THE NEWSLETTER OF MANAMA TOASTMASTERS CLUB Sep - Oct 2017
A Gain & Again WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE
From the President’s Desk
Did you know that the founder of the Toastmasters organization Dr. Ralph C. Smedley had many deliberations with his team on what his public speaking classes should be called? Apparently they had considered public speaking class, debating society, literary society & a host of other such names before settling in on ‘The Toastmasters Club’.
Until I joined Toastmasters, the only clubs I visited were lounge clubs aka night clubs with low lights, loud music, noisy people & which served interesting concoctions in fancy glasses at fancy prices. All that was way before I got married & moved to Bahrain. Then something changed when my husband, who was a Toastmaster, convinced me to attend a meeting as a guest. I was aghast when I saw what I saw; as members delivered flawless speeches, gave evaluations & then spoke confidently during the impromptu speaking session ‘Table Topics’ . I went home & quizzed my husband ‘You said people join Toastmasters to learn how to communicate’? Then how come they all spoke so eloquently? My husband’s subtle smile said it all. That evening, I learnt that there are clubs where members learn from each other, laugh at each other & applaud endlessly without reason. Ah!! The wonders of a Toastmaster Club! Since then, I have not looked back. It’s one of the most interesting places to discover yourself- your strengths, weaknesses & find a host of opportunities to grow & develop. Learning never stops with or without the titles we earn in our journey as Toastmasters. 2
From the President’s Desk And yet, are we doing enough to promote this ‘club’ to our family & friends? Sometimes just wearing the TI pin gets a conversation going. A few months ago, I was accosted, yes accosted, at the Bahrain airport as a young man walked up to me asked ‘Are you a toastmaster’? No, I didn’t have any telltale signs neither was I wearing a pin. Apparently, I had conducted a Youth Leadership Program (YLP) for his son many moons ago & he was the proud father who had attended the valedictory function. I was delighted that after so many years he still remembered me as he gushed how that eight-week program had changed his son for the better. Which brings me to yet another question ‘How many of us have volunteered to coordinate at a YLP’ or a SpeechCraft program? It’s one of the most rewarding experiences & I was happy that this term, after more than 10 years our club finally conducted a ‘SpeechCraft’ program for the Indian Ladies Association. The performance of the ladies at the grand finale convinced me that the program works like magic. Every club member who participated told me that they had also benefited from sharing their knowledge & skills with the ladies of the Association.
So my 3rd question - Can we challenge ourselves to organize at least one YLP or SpeechCraft for our club every term? Let’s give it our best shot & reap the benefits of shared knowledge. After all, Toastmasters is ‘A Gain & Again Best always SHEELA PAI President July – December 2017
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What a great question! DO we even think about such things? DO we even question why someone would want to listen to us speak?
Audiences don’t necessarily come to hear the content but to listen to the story you have to tell. It’s the story that is entertaining and enjoyable. It’s the story that has the message all wrapped up in the storyline. It’s a gift waiting to be unwrapped. Perhaps someone wonders about my trip back to New Zealand. Or you wonder whether my family is as querky as me? Or how do I cope with over 24 hours of travel in the confines of the ever-narrowing aircraft seat while my hips are everincreasing with each new day. Or perhaps our marathon writers want to express the exhilaration of achieving their sports goal or their speaking achievements within the club.
It is simply because we are telling a story – yes a personal story but one that most of the listeners can relate to the story in one way or another. The message is relevant, its just packaged in a personal story. Second key point, is that stories are emotional and appeal to our feelings. They touch our soul. When the inner soul speaks, it speaks to the heart, not to the mind. Everyone listens to a story. Everyone wants to hear or listen. After all, why is gossip so engaging? It’s a story. Now I am not advocating that we all become gossip mongers but we can all become story tellers. Stories bring joy, laughter, tears and even sadness but we all still listen.
