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Chennai Toastmasters Club Monthly Newsletter
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Page 1: Speakout- December 2013
Page 2: Speakout- December 2013
Page 3: Speakout- December 2013

December 2013

Volume 1, Issue 12 Chennai Toastmasters

Speak Out!! The Reverberations 2013 Hall of Fame Special

Reverberation 2013 in Bengaluru was indeed the 'Contest of

Champions' this year. Lucky Toastmasters from the region

got to witness the battle between the shining knights of

speech in armor, fighting for the honor of their clubs and

the glorious epithet of being called the winner.

The team of Speak Out got in touch with four such knights

who found their way to glory -

TM Dhanuja Singh (Winner - Evaluation Contest),

TM KVM Kishore (Winner - Humorous Speech Contest),

DTM Rajdeep Manwani (Finalist - Evaluation Contest

and Humorous Speech Content)

DTM Jayan Narayanan ( Finalist

TM Rajesh Natarajan (Finalist - Evaluation Speech Con-

test).

Read on as they share their tricks of the trade with us.

Viewpoint - Member's Thoughts Revealed

As a tribute to our Beloved Chennai Toastmasters Club (CTM),

known fondly (and rightfully) as the 'Lighthouse club of Chen-

nai', we decided to send out a questionnaire to all our members

in order to gauge their thoughts on their Toastmasters journey,

their feedback about the club, why they love it, and so much

more.

While it is always the right time to receive constructive feedback,

this questionnaire has come in at an opportune time, as the new

Executive Committee Members are all set to take charge of the

club's charge d'affairs. So, flip the pages and find out the inside

story of what the members of CTM have got to say on CTM!

Quote of the Month

"When it is obvious that

the goals cannot be

reached, don't adjust the

goals, adjust the action

steps"

- Confucious

Editor

TM Noorain Mohammed

Nadim

Sub Editor

TM Kush Tripathi

VP– Public Relation

TM Lakshmi

Page 4: Speakout- December 2013

December 2013

Volume 1, Issue 12

Table of Contents INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Editorial Note………………………………………………….4

Presidential Address……………………………………..5-6

Vice President Public Relation Address……………...7

Interview with TM KVM Kishore……………………….8

Interview with TM Dhanuja Singh…………………….9

Interview with DTM Rajdeep Munwani……………10

Interview with DTM Jayan Narayanan……………..11

Interview with TM Rajesh Natarajan………………..13

Viewpoint - Member's Thoughts Revealed……14-24

Editor

TM Noorain Mohammed

Nadim

Sub Editor

TM Kush Tripathi

VP– Public Relation

TM Lakshmi

Page 5: Speakout- December 2013

EDITORIAL NOTE Hola, Toastmasters!

It's been a short while since I embarked on my Toastmaster's journey,

but I've got to say this: Boy oh boy, is this awesome or what?! I've al-

ready met some great people, learnt some important lessons, saw my-

self improve as a leader and communicator and most importantly,

found some much-needed inspiration on the purpose of my life.

This month, what with the winter enveloping us in its cold arms, we felt

a spark of innovation spreading its warmth in our brains. We decided to

not ask any of our Toastmasters to write articles for us based on a

theme. We decided to break the norm and make things easier for all of

you by giving you all a simple questionnaire.

We picked the questions to help you share your Toastmasters journey

with us and to gauge any areas of improvement that you thought would

help make our club better. We think our initiative was a success as we

saw responses tumbling in by the day! We would like to thank each and

every one of you for taking your time and participating in this question-

naire and issue for us.

Since I hold the privilege of being the Editor for the December issue of

Speak Out, on behalf of my sub-editor, Kush Tripathi, here are some

New Year wishes for all of you: In the year to come, may every one of us

hold the pleasure of inspiring those around us, even in the smallest way

possible, may we achieve success and prosperity in all our endeavors,

may we become better leaders and communicators, may we always find

the courage to stand up for the good and the right, and may we contin-

ue to spread love, laughter and joy around us, making our Earth a

brighter and happier place to live.

Wishing you all a great festive season and hope you all are having an

enriching and inspiring year!

Warm regards,

TM Noorain Mohammed Nadim

Editor

Speak Out - December Edition

4

Whatever the mind of man can conceive and

believe, It can achieve.

–Napoleon Hill

Page 6: Speakout- December 2013

PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS

Friends of CTM, hope you are having a good time with your family and friends in this festive season.

On behalf of the executive committee of CTM, I wish you all a very happy Christmas and a wonderful

& prosperous New Year 2014.

Last two months were very eventful in Toastmasters. Chennai Toastmasters Club and Tamil Nadu

Toastmasters celebrated their 10th anniversary on November 17th. The meeting was filled with fun,

humor and slew of launches for CTM. Yes, CTM launched its first Logo & Tagline in the milestone

meeting & Ravi Baskaran Award for the Role player of the month. TM Ravi Baskaran was the past

president of CTM and was a mentor for many leading Toastmasters in Tamil Nadu. Under his guid-

ance lot of clubs benefitted and grew. He is not with us today. In order to honour his dedication,

commitment and passion towards Toastmasters, the executive committee decided to name the most

coveted award “Role player of the month award” as Ravi Baskaran Award. That is somewhat a small

way of thanking the unparalleled deeds of TM Ravi Baskaran.

After the celebrations and hara-kiri of the 10th anniversary meeting, we all packed our bags and pro-

ceeded towards Bangalore for the Next Big Bang – Reverberation 2013. It was one of the wonderful

international conference organized by an energetic and young team whose collective average age was

only 25! Toastmasters gives such wonderful opportunities for youngsters to prove themselves early

which will enable them to transform as a confident human being.

