Globalization is shrinking the world. It has al-lowed people to become more mobile, free to migrate from one corner of the world to another. In the process it spawned diversity in the work-place, in the community, and in society. Recog-nizing diversity in an organization or in a club enables deeper knowledge of self and others which leads to better understanding and relation-ship among people.

Diversity as the coming together of people from different nationalities, races, faith, religion, gen-der and profession. This is exactly the most apt way of describing the Filcom International Toast-masters club. Our members come from different nationalities, races, faith, religion, gender, profes-sion and, we may add, endowed with different appearances. We also relish in the diversity of personalities that provides the opportunity in sharpening our interpersonal relationships skills, a must in leadership. It is this diversity that has

made our club healthy and strong. It is this di-versity that has made every club meeting inter-esting, enjoyable, fun, and a supportive learning environment. It is this diversity that enables us develop and grow into effective leaders.

Diversity enriches our understanding of other people who are different from us. It encourages us to extend our experience and ourselves be-yond our comfort zones.

In every speech we deliver we share our unique cultural background, our principled beliefs, our perspective in life, our personal ideas and opin-ions, in a non-intimidating, non-judgmental at-mosphere. We work as a team, supporting each other to achieve our individual yet common goals. We recognize the truth that our being dif-ferent in background is not a barrier to growth and success.

Members of our club made their presence felt during the Division Q QuestNite. The camarade-rie was contagious. We met new friends and we sure hit the right notes.

The Club received citations for being a club with exemplary diversity. Our club further was cited for its website. TM Kynah received recognition for her excellent hosting as the MC during the CommuniQ 2015. Club President Mohammad Farooq received citation for his valuable contri-bution as a leader in the division’s projects.

I N S I D E T H I S

I S S U E :

Diversity is our edge 1

Filcom bags awards at

questnite 1

New Executive Com-

mittee Installed 1

What makes a lasting 3

Why I joined Filcom.. 3

My Mentor 4

Inspire your Aspira-

tions 6

Everything is relative 8

...and more

Filcom bags awards at the Questnite

J U L Y — S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 1

EDITORIAL

BOARD

Kynah Genson

Editor-in-Chief

Dennis Mujana

Asst. Editor

Gil P. Bangalan

Adviser

Contributors:

Omar Fayyad

Nissar V P

Philip Cherian

Jon Holland

Sree Kumar T

Charity Mbire

FIlcom International Toastmasters club installed their newly elected club officers for the TI Year 2015-2016 during its 265th regular meeting last 11 July 2015 at the Crown Plaza Hotel Doha.

The new club officers are: President, Gil P. Ban-galan,DTM; VP Education, Omar Fayyad, CL; VP Membership, Nissar V P; VP Public Rela-tions, Kynah Genson, CC,Treasurer, Mohammad Farooq, CC,ALB; Secretary,Joseph Amande,

New executive committee installed

Diversity is our edge...

Continued on page 10

Members of Filcom with happy expressions on receiving accolades for the club, let by DQG Shyam Sundar.

New club officers pose with A12G Philip Cherian and DQG Shyam Sundar. Not in photo: Nissar VP, VP Membership and Dennis Mujana, Sgt.-at-Arms.

Continued on page 5... Continued on page 5...

Filcom International Toastmasters Club Newsletter

Club # 7847 Area 12 Division Q District 20

“Why do we need to publish a newsletter?”, was my first reaction when I assumed the

role of vice president for public relations of our club. One member offered the answer –

“we need to build our image as a club.” But is it not enough that every individual mem-

ber mirrors the image of the club? – I mused. There must be something more than image

why organizations or clubs chose to publish a newsletter.

A newsletter is one of the best tools to share with members and readers memorable

events, achievements and profiles of members. As such it helps create and strengthen the

bond among us members. The club newsletter contributes to the club’s mission of

providing a supportive and empowering environment that enables self-development and

growth.

