ORATOR July - September 2014 2
3From the Editors Desk Roger that TM Vinay Satheesh
5Message of the Division Governor TM V P Menon
6Message of The President The Belief TM Deepak Gulati
8Message of Vice President (Education) Are you having fun? TM Abdul Khaliq
10Message of Vice President (Membership) No Escape TM Qaisar Amin
12Cover Story : At the top In Focus: DTM Mohammed Murad International President
22Flex it! DTM Uma Radhakrishnan
24Tours with Deepa-Season 1 Heaven on Earth - Kashmir TM Deepa Khemani
26Financial lessons for kids – What & When? TM Aadil Khadri
28Nostalgia TM Seetha Sagaran
30Work outs for confidence TM Jose William
32Be a dream doer TM Swapna Nair
33Must, or you rust! TM Richa Khera
35Club Meetings Highlights
39Felicitation Meeting Highlights
44Toastmasters International Convention Highlights
CONTENTS
Copyright Notice: Toastmasters International, the Toastmasters International
logo, and all other Toastmasters International trademarks and copyrights are
the sole property of Toastmasters International. Any logos, banners and
material used in preparation of this newsletter are provided at Toastmasters’
website for members’ use. Any extract used from Toastmasters manuals is
credited to Toastmasters with a reference to the original manual/guide.
ORATOR July - September 2014 3
Hello Readers,
Toastmasters International is an organization that I came to know by chance. My cousin brother told me about the organization to me
and how it will improve public speaking and leadership skills. I searched the internet for a
good club in the immediate vicinity of my home. I found that there was a club in Dubai Academic City which was very close to my home. So I thought I will go to that club. I visited the club location twice, but on both of those days the
members were very less and the meetings were cancelled.
Then I searched again for other clubs and by sheer luck I came to the right place, Dubai
Toastmasters Club. The first person I spoke was the treasurer himself, the money person, TM Radhakrishnan. He welcomed me with a good
smile and then I noticed that everybody had a smile on their faces and I felt the place really cool. My journey in Dubai Toastmasters Club started on that date. In the beginning of the competent communicator program, I felt like I was driving in Emirates Road immediately after getting the driving license, why because, my heart was beating like anything. Truth of the fact is heart still beats, but I don’t care about that anymore and the focus is more on the audience. Now I am in the middle of the ocean, I cannot even see the shore now, there are more and more challenges to over come, which will make me more better. But I can see a lot of mariners around me, some of them driving ships, some of
them jet skiing, some canoeing and some of them swimming like dolphins in the middle of the ocean and I find it as a great company that mutually supports and improves each other. We might fell down in this process, but, we can be sure that we will always fell into the right company, The Toastmasters.
In life we are in the middle of the ocean, in the middle of uncertainties, in the middle of chaos and in those circumstances what we need is the power to be quiet and listen. Listen to people around you, listen to those experienced
mariners, listen even to persons standing on the shore, listen to the wind and the tides. It can only help you to reach the destination. Take
decisions based on the collective knowledge you gather through effective listening.
Effective listening require patience, calmness and the willingness to hear completely and without interruption, what the other person is speaking. We should always try not to speak until the other person has stopped speaking. Try not to jump to conclusion, but, think over what you have gathered through effective listening and take the right step. Once you take that right
Roger that
Vinay Satheesh (Member of TMI since June 2013, a real estate professional, also interested in movies, motivational books, exercise, chatting with friends/relatives, entrepreneurship and networking with good people)
FROM THE EDITORS DESK
ORATOR July - September 2014 4
step, give it sufficient amount of time to produce results. You need to be patient and withstand the challenges after taking that right step to allow it to become a tree whose roots will be so deeply laid that it will give fruits for a life time and also will become a huge umbrella to all those who get tired in the scorching sun. Never roll after you take that right step, since as the great saying goes, “a rolling stone gathers no moss”. Listen, Think, Act, Focus, Persevere, Reap the fruits for a life time
Everything starts from that power to listen. One of the greatest lessons that I learnt from Toastmasters is to listen effectively. I was astonished to see the experienced Toastmasters (experienced mariners) eagerly listening to the
various speeches without even a second of distraction and then evaluating the speaker even with the minute aspects of the speech which the
speaker has done well or need improvement.
Listening is a power that will help you to create and maintain relationships both personal and professional. It will result in healthy and useful
discussions with people which in turn will result in intelligent actions. If you want people to listen to you, first listen to them. If anyone ask me, whether I heard what they said, I will say, Roger that. And this happened because and only because I joined Toastmasters International.
Wish all the new members of Dubai Toastmasters Club the very best in this beautiful journey. Now let’s get back to business. The first quarter brought glory and pride to the Dubai Toastmasters Club:
DTM Mohammed Murad, the member of Dubai Toastmasters Club was sworn as the President of Toastmasters International on 23/8/2014. Joint meeting with Blue Ocean Academy Toastmasters Club on 23/7/2014 and it was a great success. Special meeting on 1/9/2014 to felicitate DTM Mohammed Murad, the TMI President, was a master piece filled with master blaster speakers from current and ex-DTC members, presence of press, meet and greet sessions and above all the address by the TMI President.
All the meetings were done with great passion and attention to detail with the aim of delivering the best quality meetings so that members can learn and excel in moments of enjoyment.
All the above events are covered in detail in this volume of Orator in addition to the exceptional
articles by the members.
I would place on record my appreciation and sincere gratitude to all the fellow Toastmasters for contributing articles/messages/testimonials
to this volume of Orator. My sincere accolades to TM Richa Khera for her contribution in proof reading the articles/testimonials/messages to bring out a quality newsletter. And above all, my hugs to TM Deepak Gulati (President of DTC) and TM Abdul Khaliq (VP Education of DTC) for the valuable advice and guidance given throughout the
process of preparation of this volume of Orator. Hope all of you will enjoy reading The Orator [Volume 1 : June-September 2014 (Release date 10/11/2014)] Roger that! And will come back in January 2015.
ORATOR July - September 2014 5
Greetings, members and friends of Dubai Toastmasters Club, At this point in time, we all feel so proud that one of our members is the President of Toastmasters International for this year. I take this opportunity to wish DTM Mohammed Murad
the very best for his term as the International President. Dubai Toastmasters Club has always been special to me because it is my home club and a
major part of my learning and improvement has happened in this club. I have been visiting this club in the same location, at the same time for
the last 12 years and can never think of not turning up at the DTC club meeting. It has
become such a habit that if I miss one meeting for whatever reason, I feel as if I have lost something. Lost an opportunity to meet friends
and lost an opportunity to have 2-3 hours of fun and learning. On behalf of Division B and all its members I wish Dubai Toastmasters Club the very best for this year. Toastmasters International helps nearly 313,000 men and women around the world improve their communication and leadership skills. None of this can happen
without effective club meetings. Clubs like Dubai Toastmasters Club are the heart and soul of the Toastmasters education program, and we salute you for your consistent commitment to your members. The most important person in Toastmasters is the member. Our organization’s founder, Dr. Ralph Smedley, once said, “Ours is the only organization I know dedicated to the individual. We work together to bring out the best in each of us and then we apply these skills
to help others.” Thanks for all you do in helping your members gain opportunities that prepare them for a lifetime of achievement. Once again, congratulations to Dubai Toastmasters Club. I wish every member of DTC every success in their Toastmasters journey.
Message of the Division Governor [Division B, District 20] V P Menon (A member of TMI since 2002, a trainer by profession, also interested in toastmasters, photography, travelling, reading, music, movies etc.)
MESSAGE OF THE DIVISION GOVERNOR
FACTS ABOUT
TOASTMASTERS
Founded
October 22, 1924
Updated Brand
August 17, 2011
Benefits
• Clearer communication
• Improved leadership skills
• Enhanced teamwork
• Effective meetings
• Increased productivity
• Positive mentoring
• Complements existing training programs
• Cost effective
Dubai Toastmasters club is the mother Toastmasters club of
Dubai and northern Emirates. A club that has gathered wealth
of experience since its inception in 1996. Our Club stands
proud as members try their best to practice what Toastmasters
has to offer. Our club is representative of something more than
a typical Toastmasters club where members gather together to
create an exceptional experience for days to remember and
allow one to utilize his/her potential in a supportive
environment. We are nothing but a family of people with a
shared drive for self-improvement and to help others. Each
meeting gives everyone an opportunity to practice conducting
meetings, giving impromptu speeches, presenting prepared
speeches, and offering constructive evaluation or in a nutshell,
an opportunity to improve, to lead, to learn and to set
examples. We are Dubai Toastmasters Club.
ORATOR July - September 2014 6
If we just start to think about the evolution, most of the theories or models are based on the idea that there is a nucleus, a defining moment, an origin, a beginning, continuity and finally…an end. First we lived in a cave, ate whatever came our way, then came the wheel, civilization, democracies, women rights, skype, Burj Khalifa,
4d movies and the Iphone 6+. Pheweee. The list could be endless. Well end is something that cannot really be controlled, so let us talk about continuity.
We nodded against the changes and evolved with time and here we are today, the most powerful thing on the face of this earth. Us, you,
me……human being.
Change has a very wide scope and applies to everything that exists. It also applies to me, you and everyone else you know and in a way,
accepting changes is an indicative of agreement with life to bring the much required success, happiness and learning that all we aim towards. Accepting changes could also bring the essential shift in beliefs, breaking boundaries that were never meant to be even broken and shelling out of the inhibitions. The world that we live in today has abundance
of everything, the good or bad, the beautiful or ugly, the positives or negatives. Our choice as a human makes or breaks us depending upon our faith that we decide to put into something specific. So if given a choice that we could have, we can always go for the good, beautiful and positive. One of such million goodies that life has to offer is, Toastmasters.
Now this is not a piece of writing where I would like to talk about how Toastmasters can benefit one. We all know it right??? But this is an attempt to reach the world outside Toastmasters who need to be aware of the program, know that
there is something that can transform lives and can actually make one not only a better speaker but out shine as a better person or human being. Change as we were talking about, it is
imperative to talk about the spheres that one can decide to be a Toastmaster or be a part of this
exceptional forum. The need could have its range anywhere from becoming a better speaker “to” thrash the public speaking fear “to” be able to
put one’s thought in a plate like the delectable French delicacy “Tarte Tatin”.
