Download - Smedley Voice Feb 2016 Release
Smedley Speechcraft
Can Help You Get Over Your Fear!
SMEDLEY VOICE NEWSLETTER OF SMEDLEY TOASTMASTERS CLUB | FEBRUARY 2016 | VOL 2 ISSUE 2
Club No. 2046498, Area 43, Division E, District 20
Table Of Contents
Feb 2016 Volume 2, Issue 1
Inside This Issue From Division Q Director …………………..…........ 03
From the Editor’s Desk …….……………….……… 04
Cover Story: Smedley Speechcraft ……….…………. 05
Meet our Leader: She was Behind It All ……………. 06
Meet our Speechcraft Participants ….....…………… 09
Speechcraft Educational Modules …................……. 13
Some Tips: Topics for your next speech ……….…... 17
Meet Our New Members ...…………………….…… 18
Club Awards in Nov & Dec 2015 …….……………... 21
Tickling Toastmasters ………..………………….…...22
Meeting Minutes & Photos …………….……….….. 23
Smedley Club Meeting ………………..….……….… 31
Smedley Vo ice i s a
newsletter published by the
Smedley Toastmasters Club
in Doha, Qatar.
T h i s n e w s l e t t e r i s
published for internal circula-
tion among the members of
the Smedley Toastmasters
Club and to promote the
i d e a s a n d g o a l s o f
Toastmasters International.
The Publisher and Editor do
not take responsibility for the
authenticity / opinion of the
articles and/or authors,
published in this newsletter.
Toastmasters International
and its logos are trademarks
registered in the USA, Cana-
da and many other countries.
For comments or sugges-
tions regarding the news-
letter, please contact Le-
siley Mathew at 66053485
or send an email to
2
Salute To Smedley!
I always believe that a Speechcraft program is the quickest
means by which non-Toastmasters can jump right into the pro-
cess of improving their speaking skills and an effective means by
which a club can build its membership. When TM Lesiley
Mathew, the VP-Membership of the club asked me the question:
“How do I increase the membership of the club?”, I had no hesi-
tation in suggesting to conduct a Speechcraft program. I’m glad
that she listened to me and conducted a very successful
Speechcraft program. I have attended a few sessions of this pro-
gram & I enjoyed all of them. Feedback from the participants
was also very encouraging. As a result of this Speechcraft pro-
gram, membership of the club grew by 13.
That was a tremendous achievement. Congratulations TM
Lesiley for being the Coordinator. I have seen the progress made
by the participants and their contribution to the growth of the
club. It gives me immense pleasure to note that the Editor of this
newsletter TM Rasha was a participant of this Speechcraft pro-
gram. Congratulations TM Rasha for taking up this challenge
and bringing out this beautiful issue of the newsletter. Credit
must be given to the entire ExCom of the club led by the Presi-
dent TM Vimal , VP-Education TM Benov & Sgt-at-arms and
Assistant Coordinator of the Speechcraft program TM Mustafa
for assisting them to make it a grand success.
It will be incomplete if I do not mention a few words about
Smedley Toastmasters Club, my dear club of which I was the
President a few years ago. I love this club not just because it has
the name of our beloved Founder Dr. Ralph Smedley, but it con-
sists of a group of some of the best people I have met in Toast-
masters. It will be unfair if I mention only a few names; all the
members are dear and close to my heart. Wishing all the very
best to Smedley Toastmasters Club to reach higher levels and to
become the best club in Division E, this year. Good luck.
NV Raghavan Menon DTM
Past President- Smedley Toastmasters (2013-’14)
Current-Division Q Director
From Division Q Director
3
Division Q Director DTM Raghavan NV
DTM Raghavan is the
current Division Director
for Division Q during the
year 2015-2016.
DTM Raghavan has been
in toastmasters for over 10
years. In the past, he has
served as a president at
many clubs and has been
an Area Governor in the
past. He was also the
Chief Gavel Coordinator in
Qatar during the year 2014-
2015. He is the master-
mind behind the Smedley
Speechcraft program and
is a humble leader
respected and revered by
everyone within the
Toastmaster community in
Qatar!
Dear Toastmaster,
Being part of the Smedley Toastmasters Club has been a
great experience that added much value to my Toastmasters
journey. The minute I entered the venue where the club
meetings are conducted, I was warmly welcomed and I
encountered enormous encouragement by the Ex-com and
members.
I joined the club by participating in the Speechcraft program
- which is the main theme of this edition of Smedley Voice
newsletter- that was organized in October 2015. The program
was a great opportunity for all participants to unleash their
capabilities and get out of their comfort zone.
Although I joined Toastmasters earlier in May 2015, I believe
such as program is a great way to boost confidence and self
esteem especially that the schedule was always intense with
the contribution of many senior Toastmasters sharing their
experience and giving tips to the newbies.
Towards the end of the program, I felt that I owe Smedley
Toastmasters Club and I have to do something to give back
to the club. Since nothing could last longer than a “voice”
heard, I decided that Smedley Voice is my way of giving back.
This edition is rich with stories, tips and achievements, yet, it
conveys only little of the fascinating efforts that are always
behind the club’s progress and prosperity.
As this is the first edition issued in 2016, I wish Smedley
Toastmasters Club a very successful year and I hope that
whoever comes across this newsletter enjoys reading it!
Regards,
Rasha Abualhasan,
Newsletter Editor,
Smedley Toastmasters
From the Editor’s Desk
EXCOM 2015-2016
CLUB PRESIDENT
TM Vimal Raj
VP EDUCATION
TM Benov Jacob
VP MEMBERSHIP
TM Lesiley Mathew
VP PUBLIC RELATIONS
TM Shibu K Reghunath
SECRETARY
TM Vijesh
TREASURER
TM Ammad Kanghat
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS
TM Musthafa A
4
Smedley Speechcraft
As I was new to Toastmasters, I came across Smedley Toastmas-
ters Club page while I was trying to know more about Toastmas-
ters in general. I called the coordinator immediately, TM Lesiley
Mathew and she said there was just room for one more participant,
I could still join although I had missed the first session. We met
somewhere across the road and she handed me the material and
left me thinking. Do I want to spend 5 more Fridays away from my
family’s weekend activities? And the answer was YES! I have to
admit that it was not a pleasant feeling that I got every Friday
because they were two important things for me but I knew the Speechcraft would not last for more than a
month and a half. Today, I can say that I made the wise move. After the Speechcraft I see myself not
only on the fast track but on the right track.
