2011-2012

2011.10

1st Issue

Dear Toastmasters

We are writing to you…

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IndexIndex

District Governor’s Message

Dear Toastmasters Members and Officers,

Ligo Wang, DTM MBADistrict GovernorDistrict 85Toastmasters International 2011-2012

Welcome to 2011-2012 Toastmasters year. This is an exciting year as we are now, together, writing the history of China Toastmasters:

District Reformation

The first three clubs were chartered in China in 1999, we now have more than 200 clubs in China! In order to serve our members better, our District is going to be split into two with effect from July 1, 2012.

North and East China will form a new district, West and South China, Hong Kong and Macao will form a new district.

Toastmasters, Where Leaders are Made

Toastmasters launched their new brand during International Convention on August 17, 2011.

Toastmasters new brand will increase awareness that your club is part of a much bigger, globally recognized and respected organization – Toastmasters International. Club objectives will be easier to achieve because the brand promise is clear. The benefits of Toastmasters will be communicated consistently and widely. The likelihood of attracting members you did not expect to reach will increase through positive and consistent word of mouth.

Continued Growth in Education and Marketing

Providing benefits to individual members is always the top focus of Toastmasters. District leaders will continue to focus on serving the best interests of members by helping them to achieve their communication and leadership awards; extending benefits to more people by building new clubs and increasing the number of members; assisting Clubs, Areas and Divisions to achieve their Distinguished status.

District Officer Team to Serve the Best Interest of Members

Toastmasters, as a top down, nonprofit organization, the interests of members are our most important focus. This year, we have 9 District leaders, 20 plus subcommittee officers, 16 Division Governors, and 57 Area Governors to serve our members.

Please go to http://www.chinatoastmasters.org for officer information.

Toastmasters, Where Leaders Are Made! Members and officers, together let us work, laugh and enjoy the wonderful journey!

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Final report of 2010-2011 Top 15 AC/CC award

Now is the time to find out which clubs are the best of the best!

Final Result of Top 15 AC clubs

The award will arrive by the end of September. Based on the time of award arrived. District might use different ways to deliver your award by:

• The award will be presented during 2011 Fall conference in Hong Kong• Pass on to your Division governor or Area governor, and they will then send to you• Or sent to your mail address directly

District will launch a new award program for 2011-2012 term very soon. Please continue your focus on Toastmasters Education and Leadership program. Looking forward to see more clubs shining this year!

New Club Banner

OR

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Final Result of Top 15 CC clubs

New Club Banner

OR

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Greeting from Lieutenant Governor of Education & Training

Awards for AchievementNew educational award Program for 2011-2012 term is launching!

FOR CLUB

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FOR MEMBER

2011 Educational events schedule

Officer Training: May-Aug.2011: dozens of officer trainings for new Club, Area, Division and District leaders. Study more Officer Resources

Workshop & Training: For details, or any requirement, please talk to your Area/Division Governor

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Greeting from Lieutenant Governor of Marketing

New Club/Membership building award Program for 2011-2012 term is launching!

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Toastmasters International Convention ReportWritten by LGET, Susan Zhou, DTM

http://newtmc.blog.sohu.com/

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It happened!!!!!!!!!!

“Waa!!!” ALL thirteen of us jumped up when we heard the Contest Chair John Lau announced, “Second Place – Kwong Yue Yang!” Kwong, the District 85 champion representing China, grabbed the Second Place in the World Championship of Public Speaking Grand Final by besting more than 30,000 contestants worldwide … except 1! Wow!!!

 

The moment the contest concluded, all delegates from District 85, dashed to the stage fighting to be the first to congratulate him. Almost the same time, he was asked to go to the media centre for photo and interview session. A big crowd “escorted” him together with 2011 World Champion Jock Elliott and Third Place Winner Scott Pritchard as if they were fans following their super stars. Past World Champions we met on the way said that Kwong was in fact their pick.

 

My excitement at that moment was higher than the day I was awarded Chief Editor of the Top Five Newsletter of the World. I could not contain the overwhelming joy and I MUST break the news to the world at once!!!

 

We are the ONLY District who got all three awards in District performance (details at end). We are also the only District who could nurture a world class speaker at age 3 – Kwong is the first ethnic Chinese Asia representative in Toastmaster history who made it to the second place in the World Championship of Public Speaking! District 85, we made it!!!