BUT it is very vital to know that it’s just not the speaking opportunity or the improvement that the Toastmasters stage has to offer; it is much more than that. It is a stage that can bring in the magic, magic that can define one’s life and make it a journey to relish. Why do I say that? Why do I talk so highly about it? It is nothing but the matter of belief that I have in the program.
The Belief Deepak Gulati (A member of TMI since 1st July 2010, a Quality Assurance Officer in Finance Dept. with Emirates Airlines, also interested in photography, playing music & creative writing. He says that Toastmasters is no longer an interest …… it’s in his system now.)
MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT
ORATOR July - September 2014 7
Do you recall an instance that you put so much of belief and conviction into something that you could really saw that dream becoming your own reality? Kind of a reality that you need to pinch yourself to believe that its happening or it happened? You had that moment right? What brought you the diamond of the first water? What made … that happen? I say… BELIEF… Likewise, belief in this program dashed with dedication has been proven as the remedy for
many illnesses, from Glossophobia to lacking confidence and that’s just minuscule to talk about the benefits of the program. The time is evolving and it is a necessity to run
with the running times to make it all work for us. It is given that we cannot literally control everything and turn it all to work for us, but it is
also given that a step is required to make it a mile. Toastmasters is one of the step that we can
take and make the journey of 1000’s of miles count for us all.
Friends, most importantly, believe in your belief (if you don’t have one, just blindly believe in anything that you wish to achieve), be part of the change mechanism and be the one in transforming your own life. All the best!
PROMISE OF EVERY TOASTMASTER CLUB
MEMBER
As a member of Toastmasters International and
my club, I promise:
To attend club meetings regularly
To prepare all of my speech and leadership
projects to the best of my ability, basing
them on projects in the Competent
Communication, Advanced Communication
or Competent Leadership manuals
To prepare for and fulfill meeting
assignments
To provide fellow members with helpful,
constructive evaluations
To help the club maintain the positive,
friendly environment necessary for all
members to learn and grow
To serve my club as an officer when called
upon to do so
To treat my fellow club members and our
guests with respect and courtesy
To bring guests to club meetings so they
can see the benefits Toastmasters
membership offers
To adhere to the guidelines and rules for all
Toastmasters educational and recognition
programs
To maintain honest and highly ethical
standards during the conduct of all
Toastmasters activities
Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organization that
aims to improve one’s communication, public speaking and leadership
skills through a worldwide network of meeting locations. Dr. Ralph
Smedley (February 22, 1878 – September 11, 1965) was the founder of
Toastmasters International.
Toastmasters will help you to:
Speak and present compellingly
Think quickly and clearly
Become a strong leader
Listen effectively
You will learn these skills and more in a supportive, self-paced,
fun atmosphere.
ORATOR July - September 2014 8
Are you having fun?! Like me, have you taken the task in hand too seriously? Have you been guilty of trying too hard? Yes, you read it right “Guilty”
of trying too hard. If you ask me this question I will be the first one to raise my hand. So what am I getting at? Let me tell you an incident that made me realize that I had taken things so
seriously that I had stopped enjoying and was only slogging.
I returned to the hotel after a long day at the Toastmasters International Convention. It was then my son Waiz came to me and said “Babs there is an awesome cartoon movie on TV, please come and watch with me”. I said “Well, I am
really tired and don’t feel like watching cartoons right now”. “Please Babs” pleaded Waiz “anyway
you just came back after the whole day”. I had to give up when I saw Waiz’s excitement turning to disappointment. So I asked “what are we
watching?” He screamed in jubilation “Yes………it’s a penguin movie Surf’s Up. You
will love it”.
And we sat down to watch the movie. The story went like this……
A young penguin Cody becomes fascinated about surfing after watching a surfing competition.
Now he had only one wish and that was to win the surfing competition. He was up against a
tough competitor named Tank. Tank was much stronger, taller and the winner of several surfing competitions. However, Cody didn’t have anything else on mind other than winning the competition. But there was a twist to the story, Cody didn’t know how to surf and didn’t even own a surfboard. He then found Big Z a veteran
surfer and champion of his time. Big Z takes up the task of training Cody. Nevertheless, Cody got so obsessed with the
thought of winning that he began to take things too seriously. Big Z then told him “Cody, if you want to be a champion then the first step is to build your own surfboard”. Cody started to build
his own board with a piece of broken tree. But he tried too hard and put all his energy into building a board. Big Z kept on telling him
“Cody, stop trying too hard. Relax! And learn to have fun while you work towards your goal”.
Cody ignored his advice and kept pealing the wood with all force. He even refused to take Big
Z’s help and ends up making an uneven piece of plank rather than a smooth surfboard. Big Z
warned him “Cody this board will not even survive one slap of a tiny wave”. Cody gave it a deaf ear and excitedly took the board out to the sea. BANG! The board broke in two with the first wave and Cody almost drowned after getting hit by a huge wave.
Are you having fun? Abdul Khaliq (A member of TMI since April 2012, Finance Manager [Development & Assets] at Majid Al Futtaim Properties, Certified sustainability practitioner with a certification in GRI financial reporting, loves nature and has a passion towards sustainability and adventure)
MESSAGE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT (EDUCATION)
ORATOR July - September 2014 9
Embarrassed, Cody came out of the water and walked away, head down, murmuring “I knew I can’t do it, I knew it”. Big Z walked up to him and said “Cody, you have got everything it takes to win; passion, will and hard work. But you are missing one main ingredient that turns dreams to reality. And that is having fun while pursuing your dreams”. Cody realized his mistake for the first time.
Now, Big Z teaches him how a surfboard is made with gentle strokes and soft hands. “Don’t overdo it” says Big Z “remember that every time you apply a tool to the plank, there should be a deliberate purpose”. Following the advice of Big Z, Cody makes himself a perfectly carved and smooth edged flexible surfboard. Once again forced by his nature of trying too hard, he struggles to keep his balance when he takes the
board out to the sea. Big Z tells him “Don’t overdo it. Relax! Keep your body light. Rather than forcing yourself on the board, try to float like a weightless piece of paper”. This time, Cody listens and leaves his body to float. He soon realizes he is conquering the huge curly waves. He never had so much fun in life as much as he had at that moment. He said to himself “Cody, you were so naïve when you took things too
seriously where you could have achieved your goals while having fun”.
My dear friends, that movie taught me a valuable lesson “Don’t overdo it. Relax! Have fun while pursuing your dreams”. I myself am guilty of taking things so seriously that I stopped having fun. I have learnt that taking our goals/dreams seriously is different from becoming a serious person in pursue of our goals. Fellow Toastmasters, this is a practical metaphor, especially for us. Sometimes we become so serious and try too hard to deliver our
projects or any other role for that matter. Our primary focus is on trying hard to do well rather than leaving ourselves to float. In the process our body becomes stiff that it refuses to glide on the stage, our throat becomes dry that denies the
fluency of words and our face becomes expressionless like an uneven piece of plank.
Now tell me isn’t “guilty” the right word for taking things too seriously?
I have realized that in my recent past, I did better on the stage whilst not trying too hard
thinking that all that I wanted was to have fun. So the next time you are on stage “Don’t overdo it. Relax! Have fun”. Learn to shape your surfboard with gentle strokes and soft hands. Learn to float on waves instead of forcing yourself. After watching that movie Surf’s Up and analyzing my situation with Cody, I realized that
what Dr. Ralph Smedley said 90 years ago is really true: “We learn best in moments of enjoyment”
ORATOR July - September 2014 10
Writing is a skill that not many are blessed with,
and I realized this when our VP PR TM Vinay
asked us to submit an article for our club
newsletter “Orator”. I raised my hand with
confidence stating that I’d submit something this
time; But as time passed, my intentions of
writing started to fade away. Instead of writing
I started thinking of different kinds of excuses to
avoid it, such as; I was much too busy with my
job that I did not get the chance to write
anything.
Due to few financial issues I was unable to concentrate on writing; I speak as though I am a professional writer and publishers are standing
in queue to publish my books.
I also thought of taking an early vacation and
running away to Pakistan. But then, watching
the news off late made me re-think that it was
better to write the article instead.
I kept thinking about this on my way to the office
but it took me just 7 minutes to reach work, and
the only thing I did during that time was giving
directions to the taxi driver and getting tensed
looking at the traffic. In the office, I was trying
to concentrate on my work, but the fear within
me was building on gradually as we had to
submit the article in 7 days. From the way my
heart was pounding, I felt like I had to submit it
in an hour!
Then I opened my laptop and carefully placed my
fingers on the keyboard and sat. My brain
stopped working and I couldn’t think of
anything. I kept asking myself again and again
“what shall I write?”
This reminded me of my school days,
particularly during the annual exams, I used to
open my books just a week before the exams, and
all I could see was teasing faces made out of the
words on the pages, laughing at me. Sometimes
I felt that my history book slapping me! Some of
the books were so new that a squeaking sound
could be heard when they were opened like a
door that was shut for ages. This is not all, I
realized that some of the pages were not even
separated, and between them were some
unsolved mysteries. Believe me it was just the
start and there seem to be no end to it.
Usually I am very good in hiding my emotions
but this time I failed, even my colleague noticed
it. He came to me and asked me politely, “Amin
what is the matter? You seem to be disturbed.” I
looked at him and said, “Nothing mate it’s just
that I promised to submit an article for our club
newsletter this time and I can’t think of anything
No Escape Qaisar Amin (A member of TMI since April 2004, an investment banker by profession, also interested in toastmasters, movies, music, dancing and a lot more.)
MESSAGE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT (MEMBERSHIP)
ORATOR July - September 2014 11
to write. I had volunteered to write and now
everyone will be waiting to see something from
me. This is making me nervous.”
My colleague is a Finance guy and he gave it a
thought and said “well then, why don’t you just
say that you are not going to write anything this
time”. For a moment I thought about it and then
realized it was the worst idea, I could not quit
now.
