SPEAK TO LEAD - VOLUME 08 - ISSUE 01

OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF EXPOLANKA TOASTMASTERS CLUBÂ

SPEAK TO LEAD APRIL 2020 | VOLUME 08 |ISSUE 01

CLUB # 02302941 | aREA F2 | DIVISION f |DISTRICT 82

Featuring

TM Aaron Beverly

WCPS 2019 WINNER

TM Simon Bucknall

WCPS 2017 RUNNER UP

David JP Phillips

AUTHOR

DEATH BY POWERPOINT

DTM Scerena Dirckze DTM Hisham Yasir

AND OUR VERY OWN TOASTMASTERS

WHAT'S INSIDE?

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03

EDITORIAL MESSAGE

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PRESIDENT'S NOTE

A FRATERNITY OF COMMUNICATORS & LEADERS

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EXPOLANKA TOASTMASTERS CLUB

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DISTRICT CORNER

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DIVISION & AREA CORNER

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AN INTERVIEW WITH TM AARON BEVERLY

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WE ARE WHO WE ARE - SEASON 08

AN INTERVIEW WITH DTM SCERENA DIRCKZE

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AN INTERVIEW WITH DTM HISHAM YASIR

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NEW MEMBER CORNER

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AN INTERVIEW WITH TM SIMON BUCKNALL

A STORY OF RESILIENCE & TRANSFORMATION

31 AN INTERVIEW WITH DAVID PHILLIPS

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ACHIEVEMENT CORNER

LIFE AS A PROTÉGÉ

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05

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CONTEST CORNER

32 KNOW YOUR LIMITS

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EDITORIAL MESSAGE

It is a privilege to present the newsletter on behalf of Expolanka Toastmasters Club for the Toastmasters year 2019/20. This has been possible by focus, commitment and sheer hard-work of the Executive Committee and through the support rendered by the club members, without whom this edition of Speak to Lead wouldn't have become a reality.

It is a great pleasure to have gotten the honor of featuring three International dignitaries, TM Aaron Beverly (Winner, World Championship of Public Speaking 2019), TM Simon Bucknall (Runner Up, World Championship of Public Speaking 2017) and David JP Phillips (Author, A death by PowerPoint) in this edition of the newsletter. Along with our very own features by DTM Scerena Dirckze and DTM Hisham Yasir who have been accredited as Distinguished Toastmasters during the year.

First and foremost I would like to take the opportunity to thank the Executive Committee of our club for being a great source of strength and support towards the journey of completing a quality newsletter.

Secondly I would like to extend my gratitude and a special thanks to TM Aaron, TM Simon and David Phillips for sharing their valuable insights.

While congratulating DTM Scerena and DTM Hisham for achieving the Distinguished Toastmasters status, I would like to thank them for providing their valuable words for this newsletter. The club is proud of your achievements.

Finally, to everyone within and outside the club who have rendered their undying support even with a word for the successful completion of this newsletter, Thank you. Had it not been for you, this wouldn't have been possible The wait is over and it definitely has been worthwhile because this year we have promised to encompass quality over quantity and as the Editor of the newsletter I am honored to present this edition to you with the hope that we have surpassed or at least reached the expectations of providing rich content full of learning.

Expolanka Toastmasters Club is always open for feedback and is awaiting your valuable suggestions and recommendations.

Until Next time.

Happy Reading!

Stay Safe!

TM Aboobucker Raza Editor

PRESIDENT'S NOTE

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Have you heard the saying 'What we sow is what we reap'? I believe the Garden of Expolanka TMC is a place where the correct set of seeds are sown. It is a place for the people who yearn for an opportunity at leadership but don’t seem to find a way.

Expolanka Toastmasters Club was envisioned by a true visionary Mr. Hanif Yoosuf. His essence of ‘dare to do spirit’ is a drive to our members. During our brief history, we have been blessed to achieve Champion Speakers, Admirable Chief Judges, Superstar District Officials and Distinguished Toastmasters now and again. I believe this has been possible due to the correct set of ingredients that has been poured into our members by the visionaries and the past club leaders.

Expolanka Toastmasters Club over the past 10 months has been able to maintain the standards and win numerous accolades. During this period the club was able to achieve the Smedley ribbon, Excellence in training while being able to Produce 2 Distinguished Toastmasters DTM Hisham Yasir and DTM Scerena Dirckze. TM Ahmed represented the club at Division F for both TT and Evaluation contest and TM Usman Jauffer for Humorous speech contest.

As far as educational goals are concerned, by achieving all 10DCP points we have made significant progress by achieving Presidents Distinguished Club status, we are also in line to win the prestigious Golden Gavel award for the 6th time under the purview of our Vice president Education TM Sameera. We also were able to schedule our educational meetings online due to current outbreak and were able to have keynotes from TM Simon Bucknall and DTM Shubhadip Banik.

Additionally, Expolanka TMC had associated with District 82 to host WCPS 2013 TM Presiyan Vasilev in a workshop for District 82 members, we could do this with the help of our Past Presidents DTM Scerena, DTM Zaidh, DTM Hisham and our IPP Ahmed.

At Expolanka you will see a diverse membership embracing the club from various Subsidiaries from Classic Travel, ITX 360 and EFL from around the Island like Katunayake, Orugodawatta and Colpetty. Our hopeful endeavor is to extend the diversity in the club even more to achieve far more recognition and respect in the group. I am sure you may have come across the promotional activities of the club. We resumed the 'Meeting Recap' something our members look forward to this year. Compliance comes close to our values and hence we have maintained good records of meeting minutes and accountants’ details with the Corporate. I believe we were with God’s grace able to achieve them within this 10 months, firstly, due to the blessings of the Almighty and most importantly an attitude of responsibility by the Exco Sameera, Sifani, Ilham, Kavya, Raza, Tuan and our IPP Ahmed by gracing it as a challenge with the spirit of perseverance and most importantly a positive attitude.

So, until we meet again at some point, Happy Reading!

Stay safe!

TM Gazzaly Moulana President

A FRATERNITY OF COMMUNICATORS & LEADERS

What is Toastmasters?

Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. Headquartered in Englewood, Colo., the organization's membership exceeds 358,000 in more than 16,800 clubs in 143 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people from diverse backgrounds become more confident speakers, communicators, and leaders.

Toastmasters International Mission We empower individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders.

Core Values Respect Integrity

District Mission

Service

We build new clubs and support all clubs in achieving excellence.

Excellence

Club Mission 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

For more information visit: www.toastmasters.org

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EXPOLANKA TOASTMASTERS CLUB

TM Gazzaly Moulana President gazzalym@expofreight.com

TM Sameera Dilhan VP Education sameerad@expofreight.com

TM Sifani Sahibo VP Membership fathimas@expofreight.com

TM Muhammed Ilhaam VP Public Relations milhaam@expofreight.com

TM Kavya Reshani Secretary kavyaw@expofreight.com

TM Aboobucker Raza Treasurer aboobucker@expofreight.com

TM Tuan Zafraan Sargeant At Arms tuanz@expofreight.com

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DISTRICT CORNER

The 2019/2020 reign for District 82 is a very unique one for it is the final year that our friends from Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka come together. It has definitely had its struggles with the calamity of Coronavirus but as with all struggles comes very interesting opportunities. We now see a rise of World Champions, District Leaders, Regional Leaders, and even ordinary members from overseas joining our meetings through online platforms making us more connected to the clubs outside our Home Countries.

Our team this year is led by TM Sarmaa Mahalingam. Sarmaa is an accountant turned entrepreneur and a visiting lecturer at the University of Colombo MBA programs. He leads all clubs in Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu, South India. District 82 also elected DTM Noorul Munawwara, an engineer attached to the Ceylon Electricity Board as Program Quality Director and DTM Srianthie Salgado, a visiting faculty at the Colombo University as Club Growth Director for Sri Lanka.

Currently, District 82 has over 322 clubs inclusive of over 8700 members.

“We joined as members of Toastmasters International not only to commit ourselves to improve our communication and leadership skills but also to strive to live up to the core values of Toastmasters International “Integrity, Respect, Service, and Excellence”.

