Dream to be a Human being
By Ramanathan Latha (Smedley Speaker Society – Bangalore)
“Who would like to talk on the topic My dream?”
The chaotic hall had a sudden silence. Even a drop pin was heard by all 100 of us in the room.
“Go, Go… Can’t you just talk of your dream? You have many. ” my inner voice murmured. I lifted my hand without even realizing the conflict between my heart and my mind. The applause accompanied me till the dais. Even before I could realize what was happening, I was there behind a mike.
“Good Evening friends!....” My voice withered. My hands shivered. Sweating, Moving my hands and legs to get over the discomfort, cursing myself for coming up the dais…. All made the packed audience restless. The hall was no more silent.
“ My dream is to become a Speaker, A politician, a Human being” I raised my voice. Echo made me pause for a second. “ I fear of my future. Security cannot be assured. Once I become a Politician, i.e President, I will have bodyguards to guard me. So , I wish I were a politician. However, to become a politician, I have to start speaking. This is was I am trying today”
“Enough of blabbering” uttered my inner voice.
But, How do I get down. I was helpless. I could not cry. I could not shout. Now, I started to think for words to speak, to conclude. My mind was blank and tumbled, trembled and finally looked around. Quickly, I smiled and tried to get down. I chilled down like ice and returned back to my seat. Announcement of a break made me happy. I tried to move out.
“ It was a great speech. I like your dream. You are trying to get what you want. Work on your dream. Do not stop” An unknown man in front of me.
With a smile I tried to get away.
“Congratulations. Every dream should have a beginning. So does yours. Start speaking. I like the innocence” A heavy voice stopped me. Fearing to look back, I stood still. Slowly I tried to move towards the rest room.
“ Great voice. I like your boldness. Would you like to get rid of fear while speaking in public, join toastmasters.” A sweet voice welcomed me to turn back. Sparkling eyes, confident look, empathy captured my heart.
I started feeling uncomfortable. I felt that I made a fool of myself. My heart started beating fast. I returned back home and buried myself in my bed.When I woke up the next day, I felt relieved. I felt happy. I joined the toastmasters club. I started learning the nuances of speaking. I learnt to express my feelings. I learnt to network.
Toastmasters, taught me to Talk, to Open up, Acquire Skills, Try out, Master an act, Accept criticism, Stand up, Take over, Express views, savor Rewards and Shine. I started to enjoy myself. I learnt to give importance to my dream and myself. I learnt to respect others, their feelings. I was able to correct myself easily. My anger just vanished. My confidence grew.
All in all I started to be a human being.
Monday, December 29, 2008
How to practice your speech? - Released in Smedley's Mag - JUly 2008
How to practice your speech?
Latha Ramanathan
The best speeches are the one which create an impact to audience and not the speeches which have the best content.
To inspire the audience, and create an impact, the speech needs to be rigorously practiced.
Read Aloud your Speech
Read your speech aloud, ten times. This helps in familiarizing the speech to you. The speech flow becomes clear. The sequence can be understood and helps in adding impact to the content.
Identify the key points
Underline the key points which you wish the audience should hear. Memorize the same so that you do not forget. Create a small note with these. This can be used as reference incase you forget the speech during delivery.
Add impact using your voice
Try to read the speech with voice variations.
Add a pitch change either low or high to emphasize the points
Change the frequency / tempo when you just want your audience to hear or you would like them to envision.
Modulate the voice when there is a dialogue to differentiate persons
Pause and no Pause
Add 30 sec pause when you want audience to follow you thru your speech. Talk continuously when the message is an add on to the content and may not be important for audience to remember. Ensure that each humor has a pause in line with audience response.
Practice in front of mirror
The speech is now to be delivered. In case you can use a collar mike or center stage, practice your hand movements and facial gestures with a mirror. In case you are to deliver in a radio, this may not be required.
Reach out to your mentor
This indeed is your step before you deliver your speech to audience. Deliver the speech now to your mentor. Fine tune your speech your mentors input.
Now you are all set to deliver before your audience.
Latha Ramanathan
The best speeches are the one which create an impact to audience and not the speeches which have the best content.
To inspire the audience, and create an impact, the speech needs to be rigorously practiced.
Read Aloud your Speech
Read your speech aloud, ten times. This helps in familiarizing the speech to you. The speech flow becomes clear. The sequence can be understood and helps in adding impact to the content.
