madras toastmasters club presents and its caption, ... tm mahendra varman (madras toastmasters club)...
TRANSCRIPT
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Presidents Message
Division-M Conference
High Performance Leadership
The Ultimate Question
WIIFM?
Coaching
Know Your Country
Madras Toastmasters Club Presents HEARSAY- Newsletter
April 2014
Editor’s Note
Dear Toastmasters,
It is an honor and privilege to release the Madras Toastmasters Club
newsletter for the month ending April-2014. The last 2 months has
seen hectic activity in the club with the office bearers and members
involved in various activities including conducting the Judges training
program, Rhetoric 2014 Division-M conference besides the weekly
club meetings. The focus of this newsletter is to highlight the great
contribution made by our club leaders towards the conduct of the
Division –M conference and also showcase a few knowledge articles
from our esteemed members.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for the
successful release of this newsletter. Please feel free to provide any
comments, feedback and suggestions to my attention for future
editions
Best regards and happy reading
Visit us @ http://www.madrastoastmastersclub.com
The thing to read is not the one which thinks for you, but the one which makes you
think…James McCosh
President’s Message
I'm just very thankful. And I say that a lot because that's the most important
message...Pharrell Williams
Arumugam Srinivasan
President – Madras Toastmasters Club
This newsletter is dedicated to our members who were instrumental in the successful completion of the Division M Conference. I
would say it is one of the best division conference I ever attended. All the activities planned are planned at minute level & executed well.
I would like to thank DTM Trinadha Rao (Division Governor - M), Mahendra varman (Conference Chair) and his team for the splendid
conference. Toastmaster Sridhar Mathur also had a stellar contribution in the success of the conference
Educational Speaker Sanjay Pinto has given formulae on how to prepare & Deliver a speech. The Formulae is AAPPQQ. A = Anecdote:
Start your speech with a story. It can be personal or from other materials. A = Anaphora: It means repetition of a word or phrase at the
beginning of successive clauses (e.g. Martin Luther king speech, I have a dream). P = Points / Substance / Research: For 5 minutes
speech you can have 5 points. P = Punch Lines: you all know that Super star Rajnikanth film is famous for his punch lines. Q = Question:
Ask audience question, and try to answer the question. Q = Quotation: Closing is as important as opening. During contest time, judges
may forget the entire speech but they will always remember your closing. So next time when you deliver a speech use this Formulae
AAPPQQ.
Rhetoric 2014- Division M Conference
Memorable Moments from Rhetoric 2014- Division M Conference
Rhetoric 2014 – Division M conference was held on 13-April-2014 at Hotel Benz Park in Chennai. The start of the conference had
all the ingredients of a great gathering ranging from a great ambiance at the venue, immaculate planning under the leadership of
DTM Trinadha Rao & Conference Chair Mahendra Varman and a ceremonial opening.. For those who missed attending the
conference, here a few excerpts from the memorable event.
Conference Venue
Conference Inauguration
Welcome Address by DTM Rao
Man behind the conference- TM Mahendra Varman
Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by
results not attributes... Peter Drucker
Rhetoric 2014- Division M Conference
Memorable Moments from Rhetoric 2014- Division M Conference
The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and
self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it... Theodore Roosevelt
Rhetoric 2014 – As we started getting into the conference, there were a wide range of events ranging from the prepared speakers
contest and table topics contest where there was intense competition among the various participants who successful won the area
contest. The icing in the cake was the education session by Sanjay Pinto from NDTV who enthralled the audience with a few tips on
effective communication
Education Session by Sanjay Pinto
Prepared Speech Winner
Table Topics Winner
Closing of the Conference
MONTH, YEAR VOL # ISSUE #
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HEADLINE SUBHEAD. SUBHEAD.
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High Performance Leadership
Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done
because he wants to do it…Dwight D. Eisenhower
Author: DTM Dr. Trinadha Rao
Dr.Trinadha Rao DTM is Division M Governor and founder member of
Madras Toastmasters Club. He works in Cognizant Technology
Solutions as Associate Director
Madras Toastmasters Club has germinated High Performance Leaders since its inception .If one can keenly observe our Toastmasters
Logo and its caption, it clearly indicates WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE. Even though Toastmasters International contains multi-
layer leadership structure right from Club Sergeant at arms to International President, in a true sense leaders are made in the club alone
and all other leadership roles emerged out of club experience.