5

Page 7: Speakout- December 2013

Among all the participants and contestants, one particular participant surprised us all – DTM Rajdeep Manwani. He

was a finalist in Evaluation and Humorous speech contest. His speeches in both the contests were humorous, engaging

and entertaining. Everyone in the audience was inspired by his speech and personality. While the audience were glued

to his speech and couldn’t take their eyes away from DTM Manwani, he couldn’t look at us back. The editorial team of

this edition’s SpeakOut did a wonderful job in interviewing DTM Manwani and you can see his interview along with the

interview of the winners of Evaluation and Humorous speech contest in Reverberation 2013 in the following pages. I’m

proud of this Speak Out team :-)

This term is almost coming to an end. The election at CTM was conducted on December 15 and saw lot of members

contesting for different offices. It is very encouraging to see lot of youngsters taking part in the election process and

willing to serve the club. Definitely this is a healthy sign.

The new set of office bearers were elected to lead the new term at CTM. Under the able leadership of incoming President

TM Prasanna Venkat, I’m sure CTM will continue to rock and march into glory in the upcoming term. Looking back at

the present term, I would say this term was a wonderful joy ride.

At the beginning of this new term, we set goals of winning at Reverberations 2013. We couldn’t achieve that. But trying

hard to achieve that goal, we transformed ourselves. We found a new star TM Nagendra Bharathi who finished as a

second best speaker in Humorous speech contest in Division G conference. I would like to thank DTM Kartik

Srinivasan, TM Shankar, TM Ramesh Daswani who took their time off to ensure that TM Nagendra Bharathi was

prepared well enough to compete at the highest level. I also thank our IPP TM Deepa Bharatkumar and TM Shankar in

conducing the training sessions on Evaluation and Humorous speech contests in CTM which ensured our members

perform extremely well in the contests.

If I were to point out some of the great things achieved by the present excomm team in this term, I can highlight the

following things –

1) Organizing the successful 4ooth meeting of CTM

2) Organizing the training sessions for Evaluation and Humorous speech contest

3) Celebrating the 10th anniversary of Chennai Toastmasters Club and Tamil Nadu Toastmasters

3) Launch of new logo and tagline for CTM

4) Launch of Ravi Baskaran Award

5) Launch of the new website – www.chennaitoastmasters.com

6) Leaders in Pirates of the Gavel table in Tamil Nadu Toastmasters

7) Taking CTM to the status of Select Distinguished Club (as of today)

Without the energetic, excited and enthusiastic bunch of Excomm members in the present term all the above

achievements wouldn’t have been made possible. One incident that indicated the spirit of the present term was about

how the team encouraged TM Bhavani Shankar who failed and felt disheartened while giving his speech at the first

attempt. The team got in touch with him, motivated him, ensured he prepared well for his next speech, provided him a

slot again in the very next meeting and what happened..TM Bhavani Shankar came back strongly, gave a wonderful

speech which inspired many, drew tears from few eyes and won the best Speaker ribbon that day. This one incident

according to me stands out in the entire term and points out to the spirit of my wonderful team!

Now it is the time to pass on the Baton to the new President and his new team. Becoming a President of Chennai

Toastmasters Club is a prestigious achievement and I congratulate TM Prasanna to have achieved that milestone. It was

a dream for me to become the President of CTM as well. After becoming one, I thoroughly enjoyed the responsibilities

and lived my dream. I thank all the people and my team who helped me in living my dream. Life has to move on. Baton

has to be passed. And I will pass on the baton to TM Prasanna in a few days from now. I wish the new team all the very

best and assure them of my support in pursuing our dream of making Chennai Toastmasters Club the best club in the

whole world.

For the last time as President,

TM Sakthi Prasanna Chennai Toastmasters Club.

6

Page 8: Speakout- December 2013

VP– PUBLIC RELATION’S MESSAGE

This newsletter is the "last" for a lot of things : Last one of

this quarter, last one of this year and the last one in my term

as the VP PR of the most prestigious Chennai Toastmasters

Club.

Newsletters over the last six months have been an integral

part of me. I was one of the following for each of the edi-

tions: the editor, an adviser, a helper or an article contribu-

tor, and doing each of these roles was a learning in itself.

I was the fortunate one to have worked with an amazing

team of editors and sub editors: all the brainstorming ses-

sions, working out strategies, planning, implementing new

ideas and the last minute rush for completion will be all be

etched in my memory forever.

It will be too cliched if I said everything was amazing, be-

cause it was not. There were difficult times, hiccups and

short comings. But all these were more of a blessing as they

helped us work closer, be there for each other, learn and

grow together as a team.

Given a chance, I would surely want to be the VP PR of CTM

for another term, so I can make it up for what I haven't done

this term and I'm sure there would be newer and richer

learning. But now that I will not be one, I will still be an ac-

tive part of newsletters, contributing every little bit that I

can.

This is wishing the incoming team the best in all its endeav-

ors.

Vice President Public Relation

TM Lakshmi Lakshminarayan

7

He who has never learned to obey can-not be a good com-

mander.

—Aristotle

Page 9: Speakout- December 2013

INTERVIEW OF TM KVM KISHORE

TM KVM Kishore– Winner of Humorous

Speech Contest at Reverberation 2013

8

TM KVM Kishore is known fondly as the ‘Masala

Man’, particularly after his humorous speech at Rever-

berations 2013. The winner of the much coveted Hu-

morous Speech Content at the grand gala event of

Toastmasters in the region, he shares some of his gold-

en secrets with us.

What was the topic of your speech at Reverbera-

tions 2013? My Masala Dream

Do you think scripting and performing a hu-

morous speech is difficult when compared to

the other types of speeches? Why?

