By Dr William Lau Boon Kin, ATM-G, CL
Area C2 Governor, District 51

Toastmasters International aims at helping peoples of the world develop their listening, thinking and speaking skills which promote self-actualization, enhance their leadership potential, foster friendship and human understanding and contribute towards the commonwealth of humankind.

During the past thirty months, I have experienced great satisfaction as a Toastmaster in learning and refining my communication and leadership skills. Besides, it offers me ample opportunities to enrich, apply and share my knowledge and experience with my fellow Toastmasters and the communities at large by motivating them to become 'better' citizens in terms of their careers, quality of life and earning potential.

A pertinent question often asked is: how can we apply our communication skills to help our fellow human beings? With such skills, we can involve ourselves in charity projects such as raising money for the handicapped, the marginalized and the less fortunate. For this purpose, we can apply our organizing and emceeing skills at charity banquets or concerts; or, exercise the power of our public relational skills at press conferences to raise funds for specific charities.

Toastmasters have certainly honed and refined my communication skills ever since I joined the Toastmasters movement. From the first meeting in September 1998 till now, I must confess that I am now more conscious of my public speaking idiosyncrasies. I feel more confident than before to face different public gatherings. I am in a better position to control my stage fright. The progress that I attained, I believe, is largely due to the effective learning system of Toastmasters.

There is no other parallel non-profit organization like Toastmasters International that so nobly dedicates itself to making public speaking a worldwide reality. It caters for the ambitious working adults, those in the lower and middle income brackets and those who cannot spare the time to attend regular classes. Besides, it caters for the rich as well. The annual investment is within the affordability range of most people. The program is self-regulating and depends for its success greatly on the degree of discipline of the individual Toastmasters. For they alone can determine their own pace of development and progress.

It is observed that trained and experienced communicators are often invited to speak at service clubs, professional bodies and academic institutions. Besides, they may well embark on communication-associated occupations like management training, which can bring in lucrative income for them. Such occupation can be very rewarding and satisfying.

Public speaking is an essential tool for leaders who need to communicate with their members, colleagues, higher-ups or associates for they get things done through them. Particularly, the politicians can vouch for this essentiality.

Six years ago, I was not a Toastmaster nor did I ever dream that six years later I would be one. I was not good at public speaking although I did realize that good communication skills greatly enhanced my leadership. For instance, when I was the President of the Rotary Club of Kuala Lumpur Di-Raja in 1995/96, I often made use of my mediocre speaking skills at the weekly meetings and contacts with the press media. I attended many press conferences and helped raise through the press RM750,000.00 within two months to enable two infants to undergo cadaveric liver transplants at the Royal Children's Hospital in Brisbane, Australia. The operations were successful and the two children are back now lively and chubby. I cannot describe how self-actualized I was then and am now each time their parents bring them to my office. Saving the two children's life is sufficient reward for me to do what I did.

There was another occasion where my short appeal over the pulpit helped raise more than RM10,000/- for the typhoon victims in the Philippines.

Toastmasters further train us to be better presenters whether in business or otherwise. Presentational skills have wide applications. From my observation and experience, most successful businessmen or Chief Executive Officers have one common denominator amongst them and that is the knack for effective communication.

Toastmasters training program is effective. It trains people on the various essential speaking skills - breaking the ice, speak with sincerity, organizing the speech, voice variety, body language, words usage, using the props and how to persuade, motivate and inspire the audience. Besides, as we progress into the advanced communication and leadership stage, we learn about different situational speaking needs and requirements. By following through the various manuals, we are able to acquire if not sharpen our communication skills and enhance our confidence, leadership and personality. This may in turn contribute to the general well-being of the average Toastmasters; thereby resulting in an enlarged network of friends, brighter careers, employability and promotion to positions of higher responsibilities, increased income, recognition and dignity to one's occupation or profession.

Set your mind therefore to attain the highest award in Toastmasters - that is, the Distinguished Toastmasters (DTM) Award. On an average, a consistent and conscientious Toastmaster should take about two to three years to achieve this level of distinction. In my opinion, he is better equipped with practical communication techniques and leadership skills than a fresh university graduate in communication.

Well, fellow Toastmasters, your efforts that you put in today would enrich your life a thousand fold in years ahead. Keep the fire burning, take on any club leadership position and work towards your dream of becoming a DTM. The number of DTMs in District 51 is countable. The award is rare, prestigious and invaluable. It is therefore worthwhile to earn it and experience the enrichment and breakthrough in Toastmasters. You bet, I am working towards it.

By acquiring the communication skills and learning to be better leaders, we are able to serve society better. We tend to become happier as we proceed to satisfy the various innate physiological and psychological needs. Self-actualization will invariably follow as our goals are achieved; thereby contributing to the ultimate realization of the higher purpose of Toastmasters in fostering human understanding and the betterment of humankind.