We have moved....

We have shifted to a new address: medleytoastmasters.com

We continue to meet every Saturday from 3-5 pm at Gandhi Nagar Club, Adyar

For more information, or to RSVP, please contact the VP - Membership, Apurv Mittal, at medleytm@gmail.com or call +91 9952067622
 

Five life lessons my driver taught me

He is 58 years old, bespectacled with distinguished silver grey hair. He's spent 25 years working for one of India's most respected corporate houses. I have learnt a lot from him. But it is unlikely you would have ever heard of him. His name is Karunan. And he worked with me as my driver.

Sometimes, the biggest lessons in life come from very unlikely sources. And as Karunan spoke to me one morning about his life and times, I thought young people would benefit from listening to what he has to say. Since Karunan will probably never be invited to deliver a convocation speech or a commencement.

1. Getting a driving license does not make you a driver.

"I was 18 when I got my license. But it was only after several months of driving a car that I actually learnt to drive, and became a real driver." A license is only a permit -- and not a stamp of authority. An MBA does not make you a manager. It is only after you spend several more years learning on the job that you truly qualify to call yourself a manager.

Many young people confuse getting a degree as signifying the end of their learning. Wrong. It's just the beginning. A degree or a diploma -- the license -- simply marks you out as someone qualified to learn from real life experiences. It doesn't make you an expert.

2. The real world is very different from a classroom

I learnt to drive a car. But my first job required me to drive a little tempo. The steering wheel was different, and so were the gears. I thought I knew how to drive -- but I couldn't even get the tempo started."

The world outside the classroom is a very different place. That's as true for engineers and MBAs and accountants as it is for drivers. Get ready to get surprised.

3. Slog. Get your hands dirty.

I spent nights working as a cleaner. That's when I learnt all about the insides of an automobile. Knowing what's under the bonnet has made me a better driver today."

The brightest marketing professionals in the country will tell you that they learnt their biggest lessons in the days they spent slogging in small towns selling soaps or colas. There's no other way. If you want to be successful, work hard, dirty your hands -- and go beyond your specific role.

4. Initially, what you learn is more important than what you earn.

In my first job, the pay was bad but the boss was good. He gave me opportunities to learn, make mistakes. I banged his tempo quite a bit. While the dents were quickly repaired, the lessons I learnt remain firmly etched in my mind."

In your first job -- don't worry about pay packet or the size of the organization. Get a good boss. A good mentor. That's priceless.

5. Don't worry about which car you drive. Focus on being a good driver.

I always wanted to drive the best cars -- but rather than complain about having to drive a tempo or a school van or the city transport bus, I focused on driving well. I told myself that if I do that, the good cars will come. And they did."

Now that's a great lesson. It's not about the company. It's about you. Do the best with what you have, wherever you are. Karunan spent 15 years struggling in odd jobs before landing a driver's job in one of India's largest companies. We could all benefit by staying focused on doing a great job -- rather than worrying about the next job, or the next promotion. Do a good job. Success and happiness will follow. Inevitably.

Those then are five fabulous life lessons from an unlikely guru. Follow Karunan's advice and I guarantee they'll make a difference to your career. And to your life!

By Prakash Iyer, Source: Rediff.com 

Prakash Iyer is MD, Kimberly-Clark Lever and Executive Coach. Iyer's book 'The Habit of Winning' will be released in February 2011

Sometimes the biggest lessons in life come from the smallest folks around us

All of us tend to look up to big people for lessons on how to get better. We are keen to learn the secrets of their success. But we forget that sometimes the biggest lessons in life come from the smallest folks around us. Now that's a good lesson to remember!

Take ants for instance. Would you believe those small creatures could teach us how to live a better life? Jim Rohn -- the great motivational guru -- developed what he called the 'Ants Philosophy'.

He identified four key lessons from the behaviour of ants that can help us lead better lives. Jim Rohn is no more but his messages continue to inspire. Here then, are the four lessons from Rohn's 'Ants Philosophy'.


1. Ants never quit.

Have you noticed how ants always look for a way around an obstacle?

Put your finger in an ant's path and it will try and go around it, or over it. It will keep looking for a way out. It won't just stand there and stare. It won't give up and go back.

We should all learn to be like that. There will always be obstacles in our lives.

The challenge is to keep trying, keep looking for alternative routes to get to our goals.

Winston Churchill probably paraphrased the ant's mindset when he offered this priceless advice: "Never give up. Never, never give up!"

2. Ants think winter all summer.

Remember the old story of the ant and the grasshopper?

In the middle of summer, the ant was busy gathering food for the winter ahead -- while the grasshopper was out having a good time. Ants know that summer -- the good times -- won't last forever. Winters will come.

That's a good lesson to remember.

When the going is good, don't be so arrogant as to believe that a crisis or a setback cannot happen to you.

Be good to other people. Save for a rainy day.