TM Rasha Abualhasan
5
COVER STORY
Smedley Speechcraft program in 2015 was a great learning experience for all participants as well as or-
ganizers. As a participant I believe I have really achieved my goal to fast-track my Toastmasters journey,
not only getting the chance to deliver projects fast and play more roles in a shorter period of time, but also
by being acquainted to senior Toastmasters who were not hesitant to sacrifice their Fridays to share some
tips and transfer their knowledge..
She was behind it all..
What was the idea behind the Speechcraft pro-
gram?
As you know, every toastmaster club requires 20
active members to be consid-
ered an official club. When I
became Vice President of
Membership for Smedley
Toastmasters, our club had
barely 20 members. My main
responsibility was to bring in
new members for our club. I
read on Toastmasters Interna-
tional website that every year
40% of club members drop out
due to one reason or another,
and that any club that con-
ducted Speechcraft programs
every year never had problems
retaining 20 members. As VP
Membership, I felt that it was
my duty to run a Speechcraft program and bring
in new blood into the club.
Conducting such a program is not easy ride, how
did you plan for it?
The mastermind behind the Speechcraft program
was DTM Raghavan. When I first expressed my
interest to run a Speechcraft, he motivated me
and explained everything that I had to do. DTM
Raghavan thought of everything and told me how
to run it. The Speechcraft ran in October 2015,
but we began planning in May 2015. It required a
whole lot of planning for the following aspects:
a. Marketing and publicity
campaign for the Speechcraft
program to get participants
through Facebook, newspa-
pers and club members
b. Planning each Speechcraft
session, scheduling the best
toastmasters as speakers
c. Scheduling the session con-
tent including assignments,
arranging role players for eve-
ry Speechcraft meeting such
as sergeant at arms, timers,
demo speakers, photogra-
pher, evaluators,
d. Finding mentors to help
participants with their speech
content preparation and helping mentors to per-
form their role as best as possible
e. Arranging snacks and delivery
f. Buying and engraving awards for participants
6
SPEECHCRAFT: MEET OUR LEADERS
Speechcraft program was a remarkable milestone in the year 2015-2016; it was a dream that came true for
Smedley Toastmasters Club. Definitely, dreams never come true unless there is persistence, passion and
hard work. These 3 elements were the traits of the lady who was behind it all.. TM Lesiley Mathew,
Club’s Vice President of Membership. As I was curious to know more about the program, I got the
chance to interview her..
“As VP Membership, I felt that it was
my duty to run a Speechcraft program
and bring in new blood into the club”
You mentioned there was a team behind the pro-
gram, can you briefly take us through the roles
and how you managed to lead the team?
I received 100 % support from all the existing
Smedley Club members and outside members to
run this Speechcraft. Everyone did their part so
well even if it was a small part. Here's the fantas-
tic team that helped me with this program:
Speechcraft Committee comprising of DTM
Raghavan, TM Jose, TM Vimal, TM Benov,
TM Ammad, TM Musthafa, TM Kamrudeen
Club members who brought Speechcraft par-
ticipants - TM Shibu (3 participants), TM
Maimoona(1 participant), TM Vimal(1 partic-
ipant)
Speechcraft session helpers - Our fantastic
sergeant at arms TM Musthafa, who even
came on a day that he was fasting to set up
the meeting room, TM Vimal and TM Rifna
for snacks, TM Benov for photography, TM
Rimzan who came to every single meeting
and helped with photography, evaluation and
just supporting me by being there.
Demo speakers TM Prathibha, TM Mai-
moona, TM Kamrudeen, TM Rasha.
Senior Toastmasters who were speakers for
the sessions - TM Koka Prasad, TM Philip
Cherian, TM Pavithra Philip, TM Asha Shiju,
DTM Raghavan, TM Jose K, TM Nisha
Shivram, DTM Gil Bangalan, DTM Virendra
Nath, TM Vinod Pisharom
Speechcraft mentors - TM Philip Cherian,
TM Rimzan, TM Jose, TM Benov, TM Vi-
mal, TM Shibu R, TM Girija, TM Prathibha
Ramesh
TM Vinod Pisharom who helped to engrave
the glass awards for speakers and participants
Maintaining finances by TM Kamarudeen
and TM Ammad
What was your communication strategy through-
out the program?
Communication with the speakers to schedule their
sessions was by phone and email.
Communication with Speechcraft participants was
through a Google group email to which I would
send the agenda, and also ensure that all the mate-
rial including assignments, content and video was
sent after each session.
Communication with Speechcraft mentors was
through a Whatsapp group and email to ensure that
mentors could keep up with the pace of the mod-
ules. Its not an easy task for mentors to help partici-
pants with speeches consecutively for 6 weeks.
Do you believe Speechcraft is only beneficial for
non-Toastmasters?
It is beneficial for people who want a crash course
in public speaking and is meant mainly for non-
toastmasters. But it is also beneficial to new toast-
masters who have not yet done any speeches or
have completed only one or two projects from the
Competent Communicator manual.
The program was intense in terms of participation
and educational modules, how did you manage
that?
The sessions were decided two months before the
Speechcraft program was run. I ensured that
speakers who taught the educational modules were
booked at least one month before the Speechcraft
program started to ensure that they had ample time
to prepare each module. It also required constant
reminders to the speakers.
I followed the Speechcraft manual as closely as pos-
sible to help all the Speechcraft participants prepare
well. I also provided sample speeches and good tips
on how to write speeches. This gave participants an
idea of what to write for speeches.
7
SPEECHCRAFT: MEET OUR LEADERS
Now that the program is concluded, what do you
think was the best thing about it and what could
be done better?
The best thing about it is how well the existing
Smedley club members came forward to help me
in every aspect. Every
single person was so
helpful and did their
best to help out by be-
ing at meetings, help-
ing to find participants,
being role players. I
have never seen a better
example of unity from
any other group. We're
a fantastic club because
we are all willing to
help each other, and
take responsibility and
be supportive.