A newsletter further aims to educate the readers and thus builds trust and credibility. In

the process we create our unique brand as a club and project greater positive image.

Filcom International club is known for its membership diversity and for its ambiance of

fun and enthusiasm. We plan to sustain this brand in and through our newsletter, The

Edge.

Our newsletter will be published on a quarterly basis. I encourage all members to con-

tribute an item or items in every issue. In this maiden issue and future issues, we will be

guided by our philosophy to strengthen the bond among members and to sustain the

brand that makes our club unique and stand out in the family of Toastmasters.

From the Editor’s Desk...

Kynah Genson, CC

Editor-in-Chief

One who has the edge wins…

We add another milestone to our club history with the launching of the maiden issue of

our club newsletter- The Edge. Through the newsletter we hope to provide members the

opportunity to sharpen their written communication skills, keep them informed of events

and moments in the life of the club and of members as we travel toward our common goal

of becoming effective communicators and leaders, and spread the good news of Toastmas-

ters beyond our club.

We chose The Edge as the newsletter’s header to remind us there is nothing that can pre-

vent us from achieving our dreams. We joined Toastmasters with dreams of growing into

great communicators and effective leaders. We have the edge, we have the Toastmasters

edge. Where else can you find a program that gives you more for less? Only in Toastmas-

ters do we spend less and gain more. We receive free coaching and mentoring from our

fellow members. We receive the support we need and we seek without fear of being

judged and ridiculed.

Can you think of any self-development platform that allows you to set your own individu-

al goal, grow in strength, and sharpen your skills? Can you name any forum that opens the

windows to self-fulfillment and self-realization in a progressive manner until you discov-

er, appreciate and unfold your hidden talents and strengths? Can you think of any commu-

nity where you recognize and live the values of respect, integrity, service and excellence

in real life situation? We have the answer in the Toastmasters edge.

Like any sport or race, in life those who succeed and win, always have the edge. All of us

start with commitment, and run the race with persistence, perseverance, and passion until

we arrive at the finish line. Yet only those with the edge arrive first and win. Filcom Inter-

national gives you The Edge.

Club President View...

Gil P. Bangalan, DTM

Club President, 2015-2016

“In life those who succeed and win always have the edge.”

Creating a bond and a brand...

P A G E 2

T H E E D G E

Why I joined Filcom International...

We have seen clubs come and go – so what makes

for a long lasting club!

If a club helps people fulfil their dreams, whilst

making it fun! Enthusiastic fulfilled members, with a

committed leadership must be the recipe for a

successful club. Indications of a successful club are

an advance agenda, filled roles, manual speeches at

every meeting, effective evaluations, and plenty of

new members, with regular attendance.

An enthusiastic welcome is most important as first

impressions do count! Guests need to be followed

up, asked how they felt about the meeting, and if

agreeable sent invitations to the next meetings. It

always is helpful if the agenda is fixed in advance.

Members who are assigned roles can properly pre-

pare for a smooth running and professional meet-

ing, which everybody enjoys.

The core of the meeting is well prepared manual

speeches, both from the Competent Communica-

tor and Advanced Manuals. Well polished, re-

hearsed speeches are enjoyable to give and re-

ceived! The diversity in the members in Filcom

International provides audience variety of speeches

that adds value to the meeting. When the meeting

is well run and delivered with enthusiasm then

the members will keep coming and keep giving

speeches, and the club will be retaining mem-

bers, and be on the road to success.

However, there must be effective mentoring and

consistently constructive evaluations. The club

needs to help members with their goals – helping

find their reasons to achieve. This is the core of

the club mission to help individual members de-

velop and grow. Similarly, the club needs dedi-

cated officers with vision to lead the club to long

term success.

The successful club and its members will keep

earning rewards, which then benefit the mem-

bers, the club and the Area. Filcom International

Club has served members for over a decade now.