Yes, definitely. A regular speech is like your pay slip.

You can always predict what’s going to come up. But a

humorous speech is like a credit card statement - you

never know what’s coming up. A regular speech can be

well timed with appropriate pauses and expressions;

but in a humorous speech, your pauses are at the dis-

posal of your audience. You will have to wait till the

laughter subsides and then continue with your speech.

So managing the laughter, the script, the body language

and finishing in time is like maintaining a great rela-

tionship with your wife, your parents and your in-laws

at the same time.

Did you expect to win at the finals?

Not at all. It’s like expecting auto drivers in Chennai and

Bengaluru to be honest. It’s nice to expect but hard to

happen. I wished, I dreamt and I wanted to win. But

didn’t expect it as I knew my competitors were very

strong and in those five to seven minutes,

anything could happen.

Also as I heard the other contestants speak, the audience’s response was

huge for every speech and it was too difficult to predict anything.

Please tell us how you had prepared for the D-Day, i.e., the fi-

nals.

I can’t forget the night before the finals. It was pouring, the traffic

was a mess and I returned home only to find that there was no elec-

tricity. I could barely sleep because I couldn’t wait to stand on that

grand stage of JRD Tata Auditorium. I practiced my speech a couple

of times and remained as cool and composed as possible. It wasn’t

anymore about the script or the delivery, but my whole stake was on

energy and creating my presence on the stage.

What would you suggest/advice budding humorous speech par-

ticipants?

a. Experience – It is essential to gather experience and stories and

only then it would be possible to do something original and different.

So collect as many experiences as possible.

b. Experiment – A Toastmaster’s journey provides ample opportuni-

ties to experiment. So before writing your contest speech, try all sorts

of experiments to find what works and what doesn’t. It could be using

a regional flavor, or a different body language and voice, or even

wearing a weird costume. Do your experiments.

c. Entertain – Rather than being just funny it would benefit if the

speech connects to a very personal level to the audience. Using child-

hood, college, work life based themes would help a lot to create that

nostalgia that easily connects with people.

d. Above all, the one thing essential to be a great speaker is to have a

good mentor, believe in them and then abide by them. My mentor,

Dirish Mohan, helped me optimize the script, evaluate my strengths

and weaknesses, focus on the problem areas, effectively deliver and

withstand the pressure of competition. Hence, work with your men-

tor closely and diligently.

What according to you are the best aids to a speech (hand ges-

tures, vocal variety, characterization, etc.)

A winning speech is like Vanjaram fish cooked by master chef Damu and

served by Namitha. It is the perfect meenu kuzhambu {Fish Curry] which

is cooked with the right variety of fish, in the right vessel, with the right

amount of spices, served with love and care and that too exactly when you

are desperately hungry. Banking on the script or body language or vocal

variety alone would be a difficult bet to win. It is better to have a combina-

tion of all of them and ultimately ensure that the audience breaks into

laughter throughout the speech.

With respect to your Toastmasters journey, where do you go

from here?

I thought of Reverberations as a destination but once I witnessed it, I

actually discovered a whole new journey. There is a lot to learn, expe-

rience and experiment. I would want to travel to different clubs, meet

different people and hone my abilities to be able to entertain people

across cultures, ages and backgrounds.

Page 10: Speakout- December 2013

INTERVIEW OF TM DHANUJA SINGH

TM Dhanuja Singh– Winner of Evaluation Speech Contest at Reverberation 2013

9

All those who know TM Dhanuja Singh would describe her

as a 'perfectionist par excellence'. She excels in every-

thing she does solely because of her hardwork, dedication

and sincerity towards the task in hand. Winner of the Evalu-

ation Contest at Reverberation 2013, she shares her experi-

ence with us.

An evaluator's role is sacrosanct for a speaker. It is

your feedback that lays the foundation for his im-

provement in his next speech. How do you strike

the right balance between encouragement and con-

structive criticism?

In my opinion, here is how one can create balance between

the two:

Positives: Enhance the strengths objectively. Do not flatter

with flamboyance.

Constructive Feedback: Be specific and give direction on

how it can be done differently.

Your job begins only after the speaker gives his

speech. Do you feel the need to prepare beforehand

on any aspect of your evaluation?

The only preparation required is to be open minded and

alert. One cannot fit a speech into a prepared evaluation.

That will be an injustice to the speaker.

How did you prepare for the finals of Reverbera-

tions 2013?

Many of my well wishers told me "Continue to be yourself

and be inclined to help the speaker". That advice helped me.

According to you, what are the qualities of a good

evaluator?

Be honest, listen, add value and be empathetic.

Did you expect your win at Reverberations 2013?

If I said "Yes" - that would be "Hind Sight Bias". So, the an-

swer is that I knew I wanted to and I was ready to work to-

wards it as long as it takes for me to deserve it - 2013, or till

the time I am ready.

With respect to your Toastmasters journey, where

do you go from here?

To every other opportunity that comes my way - projects,

contests, mentoring, roles and meetings.

TM Dhanuja's note to Toastmasters in Chennai:

I would like to personally thank your club. I was in Chen-

nai in May for Ovations. The enthusiasm and talent

amongst the Toastmasters in Chennai is infectious.

Wishing Chennai Toastmasters Club all the best!

Thank You for giving me an opportunity for being part of

your newsletter.

Page 11: Speakout- December 2013

INTERVIEW OF DTM RAJDEEP MANWANI

DTM Rajdeep Manwani – Winner of Evaluation & Humorous Speech Contest at Reverberation 2013

10

In Toastmasters circles, DTM Rajdeep Manwani is known as a legend. His humility and prowess only increase his thirst

towards becoming the best in what he does, with his current aspiration being to win a Toastmasters competition in the

international circuit. In a tête-à-tête with Speak Out, he discusses his preparation methodology and more.

