CLUB SPiRIT: TOASTMASTERS CLUB'S THREE EVENTS IN JUST HALF A YEAR

by Rohit Wad, TM

The SPi Toastmasters Club has long sought to impress upon the employees of SPi the value of public speaking. In 2007, three significant events in the club’s history have qualified as such: the BOOK TALKS Series, the Speech craft Program and the Ca-ching!: Lance Miller Visit to SPi.

BOOK TALKS, which was a coordinated effort between the SPi Writers Guild and SPi Toastmasters, sought to merge written English (from books) and spoken English (from speeches) together by having SPi employees share their insights and opinions on their favorite books, while on stage.

Snapshots of BOOK TALKS first run last February at the SPi Night Cafe.

Multiple challenges were encountered during the course of the event, which was held every Friday over the course of three months. One of them being is the less-than-expected number of attendees at each scheduled date and venue. The events took place nevertheless, and those who attended—mainly members and affiliates of Writers Guild and Toastmasters—witnessed the value of the insights discussed. The themes of the events included FAMILY, PEOPLE, and WOMEN, with various books from each of the themes forming the core of the discussions.

The Speechcraft Program, like BOOK TALKS, was also an effort of another partnership; this time, with SPi Foundation. The project aims to help public school teachers to hone their public speaking skills. This was done by the teachers attending Toastmasters meetings, with the teachers being the primary participants in those meetings. Their progress was well-noted and significant. According to TM Luz Desquitado, the one who spearheaded this project, the teachers progressed from being shy to “brimming with confidence” after they graduated from the program.

The Toastmasters behind this successful run of Speechcraft, a joint project of Tm with SPi Foundation.

Read CSR (or SPi Foundation) newsletter (June issue) about volunteerism. Toastmasters Club and the Writers Guild were featured. Download here.

The Lance Miller Visit to SPi proved to be worth its weight in gold as it drew in attendees from SPi’s various business units and departments. Lance Miller, a Distinguished Toastmaster and the 2005 World Public Speaking Champion, brought to light his various experiences in public speaking, with humorous speeches being his specialty. One of Lance’s techniques for humorous speaking included his ARC principle (Affinity, Reality, Communication), on which he bases all of his speeches on. It is through this principle that he delivered over 1,000 speeches all over the world, with his visit to SPi being his latest, as well as the first time he has delivered a speech to a Filipino audience.

Pictures of this event to follow.

There's more to come with Toastmasters. Watch for it!

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About the Correspondent

Rohit Wad, TM is currently the Vice-President for Public Relations of SPi Toastmasters Club. He's with Quality. Do you want to join Toastmasters? Feel free to ask him anytime!

CLUB SPiRIT: The CA-CHING! Primer

Get a sneak peek of the 2005 World's Public Speaking Champion and of the topic he will talk about on May 17.

by Perps Poblador CC/CL

So who's Lance?

During the club officers training around two years ago, the then-Lieutenant Governor for Marketing (now Lt. Govr. for Education), Gina Mapua DTM facilitated an interesting activity with the audience. Everyone was asked to evaluate the selected speech contestants from the 2005 International Public Speaking Competition that was held in Toronto and later on pick our third, second and first placers. I was able to get all 3, most especially Lance, who's obviously was the best of all. That was the first time I met Lance however; just on screen.

I never thought that I'd really meet this man in person, whom I had put a bet on as the champ during that exercise two years ago. Apparently I wasn't alone in this haze. The day after I sent an e-mail invite to our co-members outside of SPi, some of those we invited even asked us if the rumor is true. We proudly said yes and then they registered right away.

Toastmaster Melissa Lim, who is one of a few we corresponded early on, gave us a brief idea who Lance is. Having met him before in one of his engagements, she attests that Lance is indeed, a highly effective and entertaining speaker yet he has always remained humble and sincere. Melissa is currently in California and she's planning to join Lance's club soon.


Lance Miller has been a Toastmaster since 1992, and for over the last 15 years he has already appeared on over a hundred television and radio programs and delivered more than a thousand speeches in over 20 countries. He has this unique skill of applying learning, persuasion and entertainment to his talks, while consistently conveying messages about integrity, responsibility and honesty.