It had its lows and highs but it always kept its

head high. Today, I am proud to say that Filcom

International is one of the long lasting and suc-

cessful clubs in the District – we have contribut-

ed our share of leaders as Area Governors, Divi-

sion Governor, and District Governor during the

club’s lifetime. – Jonathan Holland, ACS, CL,

Area 12 Director (2015-2016)

like the club because it is a great way to

build valuable contacts and network with

like-minded people. The fact that every-

one is keen and enthusiastic to become

better leaders and improve their communi-

cation skills despite coming from different

walks of life or backgrounds makes it all

worthwhile and inspiring.

Meetings are quite fun, interactive and very

entertaining, so there are several ways one

benefits, once a member. I have given my

icebreaker speech so far and taken up sev-

eral roles. I know I made the right decision

to join the club. I love Filcom International

Club. – Charity Mbire, Member

When I first attended the club as a guest, I

felt at ease at the warmth and genuine care

I received. I enjoyed the fun and enthusias-

tic ambiance of the meeting. I attended a

second time, still as a guest. My first im-

pression was validated. So on my third

attendance I signed up and decided that

this was my club. I joined the club. During

meetings members are always ready to

welcome guests, give some form of direc-

tion or provide information about the club.

Filcom club is made up of a group of vi-

brant people with diverse nationalities and

this is what made it even more appealing to

me. Members always speak positively, con-

structively and are very supportive. I also

What makes a lasting club…? P A G E 3

T H E E D G E

“I enjoyed the fun and enthusiastic ambiance of the meeting.”

“...there must be

effective mentoring

and consistently

constructive

evaluations. ..”

P A G E 4

T H E E D G E

“I am now able to

speak in front of

people under any

occasion and

present the best of

me.”

TM Omar and his

mentor, DTM Gil

Meet my Mentor No one has the potential to influence a member’s experience like a mentor. TM Omar Fay-yad, is the VPE for Filcom International Toastmasters club, and a Cyber Safety Specialist. He shares how his mentor, Gil Bangalan, DTM, has helped him. Why, How, and When did you join Toastmasters? I work as a Cyber Safety Specialist for ictQATAR and one of my roles is to conduct lectures and workshops for the public. I felt I could be more effective and that I need further honing of my public speaking skills. In fact, I started to read books about com-munication and even traveled to the UK to attend a seminar on public speaking. Still there was something missing. I still felt inadequate. Then one morning I met a stranger riding the elevator with me. We started talking. He was new to the region. He was traveling from the USA on a business trip. During our conversation he mentioned about Toastmasters and I became curious and interested. To make the story short I joined the Filcom International Toastmasters club in January 2014. Tell us about your mentor When I joined Filcom International Toastmasters club I was introduced to Gil as my mentor. I was very interested to know more about his work in Toastmasters and the levels he was able to achieve. As we got to converse, he inspired me when he men-tioned that he earned the DTM title and that he’s going for a second round to reach the top one more time. I thought to myself no one could ever have the conviction to go again for the same title unless they are truly convinced with the program and that was the moment when I felt I had to be working closely with him. What goals have you accomplished while under Gil’s guidance? My first goal was to acquire more knowledge about the program. My mentor took time to explain and discuss to me the nature of the program. He stressed that my success will depend on me and that my fellow members are there to give me the support I need. He guided me through the Toastmasters journey. My second goal was to deliver my Icebreaker immediately and which I did. I also planned to achieve my CL by the end of the term 2014-2015 and which I did too. Last year I took up the role of Evaluation Contest Chair of Division E. I spoke in front of 300-400 people. It was a big event and I thought I did very well. He supported me to take part and provided me all the material needed for preparation. We also spared time for rehearsals. I became the VP Membership during the term 2014-2015 and this year ( 2015-2016 ) I was elected to become VP Education for my club as I was nominated by all members under his vision. Gil encouraged me to join a local public speaking contest which took place here in Doha in late 2014 and I was able to rank the third amongst 19 different contestants. How has Toastmasters helped you meet your professional goals? Because of Toastmasters I am now able to speak in front of any number of people un-der any occasion and present the best of me. It helped me so much to do my trainings in an excellent manner no matter how large the crowd. In the workplace my colleagues started to notice the difference and this has given me great opportunities for my career development. In fact, I might be getting a promotion soon and that's all because of Toastmasters. What is your favorite thing about Gil? Gil has a very unique personality. He’s very humble and kind. He has a great level of

understanding to the art of communication and leadership. His positive influence on

the people around him is very noticeable. He’s well knowledgeable in many different

areas of life, and not just communication and leadership. And after all we became very

good friends.