 

This is the second time he made us scream! The first time, of course, was the Semi-Final two days before (18th Aug, 2011). The speech he delivered was a lot smoother and more humorous than the one he presented in the Xiamen District Conference where I was actively listening as the Contest Chair. It’s obvious that Guangzhou clubs gave him the much needed practice opportunities. Kathy of Renaissance Speakers Club in Los Angeles also gave him very useful tips so that he could fine-tune the piece to suit a completely different group of audiences and a much more demanding group of judges.

 

After watching his performance, I knew that he would be the one. His humour, skilfully blended into a rarely delivered message, immediately stole the hearts of the audience. The well balanced lead-in, build-up and close-down captivated the audience throughout the seven-minute journey leaving no loose ends in whatever way.

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 On the day he arrived Las Vegas, I asked if he had prepared two speeches. He said he needed to concentrate on winning the Semi-Final. I said, “No, prepare your Grand Final speech. You will surely make it to the Final!” After winning the Semi-Final, he got only two days to prepare the next contest. But unlike the first time he joined the contest (i.e. last year), the support team expanded from 4 to 13.

 

Right after the Semi-Final, his room-mate Joseph Hu, Lt Governor Marketing, vacated the room so that he could concentrate rehearsing and refining his speech. Yingdan Liu, Immediate Past District 85 Governor, listened to his speech and suggested him areas for improvement until 2am. Four hours later (6am), Joseph was already standing at the hall, accompanying him to test the mike and try the stage. They also bought him breakfast so that he could just focus on competing. Susan Zhou, Lt Governor E & T, reserved seats at front rows so that we could cheer for him at a reasonably short distance. Back in Guangzhou, Penshell Yao, District Public Relations Officer, gathered a group of members and paid to watch him through the internet. He also shared the minute to minute news to members of Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing and Hang Zhou through Weibo.

Their enthusiastic support gave him energy. Pictures he took with past World Champions gave him the vision. He edited his speech again and again. How to build rapport? How to have the impact? Which words to choose? What kind of movements? He was practicing alone but he is surely NOT ALONE!!!

Everyone said that it was nerve breaking to be the first contestant. However, in the Grand Final, Kwong demonstrated his confidence by putting a line of the Contest Chair’s opening remark into his speech – it’s impromptu but it’s great fun too! The 1950+ audience connected with him at once and the 21st version of FORTUNE COOKIES soon conquered the whole audience!!!

 

People said that behind every successful man there is a woman. I say that behind the glamorous Kwong, there is his DETERMINATION, his HARD WORK and the SUPPORT of fellow members. Yes, it happened. Kwong made it happen. We helped make it happen too!!!

  

Reporter

Deborah Yu, 2011 Toastmaster International Convention delegate, Toastmaster since 1997

 

With special thanks to

Arthur Ting, 2008 District Champion

Donald Yee, 2003 Semi-Final 1st Runner Up, World Championship of Public Speaking

Kwong Yue Yang, 2011 Grand Final 1st Runner Up, World Championship of Public Speaking

Yingdan Liu, 2010-11 District Governor

Together, we made it happen!!!!!!!!!!We are the ONLY District who got all three awards in District performance

President's Distinguished District (members education growth & membership growth

President's Extension (high net growth of clubs

President's 20 Plus Award (high percentage of clubs with 20+ members )

In 2009, our club Presidents, through proxies, all voted for the Proposal A in the Toastmaster International Board of Directors. It changed the contest rules drastically letting non Americans compete with Americans on an equal footing. Before the Proposal A, Americans had their Semi-Finals ONE MONTH (~ THIRTY DAYS) before the Grand Final while non-Americans had their Semi-Finals in less than FOUR DAYS before the Grand Final (Tuesday to Saturday)!

Also, before the Proposal A, all contestants need to prepare three speeches – one for District, one for Semi-Final and one for Grand Final. Now all contestants can compete in the Semi-Final using their winning speech in the District level. That means the participants can contest with a well tested speech. That also means the District Champions can concentrate on two instead of three speeches.

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We are also the only District who could nurture a world class speaker at age 3 – we were a full district from 2008.

Interview with 2011 World Championship of Public Speaking 1st Runner Up- Kwong Yue Yang

I still recall the first time I met Kwong three years ago when I visited the Guangzhou Galaxy TMC’s regular meeting for the first time as he poured a cup of water for me. As an old friend, I’ve almost witnessed all his wonderful moments on the Toastmaster’s stage and believed he would be the World Champion sooner or later.Now, one of his dreams came true this summer! He is the Worlds 1st Runner-up Winner! Janet, Eva and I were so excited to make an appointment with him for an interview on 1st September and enjoyed an amusing afternoon together.