A native of Indiana and a graduate of Michigan State University, Lance has a wide business experience, having held sales and management posts in companies like Nestle, Anheuser Bush and Katz Media Group and having served as spokesperson to numerous organizations such as the Citizens for an Alternative Tax System, International Foundation for Human Rights and Tolerance, Equita Financial, Loan ToolBox, Robotic Parking, Foundations of Brilliance and Hubbard College of Administration. Currently he's the former Vice President of International Foundation for Human Rights and Tolerance and the President of The Way to Happiness Foundation in Glendale, California.

Lance also seems adventurous. He has already sat atop peaks of 14 thousand feet, rafted roughest waters, sailed transatlantic, piloted his own aircraft, dived through icy lakes during winter, hitchhiked Europe, and organized marathons for 10 thousand miles in 15 countries already.

I am pretty excited, and anxious at the same time, of meeting him at last!

Why Ca-ching? Why Humor?

We just found out recently that it is not Ca-ching, but rather spelled (or even, pronounced) as cha-chink. We stood corrected by a past news release from NBC that tells about a man from Glendale who won the public speaking championship title. Who else mentioned there? It's no other than Lance Miller!

Ca-ching, cha-chink or ching-ching (whatever), this catchphrase popularized by Lance has not only left funny thoughts about his speech, but he has also passed on his message well. He spoke about the importance of validating others with sincere compliments. His repetition of that catchphrase helped him to drive home the notion of validation on his speech. Amidst all other 9 contestants, Lance showed his natural, witty humor as his striking ace that eventually made him without question, the public speaking champion. His humor skill helped him convey his message and left a good impression to his audience. Using humor effectively in all of our interactions will be the focus of Lance's talk in his visit to SPi.


According to the recent poll reported by Newsweek, 64% of the respondents claimed that poor communication with management is amongst the biggest work-related complaints that in effect impedes work. For Dr. Paul McPhee, author of Health, Healing and the Amuse System: Humor as Survival Training who is also internationally known for his humor research, the important value that humor partakes at work is its ability to lubricate channels of communication. Obviously humor brings many health benefits like stronger immune system, improved cardiovascular health, more sense of control, reduced stress hormones and pain, lesser feelings of stress, anger and anxiety, increased feelings of joy and aliveness and increased emotional intelligence. Yet even at work in particular, humor improves productivity, team building, communication skills, employees' morale and job satisfaction, creativity and problem solving, resilience, and managing conflicts and stress.

As what Dr. Allan Filipowicz, a doctorate graduate in Organizational Behavior from Harvard Business School, emphasized to his dissertation on humor's influence in task-based interaction, humor can be a valuable leadership tool that does not only apply to charismatic leaders for winning over an audience by giving clever remarks and witty anecdotes, but also in small group interactions. Based on observational studies on the use of humor in interactions, humor is highly useful in facilitating communication in interpersonally difficult situations, in relieving stress and in shedding light on underlying group processes. Furthermore, recent research shows that humor is done on interactions using a combination of the following means-humor to conveying information, to generating affect and to drawing attention.

On the other side, it is also important to take note that every culture has its own form of humor in such a way that what finds it humorous in one country is not funny to another. Worse even, it is offensive or discriminating.

Let's see how you can use humor in the workplace. Let's listen to Lance himself!


Special Thanks To

Alan Olmilla DTM, District 75 Governor
We thank him for accepting the proposal of bringing Lance to Manila through SPi TMC, before Lance goes to Cebu for the district's annual convention. His utmost generosity and kindness are just among the few qualities he has shown as a district leader of Toastmasters in the Philippines.

Gina Mapua DTM, Lieutenant Governor for Education We thank her for spreading the news about Lance Miller's visit to SPi through the district's e-newsletter. No question about the integrity of that press release of course! It just came directly from TM Gina herself! She's been ever supportive to SPi TMC, no matter how busy she also is. Her boundless energy and enthusiasm are unparalleled.