Inspire your aspirations

P A G E 5 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 1

I had the opportunity to attend a Toastmasters meeting in the late 90’s but I found several excuses for not attending. Finally in 2003, I was dragged into a meeting and from then I have never looked back. I owe my gratitude to many Toastmasters for

their support, encouragement and guid-ance.

I clearly remember the frightening and nervous moments before the ice break-er. I panicked and was on the verge of quitting when I received a call from the toastmaster who was evaluating my speech. He instilled confidence and thus began my journey.

Recently I came across this story about the people of Solomon Islands in the south Pacific. The islanders practice a unique form of logging. If a tree needs to be cut down and it is too big to be

chopped down, it is brought down by the combined efforts of the islanders cursing negatively and yelling at the tree. This negative energy somehow damages the tree’s life energy the result being after about 30 days of getting cursed the tree dies off and falls to the ground. Sounds rather strange and hard to believe, isn’t it.

Filcom International Toastmasters club has a very similar practice but with a difference. Instead of yelling and curs-ing, we applaud the efforts of our mem-bers. I am witness to many who have transformed into inspiring leaders and communicators. - TM Philip Cherian

The night was a fitting postlude to a successful year for Division Q under Filcom

member TM Shyam Sundar, the first Division Q Governor, with able support

from other club members TM Philip Cherian as Area 12 Governor, TM Omar

Fayyad as the Division Webmaster, and Gil Bangalan as the Chair for Speakers

Bureau. We lead both front and back!

For the TI year 2015-2016 Filcom will see some members again among the lead-

ers of the Division Q with TM Jon Holland as Area 12 Director, TM Hamad Al

Nesf as the Arabic Clubs Manager, and TM Gil Bangalan as Quality Program

Manager.

members, launch a quarterly newsletter,

sustain a formal mentoring program,

provide members sessions where they

are encouraged to deliver speeches and

take up roles to achieve their education-

al award goals.

Serving as an officer of the club is one

of the activities that opens to members

the opportunity to practice and hone

their leadership skills. Club President

Gil Bangalan said that he is happy with

the team. They are young and their crea-

tive energy, innovative ideas, and en-

thusiastic aggressiveness add value to a

diverse club like Filcom International.

In fact Filcom International’s strategy is

developing its members and be ready to

take up leadership roles the moment they

start the journey with Toastmasters.

Toastmasters International is the leading

movement devoted to making effective

oral communication a worldwide reality.

The clubs provide “a mutually supportive

and positive learning environment in

which every member has the opportunity

to develop oral communications and

leadership skills, which in turn foster self

-confidence and personal growth.”

Nissar VP, VP Membership

CC, and Sergeant-at-Arms – Dennis

Mujana.

The new officers took over from the

immediate past officers led by the

dynamic duo of Mohammad Farooq,

Immediate Past President, and Aldrin

Bantaculo, past VP Education. The

new set of officers promised to build

upon the initiatives and successful

leadership of the past team. During

their first meeting, right after their

installation, the executive committee

listed among their priority goals: use

of social media to enhance communi-

cation among members, exploit the

new website to attract guests and new

Continued from page 1, New executive committee..

Continued from page 1, Filcom bags awards….

T H E E D G E

Vis

ual

Rec

ord

s o

f M

emo

ries

PH

OT

O G

AL

LE

RY

Club members hold the 250th meeting sailing in a dhow with speeches resonating with the rhythm of the waves and carried away by the chilly wind.