That night I slept, but my mind stayed awake and in my mind I was drafting an article. It was all about how I felt and the next day the first thing I did was to write about my experience on how I felt. Yes, I did it. I wrote my first article for the
Club Newsletter, “The Orator”, and I am feeling great now!
I wanted my fellow Toastmasters to know how wonderful it is to be a part of the Toastmasters Fraternity. No matter how old I grow, where ever I go I will always be a Toastmaster and Toastmasters never quit, they always try and improve.
I love Dubai Toastmasters Club and its members.
I always try my best to experiment on how I can
bring advancement to our club, and I think it is
possible by bringing fresh blood to the club. One
of the strengths of DTC is its members and only
members can bring in more members. It is
imperative for our club to have new members in
order to retain and continue its position as one
of the best clubs of Dubai. So I need your help in
achieving and breaking all the records of
membership by bringing in as many guests as
possible and I promise that I’d do my best to
convert them to members. I know you can do it.
I have done it as well by writing this article. It
wasn’t that hard! I will be bringing at least one
guest to the meeting next time, What about you?
DUBAI TOASTMASTERS CLUB No.7492
AREA 7, DIV B, DISTRICT 20
THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
PRESIDENT
Deepak Gulati
055 668 1921
VICE PRESIDENT-EDUCATION
Abdul Khaliq
050 450 0 802
VICE PRESIDENT-MEMBERSHIP
Qaisar Amin
056 916 1874
VICE PRESIDENT-PUBLIC RELATIONS
Vinay Satheesh
055 107 6736
SECRETARY
Deepa Khemani
050 293 1625
TREASURER
Anindya Kar
050 657 1218
SERGEANT AT ARMS
Jose William
050 832 2964
Visit our website: www.dubaitoastmasters.com
Connect with us:
ORATOR July - September 2014 12
Mohammed Murad, DTM
International President
Tom Jones, DTM
International Director,
Region 1
Ross Mackay, DTM
International Director,
Region 6
Khaled Matlagaitu, DTM
International Director,
Region 11
Jim Kokocki, DTM
International President-Elect
Gloria Shishido, DTM
International Director,
Region 2
Sharon Anita Hill, DTM
International Director,
Region 7
Charlie Starrett, DTM
International Director,
Region 12
Mike Storkey, DTM
First Vice President
Karen Blake, DTM
International Director,
Region 3
Dennis E. Wooldridge, DTM
International Director,
Region 8
Deepak Menon, DTM
International Director,
Region 13
Balraj Arunasalam, DTM
Second Vice President
Joan Watson, DTM
International Director,
Region 4
Richard Peck, DTM
International Director,
Region 9
Patrick Oei, DTM
International Director,
Region 14
George Yen, DTM
Immediate Past International
President
Alan Shaner, DTM
International Director,
Region 5
Ede Ferrari D'Angelo, DTM
International Director,
Region 10
Each member of Toastmasters International's Board of Directors has accepted the mission of the organization and makes certain that
the mission is reflected in the decisions that they make.
In carrying out its responsibilities, the Board of Directors functions in the following major areas:
Upholding the mission, vision and values of Toastmasters International
Setting strategic direction for the organization
Policy development
Hiring the Executive Director
Budget and financial oversight
This Orator is dedicated to our own International President DTM Mohammed Murad
We are proud that we belong to Dubai Toastmasters Club, The Club of the International President
Mohammed Murad, DTM, of Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), is an entrepreneur and Managing Director of three companies.
He holds an MBA and a Master of Quality Management degree from the University of Wollongong in New South Wales,
Australia. He is also a graduate of the City of Dubai’s Leadership Development Program, and has received training at Harvard,
London Business School and the Singapore School of Government.
A dedicated Toastmaster since 1996, Murad is a member of Toastmasters Dubai Chapter club in Dubai. He has held a number of
high-profile leadership positions within the organization, and has attained the Distinguished Toastmaster designation—the
highest level of educational achievement in the organization.
Murad says Toastmasters will always be important in his life. “I am excited by the opportunity to give back to the organization
that has given me so much.”
As International President, Murad is a “working ambassador” for the organization. He works with the Board to develop, support
and modify the policies and procedures that guide the organization in fulfilling its mission. [Source: www.toastmasters.org]
COVER STORY: AT THE TOP
ORATOR July - September 2014 13
Source: Toastmasters
International Along with extensive experience in global marketing and branding, DTM Murad has more than 28 years of experience at the director and chief executive officer levels in emergency medical services management, human resource development and strategic planning for organizations.
Source: Gulf news dated
19/9/2014
The first Arab to head the non-profit group
Arriving back in Dubai from Kuala Lumpur, the former police officer told Gulf News: “It’s a privilege for me to represent my flag (the UAE) on the international stage. It’s a great honor, but at the same time it’s a great responsibility.”
As International President, Murad is a “working ambassador”
for the organization, tasked to develop, support and modify policies and procedures that guide the organization in fulfilling its mission.
In 2007, he was the first Emirati to be elected as International Director of Toastmasters in Arizona, getting 9,152 votes -- a landslide victory out of about 10,000 eligible votes representing Toastmasters clubs around the world.
On his agenda during his 2014-2015 term as International President, Murad said: “We don’t have a personal agenda… there’s a strategic plan and we need to fulfil it and make our organization reach as many people as possible in order for them to develop their skills.”
He credits the organization for it being a big part of his own transformation. “A large extent of my personal and professional success," he said, "came from being honed by Toastmasters. It’s truly a platform to developing self-confidence, better communication and leadership skills.
“Some are people who want to simply stay within their own circle of comfort… we don’t want to go outside or be introduced to others. My personal journey has taught me that if you do not go outside your circle of comfort, you’re not living to the fullest. It is a life to explore, not only a life to live… This is how we discover what we can do to be of service to others.” Graduate of the Police Academy's Cadet
ORATOR July - September 2014 14
Officer Course, graduate of University of Maryland Baltimore County's Emergency Medical Management Course. Hobbies: Extreme sports, reading, photography.
Family: Lives in Dubai
with wife Zareen and
two Children
Source: Khaleej times
dated 19/9/2014
“A lot of people don’t know we exist,” says Mohammed Murad.
Lt. Col (retired) Mohammed Murad, 49, used to be a police officer. He spent eight years patrolling the streets on the crime beat, hauling up criminals, on occasions going without sleep for two-three days. After the crime stint, he spent 12 years in the Emergency Medical System.
He tells Khaleej Times that joining TMI had an impact on his life in numerous ways. He has grown as a communicator and a leader.
“The change was very apparent. You learn the art of listening, and observing, not just talking, and being able to listen and understand without reacting. You learn to think and think before replying. This builds self confidence and improves us as people and leaders”.
“Our members are usually 35 and above, of mixed gender, but we need to appeal to the younger ones, the college-goers.”
Murad stresses the need to pursue knowledge. “There is no way a person can develop without learning, without increasing our knowledge of what interests us.” As for knowledge, Murad has been reading voraciously, but no fiction, “Only leadership, management and self-development books”. This is a man who has a big orange book on Spanish in his bookshelf because he likes picking up smatterings of languages. He speaks five. Only little bit of Russian, but fluently: Arabic, English, Hindi, Urdu and Persian. A preference for tea with milk but no sugar Has a fetish for pens, watches and daggers.
Source: The National
dated 1/9/2014
Retired Dubai police officer named president of Toastmasters
International
“It is definitely an honor and a privilege to represent the UAE as international president,”
“I hope to highlight the fact that Toastmasters is present here and that there is a platform to develop leadership skills.” Lt Col Murad joined Toastmaster after a friend invited him to a session.
“I didn’t really participate in that session, but I was fascinated. The next session I gave a two-minute speech on a subject, I can’t remember what it was, but I was voted best tabletop speaker of the night,” he said. Lt Col Murad joined the Dubai Toastmasters Club in 1996 when it had less than 35 members and just one club.
“Personally I have developed drastically through TMI. I built self-confidence and learnt how to relate to people and approach them, be able to persuade them.”
Toastmasters awards its highest level Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) to members who have achieved both the Advanced Communication Gold and Advanced Leader Silver awards. Lt Col Murad worked his way through the Toastmaster leadership and communication tracks to become a DTM by 2006.
“To become a distinguished toastmaster you have to complete both tracks, but it is done at your own pace. You teach yourself. There is no one pushing you into something you’re not ready for or restraining you from moving as fast as you want,” he said
ORATOR July - September 2014 15
Source: Interview by Loy
Machedo when
Mohammed Murad
became the 2nd vice
president of Toastmasters
International
If you dream of doing something, just go ahead and do it – DTM Murad
The man whom I once met at a
Toastmaster meeting somewhere in the
year 2002 still remains blurred yet fresh.
Dressed in a simple white Arabic
Kandora, well groom, soft spoken with
that famous Sylvester Stallone Smile. He
was not very tall but had a larger than life
persona. I mean the minute I met him,
there was something absolutely
charismatic about this man. He didn’t say
much. Yet his smile, his serene demeanor
and his subtle signature silence would say
so much, that you would have to reflect to
wonder what actually conspired.
Following that, I met him at his office. And
Volia! What a difference.
The man whom I felt looked so angelic
and child-like, was now in a full-fledged
functioning uniform. More like watching
one of those Indian Movies where you get
the hero of the movie walking in the Police
Officers Dress – Looking Smart Savvy
and Slick, he was dressed in full glory of
the Prim Proper and Poised Policeman.
And boy, was that a sight to behold.
There at the office, he was sharp. To the
point. Polite yet Firm. Sensitive yet tough.
He was the man who would get the job
done. And being part of the Police Force
was not the part where he would carry a
gun in his smart police car making that
eerie noise that would scare off the bad
guys – It was more of a man dedicated to
making the city safe where the Ambulance
Services would be provided to those in
need. And where many a times it would
save lives. Not just one. But also the lives
of those others depended on. He kept the
city of millions safe, secure and sound.
And finally, I saw him as a businessman.