This interview with Kwong after his return in triumph is going to lead you to discover more different sides of him.

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 Q1Yoyo:As we know, It’s the second time for you to go to USA to take part in the Toastmasters International World Championship of Public Speaking this year. As a contestant, comparing with the experience of last year, what are different to you?

A1 Kwong: There are a lot of differences. If you’re talking about going up to the district level. I felt that there was a lot more pressure. There’s a certain expectation on yourself and from others at Club, Area, Division, and District level.

For the International Convention, the second time round was much more relaxing because I could save energy. I was still really excited ， of course. However, the second time round I knew what I had to do and how to do it, so there wasn’t energy wasted focusing on other things and I could concentrate on the speech.

Yoyo: You were an experienced contestant this year.

Kwong: More experienced than last year.

Q2 Yoyo ： I could say that every meeting I saw you in any club in Guangzhou from March to August this year, you were practicing on the speech “Four Words”. Do you remember how many times had you practiced before going to USA?

A2 Kwong: Wow…I don’t remember how many times I practiced it in the clubs. I thought I tried to spread it out. Especially in Guangzhou, there’s not as many clubs as in Shanghai or Beijing. So I didn’t want to practice in the same club over and over again. The club I practiced a lot in was Gem – one of my home clubs. In Galaxy, I think I practiced once before I left. In Bilingual I may have practiced twice. In Elite, I also practiced once. But I did practice a lot. Especially at the early stage, each time I found that I made a big change, then I needed to practice.

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Q3 Yoyo: Did you ever feel bored as you practiced this speech time and time again?

A3 Kwong: Um… I don’t think I felt bored. Because I always change things. Each time I changed things, it become exciting and different. I think the audience gets bored though. The people in my club listened to it over and over again. There is less reaction and they don’t laugh so much and smile so much. You can definitely feel that. But for me, I’m always adding or trying something different, so it’s challenging.

Yoyo: So it’s not only simple repetition.

Kwong: No, Every time there’s a change. So I did it at Elite once. Actually I did a version with a big change at Elite. Took away the talk about relationships and talked about my own personal experience. My family and myself.

Q4Yoyo: But have you ever experienced upset period during the preparation?

A4Kwong: All speeches I go through have bad periods. Even before I selected “Four Words”, I tried many different speeches to work out the right one. There’s a lot of frustration. I couldn’t find the prefect speech. Finally, I found “Four Words” It was what I wanted to do. I just worked at that. The frustration is that you don’t always know what change is right. You do feel frustrated and tired. I don’t know what change is right or wrong. Especially when you make big changes in your speech.

Q5Yoyo: We wonder how did you face and overcome the frustrated feelings?

A5Kwong: The best way is to not do the speech, just relax and look away from it. A couple of times, let the speech go for a week or two weeks. When you go back, you realize something needs to be changed. A Fresh mind is always good.

Q6Yoyo: What’s your favorite way to relax yourself?

A6Kwong: Wow…My favorite way to relax, probable is sport. Visiting friends and not thinking about the speech. Even going to other Toastmasters clubs and listening to other people speak or joining table topic is relaxing.

Q7Yoyo: Did you still play Frisbee?

A7Kwong: Yes!

Q8Yoyo: When you were preparing for the international level contest, you still played Frisbee every week?

A8Kwong: I still played Frisbee every week. Every Sunday afternoon 3pm.I still play Frisbee all the time .It is important to relax. In the US, I spent more time having fun. In the US, I had my speech, my ideas, and all I could do is deliver it and have fun.

Yoyo: I would say if you want to be a best public speaker, just come and play Frisbee with Kwong every week! Haha

Kwong: Exactly. Haha, I will be giving you more tips.

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Q10Yoyo: Sure. Next question is about the semi-final. When the semi-final contest finished and you got the first place, How did you feel and what did you do to celebrate it?

A10Kwong: The semi-final contest was on Thursday afternoon. When I realized I was the first place, then I was over the moon, but there was no time to celebrate. The final was on Saturday, so I had to start working on another speech. I had time for dinner and then began writing again. Just writing and writing. On Friday morning I met up with Lance Miller, got some tips… went back to write… had lunch… met up with Lance… went back to write… and at night I went and rehearsed

Q11Yoyo: What was the topic?

A11Kwong: Fortune Cookie

Q12Yoyo: Fortune Cookie. So from semi-final contest to the final, you always delivered the speech of Fortune Cookie?