Club Pres. Mohammad Farooq led the cutting of the cake after a gastronomic sumptuous dinner at the Al Ghazal beach club.

T H E E D G E

P A G E 6

The photo is a witness to the words of one of our members: “Filcom Club is made up of a group of vi-brant people with diverse nationalities and this is what made it more appealing to me…” Every club meeting is marked by fun and an infec-tious enthusias-tic ambiance.

One of the marks of a healthy club is the excellent attendance of members and guests. Table topics is not an event to be feared but anticipated and relished as TM Hamad Al Nesf demonstrates in the photo above.

T H E E D G E

P A G E 7

We were at Las Vegas having the front row seats for the 2015 TI Annual World Champion-ship in international speech.– the semi-finals at the resi-dence of TM Philip Cherian and the finals at the home of TM Grace Moran.

IPP Mohammad Farooq receiving from IPDG Shyam Sundar the Distinguished Club ribbon given by TI for 2014-2015.

A throwback photo of the 2014-2015 club officers. Front row (L-R): Jon Holland, DG Shyam Sundar, AG Thayalan, RA Vicky Ferrer-Mustafa, Club President Mohammad Farooq, Philip Cherian, and Manny Villanueva. Standing (L-R): Gil Bangalan, Nissar VP, Rengith Varghese, Aldrin Bantaculo, Omar Fayyad, and Calixtus Fernandez.

Filcom had the honor of being a host to DTM Julian Sultan, Past International Director from Region 1. Leadership of the heart is what he learned from Toastmasters, he shared.

TM Philip Cherian, with TMs Joseph Amande and Kynah Genson at the parade of banners during Communi-Q 2015 at the Ramada Hotel.

I like to compare my journey in Toastmasters with mountaineering. When I first encountered Toastmasters I was fasci-nated by its promise, just like the mountaineer is fascinated by mountains and peaks to climb. Now that I have earned the highest recognition as a DTM, I can tell myself: “Leave the doubts, fears, and uncertainties behind, you made it!” My climb to the top led me to three significant realizations.

Determination is key to success. The climb is not always smooth and easy. The false belief that one knows everything there is to learn, the tendency to procrastinate de-livering speech projects, the temptation to surrender and to discontinue the journey – all these can be conquered with the fire of determination. Tranquility of mind and spirit helps one overcome the doubts and fears that over-whelm one along the way. We need sometimes to stop and reflect on our progress. Renew our commitment to reach the top. Breathe in new refreshing air. Revel in new found inspirations that gather the wind behind us and pushes us forward toward the goal. Meaningful achievement results from teamwork. It comes with the people we help along the way to climb with us to the top. The recognition is not mine alone. The

support I received and the support I gave to fellow Toastmasters, as a mentor and coach made the journey to the top more enjoyable, greatly fulfilling, and inspiringly meaningful. The journey is not finished. I have reached the top. Now, I need to climb down the mountain again and share my ex-perience so others may pursue their journeys and persevere until they reach the top.—Gil P. Bangalan, DTM

Everything is relative. Such an oft repeated cliché

- that one hardly spends a moment thinking

about it . On my recent visit to India, i was made

acutely aware of the power of this statement. I

met with my cousin. She has a child, who unfortu-

nately, the good lord did not bless with good

health since birth. As a result, her mental and

physical development are way below her age.

When I spoke and spend time with my cousin

and her child, the power of the statement

“everything is relative" was thrust on me and it

made a tremendous impact.

A most simple thing such as a visit to the super-

market turns out be an ordeal for this family. They

need to lift the child to the car, haul her wheel

chair and head to a store where there is a facility

for such a disabled person to enter. And that's

not all - she tires out quickly, so time spent there

need to be carefully planned. For my cousin, go-

ing through the usual chores of life in itself poses

a severe challenge.

