Enrolment into Toastmaster Club
One of my colleagues in ML introduced me to the Toastmaster community. At that point of time, I had heard of this organisation but is sceptical about it at first. The high membership fee (natural barriers of entry) and guest fees, and the unlikelihood of getting slots to speak up had been the major turn-off for me at the onset. Despite my initial apprehension about this community, she promised me to bring me as a guest to Chang Kat Toastmasters free of charge.
The futility of Work life and job hunts are pretty depressing and I largely feel unaccomplished. Everyone has to get drunk on something, otherwise they can't keep going. Since there is no risk or cost of participating, I decided to give it a run. The people around me are seemingly unremarkable. And yet when it is their time to speak, I can see an immediate transformation within them. How the quiet and introverted, can dazzle others with resounding ideas and confidence. And I got hooked.
1) Selling and speaking skills
2) Opportunity to speak up, when in the workplace others will hardly give you the attention.
3) Important skill to develop in order to move up the career path
4) Brush up Small Talk /Impromptu speeches,
5) Self Discovery
6) Interview skills, Self Promotion skills
7) Networking opportunity, Set up businesses, meeting up like minded people,
My first reason for my interest is the importance of gaining selling and speaking skills before I need to employ them. In Toastmaster, no matter how deary or monotonous your speech content may be,
People will be forced to listen to you for the time you are speaking.
Even when the audience are fiddling with their phones and look disinterested (or even worse disruptive and noisy) , it is important to be used to this and take this in your stride. I had first hand experience in my PAL programmes and even experienced lecturers in my JC and university had issues with it from time to time. This kind of experiences cannot be picked up in a textbook or lecture and can only be obtained through repeated practices and life experience. And what better to start now.
Secondly, in the corporate world, it is important to sell idea and present ideas that will win the approval of others (SIM lecturer SingPost CFO Mervyn Lim Sing Hock). How he made complex concepts into intricate models. Even brilliant intellectuals like Wong For Chyi, whom had formidable intellect and supreme communication skills, has body language that did not fully showcase his latent skills. Even the managers in ML (whom are incidentally brilliant and have strong communication skills) have communication slurs and stutters when presenting technical material during cross country conference calls. Putting it in contrast with another (whom got headhunted to UOB) whom is smooth and stable in his presentations, the difference is starking.
Thirdly, I suck at small talk and mingling in a social setting. Small talk and making impromptu elevator speeches does not come naturally to me. I had difficulty in acting natural and smooth in the networking sessions I attended during university. Even during company dinners and Christmas gatherings, my inability to be at ease and only able to connect with a few may prove to be a crippling weakness .It may be in my INTJ nature to be like this. But to move forward, I have to overcome this. Through repeated practices at TM, I hope to glean the confidence to naturally strike up a common topic with people from diverse backgrounds, in order to be where I want to end up.
Fourthly, I believe it is through repeated self reflection on the deeds I did, and conscious efforts to verbalise what have I accomplished, can I be understand myself as a person and be able to influence others. Maybe it is another trait derived from me personality, but I believe in continual improvement. Compared to Periodic Growth, Continual improvement is exponential (mathematical function) and will overtake it over time. I believe it is important to connect the dots. To connect your past experiences, to project the direction forward. Although the past cannot necessary predict the future, you will have the confidence to navigate through the uncertainties ahead. Through self discovery and connecting with others in a positive way, You can fold your story into the larger Singaporean Dream, and connect with others.
Year end Presentation Top executives have the aura of confidence and stability. Although they are mainly using the opportunity to furnish their accomplishments,
In Singapore, there are plenty of ministers (and even the president of Singapore) whom are good with prepared speeches, but severely lacking with impromptu speeches or small talk. Even General Kee Chiu had to practise his election speech in front of us SCS cadets, before he had the confidence to utilise it in his public speeches after he ORDed.
Give a positive spin and spirit of optimism
Speak in Short Sentences.
Position of hands to be fixed at the waist.
Power of 3.
Tone, speed, Volume
Practice and rehearse repeatedly until you can perfect a sales Pitch
Obama
Donald Trump
Lee Kwan Yew vs Lee Hsien Loong
How the sheer force of character and the body language can affect the delivery of the same speech
The futility of Work life and job hunts are pretty depressing and I largely feel unaccomplished. Everyone has to get drunk on something, otherwise they can't keep going. Since there is no risk or cost of participating, I decided to give it a run. The people around me are seemingly unremarkable. And yet when it is their time to speak, I can see an immediate transformation within them. How the quiet and introverted, can dazzle others with resounding ideas and confidence. And I got hooked.
1) Selling and speaking skills
2) Opportunity to speak up, when in the workplace others will hardly give you the attention.
3) Important skill to develop in order to move up the career path
4) Brush up Small Talk /Impromptu speeches,
5) Self Discovery
6) Interview skills, Self Promotion skills
7) Networking opportunity, Set up businesses, meeting up like minded people,
My first reason for my interest is the importance of gaining selling and speaking skills before I need to employ them. In Toastmaster, no matter how deary or monotonous your speech content may be,
People will be forced to listen to you for the time you are speaking.
Secondly, in the corporate world, it is important to sell idea and present ideas that will win the approval of others (SIM lecturer SingPost CFO Mervyn Lim Sing Hock). How he made complex concepts into intricate models. Even brilliant intellectuals like Wong For Chyi, whom had formidable intellect and supreme communication skills, has body language that did not fully showcase his latent skills. Even the managers in ML (whom are incidentally brilliant and have strong communication skills) have communication slurs and stutters when presenting technical material during cross country conference calls. Putting it in contrast with another (whom got headhunted to UOB) whom is smooth and stable in his presentations, the difference is starking.
Thirdly, I suck at small talk and mingling in a social setting. Small talk and making impromptu elevator speeches does not come naturally to me. I had difficulty in acting natural and smooth in the networking sessions I attended during university. Even during company dinners and Christmas gatherings, my inability to be at ease and only able to connect with a few may prove to be a crippling weakness .It may be in my INTJ nature to be like this. But to move forward, I have to overcome this. Through repeated practices at TM, I hope to glean the confidence to naturally strike up a common topic with people from diverse backgrounds, in order to be where I want to end up.
Fourthly, I believe it is through repeated self reflection on the deeds I did, and conscious efforts to verbalise what have I accomplished, can I be understand myself as a person and be able to influence others. Maybe it is another trait derived from me personality, but I believe in continual improvement. Compared to Periodic Growth, Continual improvement is exponential (mathematical function) and will overtake it over time. I believe it is important to connect the dots. To connect your past experiences, to project the direction forward. Although the past cannot necessary predict the future, you will have the confidence to navigate through the uncertainties ahead. Through self discovery and connecting with others in a positive way, You can fold your story into the larger Singaporean Dream, and connect with others.
Year end Presentation Top executives have the aura of confidence and stability. Although they are mainly using the opportunity to furnish their accomplishments,
In Singapore, there are plenty of ministers (and even the president of Singapore) whom are good with prepared speeches, but severely lacking with impromptu speeches or small talk. Even General Kee Chiu had to practise his election speech in front of us SCS cadets, before he had the confidence to utilise it in his public speeches after he ORDed.
Give a positive spin and spirit of optimism
Speak in Short Sentences.
Position of hands to be fixed at the waist.
Power of 3.
Tone, speed, Volume
Practice and rehearse repeatedly until you can perfect a sales Pitch
Obama
Donald Trump
Lee Kwan Yew vs Lee Hsien Loong
How the sheer force of character and the body language can affect the delivery of the same speech
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