Brilliant, Buoyant and Bold. Where he
made decisions fast. Though not as
furious you would expect a car-action
movie sequence. But good enough to
know, you were in the presence of a man
who may be didn’t know everything but
was never scared to admit and learn new
things to excellence.
The only thing that may never have
changed, are his values, principles and
morals.
Source: Interview by
Saleh Abdullah Al
Khamyasi
What made you join Toastmasters?
A friend who casually asked me to come to a meeting. I joined and never looked back. When did you embark on your Toastmasters' Journey?
1996, there was only one club in Dubai at that time, I joined in the first year, but wasn't a chartered member. From UAE to USA the dream is overwhelming tell us about that?
I am a firm believer of the
saying whatever happens to you is none of your business; all you need to do is work hard. I never had
this dream of becoming the President of Toastmasters but I worked hard in every leadership position I held and as things unfolded, I got closer to making a difference on the largest
ORATOR July - September 2014 16
scale possible. What are the habits of a highly effective toastmaster from your
perspective? Habits will automatically fall in place if you uphold the values of Toastmasters: Integrity, Respect, Service and Excellence. How did Toastmasters enhance your qualities as a leader? I got tremendous self -confidence, which in turn enhanced my people skills and long term planning. How did Toastmasters enhance your qualities as a father? If a person follows and implements certain values in their own life, it automatically gets transferred to the people around him or
her, and specially the closest ones. Having said
that, I believe I learned to listen to my children more often than trying to preach, and then lead by example is one of the qualities I diligently implement.
The Philosophy of Toastmasters as a platform rotates around learning through enjoying, doing and motivating can you elaborate on that?
You need to have a fun factor in everything you do in life, Toastmasters is no
different, an individual will need to experience it to understand the value of it and then enjoy the journey. Speech, humor, table topics and Evaluation which segment has benefited you most?
Undoubtedly Evaluation, in my opinion it is the most important learning segment in the whole Toastmasters program.
A leader is a communicator and a communicator is a leader can you explain this?
The first step to leadership is
communication. The better communicator a person is the better leader he or she becomes.
How did reading enhance your leadership skills? Tell us about your reading habits and what are you reading now?
I do not read fiction, I read self-development and business books, I make sure that I read at least one book a month, and on top of that I listen to many audio books in
ORATOR July - September 2014 17
the car. Knowledge is one of the corner stones of leadership; unfortunately I
realized that late in my life, I am trying to catch up now. I am reading a book called The Psychology Book now, it is an interesting book. What are your hobbies? Extreme Sports like Bungee Jumping, Sky Diving, Deep Sea Diving, collection watches, pens and knives, and reading. How do you strike a balance between your commitments? I resort to
the magic mix of Time Management and Delegation. Are any of your family members a toastmaster? And how did your long Toastmasters training impact the environment at home? None of them, but they support me fully.
Toastmasters has taught me that communication is an important aspect of a healthy family environment, so I communicate well. What is in your Toastmasters’ agenda this year?
Continuing to add value at every level.
A last word you want to
conclude with? There is no replacement of persistence and consistency. Nothing comes for free so work hard to fulfill your dreams
Testimonials
Abdel Rahman El Housseiny
Congratulations C. Murad for this huge success and great responsibility. It was an honor to witness Colonel Murad going all the way up to the top of the hill of Toastmasters International Organization.
I am certain that Toastmasters international will not be the same organization one year from today.
The first time I met him was in 2009, he was sitting beside me. When the club president acknowledged his presence as the International Director, he looked at me with his welcoming smile and said “yes this is me” Every meeting since, when his presence is acknowledged, I look at him and say “this is you isn't it? “
I wish to see a Toastmasters club in every university and in the near future a gavel club in every school.
Velu Arumugam [Past Area Governor 2013-2014]
I know Mr. Murad since I joined Dubai Toastmasters Club in September 2005 and it’s a great honor for me to express my feelings about this great person.
He is a rare personality with a unique combination of brilliance, passion, and empathy. He has been a great source of inspiration and encouragement for me & for everyone around us. His
ORATOR July - September 2014 18
aura of an ever-smiling, simple & humble person connects very easily with every heart he meets & who in turn love & bless him honestly. I truly admire Mr. Murad’s perseverance and leadership skills with which he pursues his passion and the way he instills his idealism and leadership values in others by living with such values.
He has been a great mentor and speaker on leadership, with special talent, that reflects marvelously whenever he is on the stage to speak. His commitment to being a leader is a fine reflection of his inner personality & the value systems that he emits & cultivates. It is not often that we meet such an extraordinarily person like Mr. Murad; A person whom I consider to be an enlightened visionary with a wonderful heart and who radiates positivity wherever he is. His boundless energy and dedication will surely steer Toastmasters International to greater heights. I am glad that such a fine & deserving person is leading TMI as International President and I’m sure that he will bring a remarkable
difference within Toastmasters and in many lives across the world, for which this role is just a beginning.
Gemma Zust [Past President of DTC]
DTM Colonel Mohammad Murad, the warmest congratulations on this well-deserved, inspirational and momentous appointment.
We are excited to see what you can contribute during your post. I very much look forward to reading your monthly column in the TMI magazine.
Greater use of social media to connect Toastmasters across the globe, including campaigns to get all TMs utilizing it. It can be used to follow TMI developments (educational program role out etc.) and follow TMs around the world as they achieve milestones and make valuable contributions to Toastmasters whether completing DTM or speaking to an audience of 1000+ or hosting a Toastmasters party or helping charity etc. – whatever TMI feels is appropriate.
Seetha Sagaran
Mohammed is a gentleman
who has now taken up not
just the mantle of our
President of Toastmasters
International but a living
legend to all who believe in
the philosophy -
Make your Dream Happen
by Helping Others as You
Make Your Dream Come
True.
I'm very happy for him and
proud of his achievement. All
the BEST Mohammed.
I think one day in the
Toastmaster calendar is
dedicated to Mentors, as
they play a phenomenal role
in ones life and it is only apt
that one day we celebrate
them!
Shahjahan Beyabani
I met Mohamed Murad, on 15
Feb 1999 when I attended as
a guest at the 87th meeting of
Dubai Toastmaster’s Club
(DTC) at the Airport Hotel in
Dubai.
I was very impressed by this
simple man who was the Club
President then, when he gave
ORATOR July - September 2014 19
the Presidents’ address at the
start of that meeting. He
gave a very ordinary speech
with an extra ordinary
message of simplicity and
humbleness, welcoming each
and every guest present
therein, and encouraging
them to join the Club.
He was then a Captain in
Dubai Police and heading
Ambulance Department as
its Director. Over a period of
time, his Titles have changed
from Captain to Major to Lt.
Colonel, but he as a person
remained the same, very
humble, easily accessible,
and a simple human being, a
true Leader. His signature
smile radiates immeasurable
energy and positivity which
might have really swept of
many over the years, but his
respect for Values,
Dedication and Passion have
remained intense.
His enthusiasm, passion for
excellence in Leadership, and
dedication, is simply
amazing! I was a member of
his team as a Sergeant at
Arms when we were the host
club for the Gulf
Toastmasters Annual
Convention during October
1999, (Equivalent of DTAC)
where I really witnessed his
Leadership.
He is a multi-tasker – While
he was the President of our
Club, he was also doing his
part time MBA, and leading
the Ambulance Department,
having a family with
growing Children, and still
used to find time over
weekends to immerse in his
passion of extreme sports –
Bungee Jumping , Para
Gliding, Para Sailing to
name a few.
He is a very sociable person
as well, I recollect the fun we
had when he threw a party
for DTC at his sprawling
farm house on Al Ain road
near Marmum!
I have witnessed him as a
TMOD when he conducted
the 154 Meeting on 06
August 2001 ‘Fight or Flight”
at the Al Futtaim Training
Centre.
I would truly say, we are
very fortunate that we
belong to DTC which was
lead by this simple & smiling
human being, a true Leader,
who became the
International Director by
virtue of his passion and
dedication. I am sure he will
take TMI to greater heights.
I salute this Leader DTM
Mohammed Murad !
Swapna Nair
Mighty Mabrook!!! to Our
Own Col DTM Mohammed
Murad!
Being crowned the
International President of
Toastmasters International
is no ordinary feat but
Colonel has managed to
achieve this mind-
mystifying fantastic feat
from amongst 313,000
members across the world in
126 countries. And how - in
his own very sweet
unassuming way.
Recently there was a popular
WhatsApp message doing the
rounds, which read, "Silence
& Smile are two powerful
tools. Smile is the way to
solve many problems and
Silence is the way to avoid
many problems." and that
definitely reminded me of
ORATOR July - September 2014 20
our own Col Mohammed
Murad as he is usually shy
and relatively silent but
always smiling - not just
smiling with his mouth but
smiling with his heart. How
do I know that - coz his smile
reaches my heart and
undoubtedly it reaches the
hearts of everyone who cross
his path. That is Colonel for
every one of us - a simple
gentleman who speaks from
his heart and exhibits
exemplary leadership skills
and above all else a shining
example of how a human
being should be - grounded,
down-to-earth, humble,
courteous, kind and caring of
his fellow-mates irrespective
of the fact that he is nearly
residing in the clouds with
his super successful business
and innumerable laudable
professional
accomplishments while he
served with Dubai
Government.
Just as the admirable leaders
of UAE keep putting Dubai /
UAE on the world map
through their various
achievements, so did our own
Col Mohammed Murad
ensure in his own
commendable way that he
too put Dubai / UAE on the
world map by becoming the
International President of
Toastmasters International -
the world's leading
communication and
leadership development
organization. He has made
our beloved country proud
and everyone who knows
him are basking in this glory
and pride and elated with
the super success!
On behalf of all D'Chaps, we
are positive that DTM
Murad is going to set many
new benchmarks and
milestones in Toastmasters'
history in this year under his
incredible leadership. May
Great God Bless all his efforts!