In Toastmasters journey, our focus is on two important tracks – Effective Communication and Efficient Leadership. Mainly member
focuses on developing public speaking in effective communication track through competent and advance communication manuals. While
member delivering speeches using competent communication manual projects, he or she will learn one skill through one project (through
project 2 organization of speech, project 4 articulation, project 5 body language, project 8 presentation aids, project 9 and 10 persuasion
and inspiration skills) then member can start advance communication journey based on his interested areas viz., Storytelling,
Entertaining speaker, Special Occasions, Project Management, Public Relations etc. from 15 advance communication manual projects.
In Leadership track, members acquire efficient leadership skills through competent leadership and advanced leadership manuals. In
competent leadership manual there are 10 projects, each project provide insight to develop a particular leadership skill while conducting
toastmaster events whether in a regular club meeting or club/area/division contest.
In regular club meetings, one can develop leadership skills- Listening, organization, time management while taking-up projects from
competent leadership manual to play leadership roles like Ah-counter, Grammarian, Time Manager, Toastmasters of the Day, General
Evaluator. In other events member can learn Interpersonal, planning, persuasion and execution skills.
Once member acquired basic leadership skills, he or she has to focus on developing high performance leadership skills which is one of
the requirements for Advance Leadership award in toastmaster’s journey.
Member may puzzle that what is the difference between competent leadership and high performance leadership in toastmaster’s arena.
Competent leadership skill is focusing one particular skill at a time where as High Performance Leadership skill focus on end-to-end
outcome based leadership achievements. For example in our recently concluded Division M conference Rhetoric’14 we produced two
High Performance Leaders (chair TM Mahendravarman and co-chair TM Sandeep) who have produced marvelous output in the form of
division level contests and external guest speech in the form of educational session.
High performance Leadership is one of the requirements for Advance Leadership –Silver award which in turn fulfils DTM qualification.
How it works? It’s like an 8 to 16 weeks leadership project, either major toastmaster event projects at District/Division level or any
community development projects.
In Division Conference, if member takes-up responsibility of chair to conduct mega event then that member will be eligible to apply
High Performance Leadership award through his/her guidance committee members. In Division Conference, if member takes-up
responsibility of chair to conduct mega event then that member will be eligible to apply High Performance Leadership award through
A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled,
they will say: we did it ourselves. —Lao Tzu
A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled,
they will say: we did it ourselves. —Lao Tzu
High Performance Leadership – Continued…
Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done
because he wants to do it…Dwight D. Eisenhower
his/her guidance committee members. As part of High Performance Leadership, conference chair has to plan various committees –
Registration, Sponsorship, Souvenir, Education, Program, Mementos, PR, Event management and Hospitality.
For each and every committee chair, conference chair has to set appropriate goals and measurable outcomes to fulfill the division
conference needs. Each committee will form the appropriate team and work towards the holistic goals of the conference.
Conference chair will derive appropriate strategy for acquiring funds within and our side division. Also develop a practical agenda and
execution plans under the guidance of mentoring committee (senior toastmasters who are already obtained High Performance Leadership
award and experience from Toastmasters movement). Conference chair also identifies appropriate venue to conduct a conference with an
affordable rate as per district norms. Weekly, Guidance committee review and monitor the progress on conference preparation as per set
objectives to each and every committee. If committee chairs needs any inputs or clarifications, guidance committee provide appropriate
insights on High performance leadership achievements.
TM Mahendra Varman (Madras Toastmasters Club) and TM Sandeep Kumar (Infosys Toastmasters Club) has done exemplary job while
conducting Rhetoric’14 at Hotel Benz Park, T. Nagar, Chennai on April 13, 2014.
In previous division conferences- Eloquence 2010, Rhetoric 2011, Rhetoric 2012, eMpower 2013 our Madras Toastmasters club
members played as High Performance Leadership roles and has set an exemplary standards in Tamilnadu Toastmasters Fraternity.
My suggestion to all our Madras Toastmasters Club members, attend regular club meetings and play as many roles as possible to
enhance effective communication and efficient leadership skills and grab the opportunities as and when it arrives to become an High
Performance Leaders, As you know Madras Toastmasters Club is where High Performance Leaders are made.