According to you, what are the qualities of a good speech?

A good speech should be engaging, entertaining and enlightening. It must deliver a message to the audience.

What are the qualities of a good evaluator? How can an evaluator strike a balance between motivation

and constructive criticism?

I think as an evaluator, you must base your evaluation on what benefits the speaker. It should encourage him to do better

in the future. In all my evaluations, I follow the 2:1 ratio, i.e., for every 2 good points, you must tell him one critical point.

Did you expect it to make it to the finals of both the Humorous Speech and Evaluation contests?

Yes, I expected to make it (laughs). I've won the District Competition four years in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2012. I guess I

was unlucky for the fifth time.

How do you prepare for your speeches?

I start preparing for my speeches at least 2-3 weeks in advance. I redraft my speeches many times, take feedback from my

club members and keep improvising to make it better.

Although an evaluator's job begins after the speaker's speech, do you prepare any aspect of your evalua-

tion beforehand?

No, I prepare my evaluation speech on the spot, aiming on providing constructive evaluation to my speaker.

With respect to your Toastmasters journey, where do you go from here?

I'm focusing on completing my double DTM right now.

Page 12: Speakout- December 2013

INTERVIEW OF DTM JAYAN NARAYNAN

DTM Jayan Narayanan – Winner of Evaluation Speech Contest at Reverberation 2013

11

DTM Jayan Narayanan is an inspiration to each and every

one of us. Having re-embarked on his Toastmasters journey

after a 2-year break, he only wants to achieve more in the

Toastmasters circuit. First Runner-up in the Evaluation

Speech Contest at Reverberation 2013, he shares his secrets

with us.

An evaluator's role is sacrosanct for a speaker. It is

your feedback that lays the foundation for his im-

provement in his next speech. How do you strike

the right balance between encouragement and con-

structive criticism?

While I was in the US, I had been to a club that was over 40

years old. I was appalled at the way they did the evaluations.

They were sharp, on-your-face, honest feedback. Probably it

takes a matured club like that to be able to do an evaluation

of that nature. Most often the objectives of a project are

missed out while evaluating. While sticking to that is im-

portant, two aspects will have to be the focus for any evalua-

tor - content and delivery. Individual feedback is essential

on these two aspects. Always quote examples or 'how to'

while giving away recommendations. Here's where you need

to spend more time. I fondly remember DTM Rajeev's edu-

cational session. He made a very profound statement -

"never evaluate for a ribbon". You, as an evaluator, are not

going there to be the best evaluator but for helping someone

in need. Finally, always end it on a positive note! Identifying

mistakes and putting it across so as to not hurt the speaker

is tricky. An easy way to do this is to refer to your experi-

ence as a speaker and how you delivered the same project

with the similar mistakes. Let them know how you corrected

based on feedback. This will boost the confidence of the

speaker. In my earlier days, during two occasions, I was

asked to repeat a project. It hurt but it worked :-) I will al-

ways remain indebted to those wonderful evaluators who

did not evaluate me for the ribbon!

Your job begins only after the speaker gives his

speech. Do you feel the need to prepare beforehand

on any aspect of your evaluation?

Yes, it helps! Have a standard structure in mind but do not

apply it as-is always. Tweak it to suit the situation. As is rec-

ommended for all speakers, try to be different or innovative

each time you evaluate. Try all combinations. Keep your

analysis short and elaborate on recommendations, or the

vice-versa. Try incorporating the famous "tell a story, make

a point" concept. There are several templates available and

Google can help you hunt them down. Try using those and

make one of your own. Somehow I feel 3 minutes is too less

a time for any evaluator. Nevertheless don't waste time on

gibberish. Pack as much as possible in those 3 minutes and

give away loads of inspirational points that will ensure the

speaker understands his shortcomings and areas of im-

provement.

Page 13: Speakout- December 2013

12

How did you prepare for the finals of Reverbera-

tions 2013?

To be brutally honest, I didn't prepare. I knew I can't do a

great job like my fellow contestants but one thing was very

clear - that I am there to learn and should never let the con-

test come in my way whatever was the verdict. My prepara-

tion was on the frills surrounding the standard evaluation

procedure. I decided I will stay focused on two aspects -

content and delivery. I wanted my opening and closing to be

different. So, went about fetching some quotes that may suit

the situation. One of the quotes by Jack Handey I used and

that really worked as an opening was - "Before you criticize

someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes... That way

when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them and

you have their shoes." I further made it sound very positive

and at the same time humorous. I always believed in situa-

tional humour that is cooked at that very moment. This is a

big risk and I take it always. Sometimes it works and other

times it's a big lesson (smiles). Also, an ending punch line

that seems to have worked is - "Finally, for me, this speech

is like Itch Guard. One can proudly claim that it is devel-

oped from scratch” (laughs). Here's my learning from the

contest that I have mentioned on my facebook wall too - "Be

bold. Be sincere. Be shameless. Be creative. Be innovative.

Most importantly, be different. Stand out."

According to you, what are the qualities of a good

evaluator?

Someone who is sincere and doesn't do it for the ribbon!

Having said that, a good evaluator is the one who is like a

good teacher. A teacher who thinks that I must help this

child do better the next time; and I must do whatever it

takes to impart that education. The education is the analysis

of the current situation which in this case is the speech, ex-

plaining the good and the not so good parts of the speech

with respect to the objectives and giving clear recommenda-

tions on what worked and what did not. Add value by giving

examples and techniques of how it would have worked bet-

ter. Most importantly, pick points from the previous evalua-

tions and reiterate them to capture the speaker’s progress

over time.