On average, 75% of the clubs in the District are Corporate Clubs and this proves their need for soft skills development. In our day to day lives, Toastmasters has proven its value by showcasing the importance of communication and leadership skills.” - TM Sarmaa Mahalingam Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organization that teaches communication, public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. Headquartered in Englewood, Colo., the organization’s membership exceeds 360,000 in more than 16,600 clubs in 143 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people from diverse backgrounds become more confident speakers, communicators, and leaders.

TM Safra Anver Public Relations Manager, District 82

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DIVISION & AREA CORNER

At a very significant juncture in our country’s history, it is with deep concern and with pleasure, that I extend my appreciation and best wishes to Expolanka Toastmasters Club. From the very inception in 2012, the club has been performing well as one of the leading Corporate clubs in Sri Lanka. The past records of club excellence stand testimony to the reason why Expolanka is one of the Distinguished Corporate Clubs in the District. Year after year the club has displayed the class by achieving President Distinguished Club status and received many more accolades from the District 82.

I have been fortunate to have associated with the club since 2017. I first received my baptism to the club as the Area Director. The members have always been there to support me in numbers, for all the Area and Division activities whenever necessary. I still remember how supportive, passionate, creative and united the club has been throughout. As a team, you passionately drove the club to achieving many milestones in toastmasters. The club also never forgets to celebrate the achievements collectively. The creativity the club has brought in, in terms of conducting toastmasters activities, celebration and the recognition of members achievements is outstanding. The support the club extended for the success of fellow members has been instrumental for their individual success and that of the club. The club has always stood together as a team, keeping alive the motto of Toastmasters By trotting along the success, this year too the club has secured many accolades and achievements under the leadership of the President TM Gazzaly Moulana and his Exco. Hence, I take this opportunity to congratulate the members of Expolanka and the past and present leadership of the club for their outstanding service and contribution to the success of the club. Success is not a destination but a journey. I am sure the club will continue to lead the momentum in years to come. It is also the sole responsibility of the current and prospective leaders of the club to continue to serve the members whilst securing the success of the club in the years to come. The club has also produced champion speakers and leaders who have gone beyond the club and served in Area, Division and District level. It is a blessing for the club to have guidance and the support of all the Distinguished predecessors.

In toastmasters, mentors play a vital role. In the absence of a mentor we would never uncover the journey as a toastmaster. Mentors are the wind beneath your wings. It is the duty of leading corporate clubs like Expolanka to nurture young clubs and sponsor many clubs under their wings. I urge the club to step out more into this wonderful world of Toastmasters and be engaged more energetically and enthusiastically to pass the bliss of toastmasters amongst the corporate world beyond your home club. I would say, Toastmaster is a journey of fulfilment of one’s inner desire. It is a journey of good to better, better to best, best to excellence. Everyone at toastmasters is in a journey of making a better version of themselves. As members what we haven seen as toastmasters is only the tip of the iceberg.

Underneath of it can be uncovered by those who choose to uphold the toastmasters values, Respect, Integrity Service and Excellence.

The club has proven its mettle from its inception with many accolades while being instrumental with the club culture. I sincerely hope that the club will continue to remain magical while achieving many more milestones in years to come. I wish each one of you many more achievements and success in your life.

DTM Ganga Fernando Division Director, Division F, D82

It is my pleasure and privilege to write few words for the newsletter published by Expolanka Toastmasters Club. Expolanka Toastmasters Club is the best Corporate club under my purview and has produced many leaders who have served the fraternity through their sheer commitment and passion. As a club Expolanka has raised the bar to the highest level by being a President’s Distinguished Club for the past few years and became one of the prominent Corporate clubs in the country.

Further Expolanka Toastmasters club has been a great Brand Ambassador and helped other clubs in the District especially at their initial stages. One of such examples would be their guidance and support for my home club “Amana Bank Toastmasters Club” as the sponsoring club.

It gives me an immense pleasure when I look at the progress made by club members in both traditional and pathways program. Also, I take this opportunity to congratulate two Expolanka toastmasters Scerena Dirckze and Hisham Yasir for becoming “Distinguished Toastmasters” during this tenure. Further I would like to recognize the excellent leadership roles played by DTM Zaidh Naushard as Immediate Past Division Director, Division F and DTM Hisham Yasir as Immediate Past Area Director, Area F2.

As the Area Director area F2, I am blessed to have Expo under my purview because it is a club that requires a very minimal supervision.

The club has already become a President’s Distinguished Club and I am very confident that it is on course to secure the Golden Gavel award for club excellence. I am sure TM Nuwan Fernando that Expolanka will continue the same way and produce great leaders and achieve Area Director, Area F2, D82 many accolades in the future.

AN INTERVIEW WITH AARON BEVERLY

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Aaron Beverly is a highly skilled communicator and public speaker, Aaron became the 2019 Toastmasters International World Champion of Public Speaking emerging from a field of over 30,000 participants worldwide.

He is a project manager at J.P. Morgan's Corporate Investment Bank. A dynamic leader with extensive expertise in strategic projects, communication, and team leadership, he specializes in operating model enhancement, business technology adoption and end-user training & development.

As an International keynote speaker and trainer, Aaron helps individuals find success in their lives and careers with topics such as:- Corporate & Personal Storytelling- Advancing your Career with Public Speaking- How Introverts can Succeed and Thrive in the Workplace Aaron aims to deliver exceptional results and has a long reputation as a resourceful team player who has benefited from career progression evidenced by the execution of several operational projects and communication excellence

Q : May we know a few details about you, your background and the personalities whom are your inspirations in public speaking both inside and outside the fraternity?

Beyond the world championship, I am a person who loves public speaking. I am a person who loves the feeling of teaching other people. I’m a traveler; I love to experience different cultures. I believe that it makes us better people especially when we approach it from the mindset of understanding. By trade, I am a Project Manager working at J.P. Morgan Chase for nearly a decade. I am also a nerd that loves cartoons and superhero movies and I have no shame of that either.

I became a Toastmaster because back in 2009 I wanted a way to stand out in the job market. It was during the Great Recession and I had a Finance degree which had to be the worst degree to have during a financial crisis. I remembered Toastmasters because of 20052006 International President, Dr. Dilip Abayasekara. He was an adjunct professor at my college, and I had been impressed with how eloquently he spoke. On top of that I had been inspired by the speaking prowess of President Barack Obama who had just won the presidency of the United States. These three factors were my main reason for joining Toastmasters.

Q : Being on the world-stage for world championship of public speaking finals is in itself an achievement and you have been there twice first as a runner up and then as a winner. Tell us about your experience.

As with most international speech contests, it’s much more difficult to appreciate it in the moment. You appreciate it more in retrospect. You enjoy the fact that you were on stage sharing a message that you believe in.

For many people it’s the largest crowd that they have ever spoken to or will ever speak to again. The site of over 2000 people is mesmerizing but of course a little terrifying. For me, I can still remember the excitement that I felt going on stage in 2016 it was the same feeling that I had in 2019. It was an adrenaline rush.

Q : How did you prepare for such a big competition and what was that one thing which insisted you to come back on the world stage?

The Toastmasters World Championship of Public Speaking was a dream that I had for eight years. However, at the beginning of my journey I incorrectly labeled my dream as a goal.

The reason why the World Championship of Public Speaking is not a goal is that you, the speaker, cannot control the outcome. You are selected by a panel of judges to advance and win, and judging is very subjective. You could have a technically perfect speech but still may not win because one judge did not believe that you scored as highly as another person. This is based purely on their own opinions and preference. Since I could not control the outcome, I realized that it was impossible to make winning the championship a goal. Therefore in 2019 I made it my mission to focus on what I could control, and that was my growth as a speaker. I set goals for body language. I set goals for vocal variety. My final goal once I reached the world championship stage was to simply do better than I did when I was on the stage the last time in 2016. I believe I was able to do just that.

Q : Out of both the speeches, which speech is closest to your heart and why?