How frequent do you
recommend clubs to
organize a Speechcraft
program?
Speechcraft is a taxing program that requires
over 20 people to help out. It can be taxing to
club members. Every year would be ideal if your
club has a lot of members willing to help. But if
every year is not possible, then I strongly recom-
mend that every club should run a Speechcraft
program every two years. The main Speechcraft
coordinator can also get credit towards the High
Performance Leadership project by running a
Speechcraft program.
Can we expect another Smedley Speechcraft pro-
gram anytime soon?
It depends on whether a Toastmaster from our
club is willing to expend the time and effort to
run the Speechcraft program. I know that this
time it will be much more easier because we have
a schedule in place and we have already
developed the content for the program. I'll
definitely ensure that we run a Smedley
Speechcraft at least once in two years.
You were in direct contact with all participants,
you encouraged, you sup-
ported, you chased... How
do you see their progress
throughout the 6 sessions,
what difference did it make
for them?
I think that all of them really
learned a lot from the speech
craft program, even though
many did not pursue Toast-
masters after the course, due
to their busy schedules. We
have taught them the most
important aspects of public
speaking - great opening
and conclusion, good organ-
izational skills, the need for
good body language and vo-
cal variety, as well as developing speech content
through rhetorical devices like vivid description
using six senses, similes, metaphors and allitera-
tions. They also understand the importance of
positive evaluation and the power of practice. I
think they will do well in public speaking wherev-
er they go and whatever they do.
8
SPEECHCRAFT: MEET OUR LEADERS
“We're a fantastic club because we
are all willing to help each other, and
take responsibility and be supportive”
“We're a fantastic club because we
are all willing to help each other, and
take responsibility and be supportive”
Noorudeen Veetykadan
I used to participate in elocution competitions
and seminar presentations in school and col-
lege level. I had even won prizes many times.
But recently I experienced stage fear while do-
ing some presentations as part of my official
work. I was a bit disappointed because of it.
At that time, I came across a newspaper adver-
tisement on Speechcraft. Immediately, I called
and spoke to TM Lesiley and later TM Rim-
zan. Both of them encouraged me to join the
program and shared their own personal experiences before and after joining Toastmasters. Consequent-
ly, I registered for the program.
It is said, “First impression is the best impression”. When I
entered the decent venue at Sharq Capital, I was greeted
my two smiling faces, TM Kamarudheen and TM Mai-
moona. TM Lesiley, TM Benov and TM Vimal came to me
and introduced themselves to me. Soon I was introduced to
many in the Smedley Team. I was enthralled to meet such
an interesting and affable group of people who were willing
to listen, share and advise. All the meetings of Speechcraft programs were systematic and arranged well.
I noticed the dedication of TM Musthafa towards achieving it.
My ice-break was on “Great Family, Amazing Life”. Frankly, I was too scared to deliver it. I drank a
whole bottle of water before my turn to deliver it. But slowly, when each speaker was encouraged by the
team, I felt comfortable. And when my turn came, I could deliver my speech well. My second speech was
on “We love our parents more when we become one”. And the final speech in Speechcraft was “Lessons
on Technology from Doraemon”. Both were appreciated by the evaluators.
There were wonderful Educational Modules in the program. Modules on Organising a Speech- by DTM
Raghavan, Body Language-TM Nisha Shivram, Vocal variety- TM Gil Bangalan and Word Usage- by
TM Vinod Pisharom; were excellent and impressed me a lot. The module on Evaluation was simply su-
perb. DTM Virendranath said if somebody takes a few steps and comes to face the public; that itself is
matter of appreciation. He said, “If such a person doesn’t speak a single word, still he deserves apprecia-
tion and encouragement to do better”. These words of encouragement made me to dream to become a
hunky-dory speaker.
And now, I am continuing my Toastmasters journey to realize my dream to be a craftsman in speech!!!
9
SPEECHCRAFT: MEET THE PARTICPANTS
“And now, I am continuing
my Toastmasters journey to
realize my dream to be a
craftsman in speech!!!”
Sheethi K
I came to know about the program through my husband’s colleague DTM
Raghavan NV and I decided to join to motivate myself and to improve my
confidence level. The arrangements were simply superb and the organizing
team was great and showed good team spirit always. I was very much
impressed by the atmosphere and was highly motivated by listening to
different speeches from experienced Toastmasters. I feel really good now and
I believe that I am on right track towards my goal. I will never forget the
audience’s response and feedback after I delivered my Ice breaker speech. I am definitely planning to
continue the Toastmasters journey as I want to give few more speeches to improve my skills.
Abdul Rab
I got to learn about the program through a newspaper ad and I
immediately made up my mind to join to improve my level of speech by
learning to organize public speeches. Throughout the program, it was
really exciting to see the enthusiasm of the learners. I was happy to see
how well organized it was and it provided an opportunity to deliver
projects with constructive criticism in both structured and non-
structured way. For me, learning about the personal stories of the
participants was a memorable experience. I still have to go a very long way and I think by joining
Smedley Toastmasters club, I will have opportunities to gain strength in the areas learnt during the
program. I think I would like to continue this journey to improve upon my speech craft and also to net-
work as much as possible.
Thava Mayooran
I attended Smedley toastmasters meeting twice as a guest. I came to know
about the speech craft from the club members. I had already decided to join a
toastmasters club to improve my public speaking and create a good network
in a new environment. I thought that this speech craft session will be a good
opportunity for that. As I knew the Smedley club and the energetic members
through the toastmasters meetings, I had a good expectation. I never got dis-
appointed in any session. Each and every session was organized pretty well.
The planning of the event was marvelous. The selection of guest speakers was
wonderful. The way the coordinator handled the participants should be appreciated. There was a good
flexibility given to the participants. At the same time whoever was willing to participate got an oppor-
tunity. The confidence level has been increased. It improved not only the public speaking, but also the
individual networking etc. My writing skills have been tested after a long time. The appreciations and
motivation we received in the speech craft sessions will be there always in the mind. There was so much
to remember. Listening to the best speakers and meeting new friends are particularly memorable. I am
planning to continue my Toastmasters journey to improve public speaking and improve the networking;
I have already started attending few meetings.