The Ultimate Question
It doesn’t matter if you don’t have all the answers. What truly matters is do
you have the right questions? – Mahatria Ra
No matter how much you achieve, no matter what you accomplish if there is a spiritual
vacuum in your life, your life will feel incomplete … Mahatria Ra
Listening to the discourses of enlightened masters keeps me motivated. It not only gives me the inspiration but also answers the inner
questions. I recently happen to listen to the discourse of Mahatria Ra (T.Rangarajan), a famous spiritual personality from Chennai, who
created a new path, “Infinitheism”, realizing the great hunger in the world for a new way of life.
He addressed this arguably most ancient question in that speech.
Does god exist?
Here goes the story….
One day in USA, a young scientist was travelling in a train. He saw an elderly person nearby, who had Bible in his hands and was deeply
focused reading it. This young scientist after sometime started talking to that elderly person. He asked him, what are you doing?
“I am reading Bible”- replied the Old man
“Oh my god, do you people still believe in god? I am not able to understand”, said the young scientist restlessly. He continued…“In
today’s world, everything is science. There is an explanation for every single thing, there is a logic and meaning. Everything is
explainable, so there is no god and do not waste your time.
The elderly person listened to him carefully, but did not utter a word.
Young scientist continued, “I am a scientist and I simply do not believe… I test, I experiment and review results and then only I believe,
no one can fool me – said the young scientist with full of pride.
As they were talking, the train arrived at the station and they had to get down, before leaving, the young man gave his visiting card to the
elderly person and told him, to come to his lab – when he is free.
As it is a formal gesture to give your visiting card in return, the elderly person also gave his visiting card. The young scientist carelessly
stretched his hands to collect and the card and before putting it in his pocket, he just glanced at the card. His body shocked for a second.
The card said “Thomas Alva Edison”. The young scientist with enormous respect and shaking hands asked apologized for his behavior
and pleaded Edison for his appointment.
Edison smiled at him and requested him to come and meet his laboratory on a specific day. On that day, the young scientist showed up at
Edison’s lab. Edition welcomed him and took him through his lab. The young man was astonished to see such a big laboratory, as they
were walking, the young scientist noticed a huge model of solar system is one of the rooms. It was so huge, moons and planets were
positioned exactly in same proportion as in real. Motors were connected and they were enabled to move in their respective orbits. It was
brilliantly built and he could not take his eyes of it. He became speech less. He asked Edison, who built it?
Author: TM Raghavendran
Raghavendran works as Sr. Project Manager in CSS Corp pvt ltd. He
likes watching old Tamil movies and listening to the discourses of
spiritual leaders
The Ultimate Question … Continued
Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers- Voltaire
With faith as the center of gravity of thoughts, soul stability blossoms for every living
moment of life… Mahatria Ra
Edition ignored the question and started moving further showing the other parts of his lab, but the young scientist became restless, he
asked persistently about the solar system. How you built it sir, how long it took, what mechanism you have used etc…
Finally Edison, said, I do not know. One day I opened the room and it was JUST there. I did not make it.
Shocked by this answer the young scientist said” Sir, that is impossible, it cannot be here JUST LIKE THAT. Someone should have
made it. How can it just appear it on its own? That’s impossible
Are you sure my son? Asked Edison.
Yes sir, absolutely, please tell me how you built it. I am eager to know.
Edison looked at his eyes and started his reply.
“When you believe that this model solar system must be made by someone, then what about the real solar system? How can you believe
that all of them with such a precision, just showed up one day on the cosmos? Please understand this. “
WHEN THERE IS A CREATION, there has to be CREATOR. So GOD does exists.
After hearing this, not only the young scientist, even I became speechless. So true. There cannot be a creation without a creator. At last
the most ancient question was answered.
Mahatira RA, when responding to the question on “how to measure our progress, Gave the 3 following questions to ask and thereby to
check our growth. This was very thought provoking and I look up to it all the time.
1. Am I am utilizing my potential to its fullest?
2. Every year, how many peoples life am I touching and contributing to their success?
3. Every day, have I lived my life in a way, which brings me one step closer to god?
These checklist helps us to determine where we are and take right decisions.
I am sure toastmasters international will definitely help everyone in the 1st question, by enhancing our communication and leadership
qualities and unleash our potential to fullest.
