FORDMASTERS

JUNE 2020

VOL. 1

FORDMASTERS The official newsletter of Ford Chennai Toastmasters Club

ABOUT FCTC

IN THIS ISSUE MESSAGE FROM THE LEADERS

Ford Chennai Toastmasters Club or FCTC (as it is called) is the oldest and most respected Toastmasters club within Ford existing for

INTERVIEW WITH OUR

more than 11 years and having completed

IMMEDIATE PAST

500+ meetings with multiple achievements

PRESIDENT TM PADMA WORLD OF WORDS TM ROOPAN

under its belt and producing the finest speakers and competitive leaders earning multiple

accolades

across

various

platforms.

THE COMICS - TM RAM/TM NITIN NEWSLETTER CHAIR

FCTC..

TM GOKUL

ACHIEVEMENTS

TM GOKUL TM SENTHIL

WOW MOMENTS EDUCATIONAL

CONTENT & SOURCING

NEWSLETTER EDITOR

DESIGN

TM PRATIK

TM PRATIK/TM GOKUL

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The Executive Committee

Senthil Natarajan President

Pratik Lanke Vice President Education

Saravanan Subash Vice President Membership

Gokulanathan T Vice President Public Relations

Sankar Subramani Treasurer

Boobalan Vetrivel Secretary

Dharmendra Patra Sargeant at Arms

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If

I ask what you feel special about Ford apart from our legacy of making

cars for the past 116 years. People talk about F Series Trucks, Mustangs, GTBC campus, Work culture, Technology, LL6/LL5's, Traffic !! but if you ask anyone who has personally experienced Toastmasters at Ford India, definitely they will talk about Ford Chennai Toastmasters Club (FCTC)! One of the best corporate clubs in the Toastmasters fraternity which has developed multiple speakers achieving podiums in Area/Division level contests and helped people to cultivate their leadership skills.

Many people perceive that Toastmasters just improves their English-speaking skills. It does but there is so much more. It helps you present, communicate your point of view, and make you a better leader.

Be it leading the club as a President and learning management within the Executive Committee, achieving the deliverable and meeting the needs of fellow members, or working as a VPE to know how to facilitate, learn and network with people, or working as a VPM, or a VPPR to learn to be creative in marketing through social media and other online channels. Toastmasters is an ocean, it has a lot more to do along with learning the art of communication.

You can go explore yourself, network, be a mentor, host, and organize events, be a panelist or moderate a discussion.

I am proud to be a part of the Executive committee of FCTC as VP – Public relations. Throughout this tenure, I have experimented and honed my skills that helped my career. In this new and improved newsletter “Fordmasters”, you read about our journey. Join the club and unleash your true potential. I thank all the contributors, my editor TM Pratik and finally our President TM Senthil who was patient with me to work on this newsletter.

We are in a world where Real intelligence is building Artificial Intelligence to Replace and perform better than them. We need to embrace it with continual learning so that we are not replaced!

Join us unleash to your Potential!

Sincerely, TM Gokulanathan Thirunavukkarasu News Letter Chair

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The Editor's Note We all face challenges in our lives, it doesn't matter how you face it. What matters the most is you taking the first step to stand tall no matter what lies ahead.

Toastmasters, for some, maybe a challenge because of fear of speaking out in public as it does not fall within their comfort zone. FCTC (Ford Chennai Toastmasters Club) has an extremely supportive culture which makes it easier to leave the comfort zone and ends up making people the best version of themselves.

Joining FCTC is a choice. A choice to improve your career path and prospects. It would impart Valuable skills like public speaking and leadership which is sought after in today's competitive world. Of course, we do not claim to have a magic wand. Improving yourself would require time, dedication, and effort along with a good amount of patience. It is an investment and will absolutely give if you enjoy this as your journey.

Sincerely, Pratik Lanke Editor

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DIVISION DIRECTOR SPEAKS

TM USHA KRISHNAN DIVISION DIRECTOR DIVISON 'O'

It is astonishing to see Ford Chennai Toastmasters club has cross 580+ meetings, starting a club is never a challenge and running it consistently without compromising its quality is always a challenge being a pioneer club Ford Chennai raises the bar and has set the standards, especially in the corporate world.

