RTC Newsletter Rhetoric

RAWALPINDI TOASTMASTERS CLUB RHETORIC NEWSLETTER Vol. 1 Issue 1 APRIL 2021 In This Issue Area Contests / Page 17 Article: The First Step by Malik M President’s Desk / Page 1 Omair / Page 18 District Trio’s Address / Page 2 Emerging Members / Page 20 Article: The Road To Success by Ahmed Gamification / Page 22 Sajjad Zaidi / Page 3 Cub Information and Newsletter Performance Review / Page 5 Team / Page 23 Meet the Executive Committee / Page 8 Article: Sevant Leadership by Mohsin Lodhi / Page 10 Events / Page 12 Contests / Page 15 We meet every Saturday 4:30 to 6:30 PM @Cowork 24 ,2nd Floor, Pak Plaza, PWD and Via Zoom App. Membership Link: http://bit.ly/rtc-membership. VP Membership: Hassan Akram 0301-3443013 Social Media: https://facebook.com/rawalpinditoastmastersclub .

President’s Desk by TM Akash Kumar RTC Club President Dear Fellow Toastmasters and Readers, “With great power comes great responsibility,” said Voltaire or Spiderman. It is a great pleasure, privilege and indeed a great responsibility to serve as the President of Rawalpindi’s first and only Toastmasters Club. I would like to welcome all the readers to the first edition of Rawalpindi Toastmasters Club’s Newsletter! Through this newsletter, we share with you the highlights of all the events that have occurred over the past few months, the growth of our members and our club, insightful articles and so much more. Let me first introduce you to the very soul of our club. The charter members of the club came together as a group, with the sole mission to provide an environment where holistic, and positive learning can take place. It is a realm where each member is mutually supportive of each other. We are committed to provide all members and guests opportunities to develop communication and leadership skills, which in turn fosters self-confidence and personal growth. Our journey began in March 2018. Between then and now, we have had nearly 112 club meetings. Like any budding club, we also went through our ups and downs. We have been ably supported by our mentors —TM Itrat Kazmi,TM Qamar Sheraz,TM Ahmed Sajjad and DTM Omair Malik. Due to the joint vision and ambition of these leaders, Rawalpindi Toastmasters Club has done well. Today, as the President of the Rawalpindi Toastmasters Club when I write this Presidential note, I feel so proud to say that Rawalpindi Toastmasters Club has been standing out not just in our Area or Division but in the entire District. We’ve a wonderful combination of enthusiastic newbies and experienced seniors who together make every meeting unique and special in its own way. As a community club which has been running strong since last 3 years, we've people from di erent walks of life contributing towards the growth and development of individuals and the club in their own way. And, so as the days roll on, I wish that Rawalpindi Toastmasters Club keeps providing a platform to engender leadership, fine-tune our word’s worth, foster a sense of friendship amongst its members and most importantly, help every single individual to grow and become a better version of him or her. Happy Reading! Speaking & Leading from the Front! Regards, TM Akash Kumar President Rawalpindi Toastmasters Club. Page 01 RTC Rhetoric Newsletter

District Trio Address DTM Zunair Zafar District Director | District 122 CFO | LUMS (Lahore University of Management Sciences) Rawalpindi Toastmasters club has seen higher highs and lower lows than many other clubs of Pakistan in its short span of 2 years, which means that the learning opportunities its members have received are unique. Not only was the club able to bounce back but has been ranked at the highest club category of President’s Distinguished Club throughout this time which is a testament of the hard work and dedication of its members and leaders. Today it is one of the stron- gest clubs providing exciting learning and development opportuni- ties to its members and is a pride of District 122 Pakistan Territorial Council. I look forward to listening to master speakers and serving with the inspirational leader this club is producing and would like to wish the best of luck to its current and future membership. DTM Talha Bin Hamid Program Quality Director | District 122 Head of Internal Audit | The Citizen Foundation Hello Team RTC. What a year it has been for all of us. For our District this year has been a whirlwind of challenges and triumphs. It delights me to see that RTC has not only bounced back but is at the forefront in terms of performance in Distrct 122TC with a host of innovative ideas. There is no greater honor for a District leader to see their guid- ances implemented and, in fact, taken forward like President Akash has. Toastmasters not only makes us better communicators and leaders, but better managers, artists, painters, writers...and above all, better human beings. I wish RTC all the success in future and thank its leaders for their selfless service. Page 02 DTM Malik M Omair Club Growth Director | District 122 Senior Manager | A.F. Ferguson & Co RTC has a very special place in my heart. Being club coach and being part of the club’s revival journey is something that I will always cher- ish for the rest of my life. RTC is definitely a strong case study of what hard work, persistence and synergy can achieve. It has been an amazing year for RTC, the beautiful transition from Toastmaster (TM) Ahmed to TM Akash as president and the amazing way in which TM Akash has brought together the executive committee and syner- gized the e orts to make the meetings fun, engaging and inspiring at the same time is something truly remarkable and speaks of vol- umes about the e orts being put in. It was heartening to see RTC winning positions at Area level and listening to the inspiring speech- es, insightful evaluations and imaginative tall tales of the RTC Con- testants. Keep up the amazing and inspiring work. I look forward to seeing you thrive even more and continuing to raise the bar of excel- lence higher and higher. RTC Rhetoric Newsletter