Did you expect your win at Reverberations 2013?

It would be a blatant lie if I say YES! My technique in the

Area Contest was a big gamble. Sitting outside waiting for

my turn, I didn't really know what to prepare. I was chatting

with a fellow contestant and suddenly I was called. I have

this bad habit of not taking notes and trying to grab the

speech in my mind. So my evaluation note was almost emp-

ty. As a quick fix, I ended up crushing my notes and doing

some dramatics which worked to my surprise. So I felt this

is a winning formula and used the same technique for the

Division Contest. The win there made it appear that this

technique is indeed THE winning formula. Shamelessly, I

applied it at the District level semi finals too but brought in

a little twist as part of the summary. Almost certain that I

wouldn't get past the semi finals, I thought at least I didn’t

have to work hard to prepare a brand new technique. The

semi finals win was a shocker and it meant my so called

winning formula can't be repeated and over night, I must

think of something really different. The very fact that I was

competing with some legends like Dr. Rajdeep and Rajesh

Natarajan gave me jitters. For the finals, I was in front of

almost 75% of the crowd I have already faced in the semi

finals. So I had to be different and totally different. To make

things worse, I just couldn't follow the test speaker's speech.

I really didn't know what to note down. Situational humour

came to my rescue (smiles). I was hungry and I knew so

were the audience. I decided to dwell on that sensitive sub-

ject. I completely twisted a very sad story into a humourous

rhetorical and I presume what worked in my favour was the

summary - "The opening was like Seminar Hall A, short and

sweet; The content was as elaborate as this TATA auditori-

um but the delivery was like seminar hall B. You left a lot of

us stranded outside." This worked because the audience felt

that I empathized with many of them as that was the situa-

tion at the event the previous day and also that sort of clear-

ly defined the short comings in the speech's delivery aspect

too. I wish to quote Jean-Paul Sartre here - “Once you hear

the details of victory, it is hard to distinguish it from a de-

feat.” I feel every finalist was a winner! Just that, I got a cup

as a testimony. End of the day, it was a great learning expe-

rience listening to my fellow contestants and I wish to share

this victory with all of them!

With respect to your Toastmasters journey, where

do you go from here?

I graduated from an old school of Toastmasters. After a 2-

year break, I have joined back in a new era of Toastmasters

that is bubbling with energy and enthusiasm. Hence it's a

new journey and I'm a kindergarten student in awe of

what's in store for me to learn. I hope to eventually be able

to impart the learning to the society at large and be content

with that great feeling of having given back something use-

ful to the society, especially the student community!

Page 14: Speakout- December 2013

INTERVIEW OF TM RAJESH NATARAJAN

TM Rajesh Natarajan– Finalist of Evaluation Speech Contest at Reverberation 2013

13

An evaluator's role is sacrosanct for a speaker. It is

your feedback that lays the foundation for his im-

provement in his next speech. How do you strike

the right balance between encouragement and con-

structive criticism?

I would like to answer this question in two parts. With re-

spect to encouragement, as an evaluator, I feel it is my duty

to find opportunities to appreciate the speaker for his

speech attempt. Only when you decide to look for good

things in the speech, can you appreciate the speaker’s good

deeds.

What transforms criticism into constructive criticism is the

choice of words one uses to evaluate the speaker. When I

started evaluating, I was very critical and harsh of the

speaker. Though my intent was good, my choice of words

was very harsh. It is only through continuous practice and

help from my fellow members that I was able to transform

criticism into constructive criticism.

Your job begins only after the speaker gives his

speech. Do you feel the need to prepare beforehand

on any aspect of your evaluation?

I believe an evaluator’s role starts when he/she signs up to

evaluate a speech. Especially if you are evaluating a project

that you have not done before, it is important to read

through the manual and understand the requirements of

the speech. I am of the opinion that an evaluator should

have a clear idea on what needs to be evaluated even before

the speaker starts his/her speech.

How did you prepare for the finals of Reverbera-

tions 2013?

Preparing for a contest is different from the usual evalua-

tion we do in our club. My preparation for Reverberations

2013 was limited to speaking to the past champions and

taking feedback on a few areas where I am doing well and

areas which I need to focus upon.

According to you, what are the qualities of a good

evaluator?

Empathy,

Explaining things in simple language, and

Not trying to impress the audience

With respect to your Toastmasters journey, where

do you go from here?

Reverberations 2013 was a great experience. I have learnt so

many things in terms of evaluations. It is time to put them

to use in my evaluations and do justice to the role I take up

(smiles :) ).

Page 15: Speakout- December 2013

Chennai Toastmasters Club’s Member Speak

Viewpoint - Member's Thoughts Revealed

DTM Srinivasan Kartikeyan

Did you go to Reverberation 2013?

Yes

What did you like the most at Reverberations 2013?

The quality of the contestants in both Evaluation and

Humorous Speech Contests was very high. It was a tough

and enjoyable competition.

The 'Ramp Walk' by Tamil Nadu Toastmasters at the Fun

Night was top grade and very professional.

The speeches by the last four year's District Humorous

Speech Champions was thoroughly enjoyable.

The bonhomie & the camaraderie - meeting old and new

friends from District 82.

Being awarded the The Best Division Governor for 2012-13

Did you have any not-so-good experiences at the event?

Please share them with us.

The overall organization of event was a bit lacking in terms of

venue capacity, food and transport. I felt there was too much

penny-pinching!

What were your key takeaways from Reverberations

2013?