Uma Radhakrishnan [Past
Region Advisor - Region 11-
2012 – 2013]
DTM Mohammed Murad or
Colonel Murad as I like to
call him offers us an insight
not only into what the
journey of an IDEAL
Toastmaster should be but he
also exemplifies the IDEAL
journey of a
Toastmaster. He started out
his journey as a member of
our chapter with the
leadership position of VP PR,
each additional position
enhancing his leadership
potential and making him
more service
oriented. Leadership is not
about stopping when one’s
own goals are achieved. It’s
about helping others achieve
theirs. A patient, silent
listener before offering
advice he is someone who
would let you do the thinking
to derive your own answers
by asking the right
questions. A true
toastmaster in word and
deed Colonel Murad walks
his talk and is an inspiration
to all Toastmasters. A hard
act to follow! We are proud
of you Colonel…Lead on!
V P Menon [Division B
Governor 2014-2015]
Dear DTM Mohammed
Murad, what a remarkable
achievement this is! I take
this opportunity to
congratulate you on being
the President of
Toastmasters International
for 2014-2015. This is a very
ORATOR July - September 2014 21
noteworthy milestone
especially at a time when
Toastmasters International
is celebrating its 90th
anniversary. You had a
vision and you brought it to
reality. You have always
been a great support to
Dubai Toastmasters Club
and its members and I have
always felt proud to be part
of this very unique club. I
also take this opportunity to
thank you for all your
support to me within and
outside
Toastmasters. Whenever I
needed any help from you,
you have always come
forward to give me the
support so willingly. You are
an inspiration to many of us
and because of you, we feel
motivated to dream more, do
more & achieve more. I love
your tagline which says
“Together Towards
Tomorrow”. We all have
long journeys ahead of us
and we will make it a
successful journey, a journey
“Together Towards
Tomorrow”. I wish you a
wonderful year ahead as the
President of Toastmasters
International.
Ahmad Al Tayer
Dear Mohammed Murad,
I want to extend my
heartiest congratulations to
you on becoming the
International President of
Toastmasters.
Well, everybody knew it was
just a matter of time before
your hard work paid off. We
also knew that if anyone
could, it would be you. It
takes a great deal of talent,
effort, and determination to
achieve what you have
achieved. It is very inspiring
for me to see you achieve
this. Your skills and smarts
will surely serve you well
and add great value to the
Toastmasters clubs across the
globe.
Best wishes for your
continual success. I cannot
wait to see how impressed
everyone would be when you
start making a new level of
difference in the
Toastmasters clubs. I am
extremely confident that
your future holds many
more promotions of such
prestige.
Your brother TM Ahmad Al
Tayer
Deepa khemani
I feel he is a true inspiration
for all of us and I personally
would love to imbibe a lot of
qualities from him. I wish
Colonel Murad the best in his
new endeavor.
Member Experience Being a member of Toastmasters International involves more than just showing up at meetings and giving a speech now and then. Toastmasters’ membership is about being part of a supportive group of individuals in your local area who share the common goal of improving their communication and leadership skills. From meeting roles and mentoring to speech contests and satellite programs, Toastmasters International offers a host of ways for members to progress and thrive. The educational program is the heart of every Toastmasters club. It provides members with a proven curriculum that develops communication and leadership skills one step at a time, with many opportunities for awards and recognition along the way. The communication and leadership tracks are not mutually exclusive; you may participate in both at the same time, if you wish.
ORATOR July - September 2014 22
I’m an off-spring of two
Scorpios, a zodiac sign that
supposedly indicates
inflexibility or rigidity, both
very difficult traits to work
with. Some of those traits
were passed on to me as well
and it took my offspring to
straighten me out. I’m
thankful to my daughter for
testing my patience for the
past 25 years and educating
me on the flexibility of mind.
A precious gift! When I looked
around myself, I see the same
inflexibility torturing the life
and soul of people around me.
Mental Inflexibility curbs our
creativity, curbs our tolerance
and curbs our chances to
become better human beings.
The way out is pretty simple.
All we have to do is learn to
FLEX it!
Free thinking: How do we
learn to do this? The first step
is to SEAT ourselves, ‘Stop
Everything And Think’. When
faced with situations where-in
you are too rigid to embrace a
new thing, SEAT yourself.
Think. Put yourself in the
other person’s shoes. You’ll
get a new perspective. We are
not talking about random
thoughts here but focused,
productive thinking. What if
it IS the other way? Why does
it have to be this way? What is
the worst that can happen?
What am I actually worried
about? Slowly the answers
start to unravel and we are
able to narrow down to the
actual reason for resistance.
Most often it would be “what
will people think?” But
believe me this question has
killed more dreams than
anything else in this world!
Look for ways to live the
thought: Is it just enough to
SEAT yourself? Where do you
go with that? I’m referring to
the Action part here.
Acceptance gives you the
freedom to act upon it in any
manner we see right. To
sustain that new found
flexibility, identify places you
can compromise for starters.
Stay in that 30,000 foot above
view, a macro view of where
you want to be. You know the
intended result, but this gives
you the flexibility to choose
the comfortable route to reach
that place. The macro view
allows you to SEAT yourself
again questioning yourself.
Why am I doing this? Is there
another way to do it? Am I
doing this because this has
always been the way? How
often have we heard this
response “that’s the way
we’ve always done it”.
Enjoying that Freedom: It is
not easy as it seems. The effort
and results may bog you down.
That is why we should learn to
enjoy that freedom. Be in the
moment. Allow yourself to
enjoy the fruits of that
freedom. You have earned it!
Do not allow that freedom to
be corrupted by inflexible
people around you. Practice
exercises that promote
physical flexibility – yoga ,
jujitsu, meditation which will
give you more inner strength
to be IN it. Enjoy that
freedom!
Flex it! DTM Uma Radhakrishnan (A member of TMI since 2001, a trainer & entrepreneur, also interested in music, yoga & empowering youth)
FLEX IT!
ORATOR July - September 2014 23
Exemplify it : If you love
something what should we do?
Exemplify it! Share it so that
others can learn from it.
Exemplifying it provides
sustenance to this new found
skill and helps you to stay with
it. Keep practicing. Catch
yourself when you want to say
“can’t, won’t, shouldn’t” and
replace it with “we’ll see, l
hope to and why not”. In all
aspects of life, the person with
the most varied responses
wins- Kelly Perdew.
Real power comes from
mental flexibility. It’s about
taking the driver’s seat,
stopping everything to think,
and re-gaining power over
oneself. Even if you think that
you are a flexible person, you
might surprise yourself some
more, gain power over
yourself some more by Flexing
it. What ‘free thinking’, Living
that thought, Enjoying that
freedom and Exemplifying it
can do for you will make you
even more powerful.
Flexibility, as displayed by water, is a sign of life. Rigidity, its opposite, is an indicator of death - Anthony Lawlor
10 Tips for Public Speaking
1. Know your material. Pick a topic you are interested in. Know more about
it than you include in your speech. Use humor, personal stories and
conversational language – that way you won’t easily forget what to say.
2. Practice. Practice. Practice! Rehearse out loud with all equipment you
plan on using. Revise as necessary. Work to control filler words; Practice,
pause and breathe. Practice with a timer and allow time for the unexpected.
3. Know the audience. Greet some of the audience members as they arrive.
It’s easier to speak to a group of friends than to strangers.
4. Know the room. Arrive early, walk around the speaking area and practice
using the microphone and any visual aids.
5. Relax. Begin by addressing the audience. It buys you time and calms your
nerves. Pause, smile and count to three before saying anything. ("One one-
thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand. Pause. Begin.) Transform
nervous energy into enthusiasm.
6. Visualize yourself giving your speech. Imagine yourself speaking, your
voice loud, clear and confident. Visualize the audience clapping – it will
boost your confidence.
7. Realize that people want you to succeed. Audiences want you to be
interesting, stimulating, informative and entertaining. They’re rooting for
you.
8. Don’t apologize for any nervousness or problem – the audience probably
never noticed it.
9. Concentrate on the message – not the medium. Focus your attention
away from your own anxieties and concentrate on your message and your
audience.
10. Gain experience. Mainly, your speech should represent you — as an
authority and as a person. Experience builds confidence, which is the key to
effective speaking. A Toastmasters club can provide the experience you
need in a safe and friendly environment.
ORATOR July - September 2014 24
After reading about the
enchanting beauty of Kashmir.
Finally my dream to visit this
mesmerizing place was
fulfilled. And that too on my
birthday. We took a flight to
Srinagar roughly one and a
half hours from Delhi passing
over the Pir Panjer Mountains.
As soon as we were out of the
airport I pinched myself to
make sure it was for real. We
had a cab to take us to
Gulmarg. Going uphill, the
landscape was enjoyable and
the beauty of the hills and
mountains were great. After
an hour on the road with a
wonderful treat to the eyes we
reached Gulmarg. I was
awestruck with the scenic
beauty.
Snowcapped mountains and
pine trees. It was my 1st
experience walking on snow.
Children’s joy knew no
bounds. After checking into
Green Park Hotel, we decided
to take a walk and that was
one of the most memorable
time of my life. Peace and
serenity of the place was
feeding my soul.
Next day onwards we were
packed for some short skiing
lessons. The temperature in
Gulmarg was such that with
the skiing dress only our faces
were visible. Skating classes
helped the kids as skiing
involves some of those
principles. It was fun.
Slopping down the ice but
getting back was a task for a
plump lady like me. But was
happy that I may lose a few
grams this way. Slopping
down on the tube and being
pulled back on the sledge was
a common sight. As if this was
not enough the kids were
treated to hot Maggi by their
instructors for their brave
efforts. Yes friends don’t be
surprised. Maggi is much
more delicious to eat at such a
great height.
Later in the day we took the
Gondola ride to visit
Khilanmarg. Gondola ride is
the world 2nd largest and
Asia’s longest and highest
cable car network. It takes U
to Koongdori mountain which
is a part of the Afarwat peak at
a height of 13,780ft. While on
way the beauty was
enthralling n breathtaking as
the clouds seems so near.
From the 1st peak station at
KOONGDORI we could have a
breathtaking bird’s eye view
of the entire valley region .We
got down at the 2nd phase and
walked for while. It just didn’t
seem we were at such a great
height. Then we decided to
take a ride on the snow
scooters. It was something
similar to dune bashing of
Dubai. The driver took us up n
down the hilly areas. Where it
was snowing hot tea or the
local Kahwa was best to keep a
check on the cold condition.