A12Kwong: No, semi-final was Four Words. After semi-final I needed to do a new speech. I couldn’t use the same speech. So that’s why the next speech was Fortune Cookie

Q13Yoyo: many audiences in China must be curious about why you didn’t choose the speech Four Words as the topic in the Final. So that’s because of the rule, right? Frankly speaking, which topic do you prefer, Four Words or Fortune Cookie?

A13Kwong: Four Words I think is more creative and more structured. Fortune Cookie is more entertaining and humorous. So actually they are very different speeches.

Q14Yoyo: What did you do on the final eve? Did you sleep well ？

A14Kwong: I slept at 3:00am and got up at 6:30am. Because We had to test the microphone from 7:00am to 7:30am. The contest began at 8:00am. I had 3 hours to sleep.

Q15Yoyo: Why did you sleep so late? How did you spend that night?

A15Kwong: Rehearsing and practicing.

Q16Yoyo: Do you think you are a genuine public speaker?

A16Kwong: No, I am not naturally humorous and not a naturally good speaker

Q17Yoyo: During the interview after the awarding time in the final, you answered a question and said that you were not ready yet to be an international champion this year. What did you mean by “I’m not ready yet”?

A17Kwong: I am not ready yet, I still feel I have so much to learn.

Q18Yoyo: OK, So, are you going to join the contest next year?

A18Kwong: I still haven’t decided. Lots of energy that has to go into wanting to become the world champion. I was originally planning on focusing my energy on other parts of my life

During the interview Kwong was such a scream – his jokes had all of us in stitches, while sometimes he looked a little bit shy. We had a very good time! After the interview, Janet and Eva, who are new members from Guangzhou Elite TMC were impressed by Kwong’s modesty and great charm. I also found he becomes more and more mature and charming. Anyway, in my eyes, he is still that easy-going and genuine guy I met in Galaxy club’s meeting for the first time three years ago.

Yoyo Luo

District News Letter Chair

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Q19Yoyo: You are the International runner-up champion now, I just wanna know will it influence your career? Are you going to be a professional trainer, what is your plan?

A19Kwong: I definitely want to become a public speaker / professional trainer. I’m really interested in that. But I’m just NO.2 in the world and a 5-7minutes speech doesn’t make you a good trainer or professional speaker. A trainer trains for hours and hours or whole days. Being good at a 5-7 min speech doesn’t mean I am good at speaking for 30 min or more.

Q20Yoyo: The last one: Could you please use one sentence to summarize your Toastmasters journey?

A20Kwong: It was amazing.. If it wasn’t for toastmasters, I wouldn’t be the same Kwong today.

20112008 2009 201020072006

Joined Oct 05

and was a member till Jan

06

Rejoined Aug 2007 till now

Area GovJuly 08 – June 09

Founding Pres Aug 09 – June 10

VPMJan – Jun 09

2007Humorous Speech District Champion

2008Evaluation

Champion District

2010 International Speech

District Champion&

Table topic speech District Champion

2011 International Speech

District Champion&

World Champion 1st Runner up

C C Nov 2008

C L Jul 2009

ACB April 2010

ACS + ALB

May 2011

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Kwong’s Toastmasters Journey

Welcome to the New Look of Toastmasters InternationalToastmasters International, is updating its brand. The organization unveiled its new brand identity at its International Convention in Las

Vegas, Nevada, on 2011-8-17. As part of the rebranding effort, the organization has updated its logo, colors, fonts, imagery and messaging to make Toastmasters identity clearer, increase awareness of its impact around the world and focus more on leadership.

Why did Toastmasters update its brand?

Toastmasters International has long been known as an organization that helps people improve their public speaking skills. Over the years, Toastmasters clubs and districts have increasingly created websites, conference materials, meeting materials and other communications that displayed their individuality. In early 2008, it became clear that this customization had evolved to the point where the Toastmasters brand was suffering from a lack of consistent perception and recognition among members and prospective members. In late 2009, World Headquarters and its branding partner conducted research to better understand Toastmasters’ position in the market. The research was comprised of interviews with members and prospective members from around the world, club and district leaders and board members; attendance at conferences, club meetings and club leader trainings; analysis of the competition and a thorough review of our materials. Out of this research we learned that our organization faces many challenges, the most significant being perception control. While the mission of Toastmasters International is in part to, “continually expand its worldwide network of member clubs, thereby offering ever-greater numbers of people the opportunity to benefit from its programs,” the varying public's perceptions of the organization impede the clubs’ and districts’ ability to be successful.

