Toastmasters' Speech Project # 3 (Get to the Point)

How to Listen and Benefit

How many times have you regretted and said to yourself “If I only had listened a little bit better”?


Dear fellow Toastmasters and Distinguished Guests,

We all have experienced occasions where we felt that situations would have been much better if we had listened better. We would avoid anger, embarrassment or loss of friendship and instead we would gain confidence, respect, friends, and productivity in whatever we are doing, by better listening. Listening is an essential skill we all should acquire and develop. I would like to talk to you about the process of listening, give you some tips on how to be an effective learner, and will highlight some of the benefits of good listening.

Let us look at the Listening process. Listening is a very interactive process and has three major steps.

The first one is Hearing. Hearing means listening enough to catch what the speaker is saying.

The second step is Understanding. This is where you try to understand what you have heard.

And the third and final step is Judging. After you are sure you understand what the speaker has said, think about whether it makes sense.

Now that you have a good understanding about the Listening process, let me share with you some tips that would help you become a better listener.

First thing is that you must give full attention to the speaker. Don’t look out of the window.

Then, make sure your mind is focused. Don’t let it wonder.

Another important thing is to let the speaker finish before start to talk.

Let yourself finish listening before you start to speak. You cannot really listen if you are busy thinking about what you want to say.

Then, Listen for main ideas. Give special attention to phrases that started statements such as "my point is...." or "the thing to remember is ", etc. Usually, important points are followed after such phrases.

Finally, Ask questions. If you are not sure what the speaker has said, ask the speaker. It is a good idea to state your understanding in your own words of what the speaker has said.

Now that you have a good understanding about the Listening Process and are aware of some tips on how to become a good listener, let me highlight some of the major benefits of good listening.

If you are a good listener, you will earn a bond of respect. You will earn a lot of respect from your colleagues, family, etc. because you are a person who listens to them.

Good listening helps you become more productive. As you are giving time to explain problems the speakers themselves come up with solutions to the problems before you start giving your own advices. This will enable you to come up with a solution faster.

When good listening is in practice, both the speaker and listener will have ‘cooler heads’. Focusing on listening helps both speaker and listener to stay cool. This will help solve problems better especially when they are critical or emotionally driven.

Good listeners will also earn confidence from colleagues. A supervisor who listens well will earn self-esteem and self-image and confidence from others.

Finally, good listening helps you get accurate information from speakers. Better listening enables better recollection of important points and less miscommunications.

These are some of the benefits good listening can bring about.
Dear Fellow Toastmasters and Distinguished Guests, let me recap what I have said so far to conclude my speech.

Listening is a very important skill we all should acquire and develop.

Listening is also a very interactive process, which has three major steps; Hearing, Understanding, and Judging.

There are some good practices to follow if you want to become a good listener. They include, paying attention, being focused, allowing speakers to finish before you respond, finish listening before you respond, look fro important points, ask questions, etc.

Finally, the benefits of good listening include, earning respect and confidence, being more productive in problem solving, having cooler heads to solve critical and emotionally driven issues, and getting accurate information and avoiding miscommunications.

I am sure you all are now convinced of the importance and benefits of good listening.
Let me conclude with this saying:

“A wise old owl sat on an oak; the more he saw the less he spoke; the less he spoke the more he heard; why aren't we like that wise old bird?”

Toastmasters' Speech Project # 2 (Organize Your Speech)

Six Ways to Prioritize Your Work


• Who wants to spend more quality time with the family?

• Who wants praise from the boss for a job done on time?


Fellow Toastmasters and Distinguished Guests,

If you want to be able to do all that, you need to know how to Prioritize your work.

Prioritizing your work is an extremely important part of being successful. By organizing your work, you will find it less difficult to finish. Knowing what needs to be done and in what order is the best way to begin your day.

Try making a list each morning of your tasks for the day. There are several ways you can prioritize your tasks. You can try one of the six ways, which I will explain in a while. The way you decide to organize is up to you. If you are unsure which way would work best for you, try one way each day and see which concept you like best.

The six ways to prioritize your work are:

1. Due Date
2. Weight
3. Length
4. Passion
5. Location
6. Ease

Let me explain them one by one.

The First is the Due Date.

The most common way a person can prioritize their work is by due date. When you know when something must be finished, it is easier to find the time to finish it by its due date. Making daily ‘Do Lists’ is a great way to prioritize your work.

If your tasks do not have any concrete due dates, assign them due dates yourself.

Let us now move on to next method or way to prioritize.

The second method to prioritize your work is the Weight of the task.