10
SPEECHCRAFT: MEET THE PARTICPANTS
Maryam Mootasem
Every few days I flip through the Gulf Times to
check news and see what is going on in Doha and I
happened to find an advertisement that caught my
attention about the Speech craft, so I called the
number and the first person I spoke to was Lesiley
who was very friendly and welcoming and that was
the start of my journey with Speech craft
I constantly look for opportunities to learn some-
thing new, grow as a person and get out of my com-
fort zone and this seemed like a wonderful oppor-
tunity.
Being asked about my first impression; when you
have Koka Prasad presenting an educational mod-
ule on the first session your im-
pression can only be positive
and motivating, him sharing his
personal experience with public
speaking is very inspiring.
Besides that, walking in the
room to see all the friendly faces
and everyone was ready to help.
The team has done a great job
in putting this program togeth-
er, everyone was willing to go
out of their way to make sure
that participants are well taken care of and have
their needs met, we would even get calls to make
sure how we are doing with our preparation for
speeches.
It was well organized and you could feel how pas-
sionate and sincere people are and they were doing
it from the heart, for me personally Lesiley's smile
and positive energy was something to look forward
to in every session.
It has definitely been a great journey with a lot to
learn and apply, with each educational module we
were learning essential tips to improve our public
speaking and there is still a lot more to learn, the
program has definitely boosted my confidence,
my comfort in standing and speaking in front of
crowds, now I am more aware when I speak on
how I can strengthen my message.
I believe having different presenters has been of
benefit to us, because it allowed us to learn some-
t h i n g d i f f e r e n t f r o m e a c h o n e ,
I particularly remember Gil with Vocal Variety
which was a big proof that voice has a huge effect
on the delivery and the way the message
is perceived.
Also giving us -the participants- roles to take on
was a great added value.
Besides the nice moments we shared, the laugh-
ter, the inspiration, the personal
stories, I remember enjoying pre-
paring for the table topics for one
of the sessions and I chose the
theme happiness and it was nice
t o s e e t h e h a p p i n e s s
on people’s faces whenever they
got up to speak.
Also I remember for my P2
speech I did not finish writing my
speech and did not practice it not
even once, it was all in my head
and I gathered my courage and
pushed myself to deliver my speech regardless
and I just improvised and Thank God it was very
well received, it was titled "Children our best
teachers" and it was from personal experience
and very dear to my heart, I remember even get-
ting a comment from a TM that they could not
tell that I was not prepared and that made me so
happy.
I believe it is a must to continue the Toastmasters
journey because of the positive learning environ-
ment, because how I have seen people grow,
change and become more confident, because of
the new skills I can gain.
11
SPEECHCRAFT: MEET THE PARTICPANTS
Nusrath
I have learned about Smedley Speechcraft program
through my sister-in-law TM Maimoona Abubaker. I
got excited to join and overcome one of the most
common fears; the fear of speaking in public.
To be honest before the first session started, I had the
perception that it is simply a program for speakers to
get together and practice speaking. But during the
first meeting not even for a second I lost my interest
and when the meeting concluded my perspective
towards Toastmasters has been changed drastically.
I highly appreciate the team behind the Smedley
Speechcraft for organizing such a well-planned pro-
gram which has surely benefited many; it was clear that the arrangements were excellent. There was al-
ways a striking arrangement of meeting agenda, materials and resources. Not to forget to mention the
timing and the venue of the meetings which were convenient to all participants.
I personally found that as I practiced and pre-
pared for my speeches, I started to improve not
only my public speaking skills but also my writ-
ing too. I could feel a boost in my self-
confidence as well.
I will never forget my first speech which is the
icebreaker.. As I was being introduced, I felt
more nervous than I have been in a long
time. While giving my speech I figured out that
I was shaking terribly and nervous to the core. I
spoke about myself and my journey to Qatar. At one point talking about my struggles I felt myself get-
ting a little emotional, but I kept it under control. During the break DTM Raghavan told me that I did a
really good job and he said it was really incredible.
And now that the Speechcraft program is over, I have already enrolled for the membership. Joining a
Toastmasters club will help you improve your speaking skill, listening, writing, and communication
skills. It helps you think on your feet. Toastmasters is a great place to meet people because there is al-
ways mutually positive feedback between members. By giving and receiving positive feedback I think
rapport is established much more quickly. And because I got the chance to join the club along with oth-
er new members If you do decide to join a club with a high volume of new members I have found this to
be even more helpful as everyone shares the same direction and is trying to learn at the same time."
12
SPEECHCRAFT: MEET THE PARTICPANTS
Toastmasters is a great place to meet
people because there is always
mutually positive feedback between
members. By giving and receiving
positive feedback I think rapport is
established much more quickly.
Session 1 - Module 1: Importance of Public Speaking by Koka Prasad
In this module, TM Koka Prasad explained the importance
of having public speaking skills to stand out in your own
way. He took us through the benefits of Toastmasters and
what value it adds in each member’s life. He shared his
own experience on how his Toastmasters journey boosted
his self-confidence; gave him knowledge and opportunity,
made him popular and at the same time became a source of
gratification for many when they listen to his personal
stories. Moreover, Toastmasters definitely helps each
member make an impact by having his unique charisma
which inspires others; and that is exactly the purpose of
joining Toastmasters as it is a practical learning platform to
develop communication and leadership skills.
TM Koka Prasad encouraged all participants to proceed
with the program as they will definitely see the difference towards the end of the program.
Session 1 - Module 2: Selecting A Speech Topic by Philip Cherian
Selecting a speech topic might be the hardest part in
writing the speech, TM Philip Cherian made it easy to come up with
speech topics by categorizing speech topics into 2 main categories:
Personal experience; interests, career, family and education.
Some examples could be a successful parent, a bad boss, hobbies, a
helpful colleague, a personal achievement, etc. Reference material that
is acquired by online research, newspapers, magazines, etc. Future
forecasts, global warming, saving trees and natural resources, fashion.