Look ahead. And remember, good times may not last, but good people do.

3. Ants think summer all winter.

As they suffer through the unbearable cold of the winter, ants keep reminding themselves that it won't last forever, and that summer will soon be here.

And with the first rays of the summer sun, the ants come out -- ready to work and ready to play.

When we are down and seemingly out, when we go through what looks like a never-ending crisis, it's good to remind ourselves that this too shall pass.

Good times will come. It's important to retain a positive attitude, an attitude that says things will get better.

As the old saying goes, tough times don't last. Tough people do.

4. Ants do all they possibly can.

How much food does an ant gather in summer? All that it possibly can! Now that's a great work ethic to have. Do all you can!

One ant doesn't worry about how much food another ant is collecting.

It does not sit back and wonder why it should have to work so hard. Nor does it complain about the poor pay!

Ants just do their bit. They gather all the food they can.

Success and happiness are usually the result of giving 100% - doing all you possibly can.

If you look around you, you'll find that successful people are those who just do all they possibly can.

Follow the four simple steps of Jim Rohn's 'Ant Philosophy' and you'll see the difference. Don't quit. Look ahead. Stay positive. And do all you can.

And there's just one more lesson to learn from ants.

Did you know that an ant can carry objects up to 20 times their own weight?

Maybe we are like that too. We can carry burdens on our shoulders and manage workloads that are far, far heavier than we'd imagine.

Next time something's bothering you and weighing you down, and you feel you just can't carry on, don't fret.

Think of the little ant. And remember, you too can carry a lot more on your shoulders!

Article by Prakash Iyer - MD, Kimberly-Clark and Executive Coach. 
Source : Rediff.com 

WHY TOASTMASTER

Many guests who come to visit a TM meeting might be wondering why one should join a TM club, what is that they get here and so on.

Let me share my own experience. Till I was haunted by my pathetic experience while giving a presentation to a group of internal office colleagues, I never realised that I need to do something to improve my public communication, as I was pretty good, at least I thought so, in general interaction with people. And this possibly could have gone for some years and affected my progress in career and life. Till I found such a platform I had no idea how can one improve such skills.

TM clubs not only provide the very much needed skills in public communication, but also enhances the leadership skills which encompasses a complete different personality altogether in life, other than mere public communication. TM meetings trains people in effective listening, and evaluaing and coaching which is great leadership skill. Leadership requires a vision which only some can see, other than caring and nurturing people, and in all these activities, public commuication forms only the necessary base, not even a significant part of leadership.

I must say that although all of us join TM for some selfish gains and interests, but slowly we realise that how our communication and leadership skills are affected adversely by being selfish and acting selfish all the time. The process of thinging too much about self saps out of us all the spontaneity, creativity and fun, and thus making us low self esteemed and insular individual.

I wish all the members and visitors to take advantage of the platform to transform their personal and professional lives.

Ashok

TM Meeting - June 19 2010

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June 19 2010

It was not just another toastmaster's meeting for our club but quite a special one. The next term committee were officially initiated by the Area Governor Sarvanan who was kind enough to come and conduct the ceremony. The committee was excited to take up the new agenda and arrived at a host of action points to ensure our club stands out. Many members managed to attend in spite of short notice.

Following were discussed in the meeting and I personally suggest the following to each member of the club.

- Take TM meetings seriously and as a vehicle for transformation - I have myself noticed many changes in me and others in the club. We learn from everything that we do in a TM meeting, not only from speeches and evaluations.

- Coming in every meeting - It is important to come to all the meetings, treasures of learning are not be missed even once. However in case you have to miss, please inform your absence in advance.

- Coming in time, rather 15 minutes early - It is important that we should be eager to come to meeting ahead of time, and be willing to take up roles without notice if required. This will show up in our growth.

- Plan your roles in advance - All members to plan their respective roles at least 3 months in advance. VP Education, will circulate the sheet in which you can fill up your roles in advance and monitor. This will help yourself and the club as well.

- Bringing the CL/CC/ AC Manuals to every meeting - This will keep your records updated and keep you aware of your progress.

- Update your all information on the website and put a blog on your experience / suggestions of the last meeting or TM in general. This will help many newcomers to learn faster.

Please feel free to ask any questions if you have, wish the above suggestions of the club committee will be sincerely followed by all members.

Cheers

Ashok

All member,

Today 19th June 2010 was a fantastic meeting with two speakers who spoke on project one and project two.
We had wonderful partipation on Tabletopics where the number of participants were 18 including almost all present.
We could see high energy from all members. Keep up the movement.

How to be a great communicator and a leader for whom are near Adyar, Chennai

Anyone interested in becoming a great communicator and a leader in and around Adyar, Chennai should think about joining the Medley Toastmasters Club. They meet every 2nd and 4th Saturday everymonth at the Gandhinagar club, Adyar, Chennai.

You can also send an email to medleytoastmasters@gmail.com.