Communication. To succeed in today’s world, the ability to communicate effectively is the key. Whether it’s on a global stage or in the family dining room, those individuals who communicate well get their message across. People must understand your message before they can understand your goals. When situations go awry, the most common explanation for the failure is a “communication breakdown.”
Speech is one of the most effective means of communication. Often the thoughts and words of outstanding orators live on long after the speakers themselves are no more. Abraham Lincoln, Jawaharlal Nehru, Gamal Abdul Nasser and Winston Churchill were all magnificent public speakers, who with their words helped make history. Ronald Reagan, a movie actor, born in a small town in Illinois, served as president of the United States for two terms because of his ability to captivate an audience. This talent earned him the nickname, “The Great Communicator,” and enabled him to become, for eight years, arguably the most powerful man in the world.
Not everyone is gifted with the charisma of Martin Luther King Jr. or John F. Kennedy, but the people at Toastmasters International are devoted to making effective communication a worldwide reality. Through its member clubs, Toastmasters International helps people learn the arts of speaking, listening and thinking — vital skills that promote self-actualization, enhance leadership, foster human understanding and contribute to the betterment of mankind. Toastmasters International is a non-profit organization, which bars its members from communicating during club meetings on politics, religion or any objectionable subject, such as sex or ethnicity.
At Toastmasters, members learn by speaking to groups and working with others in a nurturing manner. A typical Toastmasters club is made up of 20 to 30 people who meet once a week for about an hour. The mission of a Toastmasters club is to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every member has the opportunity to develop communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth.
The first Toastmasters club was established on Oct. 22, 1924, in Santa Ana, California, by Dr. Ralph C. Smedley, who conceived and developed the idea of helping others to speak more effectively. Since that first club was founded, nearly four million people have enjoyed the benefits of Toastmasters membership. The organization now has about 190,000 members active in 9,000 Toastmasters clubs in 70 countries. Last weekend, the Saudi East Area 9 Club hosted the Second Saudi Arabia Toastmasters Annual Division “A” Conference. Nearly 300 Toastmasters from around Saudi Arabia traveled to Dhahran for the conference.
“In Saudi Arabia, Toastmasters clubs are springing up everywhere,” said Nazeer M. Gazaq, conference chairman and the first Saudi national to earn the recognition of Distinguished Toastmaster. “There are now more than 30 clubs across the Kingdom. The fourth Toastmasters club in Jubail, Global Toastmasters Club 3602-79P, will be holding its chartering ceremony tonight. As for corporate clubs in Saudi Arabia, I am pleased to state that Saudi Aramco is in the lead in this area, with six corporate Toastmasters clubs, three in Dhahran and one in each in Abqaiq, Riyadh, and Ras Tanura. These clubs have become part of Saudi Aramco’s self-development campaign and the clubs are thriving.”
The Second Saudi Arabia Toastmasters Annual Division “A” Conference was a great success. Mohamed Yusof Rafie, senior VP, Industrial Relations & Affairs, Saudi Aramco, was the chief guest at the conference. Khaled Al-Maeena, editor in chief, Arab News, was the guest speaker. There were a wide variety of speeches presented by Toastmasters over the two days of the event. The International Speech Contest was perhaps the most important, but without a doubt, the Humorous Speech Contest was the most amusing.
Rufino I. Jacobe Jr., a Filipino based in Riyadh, won the International Speech Contest. Jacobe Jr. is a gifted public speaker who combined his vocal talents with a bit of drama, through the use of a variety of props, to keep the audience engaged and add zest to his performance.
“I was already a training officer, speaking to various organizations, when I joined Toastmasters International,” said Jacobe Jr. “But Toastmasters helped me become a more perceptive listener, and with that, more sensitive to my audience. This has made a great difference whenever I take on the role as speaker. I learned to temper my words, conclude when I’ve made my point, and be more creative and innovative in bringing my message home.”
While Jacobe Jr. enthralled the conference audience, Saudi national Abdallah A. Abandi had them in stitches. During his speech, “Excuse Me Doctor,” hundreds of Toastmasters of many different nationalities sat together in the Dhahran conference hall laughing aloud. Incredibly, minute after minute, the hall reverberated with the sounds of huge, uninhibited belly laughs. Here’s a taste of Abandi’s humor:
“I always wanted to be a doctor but I failed the medical school test with honor. They told me my handwriting was too good to qualify... Let me tell you about the dermatologist who prescribed me a hair growth solution. He said this solution would work wonders for me. I should just apply it once a day to my head and massage vigorously with my fingertips for five minutes. I did exactly that... Amazingly I grew hair... on my fingertips!
“Once, a doctor requested a blood test for me. The technician gave me back the request and said: ‘Here, take it back to your doctor.’ I asked why. The technician said, ‘It’s a pregnancy test.’ I know science has not advanced that far... otherwise women would be so happy!”
Abandi’s speech was good fun but it was also a considerable achievement. English is not Abandi’s first language. To stand before a large international audience and deliver a comedy monologue in English, with perfect timing throughout, is a wondrous example of learned communication skills.
This thought was echoed by Mohamed Yusof Rafie, who pointed out that no one is born a gifted public speaker. People must put a lot of effort into developing the skills required to stand before a group and speak confidently. But this hard work has its rewards.
“Communication skills are extremely important,” explained Rafie. “A person with good communication skills will go further in business and in life.”
Rafie’s observations cannot be dismissed. The vision of Toastmasters International is to empower people to achieve their full potential and realize their dreams. The person with strong communication skills has a clear advantage over tongue-tied colleagues — especially in a competitive job market. In today’s fast-paced technological society, where video conferencing and PowerPoint presentations are the norm, people must receive training in order to elucidate their thoughts.
Not only in business settings, but everywhere in our wired world, good communicators are admired. People face an overwhelming exchange of ideas, messages and information daily. The only details recalled from those communications are the ones that stand out from the others. The sound bite is the norm now, so being able to get points across effectively and efficiently is vital, especially if universal understanding is the goal.
“I hope that Toastmasters continues to grow in Saudi Arabia because learning to communicate well is very important for our young people if they are to have a strong presence on the global stage,” said Khaled Al-Maeena. “We must develop the ability to speak our thoughts clearly so the world will be able to understand our point of view. I believe that dialogue between peoples is the only chance for lasting peace.”
Arab News Features 20 March 2003