On the 2nd day it was snowing.
So it was time for play. Yes
even mummies played making
and throwing snowballs and
making snowman. It was 1st
time in my life I was standing
in snow and it falling over
me. Soon all the trees were
covered with snow .We then
Tours with Deepa : Season 1 Heavan on Earth – Kashmir Deepa Khemani (A member of TMI since December 2011, a dentist by profession but now a home maker, also interested in baking, cooking, travelling and being with her family)
HEAVEN ON EARTH - KASHMIR
ORATOR July - September 2014 25
returned to sit by the Bukhari
(wooden burning stove) to
warm ourselves up with the
hotel owner’s dog named
THABBA.
NEXT DAY we left for Srinagar
a place with lots of
sightseeing. Srinagar is a very
beautiful city with River
Jhelum.
We started off by visiting the
Shankar Acharya temple by
walking up the last 270 steps
amid tight security. We then
visited the Pari mahal which
was once a royal observatory.
Here we rented the local
dresses and tried to look like
Kashmiris.
Chasmeshahi, is a tastefully
laid garden terrace with a
view of Dal Lake below and
surrounding mountains
around it. The refreshing
spring water is considered to
be the purest and many royals
like Nehru used to drink water
from here only. It seems it has
medicinal value too.
Nishat bagh – is located on the
banks of Dal Lake. This
'garden of bliss' commands a
magnificent view of the lake
and the snow capped Pir
Panjal Mountain. With a canal
running through the centre,
there were beautifully laid
terraces blooming with
flowers.
Also a must visit is the
Shalimar garden located
nearby. It is a beautiful garden
with sweeping vistas. These
gardens were made by the
Moghuls and are popular
EXCURSION SPOTS.
DAL Lake ---Trip to Kashmir is
incomplete without sitting in
a Shikara or staying in a House
boat. DAAL LAKE HAS THE
CITY ON ONE SIDE AND THE
OTHER THREE SIDES ARE
SURROUNDED BY PIR PANJAR
MOUNTAINS. As we took
round in the colorful shikara
and some named house boats
like Elizabeth, we came across
the floating market and it
looked like a floating town by
itself. People were staying
there and had their own
garden and made their
livelihood by fishing, selling
vegetables etc.
During winters when the
entire lake freezes, skiing
competitions happen here.
Visit to any city is incomplete
without shopping and
Kashmir is famous for its
pashmina shawls. I too got one
and some other handicrafts.
Finally, the next day we flew
back to Delhi. But the
memories of the scenic beauty
and serenity of Kashmir will
be etched in my mind forever.
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ORATOR July - September 2014 26
If you ask a 5 year old “Where
does money come from?” most
likely his response would be
the ATM or a Purse. The kid
only said, what he observed.
He does not see a correlation
that you invested your body
and time to earn a decent
living for them.
Children today are more
demanding and inquisitive.
You can see that in their
behavior. They could
blackmail you for an ice-
cream for doing homework,
they would roll tears for a toy
or a doll and make sure that
you purchase it out of
embarrassment. They want
multiple dresses, stationary,
shoes and everything the
moment they see it. And if you
say NO, deep down they will
start thinking “Are we poor?”
or "do my parents love me?”
Let’s see what and when to tell
a child about money.
Age 5-7
Aim to teach: What is money?
How does Daddy get money
home?
Lesson 1: Ask him what is
money? Show him the notes
and coins of all denominations
and tell him that everything
has a cost which is money. The
ice cream, the dress, the
school, the van, Maggi
noodles, the fruits, the
vehicle, the petrol, the fan, the
electricity, the band aid, the
water park etc. So money
comes and goes through goods
and services exchanged. We
cannot make school and diary
milk at home. So money is
important.
Lesson 2: Ask kid does he/she
miss you when you go to
office? Tell them you miss
them too but in order to earn
money you need to go to office
and work hard. You work for
the entire month and then you
get some money which would
be for an entire month and
this is the money that the
office stores in the ATM which
you can withdraw when
needed. Show him that it is not
the ATM which gives money,
but it is the hard work and
time you or your spouse
devote towards work. Making
kids understand the relation
between hard work and
money is the crux.
Age 7-9
Aim to teach: Value of Savings
& Investments
Lesson 3: This is the time
when you can give some cash
to kids to handle on their own.
You can give them pocket
money and tell them that if
they want a picnic out on the
weekend they have to
contribute. Or ask them what
do they want? Suppose your
child wants a tablet, tell him
that he needs to save X amount
Financial Lessons for Kids: What & When? Aadil Kadri (A member of TMI since April 2010, a Certified Financial Planner by profession, also interested in calligraphy & graphology)
FINANCIAL LESSONS FOR KIDS: WHAT & WHEN?
ORATOR July - September 2014 27
for Y months to get the
tablet. When you shop for
something tell him to count
and pay. Let him calculate
balance and denominations of
notes to pay. This is not a
onetime instance but should
be a routine.
Lesson 4: This is the time you
sit with your kid and teach
him about daily or routine
expenses. You tell him that
groceries are a routine but
vacation or expenses
for higher education are not.
Show him that you are saving
for these long term goals. Tell
him the difference between
savings and investment.
Explain to him in a
nontechnical way, the concept
of interest and accumulation
(the grasshopper and the ant
story). Share stories where
people started saving and
became self-reliant
by reaching their goals
without difficulty.
Age 9-13
Aim to teach: Basic concepts
of Investments & Debt
Lesson 5: Teach them the
power of compounding and
interest concept in a simple
way. Tell them about savings
bank account, recurring
deposit and fixed deposit. Tell
them how these avenues help
to build corpus for future use.
Lesson 6: Teach them dangers
of debt. Show them how home
loan and credit card works.
Correlate method of savings
and debt. Tell them how
you contributed maximum
from your savings to lower
your loan amount and pay less
EMIs. Do role playing by
giving them a small personal
loan for their need and
deduct EMIs from the pocket
money.
And before you teach -
1) Show respect for money in
your financial behavior.
2) Make wise investments &
purchase decisions.
3) Put some time to educate
yourself with financial
concepts.
4) Lead in the eyes of your kid
by setting examples.
5) Be patient with kids. Do not
expect Warren Buffet or
Benjamin Graham attitude
from them on day 1.
Being a parent myself, I am
eager to learn about new
things I can teach my kid and
how.
Do share your stories on how
you tackle your kid or maybe
on how your parents
tackled you?
Waiting for your comments.
Happy Investing!!!!
Visual Aids & PowerPoint
Keep your visual aids:
Visible
Simple
Colorful, but don't let them
upstage you
Justified by the content -- not
too many or too few slides
For effective PowerPoint shows:
Don't read the slides to your
audience!
Make your text large.
Choose colors that make the
text easier to read.
Use bullet points instead of full
sentences.
Don't let the text or graphics
fly around too much.
Avoid charts and diagrams that
are hard to see.
Most Importantly - Remember, you
control the presentation; don’t let it
control you. PowerPoint should be
a “visual aid” – not the entire show.
ORATOR July - September 2014 28
Those of us who experienced an ‘away-from-it-all’ Summer Holiday have returned refreshed and relaxed to the normalcy of work. Those who
had to stay put to keep the system going, long for their
turn.
We did meet our distant loved
ones, visited distant lands and
sights.
For some of us, there were
occasions when the breeze
brought in a certain aroma
that made us stop in our track
to wonder: Don’t I know that
fragrance? At a dining table or
in a wayside shop, the tip of
our tongue declared: This
taste is very familiar. When
was the last time I
experienced it? Our nostrils,
our taste buds carry us to a
time, to a place, an occasion, a
person that we thought we
had left behind for good.
Nothing short of a trip down
the memory lane, to borrow a
phrase that says it all. It is
indeed surprising how a
certain smell, a certain taste,
a certain sight can achieve this
instantaneous flashback in our
minds, in all its emotional
ambience.
During this year’s holiday trip
to India, my daughter and I
visited Mumbai for a two day
workshop. We stayed in a
comfortable hotel not very far
from the heart of the city.
A faint smell of mothballs
escaped as soon as I opened
the cupboard in the room. A
whiff of that smell took me to
my hotel room in Trivandrum
where I stayed while a student
with my parents, some twenty
two years before. The moth
ball smell there, I
remembered, was a bit
stronger. But the highlight of
the Trivandrum room was not
the smell. A giant of (well,
nearly) a dark colored
cockroach flew out of the
cupboard, more shocked than
me by my intrusion into its
home. Fortunately, no such
surprise awaited my daughter
in the Mumbai hotel room!
Of course, some of the
memories that we associate
with aromas are less
dramatic, such as my
memories that I associate with
warm, delicious, vanilla-
flavored golden sweet Bombay
Toasts (please don’t ask me
why I call them by that name –
I haven’t the faintest idea! A
childhood name for those
toasts, I suppose).
Bombay Toasts evoke in me
the familiar fragrance of my
childhood years, the aroma of
my Mom’s food, my Dad’s
sunny laughter, my brother’s
jokes on how we used to play
mischief while we were in
school and so much more. This
breakfast snack opens such a
treasure trove of joy – each
bite invites beautiful
memories that cascade from
the first bite till the last. A
pleasure to my soul as well as
a satisfactory solution to my
appetite.
Nostalgia Seetha Sagaran (A member of TMI since 2004, a personal development trainer, also interested in reading, writing, travelling, studying, painting, singing, music, dancing and interior designing.)
NOSTALGIA
ORATOR July - September 2014 29
Take the case of our President
Deepak and his favorite
breakfast – Aloo Puri.
This breakfast triggers
beautiful memories of
weekend breakfasts that he
used to enjoy as a child with
his parents. The ultimate
breakfast that he used to wait
for eagerly. Come Sunday, his
Mom’s spicy Aloo Puri
(sautéed potato stir fry and
golden fried wheat puffs) was
at the breakfast table, his
parents waiting for him to join
in.
“During childhood, our
Sundays were not complete
without Mom’s delicious Aloo
Puri” he says with his lively
smile.