In addition to the resources of topic selection; TM Philip explained how to narrow the topics to deliver
something relevant to the audience considering their background, the occasion, knowledge and ability of
the speaker, the timing and the duration needed to conclude the topic’s idea. Then the purpose of the
speech comes into place; be it a persuasive, entertaining, inspiring or motivational speech.
Session 1 - Module 3: Writing an icebreaker by Pavithra Philip
TM Pavithra Philip talked to us about writing an icebreaker and
using a common theme throughout the speech. She explained
how to overcome nervousness by practicing a lot, and also by
mingling with the audience. The most important tip is to re-
member to be confident and believe in yourself. After your
speech, do not berate yourself if you forgot important points.
Instead congratulate yourself that you had the courage to go up
onto the stage and say your icebreaker speech in front of an
audience.
13
SPEECHCRAFT: EDUCATIONAL MODULES
Session 2 - Module 1: Organizing your speech by DTM Raghavan
DTM Raghavan delivered a comprehensive module on
speech organization and how it helps both the speaker and
the audience connect together. To help the audience under-
stand the content of the speech, it should consist of three
main parts:
Introduction; tell what you are going to tell
Body; tell
Conclusion; tell what you told
Additionally, DTM Raghavan shared with us helpful tech-
niques to specifically organize the body of speech and this is
to make it attractive and maintain audience attention.
1. “3 supporting points” technique; support it with 3 points with anecdotes or examples.
2. “Chronological” technique; appropriate when a sequence of events are to be talked about.
3. “Geographical” technique; while talking about a travel or comparing something across various coun-
tries
Session 2 - Module 2: Introducing a Speaker by TM Asha Shiju
This light and interesting module shed the light on the im-
portance of introducing the speaker before commencing
with the speech delivery; a good introduction is essential to
get a speaker off to a good start and it should answer a) Why
this speaker? b) On this subject? c) To this audience?
TM Asha shared with us a structured way to build an intro-
duction:
Opening: Welcome the audience. Your name and title.
Speaker’s name, title, background and specialization
Body: Topic. Explain why this speaker and establish
credibility. Share what is in it for the audience and gen-
erate interest
Conclusion: Pass the attention and control of presentation to the speaker. Welcome the speaker. Lead
the applause
Finally, we were given some success factors to master the art of introduction some of which are:
Do your homework to know about the speaker, prepare the introduction and practice
Connect with audience, show enthusiasm and generate the same in audience
14
SPEECHCRAFT: EDUCATIONAL MODULES
Session 3 - Module 1: Speech purpose - Get to the Point by TM Jose Kochukunjan
TM Jose has delivered a very interesting session
where TM Kamarudheen has demonstrated a motiva-
tional speech calling the audience to stop using the
cell phone while driving.
TM Jose shared a lesson that he learnt from his men-
tor in the beginning of his Toastmasters journey; “the
speech has to be from your life and you have to be
passionate about it”. Any speech should have both; a
generic and a specific purpose. The generic purpose
is simply the type of the speech; inspirational, motivational, entertaining and informative. The
specific purpose is the main point or message that the speaker intends to convey.
Once the generic and specific purposes are identified the speaker needs to start drafting the
speech content as per the structure and techniques explained earlier by DTM Raghavan. Addi-
tionally, the speaker looks for supporting details such as statistics, data, or personal stories.
Finally, TM Jose shared some tips on conquering nervousness; to familiarize yourself with the
venue a while before the speech, try to socialize with the audience, talk to them and shake hands,
prepare and practice well. Before ending this session, TM Rasha delivered another demo speech
on how to follow your passion which was evaluated by the presenter TM Jose as per the objectives
of P3 in the competent communicator manual.
Session 4 - Module 1: Gestures and Body Language by TM Nisha Shivram
Because our non-verbal com-
munication counts, TM Nisha
explained how to speak effec-
tively through body language;
posture, gestures, body move-
ment, facial expressions and
eye contact.
TM Nisha gave us tips how to
make a positive first impres-
sion because it is very im-
portant, she warned us that
body language is more truthful
in revealing our true feelings!
15
SPEECHCRAFT: EDUCATIONAL MODULES
Session 4 - Module 2: Evaluate to Motivate by DTM Virendranath
In this session DTM Virendranath shared valuable tips on how to
give constructive feedback to the speaker, he stated that “honest
evaluations are upbeat and encouraging while offering suggestions
for improvement”.
In this session DTM Virenranath took us through some guidelines
to follow to provide effective evaluations; before the speaker deliv-
ers the speech, during the speech and during the evaluation. He
encouraged us to follow the “Tell and Sell” approach and support-
ed his points by giving real life examples of how evaluations could
be a detour point in a Toastmaster’s journey.
Session 5 - Module 2: Vocal Variety by DTM Gil Bangalan
The walking talking dictionary of Taostmasters in Qatar is here to take us through an interesting session
on vocal variety. DTM Gil Bangalan started with a triggering question: “Do you know the strength of
your voice? do you agree that your voice is you?” He explained how important it is to use vocal variety
when speaking and what value it adds to the speech.
As per DTM Gil, there are 3 voice enablers; pro-
jection, articulation and resonance. In that unique
session, DTM Gil shared his secret to mastering
vocal variety which is practice and he actually
conducted a breathing exercise to show the par-
ticipants how to improve the quality of their voice.
DTM Gil explained the 4 spices needed on top of
voice quality; volume, pitch, speed and pauses. In
addition, the participants got the chance to prac-
tice some reading and they were introduced to
some ideas of practicing vocal varieties with kids
for example!
Session 6 – Module 1: Word Usage by TM Vinod Pisharom
The recipe is simple, to deliver an effective speech, you
need to use you 5 senses; you need to hear, see, smell, feel
and taste speech. The speech has to be clear and simple
with no grammatical mistakes and jargons.
To make the speech more interesting, rhetorical devices
could be used and here lies the effect of word usage; simi-
les, metaphors, alliterations, triads. TM Vinod emphasized
that following the recipe with a pinch of salt;
creativity at the end will definitely make the audience all
ears..
16
SPEECHCRAFT: EDUCATIONAL MODULES
It gives you sleepless nights. No, it is not your exam results.