It is highly commendable to see the meticulous planning, efforts, hard work, perseverance, failure, positive thoughts, and most importantly consistency.

All the best Toastmasters.

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AREA DIRECTOR SPEAKS

TM BALASUBRAMANIAN SWAMINATHAN AREA DIRECTOR - AREA O3

Run like a horse to attain a position and run faster than a horse to maintain it. This is the quote that comes to my mind when I think about the Ford Chennai Toastmasters club. 11 years have passed since the chartering of this horse(club) and it is still going strong with absolutely

no

sign

of

slowing

down

in

terms

of

enthusiasm,

participation, volunteering for roles, appreciating achievements and so on so forth, FCTC stands tall with the same zeal of any newly chartered clubs.

I have seen this club around in my division and area before and I have always wondered how they could do that. This term I was lucky to have FCTC under my area. So, I wanted to know the reason for its success. Is it their ability to create new leaders term after term to infuse new vision to make the club better? Or Is it their veteran toastmasters in the club who are still providing the necessary support and guidance whenever there is a need? Or Is it their new members who are joining the club with a mission to improve themselves and in turn helping the club retain the energy? Or Is it the support from the management to recognize and appreciate the value of Toastmasters club in their organization to provide a platform for its employees to improve themselves.

After these 6 months, I released that it’s not a single reason for this success story but a combination of all these factors makes FCTC a great club term after term, year after year. I'm sure this club will continue to set the benchmark higher and serve as a role model for other similar clubs.

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The PRESIDENT's Note TM SENTHIL NATARAJAN It gives me immense pleasure to serve Ford Chennai Toastmaster Club (FCTC) as the President.

FCTC is a decade-old corporate club that had a strong legacy by producing many competent communicators and leaders. As a President of this club, I have a huge responsibility to fulfill the expectations, help members achieve their goals, and maintain the club's quality.

When I visited FCTC two years ago, I was astonished seeing this excellent platform for professional development, since I had never gone through this sort of exposure neither in school nor in college. Being an extremely introverted person, addressing the crowd with confidence was a distant dream for me. Toastmasters gave me hope by shattering my inhibitions and expanding the boundaries. I still remember the energetic claps from the audience for my first table topic speech, Yes, I still remember that devastating speech. That's the beauty of our Toastmasters. They encourage you even if you fail multiple times only to make you Succeed.

Two years of toastmaster Journey sharpened my way of communication and leadership skills.

Being part of the Executive committee for 7 months molded me to manage things well and polished my leadership skills. My prime focuses during this term are to provide excellent membership experience, promote toastmasters within GTBC for the benefits of more people, refining club-quality by engaging members, and introducing variations in club meetings.  I want to thank the mentors of our club for their continuous support. The club is for the members and certainly, club quality can be achieved only with the support of members. I wish everyone to engage in all club activities persistently to help each other. Let’s grow together in a supportive and positive setting.

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MY JOURNEY Interview with our IPP TM Padmashree Why Toastmasters?

I always get attracted to people who inspire others through their motivational and power-packed speeches. Every time, I come across such speeches, I imagine myself being at the other end someday. On one occasion, during a random conversation with a colleague, I found out about toastmasters. It kindled my interest immediately and wanted to give it a try. I loved the atmosphere in my first club meeting, an atmosphere of positivity, support, and encouragement where people helped each other without being judgemental. That day, I said to myself that "I have to be a part of this".

How Toastmasters makes you stand out of the crowd?

In a lot of ways. The platform has helped me to develop a lot of skills such as time management, event management, being empathetic, listening, being precise, and so on and I can see myself using these in my day to day work to get things done quickly. I have also gained a lot of friends through this platform and this helps in Ford.

Despite your routine, how do you manage time for Toastmasters?

It's all about priorities. When you realize that something is important for you and it helps you grow, you will certainly plan to take out time no matter how occupied you are. Also, I don’t like backing out, especially after giving my word as it weakens my will power. I might be a bit late at times but haven't backed out especially during my tenure as Excomm.