The District 122TC Public Relations Manager Road Immediate Past President RTC To Success by Ahmed Sajjad Zaidi This article was published in National Herald Tribune on July 2, 2020 “You never fail until you stop trying” - Albert Einstein The journey of Rawalpindi Toastmasters Club has been a roller coaster of a ride, undoubtedly both interesting, and rewarding. The city of over 2 million that lends the club its name, hosted its first Toastmasters meeting in March 2018. With the aim of improving public speaking, communication, and leadership skills, Toastmasters is a global organization that has helped countless individuals overcome their fear of public speaking, and transform into great leaders. Under the leadership of founding president Itrat Kazmi, the mentorship of Qamar Sheraz, and the support of many seasoned Toastmasters, the Rawalpindi chapter was o to a roaring start. It was soon chartered, with many newcomers joining its ranks, and this momentum sustained for over a year. During this time, it faced a myriad of challenges, especially with regards to finding suitable meeting venues. However, the club leadership maneuvered through these, and kept the club going. Once the mantle passed to a new executive committee, things started to deteriorate. Many experienced members had moved on, and without seasoned Toastmasters and an inadequate venue, the meetings began to su er. Membership dwindled to a mere handful. 2018: RTC Full House introductory session held in March 2019: RTC Membership dwindled to a mere handful. More than once, we were turned away from the meeting venue at the very last minute, and had to make alternate arrangements. One particular meeting that had attracted a large number of guests, was held in a dimly lit, still under construction classroom. After the meeting ended, we were shocked to learn that the gate was locked, trapping all of us inside. We were only able to leave after a kind guest managed to climb over it and bring help. Without minimum membership numbers, the club was becoming unsustainable and the end seemed imminent. Then Area Director, DTM Omair Malik, came onboard as the club coach, and mine were the shoulders to bear the mantle of leader. While I may not have been fully ready for such an important role, having witnessed the club’s incredible start, powered by the dedication of an amazing team, I could not see it end like this. We took it as a challenge to give our sincerest e orts, and soldier on for a little longer, a few more months at least. Those were challenging times for everyone. Although we now had an amazing new venue, the turnout was still abysmally low. It often boiled down to three or four of us managing meetings, and struggling between multiple roles. One major change we made was to move Page 03 RTC Rhetoric Newsletter

contd. The Road To Success the meetings from bi-monthly to weekly. While this doubled the commitment required from the executive committee, it was also the most fruitful decision we made. Regular weekly meetings, aided by a strong social media presence, gradually increased attendance. We were soon blessed with a stream of talented, and dedicated members, each of whom enriched the club in new ways. Eventually, we filled the vacant posts in the executive committee, and were even rewarded with committed co-o cers. 2020: Regular meetings with Social Media presence increased attendance 2020: First ever Speech evaluation contest of RTC As of today, Rawalpindi Toastmasters club is a powerhouse that made its mark in the area, division, and district levels. In the wake of the current pandemic, it was among the first clubs in the world to hold meetings online and incorporate new roles such as chat master, and quiz master. Furthermore, it maintained a 93% member retention rate, achieved the President’s Distinguished Club award, and took the Silver Ovation Education award. Our members secured 1st and 2nd runner up positions in Area Level Evaluation and Table Topics contests, respectively and on 12th June 2020, the club hosted a groundbreaking joint Toastmasters session with KCA Toastmasters Club, Bahrain, and Coimbatore Toastmasters Club, India. Our adoption rate of the Pathways education program is at 100%, and we have introduced a reward system for our members that will completely transform their learning experience. Building on these achievements are so many devoted and energetic members who have shown tremendous growth, and have stepped up to be part of the newly elected executive committee. I must thank every single member of the club for never giving up, putting forth their best, and bringing the club the recognition that it deserves. A very special thanks to Toastmasters Akash Kumar, Jayaa Jaggi, and Humayun Kiani for sticking with the club in its most di cult times. I wish all the best to Toastmaster Akash, the incoming president. We defeated failure because we never stopped trying, and it was due to this resilience that the future of the club looks very bright indeed. To a glorious and enduring future. 2021: As of today, RTC is a powerhouse that made its mark in the area, 2021: RTC with technological advancement running successful division, and district levels hybrid meeting setup Page 04 RTC Rhetoric Newsletter