It makes you irritable and anxious. It is not your appraisal at
work. It is………….. Finding the speech topic for your next
project. Though it sounds difficult, it is quite easy to get top-
ics if you search in the right place. Events that happen in and
around our home or work place make for a good idea if
properly handled. It is easier to write a full speech within an
hour if you stick to the objectives.
From your own experiences: The one advantage of using ex-
periences is that they are unique and are easier to remember.
You can present in whatever way you want – be it humorous,
inspirational or motivational. It is usually said, everyday life
experiences are not interesting, yet if properly phrased, they
make a good material for your speech. For example, my P2 speech was based on the events at home
when a prospective bridegroom came to see me.
From the work place: Office humor is well known to all. There may be many incidents which at that time
may not look like a good speech material, but on second thoughts will surely make for a humorous
speech. Better still, take the serious events and imagine how they would have turned out if you had spo-
ken something else.
From your Children: As always children are the source of inspiration and frustration for all. Especially a
teenager at home is a wealth of topics to speak about. I had based few of my projects on excess screen
time, uncommunicative adolescent and hyperactive children.
From your surroundings: One of my projects was based on a neighbor who went on to become a success-
ful entrepreneur having come from very humble beginnings. It was an inspirational speech for P3. There
are also your friends who will have peculiar habits which give you humorous leads.
From your travel experiences: Travel is fun whether it is planned or unplanned. It gives a lot to speak
about in the form of lessons learnt, especially when travelling with children and to describe the speciality
of the places through pictures for your P8, which requires visual aids.
From the books you read: Short stories and anecdotes you get from the books make a good opening
which will lead to an inspirational speech. Also newspaper articles, research findings all lead to good in-
spirational speeches. For example, I was reading a research finding on Internet addiction in young chil-
dren and I made it in to a speech for motivating parents to keep a watch on their children’s browsing
habits.
Topics are around you waiting to be shaped in to a good speech. It is just that you should have a Toast-
masters’ eyes to convert them into a great speech.
17
SOME TIPS..
THE TOPIC FOR YOUR NEXT SPEECH
TM Girija Chari
18
TM Joseph Eliezer
TM Joseph Eliezer is from Philippines and he lives in
Qatar now. He joined Toastmasters after being en-
rolled in the Smedley Speechcraft program. He has
become a confident speaker and writes excellent
speeches about true incidents from his life.
TM Kiran Kumar
TM Kiran is from Andhra Pradesh in India. He is a
Chartered Accountant and works for Qatar
Aluminum as Senior Accountant from 2010. He got
married in 2004 and his wife is a home maker. He has
two lovely school going children. He joined Smedley
Toastmasters through the Smedley Speechcraft program
and is an enthusiastic role player in every meeting.
TM Nusrath Tencherry
TM Thava Mayooran is from Colombo, Srilanka and is
famous for his extremely long name. TM Thava
Mayooran is a Chartered Accountant, currently work-
ing for an audit firm in Doha for last three years. He
got married last year and he lives in Qatar with his
wife. He joined Smedley Toastmasters through the
Speechcraft program.
MEET OUR NEW MEMBERS
TM Mayooran Thava
TM Nusrath Tencherry hails from Bangalore in
India. She lives in Doha with her husband and two
children - a boy and a girl. She has a bachelors de-
gree in Arts and currently works as Secretary in the
Tender Department for Salini Impregilo SP A Qatar
Branch.
19
MEET OUR NEW MEMBERS
TM Noorudeen Veetykadan
TM Noorudeen is an electrical engineer working with
Sony. He was born in Port Blair Andaman & Nicobar
Islands. His dad is a retired forest ranger and mom a
house-wife and now settled in Kerala, India. He is mar-
ried to Jaseena and they have a beautiful four year old
daughter Fathima. He is the cur rent
Secretary for Smedley Toastmasters club and a
promising leader of our club in all aspects.
TM Rasha Rafiq Abualhasan
TM Rasha is passionate about self development and in
love with Toastmasters. She is a Palestinian Jordanian
and works as a Strategy and Business Performance Spe-
cialist in Aspire Zone Foundation. She is a certified PMP
and Balanced Scorecard Professional. She is an over-
achiever, proven by the fact that she has completed 9
speeches in less than seven months.
TM Aijaz Ahmed
TM Sheethi is a home maker who lives in Qatar with
her husband and one child. Her husband is also a
Toastmaster with KEF Toastmasters club. TM
Sheethi is also a new member who joined after com-
pleting three projects in the Smedley Speechcraft
program.
TM Sheethi K
TM Aijaz hails from Srinagar in Kashmir, India. His
family consists of his wife Ishrat, his fifteen year old
daughter Khidaf and eleven year old son Najid. TM
Aijaz holds a BE degree in Computer Science, an MS
from BITS Pillani and MBA from Anna Malai Univ.
He currently works at RasGas in Qatar.
20
TM Girija
TM Girija hails from Chennai in India. She has two
sons. Her husband is her rock who propels her to the
unknown domain, making her stronger. She has a
bachelors degree in Physics and Masters in Social-
Work. Above all, her children are the glow behind her
smile. She is a dual member of ICC Eves and Smed-
ley club.
TM Sunish Narayanan Nair
TM Sunish is an Indian, born and brought up in
Mumbai and settled in Kerala. He is a bachelor in
Commerce with an MBA. He is married, with two
sons and currently works with Oryx GTL Ltd. TM
Sunish is a dual member of Excel and Smedley
Toastmaster clubs and is a division champion in the
Table Topics Contest held in 2014.
TM Shana
TM Sheena is from Kerala, India and is married to
Mr. Aneez who works with German firm named ZF.
TM Sheena is a proud mother of twin girls aged four
years. She has degrees in B.Ed, M.Com and MBA
(HR) and is currently working as a teacher in Noble
International School.
MEET OUR NEW MEMBERS
TM Sheena Aneez
TM Shana is from Malapurram in Kerala, India. Her
family consists of parents, two sisters, her husband
and one kid. She is an engineering graduate in Ap-
plied Electronics & Instrumentation. She is
currently pursuing her MBA with a specialization in
Human Resources.