Lolet Gabay ATM-S, Area 75 Governor
We thank her for bringing in El Cielito Inn to us! We are highly grateful for her undying support, loyalty and love she gave to our club since the time we met her. She's so much like a mother to us, who would always extend her hands when we need them so. We are still looking forward to having you around in our future endeavors, Madame Lolet!


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CLUB SPiRIT: SAMPLE PHOTOS FROM CAMERA CLUB'S 1ST SHOOT OUT ACTIVITY IN LA MESA WATERSHED PARK

If you wish to become a member of the Camera Club of SPi, please email Odie Gementera at o.gementera@spi-bpo.com. For the meantime, enjoy the rest of the photos here.

CLUB SPiRIT: SPi MOUNTAINEERING CLUB's FUN CLIMB

“It’s not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.”

- Sir Edmund Hillary, first man on Mount Everest's peak

The team on Mt. Buntot Palos, February 1, 2007

Enough sleep, they say, is needed before a climb. You’d need the energy. I just realized a few minutes into the “fun” climb that I should have forced myself to sleep the night before, but how could I when the overflowing excitement in every inch of my body wouldn’t allow such sweet sleep.

I’ve been planning on conquering a mountain since my brother bought his first tent (which was ages ago). I was intrigued by his dirty climbing shoes, his long hair and the unmistakable stench of his laundry (dried sweat and dirt embedded in every thread) when he would come home after a climb. My sisters and I dubbed his look the “ermitanyo” look, with a giant mountain pack at his back, a walking stick, his fatigue-style clothing and his long unruly hair.

I wanted to be a physically active person too, to do some things that my small built and weak knees would allow. I started small by trying out simple physical activities like mini-olympics and swimming classes, then went on to try wall climbing, rappelling and knee boarding. It all has been fun! But these are all simple activities so when I saw a teaser for the next climb of the SPi Mountaineering Club, I knew I had to join! I was the only one from the SPi Support Group who braved the climb. Though they said that the activity was just a “fun” climb, I couldn’t care less. I am climbing and nobody and no one is ever going stop me.

Buntot Palos didn’t seem like such a high climb by the looks of it from the bottom of our path but the path is winding and the hard reality struck me a few meters up. Climbing is not an easy thing. I’ve sweat more in the few minutes of climbing then I have ever had in my entire life. I should not have worn jeans and new shoes. I should have brought only the bare necessities and left my extra shirts. I should have brought more water. I could rant on and on but at the end of the day, all the bruises were well worth it!

It was the breathtaking sight of the fields down below that made me forget about my cramping legs and the hot sweat coming out of my pores. The trek up and then down to the hidden waterfalls, watching the log-bearing horses and carabaos, and eating those sumptuous meals are the things that I will never forget. It’s amazing how things so beautiful can be kept alive by nature. If only the pictures could keep the hidden water falls in pristine condition forever, I would have filled my phone with photos of the rainbow across the falls, the surrounding walls of trees and the other wonderful sights.

There are so many things that I would gladly do again. Among them are sitting far from the ledge onto a raging river, falling into the water (when I made a promise never to get my shirt wet), swimming across a small lake and taking a bath under a falls, walking through a half-foot wide path with a canal at one side and the deep ravine on the other (that took some time and self persuasion to achieve). The many pictures that we took of the place will forever be stored in my phone and in my heart.

Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but photos...

I do not know what makes people want to climb mountains but for me, it’s not just the thrill of facing danger on uneven paths or learning how to do butt-breaks and relying on a walking stick to keep one’s balance. The terrain might be hard and unforgiving for a beginner like me, but every step of the way was an experience worth cherishing and reliving. One day I will be able to compare mountains and paths and elevations, and one day I will be able to really say that I am a mountaineer – finally!

Buntot Palos is my first climb. It will forever be etched in my heart and mind as the first time I conquered a height. I have a list of things to do before I become too old to do anything and now one of them is climbing more mountains; the higher and more mysterious, the better. I have not just conquered a mountain, but I am now slowly overcoming my fear of heights. With that, I’m now dreaming of the next summit I can conquer.


