FRANCISCO SARAIVA

As a Chief Catalyst of CK Consultants, Chendil believes that speaking well is a vital part of his role. Not only that, Chendil is also a communications trainer, teacher and toastmaster based in Karnataka, India. He is connected with the Bangalore Toastmasters Club and is also the Founder President of Smedley Speakers Society.

His blog CK Online- Communicate to Connect was recently included in Guy Kawasaki’s Alltop (All the Top Stories in the World) web site, which I also featured in a recent post.

I had the chance to interview Chendil about his expertise as a public speaker and here is what he has to say:

“What were the main benefits you got from your Toastmasters experience?”

CK: Self esteem, a new career. My business in industrial adhesives was in bad shape. I was hounded by my creditors and it was a miserable existence. However, every Wednesday evening, I saw a transformation in me. I came home smiling, fresh from a Toastmasters meeting, where I frequently won ribbons for the ‘Best Table Topics Speaker’. I was liked and befriended because of my sense of humor and this feeling made me more resilient and slowly I bounced back by closing my business and taking a new avatar as a corporate trainer, exploiting my public speaking skills. I have visited 17 countries and command a decent price by working with some of the Fortune 100 companies and am a guest faculty at one of the leading B schools in the world. I owe my present status to TOASTMASTERS.

Most important, I am able to enable confidence in my trainees and no words can describe my sense of fulfillment when my trainees mail me to say what a difference I have made in their lives.

I heartily endorse what Helen Blanchard, the first woman TM International President once said “ If you can GET out of Toastmasters, all that you CAN get out of Toastmasters, then you can never get OUT of Toastmasters !”

“As a corporate trainer you focus on the sense of humor as an important tool which helps connect, build rapport and educate. What are the main challenges your clients face when they try to incorporate humor in their speeches and presentations?”

CK: Most of my clients find it difficult to get out of their comfort zone of making straight laced, data dump type of presentations. Some of them feel humor dilutes the importance of their presentations. Others can’t distinguish between humor and jokes. But a majority of them feel they are not humorous by nature and dread the thought of their humor bombing.

However, when some of my clients have used humor to link and involve their audience, they have reported a dramatic transformation in their confidence levels.

“Even the most advanced speaker has challenges and can improve in some area. What is the public speaking challenge you are working at right now? If you could choose anyone in the world to be your mentor and to help you in taking your public speaking skills to the next level, who would that be?

CK: My challenge is to master the art of repartee. As a Toastmaster, I get an opportunity every week to answer table topics. I find I ramble aimlessly when I get a vague topic. I want to be able to be quick witted and come up with a sensible response to ticklish questions.

I wish I could go back to my first public speaking coach Garnet Rego to take me to the next level in public speaking. He urged us to speak from the heart and always challenged us to reach higher.

Chendil’s touching story inspires ordinary people like us to strive further and reach for our goals. His story is a shining example of what Toastmasters can do to your life and well being. You can read more about Chendil on his blog CK Online: Communicate to Connect.