Once they set their mind to it, people can and do excel them-

selves! Reverberations is not just about contests, but a huge

training forum to develop, practice and enhance one's people

skills and organisational skills.

What do you like the most about Chennai Toastmas-

ters Club?

The energy and 'can-do' attitude

What are the areas of improvement at Chennai Toast-

masters Club?

To ensure role-players, along with back-ups, for every meet-

ing are booked in advance, thereby avoiding panic and

chasing for role-players at the last minute against no-show

and cancellations.

New member induction in the ways and means of the forum

at regular intervals

Stronger usage of the Mentor/Mentee facility

How do you feel Toastmasters has helped you?

I joined Toastmasters mainly for developing my

friends' circle. What I have got in return is a great

number of friends, excellent netwworking opportuni-

ties, improved confidence and constant refining of my

leadership skills.

Do you have any advice for budding Toastmas-

ters?

Participation is the finest form of preparation and

practice. Participate regularly in your Club Meetings

by attendance and taking on roles and responsibili-

ties. Participate regularly in special events and activi-

ties in your Club, Area, Division and District. Promote

and invite participation from your non-Toastmaster

friends - share the benefits that you receive from your

participation in this forum.

Remember, help is just a phone-call away in the form

of your mentor!

What have been your memorable moments

this year 2013 at Chennai Toastmasters Club?

Conducting Walk-the-Talk which helped a lot of

Toastmasters improve their skills and confidence.

Helping and promoting Division/District level Con-

testants.

A 'smile' of appreciation and a simple 'Thank You'

from fellow Toastmasters that I have mentored.

Successfully handling over a much stronger Division

'G' at the end of my term as Division Governor.

Being selected for the Best Division Governor Award

in in District 82.

14

Page 16: Speakout- December 2013

Chennai Toastmasters Club’s Member Speak

Viewpoint - Member's Thoughts Revealed

TM Ramesh Daswani

What do you like the most about Chennai Toastmasters Club?

The meetings are vibrant. There is plenty of fun and humour generated by

the speakers and the back benchers.

What are the areas of improvement at Chennai Toastmasters

Club?

Meetings often start late and therefore, end late. I think this needs atten-

tion. Also, there is a mismatch between the information in the agenda and

what happens in the actual meeting. This is expected. In such a case, the

TMOD should announce the change to the already circulated agenda.

How do you feel Toastmasters has helped you?

Toastmasters has helped me Immensely in improving my social contacts

and in making new friends. It has given me the confidence to talk to anyone

without hesitation.

Do you have any advice for budding Toastmasters?

Budding Toastmasters should learn from his/her mentor and take the benefit of men-

tor-mentee relationship. For this, the VP-E should appoint the mentor for every new

Toastmaster joining the club as soon as he joins. Listen, learn and lead from the

front. Have your own schedule for improvement.

Club meetings are where you are spending your precious time and money. Therefore,

take maximum advantage of your membership and the opportunities given to you.

Participate, practice and improve from what and where you are, both in communica-

tion and leadership tracks.

I believe in 'KAIZEN'. This is a Japanese word which means learning and inculcating

small improvements at every opportunity over a period of time.

Wish you all the best in your Toastmaster journey.

What have been your memorable moments this year 2013 at Chennai

Toastmasters Club?

Being a mentor for TM Nagendra Bharathi who made the Chennai Toastmasters Club

proud by winning at Club, Area and Division Level Humorous Speech Contest.

Other memorable moments are my participation in the Evaluation Contest, attending

the 400th meeting as a singer, being a part of the editorial team for Chennai Toast-

masters Club's 10th anniversary edition of Speak Out as the sub-editor and winning

the 1st Ravi Bhaskar award for the 'Toastmaster of the Month' in October 2013 are my

highlights this year.

15

Page 17: Speakout- December 2013

Chennai Toastmasters Club’s Member Speak

Viewpoint - Member's Thoughts Revealed

TM Sudha Rajesh

Did you go to Reverberation 2013?

Yes

What did you like the most at Reverberations 2013?

Met many interesting people for the first time. It was nice to know

how meetings and clubs work in Bangalore.

Of course, my best moment was witnessing Bharadwaj Rangan in per-

son and listening to him.

Did you have any not-so-good experiences at the event?

Please share them with us.

Well, we were heading to the Taj Vivanta for our Fun Night. And we

managed to reach there just in time - when all the fun was over. It

poured cats and dogs that night

What were your key takeaways from Reverberations 2013?

There is so much more to learn.Some brilliant evaluations by Rajdeep,

Rajesh and Jayan.

Conferences are always the best time to get to know someone better.

What do you like the most about Chennai Toastmasters Club?

The enthusiasm in the members and the bonding between them.

What are the areas of improvement at Chennai Toastmasters

Club?

Work on creating more leaders. Since the club has been around for so

long and is supported by some of the best and experienced Toastmasters,

it is time CTM produced a champion speaker.

How do you feel Toastmasters has helped you?

I certainly have improved my leadership skills, listening skills and inter-

personal skills. Of course, I found some friends too.

Do you have any advice for budding Toastmasters?

Work on each project sincerely with your heart and soul. Don't deliver

speeches if you are not well prepared.

What have been your memorable moments this year 2013 at

Chennai Toastmasters Club?

Delivering my club contest speech in February 2013 amidst all the big

shots like Nina, Kumaran Pethi, CK, Sastha.

Not just delivering, but I also won that contest. I felt happy because I

loved that script which was scripted by my dear Rajesh Narayanan. So, it

was a combined effort.

16

Page 18: Speakout- December 2013

Chennai Toastmasters Club’s Member Speak

Viewpoint - Member's Thoughts Revealed

TM THANIGEASWARA

What do you like the most about Chennai Toastmas-

ters Club?

