know what you are going to talk about very well. If you know your story in and out, you will have the best of confidence on stage. 3. Be sincere to yourself. It’ll project genuine gestures and expressions automatically. Is there any better choreography one can have other than this? TM Chamara Peiris DFCC Toastmasters Colombo, Sri Lanka

Pulse | 2014 43

CHANGE AS YOU SEE - A girl; - A 20 year old girl; - A 20 year old girl with an ALB; - A 20 year old girl with ALB and ACB; - A 20 year old girl with an ALB and an ACB, who was a runner up at the Division Level for two consecutive years; - A 20 year old girl who is a final year law lecturer at her campus! Alright, now you may bring your lips together, breath and take a sip of water. And please, kindly note that I’m not kidding. “How old are you, may I ask?”“Well, does it matter?!” should be your answer now! I’m born in a part of the world where people get shocked when the amount of achievements do not match ‘conventional age standards.’ I wouldn’t say anything I achieved at Toastmasters was a piece of cake. I accept that I was a born talker. A parrot, indeed. But I was never a speaker until I joined Toastmasters at the IPM Toastmasters Club. Ever since I joined this ‘Speakers’ Community,’ I realized that everyone is a great ‘talker,’ but not everyone is a great ‘speaker.’ To be a speaker, is hard; and that is the simple truth. To be able to grab the attention of the people you are addressing, and to make them stare at you, like there is no Miss Universe like you for those 5 to 7 minutes, without letting their hands reach their phone, has never been an easy task either! I would say it is ‘Mission Impossible!’ Have you ever heard yourself when you speak? Do you know how you even

44 Pulse | 2014

sound when you speak? Do you listen to yourself when you speak? Because if you haven’t, then you sure would have missed that head or two of the audience staring at their smart screens but ‘nodding’ like they are listening. When you listen to yourself while you are speaking, it opens up another avenue for you to change your speech accordingly - may be to pause, slow down, hurry up, and throw a bit of drama, mix a bit of vocal twists and turns to grab the attention of the audience. This is because you will be very alive and attentive as you speak and so, nothing will go unnoticed. Therefore, you can change your speech with some variations. For example, as soon as you see a yawning member of the audience, give them a significant amount of eye contact; or, you could ask a rhetorical question or two to someone who is staring at the smart screen.

MESSENGERS OF ALPHA

t is contest season again! It’s that period of the year when Toastmasters is bustling with life and energy. Contestants, role players - everyone’s preparing! At our club, contests are conducted with a lot of pomp and splendour and we always strive to pull in a huge crowd. This year, we managed to gather a crowd of 200+ people for our club’s (TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters Club) Humorous speech and Evaluation contest, a feat achieved thanks to the dedication and support of the PR campaigns undertaken by our PR Team. So how did we do it? How did we prepare for the contest? Read on to find out. One of the benefits of being a corporate club is the fact that your club acts as a community within a community. Our club was a part of an even greater club, the corporate club. TCS Siruseri is a huge campus cluttered with as many as 35,000 corporate employees. With a me-

re three clubs within its premises it was safe to say a huge portion of the campus was still fraught with non-Toastmasters. They were the audience we targeted. The PR campaign was aimed at creating awareness and roping in new members. So how do we spread the word? How do we create awareness? The Executive committee held a meeting and decided on three pivotal campaigns: - The Posters - The PR announcements - The Bookmarks Alpha’s annual humorous speech and evaluation contest was looming just around the corner. Amongst the various responsibilities of the PR team, the preparation of the poster to promote the event was one. After a few failed attempts, an idea hit us! What could be catchier than the great stalwarts of com-

Please note that this theory of ‘Listen as you speak, change as you see’ requires a lot of preparation. So first, get a good speech written down. Time it and practice it, and get comfortable with your speech so much so that, you yourself can pull the breaks without sliding on the road of confidence. Prepare now for this challenge. Consider this the next big challenge at your Toastmasters club. Soon, you will have any audience in your pocket, be it at work, school or home. TM Naushalya Rajapaksha IPM Toastmasters Club Colombo, Sri Lanka

