Video Conferencing?

It was just another normal day at work when my team leader called me and asked whether I would be interested in supporting the newly installed video conferencing facility at the campus? As I heard that, word's of Mr. Rajan from Frozen Thoughts echoed my mind - "When was the last time you did something for the first time?" Instantly, with no hesitation I replied, yes, I will do that!

It's been a month and a half now supporting the system and everyday brings in a new experience, experience of joy, experience of satisfaction and most importantly experience of doing something for the first time.

News letter article

A very Happy Independence day to all our members.

Dear Members,

Freedom of any kind is only possible when we struggle towards achieving it. Struggle here means fighting back against the forces which are denying our own freedom. And many a times we see that the true struggle is not against the external forces, it is actually against our own self – yes, against our own beliefs, perceptions, and self ego. A country might get the freedom due to the struggle of their freedom fighters, but what if the citizens are still under the control of their self ego? To be called as a good citizen of our nation and the world as a whole one should be free from the control of his self ego. It is then we can give our best and be a valuable asset to the nation.

In Toastmasters, we learn the same concept of freedom. Getting freedom, over our fear of public speaking, which is considered to be the next to death. Now, this doesn’t mean that just by joining Toastmasters we become a better speaker. Imagine a person who wants to be the best Salsa dancer and just by joining Salsa classes will he become a dancer he wants to be? No, obviously not. He has got to practice it and dance as often as he could. Never leaves an opportunity to shake his legs. Same thing applies to Toastmasters! We joined Toastmasters to be a better speaker, and then what, if, we do not speak at the meetings, do not present the projects, and do not take up the roles? It will just be a mere wastage of time and money – vital and scarce resources. Toastmasters, fight against our own fear of speaking, take up roles, do projects, come forward and face it. Someone rightly said that “avoid it and it grows; face it and it goes.” Believe in this concept and march ahead, coz what you believe in can certainly be made possible.

Wish you all good luck along your journey to be a better speaker!

Best Regards,
Abdul Lateef
VP – Education

(Published in the monthly newsletter of Millennium Toastmasters "The Mirror")

my first paid writing for an MBA applicant

This is my first paid writing for an applicant who was applying for an Executive MBA program at a University here. Well, got paid a considerably good amount as a fresher!

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The features of Executive MBA program offered by XYZ University are a need for people of this fast developing country. And particularly as an accountant I would say that they best suit me in enhancing my professional and leadership skills and would enable me to serve my organization and my country in a more efficient manner.

In my five long years of experience with The Company as an accountant it helped me in effectively utilizing the skills that I already have and also served as a platform to know the skills that needs some attention. And therefore, I am looking forward to do this Executive MBA program from XYZ University to sharpen those unattended skills and to discover the true hidden potential that I already have.

Some of the key features of this program that would help me in this regard and to climb up the ladder of career and to effectively bridge my life between family and profession are

• Entrepreneurial and leadership skills
• To be a better team player and a motivated individual
• Managerial skills
• Learning global economical, financial and business procedures and ethics
• Analytical and practical problem solving skills etc.
  

Thus, I believe that through this course I will be able to achieve my goals and share a better contribution in organization success and the country as a whole. And I also, strongly believe in the saying of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan that “The highest achievement of a nation is measured by the level and extent of its education.” And I want to be a part of that achievement by enrolling to and successfully completing this course.

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When was the last time...

If you have noticed me doing something unusual these days then that’s probably because I was trying to find an answer for "when was the last time i did something for the first time!?" :)

This question kept me doing some weird things for quite some time now, but nothing of what I did give me a convincing answer. it was that evening when I was coming out of Carrefour doing some shopping that Mr. Anil Kumar called me and asked, whether I could be the Toastmaster of the evening for a joint meeting? well, it was this kind of opportunity that could be a good answer for which I was looking for from a long time.hesitantly I replied, that’s a difficult job, i am not sure if I will be able to deliver my best, but I will take it up if you people are helping me. Well, that was the starting point of doing "something for the first time".

TM Chandresh was co-toastmaster of the evening and we both started preparing the script and PowerPoint presentation based on the theme for the meeting - "Learning by Sharing". The whole process starting from contacting the role players, preparing their intros, deciding who will do what, rehearsals and everything else...till the end of meeting, was a unique and completely a learning by sharing experience. At the end of the meeting i felt that this evening I found a convincing answer to the question "when was the last time i did something for the first time!?"

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Below are the slides that we shared during our learning process.