WIIFM
Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I
learn...Benjamin Franklin
WIIFM (What's In It for me?) is one of the frequently asked questions. This question arises in everyone’s mind whenever they want to
start a new initiative. Given the choice, not many would be interested or inclined to start new initiatives unless they are benefitted in
some way or another. The question may arise even when someone is doing something for a long time. The same may happen when
someone wants to join Toastmasters. VP-Membership would share the benefits with the prospective member. The person may decide to
join based on the perceived benefits. If the person joins, he/she may evaluate the benefits over time and decide to continue or drop.
On my part, I reflected on the same question a while ago. I have been a part of this movement for over 2 years. What did (or do) I get out
of Toastmasters? Here are some answers.
1. Public Speaking: It is a no-brainer! The most common (and most important) benefit of Toastmasters for anyone is the
improvement in Public Speaking. I am no exception. Though I had conducted team meetings and large all-hands meetings at
office, I realized that talking in front of strangers (now friends) was not my cup of tea. Constructive inputs from my mentor /
evaluators and the guidelines in Toastmasters manual have helped me improve my public speaking skill.
2. Blogging: In my enthusiasm to join the Blogging Bandwagon, I registered my blog in Blogger 4 years back. However, I never
published a single post. There was a lot of inertia. I was not sure of what would be worthy of publishing. After joining
Toastmasters, I overcame the inertia. I started posting my prepared speeches with minor changes. It helped me connect with my
friends and colleagues. Some of them compliment me saying that my writing has improved over time.
3. Creativity: Each and every project in Toastmasters manual stimulates and nurtures my creativity. I experiment and think of off-
beat topics and experiences and connect with the project objectives. “Missed the bus” is an example.
4. Knowledge: In the course of preparing for a few speeches, I gathered and gained knowledge. E-Waste, Budget Process and
Apple varieties are some instances. More importantly, I come to know of many things through others’ speeches.
5. Better Conversations with Friends: Toastmasters has become an additional talking point in my conversations with friends and
relatives. At times, I share my speeches with them and ask for feedback. This acts as a trigger for them to share their related
experiences which we might not have discussed but for Toastmasters.
6. Impromptu Speech: I used to be uncomfortable with Table Topics for a long time. Of late, I have become less uncomfortable. I
don’t hide my face! Though I still blabber half the time, I have gained the confidence that I can make meaningful speeches
instantly in the long run.
7. Productive Sunday: Sunday mornings are much more productive than it used to be. Inspiring quotes, interesting anecdotes,
enthralling stories, enlightening knowledge and rib-tickling humour fill my Sunday morning.
8. New Friends: I have got a set of new friends outside of my school/college friends, relatives and colleagues. I get different
perspectives from people from other industries / non-profit organizations.
Given the wide range of benefits gained by being a Toastmaster, I am sure I would remain a Toastmaster always.
Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me.… Carol Burnett
Author: TM Ashok Kumar, CC
Ashok Kumar is senior IT professional. He is a former VP-Education of Madras
Toastmasters Club
Coaching
No one learns as much about a subject as one who is forced to teach it…
Peter F. Drucker
A guru never experiments with his seekers. A guru always experiments on himself and
gives the seeker only the experience … Mahatria Ra
COACHING: A poor teacher screeches, an average teacher preaches; a good teacher reaches; an efficient teacher teaches; an excellent
teacher COACHES; a brilliant teacher hatches – meaning produces a lot of brilliant teachers.
All Toastmaster contestants on their return, victorious from the contest, thank quite a number of senior toastmasters who were behind them.
Especially, they mention a few names who contributed considerably to their success. The other name for that contribution is coaching.
Coaching plays a significant role in helping people function efficiently, effectively and elegantly. People are aided and guided to
realize their strengths, weaknesses otherwise called areas of improvement, opportunities and threats. People thus coached get to
know their current performance level, receive feedback [incidentally, it is no more called feedback; in modern term it is called feed
forward]. When you are fed, you move forward. Therefore, it is FEEDFORWARD.
Strengths are the internal positive aspects or attributes under control of an individual and can be amplified by coaching. Weaknesses are
the internal negative aspects under his or her control and when addressed, the individual improves and turns strong.
Opportunities are positive external conditions not under his or her control but coaching can help them tap and take advantage. Threats are
negative conditions not under his or her control but coaching can help them lessen the effect or turn them into opportunities. This coaching
process in training domain is called SWOT application.