Performance Review by Saral Gillani Shah To build something from scratch requires e ort, hard work, smart work, passion and dedication, you mix all there and the end product is beautiful and amazing. This is how we built RTC in almost three years. There were times when sustaining this club seemed impossible, but with the constant e orts and determination of our members and executive committee, the club got on to its road of success to stand as President’s Distinguished Club within 6 months of its new tenure! Year 2020 proved out to be a transformational one for RTC. To start o , the virtual meetings came as a blessing in disguise. RTC was able to make its mark of quality and service, world-wide. It held an outstanding and successful joint session with KTC AND CLOUD 122 on 14TH AUGUST 2020 to celebrate independence after which there was no looking back and RTC held more international joint sessions including one with PACT(Bahrain) on 5th September 2020. RTC’s next milestone was it’s remarkable first ever SPEAKATHON on 22nd August 2020, which brought together the whole country as promising speakers from all cities contributed in making this event a huge success. So, RTC made its place as one of the top clubs in the country as it had proved its worth in standard, professionalism, dedication and organization. RTC is a club that takes care of its members in all aspects, be it their educational goals, their meeting roles or their appointment and training as Executive Members. All these e orts came together to finally declare RTC as a Distinguished Club on 27th of August 2020 by achieving 5 DCP goals and since these incessant e orts and hard work continued, by 5th September 2020, RTC had achieved 100% pathways adoption rate and 7 DCP goals. 10 13 33 DCP GOALS NEW MEMBERS PRESIDENT DISTINGUISHED EDUCATION 100% CLUB 80% AWARDS 5 PATHWAY ADOPTION 1 MEMBERSHIP 3 EDUCATION RATE OF ACTIVE/PAID SESSIONS OPEN RETENTION JOINT MEMBERSHIP HOUSE SESSIONS RTC PERFOMANCE RATE REVIEW RTC goes beyond just toastmasters when it comes to grooming and educating its members. With new year and new executive committee, RTC took the initiative of education sessions to widen the horizons of its members. The first fruitful session was held by TM Rabia Khan on PATHWAYS followed by another amazing session held by TM Qamar Sheraz on MENTORSHIP and lastly a highly informative session held by Mr. Mohsin Lodhi regarding Brushing Up the Interview Skills. Page 05 RTC Rhetoric Newsletter

contd. Perfomance Review Another jewel in RTC’s crown is its incredible Open House Session that was held on 7th November 2020. This event was the product of the vision of our worthy President TM Akash to take RTC on another level of success and glory. The event spoke for itself as the guests and speakers had an amazing and productive day. As a result of Open House, RTC found 10 new talented members. Extremely Satisfied Very Satisfied Moderately Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Not Satisfied 100% 80% 68.18% 77.27% 59.09% 60% 40% 81.82% 31.82% 86.36% 77.27% 9.09% Organized 90.91% Meetings 20% 27.27% 4.55% 18.18% 22.73% 9.09% 22.73% Welcoming 4.55% Friendly/ Positive/ 9.09% Relaxed Supportive Supportive Atmosphere Club Opportunities Creative to Table Topics Leaders Participate Club Quality Report from RTC Members Interest Survey - Graph A It was soon after the Open House that the word spread even more and RTC’s triumph was celebrated thoroughly and it became a renowned club only to achieve its position as a President’s Distinguished Club on 25th November 2020. RTC also believes in reward system and maintenance of each member. Gamification system and SMART TM are both technological initiatives that keep participation record and summary of each member for each month and result in badges being awarded accordingly. Extremely Satisfied Very Satisfied Moderately Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Not Satisfied 100% 80% 45.45% 50.00% 60% 59.09% 59.09% 59.09% 59.09% 68.18% 68.18% 40% 22.73% 45.45% 9.09% 40.91% 20% 18.18% 4.55% 27.27% 4.55% 40.91% 4.55% 27.27% 27.27% 40.91% 4.55% 4.55% 4.55% 4.55% Varied E ective Provide Networking Promotion and Fun New Member Club &Member Evaluations of Club in Meetings Professional Environment Community Members Achievements Achievements Development Recognized Recognized Publicized Club Quality Report from RTC Members Interest Survey - Graph B Page 06 RTC Rhetoric Newsletter