I really like the leadership opportunities, feedback from sen-

ior Toastmasters, the quality of speeches, contests and the

snacks.

What are the areas of improvement at Chennai

Toastmasters Club?

We need to groom youngsters on the leadership track.

How do you feel Toastmasters has helped you?

Toastmasters has completely transformed me. It has given

me the opportunity to meet communication experts and

leaders from various fields.

You cannot get this kind of access to stalwarts anywhere else.

The best part is that we can try to inculcate the qualities of

these leaders in us. I can feel the difference in me and my

skills after joining Toastmasters.

Do you have any advice for budding Toastmasters?

"Consistency is the mother of success". If you want to really

improve yourself, stay in the movement for the longer peri-

od.

What have been your memorable moments this year

2013 at Chennai Toastmasters Club?

Conducted YLP at SIET College and conducted the Executive

Committee Elections for the term Jan 2014 - Jun 2014.

17

Page 19: Speakout- December 2013

Chennai Toastmasters Club’s Member Speak

Viewpoint - Member's Thoughts Revealed

TM Sunil Baffna Did you go to Reverberation 2013?

Yes

What did you like the most at Reverberations

2013?

The Humorous Speech Contest. The overall quality of

competition was brilliant. Most of the contestants de-

served to win and hence, the judges had a tough time

filling their ballots.

Did you have any not-so-good experiences at the

event? Please share them with us.

Nothing in particular.

What were your key takeaways from Reverberations 2013?

Inputs on how to write a Humorous Speech script. Inspired by the efforts of DTM

Rajdeep Manwani.

What do you like the most about Chennai Toastmasters Club?

The healthy diversity in the club membership - inspirational leaders to struggling be-

ginners.

What are the areas of improvement at Chennai Toastmasters Club?

The future leadership needs to be more proactive than one formed due to drift.

How do you feel Toastmasters has helped you?

I have improved as a speaker, time manager, leader and human being.

Do you have any advice for budding Toastmasters?

Be regular. Don't find excuses.

What have been your memorable moments this year 2013 at Chennai

Toastmasters Club?

I am on the way to making this year most memorable - I would be finishing my ACB

and ALB as planned (i.e. before the end of 2013)

18

Page 20: Speakout- December 2013

Chennai Toastmasters Club’s Member Speak

Viewpoint - Member's Thoughts Revealed

TM HARISH KUMAR NAVRATHNMAL

Did you go to Reverberation 2013?

Yes

What did you like the most at Reverberations 2013?

Contests

Networking with Toastmasters

Did you have any not-so-good experiences at the event?

Please share them with us.

None.

What were your key takeaways from Reverberations

2013?

1. Coordination

2. Leadership

3. Ways to evaluate

4. How to build relationships

What do you like the most about Chennai Toastmasters

Club?

People, people and people

What are the areas of improvement at Chennai Toastmasters

Club?

None

How do you feel Toastmasters has helped you?

1. Has changed me completely.

2. Helped me become a leader in my workplace.

3. Gave me the confidence to liason and speak with clients and higher

management with confidence.

Do you have any advice for budding Toastmasters?

Stick to the basics and when in need, never hesitate to ask for help.

What have been your memorable moments this year 2013 at

Chennai Toastmasters Club?

Completing my HPL , understanding my true potential and great expo-

sure the club's activities.

19

Page 21: Speakout- December 2013

Chennai Toastmasters Club’s Member Speak

Viewpoint - Member's Thoughts Revealed

TM LAKSHMI LAKSHMINARAYANAN

What do you like the most about Chennai Toastmasters

Club?

The members are from different walks of life, different ages and experi-

ence and there is a lot of variety in the learning.

What are the areas of improvement at Chennai Toastmasters

Club?

1. The mentor-mentee relationship needs to be improved.

2. All members could take up meeting roles in turns, rather than the

same set of people taking them up repeatedly.

How do you feel Toastmasters has helped you?

I got an opportunity to conduct a session in a college through CTM.

They liked it and I was their soft skill trainer for one semester. I owe

both the opportunity and the training that I've had to CTM.

My term as the VP PR helped me learn poster making, which was of

great help when I wanted to start a business on my own.

Overall, I am a more confident person than I used to be, and am looking forward to a

lot more improvement in the days to come.

Do you have any advice for budding Toastmasters?

We just have to attend the meetings regularly, the magic happens automatically. It

did happen to me.

What have been your memorable moments this year 2013 at Chennai

Toastmasters Club?

The day I gave my CC10. The plain fact that a person who's never been on stage be-

fore, has given 10 speeches now, made me feel very happy.

20

Page 22: Speakout- December 2013

Chennai Toastmasters Club’s Member Speak

Viewpoint - Member's Thoughts Revealed

TM Y.YAMINI DEVI

What do you like the most about Chennai

Toastmasters Club?

The motivation of club members, their apprecia-

tion and perfection.

What are the areas of improvement at

Chennai Toastmasters Club?

I cannot think anything at this moment.

How do you feel Toastmasters has helped

you?

Toastmasters has helped me in all aspects of my

life. It has helped improve my level of confidence.

Do you have any advice for budding Toastmasters?

Attend clubs regularly, and speak every time you come to the

club.

What have been your memorable moments this year

2013 at Chennai Toastmasters Club?

Anniversary celebrations, contests and every session I at-

tend.

21

Page 23: Speakout- December 2013

Chennai Toastmasters Club’s Member Speak

Viewpoint - Member's Thoughts Revealed

TM Nagendra Bharathi

What do you like the most about Chennai

Toastmasters Club?