My 2016 speech is easily the closest to my heart. Even though I don't feel I delivered it as best as I could, it was about me personally. It served as my ice breaker speech on a world stage. It also included my favorite stories and one-liners. That speech has also inspired many other introverts and soft-spoken people even though it is going on 4 years now since I gave that speech. While I enjoyed creating my 2019 speech more, my 2016 world championship speech will always mean more to me.

Q : What about the Indian culture in particular did you love which became a reason for you to choose an experience from there to create your winning speech?

While I have enjoyed India during both of my visits, the inspiration for the speech was less about the Indian culture itself and more about the inclusion I felt at the wedding I attended.

The families of the bride and groom embraced me and it was a great time I had. However, I will say that there is an underlying appreciation of culture within the speech mainly the entire Hindu wedding that I experienced.

Q : “Just because you say more doesn’t mean people will remember what you say” how did you come up with such a unique idea for your title?

The 57-word title in my speech was inspired by one of the first Toastmasters that I ever saw on YouTube, Andy Dooley. He performed a speech with a long title for his humorous speech contest in the early 2000s. I decided that I would emulate that; however, I added more words to my title. The line, "Just because you say more doesn’t mean people will remember what you say” was created to make the long title meaningful to the speech. Without it, the long title would have been seen only as an empty gimmick.

You enjoy the fact that you were on stage sharing a message that you believe in Q : Characters are an important element of a speech. What are some techniques to create empathy between a character and a listener?

As I became a more experienced speaker, I learned the power of storytelling and the engine behind a good story is a good character that people can relate to. To have a relatable character, that character needs to have an understandable motivation and goal. The character must also have an obstacle that prevents them from getting that goal. The obstacle must be relatable and be something that is easy to understand or is familiar to the majority of your audience. Humor and drama are the bells and whistles that can be added but without the foundation (what I just explained above) they are meaningless.

Q : How important is humor in creating a winning speech and how did you elevate your humorous skills?

Humor is a great way to connect with an audience. However, the mistake a lot of speakers make is that they believe that humor is the only way to connect with the audience. Humor should be used in balance along with other emotions.

The way that I improved my humor skills was trial and error. I think something is funny then I test it out on an audience whether it is a family member or a Toastmasters crowd. The audience will tell me whether it is funny to them or not through their reaction. If I have a positive reaction from that audience, I will take note of that then try to replicate the scenario and result with another audience (preferably a larger audience). As you do that overtime, you will begin to build a repertoire of humorous material that you can insert into future presentations.

Just because you say more doesn't mean people will remember what you say

Q : Many Districts around the world have begun online contests. What are a few techniques that the speakers can use to score well in this method? And how fair is it to mark the contestants on the conventional ballots in online competitions?

My personal belief is that the International speech contest in its current form is not conducive to an online medium. The judging criteria is built for a live, in person audience. If the contest is to continue, I would much prefer that the judging criteria match the medium.

With that being said, as a contestant you have little to no control over what the rules or the judging criteria will be. Therefore, you have to put your best foot forward and compete the best way you know. I recently created a YouTube video on my YouTube channel (Aaron W. Beverly) on how to compete in an online contest. Out of all the tips that I suggest in those videos, the two that I would say are the most important are ensuring that you have a stable Internet connection and that you have good lighting so that people can see you. To increase the bandwidth of your Internet, ensure that you disable any other device that can connect to the Internet. The device you use for speaking should be the only device that is connected to the Internet. For lighting, make sure that you are in a well-lit space. There are cheap lighting options that you can buy online to improve the light in your room if you believe it is too dark.

Q : What advice would you like to leave for younger toastmasters, especially us at Expolanka Toastmasters Club?

My advice for anyone who is aspiring to be a proficient public speaker is to get over the fear of being judged. In truth, most people do not fear the act of speaking. We do it every day. What people fear is judgment.

We fear being rejected by the people we are speaking to. If we get over the fear of being judged and are not afraid to look less than desirable from time to time, it will allow us more flexibility to take chances and expand our boundaries.

Get over the fear of being Judged

aaron-w-beverly

@aaron_w_beverly

Aaron W. Beverly

Aaron W. Beverly

WE ARE WHO WE ARE - SEASON 08

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Expolanka Toastmasters club commemorated its Club Officer Installation Ceremony for the eighth consecutive year on the 16th of August 2019 at the EFL Campus Auditorium, setting the bars high with every passing year, the expectations of the Toastmasters are at its peak. The theme ‘We are who we are – Season 8’ rejuvenated the impulses of the members providing a reaffirmation for a fruitful year and an assurance of maintaining the standard aligned with the expectations. The club officers would continue to serve the members and assist to strengthen the platform in enhancing their communication and leadership skills while adhering to the core values of Toastmasters International.

This glamorous event witnessed the participation of dignitaries from within the company as well as from the Toastmasters fraternity. Presiding the event as the chief guest was our Patron and Founder/President of EFL Mr Hanif Yusuf. Accompanying him in gracing the event as the Guest of honor was the Past District Director of District 82 DTM Ajantha Jayawardana, accompanied by esteemed guests, past members, colleagues from the fraternity and the management team.

Since its inception in 2012/13, the club has been able to secure the prestigious Presidents Distinguished award consecutively for seven years and Golden gavel for five years leaving the hope for the eighth and the sixth in the hands of the Executive committee for the year 2019/20.

The legacy has been passed on to the club office bearers for the year 2019/20.

President TM Gazzaly Moulana VP Education TM Sameera Dilhan VP Membership TM Ahmed Mauroof (replaced) VP Public Relations TM Mohamed Ilham Secretary TM Kavya Hendawitharana Treasurer TM Aboobucker Raza Sergeant at Arms TM Tuan Zafraan were installed for the year 2019/20 by the Area Director, District 82 – Area F2, Toastmaster Nuwan Fernando.

The ‘Best attendance of the year’ 2018/19 was bagged by the incoming president and the outgoing VP Membership TM Gazzaly Moulana for attending the highest number of meetings during the year. ‘Best Toastmaster of the year’ 2018/19 award was shared by two exemplary Toastmasters TM Safiya Ismail who helped the club to secure 10/10 DCP points & Golden Gavel and TM Thiwanka Premathilaka, who represented the club at Division for table topics.

An evening filled with entertainment, inspiration and flashbacks accompanied by bundles of surprises was definitely a momentous and magnanimous affair to look forward to. The Chief Guest delivered a thoughtful insight on how important being grateful in life is and we at Expolanka Toastmasters Club are grateful for the completion of a successful season while praying for another successful season ahead and many more.

The ceremony was concluded by an insightful speech on taking up challenges by the incoming President, Toastmaster Gazzaly Moulana. The participants witnessed a successful closure and the curtains of the event were brought down by the Chairpersons of the evening Toastmasters Sameera Dilhan and Anushka Senadheera on a high note followed by a session of fellowship.

GET TO KNOW THE TEAM When he was a member, he was a nice human being and a very close friend of mine. He has been a polite and a soft motivator along with being a genuine evaluator. He has stood with me through any situation. And after he became a President, he is still the same; No change. That is Gazzaly Moulana.

TM Usman Jauffer

Sameera Dilhan is a very dedicated team player. I am lucky to work with him in the same team at office as well as I can totally rely on him when it comes to responsibilities. He will always get things done in a timely manner as well as a quality job will always be done.

DTM Zaidh Naushard Sifani is a person of commitment and focus, adhering to the best practices in doing the tasks that she takes up. She loves challenges and makes sure to face them with an eye to precision. An individual with a positive attitude and strong values. Humour and sarcasm; Keep them away from her.

TM Aboobucker Raza

VP PR is one of the most responsible role in the EC. TM Iham is a capable designer whom we can trust with a delegated task, Job well done.

TM Gazzaly Moulana Kavya is a very nice friend whom I met in toastmasters, Who defines herself as an “Introvert�, a reserved character.I always love one thing about Kavya, when someone assigns her a task, She completes it perfectly with her hardwork and dedication.