And yet here I am, complaining about something

trivial and silly. How foolish of me. I now have a

different view point on life. One has to see pain

and suffering to be happy. To be rich you have

to go through a phase when you are poor, other-

wise it has no meaning. Everything is relative. You

can associate this statement to all facets of your

life.

As I think of my cousin and my little niece, I pray

to God to give me strength to face the chal-

lenges of the day, with a smile. - Sreekumar

Thodiyil, Member

What DTM means to me...

“Leave the doubts, fears, and uncertainties behind, you made it!”

Everything is relative…. “I pray to God to give me strength to face the challenges of the day, with a smile. “

T H E E D G E

P A G E 8

T H E E D G E

Caption describing

picture or graphic.

Meet our new members...

P A G E 9

We welcome our new members who joined our club during the period July 1 to September 30, 2015. We give them our full-hearted support in our common quest to become more effective communicators and leaders. Obaid H. Imdadullah joined us in July 2015 and hails from India. He is a mechanical engineer by profession and works as a junior engineer (HVAC) with the Consulting Engineering Complex, WLL. Arjay P. Diego is from the Philippines and joined the club in Au-gust 2015. He holds a degree in accountancy and is working as an internal auditor with the Ali Bin Ali group of companies. Anna Maria Ceausu was born in Romania, and joined our club in September 2015. She holds a master’s degree from the University of Va-lencia and is holding the position of financial manger with the Ali Bin Ali & Partners. Mohammed Mazharul Islam hails from Bangladesh and is w ork-ing as a Senior Financial Analyst. He completed his education from the University of Dhaka. Mohammad Khan is from Pakistan. He holds a degree in civil en-gineering and works with the Burt Hill Stantec. He joined our club in Sep-tember 2015. Buddhika W. Pathirana is from Sri Lanka. He is an IT professional engaged as an Information Security Consultant and has been residing in Doha for the past 7 years.

Congratulations to our achievers..!

T H E E D G E

Mohammad Farooq received his recognition as an Advanced Leader Bronze. He is our immediate past president and is currently serving as our club treasurer. In addition, Moham-mad just earned his PhD in Tourism from the Indian Institute of Business Management and Studies. He is a director with the Amwaj Catering Services, Qatar. Omar Fayyad is recognized as a Competent Leader for having taken up the various roles and responsibilities to complete the requirements of the educational award. He is currently the club’s VP for Education. He is a Senior Information Security Trainer who works with the ictQatar. Kynah Genson earned recognition as Competent Communicator after successfully com-pleting all the required 10 speech projects from the competent Communicator manual. She served as the master of ceremonies during the Division Q annual conference 2014-2015, and is currently the club VP – PR Kynah is a registered nurse and engaged as a clinical coordina-tor with the Hamad Medical Center. She can be seen at SnapTV, an online television media, as a show host and field reporter.

Joseph Amande is recognized as Competent Communicator. He completed with flourish

and dedication the 10 speech projects from the competent communicator manual. He repre-

sented our club and Area 12 during the Division Q Annual speech Competition 2014-2015,

where he garnered 3rd place in the international speech contest. He is the club’s Secretary.

Arjay

Anna Maria

Mazharul

Buddhika

Obaid

Traditions and Culture Glimpses...

P A G E 1 0 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 1

Al-Batola Tradition is under threat from

globalization and technology.

We can observe this with Qatari

tradition, specifically with the al

batola. The accompanying pic-

ture is a photo of a painting that

my mother did. It shows a Qata-

ri lady in full traditional dress.

The al batola is the face cover

used by ladies in the Gulf. It is

usually made of shiny dark

green fabric, and woven to suit

the person’s face. Oftentimes,

this face cover takes different

appearances in the different

Gulf countries, being thicker in

Qatar compared to that in the

UAE. It goes with the hijab

which is the head covering. My

grandmother and my mother

still uses the batola. The young-

er generation, however, is slow-

ly making its appearance more

fashionable, if not totally dis-

carding using the face cover.