Pulse | 2014 45

edy inviting you to a have a hearty laugh! Charlie Chaplin, Laurel & Hardy, Mr. Bean - yes... the pioneers of comedy occupied our posters, inviting all to witness the humour battle! We made sure that our poster would promise an evening of endless laughter! Next came up the question of where these posters had to be put up. We asked ourselves, “Which are the most frequented places in Siruseri?” And all of us had the same answer - the cafeterias! We stuck copies of the posters at all the cafeteria entrances! And when the D day finally arrived, it was evident that our judgementhadn’t gone wrong... the house full auditorium spoke for itself! As a part of the campaign, the PR announcement played a crucial role in roping in the audience in huge numbers. The Siruseri campus is huge with six different blocks distributed across 75 acres of land. So how does the management pass on information? Simple! They make announcements through intercoms. And we decided to use it to our advantage. We sought permission from the upper level management at TCS, Siruseri and prepared a script. The announcements were done on two different days, on the day of the contest and on the day before. Here was what we said, “People say laughter is the best medicine; but if you laugh for no reason, you will need a medicine. Tomorrow you will have plenty of reasons to laugh out loud. Keep waiting till you hear more from us.” The interesting opening line tickled the humour of everyone listening. With the first day’s announcement, we evoked the curiosity of the crowd by not revealing the nature of the event. The guests had a great time exercising their imagin

46 Pulse | 2014

-nation, trying to guess the occasion. On day two we pulled the elephant out of the magician’s hat with the announcement: - “The wait is finally over! We use ROFL and LOL in texts but today you will experience these in real. The ultimate laughter riot is here. TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters presents the annual club Humorous speech and Evaluation contest at GS9 HR auditorium. See you all there. Statutory warning: Beware of side effects such as stomach ache.” The announcements were a huge success. On the day of the contest, the entire auditorium was filled with claps, giggling sounds, bursting rounds of laughter and occasional whistles with Alpha speakers delivering their speeches. We wanted to give something to the guests who visit us once a week and keep them engaged with our club in some way. The PR team gave it some thought and decided on a simple ye powerful solution. We came up with a dozen interesting bookmarks designed with catchy humorous quotes and details of the Annual Humorous and Evaluation competition on the overleaf. The book marks were given out to all the guests. We also requested the TCS library to give away the bookmarks along with the books being borrowed. This had a huge impact on reaching a greater pool of audience. On the day of the contest, we were surprised to realize that not a seat was vacant. We had a full house! Needless to say, the Club Contest was a huge success! TM Sharath and TM Sampradha TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters Club Chennai, Tamil Nadu

LET’S CHANGE THE WORLD

fresh Toastmaster and guest may not realize the limitless potential that a Toastmasters Cub has to offer an individual. It is usually seen by many as a chance to attain the title of Competent Communicator or Competent Leader in order to adorn one’s resumé under the ‘Accomplishments’ section; a low-cost method for self-improvement and enhancing employability. A passionate and prepared Toastmaster with a purpose, however, can simply change the world. Experiencing life by the sidelines is fairly safe and comfortable; it is the comfort zone from which an individual watches the risk-takers become admirable leaders and have soulful relationships. If most of your life is spent watching soap operatic TV shows, and you wishing to live vicariously through the characters, you know that you are not fully experiencing life or meaningfully impacting anyone. Toastmasters tends to pull you out of this rut and prepares you for a life-changing journey ahead. All forms of life except us, the most sentient beings, are already aware of the callous carnage we have inflicted upon our so-called home. We’ve disrupted the climatic balance causing droughts and floods; we’ve exhausted coal, oil and gas for fuel and to build fancy buildings and roads; we’ve poisoned most of our crops and animals to supply them profitably in bulk; we’ve used up every plot of land and natural shade to build malls, tasteless apartments and factories, and the list goes on. We have all noticed these apparent changes to the planet unless we have been living under the metaph-