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What is the difference between Padmashree before and after Toastmasters?

I am more confident and can articulate things better now. After being the VPE of the club for a year, which involves interacting with a lot of people on a day to day basis, I understand how different each one of us is and it also helped me learn to bring people together despite all the differences and being more empathetic.

Your unforgettable moment at Toastmasters?

Every moment is unforgettable. The first time I attended a Table Topic (TT) made me gasp and it was staggering to have completed my CC, ALB. All in all, everything is unforgettable. I have enjoyed the journey. I would always hold and cherish these memories close to my heart.

How your Mentors helped you in Toastmasters Journey ?

Nitin was assigned to be my mentor when I joined. He has been my support throughout and would always ensure to give me feedback which has helped me improve every time. He has always encouraged me to take up roles outside the club to step out of my comfort zone and grow. I would also like to thank Kaarthik who has helped me out with my roles as a contest chair (at the club, area, and division levels) despite his busy schedule. The support from all the members has been enormous and I would like to thank each one of them wholeheartedly.

How did you feel when you completed your CC and ALB?

I was on cloud nine. The leadership track was a cakewalk. However, the communication track was challenging because of the multiple mental inhibitions I had. I am happy that I could overcome all of them and feel even more confident after my CC and ALB completion.

What do you feel about women in Ford Chennai Toastmasters Club?

We are low in numbers as far as female members are concerned. A lot of active and inspiring people have left Ford. But still, we have a lot of members who can bring laurels to the club and inspire new employees to be a part of it. I give my best wishes to Bobby to who is on her way to becoming a DTM and to Jeevitha, Alisha, and Sai Divya to achieve their aspirations.

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WORLD OF WORDS TM Roopan Deepak After work, I head home in an office van and walk the last stretch. Once, there was this huge vehicle blocking my path. I had to cross it, but the stench was unbearable. You may have guessed the truck I am referring to and I guess that you may be covering your noses right now.

Now, recall the moment of relief when you have moved out of the stench’s radius. Some even go a step further to get rid of the traces of the smell. I do not know how many of you have this habit of going to your dressing table, opening the bottle or a can of your perfume, and taking a whiff at it.

But little do you know what I would have done under this circumstance. I would walk up to my bookshelf, open a book that I had recently purchased, and taken in that sweet fragrance of the printed pages. Let me assure you that my bookshelf is bigger than an average woman’s dressing table with all its assortments. Moreover, when I do open a book, with its sweet scent drawing me to it, I settle down on the sofa with the book.

When I flip through the pages, I relate to the scenes in the movies where one runs their fingers through their loved one’s hair. Sadly, I am still in love with my books and keep flipping through pages!

With all these thoughts, suddenly I shift my attention to the clock to see that it is already late.

Phew! What a lot of time work has taken in my day. Probably work should be redefined as that which lasts for ten hours and separates me from my book. However, unfortunately, I must agree that work indeed pays for my books!

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Have you read the saying, "I feel like I am in heaven”? I would feel that way when I have all the time in the world and no restraints to read. Once in heaven, worlds of all sorts are visited with the power of the book in your hand. Within my mind, I can see people of our world, other worlds, and beyond. This happens with the unlocking of the imaginative doors of the mind just as my fingers turn over the cover of the book. Behind each door, lies a room filled with a story to be disclosed and discovered.

There is something that comes to a close with all these opening of doors - the door to the real world. And in my heaven, my consciousness intact; in my solace, my eyes affixed and do not dart around. They only focus on the black on white giving me the peace that is truly out of this world. Moreover, it is in this recluse that I experience sheer pleasure.

God is above us all in heaven. The ultimate power exercised from heaven is being the author of all the lives that dwell here on earth. Now, for me to have this same power, to wield this authority, I simply must have a book because it entitles me to do so. I can create lives and write about them. With this knowledge gained as the words travel inside the mind, I now become a God. A feeling of control exists.