Tasks that weigh heavy on your mind may fall at the top of your list of prioritizing your work. When you prioritize your work, keep in mind that some things may need to be done first, just to get them off your mind. If you have a task that is weighing heavy on your mind, you may not be able to accomplish much until you complete it. When you prioritize, be sure to put these tasks near the top of your list. By getting them out of the way, you will be able to get everything else done with the least amount of stress.

We have now already discussed two ways to prioritize your work. The third way to prioritize your work is the Length of the task.

This is great for students or workers who must do writing projects. If a task will take a long time, then you probably want to work on it for more than one day. Therefore, put it near the top of the middle of your list each day so that you will have time to work on it each day. If you must get a long project done in one day, consider doing it first. This way you can use your morning energy to get you through the task.

The fourth way to prioritize your work is Passion.

If you are a person who is controlled mostly by the emotions, then consider prioritizing your tasks by passion. This means that you will essentially put the tasks you feel strongest about near the top of your list. If you are excited about a particular task, then you should put it near the top of your daily list. Likewise, if you dislike a task, you may want to get it out of the way first so you can concentrate on the rest of the day when it is finished.

The fifth method is Location of the tasks.

If your daily tasks involve travelling, then it is only right to prioritize your tasks by location. Grouping weekly tasks by location can save you a lot of time and money. If you have a few tasks on the East side of town for one week, do them on the same day. Focus on each area of town, one at a time to get the best results.

The sixth and the final way to prioritize your work is the Ease of the task.

If you like to group your work by degree of difficulty, then you probably want to prioritize your work by ease. This means that you might feel most comfortable doing your easy daily tasks at the beginning of the day to get them out of the way. If you would rather save the easy tasks for the end of the day, then plan to tackle the difficult tasks in the morning, before you are tired from the day.

So fellow Toastmasters, now you know the importance of prioritization of your work and also the six methods for doing it.

You may try out and select any one method to prioritize your work.

Now that you are fully informed, go ahead and prioritise your work to be able to spend more time with your family and or to earn praise from your boss!

Good Luck!

Back to the Toastmaster of the day!

Toastmasters' Speech Project # 1 (Ice Breaker)

The Tale of My Personal Expedition


Dear Mr. Toastmaster of the day, fellow Toastmasters and distinguished guests

It is my pleasure to give you some insight into myself and my family. I hope this will enable you to know me better and thereby establish a mutually beneficial relationship.

I would like to present the tale of my expedition as follows. First, I would like to briefly mention about my family background. I will then talk to you about my childhood and school years. Then I will take you through my university studies followed by the details of my professional career. Finally, I would like to mention some of the qualities and practices I value in my life and also about those who have helped me to become who I am today.

About my family: I come from Sri Lanka and happen to be the only boy among the four children of my parents. I have three sisters. My father was the Headman of the Village, a powerful position at that time as he was in charge of the law and order of entire village. My mother was a house wife. All my sisters are married and settled outside Sri Lanka. About my immediate family, I am married and we have two daughters. The elder daughter is studying for her BSc (Honours) in New Zealand. The younger daughter has just completed her high school and is to join her elder sister in New Zealand next year. My wife is a medical doctor who has worked in Saudi Arabia including the SCECO clinic. At present, she is working in a private hospital in Sri Lanka.

About my childhood: I initially studied in schools around my hometown and then was admitted to a popular government school near Colombo. I spent my remaining school years in this school and when I left, I was the school’s head prefect.

On completion of my high school studies, I received a government scholarship to study Mechanical Engineering in Russia. I earned the degree of Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering with honours. I am still fluent in Russian. After my studies in Russia I moved to England and completed another Master’s in Production Engineering.

After completing studies in Russia and England, I returned to Sri Lanka and started my career as a Production Engineer. I worked for five years in Sri Lanka and joined SCECO in 1982 as a Planning and Scheduling Engineer. I was attached to SCECO-East’s Resource Planning Department. I held various positions in the department including the post of Superintendent of Budgets and Programs Division which was responsible for the Company’s Capital Program. I was also Business Line TQM coordinator directly reporting to the then Vice President, Mr. Tariq Al-Betairi.

I left SCECO in 1997 and joined the Open University of Sri Lanka as a Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering. I subsequently moved to New Zealand to read for my PhD. The PhD thesis was on Instructional Design for Computer-Based Learning.

After completion of my PhD, I rejoined SCECO in October 2005. I am now attached to the Transmission Asset Development Department as a Senior Analyst.

