Opening Address June 2009
Good evening, fellow toastmasters, ladies and gentlemen. I would like to begin by asking you a question. If your answer is no, don’t say it out loud. But if your answer is ‘yes’, please say it out loud.
This is my question: “Do I look pretty tonight?” Thank you. Now I can go back and tell my Immediate Past President Justin that I have accomplished my objective because he told me that as a club President, all I have to do is to sit and look pretty.
But seriously, appearances aside, the more important thing for the President to do is to set a vision for the club and motivate the team to get the job done.
It has been said that some people make things happen, some people watch things happen, and some simply wonder, ‘What happened?’
Fellow club members, don’t be wonderers, don’t be watchers, be makers of happenings!
If you want to be an accomplished speaker, make that happen by preparing for each and every speaking assignment diligently.
If you want to be a contest champion, make that happen by taking part in contests and getting a mentor to guide you.
If we want Katong Toastmasters Club to be a distinguished club, let’s work together as a team to make that happen! I believe we can.
When I read about the World Champion of Public Speaking 2008, I was very excited and inspired because it was a woman! Do you have any idea how many woman has ever won this title? Since this contest began in 1938, only four women have ever won this title!
And LaShunda Rundles from Dallas, Texas is the first African-American woman ever to win this prestigious competition. Her contest speech, “Speak” encouraged people to use their voices to change the world. As a lupus survivor, she plans to become the national spokesperson for the Lupus Foundation of America.
In her own words, she said
“People who do not understand lupus do not have an idea of what I deal with each day. There are thousands of people living in pain daily.
I want to raise money, awareness, and understanding. I don’t want people to live with the shame that I did for many years wanting to hide it. My skin is not flawless, my scars are many, but my resolve is unbreakable. I want to bring hope to the lives of those that know what it is really like to have a “good” day. As the awareness grows the quality of life for many people will mean many more “good” days and better yet restful nights. In a world of limited resources we have to fight for our piece of the pie.
I lost a friend of mine who was 28 and died blind and in a wheelchair with lupus. If I can help prevent things like that through my voice, it would be a blessing and an honor.”
Wow, what an inspiration! To think that we can change our world through our voices. We can speak up for what’s right and what’s true. Whatever your goals in life, whatever your dreams, whatever your aspirations, make them happen.
May Toastmasters be the place and platform where you start to make things happen by honing your listening, thinking and speaking skills. I thank the outgoing EXCO for their dedication, commitment and contributions to the club and I congratulate the incoming EXCO for their courage to take up the challenge of running this club. Together, we will make things happen for Katong Toastmasters Club and bring it to the next level.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
The basement brainstorm
Opening Address July 2009
When people hear the word “basement” they’re more likely to picture mould and spiders than the birth place of a global communication and leadership training organization. But a basement is exactly where the first toastmasters meeting was held.
Ralph Smedley, the founder of Toastmasters International, worked as director of education for a Young Men’s Christian Association or YMCA after he graduated from college. He observed that many of the young men needed “training in the art of public speaking and in presiding over meetings”. So what did he do? Did he merely wish for them to become better? No, he made things happen. How?
First, he decided on a training format. He chose a format similar to a social club to attract people to join.
Second, he named his group “The Toastmasters Club” to suggest a pleasant, social atmosphere appealing to young men. During the early 1900s the word “toastmaster” referred to a person who proposed the toasts and introduced the speakers at a banquet.
Third, he got together a group of young men from YMCA in Santa Ana, California in 1924 and they met in a basement for their first meeting to practice speaking in a supportive, informal atmosphere.
The seedling club blossomed. Word spread about Smedley’s YMCA experiment and soon people in other communities and even other states began asking for permission and help to start their own Toastmasters meetings. Today, thanks to Ralph Smedley’s “basement brainstorm”, there are more than 12,000 Toastmasters clubs and more than 250,000 members in 106 countries. Thanks to Ralph Smedley, we are gathered here tonight to enjoy the benefits of Toastmasters.
Fellow toastmasters, ladies and gentlemen, is there something in your workplace or at home that needs improvement? Then don’t just wish for things to be better. Make things better.
For myself, I wanted to improve our club’s presence in cyberspace so I’ve updated our website and started a facebook account for our club. Your support and feedback will be greatly appreciated. Please look for Joni Siah in Facebook and add me as a friend. Then I will link you to our club page. This is where we can share photos and event information and hold animated discussions over issues pertaining to our club. Make your presence felt. Join me in FACEBOOK.
In conclusion,
Don’t watch things happen,
Don’t wonder what happen,
MAKE THINGS HAPPEN!
When people hear the word “basement” they’re more likely to picture mould and spiders than the birth place of a global communication and leadership training organization. But a basement is exactly where the first toastmasters meeting was held.
Ralph Smedley, the founder of Toastmasters International, worked as director of education for a Young Men’s Christian Association or YMCA after he graduated from college. He observed that many of the young men needed “training in the art of public speaking and in presiding over meetings”. So what did he do? Did he merely wish for them to become better? No, he made things happen. How?
First, he decided on a training format. He chose a format similar to a social club to attract people to join.
Second, he named his group “The Toastmasters Club” to suggest a pleasant, social atmosphere appealing to young men. During the early 1900s the word “toastmaster” referred to a person who proposed the toasts and introduced the speakers at a banquet.
