Presidential Closing Speech - We All Have Dreams

We all have dreams. But the problem of dream is….. it is just a dream.

We may have dream to be a millionaire, but we don’t even work for it or at least, at least step into the 4D shops to buy lottery. Or go buy Kotra Pharma shares.

We may have a dream to have a beautiful wife and blissful family, but we don’t even try to be a handsome husband and caring father like Chris. 

We may have a dream to help others to be their better self, but we don’t even strive to be a better version of ourselves.

We may have a dream to be great public speaker like our General Evaluator, Shane Chooi, but we don’t even step up to deliver a speech when given the opportunity.

We may dream to have leadership charisma like our IPP Claire and our Prof X, Tan Geok Ean, who can lead without saying a word, but we don’t even step up to learn when given opportunity.  

Don’t talk about our dream, when we are not prepared to take the bull by its horn.

Leadership is a skill like any other. Some people seems to be born with it, but the reality is the experience they had when they are younger, they were lucky they got good mentors and experiences that helped them to learn leadership at younger age. But leaders are made, it is a skill like any other, it is learnable practicable skill like any other. It is like going to gym , you commit yourself to that practice and you build the lean and sexy muscles like…. Keny. And the best part – unlike muscles will fade away, this leadership skills stays for life.

Simon Sinek, the author of “Leaders Eat Last”, once said this “The only trait to be a leader is courage.” Be strong and courageous. Take up the opportunity, to your vision of Promised Land. But, the choice is entirely yours.

Time has come for new Exco team to take over. If you have a dream to be better speaker, better leader, upgrade to a better version of yourself, now is the time for you to step up. Hustle while young. The hustle brings the change. The hustle experience burgeons valuable knowledge. The persistent hustle begets success.

I look forward to work with the new Exco team.

By the authority of Toastmasters International vested in me, mandate entrusted as Club President, I hereby exercise my power granted under Toastmasters Club Constitution, Article VI: Officers – Section 5 Nominations, calling for Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the term 2021/2022 on 1 June 2021, 7.20pm through Zoom.

By the authority of Toastmasters International vested in me, mandate given as outgoing club President for the term 2020/2021, knowing deeply part of the journey is the end, I hereby declare our meeting officially adjourned.

 

Photo by TK Hammonds on Unsplash

A Night at PJ Toastmasters Club - Closing Speech: Acceptance

 

A Night at PJ Toastmasters Club

28 April 2021

 

When our founder, Dr Ralph C. Smedley started the first Toastmasters Club in 1924, the admission was exclusive for young men. I find it utterly sexist. Why not allow the young ladies as members too? But after some thoughts, I realized his decision to set the club only for young men was extremely wise, even though it is not well accepted in today’s context.

 

The clue lies in official history narrative: “Smedley saw a need for the men in the community to learn how to speak, conduct meetings, plan programs and work on committees, and he wanted to help them.” It hinted that young men then were in “bad shape”. If the young men can’t lead, can’t speak and communicate well, how can they attract a decent wife? If these young men can’t get their spouses, that will be disastrous to human race. Plus, young men tend to have an inferiority complex. Dr Ralph did not want to embarrass them in front of ladies.  Thus, the decision of the club to be exclusive for young men. Wise decision indeed and being sexist appropriately.  Disclaimer: Please, those were my hypothetical deductive reasoning.

 

I’m honored and privileged to be PJ Toastmasters Club 250^th meeting. That means it has over 5 years of vibrant history. This club had delivered the Toastmasters meeting experience, so much more than what was written Club Leadership Handbook. Well done!  

 

I had a great conversation with your President, Shane Chooi, before coming to this meeting. I appreciate his courage, vulnerability and trust to share with me his challenges and personal vision of leading this wonderful club. That is the hallmark of a great leader – he cares.

 

We join Toastmasters because we are attracted and driven by its mission: Where leaders are made. We want to hone our leadership, communication and public speaking skills. At the same time people stay or leave Toastmasters Club, for that matter, any organization, driven by one single human emotional need: Acceptance. We stay in the Club as we feel accepted by the Club members. We leave the Club because we no longer feel accepted by the members. Acceptance is the main emotional driver behind the club membership.

 

To keep and grow our club memberships, our role as a leader, as the Exco team, is to make our members and potential members feel accepted when they are in our club. Ironically, in order to keep and attract new members, I realized I had a much deeper homework to do. That first step, as a leader, we need to accept ourselves. We need to learn to acknowledge our strengths and weaknesses, and leverage both to the best advantage for ourselves and club members. If we can’t even lead ourselves, speak constructively to ourselves, we will find ourselves in a difficult position to lead others. 

Make no doubt about this: There will be times we as leader doubt our own values. This is when we need support from our team members. Accept and appreciate that each of us in the team have our strengths and shortcomings. Demonstrate that value of acceptance. The club members will follow.

 

In my 10 months of serving as Exco team during this pandemic, I learn an important lesson: We can not unite our club members’ dreams, but we can unite them through a common goal. As Exco team, we need to understand what our members’ goals in life are, what do they want to achieve by joining us. Find out the reasons of your new member joining the club, find out why your club members kept their membership, find out the reasons of your ex-members leave the club – you may find the DNA aka as your unique club culture. Defining this culture will serve as a catalyst, a common goal to unite the club members.

 

I encourage you to define the culture of PJ Toastmasters Club. What makes you unique out of hundreds of clubs within Klang Valley alone. Why should they join you? What can you offer to your club members? Tell us, what do you stand for. Mold and built the club, bind it tight with sense of  acceptance among members. With this, the club can be strengthened, grow and attract new members who believe what you believe in.

