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March Newsletter
Mike’s Experience…
Most people will have had some initial reason that motivated them to join Toastmasters. For myself, I often found myself in meetings at work with something to say, but too shy to speak up. When I would spoke to people later, after the meeting, they would often say,
– “That was a good idea. Why didn’t you bring that up at the meeting?”
So after much procrastination, I joined Chadstome Oaks in 2003.
The regular public speaking opportunities at TM’s has certainly given me confidence to contribute in meetings. For example, Table Topics has taught me how to structure and present a brief topic in a meeting forum. The evaluations that I have received, particularly from prepared speeches, has taught me to consider my presentation from the perspective of my audience. Of course this is really important, if I want to get my message across.
Being on the committee in a volunteer community club has enhanced my leadership skills, particularly with regard to how to encourage, empower and motivate people. With my involvement with the district committee, as an area governor, I have met a new group of people with different ideas about TM’s and public speaking, which gave me a new perspective on the TM organisation.
And of course, it’s been fun preparing speeches and being involved in contests, and I have enjoyed this as a hobby in completing my various speech manuals.
In my experience, most “real life” speaking opportunities, either professional or social, are in a group discussion or a meeting. In this context, skills in facilitating discussion and interactive speaking are very useful. If I could add anything to TM’s it would be to include an educational program for interactive speaking; to facilitate and encourage people to have their say. I believe that everyone has something to offer to the discussion at hand. It’s just that some people find it harder to have their say than others.
And why do I still attend Toastmasters meetings? Well I must confess that it is for mainly selfish reasons. I know that I need to continue practicing my speaking skills and it is a pleasure to watch new members grow rapidly in their public speaking and leadership skills. And, you never really know what you are going to hear when the next speaker steps up to the podium.
— By Mike O’Keefe
Calm Rage
Message from the President
Have you ever looked into a Tiger’s Eyes? No, not the YouTube one, but the one in real life. Now, if you haven’t seen one, I would highly encourage you to visit to the local zoo and try to make eye contact with the tiger just for experience sake.
Ok, the first time, I made eye contact with a tiger, was in Nandan Kanan Zoo, a zoo in Eastern India. It was a giant Bengal Tiger – 2-3 meters big. I was just awestruck looking at the majestic animal. But when I looked into the eyes of the tiger a strange thing happened.
– I froze in shock.
– I could see Tremors in my knees.
– I was frightened, to my core.
Now, if you analyse, the tiger has a deep calm rage that it influences in the other person/victim. This is what I term as calm rage.
We are unhappy about so many things, which we need to express. We have a rage that is burning inside, a natural urge to change this world. But somehow, due to the negativism in life we just keep quiet and quell the urge
by more negative thoughts. Deep within there is an emotional un-satisfaction that manifests in so many ways.
Welcome to the Chadstone Oaks. I believe public speaking takes a long way in expressing those fears and frustrations and bring that leader in you. We need to grow that calm rage. With calm rage – you grow, your goals grow and finally we as a community grow. I am quite excited to introduce you this brand new edition of the Chadstone Oaks Newsletter. We are starting this initiative and the team (Especially VPPR Eunice) is quite enthusiastic in presenting this newsletter to you.
- New Updated Website with Blogging Feature.
- New Projector Purchase (LED 10K Lumens)
- Awards/Recognition Programs
- Re introduction of Induction Ceremony
- Successful Club Program, Better Speaker Series – List of Educational
- Easy Speak for Speakers Management
- Club Newsletter
- Membership Initiative
The club is on track with its initial goals 2 Competent Communicators (Ansuman, Venka) and 1 Competent Leader (Ansuman). We are trying to exceed our goals and hoping to achieve 3 more CCs by June (Eunice, Wasu and Rekha) and one ALB (Ansuman).
I highly encourage everybody to participate in our programs and provide feedback to the committee. A special note of thanks to the beautiful committee members who are giving it their all. (VPM – Venka, Treasurer- Wasu, VPPR – Eunice, Secretary – Rekha, VPE-Sam, SAA-Jamie).
Thank you for your commitment and “Namaste”.
—by Ansuman Roy
Meeting Details
When do we meet?
1st & 3rd Wednesday of the month at 19:30
Where do we meet?
Conference Room,
Phoneix Park Community Centre,
22 Rob Roy Road,
Malvern East 3145
(Entry via Children Play Area)
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