21
CLUB AWARDS IN NOV & DEC 2015
TM Vimal Raj, CC, CL
TM Vimal Raj began his Toastmaster journey in
2011. He completed his Competent Communicator
manual in November 2015 and his Competent Lead-
ership manual in December 2015. He is currently the
C l u b P r e s i d e n t o f S m e d l e y
Toastmasters Club.
TM Lesiley Mathew, CC, CL
TM Lesiley Mathew began her Toastmaster journey
in June 2014. She completed her Competent Com-
municator manual and Competent Leadership manu-
al in December 2015. She is currently serving as the
Vice President of Membership for Smedley Toast-
masters Club.
TM Midhun Babu, CC
TM Ammad began his Toastmasters journey in 2011
when the Smedley Toastmasters Club was formed.
H e c o m p l e t e d h i s C o m p e t e n t
Communicator manual in December 2015. He is cur-
rently serving as the Treasurer of Smedley Toastmas-
ters Club.
TM Ammad Kangat, CC
TM Midhun Babu joined Toastmasters in 2012 and
he completed his Competent Communicator manual
in December 2015. He was the Immediate Past
Treasurer of the Smedley Toastmasters club in the
2014 - 2015 club tenure.
22
TICKLING TOASTMASTERS
23
Smedley Meeting # 73 at Sharq Capital on Wed, October 21, 2015
The theme of the meeting was "Association". Our omni-present sergeant at arms TM
Musthafa set up the meeting perfectly and introduced the president. The President handed
control to our TMOD TM Shibu Reghunath, who talked about what an association is. The
grammarian was TM Akhila Navaz, and she chose "conduce" as the word of the day.
"Conduce" means "to help to bring about". The Ah Counter for the day was TM Shylesh, our
cardiothoracic surgeon and the timer was TM Navaz, our enthusiastic smart toastmaster.
TM Lesiley Mathew gave her P8 speech on "The Story of Toastmasters", and explained how
Ralph Smedley founded Toastmasters on this day - 91st year of Toastmasters. TM Vimal Raj
then gave his P9 speech on "An Apple A Day", about his 20-hour days at work that led to
terrible health problems. TM Rimzan was our third speaker and gave a presentation on how to
handle criticism and defuse a situation. All three speakers were disqualified for exceeding time.
Then TM Maimoona conducted a unique turn the table topics session. The best table topic
speaker award went to TM Shylesh. The General Evaluator was our very own Area Director for
Area 43 TM Abhijit Kuwalekar. The best evaluator for the session was TM Benov. After the
meeting, all the toastmasters gathered together and sang "Happy Birthday to Toastmasters"
for the 91st birthday of Toastmasters International and AD Abhijit and TM Vimal cut the deli-
cious mango mousse cake. The cake was devoured in minutes with no traces left behind.
Club Meeting Minutes and Photos
24
Smedley Meeting # 74 at Sharq Capital on Wed, Nov 4, 2015
For Smedley Meeting # 74, TM Girija Chari was the TMOD and she chose "Winter Wisdom" as
the theme of the meeting. TM Jose conducted the installation ceremony for TM Girija, TM Akhi-
la and TM Navaz. Mrs. Sheethi K from the Smedley Speechcraft participated in this meeting as
an awesome "Ah Counter". TM Rasha from the Smedley Speechcraft was our grammarian to-
day and chose "Gregarious"(which means friendly) as the word of the day. I can say TM Rasha
was a gregarious gorgeous grammarian who was so popular and received 12 usages of the word
"grammarian" from all speakers and evaluators. Our timer for the day was our newly inducted
member, TM Navaz and he did an excellent job of timing.
The first prepared speech was an icebreaker speech by TM Akhila who spoke about her passion -
dancing. TM Lesiley Mathew gave a P2 speech about the latest drug on the block - cell phones
and persuaded everyone to give up texting while driving. TM Jose K gave an advanced P5 speech
from the story telling manual about the history of Kerala and the story behind the name "God's
own country".
This was followed by the table topics session by our VP PR TM Shibu. TM Shibu chose chal-
lenging questions about winter.TM Rasha won the best table topics speaker award. Our ever-
ready General Evaluator was TM Rimzan. The best evaluator today was not one but two evalua-
tors - TM Rimzan and TM Vimal. All in all, we had a beautiful evening with a lot of laughs and
happy moments. That's what makes our club special. As Dr. Smedley quoted, "We learn best in
moments of enjoyment".
Club Meeting Minutes and Photos
25
Club Meeting Minutes and Photos
Smedley Meeting #75 on Thu, Nov 19 2015 on Dhow Cruise
The Dhow Cruise meeting #75 was a shaky wavy ride through the
waters in Qatar on a beautiful moonlit night. We conducted the
meeting on the upper deck.
The sergeant at arms TM Musthafa briefed us on the fact that
there was no exit except to jump off the cruise. Then TM Vimal
Raj, the Club President opened the meeting.
TM Maimoona enlightened us on her love for driving through a
humorous speech, “Bas Khalas”. TM Rasha conducted the Ta-
ble topics session and the General Evaluator was TM Ravi Kumar,
the Division E Director for this year.
We had a gala time on board and enjoyed a grand sumptuous
dinner catered on the Dhow cruise followed by a photo session
with all the club members and their families.
26
Smedley Meeting # 76 at Sharq Capital on Wed, Nov 25, 2015
TM Vimal Raj described the theme of the day “it’s never late” and introduced TMOE, TM
Nusrath. She introduced the role players; Grammarian TM Noorudeen, Timer TM Kiran
Kumar, AH Counter TM Musthafa. Grammarian TM Noorudeen chose “Splendiferous” as
the word of the day, which means magnificent.
The first speaker was TM Navaz; who delivered his P-2 on “Friendship”. The second
speaker was TM Ammad; who delivered his P-9 on “Power of Words”. The final speaker
was TM Maimoona; who delivered her P-9 on “Grab the Share, Share the Grab”.
This was followed by an Educational Module by TM Rimzan on “Beyond the Club”.
The Table Topics Master was TM Thava Mayooran.
TM Jose was the General Evaluator.
