If you want to overcome stage fright and learn to speak with confidence, join a toastmasters club.

You are welcome to visit our Kampong Ubi Toastmasters Club if you are living in Singapore.

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President’s Inaugural Speech on 26 July 2011 by Ramana Boyani

A splendid good evening to our district officers, my fellow Toastmasters and guests!

It is my privilege to be the President of Kowloon-Singapore Toastmasters club for the term 2011- 2012.

Being the President it has increased my responsibilities and commitments. But I am very happy that I have an excellent team who are more committed and enthusiastic than me. With their support, I am sure we will achieve our club success.

I always believe the value of team work. I always believe my members dreams…and most importantly

I believe myself. With the experience as a Vice President Membership for the last term, I am fully confident that I can overcome all the challenges in the future.

On 20 Sept 2009, I got a call from one of my friends, and he invited me to a Toastmasters seminar.

My immediate response was “I am not interested in toasting or baking courses. Because my wife does not allow me to cook” : )  He said,” it is not about the cooking or baking..It is about toasting your public speaking skills”… hmmm.. That sounded good to me. After 3 days, I visited Chai Chee Community Club along with my friend. As usual the guests were called on to participate in the Table topics. I didn’t dare to step forward. After the seminar I had realized the importance of public speaking in my life. This is the programme sheet for that day. It was so simple… there was no president name and there are no names of the exco team… But I still preserve this… do you know why?….that was the place I got enlightened. I realized about my fear of speaking ….But after 2 years from that day, I am standing in front of you as a President of one of the leading Toastmasters clubs in Singapore. I am very thankful to the friend in my story who showed me the way. He is none otherthan our club member TM. Rao. Please give him a big round of applause!

“People who take initiative and work hard may succeed, or sometimes they may fail. But anyone who does not take initiative is almost guaranteed to fail”.

• Initiative is often the difference between success and failure. Initiative is the first step to anywhere you want to go. My message to all of you…
  “You don’t have to be good, to start: you have to start, to be good”. I repeat…”You don’t have to be good, to start: you have to start, to be good”

 

Start your Toastmasters journey … I am sure, you will become a better speaker, a better listener, a better thinker eventually a better leader.

Our immediate challenge for this term is getting a permanent home for our club. We are trying our best to get a better place than our previous venue in Toa Payoh. My father studied under the street light to get his gold medal in his school. He got the Gold medals with his dreams and goals not through the amenities. The place is not a concern as long as you have a big dream. I want my members with bigger dreams and bigger goals.

It is my personal commitment and promise to all our club members; at all means I will help you to reach YOUR goals

I congratulate our former President Anthonius and his team for achieving 7 Distinguished Club Program goals out of 10. Please give him a big applause for their contribution. This time, I want to raise the bar. By April 2012, we should be able to achieve 10 out of 10 Points. My dear Exco, do you support me to achieve 10 on 10? Yes…. This response tells me: We are totally prepared to take any challenges. We have our own action plan to achieve our goals. I am very confident that at the end of our term we will present our excellent team to the District 80 as a role model club.

I strongly believe that, when you work for yourself, you will automatically reach your DCP goals. The top clubs in Singapore never worked with DCP goals in their mind. They worked for their own member’s dreams and goals.

In recent days, my fellow members are very pro-active to deliver their speeches. It is a very good sign for our club. I have visited many clubs in recent days. Some of them have members but no Speakers.

The scenario in our club is totally different: we have energetic speakers and promising leaders. They are very hungry to do their projects and competing for the slots. “Crying baby will get the milk”. But, how about our other members? … Are they silent because they are not getting any slots in our Chapter meetings?

If that is the impression someone has in their mind, I would like to clarify….

Your Goal is our Club Goal…. So, please let me know your plans….
On what date you want to become Competent Communicator?
On what date you want to become Competent Leader?
On what date you want to become Advanced Communicator?

Please give voice to your dreams and goals. I need your commitment to plan for your success. From now onwards, you can book your speaking slots 3 months in advance. I believe this arrangement is fair to all members.

In case you don’t get any slot in our club meeting due to heavy competition, don’t be disheartened.

Toastmasters are a vast network. If not our club then another club; if not our area, then another area; if not our division, then another division. I will go all the way to get slots in other clubs to make sure you reach your set goals. If feasible, we can conduct one more meeting every month.

Before I end my speech, I have a personal request to all our members. Have you ever forgotten your family members’ phone numbers? like your wife, daughter etc.. No right?? Here is one more to remember: it’s mine. It is KSTMC hotline, available 24/7/365 days. I always pity my phone.. Because it never sleeps : ).  Store this number as a speed dial in your phone. I am just a digit away from you.

Friends….Your success … my ultimate goal.. I repeat… Your success …..my ultimate goal.
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