Third, he got together a group of young men from YMCA in Santa Ana, California in 1924 and they met in a basement for their first meeting to practice speaking in a supportive, informal atmosphere.
The seedling club blossomed. Word spread about Smedley’s YMCA experiment and soon people in other communities and even other states began asking for permission and help to start their own Toastmasters meetings. Today, thanks to Ralph Smedley’s “basement brainstorm”, there are more than 12,000 Toastmasters clubs and more than 250,000 members in 106 countries. Thanks to Ralph Smedley, we are gathered here tonight to enjoy the benefits of Toastmasters.
Fellow toastmasters, ladies and gentlemen, is there something in your workplace or at home that needs improvement? Then don’t just wish for things to be better. Make things better.
For myself, I wanted to improve our club’s presence in cyberspace so I’ve updated our website and started a facebook account for our club. Your support and feedback will be greatly appreciated. Please look for Joni Siah in Facebook and add me as a friend. Then I will link you to our club page. This is where we can share photos and event information and hold animated discussions over issues pertaining to our club. Make your presence felt. Join me in FACEBOOK.
In conclusion,
Don’t watch things happen,
Don’t wonder what happen,
MAKE THINGS HAPPEN!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Opening Address November 2009
When I joined Toastmasters, it took me many years to pluck up the courage to take part in a humorous speech contest. I had limiting beliefs that I was not funny and I could not possibly make anyone laugh. Better not embarrass myself.
But recently at our club's humorous speech contest, two of our newer members took part in the contest although they had less than one year's experience in Toastmasters. Either they were very gullible to believe the VPE when he said it was compulsory for all members to take part in the contest, or they had the courage to TRY. I believe it was the latter.
During the contest, I happened to be seated next to a judge. One of the new members was the first contestant. When he opened his mouth to speak, the judge tactlessly commented to me, "Wah, like that also can take part in contest!" I was peeved but that was not a good time to give him a piece of my mind. If not for my self-control and self-restraint, the judge might have ended up on the floor with a bleeding nose. Thankfully I am a civilised person.
I did not get a chance to tell the judge what I thought that day, but this is what I would have said, "TO TRY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE GOOD; BUT TO BE GOOD, YOU MUST TRY!"
The wonderful thing about Toastmasters is that it provides us with the opportunities to try out many different speaking roles, be it as a speaker, evaluator or TME and so on. If you were given the opportunity to be a project evaluator, a language evaluator or a contestant, what would your response be? Would you say YES enthusiastically? Or like most people, reject the offer with reasons like 'I'm not experienced enough', 'I don't know how to be an evaluator' etc.
True, for certain roles such as TME or project evaluator, some experience is required. But most of the time, it is our limiting beliefs that stops us from trying. If you feel you are inadequate to take on a role, do realise that there are many things you can do about it. You can attend workshops that teach you skills you need (such as LE workshops), you can observe more experienced toastmasters, you can read up on resources on the internet or get your mentor to share his/her experiences with you.
So the next time opportunity comes knocking on your door, what will your response be? When your beloved club President or VPE calls you and says, 'Nik, would you like to be the LE for our next chapter meeting?' or 'Tarwin, would you like to take part in the Table Topics Contest?', or 'Ben, would you like to serve in the EXCO next term?', don't say NO. Instead, embrace the opportunity and take actions to empower yourself to take on the role. And remember, "TO TRY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE GOOD; BUT TO BE GOOD, YOU MUST TRY!"
But recently at our club's humorous speech contest, two of our newer members took part in the contest although they had less than one year's experience in Toastmasters. Either they were very gullible to believe the VPE when he said it was compulsory for all members to take part in the contest, or they had the courage to TRY. I believe it was the latter.
During the contest, I happened to be seated next to a judge. One of the new members was the first contestant. When he opened his mouth to speak, the judge tactlessly commented to me, "Wah, like that also can take part in contest!" I was peeved but that was not a good time to give him a piece of my mind. If not for my self-control and self-restraint, the judge might have ended up on the floor with a bleeding nose. Thankfully I am a civilised person.
I did not get a chance to tell the judge what I thought that day, but this is what I would have said, "TO TRY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE GOOD; BUT TO BE GOOD, YOU MUST TRY!"
The wonderful thing about Toastmasters is that it provides us with the opportunities to try out many different speaking roles, be it as a speaker, evaluator or TME and so on. If you were given the opportunity to be a project evaluator, a language evaluator or a contestant, what would your response be? Would you say YES enthusiastically? Or like most people, reject the offer with reasons like 'I'm not experienced enough', 'I don't know how to be an evaluator' etc.
True, for certain roles such as TME or project evaluator, some experience is required. But most of the time, it is our limiting beliefs that stops us from trying. If you feel you are inadequate to take on a role, do realise that there are many things you can do about it. You can attend workshops that teach you skills you need (such as LE workshops), you can observe more experienced toastmasters, you can read up on resources on the internet or get your mentor to share his/her experiences with you.
So the next time opportunity comes knocking on your door, what will your response be? When your beloved club President or VPE calls you and says, 'Nik, would you like to be the LE for our next chapter meeting?' or 'Tarwin, would you like to take part in the Table Topics Contest?', or 'Ben, would you like to serve in the EXCO next term?', don't say NO. Instead, embrace the opportunity and take actions to empower yourself to take on the role. And remember, "TO TRY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE GOOD; BUT TO BE GOOD, YOU MUST TRY!"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)