On the 9th January 2020, AIA Toastmasters Club held its first meeting for the year. Zhuo Shu Zhen, DTM, served as Sergeant-at-Arms. Maria Abraham served as Timer. Penny Radcliffe served as Language Evaluator. Linda Lee served as Table Topics Master. Cindy Gan served as Creative Director. Eric Tan, DTM, served as Photographer.
The Presidential Address
In his presidential address, Jack Sia gave
thanks to the people who helped make 2019 a success. Reflecting on the past year before charging
into the next one is not sentiment for its own sake. It is the only reliable method for
identifying what worked, rather than repeating what merely felt productive at
the time.
Comebacks Under Pressure
Ivan Lee, DTM, spoke about
overcoming challenges, drawing on a school football tournament where he
deputised as captain after the original captain was injured. His side’s star striker went off injured too,
mid-match, leaving a disorganised and demoralised team staring at a two-goal
deficit at half-time. He rallied them
regardless, despite privately believing the match was already lost, and the
team went on to win 4-2. His conclusion
carries the weight of someone who has tested it under fire: either a team
thrives under pressure, or it loses, and the difference is decided by whether
someone still standing chooses to lead.
Marathon History, Properly Sourced
David Low gave a presentation on marathons
and their history, including the history of the Singapore Marathon. The inaugural event was held on 5th
December 1982, drawing an estimated 15,000 participants across all distances,
though only 516 runners finished the full marathon itself. Raymond Crab of the United Kingdom won the
men’s open category in 2:24:19, Winnie Ng of Hong Kong won the women’s in
2:55:11, and local runner Goh Gam Seng finished as the top Singaporean in
2:43:55. The event has since grown into
a World Athletics Gold Label race drawing roughly 50,000 to 55,000 runners
annually. Low himself has run several
marathons and spoke of the sense of achievement that follows. A talk built on verifiable history, paired
with lived personal milestones, is the combination that makes a speech worth
remembering rather than merely enduring.
Leadership Forged on a Shipyard Floor
Chng Pia Kim explained the evolution of
his leadership style, shaped by his time as a workshop supervisor at a shipyard
coordinating across several departments simultaneously. That environment built a cooperative, collaborative
leadership style that has stayed with him since. His command still carries through an
understated delivery, the mark of a man who knows precisely when authority
needs asserting and when it does not.
Mentor versus Coach
Frances Goh spoke on the difference
between a mentor and a coach, drawing on her own relationship with Dato’ Joey
Yap, a well-known feng shui master, as her example of genuine
mentorship. She delivered the material
in a relaxed, folksy register that made the stage feel like her own living
room, sharing hard-won distinctions between guidance that teaches a skill and
guidance that shapes a person.
The Results
Best Speaker went to Frances Goh. Best Table Topics Speaker went to Cindy Gan. A club opening its year with a football
comeback, a properly researched marathon history, a shipyard leadership lesson,
and a genuine meditation on mentorship has set a standard the rest of 2020 was
always going to struggle to match.
Terence Nunis, DTM | Division Advisor, District 80 Division M | Club Advisor, AIA Toastmasters | Past President & Founder, Awesome Toastmasters
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for taking the time to share our thoughts. Once approved, your comments will be poster.