25.08.2020 Meeting # 468- A New Chapter Begins

 

Word of the day: Abnegate

While public speaking is an essential component of success, it is also a phobia to many people.      

I know I’m not going to screw up a RM1 million project, and I’m not going to lose anything, neither life nor money. But the fear of public speaking often gets the better me. What if I make a mistake at the centre of attention? What would others think of me?

Money Master-KL has brought me a refreshing learning experience in public speaking and new perspective on peer feedback. Here, I would like to share my experience and learning at this club meeting.

To kick off the meeting, the president Julia Leong, DTM, delivered her opening speech in crisp and clear voice.  She shared the tips of forming positive money habits and fostering meaningful relationships even with all the new norms in our new chapters.  

Then the Toastmaster of the Evening (TME) Mathew Philippose, EC2 took over the floor. While he was briefing on the club’s history, he showed his energy, enthusiasm and speaking from heart.

Later the Table Topics® Master Ron Yeap, ACG, ALB, started a fun Table Topics® Session. During this session, we had KL Loh, ATMG, Julia Leong, DTM, Manish Jha,IP1, Hj. Hashim, DTM took up the impromptu speaking. They presented different styles of well-structured speeches spontaneously and spoke in time.

As I watched on, I was actually learning a lot from these experienced and charismatic speakers. I get a better picture about how a confident speaker is like.

I attempted a Table Topic® question too. However, I was too tense and my mind went blank. I could hardly construct a proper sentence so I stammered a lot. I didn’t even know what I was actually talking.

Was I laughed for poor performance?

Did I get punished for using improper English?

No! Absolutely not.

In fact, my frustration and my thoughts of giving up only lasted briefly because of the other members’ response. As I was giving my speech, I noticed other members were nodding and smiling kindly. This somehow made me become calmer.  Later I received encouraging messages from the members recognising my effort, I felt being accepted and supported. With this support, I was motivated to take up the challenge again the next time.

Evaluation session was once dreadful for me. It was time I would be confronted with my mistakes and fault!

But at Money Mastery-KL, I just love how the evaluation is made.

When the evaluator Manish Jha,IP1 evaluated Julia Leong, DTM ’s prepared speech, he expressed how much he loved Julia’s excitement in her sharing and the colourful slides of the paradise in Malaysia. He then suggested and demonstrated how to increase audience engagement in the speech.

The second evaluator Hj. Hashim, DTM told the speaker Abdulrahman, PM2 that he liked the way he projected himself, completely at ease. He also acknowledged Abdulrahman’s effort on his compelling and well-constructed speech. Hj. Hashim then provided examples on how to incorporate power and feelings by using vocal variety to make it a more successful persuasive speech.

How about the evaluation of my Table Topic® speech which I thought a disappointing one?

Thank you Chitirra, LD1. She first empowered me by telling I had a good speech opener. She said she experienced my tense and she suggested that I do not focus on doing right or wrong and just be relaxed and allow my mind flow.

No judgement. No criticism.

I highly appreciate the constructive feedback from the honest and supportive evaluation. I am genuinely motivated when what has been done well is highlighted. The recommendations are indeed useful to improve to the next level.

Today we did not have voting for the best project speaker. However, the Best Table Topics® Speaker went to Manish Jha,IP1.  At the end of the meeting, President Julia Leong, DTM thanked the General Evaluator Kishan Doshi, DL5 for his time and his evaluable comments. The club will try to have more educational events in future.

‘Friends Helping Friends Succeed’. It is not only a slogan, it is exactly what Money Mastery-KL is doing. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the club members, providing supportive and positive environment where I can learn and grow.

 

Blog Writer: Chloe Lau

Regards,

MM-KL EXCO

2020/2021

 

 

11.08.2020 Meeting # 467- Sweat Now, Shine Later.

Word of the day: Paragon

Toastmasters has in its nearly 100-year history grown into a platform that has become a launching pad for not only aspiring public speakers, but also for people in the fields of training, lecturing and even entertainment. Indeed, it will amaze you to know that even entertainers such as stand-up comedians have emerged from Toastmasters membership. Malaysia has one such example.