Where is Tarzan when you need him?! The author holding on to a vine. Well, at least that's what it looks like from here. If it's not slippery and scaly, then it must be a vine.

_____________________
Pia Manzano is the Writers Guild’s Vice President and is the Administrative Assistant to the HR Director.

CLUB SPiRIT: SPi Tm CLUB PRESIDENT WINS IN AREA 76 INTL SPEECH CONTEST

by Perps Poblador, CC/CL

“No pain, no palm; no thorns, no throne; no gall, no glory; no cross, no crown.”

Speech contests are annual events in the Toastmasters community during which the best speakers are recognized and their best stories heard.

SPi Toastmasters Club participated in the Joint Area 75 & 76 Speech Contest that was held last March 17, 2006 in the Bureau of Customs in Paranaque City. Club President Espie Vitug won First Place in the International Speech Contest category. Together with her are Toastmasters Rohit Wad and Competent Communicator and Leader (CC/CL) and Past President Raul Escandor who also competed in the Impromptu Speaking and Evaluation Speech Contest categories respectively.

From left to right, starting at the top: 1) Prepared Speech Contest Champ, Tm Espie. 2) Rohit, Espie and Raul as representatives of SPi Tm Club 3) Tm Espie, very proud of her champion medal (puwede ba ito isangla? *giggles*). 4) SPi Tm club-representatives making faces in front of everyone!

Story 1: The Lady Who Brought Home the Bacon

Tm Espie Vitug is one of the charter members of SPi Toastmasters Club back in 2000. Her membership was cut short immediately after leaving SPi to serve a full-time mission to her church. When she got back to SPi by 2004, she reinstated her membership in the club. In 2004 and 2005 she was elected as the club’s Secretary and Treasurer respectively. She was unanimously elected as the Club President by 2006. She’s now aiming to achieve her Competent Communicator and Leader norms before June 30, 2007.

Q: How does it feel to win the toughest yet most prestigious speech contest in Toastmasters Club?
E: It was a huge honor! It was a stiff competition to begin with. I have never been to any speech competitions before. I competed with three good speakers from other corporate clubs namely, Airspeed (our neighboring club), DHL and BOC. I was the last one who spoke so there was lingering nervousness in me all throughout the contest. It’s like there was nothing in my head but air! When my name was called in as the winner, I said, “It was all worth it.” And I said a silent thanks to God.

Q: What were your preparations? In what specific areas do you deemed you still need to improve on in preparation now to the upcoming division speech contest?
E: I draw mutual support from my fellow Toastmasters like Perps, Raul, Rohit and Luz. I also practiced a lot and continuously prayed to God for strength. I was hoping I could conquer my fear and the ideas would flow as smoothly as possible. My end in mind was to inspire the audience through my speech, not to compete with fellow contestants. After the speech contest, our Area Governor advised me to work hard on my facial expressions, body gestures and vocal variety (especially with differentiating characters I imitate!). I totally agree with her. I hope right now that Perps, Rohit, Raul, Luz and the rest of the gang will stick around to help me hone on those specific areas.

Q: What’s your best advice to prepared speech contest wannabes?
E: Prepare. Practice. Pray. Listen to the people as they evaluate you, as they give you feedback. Then, show up in the contest. As the saying goes, “90% of success is just showing up.” Somehow, it is true.

Q: How did Toastmasters help to you?
E: Toastmasters has become an important part in my life. It has changed the way I speak and write in English. Although there are still a lot of things I need to improve on yet without a sheer doubt, Toastmasters has given me the confidence I am expected to have at work. I regularly communicate with our foreign clients and with my English-speaking bosses. Speaking good English is a must. Now I can say, I am a better and more effective communicator than ever before and I owe it all to Toastmasters.

Story 2: The Man Who Bravely Stopped the Jinx

Toastmaster Raul Escandor, CC/CL was also a charter member back in 2000. Since then, he has assumed numerous club positions such as Protocol Officer (then Sergeant-at-Arms), Secretary and Vice-President for Education. His huge break in Toastmasters was in 2005, when he was elected as the Club President. His presidential term was known to everyone as a break to that vicious cycle of resigning club presidents; it was also the turning point when Toastmasters club has got its feet back. Now the Past President, he now serves as a consultant and adviser in the club, while he aims to achieve his Advanced Communicator norm at the same time.