orical “rock,” which by now would surely have eroded as well. This is the bigger picture, which we need to promulgate and instill in all the minds of the planet. Creating this awareness should be a fairly simple task to be accomplished with the advancement of social media, which has enabled us to live in an intricate social web of instant information but ironically, has left most of us emotionally disconnected and extremely closed when it comes to opening up our real selves to our fellow beings. We have absolved all responsibility, played the blame game and do not treat mother earth as our only home. The fear, anxiety, “I’m not good enough” attitude, ego, and caustic competition are the feelings shared by the leaders of today. It is the feeling of being separate, not truly connected, resulting in feeling hurt and alone as resounded by the advocates of Spirit Science. A Toastmaster has the power to bridge the gap, bring people into the same space, the space from where we all feel connected and from this space, heal the world. When we join the club and have already realized the causes and effects of the concerns of our world, we are already on the halfway mark to changing it. Actively participating in the Toastmasters club is a start and then comes the preparation. Preparation for projects, evaluations and roles all immensely assist in creating your new world. You can never be too prepared. En route to changing the world, hopefully your words of inspiration and persuasion have become your mantra. You have internalized the

Pulse | 2014 47

structure, words, vocal variation and body language of your speeches; all a part of preparation as you may not get a second chance to positively entice and inspire your audience. When changing the world, there is always a fine line between the Toastmasters activist who is seen as a cuckoo gone over the edge, and an inspirational leader who manages to rip the veil of deceit that we are all comfortable with to present the grim reality underneath. “He who is best prepared can best serve his moment of inspiration.” - Samuel Taylor Coleridge The Toastmasters program opens your heart and soul to the people around you, causing the fear of expressiveness to dwindle the more a Toastmaster prepares for speeches, participates in the club and engages in activities. Changing the world may seem at first to be an overzealous, highly ambitious task, but all you need is a strong passion and the right amount of preparation in order to persuasively articulate your thoughts. If you manage to move enough people

and form a movement, the healing process should spread like a virus and turn into an epidemic. Malcolm Gladwell’s book - ‘The Tipping Point,’ explores a theory on how little things can make a big difference. The good news is that we are currently experiencing a shift in consciousness where dictators are overthrown, organic food is being grown, and spirituality is being proven gradually by science. We all have ideas and notions on how the world should be changed for the better, but when delivering an inspirational speech of eloquence, striking the right ethical chord to resonate and cause attunement within the group is key. Let us start generating electricity for free, reduce our carbon footprint by reducing the excessive usage of private vehicles and flights. Cycle more, meditate and connect. Still scoffing at the idea of changing the world? It is significant to recall that the workings of the world is built by words, ideas and perceptions and our current leaders would be powerless without the support of their followers. Us. Articulating the reasons for change and offering solutions in profound and powerful speeches will surely be the tool to cause a shift in the collective attitude and consciousness of the people in order to repair what we have so far being misusing and taking for granted. The power is within you so prepare to spread the word and heal the world, Toastmaster. “...If you work hard enough and assert yourself, and use your mind and imagination, you can shape the world to your desires.” - Malcolm Gladwell, Outliers: The Story of Success TM Premesh Silva Attune Lanka Toastmasters Club Sri Lanka

48 Pulse | 2014

PROP IS POWER!

y Competent Communicator Project 8 is just around the corner and this got me thinking real hard. How do you prepare a speech with a prop? And why would you need a prop? And since then I have learned that some tricks and tweaks are all it takes to turn an ordinary speech into something extraordinary. And when it comes to delivery, improvising by adding a prop can make a meaningful difference. A ‘prop’ is a theatrical term and is short for property. It refers to any items used by a performer or an actor on stage. And as speakers, we are all performers. Any object we may choose to use to aid our speech on stage can be considered a ‘prop.’ It can be anything such as a chair, a hat or even a balloon. When used wisely it can add value and augment the message in a speech. In short, the power of a prop is infinite. Here are some reasons why you should include a prop in your delivery:

Seeing is remembering - Props make your speech memorable. How many of you remember everything said in a speech? Most of us don’t. Researchers at the University of Iowa have recently discovered that people tend to remember things they have seen or felt a lot longer than things they have heard. And most have us have experienced this to be true. This is where a prop can help you. Using a prop you can visually engage your audience. They ‘see’ as they ‘hear’ and this helps retain your speech in greater detail. Props speak louder than words - Instead of ‘telling’ your audience you can use props to ‘show’ or ‘demonstrate’ to the crowd. This will reinforce your message and create a larger impact.