TM Maimoona won the best speaker award. The Best Table Topics Presenter was a guest
Mr Anirudh and Best Evaluator was his mother TM Girija.
All together, we had a splendiferous evening with a lot of laughter and delicious snacks.
The 77th meeting of Smedley Toastmasters Club to be on 2nd December 2015 at Sharq
Capital.
Till then…..goodbye
Club Meeting Minutes and Photos
27
Smedley Meeting # 77 at Sharq Capital on Wed, Dec 2, 2015
The theme of the day was “Whatsapp”. TM
Musthafa introduced Club Vice President
(Education) TM Benov Jacob and invited him
to chair the meeting.
TM Benov introduced TMOE, TM Thava
Mayooran. TM Thava Mayooran spoke on
how Whatsapp influenced modern life. He
introduced the role players; Grammarian TM
Moidu, Timer TM Noorudeen, AH Counter
TM Navaz.
Grammarian chose “Astonish” as the word of
the day.
The first speaker was TM Vimalraj; TM Vimal Raj delivered P-10 from CC manual, speech
entitled "Dial 300".
The second speaker was TM Rimzan; who delivered his ACG P-4 on “Coaching”. TM
Rimzan invited TM Akhila for a demo coaching session in which TM Rimzan pretended to
be a boss who got poor feedback about TM Akhila and wanted to talk to her about it. TM
Rimzan described how to handle such situations.
This was followed by the Table Topics session on the theme of the day, “Whatsapp”, which
was conducted by TM Kiran Kumar.
After the break TM Mayooran invited TM Girija for General Evaluation. TM Girija invited
TM Lesiley for an Educational Module on “New Members Presentation”.
Tonight’s Best Table Topics speaker was TM Moidu. None of the Evaluators qualified for
the award due to time disqualification. TM Benov took feedbacks from the guests.
Club Meeting Minutes and Photos
28
Smedley Meeting # 78 at Sharq Capital on Wed, Dec 16, 2015
The last Smedley Toastmasters meeting of the year 2015 was conducted on December 16,
2015 at Sharq Capital.
The President TM Vimal then opened the meeting and switched hats to TMOD role. TM
Vimal entertained the audience in his usual humorous style. The theme of the meeting was
"Speakathon" due to the large number of speakers. The Grammarian TM Kiran introduced
the word of the day was "Stupendous" meaning amazing. TM Abdul Rab was our fantastic
timer who performed his role promptly and gave an accurate report when asked. TM
Sheethi, in spite of her ill health, played her role of Ah Counter well.
All the speakers did an excellent job. TM Musthafa gave his P2 entitled “Friendship”, TM
Girija gave her P6 speech entitled “Screentime”. TM Lesiley Mathew gave her P10 speech
entitled "Great Expectations" from our spouses. TM Midhun gave his P10 speech "First a
Man, then a Techie" that talked about the misuse of technology today. TM Ammad gave
his P10 speech entitled "Charity" and the happiness that charity brings to the giver and the
taker. TM Jothi gave an advanced module on "How to Break Bad News" and gave us
some good tips on breaking bad news, and explained the effect of bad news on amygdala in
our brain. TM Rimzan gave an advanced speech on being assertive and how to say "No"
without feeling bad.
The General Evaluator was TM Nusrath. The evaluators were excellent and really provided
great feedback to the speakers - TM Joseph Eleizer, TM Vimal Raj, TM Girija, TM Rimzan
and TM Kamrudeen.
The best speaker award went to TM Lesiley. The best evaluator was a tie between TM Gi-
rija and TM Vimal.
Club Meeting Minutes and Photos
29
Smedley Meeting # 79 at Sharq Capital on Wed, Jan 20, 2016
The theme of meeting #79 was "New Year Resolution". It was the first meeting of Smedley
Toastmasters Club in 2016. Our Treasurer TM Ammad took charge as acting Sergeant-at
arms. TM Benov welcomed members and guests and opened the meeting # 79. He intro-
duced TMOE, TM Kiran Kumar Putta.
TM Kiran described the history behind “New Year Resolutions”. TMOE introduced the
role players; Grammarian TM Shylesh, Timer TM Ammad, AH Counter TM Sheena.
Grammarian TM Shylesh chose “Bellwether” as the word of the day, which is a noun and
mean “the leading sheep of a flock, with a bell on its neck”. Timer TM Ammad, AH Coun-
ter TM Sheena also described their roles.
TMOE introduced the first speaker, TM Nusrath who delivered her P-4 from CC Manual
entitled “Cherished Moments”. TMOE introduced the second speaker of the evening TM
Noorudeen who delivered his P-5 entitled “Mother-in-Law of Disasters”.
Next, TM Lesiley conducted an informative educational module on “Evaluation for Con-
test”. TM Lesiley then invited TM Rasha to perform a demo speech. TM Rasha was then
evaluated by 5 evaluators: TM Kiran, TM Noorudeen, TM Shylesh, Mr Saleek and TM Vi-
mal.
After the break, TMOE Kiran invited TM Benov for General Evaluation. Kudos to the Club
President and the TMOE for winning first and second positions in the demo evaluation
contest. TM Lesiley then handed over control to the General Evaluator TM Benov.
The Best Speaker award for this meeting was won by TM Noorudeen. TM Rimzan was
judged the Best Evaluator.
Club Meeting Minutes and Photos
30
Club Meeting Photos
SMEDLEY TOASTMASTERS
Meets on
1st and 3rd Wednesdays
At Sharq Capital
C-Ring Road, Doha, Qatar
Phone: 66053485
Email: [email protected]
www.SmedleyToastmasters.ORG
Toastmasters International
is a nonprofit educational
organization that operates
clubs worldwide for the
pu rp ose o f he l p i ng
members improve their
communication, public
speaking, and leadership
skills.
TOASTMASTERS
INTERNATIONAL
VALUES:
Integrity, Respect,
Service And Excellence
EVERY TOASTMASTER’S
JOURNEY BEGINS
WITH A SINGLE
SPEECH !
OUR CLUB MISSION:
We provide a supportive and positive learning
experience in which members are empowered to
develop communication and leadership skills, resulting
in greater self-confidence and personal growth.