Last week was TLI2 (Toastmasters' Leadership Institute), but I'll find some other time to write about that for the next few days, but now let me share with you some things I've learnt from DTM Dr Dunstan Chan, who is a Member of the National Association of Parliamentarians, USA.

A procedure is drawn to solve conflicts in the management of NGO. The rules origin from a book written years ago buy a person called Henry M. Roberts on the book called Robert's Rules which is now already run it's 11th edition print.

Before I walked into the seminar, I was expecting a serious talk on such a serious topic. But throughout the meeting, we learn how to facilitate a meeting, promote harmony, and to how to carry a motion, a debate and casting a vote. Dunstan also highlighted a few of the wrong concepts in our society, and courageously joke about important people with higher ranks and how westerners are highly respected in our country.

During the speech, we also learnt that TMs are trained not to ruai berandau which means being long winded in our current society, but it is an oral tradition of the Ibans which is important in the long houses where no other entertainments are available.

One difference I found conpared with another organization I usually go for meetings is that TM meetings doesn't need to use music to welcome/thank a guest speaker. The crowd's applause and the speaker's command of language is already music to the ears for me. I can't say I understand all the words he uses ( Germane, Rescind and "previous question") which are jargons as far as I'm concerned.

The only regret for me is that the session is a bit too short, concised and insufficient. To get the concept it's good enough, but to really understand the 1700 page thick book, it'll need at least a semester of college study. I'll try to get my hands on a copy of the book after I've finished the notes I've printed on Red Hat Linux 9. A lot more materials to read, and I'm no longer young so need to absorb as much as I can before my brain starts failing.

Reading up is a good meal for the brain. People stops reading/learning once they get their degree, or PhD. But to me, education non-academic will be much more benificial to us. I've been thinking of getting a MBA, but Irene opposed me from it, as she believes that I'll be learning more practical information by practice while learning, things like Linux, and Photography. Maybe taking up Business Mgmt one step at a time...only time will tell.

Thank you Dunstan for the great seminar, and thank you the organizers to allow me to join in such an informative event.

Labels: Toastmasters