I love the friendly environment of the club.

What are the areas of improvement at

Chennai Toastmasters Club?

We need more educational sessions from the

senior Toastmasters of the club.

How do you feel Toastmasters has helped

you?

It has helped improve my communication skills.

Do you have any advice for budding

Toastmasters?

Regular attendance at the club's meeting would help you im-

mensely.

What have been your memorable moments this year

2013 at Chennai Toastmasters Club?

Getting the 1st place at the Area Level Humorous Speech

Contest and winning the 2nd place at the Division level con-

test.

22

Page 24: Speakout- December 2013

Chennai Toastmasters Club’s Member Speak

Viewpoint - Member's Thoughts Revealed

TM GURUVAYURAPPAN

What do you like the most about

Chennai Toastmasters Club?

I like everything about CTM.

What are the areas of improvement

at Chennai Toastmasters Club?

Members' attendance needs to be im-

proved.

How do you feel Toastmasters has

helped you?

Toastmasters has helped improve my lead-

ership skills

Do you have any advice for budding

Toastmasters?

Take part in all roles and enjoy every role.

What have been your memorable moments this year

2013 at Chennai Toastmasters Club?

Being the sub-editor and editor of CTM's magazine - Speak

Out.

23

Page 25: Speakout- December 2013

Chennai Toastmasters Club’s Member Speak

Viewpoint - Member's Thoughts Revealed

TM MADHAVAN

What do you like the most about Chennai Toastmasters

Club?

1. Conducting of the meeting with involvement and dedication.

2. Courtesy extended to all the members by the fellow Toastmas-

ters, particularly, the senior toastmasters.

3. Snacks are really tasty and of a high quality.

What are the areas of improvement at Chennai Toast-

masters Club?

1. Timer has to use his own mobile. In some mobiles, such facility

is not available. If we are a last minute replacement, then we

would be put to embarrassment.

2. Timing device may be purchased/installed.

3. Mostly, there are no takers for Grammarian and Ah Counters.

These counters are managed by junior Toastmasters. If senior

Toastmasters handle these roles, it would definitely add value.

4. Explore the possibility of making Grammarian/Ah Counter

roles compulsory before every speech project.

5. Table Topics must be easy so that the speakers can relate to the

topic easily. However, most often, I observe that the Table Topics Master tries to

show his English proficiency by giving a lengthy topic and in some cases, we may not

know the meaning since tough words/proverbs are used.

How do you feel Toastmasters has helped you?

However, in my case, the progress is very slow. I am finding it difficult to chose a

topic for my projects. I also understand most of my fellow Toastmasters also face the

same challenge.

Do you have any advice for budding Toastmasters?

For improving communication and leadership skills, it is the right forum and we have

to put in sincere efforts for our progress.

What have been your memorable moments this year 2013 at Chennai

Toastmasters Club?

I have given two projects from my Competent Communicaton Manual and both were

well taken by my fellow Toastmasters.

I am particularly moved by the support and guidance extended by Sakthi Prasanna,

Prasanna Venkatanarayanan and Thani.

24

Page 26: Speakout- December 2013

Chennai Toastmasters Club’s Member Speak

Viewpoint - Member's Thoughts Revealed

TM Naresh Kumar Bala (CTC)

What do you like the most about Chen-

nai Toastmasters Club?

The light house club and the meetings are very

professional.

What are the areas of improvement at

Chennai Toastmasters Club?

You guys are already on top (may be a Biriyani

after some special meetings)

How do you feel Toastmasters has

helped you?

1. How to give feedback: I always thought criti-

cizing is good for others improvement. But

Toastmasters taught me how to criticize others

in a positive manner. The sandwich approch

works great with my loved ones and at office.

2. Networking: I am always happy when I see

smiling faces and I see it at Toastmasters

Do you have any advice for budding Toastmasters?

Ha ha! Advice?! Never hear them because it is a waste of

time, at least when you are young.

What have been your memorable moments this year

2013 at Chennai Toastmasters Club?

The first time when I came to CTM, the hall was packed with

senior Toastmasters and people. I had the pleasure to see

DTMs and others speaking.

25

Page 27: Speakout- December 2013

Chennai Toastmasters

(CTM) Club is one of the

first clubs started in

Chennai to develop public

speaking skills. CTM is

part of Toastmasters In-

ternational (TMI).

Mission of the club: We

provide a supportive and

positive learning experi-

ence in which members

are empowered to devel-

op communication and

leadership skills, resulting

in greater self-confidence

and personal growth.

THANK YOU FOR READING SPEAK OUT

Dear all Toastmasters,

Thank you for reading December Edition of Speak Out. This is the last

newsletter of the year 2013. Next year 2014 we will be coming up with

another volume of newsletter.

Editor of next month’s newslet-

ter will be TM Kush Tripathi.

You can email your articles to

him. Theme of next month’s

newsletter will be “ New Year

Special”.

Please email your contribu-

tions to him. His email id is

[email protected]

Chennai Toastmasters club

Ruby Hall, Presidency Club,

51, Commander-in-Chief

Road(Ethiraj Salai), Egmore,

Chennai

Email:

[email protected]

Website: www.chennaitoastmasters.com

New Office Bearers at CTM

CTM has new office bearers! Here's our new set of leaders

who will lead CTM from January 2014 to June 2014

President - TM Prasanna Venkatanarayanan, VP Education - TM Sunil Baffna,

VP Membership - TM Harish Kataria, VP- Public Relations - TM Kush Tripathi,

Secretary - TM Noorain Mohammed Nadim, Treasurer - TM Selvabharathi,

Sergeant @Arms - TM Ramkumar


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