You are always anxious when you have to try something new. I already had declared in the club that Pokhara Toastmasters would be the fastest learning and the craziest club in the country.
We did some crazy stuff but it lacked continuity. Most of the enthusiasm quickly faded away. Now, I was scared. So, this time I committed myself to have my actions reflect the leadership quality I aim to achieve.
I took the role of TMoE and I immediately announced that the theme for the meeting would be Nepali Culture. We decided that every aspect of the meeting would be remolded as per our culture.
Earlier, when I used to be the TMoE, I used to arrange for all the meeting logistics on my own. But this time I had set a bigger goal for myself, and I decided to take the help of my brilliant team.
Everyone agreed to contribute. We decided that everyone would wear Dhaka Topi (Nepali cap). Even female members walked in wearing the Dhaka Topi. It was a great start.
During the meeting, there were specific instructions to be followed. Members would have to greet each other with Namaste instead of a handshake. This new rule created a lot of confusion. Every member who came to the stage forwarded their hand for a handshake. When Toastmasters becomes part of your everyday life and it gets embedded in your DNA, you can never get rid of its etiquette, no matter how hard you try.
Another rule members had to follow was they should sing a Nepali song instead of claps for the accolades. The song was titled “Bijuli Ko Tar Tar”.
This time also members clapped instead of singing. The song lacked a clear rhythm and organization, but eventually members decided to give it a try. During that moment I remembered the first time I participated in the Table Topics session. Like me, the members too let go of their inhibitions and gathered the courage to do something new. What I learned is Toastmasters not only eliminates the “Fear of speaking” but also helps eliminate many other fears.
One member decided to volunteer and sing a song. When he sang, I couldn’t stop my feet, and I was already dancing to his tunes. You feel so proud when you are the reason for extracting the talents of your friends.
This meeting was one of the most fun-filled and educational meetings in the short history of Pokhara Toastmasters. The meeting could never have been such a grand affair without the help of my team. If I would have gone alone I could never have achieved this feat. Toastmasters taught me about the skills required for delegation, and to bring the best out of people.
Sagar Karki, President at Pokhara Toastmasters Club