Identify the key points
Underline the key points which you wish the audience should hear. Memorize the same so that you do not forget. Create a small note with these. This can be used as reference incase you forget the speech during delivery.
Add impact using your voice
Try to read the speech with voice variations.
Add a pitch change either low or high to emphasize the points
Change the frequency / tempo when you just want your audience to hear or you would like them to envision.
Modulate the voice when there is a dialogue to differentiate persons
Pause and no Pause
Add 30 sec pause when you want audience to follow you thru your speech. Talk continuously when the message is an add on to the content and may not be important for audience to remember. Ensure that each humor has a pause in line with audience response.
Practice in front of mirror
The speech is now to be delivered. In case you can use a collar mike or center stage, practice your hand movements and facial gestures with a mirror. In case you are to deliver in a radio, this may not be required.
Reach out to your mentor
This indeed is your step before you deliver your speech to audience. Deliver the speech now to your mentor. Fine tune your speech your mentors input.
Now you are all set to deliver before your audience.
Project 10 : Be the change - Draft version
Project 10 : Be the change
What comes to your mind when I say diwali?
What comes to your mind when I say Christmas?
What comes to your mind when I say New year?
Mr. Toastmaster, Fellow Toastmasters and guests.
The new year is just round the corner. I am sure each one of us will have our resolutions to take!!!???
How many of us have made a new year resolution at the beginning of this year? 2008
Have we tracked them to check if we have achieved it? At least started it?
A recent research done in United states of America says that 52% of participants in a Resolution study were confident of success with their goals. However, 12% of them actually achieved their goals. Men achieved their goal 22% more than that of others when they engaged in goal setting. A system where small measurable goals are used (lose a kilogram a week, instead of saying "lose weight") was set by participants, women succeeded 10% more when they made their goals public and got support from their friends.
Each one of us here would have taken resolutions and achieved them. I wish to quote a person whom in out midst, from our club, took a resolution to reach the top of Everest. We all could see that she has been successful in her resolution. I wish to share the 2 main learning I learnt from Shrilatha in her journey as president for past 6 months.
1. Single Minded Focus – i.e. Spending time, effort and imagination to work on the committed task.
2. Sharing with friends i.e. likeminded people – This helps in achieving a common vision
While Shrilatha may normally come across as a carefree person, she strongly displayed these two factors: single minded focus and sharing it with friends.
India's first-ever individual Olympic gold medal winner Abhinav Bindra took a resolution amidst press reporters on his return to India that he would find energy and motivation to repeat his feat again and hold it on for a while.
This year I took a resolution to spend more time with family and friends and enjoy life. I decided to make it public by registering in Keith’s website. I logged in and entered the resolution. The portal was designed intelligently that it tried to details on how resolutions will be turned to reality and not left as a fantasy. I took it as a challenge and started thinking. I finally came to some tangible activities which I could measure.
Calm down in temper, find ways to get out of it. Ensure good relationship with friends and family.
Spend weekends and holidays at home, avoid business work.
What a magic it was..
I have been successful in my journey to date.
Let me share an instance in these lines.
Recently I attended a family gathering. I wished my aunt whom I am seeing almost after an year.
“Aah.. You found your way now and had time to come down. Not bad that I am still in your mind.” My mother who was with me did not know what to answer as it was most embarrassing.
I did miss to meet her when she lost her daughter in august. She had been hospitalized for some time. I did make calls to enquire her health. I could not meet her personally.
Aloud I replied, “Yes. Though the road leading to Ramamurthy Nagar has lot of diversions and potholes, I did find the way this time. I ensured not to disturb you by my calls asking for directions”. I sat next to her and added “ I drove 10 Kms at one stretch in 20 minutes. I am a great driver. Isn’t it ?”
Calmness prevailed. I smiled and started boasting my driving skills, when my aunt interrupted, “Calm down. You are yet to drive back home.” With laughter, all of us settled down and we had our conversation on as usual.
I was happy to have changed myself. I was happy to note my words like fireballs did not hurt others. In deed mended the relationship.
If you wanted support to achieve your dream, you need to share your resolutions. I had completed project 9 in Nov 2006. I had been dreaming to complete my project 10 for more than a year. I tried doing a self assessment and repeated my speeches again and again to gain confidence. When I could sense my confidence, I started to draft my speech 10. I shared my resolution to complete my CC by this year to my mentor. It was with his help, I am here today standing before you.