“Stuffed Mushrooms” is one
dish that our Club Secretary
Deepa enjoys for their special
significance.
This dish makes her recall
romantic winter dinners
prepared by her husband,
Dheeraj. “Dheeraj prepares
this dish really well and he
enjoys making this for me”,
says the doting wife.
Next time you experience a
certain aroma that triggers a
journey to the past, taste a
certain food that your taste
buds vaguely recognize, feel a
glow about a certain music or
song, put in a little extra effort
to locate where you have been
transported to. Other than
pure nostalgia, what else does
the emotional experience give
you? Are you richer by the
“alerting” you felt? Could you
add to the value of the
experience? Should there be
anything disturbing or
saddening about the memories
invoked, how can you
neutralize the effect and turn
it around as something that
you can derive strength from?
Our associations with our past
through our senses is far more
closer than we realize or are
willing to admit. Association
of our consciousness with
taste, aromas, smells and
odors can conjure up feelings
and emotions experienced in
the past and sometimes even
lead to an uncanny feeling of
Deja Vu.
On a grander scale of
knowledge & understanding
about ourselves and the
world, our senses indeed
provide us with knowledge
that exceeds the realm of mere
memories.
Gestures: Get
Moving!
Start with eye contact. Being prepared –
having control of your message – is a
prerequisite for being able to project and
establish a bond with the audience.
Don’t just pass your gaze throughout
the room; try to focus on individual
listeners and create a bond with them
by looking them directly in the eyes for
five to 10 seconds.
Smile!
Express emotion with your facial
muscles. For inspiration, take a look at
the The Human Face, a BBC
documentary narrated by John Cleese
of Monty Python fame.
Avoid distracting mannerisms – have a
friend watch as you practice and look for
nervous expressions such as fidgeting,
twitching, lip biting, key jingling, hands
in pockets or behind the back.
Telling a story? Highlight the action
verbs and look for ways to act out one
or more parts. Speaking about
marathon running? Run a few steps.
Stay true to your personality. Don’t copy
gestures from a book or other speaker,
but respond naturally to what you feel
and say.
Make gestures convincing. Every hand
gesture should be total body movement
that starts from the shoulder – never
from the elbow. Half-hearted gestures
look artificial.
Vary your speaking position by moving
from one spot on the stage to
another. For example, walk to the other
side of the stage as you move to a new
topic or move toward the audience as
you ask a question.
ORATOR July - September 2014 30
I am handsome, I am tall, I am
fit, I am happy and I am
confident.
It is not a joke! It is my habit before I leave for work! And that makes me feel confident. All of us are confident in our
daily routines, this is just
because we experience it
everyday.
But while setting tough goals,
we experience lack of
confidence.
I have some suggestions as
below:
If you want to be confident,
focus on solutions.
I will give you a technique
which is called the 5 why
analysis.
It was developed by Toyota
Motors to improve the quality
in manufacturing. But it can
be used in our life problems
too.
Let’s say, I am not confident
because I am fat!
I am fat – why? The answer
goes as below.
I can’t do exercise – why?
I have no energy – why?
I can’t stop eating junk food –
why?
I can’t motivate myself – why?
I have no one to motivate me.
We reached the target. Find
someone who can motivate
you!
By repeating ‘why’ minimum
five times, the nature of the
problems and its solutions
become clear.
We can make this as habit.
Another reason for not being
confident is our negative
thoughts.
Do not focus on our internal
negative dialogues. “Oh my
God! Am I going to finish this
project within the short
period? If not, I will be fired?
Maybe, my boss will not trust
me any more.”
Say “STOP!”
Think positively: You can,
you should, and if you are
brave enough to start. You
will.
Be completely honest with
yourself (Avoid shortcuts).
When you are honest you can
feel confidence because you
have nothing to hide.
When you focus too much on
what you want, the mind
creates reasons on why you
can’t have it. This will work on
your weaknesses.
There was a time when I
doubted my abilities and I was
too focused on thinking that I
couldn’t do it, and that led me
to almost commit a terrible
mistake which could have
spoiled my academic career.
Workouts for confidence Jose William (A member of TMI since August 2013, warehouse manager at Saint Vincent Group GT LLC, also interested in movies and loves to learn whatever improves his career and quality of life)
WORKOUTS FOR CONFIDENCE
ORATOR July - September 2014 31
During my first year pre-
degree exam I was about to
attend the last prose exam.
There was a discussion with
my friends about two critical
possible essays which we
couldn’t prepare.
At the last minute I got
confused, I flipped the pages
again and again. It was too
late!
One of us suggested why we
don’t we keep a small chit to
copy from? The value of that
question was for 30 marks!
True, marks were important!
So we prepared some points
on the chit and put it in our
pockets.
The Examiner appeared, and
we got the answer papers to
be filled.
I filled the ID details on the
first page.
Suddenly the examiner stated
with his thick scary voice, “If
any chit or notes are in your
pockets, this is the right time
to give it to me or the window
is there to throw it outside!”
There was pin drop silence.
I became nervous, my heart
beat increased and I started to
bite my nails.
I tried to recall the answers of
what I prepared, and Oh God!
My mind was blank, I couldn’t
remember anything!
Immediately, my heart told
me, Jose, you never cheated
before, throw it!
I crushed the small chit and
threw it out with full force.
The examiner noticed this, but
he smiled. Everyone was
laughing at me. But I didn’t
care.
After few seconds, I saw, there
were more chits flying over
my head, my friends did the
same thing as me!
I went through the entire
questions as I got the question
paper, and yes, the critical
essays were there!
I started to answer one by one.
Meanwhile, I noticed, my
mind was getting better.
There was some sort of
confidence! In the end, I dared
to attempt those 2 critical
essays, George Bernard
Shaw’s daring attempt & life
of William Shakespeare.
I tried to recall everything I
heard in the class room,
Doctor’s Dilemma, George
Bernard Shaw’s daring
attempt against the doctors
and filled in my answer
sheets.
This is the reason why I like
George Bernard Shaw. He once
said, “My way of joking is to
tell the truth, it’s the funniest
joke in the world.”
I learned two things,
dishonesty spoils confidence
and self-esteem boosts
confidence.
So my conclusion is - If you
ever doubt your abilities,
never let the negative
thoughts take over your mind,
instead, repeat the “5 Step
Why Analysis” and you could
be confident and you will
succeed.
The Power of Pause in Public Speaking
by Andrii Sedniev When you go on stage don’t say anything for 3-7 seconds. Look at the audience members and acknowledge their presence. Only then start talking. This pause in public speaking is the same as saying “Hi” in your everyday conversations. Pause also conveys your confidence and draws attention of the audience. People will stop doing what they did before and begin listening to you, because when they see a speaker that doesn’t speak it’s something unusual. People pay attention to everything unusual.
ORATOR July - September 2014 32
If someone were to ask me,
"Swapna, what's the one
invention on earth that most
amazes and fascinates you?” I
think the only answer that
comes to my mind is US - YOU
& ME - we human beings and
our amazing human body. I
often think and wonder what
kind of a master plan our
Creator had while designing
and equipping us with all
these fascinating machinery
which we so easily brush off
as just ordinary organs or
average parts of body. I think
the below poem by St.
Augustine perfectly embodies
my sentiments.
Men go abroad to wonder
at the height of mountains,
at the huge waves of the sea,
at the long courses of the
rivers,
at the vast compass of the
oceans,
at the circular motion of the
stars,
and they pass by themselves
without wondering.
St. Augustine
Some time back Nokia Lumia
1020 Smartphone was
launched grandly with a 41
megapixel built in camera. Do
you have any idea how many
megapixels our eyes are? Well
its 576 mega pixels and it has
2 million working parts!!!
Did you know that our brain
is the most complex machine
in the universe? It has about
100 Billion (100, 000, 000,
000) Neurons - which is as
many cells as there are stars
in the Milky Way!!!
The Bugatti Veyron Super
Sport is the fastest certified
car in the world which can
travel at 430.9 kph and our
thoughts travel effortlessly at
pretty much the same speed -
428 kph!!!
There are 176,000 km myelinated axons in our brain - which can wrap around the earth’s equator four-and-a-half times!!! And the list is endless - each and every part and organ of
our body is a super specialized machine in itself.
So now do we feel like being a
little bit more grateful about our bodies and treating it with the respect it deserves and not
taking ourselves for granted. The truth is that we are super
machines and we can achieve anything that our mind can conceive and believe as said in
the hallmark expression by famous author Napolean Hill
(author of Think & Grow Rich). And this is also the essence of the philosophy behind being a
Dream Doer because the only person that can save you is
YOU. So get to work - you already have all that you need, to go out daringly into the world and achieve every single dream that you can Dare to Dream.
Be a dream doer
Swapna Nair (A member of TMI since mid 2000, an entrepreneur (Chief dream doer of Dream Doers Training & Management Consultancy), also interested in Doing Dreams / Toastmastering / RYTHM (Raising Yourself to Help Mankind) / Work with various NGO / Art & Craft / Cooking / Travelling / Reading / Spending quality time with family and lil kids / Checking out and Experiencing new things in Life) .)
BE A DREAM DOER
ORATOR July - September 2014 33
“People are stupid you know!!
They just don’t know the value
of reading!! “Said a wise man.
Well, I largely agree with him,
that indeed, you must be
really stupid if you don’t know
the value of reading.
When I was 5, my parents got
me this beautiful, extremely
pretty looking book on fairy
tales. Initially, I flipped the
pages every day, simply
gazing at all the lovely
illustrations. Then this one
day, my mother sat next to me,
and she asked “so Richa,
what’s this story about” and I
replied “I don’t know, it’ll take
me so much time to read this,
I just look at the pictures”.
Well obviously she realized
that I was a bit twisted. So she
held my little finger, her
finger on top of mine, and ran
it slowly through the lines of
the story helping me read the
book.
I still remember, it was the
story of Hansel and Gretel. I
saw pictures of a colorful
house. But when my mum
helped me read it explaining
that the house was made of
candy, my imagination lifted
and shot up to a different level
all together. And I asked her,
with so much of amazement,
and excitement “can there
reealllyyyy BE a house made
of Candy” … “why can’t we
also live there?”