contd. Performance Review Another technological initiative taken by RTC is successful implementation of hybrid set up in order to facilitate its members to join in person or online. After making the best of Year 2020, RTC squad marched arm in arm to win over the year 2021. We kicked o with a mega Triple-Celebration where we rejoiced for our 100th meeting, our Charter Anniversary and New Year celebration on 2nd Jan, 2021. District Director 122, DTM Zunair Zafar graced this occasion with his insightful education session on Flip side of Leadership. SMART GAMIFICATION CLUB MEMBERS DOCUMENTS INTEREST TOASTMASTERS REWARD MANAGEMENT SURVEY APP SYSTEM SYSTEM Club Initiatives Next up, with a successful collaboration between RTC and ITC, the twin cities witnessed an extraordinary first ever joint session of the two clubs on 16th Feb, 2021. This being just the beginning, RTC once again proved to have kept its legacy and held another Educational Session on Speech Craft by TM Abrar Wani on 20th March, 2021. This was followed by our first ever Open-Air Meeting, on 27th March, 2021 because RTC never compromises on the health and safety of its members. With consistency and commitment, together we at RTC received many educational achievements in the first quarter of year 2021. To start o , we reached 10 DPC goals and maintained 100% Pathway adoption rate of Active and Paid Members. Next we scored 33 Education Awards and lastly with renewals around the corner, we held 80% Members Retention Rate. RTC’s President, its Executive Committee and worthy members are working diligently to maintain such honor and hence have taken new initiatives of introducing Members Interest Survey and Club Documents Management System to have a better insight into the learning requirements. We are eager to achieve much more and bring pride to Area 9, Division A, District 122. 67.7% 26.3% 5.5% Very Extremely Satisfied Moderately Satisfied Satisfied 0.9% 0.3% Not Slightly Satisfied Satisfied RTC Members Interest Survey Results (22 out of 26 members participated in March 2021) Page 07 RTC Rhetoric Newsletter

Meet The Executive Committee Akash Kumar Club President I am Chief Executive O cer of Club and I am responsible for the overall success of the club. I assist and guide other o cers with their roles and provide servant leadership to members. I Hold regular Executive meetings and represent the Club at Area, Division and District meetings. I am proud of developing new leaders and creating family like culture and team spirit. Daniyal Ahmad Vice President Education I support the educational goals of members and make sure they are acknowledged at the club I distribute the roles of the meeting fairly and prepare the meeting agenda I assist members in progressing in their pathway projects and levels I assign mentors to each member to help them in their jour- ney of Toastmasters Hassan Akram Vice President Membership I introduce new members to the club and guide them on the importance of Toastmasters I provide good members to the club and maintain the cer- tain number of members I formally invite guests to the meeting and brief them on the advantages of the club I follow up with guest and leads and persuade them to join the club Page 08 RTC Rhetoric Newsletter

contd. Meet The EC Aatif Naeem Vice President Public Relations I enhance club relations and exposure in our community I enhance online presence of club on social media and other platforms I create pre-meeting and post-meeting content to publicize events and improve participation I create appreciation content for member’s and club reach- ing personal and collective milestones Saral Gillani Club Secretary I ensure that meeting minutes are duly taken and make cre- ative and custom meeting minutes I am responsible for club records and correspondence I punctually maintain club roster and seek learning experi- ence amongst dynamic people I vigilantly assist the Club President and am available to support any member Humayun Kiyani Club Treasurer I ensure the club is in good standing with Toastmasters In- ternational I maintain financial records of the club I motivate members for renewals and collect member join- ing and renewal fees I plan our quarterly budget and manage expense on behalf of the club Rabbiya Tariq Seargant At Arms I am always on time and start the meeting with a smile I arrange delicious refreshments for our meetings I keep record of member attendance and member gamifi- cation points I am proud of improving my self-esteem by active partici- pation in the proceedings Page 09 RTC Rhetoric Newsletter

Servant Leadership by Mohsin Lodhi Enterprise Trainer Executive Development Coach I learned servant leadership while serving as a President of the Islamabad Toastmasters Club from 2010-2011. It can seem like a contradicting term, but it is becoming a prevalent tool in many organizations- profit or non-profit. Servant leadership is a philosophy that involves focusing on others (i.e., your club members). It focuses on their success and builds better professional relationships that can benefit both the leader and the members. Servant leadership shows that leaders can be great leaders while boosting their members' confidence and further their success at the same time. \"When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.\" Jack Welch Servant leadership is a leadership philosophy that emphasizes the leader's actions, such as a president or vice president or treasure, focusing on their members' growth and development and ensuring their success. In doing so, the leader succeeds when the members do. In a learning team, servant leadership cannot only help members achieve and grow, but it can also benefit their leaders and the organization as a whole. Servant leadership comprises the following steps: A Desire to Serve It is a leader's responsibility to guide his or her members on the right path. But to become a better leader, it's not enough to take the wheel and steer – you must also be willing to serve your members and assist them in their journey. A servant leader should have a desire to help their members, including taking the time to identify your executives and how they perform or being beside them as they face challenges. Take the time to assist in their growth and help them work toward achieving their goals. Don't be afraid to give yourself into their growth pathways and become part of their evolution. Brainstorming at RTC Second Executive Committee Meeting RTC Leadership receiving recognition awards for selfless service Knowing to Share the Power As a leader, it is common to absorb the 'power' of the position and a sense of superiority. A servant leader does not save this power only for themselves because they learn to share it with their executive' team. Under a servant leader, executives should feel some of the servant leader's authority and pull, making them feel more empowered in their place on the team and their abilities. Sharing passion allows executives to feel like their contributions matter and that their input is valued. Page 10 RTC Rhetoric Newsletter