TM Sifani Sahibo A high-maintenance mentee but gets his work done to perfection. He is extremely committed to what he does and strives for a quality in anything he does. What truly elevates Raza is that he is good at what he does but he strives to be better each time. His antiques during the division conference in Kandy and his attempts at speaking Sinhala are for the history books.

TM Ahmed Abdullah

Sergeant at Arms is one of the most vital EC roles as no meeting can be done without arranging the meeting room properly. But TM Tuan took this responsibility into his own hands and did a great job. In his absence, he took measures to keep a backup for all the meeting arrangements. His sense of humour always made our club meetings fun and enjoyable.

TM Sameera Dilhan

AN INTERVIEW WITH DTM SCERENA DIRCKZE

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Q : How do you feel about this accomplishment and what does becoming a DTM mean to you?

It is an affirmation to the transition I have gone through as an individual

Q : What would you say has been the best experience throughout this journey?

Becoming aware of my potential and what I can do with it.

Q : How did you overcome the challenges that were thrown at you during the journey?

Taking it one step at a time and by seeking help from my mentors and Senior Toastmasters.

Q : What is the best attribute that you have come to possess after you stepped into this journey?

Confidence, that I can do anything I set my mind on doing. Also making time for others and helping others

Q : How would you define toastmasters and what values did it engrave in your character?

It is a unique program and movement that can really change your life if you follow it correctly.

Servant leadership is something I learnt through Toastmasters and one of the best values I feel I could take into my own life. To me it translates to just serve expecting nothing in return.

Q : With the experience you have gained beyond the club, how do you see the growth of ETMC? As a club we need to listen to our members a bit more, work on creating a more inclusive environment by engaging with all the members and concentrate on building more leaders than just serving a term. If each EC worked with the mindset of creating and leaving a “Better Club� for our future members, I believe we will have an ideal club where all members can grow and thrive.

Q : How many years have you been with toastmasters? And could you explain your first impression about this movement?

This is my 9th year as a toastmaster.

My first impression was that it was a safe learning environment where people help each other to learn and grow without any judgment.

Servant leadership is something I learnt through Toastmasters and one of the best values I feel I could take into my own life.

Q : What has been your best speech according to you and why?

There were quite a few, but the most memorable was my Ice Breaker. Speeches for me are about expressing something I believe in and something I wish to share with the world. The Ice breaker for me enabled me to let my club members know who I am, what I believe in and what I value in life.

Q : As a well experienced communicator and a great leader, how would you advice the younger crowd?

First of all, set a goal on what you want to achieve through the Toastmasters journey. What kind of communicator you want to be and what kind of leader you want to be. Write it down, make a plan to achieve it, and be true to that. Don’t let distractions take you away from that goal. Also as a senior Toastmaster once told me, “Stay away from politics and prevent it at all costs from making its way to your club”.

Q : Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years in this fraternity?

I honestly don’t know, But I would like to help as many people as I can with what I have learnt.

“Stay away from politics and prevent it at all costs from making its way to your club”

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ACHIEVEMENT CORNER

Club Achievements PRESIDENTS DISTINGUISHED CLUB

SMEDLEY AWARD 5 NEW MEMBERS

LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE AWARD

Member Achievements ADVANCED COMMUNICATOR

ADVANCED LEADER

GOLD

DTM Hisham Yasir DTM Scerena Dirckze

SILVER

SILVER

DTM Scerena Dirckze

BRONZE

DISTINGUISHED TOASTMASTER

DTM Hisham Yasir DTM Scerena Dirckze TM Gazzaly Moulana

COMPETENT LEADER

TM Ahmed Mauroof TM Gazzaly Moulana

LEVEL 1 TM Sameera Dilhan TM Aboobucker Raza TM Kavya Reshani TM Nisansala Liyanapathirana TM Nisal Wijeratne

LEVEL 2

TM Sameera Dilhan TM Aboobucker Raza

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LIFE AS A PROTÉGÉ

The renowned American politician & lawyer, John C Crosby once said, Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction. In my perspective, his words match toastmasters’ objectives on mentoring too. In simple terms it is guidance and support to empower protégés to reach their goals.

When it comes to my life I have been a protégé in many occasions and to be honest the first few of them wasn’t the greatest of experiences. Sharing one of them, when I was an undergraduate we had researches at the end of the second year and the last year. Back in my second year each student was given a mentor to guide him or her through the completion of the research project. I also got a mentor who I hardly knew but he was considered to be one of the senior lecturers with a lot of experience. Hence this made me happy although I didn’t know him much. His appearance was what made me think him as wise person, a mentor material. So one day I went to find Mr. Mentor and he wasn’t there. I thought to meet him on the next day. He had gone home early on the next day as well. I thought to myself, “Wait I will definitely catch you tomorrow morning itself “and I went there in the morning before the lectures, and to my disbelief he was on leave. Surprisingly he was nowhere to be found for almost a month, I was in a conundrum thinking what is to be done with my research. However, finally the day had arrived, and I saw him. With so many emotions I ran to him passing my colleagues like Lionel Messi dribbled past his opponents. You wouldn’t believe what happened next. He said, “Am I your Mentor? Okay, I am busy with all the paper marking of your senior batches right now, try to finish your research and then come to me. I will see if there are any mistakes then.” After all the struggle I had gone through to get hold of him, this is what I got to hear from him. With all due respect I never went to see him again and I managed to do the research by myself.

Although it went wrong, there are times I have been benefitted as a protégé as well. 2 years back I entered toastmasters with the intention of developing both my public speaking and leadership skills. So I am privileged to be mentored by a specific person who is more experienced and knowledgeable in the Toastmasters fraternity who can show me how to improve in terms of both public speaking and leadership skills. I have done quite a few speeches in Toastmasters meetings but I never thought that I would be able to do a humorous speech in a club contest and make the audience laugh. You may be a person who can make jokes in real life. But when it comes to humor in public speaking, it is a totally different story. However, my mentor’s positivity and support helped me to discover humor within me in terms of public speaking. He guided me to prepare the content of the speech, how to add humor in specific parts of the speech and specifically how to present it to the audience. So that contest experience gave me the confidence to add humor and present it in my speeches now. Even with the same boost by including humor in my speech, I had managed to go to the Area by winning second place in International Speech Club Contest this time.

In toastmasters you get this opportunity to master your leadership skills also. As I mentioned earlier my mentor, a leader himself guided me how to be a better leader in toastmasters as well in my professional life. This person is always a dependable character whenever I need the support to improve myself. He is none other than DTM Zaidh Naushard.

From both of my stories you may have understood the specific traits that a successful mentor should have and shouldn’t have. My first story hasn’t benefitted me as a protégé as well as the lecturer as a mentor whereas my second story has been totally benefiting both the parties as a protégé and a mentor. So it is very much important to understand the role of the protégé to become the best mentor you can be.

TM Sameera Dilhan

AN INTERVIEW WITH DTM HISHAM YASIR

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Q : How do you feel about this accomplishment and what does becoming a DTM mean to you?

It feels great. Few years back I never imagined becoming a Distinguished Toastmaster. It was an achievement too far from my imagination. If you told me years back, I would become a Distinguished Toastmaster I would have laughed. But I loved the process, I loved the confidence a speech delivery gave and the maturity a leadership role instilled upon me.

Gradually, little by little without my knowledge I had come close to DTM. I realized I could become a DTM somewhere around the end of ACS. That’s when I had to speed my communication track as I was leaving the club and company at that time. Personally, I try to beat myself at anything I do. So, achieving DTM was to prove to myself that I was capable of greater things.

Q : What would you say has been the best experience throughout this journey?

Two experiences stand out to me.