Sharing helps in providing support to achieve your goals.
My dear friends, I could just think of Chendil’s quote here.
If you wanted to go fast, go alone. If you wanted to go far, go together.
1. If you wanted to go fast, Go alone – Single minded focus
2. If you wanted to go far, go together – Share your resolutions and get forward
We are all here to be great leaders. Leaders create a positive change. To create the change, we have to be a part of change. Take your resolution today.
Do you want to Be the change you want to see?
Mr. Toastmaster
What comes to your mind when I say diwali?
What comes to your mind when I say Christmas?
What comes to your mind when I say New year?
Mr. Toastmaster, Fellow Toastmasters and guests.
The new year is just round the corner. I am sure each one of us will have our resolutions to take!!!???
How many of us have made a new year resolution at the beginning of this year? 2008
Have we tracked them to check if we have achieved it? At least started it?
A recent research done in United states of America says that 52% of participants in a Resolution study were confident of success with their goals. However, 12% of them actually achieved their goals. Men achieved their goal 22% more than that of others when they engaged in goal setting. A system where small measurable goals are used (lose a kilogram a week, instead of saying "lose weight") was set by participants, women succeeded 10% more when they made their goals public and got support from their friends.
Each one of us here would have taken resolutions and achieved them. I wish to quote a person whom in out midst, from our club, took a resolution to reach the top of Everest. We all could see that she has been successful in her resolution. I wish to share the 2 main learning I learnt from Shrilatha in her journey as president for past 6 months.
1. Single Minded Focus – i.e. Spending time, effort and imagination to work on the committed task.
2. Sharing with friends i.e. likeminded people – This helps in achieving a common vision
While Shrilatha may normally come across as a carefree person, she strongly displayed these two factors: single minded focus and sharing it with friends.
India's first-ever individual Olympic gold medal winner Abhinav Bindra took a resolution amidst press reporters on his return to India that he would find energy and motivation to repeat his feat again and hold it on for a while.
This year I took a resolution to spend more time with family and friends and enjoy life. I decided to make it public by registering in Keith’s website. I logged in and entered the resolution. The portal was designed intelligently that it tried to details on how resolutions will be turned to reality and not left as a fantasy. I took it as a challenge and started thinking. I finally came to some tangible activities which I could measure.
Calm down in temper, find ways to get out of it. Ensure good relationship with friends and family.
Spend weekends and holidays at home, avoid business work.
What a magic it was..
I have been successful in my journey to date.
Let me share an instance in these lines.
Recently I attended a family gathering. I wished my aunt whom I am seeing almost after an year.
“Aah.. You found your way now and had time to come down. Not bad that I am still in your mind.” My mother who was with me did not know what to answer as it was most embarrassing.
I did miss to meet her when she lost her daughter in august. She had been hospitalized for some time. I did make calls to enquire her health. I could not meet her personally.
Aloud I replied, “Yes. Though the road leading to Ramamurthy Nagar has lot of diversions and potholes, I did find the way this time. I ensured not to disturb you by my calls asking for directions”. I sat next to her and added “ I drove 10 Kms at one stretch in 20 minutes. I am a great driver. Isn’t it ?”
Calmness prevailed. I smiled and started boasting my driving skills, when my aunt interrupted, “Calm down. You are yet to drive back home.” With laughter, all of us settled down and we had our conversation on as usual.
I was happy to have changed myself. I was happy to note my words like fireballs did not hurt others. In deed mended the relationship.
If you wanted support to achieve your dream, you need to share your resolutions. I had completed project 9 in Nov 2006. I had been dreaming to complete my project 10 for more than a year. I tried doing a self assessment and repeated my speeches again and again to gain confidence. When I could sense my confidence, I started to draft my speech 10. I shared my resolution to complete my CC by this year to my mentor. It was with his help, I am here today standing before you.
Sharing helps in providing support to achieve your goals.
My dear friends, I could just think of Chendil’s quote here.
If you wanted to go fast, go alone. If you wanted to go far, go together.
1. If you wanted to go fast, Go alone – Single minded focus
2. If you wanted to go far, go together – Share your resolutions and get forward
We are all here to be great leaders. Leaders create a positive change. To create the change, we have to be a part of change. Take your resolution today.
Do you want to Be the change you want to see?
Mr. Toastmaster
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