contd. Servant Leadership Share the power by: • Delegating Guest Kits for facilitating • Asking executives opinions RTC Guests • Working together on challenges or projects • Taking a census, when possible Putting Others First One of the main principles of servant leadership is the act of putting other's needs ahead of your own. As leaders, we can sometimes think in the 'ME' mentality and focus on our schedule and needs. But in servant leadership, the leader must focus on his team of members first before concentrating on themselves. The leader should focus on what the members need or want, how they can achieve this, and how it will make them successful in the long run. A leader should strive to develop relationships and even friendships with their members and deliver feedback when possible. They must set their ego aside and realize that no one can be successful without their team of executives. “A good leader knows “ that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and so everyone benefits when every member is encouraged, mentored, and motivated. Area 9 Director Annas Mansoor and Club President Akash Kumar in a meeting Helping Members Grow Once again, we can focus on our own goals, responsibilities, and even our challenges as a leader. But as a servant leader, the member's needs should come first, and the main goal should be to help them succeed and grow in the club. A good leader knows that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, so everyone benefits when every member is encouraged, mentored, and motivated. Sometimes this may mean you'll have to share successes and failures, but every goal set and worked together is another stepping stone for the member and helps them work toward their ultimate target. Help members grow by: • Encouraging their goals • Giving feedback when possible • Listening to their questions and requests • O ering help but avoid completing things for them Page 11 Trophy for Member Encouragement RTC RhetoricNewsletter

Events Importance of a Mentor by Qamar Sheraz 10th October 2020 An amazing educational session was held by keynote speaker TM Qamar Sheraz, a TEDx speaker, corporate trainer and former President of the Islamabad Toastmasters Club. TM Qamar Sheraz shed light on the importance of mentors in his journey towards professional public speaking and how the influence of im- pactful mentors helped him attain the success he has achieved. Toastmasters Open House with Maureen Zappala 7th November 2020 Guests from every walk of life were invited to enjoy RTC’s Open House session. We were excited to have Ms Maureen Zappala on board from Toastmasters USA, as the keynote speaker for the evening. Ms Zappala is an award-winning speaker, author and presentation coach and a former NASA propulsion engineer. She has founded the High Altitude Strategies or- ganization to help propel teams to peak perfor- mance. Ms Maureen delivered an insightful ses- sion on overcoming the debilitating “Imposter Syndrome” and answered important questions from the audience on developing self-confi- dence and overcoming personal fears. Page 12 RTC Rhetoric Newsletter

contd. Events Brush Up on Your Interview Skills by Mr. Mohsin Lodhi 5th December 2020 This event was organized to help club members and guests learn the art and craft of acing their job interviews. The session was conducted by renowned indus- try leader, TM Mohsin Lodhi, who is an Enterprise Trainer and Executive Development Coach. The event also commemorated RTC’s achievement in being recognized as a President Distinguished Club, having achieved 9 DCP goals. RTC Triple Celebrations 2nd January 2021 Celebrating our 100th club meeting was a mo- mentous milestone for RTC members. Moreover, the club celebrated its 2nd Anniversary of foun- dation, as well as New Year’s Day at the same event. We were honoured by the presence of many dear guests from other Toastmasters clubs in- cluding Islamabad Toastmasters and Kuwait Toastmasters Clubs. VP Education Daniyal Ahmad held a unique Table Topics session where participants had to save the RTC President from an alien abduction! District Director DTM Zunair Zafar graced the occasion online and shared a very informative analysis on “The Flip Side of Leadership”. Page 13 RTC Rhetoric Newsletter

contd. Events Twin Cities Joint Toastmasters Meeting 16th Februrary 2021 A long-awaited joint meeting of Rawalpindi Toastmasters and Islamabad Toastmasters was held for the very first time at the ITC venue, each club representing the Twin Cities. RTC’s found- ing members from Islamabad Toastmasters, in- cluding TM Ahmed Sajjad and TM Qamar Sheraz, were also in attendance. The meeting was held amidst an ambience of warm hospitality by the host club, filled with in- spiring speeches and exciting learning opportu- nities. The memorable evening concluded with young RTC members winning coveted meeting awards: Sergeant-at-Arms TM Rabbiya Tariq won the Big Three award while TM Mehr Tanvir won the best Table Topics speaker and Speech Evaluator awards. Speakathon Two 13h March 2021 The second Speakathon generated much antici- pation, delight and interest among the mem- bers, where seven talented and enthusiastic speakers went head-to-head in a Prepared Speech contest to be evaluated by experienced Toastmasters. After a hard-fought battle, TM Daniyal Ahmad emerged as the undisputed winner. His speech took us all on an emotional journey peppered with humor and relatable life lessons to win over everyone in the audience. The contest was mas- terfully conducted by TOE TM Saral Gillani. TM Abrar Ahmed Wani and TM Rana Bilal from ITC also graced the occasion. Page 14 RTC Rhetoric Newsletter

