Good Evening!
Fellow Club Members
Ladies and Gentlemen
Thank you for your continued support to our club!
I have to tell you that I feel proud to be the President of Kowloon-Singapore Toastmaster Club. Thank you for being with us at our installation ceremony!
I’d like to begin by reading for you a paragraph from Michael Stout’s article in the June 2006 issue of the Toastmaster.
“Toastmasters training is not crammed into a three-day seminar. You progress in TI step by step, at your own pace. You don’t have to do something in a fixed way for it to work. You can speak, or teach, about anything you like. It’s just the objective, at each stage, that changes. The program doesn’t cost £2500 a time, or £50 for a disc set. It’s only a few pounds or dollars – a month!”
Do you agree with Michael’s point of view? Yes?
But how can you really benefit from your toastmaster journey? Any ideas?
The answer is : Do your project, do your project and do your project…
We can’t learn swimming by watching others swim!
For obvious improvement in our public speaking, we have to practise, practise, practise. I don’t think there is a short cut!
Every project in each Toastmasters Manual has specific project objectives.
For example, the basic Competent Communication Manual has 10 projects. Each project is designed to develop your speaking skills one step at a time. You will learn the importance of organization, speech purpose, proper word usage, body language and vocal variety. You will learn how to do research, how to use visual aids, how to speak persuasively and inspire your audience.
Fellow Club Members, this is the start of the new term.Don’t you admire those proficient speakers who can speak well? It is not a dream! We can be competent speakers one day! Take your time, review your own progress and talk with your mentor. What would you like to improve in your public speaking? Body language? Vocal Variety? …..When do you want to get your CC, CL or other awards?
Plan how many projects you would like to do in this year…and then go for it!However, I don’t mean you have to rush to do your projects. If you are not happy with what you have done, you can even consider re-doing your projects.From my P7 onwards, I re-did my projects. I did my P7, P8 & P9 twice and I repeated my P10 again and again, until I was satisfied.
Don’t be content with just fulfilling the minimum requirements. Try your best! Deliver a speech that makes you proud of yourself!Practice makes perfect.
Also, consider being an appointment holder in our chapter meetings. Don’t think you can improve your skills by doing projects alone. Being an appointment holder, you learn to be a better speaker and a better listener. You can improve your listening skills by being an Evaluator or an Ah Counter. You can improve your presentation skills by being a Toastmaster of the Day or a Table Topic Master.
Our club has a warm and friendly atmosphere. Kowloon-Singapore Toastmasters Club is one of the most user friendly clubs in Singapore. Let us do our best to maintain this friendly environment!
In this term, our Exco team will pledge to give full support to our club members.Let us strive to be better speakers, better listeners, and better communicators!
Remember, you can’t learn swimming by watching others swim!
Let’s jump into the pool, and enjoy the swim!
Thank you!
By Yetti Chiu
Kowloon-Singapore Toastmasters Club
Club President 2007-2008