This is observable when you go

to the malls or other places of

entertainment and relaxation. –

Hamad al Nesf, CC, CL

Continued from page 1: Diversity is our edge...

It was not a surprise, therefore, when the Division Q council of 2014-2016 recognized Filcom International as a model for

diversity in terms of its international membership. We also are happy to observe that in the September 2015 issue of the

Toastmasters magazine the comment of our Club President, Gil P. Bangalan, DTM, in the TI group in Linkedin was quoted:

“I belong to a club in Qatar. Our members come from different nations and cultural backgrounds. We have members from

the U.K., the U.S., India, the Philippines, Ireland, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Qatar and Egypt. The diversity makes

our meetings interesting and fun, and it leads to a productive learning session.”

The power of the Table Topic

T H E E D G E

Table topic is often called impromptu speech or speaking-off-the-

cuff. I had wondered why this exercise is included as an essential

part of every Toastmasters club meeting. Then it dawned on me.

How often are we invited to deliver a prepared speech? And how

often are we asked to speak on the spur of the moment, without

any preparation?

Table topic is equally a vital skill as a prepared speech because

there are so many scenarios and situations where we find our-

selves speaking without a moment of preparation. We start at

home where the spouse would ask: “Honey, what time will you be

home tonight?” or the children saying -“You promised to bring us

to the beach tomorrow.” Then as you enter the workplace you

passed by your manager’s room and he called you in to ask – “I

am going upstairs, give me a brief status of the project.’ Or you

are invited to a meeting and the country manager, before adjourn-

ing, suddenly addressed you - “By the way, what happened to that

suggestion I asked you to study?” You go for an interview and the

interviewer asks – “Why should we hire you?”

While walking along the corridors of a large mall, a TV reporter

suddenly shoved the microphone before your face and asks:

“What do you think of the Qatar sponsorship law?” Will you an-

swer - “I do not speak about politics, sex or religion?”

You may have just a few seconds to respond to such off-the-cuff

questions, but you surely can prepare yourself to always be ready.

All you need is to develop using some techniques or template that

will automatically trigger your brain to use. Here are some easy

suggestions:

1. P.R.E.P. (Point, Reason, Example, Point) – State your

point or proposition. Give your reason or reasons – limit to 3

at most. Support your reason with examples or facts. Then

wrap up by reinstating your point.

2. Issue, Pros vs. Cons, Conclusions – State and frame the

issue. Give benefits and then its drawbacks. Conclude with your

recommendation.

3. P.P.F. (Past, Present, Future) – Cite a similar incident or

circumstance in the past, what it is now in the present, and

think what it could be in the future.

4. 5W – use the pattern who, what, when, where and why.

Remember you are not expected to give a perfect answer so go

easy on yourself. Avoid the tendency to ramble and go on and on. Stop and end your message after a minute or two. Mastering the

table topic gives you that power to be yourself and the respect of

your peers and colleagues for clear thinking and for your confi-

dence. Let table topics power you to greater heights.

Test your Toastmasters Intelligence (TI)

P A G E 1 1 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 1

Humor me...

Below are questions that every Toastmaster should be able to answer correctly. Test yourself.

1. Where did the word Toastmaster come from?

______________________________________________________________________________

2. List the Toastmasters values in order.

______________________________________________________________________________

3. When (completed) was the first unofficial meeting of Toastmasters held? __________________

4. When (complete date) was the first official meeting of Toastmasters held? _________________

5. Who was the first female member admitted to the Toastmasters in 1970 and who became the first fe-

male international president in 1985? _____________________________

6. When and where did Toastmasters hold its annual convention outside of North America for the first

time? ___________________________________________

7. What year and month was Toastmasters magazine first published? _______________________

8. Where is the Toastmasters world headquarters currently located? _______________________

9. What was the name of the organization where Ralph Smedley worked when he founded Toastmasters?

________________________________________________

10. What is the Toastmasters International mission statement?

___________________________________________________________________

See answers below.