I then, gradually grew up to
love fiction, mysteries,
suspense, romantic, scientific
and nonfiction books. And
with each and every book that
I read, I always wished I were
a mosquito on the wall, in that
era, simply watching
everything that was described
in those books with awe.
I was recently reading up on
some statistics and I found
that, ONLY 56% of young
people in the world claim they
read more than 8 books in a
year. That means only half the
people in this world make an
effort to read?
42% of college graduates in
the US never read another
book after graduating.
And 70% of adults have not
been in a book store in the
past 5 years! A book store! The
smell of fresh print on books.
The cute little chair to sit and
quickly skim through a book.
But the moment I read this
that I felt like rattling all those
people by their shoulders, just
to make them realize what
they are missing out on.
Reading gives you
satisfaction.
SATISFACTION – Fulfilment of
one’s wishes, expectations,
needs or the pleasure derived
from this.
Satisfaction is inquisitive eyes
looking at you for information
because they KNOW that
Must, or you Rust! Richa Khera (A member of TMI since July 2013, a user experience designer, interested in everything that make her happy)
MUST, OR YOU RUST!
ORATOR July - September 2014 34
you’ve read about it. They
know that you love to keep
yourself informed. They
KNOW, that YOU know what
Leonardo Da Vinci hid in the
last supper and why Salman
Rushdie is hard to understand.
The pleasure of teasing
somebody by saying that “your
words were like acid on the
petals of my tender heart
“instead of “dude... That was
mean!! “Or, calling somebody
‘Imbecile’ instead of “stupid
and uninformed”
Your own life is like a déjà vu.
I have felt the solitude that
Eddie felt, from five people
you meet in heaven. He
reached heaven, all alone,
with nobody by his side. I have
felt the ecstasy that Hari felt,
in 5 Point Someone, after he
passed his exams expecting
that he was about to flunk. I
have felt the guilt that Amir
felt, when he left Hassan
behind, from the Kite Runner;
the pain that Sadeem felt after
she broke up with her first
boyfriend, from the Girls of
Riyad and finally the
happiness Maharani Gayatri
of Jaipur felt when she fell in
love for the first time with
Maharaja Jai Singh!
It feels miraculous after
having experienced all of this
and yet crave more and more
of it!
If we read books, we would
understand how small we are
and how vast this world is.
We’d learn to be selfless.
Every time we finish reading a
book, we would understand
that we have gained nothing,
but just a drop from the ocean
of information out there!
We open up to new ideas and
new verticals to learn. It’s an
irony actually, the more you
read, the more you know you
have to read. Again, never
stop!
Reading lets you know, that
there are emotions you have
never felt, yet.
Places, you haven’t visited,
yet.
Things you haven’t done yet.
And finally BOOKS, you
haven’t read yet.
When Things Go
Wrong
When things beyond your control
go wrong, the only thing you can
control is your reaction to them.
Just as the sailor at sea is at the
mercy of the elements, so is the
speaker. The sailors batten down
the hatches in rough weather; what
does the speaker do in when the
microphone won’t work? Or when
the lights malfunction? Or when the
music in the next room is too loud?
The following article from
the Toastmaster magazine, written
by Bob Hope’s Emmy Award
winning head writer Gene Perret,
offers examples of intrepid
speakers who rode out the
sometimes stormy seas of the
speaker’s podium. Among his dos
and don’ts:
Don’t: Blow your cool.
Do: Maintain your dignity.
Don’t: Surrender to the situation.
Do: Your best under any
circumstances.
Don’t: Continually refer to the
problem.
Do: Keep your sense of humor
ORATOR July - September 2014 35
Best Speaker
Anindya Kar
Best Evaluator
Sandeep Adnani
Best Table Topic Speaker
Gerald Paul
Best Role Player
Vinay Satheesh
Best Speaker
Deepak Gulati
Best Evaluator
Ambuj Tripathi
Best Table Topic Speaker
Abdul Khaliq
Best Role Player
Qaisar Amin & Santhosh Tony
CLUB MEETINGS FROM JULY - SEPTEMBER 2014
ORATOR July - September 2014 36
Best Speaker
Jose William
Best Evaluator
Sandeep Adnani
Best Table Topic Speaker
DTM Mohammed Murad
Best Role Player
Abdul Khaliq
Best Speaker
Sandeep Adnani
Best Evaluator
Aadil Kadri
Best Table Topic Speaker
Ali Safri
Best Role Player
Anindya Kar
ORATOR July - September 2014 37
Best Speaker
Anindya Kar
Best Evaluator
Sandeep Adnani
Best Speaker
Kiran Punjabi
Best Evaluator
V P Menon
Best Table Topic Speaker
Obe
Best Role Player
Aadil Kadri
ORATOR July - September 2014 38
Best Speaker
Abdel Rahman
Best Evaluator
Uma Radhakrishnan
Best Table Topic Speaker
Karthikeyan
Best Role Player
Deepa Khemani
HOW TO START ANY SPEECH by J.A. Gamache
Third place Champion at the 2001 Toastmasters International World Championship of Public Speaking
Here's a very simple way to decrease your stress right before speaking. When you get to the microphone, don't start talking right away. Look at all the audience members with a smile, taking a deep breath as you do, and then start speaking. This is how I start my presentations, for the following reasons: 1- YOU SEND A NON-VERBAL MESSAGE OF SELF-CONFIDENCE.
Your smile says you're happy to be standing in front of that group. When you take the time to silently scan the audience, they see that
you're in control.
2- YOU'RE CALMER WHEN YOU TAKE THE TIME TO BREATHE PROPERLY.
When you're nervous, you tend to hold your breath. When you inhale properly, you do the opposite, and that lowers your stress. 3- IT GIVES YOU TIME TO GIVE YOURSELF A LITTLE PEP TALK.
While filling your lungs and smiling at the audience, you can give yourself some positive inner self-talk, such as: "Now's my time. I'm going to give it my best. These people need to hear my message!!!" Trust me, this little routine really boosts your energy level! 4- YOUR VOICE IS STRONG WHEN YOUR LUNGS ARE FULL.
And that's what you want, isn't it? Who wants to start a speech with a weak, shaky voice? You only have this one opportunity to make a good first impression! You might as well take no chances. Happy speech!
ORATOR July - September 2014 39
By Deepak Gulati
Year - 2014,
Date - 1st of September
Time - around 0715 pm in the evening…
Club - Home club of the International President
The floodgates of celebrations and achievement
were opened to all. The floor of Dubai
Toastmasters Club (DTC) could feel the thump
and the hustle & bustle of greatness. The
presence of mammoths of Dubai Toastmasters
Club and many others was not only mesmerizing
but also elevating. I still remember how we all
were getting geared up for this event since quite
some time, probably a month and a half or two.
And finally the moment was there. The members
of DTC and many other clubs joined hands
together to welcome and congratulate one and
only, DTM Mohammed Murad on becoming the
International President of TMI. Yes, it was an
evening to felicitate the International President.
That night, we all witnessed one kind of a
celebration, an evening to pinch yourself and
say “Yes, I was there” and a meeting that will
stay alive in the books of DTC for years to
come.... or let me rephrase…FOREVER…
It took about a few seconds for me to realize that
“Yes, it was happening”. Everything on that very
evening looked magical. From the venue which
was all dressed in UAE theme, to the room which
was overflowing with crowd, to the honor
speeches of fellow Toastmasters and good old
friends of DTM Murad. We had the likes of DTM
Lakhi Sawlani, (TMs) Vinod Mehra, Saira Ranj,
Sudhir Menon, R. K. Nair, Leo Conrad, Ganesh
Srinivasan, Ravi Warrier and more. We were
also loaded with the local DTC guns like DTM
Uma Radhakrishnan, DTM Ramesh
Ananthraman, (TMs) Shahjahan Beyabani,
Ashok Khera, Dr Balan Vijay Kumar, Rupa Vinod
and Gemma Zust and more. Colonel’s good old
friends Vijayan Manikoth and Loy Machedo
couldn’t make to the event but their videos said
it all, or let’s say that for Loy’s dedication, his
video said it a lot without him uttering one
word. It was indeed … whacky.
They all showered their wishes at DTM Murad
and gave us all an insight that what makes him
an extraordinary leader and a special human
being. It was a treat for us all, who are more of
a newbies to the club who got to know the
stories and events of the past which otherwise
would not really come out. Do you know one of
the TM theories that Colonel stands by, 3Ps and
3Ds. Practice Practice Practice and Delegate
Delegate Delegate. Practice will shine you as a
speaker and Delegation will give you chances to
experience leadership and to create more
leaders around. Interesting.
Well the meeting lit up with the smiles and wit
of our resident TMODs Seetha Sagaran and VP
SPECIAL MEETING 494: FELICITATION OF INT’L PRESIDENT
ORATOR July - September 2014 40
Menon. Well you know who smiles better, of
course Seetha, and who makes you chuckle the
most, yes… it is VP. No stones were left
unturned by the TMODs to make it even more
special for the International President and all
members and guests.
Two project speeches and evaluation did the
justice to the TM education aspect and then the
felicitation continued. DTM Murad was
presented with a plaque by DTM Lakhi as a
token of love and respect from DTC members
and DTM Murad’s friends. Later DTM Uma
presented Colonel with a bouquet of flowers and
then it followed with the cake cutting ceremony.
Later, the evening followed with a message
from Colonel, which had his deep insights about
Toastmasters and how he feels that this
program has to reach millions and billions to
bring about the difference that we would want
to see in this world. He also mentioned that we
need to be able to spread our message to
potential members that by joining
Toastmasters, they are in something for
becoming not only a better speaker, but a better
person. Once each one of us is able to convince
others to join TM using that message, the real
purpose could be served in a longer period.
It was indeed a delight to listen to the
International President for us all.
The evening then moved to meet and greet
session and everyone enjoyed Arabic snacks and
even more casual talks with our International
President.
It was for sure, an evening that will remain
etched on our minds for yearsssssss to come…or
let’s say…FOREVER…