Coaching is required when the performance is unsatisfactory or the person aims at a better performance. Coaching is also required,
when the individual is poorly trained, inadequately equipped, not properly motivated to perform or trapped under the clutches of
mediocrity.
In detail, as we discuss the with the person in need of coaching, we have to look in for the factors which help us determine which reasons
apply such that the coaching solves the problem areas of the person. Then the coaching attempt fructifies. Some of the possible factors are:
1. Does the person know, what is supposed to be done?
2. What is the specific difference between PRESENT performance level & the DESIRED performance level?
3. Is the performance standard realistic as against expectation?
4. Does the person have the required skill set?
5. Does the person have adequate resources to do the job?
6. Are the obstacles beyond the person’s control affecting the performance?
7. Does positive performance yield positive rewards?
8. Does he or she enjoy the implantation of coaching?
In Toastmasters, a coach trains and the [TMS] train drives the coaches
Author: TM Pattabiraman, ACS, CL
Former president of Madras Toastmasters Club
Miltonian Freemason, loves sports, nature, animals, colors and observing
people.
Know Your Country
We owe a lot to the Indians, who taught us how to count, without which no
worthwhile scientific discovery could have been made....Albert Einstein
India conquered and dominated China culturally for 20 centuries without ever having to
send a single soldier across her border - Hu Shih
India is the news across the world these days for all the wrong reasons. We get negative press on a wide range of issues ranging from
acute poverty, illiteracy, gender related crimes and corruption. However as Indians we need to look at us positively, and be proud of the
great contribution that we have made to humanity and world at large. The following are 10 such interesting and positive facts about India
which we all need to be proud of:
1. Education: The world’s first university is said to have been started in Takshila in 700 B.C. Over the years thousands of students
from all over the world including Chanakya studied a variety of subjects in this university. The minimum entrance age into the
university was 16 years and around 10,000 students studied in this university every year
2. Mathematics: Baudhayana, an Indian mathematician first calculated the value of PI. He is also said to have discovered other
mathematical theorems still in use. Number and concept of zero was invented and documented first by Indians.
3. Cities: Varanasi is the oldest continuously habituated city in the world. The earliest known archaeological evidence suggests
that settlement around Varanasi in the Ganga valley began in the 11th or 12th century BC .Gautama Buddha visited Varanasi in
500 B.C.
4. Rail and Road: India has the world’s third largest road network at 1.9 million miles. India also has the world’s second largest
rail network, which is the world’s largest civilian employer with 16 million workers
5. Medicine: Sushrata is considered to be the father of surgery. Over 2600 years back, Sushrata along with his team conducted
complicated surgeries such as artificial limbs, cataracts and urinary stones removal. Most historians agree that the first recorded
account of plastic surgery is found in ancient Indian Sanskrit texts.
6. Sport: Chess was invented in India. The original word for “chess” is the Sanskrit chaturanga, meaning “four members of an
army”—which were mostly likely elephants, horses, chariots and foot soldiers.
7. Religion: The Maha Kumbh mela in Allahabad which happens every 12 years is the largest religious gathering in the world.
Around 100 million people (almost equal to one third of US population) attended the kumbh mela in 2013.
8. Infrastructure: The highest bridge in the world is the Bailey bridge, which is situated in Ladakh between the Dras and Suru
rivers in the Himalayan mountain range. The highest cricket ground in the world is in Chail in the state of Himachal Pradesh.
The pitch is about 2444 meters above the sea level and was built in1893.
9. Information Technology: The Pentium chip and Hotmail were created by Indians—Vinod Dahm and Sabeer Bhatia
respectively. Half of the outsourced IT services in the world come from India
10. Peace Loving: In 100,000 years of history India has never invaded any country. It was invaded by other countries and rulers
rulersAlexander the Great.
Author: TM Srinivasan Krishnamoorthy
Source: Historical Information from the internet
Srinivasan works as Associate Director in Cognizant Technology Solutions. He
is also the VP-PR for Madras Toastmasters Club
Visit us @ http://www.madrastoastmastersclub.com
Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm – Abraham Lincoln
Visit us @ http://www.madrastoastmastersclub.com
Toastmasters is learning through doing and improving through criticism– Ralph.C.Smedly
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