Contests Table Topics Contest Contest to respond to an impromptu question or topic with a well organized engaging response. 29th November 2020 Contest Chair: TM Rabbiya Tariq | Chief Judge : DTM Ali Amjad 1st 2nd 3rd Mehr Tanvir Aatif Naeem Saral Gillani “Once you become a toastmas- “I remember I went out of the “Toastmasters is very special to ter you actually like to talk, it room during table topics, I was me… It has been very exciting was great… I loved sharing my that scared, but now I look for- understanding of beauty and I ward to participating in table and a good learning experience loved the topic.” and it feels like a second home topics.” to me now.” Evaluation Contest Contest to analyze and evaluate a speech and give a con- structive and motivational feedback to the speaker. 29th November 2020 Contest Chair: TM Rabbiya Tariq | Test Speaker: Wardah Imtiaz | Chief Judge : DTM Ali Amjad 1st 2nd 3rd Mehr Tanvir Aatif Naeem Saral Gillani “Such a valid topic especially in “Emotions make us feel alive “Thank you for bringing such a these days of this pandemic and that speech surely made topic to the table, A topic that me feel alive... Thank you for where several of us are... deal- is so grave but is rarely dis- ing with di cult emotions” adding value to my life” cussed.” Page 15 RTC Rhetoric Newsletter

contd. Contests Tall Tales Contest Contestants let their imagination run wild, by taking their audience through exaggerated, and mind-blowing super- 13th December 2020 natural stories. Contest Chair: TM Saral Gillani | Chief Judge : DTM Atif Irfan 1st 2nd 3rd Hassan Akram Salman Hussain Aatif Naeem “It was a great experience…. I “Imagination is one of the most “The first contest it took me decided to share my journey to powerful weapons, someone two weeks to come up with an the moon and I am still talking with it is the luckiest person in idea… but this time it took me the world!” half a day. So my creativity has to you from the moon!” improved vastly!” International Speech A Toastmasters tradition where the best of the best Contest 26th December 2020 speakers give an enthralling and inspiring prepared speech. Contest Chair: TM Hassan Akram | Chief Judge : DTM Samir Hamid Dhodhy 1st 2nd 3rd Daniyal Ahmad Akash Kumar Saral Gillani “I was very scared at the start… “Winning and losing is some- “It is always exciting and inter- but my morale and spirit came thing else, but, make a choice esting… I used to rush into my back. It was an amazing con- to take a chance perhaps that content, but now I take more pauses and actually be on stage test. I Loved It!” will change your life! ” and take my time.” Page 16 RTC Rhetoric Newsletter

Area Contests Table Topics Contest Contest to respond to an impromptu question or topic with a well organized engaging response. 31st January 2021 Contest Chair: TM Saral Gillani | Chief Judge : DTM Atif Irfan 3rd Mehr Tanvir Our member placed second runner up in AREA 9 TABLE TOPICS CONTEST 2021, after giving a spellbinding impromptu speech. “The Friday practice session made all the di erence in helping me find my style before my first ever experience in a Table Topics Area contest. And the result? Relief, at making a decent contribution for my Club! Then, joy and gratitude to have come so far… euphoria, standing with champions.” Evaluation Contest Contest to analyze and evaluate a speech and give a con- structive and motivational feedback to the speaker. 28th February 2021 Contest Chair: DTM Malik M Omair | Chief Judge : DTM Atif Irfan 2nd Mehr Tanvir Our member placed first runner up in AREA 9 EVALUATION CON- TEST 2021, after giving a deeply analytical evaluation speech. “In the past year since I have joined Toastmasters International, I have become a better coach for my students. I have become more positive and more aware of how I am giving feedback. Am I being blunt? Am I being personal? Am I being objective? And I believe the evaluations I have received have personally helped me a lot.” Page 17 RTC Rhetoric Newsletter

The First Step by Malik M Omair Distinguished Toastmaster District 122 TC Club Growth Director Have you ever screamed when you saw a lizard? No, perhaps, you are afraid of spiders. No, heights may be? No. There is this one thing, which I am sure, all of us are afraid of and that is public speaking. It is always easy to imagine that there are Natural Born Public Speakers, those who can, and then there are people like us, who think “Public Speaking?” No Way!!! May be if you removed the ‘Public’ from public speaking but otherwise…. not a snowballs chance in hell man!!! However, deep within our hearts, all of us aspire to be wonderful communicators and speakers. I know of a boy who lived in a far way land and dreamt of being a wonderful public speaker. Opportunity came knocking to his door when he was in 5th grade. His school organized a speech contest. He jotted down speech and started practicing. His palms would get sweaty and knees wobbly even during practice, however, his belief did not waiver even for a single second. He kept practicing, kept preparing and kept believing in himself till the BIG day. As his name was called, his palms started getting sweaty, his knees wobbly, he felt like he had forgotten his entire speech, yet he walked onto the stage and took his place behind the podium. Sweat dripping from his forehead, he looked towards the audience and spotted a group of his friends sitting on his right, his friends making funny faces. Nervously, he took a sharp breath in and looked towards his left and made eye contact with another group of his friends who started whistling. He fumbled to look for the paper with his speech, but it was not there. As he tried to recall the speech, his mind went completely blank, and in all that jeering, hooting and whistling of entire crowd, he walked o stage embarrassed, shocked and lost. A young guest taking his first step in public speaking at RTC Future Toastmasters enjoying their Table Topics prize Can you imagine the agony, the pain and the shame he must have felt? It was years later that a chance encounter led that boy to a room half full with people. People walked on stage, talked about something and then left the stage. Some went completely blank on stage, some went blank mid-way through their speech, but not a single one in the audience jeered, hooted or whistled at them, rather every single one in the audience encouraged them, clapped for them and made them speak their heart out on stage. The boy fell in love with that and immediately decided to become a part of that. Page 18 RTC Rhetoric Newsletter