In respect to trainers and lecturers, the prepared speeches are an opportunity to try out how one is going to deliver a lecture or training program. Ignore the time limitation of any prepared speech. Just look at how you present yourself. Presentation is the attractive wrapper in which your content is delivered. An exciting speech captures attention, appropriate and quality content educates, informs and trains. The feedback loop that is quintessential in every meeting provides you the speaker with useful and insightful recommendations on improving your speech.

The meeting was opened by our charming president, Julia Leong, DTM. The meeting stated with the round of introductions. Later she talked about the famous martial arts exponent and actor, Bruce Lee and the wisdom that Bruce Lee displayed and told. When Julia Leong, DTM talked about Bruce Lee, memories of my teenage years came back to me. It was in the 1970s that Bruce Lee became a household name. Kung Fu fighting was a disco hit in the 1970s and credit must be attributed to Bruce Lee. Julia Leong, DTM, told some of the advice Bruce Lee left behind for us.

She then passed the floor to the TME, Abdulrahman, PM2. TME Abdulrahman, PM2, gave a detailed description of the club’s history and the mission of Toastmasters.

Our president, Julia Leong, DTM, introduced the Table Topics® session. She was very creative in the use of pictures to invoke feelings in the speaker and the speaker was to give a speech base on the picture. This is the first time I have seen this and I will share it with clubs in other clubs within and outside this country. Mathew’s Table Topics® speech as given with much passion and conviction. Our guest Oliver Ng, IP1 delivered a speech about how we are a part of nature and being suicidal can be avoided by our connections to family and friends. Chloe Lau, our new member, spoke about how we must struggle to reach our goals. The picture she chose showed birds flying and based her speech on it. I was the second last Table Topics®® speaker and I spoke about reaching our goals. My speech was triggered by the image of the sky. Ron Yeap, ACG, ALB, spoke about the problems with the use of tablets by children. He is a young father and this is a pertinent issue. Many parents must choose wisely how their children use tablets.

The prepared speech session then started. The panel evaluator, Chittira, LD1, and the General evaluator, Robert Ram, DTM, gave their instruction to the speaker and panel evaluator. Chloe’s speech was about false memory. False memories create problems. Her speech was from the Presentation Mastery of Pathways. The next speaker was CS Ong, PM1, and his speech was in accordance with the Presentation Mastery like Chloe’s. He spoke about mentoring and his experience in mentoring. He gave a speech on how he was mentored. It was a very informative and insightful speech. The last prepared speech was delivered by Mathew Philippose, EC2. His speech was about his father’s experience during the Japanese occupation of Malaya. His talked about how his father adapted well to the situation back then and escaped being sent to the infamous ‘Death Railway’. Time keeper Ron Yeap, ACG, ALB, said that there were no time disqualifications.

After the break, Manish Jha, IP1, gave a full and lively evaluation of the Table Topics® speakers. He had observed keenly how each Table Topics® speaker used the visual aids to make their speeches. He gave each speaker advise and room for improvements.

Next was the evaluation session for the prepared speeches. The first evaluator was Chitirra, LD1 who evaluated Chloe Lau’s speech. She described what she liked about the speech and the way Chloe expressed herself. Robert Ram, DTM, commented on Chitirra’s evaluation.

Tuan Haji Hashim, DTM, gave his evaluation of CS. Ong’s speech. A point worthy of note about the way Tuan Haji Hashim, DTM, gives an evaluation is his emphasis on vocal variety, passion and body language. Robert Ram, DTM, gave his opinions to both the speaker and evaluator.

Oliver Ng, IP1, gave his evaluation of Mathew Philippose’s speech and was definitely impressed with Mathew’s father’s experiences during WW2. Oliver Ng, IP1 advised Mathew Philippose, EC2, to get a laptop stand so that his image can be fully viewed.

Best Table Topics® : Ron Yeap, ACG, ALB & Oliver Ng, IP1 (Double Winner)

Best Speech Evaluation : Hj. Hashim, DTM

Best Assigned Speech : CS Ong, PM1

To conclude, it was a memorable meeting. It is no wonder that this club is a President’s Distinguished Club. Just look at its members. 

Blog Writer: Vijaykumar, CC

Regards,

MM-KL EXCO

2020/2021