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FROM A
CHICKEN INTO AN EAGLE
Introduction
I have never dreamt of being a Toastmaster, let alone a DTM! You may ask,
"Then how did you manage to achieve the DTM award?" Fellow
Toastmasters and friends, I wish to share with you how I finally became a
Toastmaster, my journey towards achieving the DTM and what are the benefits
that I have gained from being a Toastmaster.
Before
I remembered back in school, I dared not speak up nor answer any question even
though I had the correct answers. Towards the end of my Sixth Form, when I
handed over the autograph happily to my classmate to be signed, she remarked,
"I never knew you existed. Next time, speak up more!" Not only I was
small in stature then, I was also inconspicuous or invisible!
I loved to watch Elocution Contests and admired and envied my friends who could
speak in front of an audience. I admired Toastmasters who could speak so
eloquently. I told myself I could never do that because I was a chicken.
Chickens do not speak up, chickens have no focus, chickens have wings but do
not soar.
Some of you may be going through or have gone through that same experience and
will understand what I mean.
My sister Margaret Chan,
DTM and Past District Governor SL Liew, DTM were keen to form the Bayan Baru
Toastmasters Club in
For seven full months, I refused to speak. No one could make me speak, not even
play a role as an Ah Counter, Timer nor Grammarian. The new exco was organizing
an International Speech Contest and for any new club, the contestants are
exempted to have done up to Project No. 6 from the Communication and Leadership
Manual. Tell you what, the committee made it compulsory for
The First Experience
The contest day came. Even before my name was called, I could hear my heart
beating and I was sure the whole hall could hear it too. I stood there hoping
the ground would give way and swallow me up! It didn't! I had cold feet, my
knees shook, my face was flushed BUT I managed to remember and deliver the
whole script! I spoke quite softly but it did not matter. That was my first
breakthrough and 'Ice Breaker' speech.
From a CTM to a DTM
Then I began to play simple roles at the club meetings. In two years I managed
to be a CTM. I rested for a year. When I was President of the Club during the
1999-2000 term, I achieved ATMB, CL. My club theme was 'All Things Are
Possible'. My club achieved President's Distinguished Club status. I rested for
another year to 'charge' my biological battery. When I was Area N2 Governor for
the 2001-2002 term, I achieved
Benefits
How have I benefited? Taking up leadership roles made me a better communicator
and leader. As a President, I had to speak at least 48 times, that is, at all
the 24 club meetings - at the President's Opening and Closing Speech. Bayan
Baru, being an active club, organized a grand club installation dinner at a
5-star hotel, joint meetings, Millennium meeting, speech contests, Assignment
and Achiever's night and Christmas party. I had to deliver speeches at every
meeting.
Socially I have
benefited. I feel that the more I speak, the more confident I became. My
audience of 20 plus people grew steadily to a hundred, two hundred and over
1,000 when I was invited to be the Master of Ceremonies for a dinner at the
Shangri-la hotel in conjunction with the launching of the Penang Junior
Orchestra by the Penang Symphony Society. My children were playing at the junior
orchestra and when the Exco heard that I was a Toastmaster, they grabbed hold
of this chicken! My first reaction was, "NO" but I could not let
Toastmasters down. I took up the challenge and did a lot of preparation. His
Excellency, the Governor of
Career-wise I have benefited. I work as an Administrative Secretary in
I find I can now converse with complaining passengers with confidence over the
phone too. At the end of the conversation, they were always satisfied because
someone on the other line takes the trouble to Listen to them, to Think before
she Speaks and Communicated effectively.
Leadership
Training
Taking up the position of an Area Governor not only helped me to achieve the
Advanced Leader (AL) award, it also gave me great opportunity to understand the
Toastmasters organization as a whole, to get to know the TI staff, great
District Officers, Division Officers and Area members. I had many opportunities
to organize speech contests, club officers training and speak at a lot of
functions. The most challenging was dealing with people and to motivate them to
achieve excellence - only Toastmasters gives us this opportunity.
When I took over as Area Governor, I had to handle four clubs, that is, my own
club Bayan Baru which is a community club and the top club in Division N and 3
weak in-house clubs, that is, Komag, Intel and PDC. When I took over, one
in-house club 'died' and I had to work hard to revive it. Besides, I had to
build new clubs. Dr Dilip Abayasekara, our 3rd Vice President, mentioned in his
speech that the higher you go up in leadership, the more dependent you are on
people. I fully agree with him. However, in my case, there were not many people
to depend on. I told my clubs that I would help to lift them up a level or two
higher than when they started. I learnt patience when I was the Area Governor
as I had to constantly 'push' my clubs patiently and with a lot of tender loving
care.
At the end of my term, we added one more new club ie
Conventions
I attended all District Toastmasters conventions since joining the Toastmasters
in 1996. At conventions, I get the opportunity to meet, mix and mingle with
experienced Toastmasters. I also look out for role models as a guide and put
that desire in my heart to be a little bit like them. Some of my role models
are Sylvia Oo and Laksha. As many things are caught rather than taught,
conventions never failed to motivate and charge me up to do more for myself and
for Toastmasters.
Be a Servant Leader
My advice is to be ready to seize every opportunity to serve whether as a club
officer or a District Officer. I volunteered to be a Club President and an Area
Governor. When you are a leader, be a leader with 3 Ss. Be a Servant leader,
Sincere and be ready to Sacrifice. Be available at all times for your members.
After all, you only have 12 months to serve. When you are a member, show
respect and be obedient to your leader.
1 Husband and 4
Wives
Be focused on what you want to achieve. Remember the 1 Husband (1 H) and 4
Wives (4 W) principle ie How you want to achieve your goals, What you want to
achieve, Why you want to achieve, Where you want to achieve it and, most
importantly, When you want to achieve.
Transformation from a
Chicken into an Eagle
As I began to serve, deliver assignment speeches, conduct other Toastmasters
programs, I find that achieving the CTM, ATMB,
Today, I can testify that I have fully benefited from the Toastmasters program.
To have achieved the DTM is a very fulfilling and satisfying experience for me.
I thought I was a chicken. I thought I would never make it. Today, this chicken
has been transformed into an eagle because someone saw the potential in me and gave
me an opportunity. I am now ready to soar and face the challenges of the world.
Conclusion
Dear Toastmasters, are you already a CTM? If not, go for it. Are you a CTM? Be
an ATMB,
(NOTE :You are invited to contact me if you want
to share your experiences or if you need any assistance in getting tips on how
to prepare for your speech assignments).
By : Rosalind Chan Yee Fong, PJM, DTM
Club : Bayan Baru Toastmasters Club (7764-51)
Area/Division : Area N2, Division N
Email address : rcyf@hotmail.com
Handphone : 6012-4948012 Office Phone : 604-6482101
Date : 23 November 2002