First would be Reverberations 2017. During that year, the whole ExCom was sponsored to attend Reverberations 2017 In Chennai, India. It was just an amazing experience! To my knowledge this is the highest number of member participation at an overseas conference for Expolanka TMC. I felt the ExCom really bonded during the stay. The keynote speakers, the late-night strolls, the friends we made, the places we visited and certain funny incidents that happened made the stay just more special. This also led to the first joint meeting between two different clubs residing In two different countries to take place in District 82. Infosys TMC & Expolanka TMC. Second would be the Toastmaster year of 2017/18. This was the year I was blessed to be the President of Expolanka TMC. This was life changing. Initially I really underestimated the transformation one goes through by volunteering in the leadership role. To me, that year changed my perspective in terms of how I lead, how I strategize, how I respond and how I give feedback. During the year we were able to win many accolades. Presidents Distinguished, Golden Gavel, Best PR Presence, A speech-craft, one of our member becoming the President at an Advance TMC and a finalist at a District level contest. Truly, we were able to challenge and push ourselves because of the quality of ExCom we had during that year. The team of Sharon, Safiya, Kavya, Gazzaly, Thiwanka & Usman were truly a 'Dream Team'.

Q : How did you overcome the challenges that were thrown at you during the journey?

For the DTM, some projects took bit more time to understand and deliver at a good quality.

You may find mind blocks when writing speeches. But I wouldn't consider them as challenges because they solve themselves If you are committed and give it sometime. The part which I saw as a challenge is what happens when you are in a leadership role. They may not even be affecting your DTM. You realize that all people are not the same and need to be partnered differently to achieve a common goal. This is where ego, misunderstandings and politics come in. You need to take a step back and its Important to speak with people whom have gone through the drill. They more often than not know the answers. To me I have a close set of mentors that I speak to inside the club and outside the club. Zaidh, Gazzaly & Usman gives me a lot of input in terms of maneuvering challenges in my Toastmasters journey. Thiwanka gives me Input in terms of bridging the gap between Toastmasters in a corporate sense.This is the beauty of Toastmasters. You are put in an environment to face challenges that more likely are going to come up later in your career or family. The beauty is, we are prepared in advance to face them. God-willing,

Q : What is the best attribute that you have come to possess after you stepped into this journey?

Toastmasters is a journey. It’s a gradual process where you are learning skills and instilling attributes without your knowledge. Looking back, I treasure couple of things that I was blessed through this movement. One, to become a better evaluator. Not necessarily a speech evaluator. But you learn to evaluate people and their feelings better. It enables you to connect with them better and give feedback in a way that uplifts them. Second is confidence. Every time I feel down, afraid, low self-esteem, all I needed to do is a Table topic. The adrenaline that hits you immediately makes you feel confident of any task that once looked challenging.

Q : How would you define toastmasters and what values did it engrave in your character?

Looking back, what we were able to do with this club or with myself for that matter, it fills you with a sense of achievement. If you are in the movement and become an active part of it, gradually you will do things that truly are bigger than you. Things that you may have thought impossible. Let me refer you to a more recent experience. Couple of weeks back we were able to host Simon Bucknall, the first runner up of WCPS 2017. Back In 2017 when I saw his YouTube video at home, I never imagined been able to host him for the online joint meeting with APIIT, let alone speaking to him directly.

In terms of values, RISE is the best answer. Respect, Integrity, Service & Excellence. The core values on which Toastmasters is built upon. If a member is able to follow them properly, they will also be returned with the same level of respect by the movement. I push myself to be steadfast with these values as much as I can. I have seen many Toastmasters whom have achieved a lot being washed away and if you study each case carefully you will see a lack of the adherence to one or more values.

Q : With the experience you have gained beyond the club, how do you see the growth of ETMC? The current and next toastmaster years are the most crucial for ETMC. It will decide whether we will flourish, fail or merely survive as a club. Nevertheless, I am optimistic with the set of members we have. The current president and vice president are leading the club well. When the Past Presidents met to evaluate the succession plan at the start of the year, personally I was happy If the club could just survive the year, because I felt we had many challenges at that time. Too many young and inexperienced members coming to the ExCom, seniors like myself, Usman, Thiwanka & Sharon leaving the club, Key staff members from the holding company leaving were some concerns I was worried about.

However, 10 months down the line, the progress Is impressive! The club has achieved Presidents Distinguished award and working towards yet another Golden Gavel. The club culture and attitude of members are just amazing. Being able to get the alumni back to the club is in itself an achievement. I feel this is the year the seniors have been most actively involved and taken use of by the club.

But remember, the job Is not done yet. Like I said, the most critical years are the current and next toastmaster year. Hence, the incoming president has to not only carry forward the good work done but elevate the achievements done so far. I urge the current president to handover the baton soon so that the next committee can start planning in advance. I also urge the membership of our club. Please! Come forward and take up leadership roles. Trust me! It will change you, improve you. Wishing Gazzaly and team best of luck to end on an all-time high.

Q : How many years have you been with toastmasters? And could you explain your first impression about this movement?

I have been with Toastmasters for little over 07 years. I was Introduced by a past member called TM Mifaz, who unfortunately is not a part of the movement anymore. My first impression at that time was a "spoken English program". The first time I joined I didn’t stay for more than 02 meetings. Afterwards, there was a program called 'Executive Development Program' organized by the Holdings. After the end of this program I was in search of a similar environment to continue the learning and experience I had at that program. That’s when I resumed coming back to Toastmasters with a very close friend of mine called TM Ihsan Fareed. The meeting I resumed coming back was a Halloween themed meeting when TM Scerena was the President. DTM Zaidh was dressed as the Joker. I thought to myself, "Well, this Is going to be fun". And it ended up being more than fun.

Come forward and take up leadership roles.

Trust me! It will change you, improve you.

Q : What has been your best speech according to you and why?

I am really excited for the speech I have in hand for the upcoming International speech contest for Division M. A lot of thought and experience went to write this speech. Although there are few areas which needs improvement, it is a speech that’s close to my heart and I feel good about. It was so fun preparing this speech, hence makes it special to me.

Have an ambition. Somewhere you want to go to, someone you want to become.

Q : As a well experienced communicator and a great leader, how would you advice the younger crowd?

I am humbled by your question. I feel there are more able people of answering this question.

Let me try my best. A member will benefit from Toastmasters (or any movement of this sort) if he or she Is ambitious in life. Many members join the club, experience everything but fade away. Members been given unbelievable leadership opportunities but have done nothing with it. Members whom have completed CC and have done nothing with it. It's sometimes confusing and sad.

My advice to a younger member would be to first have an ambition. Somewhere you want to go to, someone you want to become, to become a respected Corporate figure, World Champion of Public Speaking, International President, working abroad, become an International Sportsman, become a famous YouTube personality, News Anchor or even to become a Manager of your department. It can be vague but that’s okay. If you are just going with the flow, Toastmasters (nor any other movement) is not going to help you. Just have an ambition. Then Toastmasters will push you to achieve this in life. It instills you the confidence, communication skills, leadership skills, broadens your network and elevates your self-belief.

Q : Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years in this fraternity?

Toastmasters is diverse and opportunities galore.

I have a dream of going all the way in the World Champion of Public Speaking and a similar liking towards the leadership ladder. At the moment I am keeping my mind open and looking how things unfold. So, God-willing, in five years’ time, one of the two I wish to become.

In terms of values, RISE is the best answer Respect, Integrity, Service & Excellence.

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NEW MEMBER CORNER From the days of my childhood I have always dreamt of speaking in front of a large audience.

With the passage of time, I was fascinated by how leaders and motivational speakers present themselves and how they are able to positively influence the audience. I always wanted to become a better public speaker and influence people. Even though this ambition was within me, given my habitual trend of procrastination, I had never really taken any productive steps towards achieving it. But I finally took my first step towards this Toastmasters journey in the year 2019. In hindsight, I could say that joining Toastmasters was one of the best decisions I made that year.

My first day in Toastmasters was a unique experience. When I entered the room, rather nervous as you would expect, I saw a set of new faces; and it was a pleasant surprise to find all members being friendly and welcoming which made me feel comfortable and homely. I loved the encouraging atmosphere. I was motivated to see how members go about doing their projects & the supportive culture within the club. Over time, I have come to realize what a great impact we can make in this world by breaking our stage fear; and this is not solely about public speaking, it is also in terms of improving our communication and leadership skills eventually making us better leaders.