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A clear and consistent brand tells one story of an organization. An ineffective brand tells many stories – some of which are accurate and consistent, but the majority of which are inconsistent and inaccurate. In order to realize our mission, we must create consistency in the story we tell. Therefore, the primary objective of the rebrand is to create and deploy one consistent Toastmasters. To achieve this objective, we have developed a set of tools to help clubs and districts around the world consistently share this identity. Through the consistent use of the new visual system and positioning, we will successfully:

Accurately set and maintain the public’s perception of Toastmasters.

Expand the organization's reach into emerging markets.

Reduce the volunteer leaders’ workload by providing brand guidelines to use when creating materials.

Garner more recognition and media coverage.

Become the consistently recognized world leader in leadership and communication development.

Create a more consistent member experience, regardless of geography.

How does the rebrand impact me?

More than simply a logo and colors, the brand is represented through everything we do. Each of us will interact with the new brand in different ways, from how we communicate with prospective members, to building new clubs, to the materials used for district conferences and club meetings, to how we communicate the mission of Toastmasters International.

I have a large inventory of club/district materials that have the old logo. Will I have to discard everything in August?

As of August 17, we ask that you begin using the newly branded materials. It is not Toastmasters intention to place undue financial hardship on clubs and districts and we recognize that you cannot simply discard materials that you have purchased. We therefore ask that you phase them out as quickly as possible and purchase the newly branded materials when your existing supply has been exhausted.

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How can I get the rebranding materials and who do I contact if I have more questions?

You may download the District and Club Leader Brand Manual (PDF); this is your handbook for verbal and visual guidelines.

Visit the Training web page. This page

provides brand education to club and district leaders and general membership.

Download logos, graphic elements, stationery, photo library, marketing materials, club and district website design guidelines and other resources to refresh your club and district materials.

If you have additional questions regarding the rebrand please read over the Brand FAQs.

You may also email brand ambassadors in our District: past district governor Rebecca Hong hong66yan@gmail.com or immediate past district governor Yingdan Liu Yingdan.liu@gmail.com

Or you may contact brand@toastmasters.org.

Yingdan Liu, DTM

Toastmasters International Brand Ambassador

Immediate Past District Governor

Have you ever watched CTMC, China Toastmasters Channel? As the first innovative attempt for China Toastmasters, or even Toastmasters International, CTMC promoted Toastmasters in China through the most popular way – video clips on the web. In one year short of time, CTMC has become the main promoting channel to the public, for everyone to better understand China Toastmasters. Carrying a high expectation, there are actually more to improve for CTMC. In this new year, CTMC will no longer use the 20-min routine format, but separate into 3 sections: “News Entertainment”, “Member Clubs”, and “Speaking Training”. This change will help CTMC to be more flexible to promote Toastmasters, and to provide a better platform for all Toastmasters in China to express themselves. CTMC producer Chen Zhang, will continue lead this great team to a successful tomorrow!

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China Toastmasters Channelhttp://chinatoastmasters.org/video-channel/

Chen Zhang, CC, CLCTMC Chair

Meanwhile, CTMC is now recruiting!

 

If you are passionate about Toastmasters,

If you have creative and sharp mind,

If you have favor in video editing,

If you have unique perspective and skills on photography,

If you love anchoring and interviewing,

If you have a beautiful voice or charming face,

 

Stop hesitating! We need Section editors, video editors, photographers, recording directors, anchors, reporters, dubbing mixer…

 

Please contact us at Sina Weibo: @coolcz @pen 少 , or you can send email to: coolcz@gmail.com. Come to us or recommend someone for us. We look forward to seeing many talents join us!

Closing Remark

When we are editing this issue of news letter, it’s crossed the Mid-autumn Festival. It’s a family gathering moment! As a toastmasters member, I’m so proud that we are meeting, learning, growing together in the big TM family every week because of the same reason. Although we are in different cities but we have the same enthusiasm and dream and we are on the same page! So all of our committee just imagined we were making a big moon-cake for all fellow toastmasters in a special way. Hope all of you would enjoy it, and feeling we're together!

 

In this issue, we mainly provide the information about the district and international. Next issue, we'll collect more information about different Divisions, Areas and Clubs to share with you more others interesting story.

 

Finally, We would like to thank all the District Leaders who provided us strong support and wonderful articles, as well as the entire newsletter committee, including Jennifer, Joanna, Janet, Wilson, Rui and Eva! They contributed their spare time and good ideas to make this newsletter better!

 

Thank you very much again, and wish everyone have a nice golden National holiday!

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Yoyo LuoDistrict News Letter Chair Penshell Yao, ACG, ALBDistrict PR Officer

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The End