While absorbing the words on the pages, the reader’s mind slips into that of the author. Then the realization hits the mind-opening yet another door of opportunities. Because being the author, I can think and relate to another's thought process.

But once all the doors are slammed shut and I descend back to the real world, it comes down to the one thing that matters the most; doing what you love to do and what matters the most to you. Though now I open my eyes and have to go back to my routine life, I still have this out of the world experience every time I date my bookshelf.

It has its benefits. Any book, any language will help us with grammar, sentence structures and sharpen our language. And if you have not lived this experience, consider adding it to your bucket list and you would know it was worth the try.

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THE COMICS TM RAM TM NITIN Dear Reader, The newsletter team wanted us to write two separate articles on our journey from Toastmasters to Stand up, but what’s the fun in that? Instead, we decided to share some insights by interviewing each other (because no one else would). We hope you enjoy it, or at least you hope because we enjoyed it. Have we made ourselves clear? Are we on the same page? Of course, we are! its page no 10. (Always wanted to do that joke) Here it goes.

Nitin: Do you think this is a good idea, will the newsletter team like this?

Ram: Who cares man. Let them like it or not, we will do it. Usually, we do that anyway.

Nitin: Yeah man, they will be happy that at least we are writing something.

Ram: Anyway, for the last 1.5 years we have been doing most of the things together like winning Humorous Speech contests, Friyaay Humor show, Mentor-Mentee sketch, & Stand Up comedy, so why not this too.

Nitin: That’s a really good point, especially the one about winning a humorous speech contest.

Subtle. I think that’s enough self-promotion, let’s do the interview, tell me why did you decide to go beyond Toastmasters into Stand up?

Ram: I don’t exactly remember. Maybe after the last PWN conference where I did something like a stand-up comedy and got some good response. After that TM Kaarthik insisted every day by saying "why don’t you try this in the mainstream?". After so a lot of push from him, I took the call, must be something similar for you?

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Nitin: Very similar yet different! That same PWN conference was my first time performing stand up too, other than that everything else was different, I didn’t get much response, almost any response. After that TM Kaarthik insisted every day by requesting me to NEVER try this in the mainstream. On a serious note, it was a bad start, but my desire to make people laugh was still the same, perhaps it became stronger, so I kept at it.

Ram: But hey! You are doing great buddy, I know few experienced comics rave about your sarcasm all the time.

Nitin: Please don’t do this mentoring stuff in the newsletter also. Moving on, let’s talk about toastmaster skills which are useful in stand up.

Ram: First things first, going to stage and speaking in front of people is something we are used to as Toastmasters. Many of the basic techniques which we learn in Toastmasters are the same, like structuring the content, body language & vocal variety.

Nitin: Yeah, it didn't feel like starting from scratch.

Ram: But one thing is you will never get a nice conducive audience like Toastmasters anywhere outside. There was a moment when a guy told me on the face that my jokes were bad while I was performing on the stage.

Nitin: That must have......

Ram: Wait. As a senior Toastmaster of the club let me give a message too. People expect so. Any new TM who is reading this newsletter, let me tell you, you will never get such a supportive and encouraging audience outside of Toastmasters. So please shed all your inhibitions and go start your Table Topics and prepared speeches. What do you say, Nitin?

Nitin: Yes absolutely. Make the most out of Toastmasters, you never know what skill may come in handy. For example, I find my evaluation skills very helpful for comedy, because you have to keep evaluating your jokes to make them better. Sometimes we give feedback to other comedians too, in fact, many comedians have told me, my feedbacks are better than my jokes. That is something which makes me happy & sad at the same time.

Ram: Even I have improved my jokes after your feedback. I know few experienced comics rave about your feedback all the time.

Nitin: “Will you please stop this raving stuff man!!” (Read with appropriate vocal variety) Ram: Alright! Next question. Has your toastmaster journey changed after doing stand-up?

Nitin: In some ways, like people have certain expectations, I was worried that if I didn’t do well in the contest, people would say “what stand-up you are doing huh, club humorous contest only you are not able to win!!”

Ram: And writing a serious script for the ISC has become difficult because tuned to write jokes.