I’m not a quiet person by nature anyways; I engage myself actively in any task I take up. I started to take up new roles within the club and my first such role was as a TMOD. I knew it was the most challenging role and it was something I personally requested for because I was inspired by how the TMOD performed at the previous meeting. To my surprise, I did really well and the encouragement from the members was priceless. It made me realize that “If there is a will, there is always a way”.

Each role in Toastmasters is vital and unique.

This is a place where perfection and experience don’t take precedence. Everyone has an equal opportunity to take the stage, goof up and still be applauded! An ideal and fun learning space where people are free to make mistakes and grow. I see a notable progress within me in this short span of time after joining the club. It’s a great opportunity to improve ourselves personally & professionally. I would say that Expolanka Toastmasters club is not just a club; it is a Family with a strong bond and relationship and I’m happy to be a part of it while looking forward to achieving more.

TM Sifani Sahibo

AN INTERVIEW WITH SIMON BUCKNALL

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TM Simon is an international Award winning Speaker who helps high achieving leaders to maximize their impact through the spoken word.

In 2017, he was placed 2nd in the world Championship of Public speaking in Vancouver Canada.

Simon's clientele stretches from the corporate executives of the highest level to the occasional prison inmate. A Holder of degrees from Oxford University and the London School of Oriental & African studies is also an educator at Oxford and Cambridge University.

In 2013 he was awarded the freedom of the City of London. In 2018, he was the opening speaker at TedX London in Royal Festival Hall.

Simon is also an active ambassador for the children’s communications charity, 'I CAN'.

Q : Being on the world-stage for world championship of public speaking finals is in itself an achievement. Tell us about your experience.

It’s unlike any other, I think it’s the best way of answering that.

I have a good fortune to speak in the convention three times.

In the world semi finals 2006 and 2007, in Washington and Phoenix and then more recently in the world final itself in 2017.

My standout memory from the world finals was actually twenty minutes or so before the contest started with all the people coming in, about 2,500 people in the audience which is a big crowd for the final. I just remember walking around the audience, just absorbing the atmosphere, saying hello to a few people that I knew from my district who were there supporting, and I just remember feeling a sense of celebration. I think for any speaker just to get to the world final is a huge achievement. I also remember how challenging it was to switch from the semifinal speech to the final speech, because you have to do a different speech in each contest and there's only about 24 hours between the two competitions, that’s quite a huge transition. But still, it's just an amazing space. It's lovely just to be part of it and to be part of the celebration of International public speaking.

For any speaker just to get to the world final is a huge achievement

Q : How was your journey from the inception up to the world stage and where do you stand today with that experience?

The journey to the world final is a long one, it's about five or six months of contest rounds, and I started out in 2017. I wanted to build something new that I hadn't done before, and it started at the club level and to say ‘it changed over the next five or six months’ would be an understatement. There were huge changes to my speech as I went through, which I expected would happen. And I think that's one of the most satisfying things about contests. I encourage you to find opportunities to rework, build on, improve and refine your content over time by reusing rather than always trying something from scratch each time. I think that's a huge advantage of the competition, but of course you don’t have to be in a contest to do that. That was a massive value for me and a wonderful ingredient for the experience.

Q : If you were to do it all again with the knowledge and experience you have today, what would you regard as your greatest ally and your greatest enemy?

Greatest ally I'd say is gut instinct. I think there's a lot to be said for trusting what just feels right to you. Despite all the feedback that you may get, in the end, it's your speech and you have to be true to what feels right for you and accept that it might or might not work but nevertheless, you've been true to what you think is right. Secondly, which I think is so important; a small circle of trust. A small number of people whom you know and trust who are willing to be with you on that journey.The greatest enemy on the contest journey and for speechmaking in general is well-intentioned feedback, which doesn't work which is why your instinct is so important. As Darren Lacroix pointed out “Everyone of us is a world expert in how a speech affects us as an audience member but that doesn't mean that every person is a world expert on how best to improve that speech."

Q : Could you recommend a simple technique that we could use to change an ordinary speech into a winning speech?

The single most important thing you can do to give the best chance of getting to a world class speech is to build a story file and find opportunities to continually use, refine and improve those stories in everyday life. It'll have the makings of great speech material, in time. Rework on it at every possible opportunity so that you get past having to consciously deliver your speech. When you internalize something, you know it so well, it becomes a part of you. You could almost do it in your sleep and still sound natural. People make the mistake of thinking, “I don't want to do it too much because otherwise it'll sound rehearsed”.

But in actual context you're in that middle area. It takes time and effort to push through the sounding a bit rehearsed phase and to get to a point where it becomes totally natural and fluent, like being able to speak your native language. So, it's getting to that level of fluency with a speech and it takes time, you can't rush it. Anthony Hopkins, Oscar winning actor, reads a script out loud 250 times before he starts rehearsing. So that's the thought.

Find opportunities to rework, build on, improve and refine your content

Q : When did you start your journey in toastmasters? You may have come across many challenges throughout this time. Anything remarkable that you can share with us?

I started my journey in toastmasters on January 2004, I joined my first club, London Corinthians in central London, and then a few months after that, London Corinthians was so popular as a club, it created a new club called London Cardinals. And I was part of that new team for that new club. I’ve been a part of this fraternity for 16 years. I competed in 2007 and I went through to the world's semi-final. I came second in the semifinals losing out to Mark Hunter, who a couple of years later won the world final. The following year in 2008, I entered the speech contest again at club level and I came second at club level out of two.

So that was quite a shift, and that was just a wonderful reminder to me that the value of competing is not about winning. Of course, there always can be rocks in the road and we've just got to crack on and push through them.

Q : You are well educated with diversified experience in the professional world. What from toastmasters in particular has helped you in the professional world.

One very concrete area is providing feedback. The skill that we develop in Toastmasters of commending clear and concrete positives that's genuine then offering recommendations and finally coming back to something positive. I found it to be hugely helpful in the workplace. So often I see leaders providing feedbacks in a way that is really disempowering and demotivating for the recipient. So, I think the skill of being able to give positive, constructive feedback is priceless. Second has been a safe environment. Providing a situation which I could try stuff out and then take that into the place of work in terms of content, in terms of skills. Just one of the skills that's been valuable of courses is table topics. Now the skill of the impromptu speech that certainly makes meetings, phone calls much easier because you're used to the idea of suddenly having something thrown at you.

And thirdly, what I'd say is as a benefit is that it's broaden my network over the years

There always can be rocks in the road and we've just got to crack on and push through them Q : Your speech on the need for public speaking to be taught in school at TEDx London in 2018 has been very insightful and inspiring. Could you share your experience that instilled this thought in your mind?

I've run many sessions in schools over the years - and public speaking is undertaught! Back in 2008, 2009 and 2010, I did a lot of workshops in schools on public speaking with teenagers here in London. And one of the experiences from those school workshops was with Steve-O. He was a student of one of the schools I visited. And what became clear to me from the experience with him was that in the UK and elsewhere around the world there is very little training, inputs or support for children to learn the skills of public speaking in the school environment. I don't blame teachers - but rather policymakers. Spoken communication is such an important life skill but scarcely does it feature prominently in the school curriculum. They need to find a way to take this more seriously. And that's why I gave the speech. I would love for you to check it out and share.

Q : How effective do you think is the transition from traditional to online meetings in the current context and what do you think would be the future of toastmasters meetings?

Well, the first thing I'd say is that there is no alternative as long as there is a lockdown or travel restrictions. Is an online meeting the same as a face to face meeting? Of course not.

Is it better than no meeting at all? You bet. I couldn't have joined your recent meeting if I had to be there physically.

So, if it enables you to bring people together, you do the best that you can. Hence this is in an excellent plan B as there isn't an alternative right now. So, I think online meeting is very important. I don’t think that online video will ever be a full substitute for face to face. You yourself may have experienced this year with Zoom, Skype or whatever. It's just not the same. And even with telepresence and holograms, it's not the same as physically being in the same space as someone else. As human beings, we want to meet, to gather, to rub shoulders with people. And that's not going to change.

Q : How was your experience at the joint meeting of Expolanka Toastmasters Club and APIIT toastmasters club? And what was the greatest takeaway for you from the culture of both the clubs?