 

I will describe PJ Toastmasters Club culture with 3 words: Innovative, Progressive and Fellowship. This is seen through innovative, professional solutions of having hybrid meetings. You have inspired MC Jo to follow your footsteps. Despite all challenges we faced, the club members still join the meeting in a spirit of fellowship. I find it very inspiring.

 

The well being of the club is the responsibility of all members. Exco have executive power to act on behalf of members for their well being. Yes, indeed, it takes courage to lead. You will be given hard lessons to learn more about yourself. You will be thrown into uncomfortable challenges and changes. But one thing for sure: It is worthwhile. Because by the end of tenure, you get to know yourself better, lead yourself better, speak to yourself better, and ultimately, accept yourself better for who you are. With that self-acceptance, you can be a better leader. That is when you bring positive impact to people around you.

 

I believe the first step of leadership is self-acceptance. I believe by setting our club unique culture right, we can grow together in a more meaningful manner for all members. I hope I added value to your club tonight. It is a great honor and privilege to be with PJ Toastmasters Club and I look forward for more memorable moments together at Area level.

 

Alan Oh

Your friendly friend from Friendship TMC

Presidential Closing Speech: Courage = Commitment + Doubt + Action

 It all begin when Sook Hwa invited me to her club as guest. 

"I can't. Our club meeting timing clashed. But if that the case, why don't we make it a joint meeting?"

I certainly enjoyed tonight's meeting. It is the biggest and most 'international' club meeting we had for Friendship Toastmaster Club. Yet. We are utmost grateful for the guests and supporting role players from Australia, India, Johor Bahru, Melaka and neighboring clubs. 

Kai Wen never failed to impress me with his humor. I never expect a story of a spoilt brat trying to find a wife can be so hilarious. 

Arnold, you had improved tremendously in your communication. You become more confident and adaptable as TME. It was a stark difference when I played the role of Ah Counter at your club during beginning of this year. 

I love the message from Yaso. There are times we have to move out of our comfort zone. That takes courage.

Indeed, insane friends make us insane. They push us to insanity. We have to make our choices with these friends. That takes courage. 

Melanie, a strong and courageous woman share with us a beautiful wisdom: Our value, memories and love determines our choice in life. That takes courage. 

Despite fear of falling expectation, our guest Sunny chose to be respected. That takes courage. 

Audrey! Finally, finally you took the leap of faith to overcome your indecisiveness. It had cost you much pain, and you decided to let it go. That takes courage. 

Vivian described herself as 'walking statue' in her work. Nah, come on! You are much more than that. You are our club Super Woman. From your speech, we can feel the fire of your passion, touching the life of people who are in crisis. That takes courage.

Oh, Gary! You seems to slim down! Well, he is our rare jewel, Super Gary. He is honest, authentic and vulnerable in his speech. It takes courage to share the gift of authenticity with audience. He is definitely a great husband material. 

I would like to share my thoughts on the theme tonight. 

Courage = Commitment + Doubt + Action 

It is a mathematic equation. Let's play around with it. When we move Doubt to the left side, it will be: 

Courage - Doubt = Commitment + Action. It means courage without doubt can be seen with a person's commitment and action. 

When we move Action to the left side, it will be:

Courage - Action = Commitment + Doubt. It means that we end up making empty promises and got stuck in analysis-paralysis situation. 

When we move Commitment to the left side, it will be: 

Courage - Commitment = Doubt + Action. Without commitment, we are taking actions with doubt that limit our results. Best results in life are compounded with commitment. 

In short, courage is is commit ourselves to a cause that we believe in and taking actions despite we have doubts. I hope all of here tonight will find your courage. 

Indeed, life is a School of Hard Knock. It gives us the bitter learning experience before passing down the lessons. This time of MCO (aka Great Lockdown) is indeed a time of hard knock for many of us.

In this time of hard knock, we may be pushed into insanity. 

In this time of hard knock, we may have to run before we can walk. 

In this time of hard knock, it is not about how much we lost, but it is how much we have. 

Yet, with Friendship amongst us, life can be more meaningful through these hard knock moments. Let us be friends who help friends to succeed. Thank you so much for being such wonderful friend, who are jubilant and eager to learn. 

In this time of trial and testing, do stay safe and stay strong. Stay safe, stay strong. I look forward to our next meeting together. I love you all x3000. 

Thank you. 

3 November 2020

Presidential Closing Speech

School of Hard Knock x Friendship 

Inspired by Iron Man aka Tony Stark in Marvel series

Presidential Speech 01: Grow and Blossom

https://irondadmy.blogspot.com/2020/07/presidential-speech-01-grow-and-blossom.html

Presidential Speech 02: Begin with the End in Mind

https://irondadmy.blogspot.com/2020/07/presidential-speech-02-begin-with-end.html

Presidential Speech 03: Who Am I

https://irondadmy.blogspot.com/2020/08/presidential-speech-03-who-am-i.html

Presidential Speech 04: Be Bravely You

https://irondadmy.blogspot.com/2020/08/presidential-speech-04-be-bravely-you.html

Presidential Speech 05: Road to Mastery

https://irondadmy.blogspot.com/2020/09/presidential-speech-05-road-to-mastery.html

Presidential Speech 07: Clarity Leads to Power

https://irondadmy.blogspot.com/2020/10/presidential-speech-07-clarity-leads-to.html

Presidential Speech 08: My Fear vs My Commitment

https://irondadmy.blogspot.com/2020/10/presidential-speech-08-my-commitment.html