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So why do story’s command such a powerful effect. Stories cause us to respond at several levels all at the same time. Stories reach beyond the logic of the mind to the part of the brain that is involved in choices and decision making. It’s that part of the brain that acts on empathy, trust, loyalty, understanding, and compassion. The aim of the story is to reach further into the listener’s thinking and connect at an emotional level whereby the speaker can change minds, behaviour, thinking. That is one very powerful tool. So why not develop the skills to use the art of storytelling? Let yourself be moved to become the best storyteller that you can be. So you have the power to move others – not off their chairs but in their minds. The Key to Why Stories Work. Stories have this magical power because they play the winning card against your emotions. A logical argument is just that. Logic and fact placed in a sequential line of thought. Logic is accurate, correct (hopefully), precise and clearly laid out. Logic is cold and calculated. But a story is full of emotion – either giggles and joy, or tears and sadness. Reality. A story is alive. We relate to live or living things. So a story has the power to swoon the heart or rage the anger. So deliver your speech wrapped up preferably in a personal story, or at least a story of another person the story of which you know well and can relate to. Become the best storyteller you can be. Then hearts, not just ears will listen to you on the edge of their chair! Claire Cosgrove, DTM
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Meeting No: 2627 and 2628
Best Speaker
Best Evaluator
Best Table Topic Commentator
Best Role Player
Bilkais Khan
Ratinder Nath
Tosin Arowojolu
Nivedita Chandra
Best Speaker
Best Evaluator
Best Table Topic Commentator
Best Role Player
Bharath Iyengar
Guraz Wankadia
Ameena Nathani
Shruthi Premanand 6
Meeting No: 2631
Best Speaker
Best Evaluator
Best Table Topic Commentator
Best Role Player
Nivedita Chandra
Biljana Davceva
Todd Dinwiddie
Shruthi Pramanand
Congratulations to Azza Bakai and Chris Noronha for achieving Advance Leadership and Communication awards
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Tall Tales Winners Tall Tale Contest Standing from left to right 3rd place winner Chris Noronha 1st place winner Khalid Amin Club President Sheela Pai Contest Chair Bharath Iyengar 2nd place winner Kishore Babu
Mr Muharraq
Dear Toastmasters, we would like to say thank you to all for making our Tall Tales Contest a successful one. The contestants, members, guests, judges, Contest Chair & officials. We heard a lot of tales starting from President’s addresss then Mogambo Kishore Babu, Mr. Muharraq Khalid Amin and plenty more from other contestants. Our Contest Chair Bharath and his whole team demonstrated an amazing amalga m of professionalism and preparation
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Bowling Tournament Manama Toastmasters club conducted a bowling tournament for our members and guests,
Manama Toastmasters club conducted a bowling tournament for its members and guests that was a huge success as the families also joined in the fun
IncrediBowler : Todd Dinwiddie
2nd Place : Adi Nathani
3rd Place: Guraz Wankadia
THE BIG DEBATE Manama Toastmasters club conducted THE BIG DEBATE between Manama Toastmasters and Indian Ladies Association The resolution was ‘It is resolved that Beauty and not Brains is the fastest route to corporate success Team members from ILA are: Suvasini Srinivas, Amrita Chatterjee Singh Monalisa P., and Ashu Karol Chaudhary Team members from Manama Toastmasters are: Rashid Maymoon, Usha Nenwani, Tosin Arowojolu, and Kishore Babu
Many Toastmasters and guests joined in this event and made it a successful one. Manama Toastmasters’ team speaking against the resolution won the debate
The winning team with the Club President, Debate Moderator & Chief Judge
Meeting No: 2633 It was a special & poignant meeting for Manama Toastmasters, as it was one of our long standing member Clement Vinayak’s last meeting at the club. He moved to India after serving more than 27 years as a club member
Kawther Al Taitoon attended this meeting with her fractured leg, just to say goodbye to long-time friend & fellow Toastmaster Clement
A memento & a giant card full of good wishes was presented to DTM Clement
Joel Indrupati raised a Toast & sang to Clement Vnayak’s good health & future plans
DTM Clement’s emotional farewell speech
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In the Media Manama Toastmasters’ Bowling Tournament in the Gulf Daily News
Coverage about interclub debate – Gulf Daily News
Bowling Tournament Teams in the Daily Tribune
Clement Vinayak’s farewell coverage in the Daily Tribune 12
About Us Manama Toastmasters Club was founded in the year 1964 & prides itself as the ‘mother’ of all Toastmaster clubs in Bahrain & the Middle East region. We have a vast & diverse membership of over 58 members representing more than 13 different countries making it a truly multinational, multiracial & multicultural club of men & women of all age groups, with eclectic interests & backgrounds Executive Committee July – December 2017 Sitting from left to right: VP Membership Bilkais Khan, President Sheela Pai, VP Education Roshan Vaghjee Treasurer Prashanth Gudibande Standing from left to right: Sergeant at Arms Bharath Iyengar Secretary Raja Chandra, VP Public Relations Mohamed Saleem
We meet every Saturday at 7:00 p.m. for 2 hours, at the Crowne Plaza, Bahrain Conference Center. Guests are welcome to attend & discover for themselves the benefits of being a Toastmaster. Please visit our website www.manamatoastmasters.org or our Facebook page www.facebook.com/manama.toastmasters/ to keep updated about our club & its activities. 13