I really enjoyed the meeting with Expolanka and APIIT Toastmasters. It was lovely to be invited and I loved to be a part of it. I salute you if you attended the meeting because there was a great turnout, 50 or so people, which is terrific. The takeaway for me from the meeting, other than a very friendly atmosphere was the impromptu of getting every person to speak for 10 seconds. It was really brief and the fact that the organizer kept it going was valuable. It is so important that everyone gets a chance to speak, even if it's just very brief.

And it shows who's listening too. I thought that was tremendous. And I think it's a valuable skill. You know, if you've got 10 seconds, what would you say? It really focuses the mind.

That was a great takeaway for me.

Q : Finally, what advice would you like to leave for younger toastmasters, especially for us at Expolanka Toastmasters Club?

Keep speaking - find ways to use either content or skills developed in your club environment when you're outside of club.

Also, visit other clubs if you possibly can. Go to Area, Division or District events. In my first year as a member, I went to the District conference in Ireland - even though I hardly knew anyone. It was wonderful for broadening my horizons

As human beings, we want to meet, to gather, to rub shoulders with people. And that's not going to change.

COVID-19; A STORY OF RESILIENCE & TRANSFORMATION

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A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step but a journey covering a thousand miles start with a single click, being traditional is a matter of being there for each other physically and being universal is a matter of being there for each other virtually.

Expolanka Toastmasters club holds the record to embrace the timely changes and execute it in an exceptional way. The transition from traditional to online meetings was not an exception. This step was an addition to the colors of achievement, the club has been able to showcase its powerful presence at a global scale. The nightmare that we have been facing in the form of Covid-19 has been transformed into a journey and an experience to cherish, Every little detail has been optimized to their level best in terms of educational and leadership goals in the virtual environment.

Expolanka Toastmasters club stepped into the online world of toastmasters on the 25th of March 2020 in the presence of the present and the past club members with a noteworthy keynote session by DTM Shubhadeep Banik of Infosys Toastmasters club titled ‘Adding color to your prepared speech’, the very first online meeting witnessed a great turnout from the members that are with the club and the members that were with the club who now reside in different parts of the world. This was a vision to get hold of, proving out to be an ideal example of the quote ‘Once an Expolankian forever an Expolankian’, alongside guests attending from India.

The first online meeting was followed by an exemplary online joint meeting of Expolanka TMC with APIIT TMC on the 8th of April 2020. It was nothing less than a dream come true as we had a renowned public speaker TM Simon Bucknall (Runners up, World Championship of Public Speaking 2017) giving in a remarkable keynote on ‘Decoding the winning formula’. The meeting witnessed the esteemed presence of many renowned leaders, the District Director D82 TM Sarmaa Mahalingam, the PQD D82/A DTM Noorul Munawwara and the CGD D82/A DTM Srianthie Salgado to name down a few along with friends and guests from England, Australia, Middle east and Asia.

The turnout was incredible with 60+ participants, which was a surprise, proving the caliber of the club in reaching heights. Our co-host club and the enthusiastic toastmasters from APIIT toastmasters club proved to be a great collaboration. It never felt like a virtual meeting, as there wasn’t any aura of discomfort around them. They were very actively supportive throughout, contributing immensely towards the success of this meeting.

The meeting garnered a great response from everyone in the audience participation, which is something that the club is very proud of. TM Simon’s keynote was the highlight as this was the most sought after and the best segment in the entire meeting.

Additionally, the Round robin Master did a commendable job in handling a crowd of 60+, an experience never felt before. The evening was memorable, so that the time itself felt short.

One thing that toastmasters has taught us in a period of trouble is to be resilient during trying times because when you are surrounded by darkness, there is always light to eliminate the darkness. Virtual meeting stepped in as a savior in the times when people were isolated and quarantined. This brought in a reason to be content while proving that quarantine could be enlightening, educating and entertaining.

Expolanka Toastmasters Club thrives to challenge every dark cloud by showcasing the silver-lining and staying true to its core principles. Caterpillars turn into butterflies here, one meeting at a time. We have taken the step. Have you?

"My experience on online meeting as of now is quite interesting. I love the way how people have accepted and adopted to a massive change from physical meetings to online meetings it has impressed me by 100%.. Our Online meeting with Simon Bucknall had 60+ members from various clubs and counties truly bringing the global Toastmasters Spirit all the way home through a Zoom platform. I also like how people are energized and very positive trying to find out new ways to conduct sessions amidst the negativity that has surrounded outside. Its simply proving that learning anything within a short period, adapting to change is quite possible in short term."

DTM Zaidh Naushard "Expolanka Toastmasters club is close to my heart. I really want to appreciate the executive committee for going extra mile and initiating various educational sessions for members. Not just for Expolanka toastmasters but also, they invite other club members to get the benefit. One great example is that on 8th April, they had a joint meeting with APIIT Toastmasters where there was a keynote session by Simon Bucknail on “Decoding the winning formula”. Now they are planning another session in collaboration with District 82 by bringing in WCPS Presiyan Vasilev. I would like to congratulate the President DTM Hingston Lovell TM Gazzaly Moulana for all these initiatives" I was privileged to join the Expolanka Toastmasters Club, and APIIT Toastmaster Club joined the meeting on 8th April 2020 and also listened to 2017 WCPS Runners up TM Simon Bucknall's Keynote. It was an enjoyable experience, and I thank both the clubs for organizing such DTM Nisal Weerakoon a wonderful power-packed meeting.

The meeting truly was a testament to how much could be achieved even with the limited resources available during thesetroubling times. The meeting served, for many of our members, as an eye opener to just how extensive the Toastmasters Global fraternity is, with many individuals connecting from across the globe. Our Toastmasters were also thrilled to be in the presence of a World Champion Public Speaker, TM Simon Bucknall and be an audience to his educative segment on "the formula of a winning speech". As for the organizing of the joint meeting, we tip our hats to ExpoLanka Toastmasters, for both the proposition and making an excellent co-host. It was truly a pleasure conducting this TM Areeb Mohideen meeting and we hope to collaborate again in the near future

CONTEST CORNER

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AN INTERVIEW WITH DAVID JP PHILLIPS

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David JP Phillips is the founder of Sweden’s largest Presentation Skills training company, International speaker, author & coach. From a young age he found a strong interest about the human brain, signal substances and the way we act in different situations. He read and studied everything there is to come across. After several years of devoting himself it was time to make a difference.

David JP Phillips is best known for his book/ seminar “How To Avoid Death By PowerPoint“, delivered at TEDx Stockholm in 2015. Published in more than 30 countries, the book explains efficiently and in an entertaining tone, 42 techniques on how to dramatically increase the efficiency of your communication, all while remembering that the main presentation is yourself, while all the slide decks that many of us sweat over are merely a visual aid. In his second TEDx Stockholm talk, David shows you how to become a great presenter, salesperson or even a leader using the power of storytelling.

Today David JP Phillips is a global name and his business is working on world wide level.

David is still developing new ways for us to become the best version of ourselves.

Q : May we know few details about you, your background and what made you interested in public speaking and PowerPoint in particular.

My interest in workings of the brain begun when I was around 16 years old. Due to my parents influence I simply started reading up on how the brain works, what cognition is, psychology, philosophy and so on. Loved it all! Then at 18, I stared working as a Microsoft Support technician and quickly became involved in the Corporate world where I noticed that none of what I knew about how we learn, understand and focus was applied in almost any presentation at all.

That baffled me, so at 19 years of age I delivered my first courses in presentation skills and the knowledge I shared really resonated with people so they quickly became popular - especially the ones on death by PowerPoint.

Q : In your presentations you say "90% of what a usual presenter says, is forgotten in 30 seconds". Can you elaborate on this?

The keynote was built over 10 years ago now, at the time I referred to a study which showed that our working memory is highly lacking and a person’s ability to remember the previous slide was as bad a 90% forgetfulness. My aim is to replicate the study in the near future and I definitely believe that when it comes to really bad corporate presentations, we’ll see numbers around there.