Raul is never new to speech contests. Last 2005, he joined and won the Area 75 Humorous speech contest. This year, he joined the Evaluation speech contest.

Q: You’ve been through a lot of speech contests. What makes this contest different this time?
R: It is my first time to join an evaluation speech contest. And it is also my first time for not witnessing the performance of other contestants. I was the last contestant and had gotten isolated in a room before I came to speak. It would have been more rewarding if I was able to see and listen to the evaluation of my fellow contestants.

Q: In case one encounters a test speaker for evaluation who he thinks he wouldn’t find any areas to improve on, what would be the best evaluation strategy you could advice?
R: I believe there is neither a perfect speech nor a perfect speaker. I can always spot areas of which the speaker may improve on. Actually, you may spot one or two areas. Limit to that number and focus more on your recommendations. Never make your evaluation sound personal by avoiding saying phrases like “I think” or “I believe.”

Story 3: A Novice Who Never Failed Speaking On His Feet

Toastmaster Rohit Wad may be considered a Toastmasters baby, yet he bravely joined the speech contest! Though hesitant at first about joining the club, Rohit joined Toastmasters last year after attending a few club meetings. As he had once said, he liked getting the chance to improve his public speaking skills in front of the people who he knew. Apparently according to him, Toastmasters has not only helped him gain his self-confidence but also applying at work what he has learned in the club, on more than one occasion.

Q: Answering questions on the spot is surely taxing, isn’t it? How did you manage?
R: Answering questions on the spot can either be very easy, or very difficult, depending on the topic being asked. From practice and experience (at the contest), I noted that my main area for improvement wasn’t so much about the topic, but losing my train of thought while speaking. Since you only have two minutes to speak, it was much easier for me to end my speech quickly, so as to minimize my nervousness.

Q: As a first timer in this competition, what did you learn?
R: Considering it was my first time in a speech contest, I felt I did well in the sense that I confirmed what my main area for improvement was, and that was keeping on topic, even if that meant repeating what I was saying.

Division K Speech Contest will be held on April 14 at the Bureau of Customs in Paranaque City. Let us wish Toastmaster Espie the best of luck!



About the Correspondent

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Perps Poblador, CC/CL is currently the Immediate Past President of SPi Toastmasters Club. She isn’t new to speech contests as she already competed in Impromptu Speaking and Prepared Speech Contests. Now called upon to judge in speech contests for several times, she shares her two-cents' worth to speech contest wannabes. First, prepare, practice and seek feedback from peers. Second, confront your fear. Be aware of what triggers that fear. Find your own way of overcoming it. Lastly, if you win, stay grounded and remain humble. If you lose, keep on learning and improving your speaking skill.

CLUB SPiRIT: TOASTMASTERS IN FULL BLAST IN 2007

by Perps Poblador, CC, CL

The Chinese soothsayers have already said; 2007 is a good year for reaping what you sow in the past years. If this is the case, this year is meant for another Toastmasters success. And we want you to take part of this exciting journey.

The recently-concluded planning session happened last January 20, 2007 in Bayview Hotel has helped us reflect on the successes and challenges we had in the past, to reaffirm the club's strengths and direction, to renew commitment amongst officers and members, and most importantly, to partner with the right people that can mutually help us make our aspirations come true. Rest assured that Toastmasters is the perfect associate you can rely on.

To start this year right, Toastmasters club launches its activities, projects and events in store for 2007 through our launch catalogue dub as, Toastmasters in 2007: Projects & Events Catalogue. This catalogue highlights Toastmasters club as a strategic learning organization for effective communication and leadership skills, at the same time an exciting venue for personal enrichment. Download the Toastmasters club launch catalogue for free by clicking the image below. Registration form for activities and events, as well as the application form for membership, are also included.