contd. The First Step Once again, he wrote down a speech, started practicing the speech, his palms would still get sweaty, his knees wobbly and flashes of that incident kept coming back, yet he persisted, preserved and practiced. Finally on the big day, he walked into that room, the room 3 quarter full, people talking to one another. The boy started feeling nervous, started sweating and the memories of that emotional scar started haunting him again, what if I make a fool of myself again, what if I forget everything again and his whole body started shaking. He felt like he had forgotten his entire speech, same scenes started running through his mind. His name was called, half-heartedly he walked towards the stage, as he stepped on the stage and faced the audience, nervous and fearful, he made eye contact with a friend, and smiled a nervous smile, expecting to see a mocking face of that friend but what he saw was a radiant smile, an assuring smile, a small nod that yes, I believe in you, yes you can do it and the boy started with a shaky voice and by the end of his speech, everyone was on their feet, lauding him for taking his first step towards overcoming his fear of public speaking and becoming a wonderful speaker. That was back in 2015. He was able to slowly heal that scar, that wound, that nightmare he encountered in his 5th grade, all thanks to Toastmasters club, the wonderful mentor, the understanding audience he had there. And today that boy is serving as the Club Growth Director of District 122TC and has not only himself won many contests, but has mentored contestants who have gone on to win at the National Level. ‘Take that 5th grade friends! Look who is a public speaker now’. RTC fun moments in a meeting 2021 RTC Open Air Meeting in March 2021 I strongly believe that we can be speakers or we can level up and be word wizards! With our speech, we can cast a spell and leave the audience bewitched! However, if our spell is devoid of any organization, purpose, vocal variety, body language, the audience will not be bewitched and they may end up throwing rotten tomatoes and eggs at you! So as a magician, you may be trying to sell your magic and your ideas or business proposals to the prospective investors, or you may be aspiring to become a motivational speaker. So, what do you need to do to ensure that you are an astonishing magician, an astounding wizard and an amazing sorcerer and can successfully sell your magic, cast your spells and leave the audience bewitched? All you have to do is to a step, walk into a toastmasters club, fill in the form and become a member and see your magical transformation right in front of your eyes. So, when are you coming to join our club? Remember, one smile can start a friendship, one word can end a fight and one step if taken in the right direction can change your life. I took my first step 6 years back, are you ready to take your first step? Page 19 RTC Rhetoric Newsletter

Emerging Members TM Ambrina Qayyum TM Ambrina is an amazingly eloquent speaker who accomplished the unprecedented feat of winning three consecutive table topic sessions. She recently completed her Level 1 of Strategic Relation- ships with a spectacularly thought provoking speech on Feminism. “. I'm Ambrina and I teach Business Communication to students of Management Sciences at Na- tional University of Modern Languages. I've been a speaker since my school days. Then teach- ing itself is mostly public speaking. Besides I've also taught speaking skills and part of it is public speaking. Despite excessive exposure to public speaking I've never found any forum as e ective for learning and practising as Rawalpindi Toastmasters Club. I joined it in November 2020. Since then I've regularly attended its meetings which I find extremely productive. I highly recommend it for all those who want to become e ective speakers. Page 03 ”RTC Newsletter 2021 TM Mubashar Nasir A passionate speaker who runs his own Travel Agency, TM Mubashar completed Level 1 of Presentation Mastery with a series of powerful and passionate speeches. He aims to be an amazing motivational speaker. “I attended the first session as a guest at Rawalpindi Toastmasters Club and realized that there is a lot of skills, technique and qualities which I need to improve and so on the same day I de- cided to became a member of RTC. I have been searching for such a platform for a long while. This club has given me so much. It has improved my confidence. I have learned a lot from my mentor and from others members. I am looking forward to improving further as a motivation- al public speaker. ” TM Rashid Nazir A spectacular storyteller with a gift to both inspire and amuse, TM Rashid, Deputy Director @International Mail O ce Islamabad, has a message of empowerment and enlightenment for the world which he plans to voice by becoming a proficient public speaker. “. My journey in RTC has been amazing, as we learn there by doing. Not only i have been improv- ing my public speaking, leadership and communication skills but also building my confidence. The cooperation, encouragement and support of the club members and the executives is ex- emplary. I would emphatically encourage people to join this club to develop their personali- ties. ” Page 20 RTC Rhetoric Newsletter