I also actively participated in the Arabian Gulf section of the American Association of Cost Engineers. I became a Certified Cost Engineer in 1985. I was the section president in 1993/94 and represented the section in the Annual Meeting in USA and presented a paper there. I also was in-charge of the certification course for a few years.

I would also like to share with you some of the things I value and practise in my personal and professional life. By no means, I am perfect in these practices or values, but I strive to do my best.

1. I like to associate with people from different countries and to speak at least a few words in their language.
2. I like to be professional in everything I do.
3. I like to be punctual in all my dealings
4. I like to continuously improve my communication skills.
5. I like to write on management and e-Learning topics
6. I like to share my professional knowledge with others and like to groom young professionals.
7. I like to be a life-long learner.

Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to my parents who taught me what is right and what is wrong. I am eternally grateful to them for showing me the path to success.

With this, I hope, you were able to get a glimpse of my personal expedition. I look forward to maintaining a mutually beneficial relationship with you all.

Thank you and good luck!

Mr. Toastmaster of the day

Toastmasters' Speech Project # 4 (How to Say It)

The Pearl of the Indian Ocean


You could see white bubbly waves incessantly lapping in to the sandy white beaches which are fringed with tall palm trees which are bent towards the beautiful sea of contrasting deep blue waters. You will soon be flying over lustrous green vegetation studded with small hamlets and townships before landing in to the paradise island or the pearl of the Indian Ocean.

Dear fellow toastmasters and distinguished guests, welcome to the paradise island, Sri Lanka. Ayubowan.

I would like to take you on a brief tour of this beautiful island of Sri Lanka. I will give you a brief description of Sri Lanka’s historical and cultural background including its current demography and some places of interest that visitors to the island should not miss.

Sri Lanka hangs like a jewel off India's tip, surrounded by the Indian Ocean. Sri Lanka is accordingly known as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. Great Explorer Marco Polo called it "the finest island of its size in all the world." Sri Lanka has been known to explorers since antiquity. Arabic explorers called the island "Serendib." This is the basis for the English word serendipity, an apt term for an island with happy discoveries around every turn.

Sri Lanka has a long recorded history which dates back to more than 2500 years. The recorded history of Sri Lanka is closely associated with the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka from India. During this long history of Sri Lanka, it has been an independent and sovereign state for the majority of the period except for about 450 years when the country was under the rule of western colonizers initially, partially and then as a whole. The Portuguese, Dutch and the British were the colonizers. Sri Lanka was then known as Ceylon. Sri Lanka gained independence from the British in 1948 and subsequently in 1972, the country was declared a Republic and reverted back to the original name Sri Lanka, meaning resplendent land.

Today, Sri Lanka is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural society. The major ethnicities are Singhalese, Tamils and Burghers or Eurasians. The major religions are Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. The major languages spoken are Sinhalese, Tamil and English. Except for the unfortunate situation prevailing in the country at present, all ethnicities and religions have coexisted peacefully for centuries like different flowers in one colorful bouquet.

Let us now move around the country to see its picturesque and breath taking sceneries.

Sri Lanka is surrounded by the beautiful Indian Ocean and action-filled Bay of Bengal. The whole island is surrounded by the beautiful beaches which are one of the world’s finest. Most of the beaches are dotted with palm trees, white sandy strips and deep blue waters. This provides ideal opportunity for a variety water sports including wind surfing and diving.

Kandy, the ancient capital of Sri Lanka is a place that a visitor to Sri Lanka cannot miss. Nested in beautiful mountain ranges, Kandy is home for the most revered temple of Buddhists in Sri Lanka. The climate is very pleasing in Kandy and the city presents a very picturesque and breathtaking sceneries right round it. As you move further in to the hill country towards the famous holiday resort of Nuwara Eliya, you will be presented with beautiful and meticulously maintained tea gardens and cascading waterfalls. In Nuwara Eliya, you will be able touch and feel the most beautiful flowers one can dream of and also enjoy their fragrance which may pleasantly intoxicate you.

This beautiful paradise island in the Indian Ocean is also blessed with beautiful precious stones. There are many types of high value gems found in Sri Lanka. They are used in making jewelry, ornaments, etc and some become just collectors’ items. Gems are exported to many different parts of the world.

Dear Toastmasters, this is only a glimpse of the beautiful island of Sri Lanka. You all are welcome to visit this resplendent land and enjoy the beautiful beaches, sceneries, precious stones, wild life, etc. more importantly the warmth and hospitality offered by its people.

Let peace dawn on our beautiful homeland so both inhabitants and visitors to the island could enjoy a peaceful stay. Long live the Pearl of the Indian Ocean let its luster grow brighter and brighter.