This was my president’s inaugural speech on 17 July 2014. I joined The Open Alumni Toastmasters Club as a member after attending its SpeechCraft workshop in June 2012. Concerned over the amount of commitment I might possibly be faced with in joining the club, I asked Wong Kok Wah, what would the commitments be like. He told me not to worry.
All I have to do was to attend the chapter meeting once a month. After I joined the club, I was at first asked regularly to present my Prepared Speeches by Triggi Chan, the Vice President Education then. Very soon, I was asked to be the Toastmaster of the Evening and to also evaluate other people’s speeches.
Towards the end of the term, Elaine Tan asked me would I consider becoming an executive committee member as the Sergeant-At-Arm. Nearing the election at the end of the term in June 2013, I was instead asked to become the Vice President Education, and not the Sergeant-At-Arm. Following that, I was then asked to be the President for the next term after completing my stint as the Vice President Education. I had always reminded Wong Kok Wah, that it was a joke when he first told me about my commitment in becoming a toastmaster was, “Just attend the chapter meeting once a month.”
- President’s Inaugural Speech
- Speaker: Daniel Sun
- The Open Alumni Toastmasters Club Executive 2014/2015 Committee Installation held on 17 July 2014
Table of Contents
Introduction
Never have I wanted to be the club president.
Never have I thought that I would be the club president.
Two years ago, at the end of my Speechcraft Workshop, I was asked whether I would like to join the club. I then asked Kok Wah (who was the club president then), what would I be expected to do and what are the commitments?
Kok Wah assuredly told me, “Nothing! Just come for the meeting once a month.” The events that unfold before me as time passed, I will reserve it for another speech at another time.”
So now here I am, to the least of my expectation, the least of my delight, even just a month before this moment, taking on the role of the Club President.
Just like Sylvester Stallone said in his movie, “Rambo”:
“A man got to do what a man got to do.”
Sylvester Stallone (from the movie, “Rambo”
Let me quote the “Parable of The Trees” from the Book of Judges in the Old Testament.
“The trees once went forth to anoint a king over them. And they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us!’ But the olive tree said to them, ‘Should I cease giving my oil, with which they honour God and men, And go to sway over trees?’ “Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and reign over us!’ But the fig tree said to them, ‘Should I cease my sweetness and my good fruit, and go to sway over trees?’ “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘You come and reign over us!’ But the vine said to them, ‘Should I cease my new wine, which cheers both God and men, and go to sway over trees?’ “Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come and reign over us!’ And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in truth you anoint me as king over you, Then come and take shelter in my shade; But if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon!’
Judges 9:8-15 (NKJV)
In short, when nobody wants to take up leadership, then leadership will be offered to anybody, and usually, someone who will in turn abuse and exploit his/her subordinates.
Servant leadership
John F Kennedy once told the citizens of America,
“Ask not what the nation can do for you but what you can do for the nation.”
John F Kennedy
I have heard far too many times when leaders stepped forth on the platform, they used a modification of this quote to serve their own purposes. This could have been an opportune time for me to address the club in like manner:
“Ask not what the club can do for you but what you can do for the club.”
Time and again I have found leaders with this mindset abused the members they are leading.
This is the perpetual “The Chicken Or The Egg” question. However, to put the bullock before the cart or the cart before the bullock is a critical issue.
To unravel this age-old issue, we have to question what does leadership entails.
A leader is to guide and to govern, to provide and to protect.
Late Edwin Louis Cole
Like the father of a household, he is to guide his children in growing up with the right values and the direction they are to take in their undertakings. As a father, he is to provide for his family financially. As the man of the household, he is to protect them from the danger that may threaten the safety and well-being of his family members.
Too often many leaders have asked themselves, “What is in it for me? What do I gain from it?” Eventually these leaders, whom I will not name, all fell from their positions and were shamed and disgraced. As a leader, we are called to serve others and to give to others.
Love Versus Money
Our government has been explaining to us, the citizens about why the ministers are to be paid with high salaries. They explained to us:
“Without good pay, people of good quality will not come forth to serve.”
However, our former minister for education told the teachers, “Teaching should be a service of love and is not meant to be calculative.” Well said! How I wish that our ministers will look upon their roles with the same perspective.
Let us be reminded of the lyrics from one of our national songs, “We Are Singapore”.
This is my country.
This is my land.
This is my future.
This is my life.
“We Are Singapore” lyrics
Quality Versus Quantity
The club is a club of the member, by the member, for the member, with the member.
Quality gives rise to quantity and not the other way around.
Quality is a manifestation of a combination of factors, namely right and good human resources and management. Quality then attracts quantity. However, an artificial infusion of quantity without the presence of good resources that give rise to quality will instead cause quality to deteriorate.
I do not chase for quantity but quality.
I like an illustration my pastor used, and I will repeat that illustration here.
Once, a cat was chasing after its own tail. The more the cat chased after its tail, the more its tail got away from him. Until that cat finally gave up chasing after its tail and went on its way relaxingly, the tail followed the cat wherever it went.
Conclusion
Let The Open Alumni Toastmasters Club be known as a club that guides her members.
Let The Open Alumni Toastmasters Club be known as a club that value-add to her members.
Let the Open Alumni Toastmasters Club be known as a club that grows her members. And I emphasise here: members, not memberships.
In return, you will find the tail (quantity) will naturally follow the cat (quality) and not the cat chasing after its tail (quantity).
0 Comments