Let me try explaining with real time examples.

For example, Jim Key (Winner, International Speech contest, 2003) in his contest winning speech ‘Never too late’ uses a chair as a prop. When he says, “I saw her stand on a huge stage…” he walks to the chair behind him and stands on it, trying to emulate the girl standing on a stage. This may not seem like a very creative use of prop. But the action creates a theatrical effect. It injects a measure of drama into the speech. Also the grandeur behind the gesture highlights the gravity of the message conveyed.

Seeing is believing - It is true that people believe what they see more so than what they hear. So when you use a prop to validate your words, you present yourself as a credible speaker. You become more convincing.

You can also use sound effects as props. For example, TM Dean Sheetz, member of Dubai Men’s College Toastmasters in Dubai, UAE used sound effects as prop while delivering his speech from the Interpretive Reading manual.

- They add clarity - They help reinforce your message - They are memorable - They add variety - They engage the audience better - They help create drama.

Pulse | 2014 49

He realized that merely saying ‘a shot (gunshot) rang out’ will not have much of an effect on his audience. So he improvised his speech to include sound effects of a real gun shot during his delivery. Naturally, it created a dramatic effect and his audience responded better. You can imagine how effective the sound must have been from an spectator’s perspective. A demonstration or an effect such as that will sink in a lot stronger in the minds of your audience. Everybody loves a surprise - It is easy for your message to get lost in a horde of words. But props will stand out simply because they add variety. Speeches are almost always predictable in the way a speaker takes centre stage and talks while the audience listen. A prop can change the monotone. It can surprise the audience and inspire interest. It can rejuvenate the crowd. I am proud to quote TM Lesley, TCS Maitree Titans Toastmasters Club (Humorous speech club level contest winner) as an example. TM Lesley used human prop in his speech for his cc8. His speech was about a photograph of his entire class taken at school. He initially showed the photograph to interest the audience. Then he made his ‘props’ (fellow members from the crowd) sit in two chairs. The inclusion of members was unexpected and this had the crowd trembling in laughter at TM Lesley’s wit. It gave his speech an element of surprise and humour. Real props - A prop can be used in more than one ways. The most obvious way to use a prop would be as it is. Take for example ‘The evolution of Juggling’ by Jay Gilligan (TEDx Helsinki). Jay uses jugging balls as props. During the course of the speech, while explaining

50 Pulse | 2014

the difference between American and European styles of juggling, Jay strives to demonstrate the dissimilarity in juggling styles by actually juggling in front of his audience. Symbolic props - Props can also be used as a symbol, like a physical metaphor. I am proud to quote our very own TM Jaswanth Krishnamorthy’s speech ‘Step up’ as an example. TM Jaswanth in his contest speech (District-82 finalist) ‘Step up’ appears on stage wearing a pair of thick rimmed glasses. . During delivery, when he says, “remove your glasses of negativity,” TM Jaswanth grabs his spectacles and hurls them on the ground surprising us all with his unanticipated choice of prop. His glasses were a symbol of his pessimism. And by flinging them across the stage he conveys the message that he has resolved to be more optimistic. So next time you script a speech try and be creative. Use a prop. Use it wisely. There are certain things one should keep in mind while preparing a speech with a prop. Remember, props are free; but it’s how you use them that may cost you. - During delivery, once you are done using your prop, put it away. - Rehearse with your props. They may help you anticipate any problems you may face while handling them. - Make sure your prop is large enough or you hold it high enough for everyone in the crowd to see. - Limit the number of props you use in a speech. Always remember, that the power of a prop is infinite! TM Vijayalakshmi TCS Maitree Alpha Toastmasters Club Chennai, Tamil Nadu Pulse | 2014 51

52 2014 |Pulse