5 minute read
Break the Bias 2022
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"Every little girl who ' s told she
' s bossy should be told instead she has leadership skills " — Sheryl Sandberg.
TM Flocy Varghese
The unripe fruit
Like every other non-media champ, I was equally nervous and confused on how to take up the execution of a panel moderator project that can mark the level 5 of Dynamic Leadership pathway in Toastmasters. I had spent almost 3 months mainly by meditating on the project but with no clarity or confidence on the way to execute the same. That is when the Club ToastEd came up with the International Women’s Day events and Ms. Deepti Potnis surprised me with the question “Flocy, why don’t you take up a panel discussion as part of this?”
"Life is not always easy to live, but the opportunity to do so is a blessing beyond comprehension"
The first step here was to find the panelists who are public figures and who can advocate their views strongly in front of a virtual audience. When we think about the topic #Breakthebias, the one key thing that comes to our mind is the gender inequality that defeat the women power. That is when I thought about having a representation from the opposite gender who can talk their views about the bias.
Dr Ushy Mohandas a many a time TEDx Speaker, a media consultant, a solid advocate of diversity and has been featured in many books has agreed to take up the opportunity to be one of the panelists.
Data from 68 countries indicates that a woman's education is a key factor in determining a child's survival.
Dr Ushy Mohandas
When we think about the topic #Breakthebias, the one key thing that comes to our mind is the gender inequality that defeat the women power. That is when I thought about having a representation from the opposite gender who can talk their views about the bias. Mr. Jitendra Rahi, a digitally inclined successful business man with proven industry experience was chosen to content the gender bias among the panellists.
Mr. Jitendra Rahi
The dais wouldn’t have been this attracting if our panelist Sushant Divgikar had not accepted my invitation. A youth icon and the first Indian Drag Queen to represent India in the queen of the universe. Sushant is also known as Rani Ko-He-Nur wears multiple performing arts hats and is the queen of many firsts.
The softening & coloring
Preparation and practice are key stages for every successful journey. How softening, sweetening, coloration and decrease in bitterness makes a fruit ready for its consumption, the preparation and organized execution of the steps marks the success of any event.
The last-minute surprises can always pull you out of the cushion and that is what happened with our fourth panelist Ms Toyin. Two days prior to the event when the information came, I could see how my friends change as rescuers and reaching every corner to get an international figure.
Sushant Divgikar
Read the guide under Pathway project for detailed understanding of the project objectives. Watched many panel discussion recordings to understand the moderator styles, situation handling, preparedness to handle any unforeseen events during the discussion. Multiple meetings with the coordinators who were responsible for the full event (Mrs Deepti, Mr. Marcus & our VPPR TM Pooja) to plan the execution, Review of questions, Prepared a good number of questions around the topic, and with a script of how the same has to be executed on the day Review of readiness at defined intervals was another key step with the 3 coordinators around the world
"Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. " -Michael Jordan.
I was expecting an “yes” for sure when the name Ms Resiato Saruni, immediate past president of Oryx Communicators club, was being referred by a few. She did not surprise my expectation and immediately accepted the invitation with her polite response understanding the need of the hour. Toastmasters is a platform that carves its members to be spontaneous to any opportunities that knock your door and a perfect example was Ms Resiato with her sharp point of views & responses during panel discussion.
The Mangosteen
Ms Resiato Saruni
The wonderful audience on the D-day who joined from all part of the world was the beauty of the session. A lot of point of views were shared and debated on the surprising neuro science of gender inequality, stereotyped job cultures in the society, how the gender inequalities create a disbelief in women etc. The panel discussion led its audience to visualise a world where difference is valuated and celebrated. A world where men and women do things that doesn’t perpetuate the status quo. A world where no gender inequality exists and both men and women are treated equal.
Swetha Raghuraman DTM
Art Workshop