Click this image to download the Tm club launch catalogue. For an e-copy of Tm Activities Registration Form, click here.

We have made strategic partnerships with the SPi Learning Academy (SPiLA) and the SPi Foundation (otherwise known as Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR); with the clubs like the Writers Guild and the Performing Arts; and with the Employee Council and HR-Employee Relations. At the same time, we are intending to expand Toastmasters club in second to third quarter this year to other SPi facilities (as of today, we may start expanding Toastmasters club in Laguna early on this February and in Cebu on March. So SPi Cebu and Laguna, here comes Toastmasters).

Click on the images to enlarge.

Dubbed as the most novel, out-of-the-box idea of Toastmasters club and the Writers Guild, BOOK TALKS aims to promote the love for reading in the workplace, promote Writers Guild's READvolution project, and to serve as Toastmasters club's alternative Table Topics and speech delivery activities for Toastmasters members.

Due to insistent public demand, Toastmasters club is bringing back the Roadshow Series, which aims to promote Toastmasters club in every business units in SPi and eventually will help the club create new Toastmasters group under SPi Toastmasters club umbrella.

With the emerging concerns of strengthening the English Proficiency of the Filipinos, SPi Foundation and Toastmasters club come up with an English Proficiency Program for public school teachers in Tagaytay City through the Speechcraft Program. Speechcraft is a program designed by Toastmasters International that aims to teach public speaking skills to members and non-members.

The Club Week Celebration that has been up and running for about three years, will be another success not only for Toastmasters club but also to club-colleagues as well. The Induction Ceremonies of the newly-installed Club Officers has been a tradition in the club. Yet besides this annual event, Toastmasters club will conduct its first-ever Toastmasters of the Year, an event that will recognize the graduates in the Competent and Advanced Communicator and Leader norms, as well as the best (and highly improved) communicator and leader in 2007.

We want our new members to be fully immersed to Toastmasters way of learning. So we are giving this day for them we'd call the Neophytes' Day. A walkthrough presentation about Toastmasters shall be done in this session. New members will then be inducted and will have them render their first speeches (we call the Icebreaker) as our initiation rites to them. Wouldn't this be thrilling seasoned Toastmasters *chuckles*? We assure you, no paddle, for heaven's sake!

WE WANT ALL SPEECHES! NO TO TABLE TOPICS! Well, we can forego the most feared yet thrilling Table Topics in this occasion, for now. Our 4-part Speech Marathon Series will entail a full roster of prepared speech deliveries to cater the need for members to speed up their speech project completion, as well as to others to (ahem) listen or evaluate.

Communicate with Humor will be the first learning session in 2007 that will be held during the Club Week Celebration. In line with September we christened as Media month, we will conduct a learning session entitled Communication for Television. In October, we will have a learning session, Communication by Management.

Quartethlon contests happens in mid-August to September. It is a sort of a four-in-one contest set for a single representative (sounds huge, I know). You've got to sing, do impromptu, evaluate and render a prepared speech! We've had Mark Start TM (now our Director for Operations in Journals - EDD), Mikes Sarandona CC/CL (currently Corporate Development Manager), and Remo Marilao TM (club's VP-Public Relations) in these contests. Who's next in line?

Speech contests are must see! This happens in mid-March to April. We have speech contests on the following categories:

• Impromptu Speaking


• Evaluation


• Humorous Speech or Tall Tales


• Prepared Speech

We've had Raul Escandor CC/CL (club's Past President), Molly-Corona Crisostomo TM, Perps Poblador CC/CL (club's Immediate Past President), Cliff Roperez TM (currently SPiLA's Assistant Manager) and Kehm Genito TM (club's secretary) competed in these contests. Are you next?

Toastmasters club have so many things in store this 2007! Join Toastmasters, improve your communication and leadership skills and have fun.

About the correspondent

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A Toastmaster for only God knows since really when, Perps Poblador is currently the Immediate Past President of SPi Toastmasters Club. Also a Communicator and Leader graduate, she's now in a verge of creating something crazily new and exciting in her life. You may reach her at the smoking area during breaks eyeing the good, the bad and the handsome!