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Nitin: But ultimately it is about stage time, whether in toastmasters or stand up, doing stand-up has improved me as a toastmaster and being a toastmaster has helped me handle stand-up. Get as much stage time as possible, grab opportunities within and outside Toastmasters, that’s my message to the readers.

Ram: And I would add that it doesn’t have to be stand up/humor for everybody, it could be storytelling, evaluation, inspiring or educational speeches. Discover what you love doing and then keep doing it! Maybe next year you can write an interview like this.

Nitin: Okay, that’s a good point to stop this interview, do you think the readers would have enjoyed it?

Ram: Of course! I enjoyed it. I know few experienced comics rave about our interview all the time…

THE END

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Kudos FROM TOASTMASTER TO A TOASTMASTER !

FROM

TM BOBBY YOU ARE AN AMAZING LEADER. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!

TM SENTHIL

THE BEST EVALUATOR OF FCTC !!

TM ROOPAN DEEPAK

YOU ARE THE BEST THING THAT HAPPENED TO FCTC. WAITING FOR YOUR SECOND INNINGS SOON.

TM PADMASHREE

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Kudos FROM TOASTMASTER TO A TOASTMASTER !

FROM

TM PRATIK CONGRATULATIONS FOR TRANSITIONING FROM VPE TO PRESIDENT. I AM SURE YOUR DEDICATION WILL CONTINUE TO BEAR FRUITS FOR YEARS TO COME.

TM SENTHIL

CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING APPOINTED AS MY MENTOR. HOPE YOU TAKE ME TO GREAT HEIGHTS.

TM BOBBY

YOU ARE A SINCERE PERSON. HOPE TO SEE YOU AS PART OF THE NEW EX-COMM SOON :)

TM ALISHA

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Kudos FROM TOASTMASTER TO A TOASTMASTER !

FROM

TM ROOPAN DEEPAK I AM VERY HAPPY THAT YOU ARE BACK TO TM! YOU ARE SUCH AN INSPIRATION FOR OTHERS TO SEE PEOPLE OF YOUR CADRE WILLING TO LEARN MORE AND IMPROVE. ALL THE VERY BEST FOR ATTAINING YOUR GOALS!

TM SANKAR FROM

TM KAARTHIK SOME ARE GOOD AT PLANNING, SOME ARE GOOD AT EXECUTING BUT ONLY VERY FEW CAN EXCEL IN BOTH AND YOU'RE ONE AMONG THE FEW. YOUR VISION, PLANS, AND ACTIONS AS VPPR ARE TRULY INSPIRING. YOUR FLIERS LOOK GREAT, PROMOTE THEM ON OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES. THEY DESERVE MORE LIKES AND SHARES. PUBLISHING THE INDIVIDUAL AND CLUB ACHIEVEMENTS IN LINKED IN IS A MASTERSTROKE. KEEP UP YOUR SPIRIT!

TM GOKULANATHAN

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Kudos TO TOASTMASTERS FOR ACHIEVING EDUCATIONAL GOALS

CONGRATULATIONS TM

PADMASHREE

TM

RAM

TM

SENTHIL

TM

BOBBY

ACG

TM

RAVI

ACB

TM

ROOPAN

ACB

TM

Dharwesh

ALB

KUMAR

CC

ALB ACB CC

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BC -At GT m a r prog ininga r T r Office

Hum or-s how -bytoas tma ster s -A t GT BC

Ford-Outdoor-Meeting-2019 / 2020

ne Meeting 555 Milesto

ISC-t ableTopic s-Con testWinn ers

rs est- Winne t n o -C n io t Evalua peech -and S s u o r o m u H

WOW S T N E M O M

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a FCTC in Are y b p e e w S Clean 19 Contest 20 TM Pra tik ba in ISC D gs Second Ru n ivision Contes ner up t

ting e Mee n o t s ile 0 th M 0 6 s k mar FCTC

FCTC ACHIEVES GOLDEN GAVEL STATUS

WOW S T N E M O M

The Legacy Continues ..