Q : You are a strong believer of having one message per slide. Is this something personal to you or something you found proven by studying the functions of the human brain?

It all comes down to the ”less-is-better-effect”. What I have learnt throughout my career is that the more complex something is the less likely a person is to use it, so in this case I oversimplified it and went with the “one-message-per-slide” recommendation. When presenting complex information to people who really understand the subject that rule should not be followed. But in general, if you stick the “one-message-per-slide recommendation" you are good in most user cases.

Q : As public speakers we are taught to use the stage. What is your recommendation on stage usage while delivering a PowerPoint?

Use the stage as much as possible but don’t stand in the way of your PowerPoint message.

Also use a black background because that allows you to stand closer to your PowerPoint without getting the white shine from the projector all over your body and face which is distracting.

Q : Following up on above question, alternatively there are some presenters whom hide themselves behind the lectern while delivering the presentation. Is this a good strategy?

Simply, no. Don’t do it.

Q : What is your opinion on using the laser pointer during a presentation?

Around 5% of the population is color blind which means that if you use the laser pointer you will always be losing 5/100 in a room. That reason is important. The second one even more so. Every presenter who uses the laser pointer becomes unusually stuck and stiff in their body language. As a presenter your purpose is to create focus, energy and with your body language emphasize what you are saying - that simply doesn’t happen if you’re stuck in one spot, directing your eye contact toward the screen, turning your back toward the audience and bouncing a red dot up and down. Instead, be animated, use your body language, arms and hands to point at what you want to point at. Don’t be afraid of walking into the projector light but do move out of it when you have pointed.

Q : How many objects would you recommend using per slide?

As few as possible. Optionally if it’s a complex subject but it’s understood well by the audience - use the contrast effect to lead people to the most important parts of the slide

Always remember that YOU are the presentation. PowerPoint is JUST a visual aid.

Q : In your presentations you have referred to a phenomenon called 'working memory'.

Could you explain what this is and how it affects a PowerPoint delivery.

There are many explanations and theories when it comes to our working memory or short term memory. The common understanding is that one part of our memory is used for processing data. It’s highly limited and as soon as we need to process something new the working memory is more or less emptied to make room for the new data that needs to be processed. George A Miller proposed in 1956 that the limitation is 7 +/- 2 and I used that as example with the blue balls in my talk for a couple of years but for some reason the audience didn’t respond to it, so with some trial and error I found that the greatest response in difference was six or less objects and to make the contrast experience strong I ended up with one slide with 5 and one slide with 7 objects and wherever I am in the world, with the hundreds ot thousands of people who have experienced it, it’s always the same reaction between seeing 5 or 7 objects. Another aspect of working memory is our inability to focus on more than one thing at the time which this study neatly proves, and my theory here is, either you let your audience read or you let them listen. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/09/160907082054.htm

Q : I believe you aren't a fan of using cartoon images. If so, what is your recommendation on usage of images. How can a presenter create empathy between the image and the audience?

Use images which create an emotional impact or which the person can associate to. Both those will increase the memory impact of the audience much better than a cartoon.

Q : What is your opinion on using animations?

Use them, please! They increase the ability to focus and bring up dopamine levels by building up expectation for what is to come.

Q : You are a believer that 'Slide count doesn't matter'. Wouldn't the audience lose interest if the slide count is more than 20?

My example usually goes like this. Do we judge books in the same way? Are all books over 20 pages bad, 100 pages bad? No, it’s a stupid rule that someone came up with in order to limit the amount of information in a PowerPoint presentation. This however backfired as what people then did is to take everything from those 20 slides and cram them into 5 slides which became beyond incomprehensible. But a book filled with 20 pages of boredom will lose its reader, same thing with a PowerPoint. My 1-hour keynote on Death by PowerPoint contain 126 slides and people are mesmerized for an hour because each slide is interesting and of value.

Use images which create an emotional impact or which the person can associate to

Q : What are some of the most dreadful slides you have seen? In your experience, how can these slides be improved?

I’ve seen slides so bad that they have given me nightmares. My core tips would be: Spread the content among more slides, ask yourself on each and every bullet: can this be shortened, is it of value, how much value. Can some of the information in the PPT be given in a text format after the talk.

Q : Few alternatives to PowerPoint have emerged. Prezi and Canva are some of them. Do you think PowerPoint can be replaced by an alternative? Are there any alternatives that you are a fan of?

In the long run, as it is right now, I would say no. Microsoft Office and Google Slides are just too prevalent in the industry. I do love both Prezi and Canva though and I am a firm believer that the biggest mistake you can do is to believe that a presentation is only one visual aid.

Please mix it up, use different visual aids and emotional stimuli like storytelling, metaphors, questions etc.

Q : In terms of delivering a power point, what key areas do you think that a presenter should be cautious about.

Always remember that YOU are the presentation. PowerPoint is JUST a visual aid. Therefore prioritize practicing your own delivery more than preparing your slides.

Q : Finally, you are the founder of JP University. Do share some details about this and what can a visitor expect from this online university.

Yes, I am. I wanted to create one place, one online resource which can make you truly excellent as a presenter. It contains everything in all my three TEDx-talks and much more.Hey, as a treat to all the Toastmasters reading this. Send us an email to support@jpuniversity.com and we’ll give you free access to the entire Death By PowerPoint course. Offer stands until end of May.

37

KNOW YOUR LIMITS Imagine, standing deep inside a Rainforest in front of the beautiful Na Ella. Behind you, the majestic Knuckles Mountain range. Who wouldn’t just LOVE it? But In between us, a muscle tearing 4 hour hike.

First step; Get my leave approved. I go to my boss “Sir, Im going on a hike to Na Ella”. “You are going to hide in Na ella?” “No Sir, a Hike, Like climbing a mountain” “I know what a hike is I’m not sure if you do, where are you going on the hike?” “To Na Ella in the Knuckles range” He chuckles “Knuckles with that body?”

Have you felt words burning right in your heart I get hold of the book that is widely regarded as bible of mountaineering ‘the freedom of the hills’ First chapter; know your limits.

To find my limits, I pull a calculator. A few fact about my hike, I sit and dial away. Turns out, a 600M elevation,11km range. Gradient of 35 degrees. 90kgs up a 35 degree inclination. I understood nothing, all I understood was that it would need more than a man that has spent most of the last 6 months in front of a laptop to handle. That’s not counting the bag, the leaches and the rain. The facts were that bad. At the foot of the mountain, with every reason against my climb flashing in my mind, my black mountain stick in hand, my heavy bag on my shoulders and my blue rain coat fending off the rain, I take the first of thousands of steps ahead. In 15 minutes’ I was gasping, my feet were trembling. I slipped and landed on my back way too many times, there were countless leaches on me, my fellow hikers ahead of me gaining a lead and a few behind me walking right past me. All those insecurities, all those doubts just were becoming true. In amongst the sweat and the rain a tear ran down my face.

A burn Of incapability, inability and incompetence Burnt right in the heart. Have you felt that burn right about there? A burn that said I’m just not good enough. That my dreams are unachievable.

Like any challenge in life I had two choices. To let all that against me take control, to go back and hide or to find a way to continue the hike. As I heard a voice from behind “You can do this”. I reached with my stick placed in a patch of sand kept my right foot on the rock in front of me pushed up with my left leg all the while thinking to myself “I am getting there at my pace, I’m not stopping until I get there”. The steps became kilometers, the kilometers became meters. While those walked faster stopped for a breathe, but like our childhood tortoise at my own speed I kept soldiering on. As approached the end of the journey, the sound of water from behind the trees felt like music to my ears. And the moment my eyes fell on the waterfall I realized I with this body was living what many could only imagine. When you feel that burn of incompetence and inability right about there. When the world and everything that is in it is stacked against you. When the mountain seems unattainable, when that burn right about there says you are not just good enough like the one girl you want will not accept you, when that one promotion that you want seems too far away. When that contest stage seems too hard to be in.

Come let’s climb our Mountain one step at a time at our own pace.

TM Ahmed Abdullah

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