ANSWERS: 1. Referring to the person who gives toasts at banquets and other occasions. 2. Integrity, Respect, Services, Excellence. 3. March 24, 1905. 4. October 22, 1924. 5. Helen Blanchard 6. August 23-26, 2014 Kuala Lumpur 7. April 1933 8. Rancho Sta. Margarita, California, USA 9. Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) 10. “We empower individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders.’

A logician saves the life of a tiny space alien. The alien is very grateful and, since she's omniscient, offers the follow-ing reward: she offers to answer any question the logician might pose. Without too much thought (after all, he's a logi-cian), he asks: "What is the best question to ask and what is the correct answer to that question?" The tiny alien pauses. Finally she replies, "The best question is the one you just asked; and the correct answer is the one I gave." [contributed by Rich Hilliard] Why is there a fence around the cemetery? Because people are dying to get in.

Question: What would you describe the term "exchange of opinions"? Answer: That's a situation when you have your opinion and go with it to your boss. Then you return with his opinion Never be afraid to do what you don't know how to do. Re-member - an amateur built Noah's Ark, and professionals - Titanic.

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T H E E D G E

WORD OF THE

DAY:

Snipe -

noun: 1. Any of various long-billed birds inhabiting marshy areas. 2. A shot from a concealed position verb intr.: 1. To shoot from a concealed position. 2. To criticize in a harsh and unfair way, especially anonymously.

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14 273rd regular club

meeting at the Crowne

Plaza at 1830 hours

20 Judges training work-

shop for Division Q

(details to be an-

nounced)

28 274th regular club

meeting and start of

club contest the Crowne

Plaza at 1830 hours

01 “Steak, Style & Sizzle”,

a workshop with TM

Abdullah Abandi at the

CNAQ at 1900 hrs.

10 271st regular cub meet-

ing at the Crowne Plaza

at 1830 hours

16 District 20 Council

meeting in Bahrain

24 272nd regular club

meeting at the Crowne

Plaza at 1830 hours

04 Second Club Officers

training workshop

12 275th regular club

meeting at the Crowne

Plaza at 1830 hours

26 276th regular club

meeting at the Crowne

Plaza at 1830 hours

About Filcom International

Filcom International Club is one of the oldest Toastmasters

Clubs in Qatar. It was chartered in 2002 and was the fourth

club to be established in Qatar. The club was founded origi-

nally as an all-Filipino club, hence the name Filcom stands for

Filipino community in Qatar.

Through the years, the club opened its door to other nation-

alities. In 2012 the name of the Club was changed to Filcom

International. Today the club is known for its membership

diversity - which representative of the continents of Africa,

Asia, Europe, and the Americas. We continue to attract

more nationalities as our guests savor the exuberance, ca-

maraderie and fellowship during regular meetings. Filcom

International Club over the years consistently receives

recognition as a Distinguished, Select Distinguished, and

President Distinguished Club, among other awards and

recognition. The Club also has been active in sponsoring new

clubs such as the PICE-Qatar TM Club, PSME-Q TM Club,

FIL-GS, Stafford TM Club, and NDTAA TM Club. We con-

duct Speechcraft programs for professional groups and are

looking forward to develop members of the young

generation through the Youth Leader-

ship Program.

UPCOMING EVENTS...

www.filcominternational.org

All members are requested to take note of the events coming up for the next 3 months and to in-clude these in their individual calendars. The Club VPE shall advise all on changes to these scheduled events, if any.

OCTOBER 2015 NOVEMBER 2015 DECEMBER 2015

T H E E D G E

P A G E 1 2

The Toastmasters Mission A statement of shared values Every Toastmasters club shares the same mission, clearly defined in the following mission statement: “We provide a supportive and positive learning experience in which members are empowered to develop communication and leadership skills, resulting in greater self-confidence and personal growth.”

When do we meet? 2nd & 4th Saturday of the month at

18:30

Where do we meet? Crown Plaza Doha-The Business Park

Al Matar Street