contd. Emerging Members TM Sohaib Ather A Radio Engineer at Jazz, TM Sohaib Ather is an astonishingly quick learner who has improved leaps and bounds in his journey. He has complete his Level 1 of Presentation Mastery by giving persua- sively insightful speeches. “. I was constantly looking for public speaking platform during my Engineering & got to know about Toastmaster from friend of mine but couldn’t join due to boarding institute during my Bachelors. As I graduated & COVID Peak over, I visited Toastmaster club as a guest & wit- nessed its positive environment but challenging. Without second thought I decided to become member of it & I would say it has been the best decision of year 2020 for me. The most exciting module of Toastmaster is Impromptu speaking which pushes you to leave your comfort zone in positive way & ultimately enables you to get excel at personal & professional life. ” TM Omar Hussain Although a nervous speaker, TM Omar, Director of Operations @Ka- rachi Steel, has always showed tremendous courage in putting him- self out there in order to conquer his fear. His first toastmasters speech was as a participant in a Tall Tales contest and his second was at RTC’s 100th meeting celebration. His content has always been an inspiration to the audience as he himself aims to overcome his fear of public speaking. “I have always been nervous about public speaking. While looking for a platform to improve my skills luckily I found Rawalpindi Toast Masters Club. Within few months of joining I have gained confidence in speaking in front of audience through di erent roles assigned to me during club meetings. Everyone at our club inspires and encourages each other to enhance our public speaking & leadership skills in a fun and friendly environment. Though I have just given couple of speeches yet the level of confidence i have gained has improved my interper- sonal skills to the great extent. One of the best decisions i have made for myself. ” Page 21 RTC Rhetoric Newsletter

Gamification In Rawalpindi Toastmasters Club we believe in making leaders with not only incessant practice and mentoring but also through a reward system that we proudly call GAMIFICATION. It is based on the idea that learning becomes easier and e ective when it comes with fun and games. This idea was first proposed by TM Ahmed Sajjad when he was the president of RTC in 2019. He suggested making meeting roles more interesting by introducing scores and titles that members can earn and thus promote healthy competition. TM Saral Gillani, our Club Secretary, under the guidance of President TM Akash Kumar began formally working on this idea in March 2020. A lot of brain storming and constant revision finally produced a well-planned and e cient system of Gamification. The foundation of Gamification lies in the set scores assigned to each meeting role and a special badge assigned to any activity that a toastmaster can do. Be it the role of timer or representing your club in another club. No e ort of any toastmaster goes unrecognized or unrewarded. Hence, every month badges are awarded to toastmasters to acknowledge their participation and performance and every 6 months, based on cumulative results, members are gifted with renewal discounts. To bring this thorough and detailed system together and running our Sergeant at Arms TM Rabbiya works relentlessly and maintains all records of performance of each member. LEADERBOARD (Dec 2020 - March 2021): 01. TM Aatif Naeem 212 Points 02. TM Daniyal Ahmad 198 Points 03. TM Hassan Akram 175 Points 04. TM Rabbiya Tariq 167 Points 04. TM Saral Gillani 167 Points 05. TM Akash Kumar 159 Points 06. TM Salman Hussain 154 Points 07. TM Annas Mansoor 124 Points 08. TM Hamza Shahid 114 Points 09. TM Rashid Nazir 109 Points 10. TM Humayun Kiyani 104 Points 11. TM Sohaib Siddiqui 103 Points 12. TM Mehr Tanvir 91 Points 13. TM Rehana Kausar 87 Points 14. TM Malik M Omair 84 Points 15. TM Ambrina Qayyum 78 Points Page 22 RTC Rhetoric Newletter

Club Mission We provide a supportive and positive learning experience in which members are empow- ered to develop communication and leadership skills, resulting in greater self-confidence and personal growth. Meeting Information We meet every Saturday from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM at Cowork 24 ,2nd Floor, Pak Plaza, PWD and Via Zoom App. Registration and Membership If you wish you improve your public speaking and leadership skills, register for RTC here: http://bit.ly/rtc-membership Contact: 0333-5739589 | Akash Kumar| Club President 0301-3443013 | Hassan Akram | VP Membership 0346-1158368 | Aatif Naeem | VP Public Relations Social Media https://facebook.com/rawalpinditoastmastersclub Newsletter Team Oversight: TM Akash Kumar Content: TM Saral Gillani, TM Hassan Akram, TM Rabbiya Tariq Proofreaders: TM Ambrina Qayyum, TM Mehr Tanvir, TM Saral Gillani Design: TM Aatif Naeem Sub-Editor: TM Hamza Shahid Editor: TM Aatif Naeem