Maiden corporate emceeing experience

Was approached to take up the emcee role for an annual TEDx event. I took it up readily as it has always been one of the things I'd like to try out.

My first corporate emceeing experience was at a relatively small scale event; the number of audience was less than 80 and the auditorium was cosy and the stage lights were not glaring or daunting. The setup was relaxed and graced by a D I was comfortable with. Nonetheless, first impressions count and I made sure I put in time and effort to rehearse :)

19 Aug 2018

Happy that it went well, I didn't sound nervous and didn't do funny gestures. Though I realised I tended to stand on one leg on a few occasions, this is one of the areas I need to avoid in future!


Tips for Emceeing:

- Speak slowly. It will make you sound very coherent and your words will not come out minced and slurred
- Maintain a smile
- Upright posture. Shoulders pulled back, chest out, both feet shoulder width apart and firmly on the ground.
- Use plenty of eye contact with the audience. The best is if you can find a couple of faces in the audience who give you positive feedback (e.g. warm smile, head nodding), positive body language translates that you are doing a great job and they are engaged in your delivery
- Your script should only be used as reference for your talking points. When you refer, refrain from reading and speaking at the same time. Here's what you should do - Look down at your script only after you have finished your sentence. Take a quick glance of the para, raise your head, then speak again.
- Always turn up 45 mins before the event starts. This will allow you sufficient time to test the PA, get yourself comfortable with the physical environment, acquaint yourself with the guest speakers etc.
- When introducing anyone, give eye contact to the same person
- Be mentally prepared for last minute changes to the programme (e.g. guest needs to leave midway, tea refreshment is delayed etc)
- Very useful to have a wide range of adjectives that may come in useful
- Practise, practise and practise!!!

Life lessons

This person shares 3 lessons he learned while his plane crashed:

1) Everything can change in an instant

2) Remove negativity from your life

3) Be the best parent that you can



So apt, in light of the passing of a few good people already this year...

How much longer do we want to take our lives for granted?

I See Tea (high key 1)

Served my first high key I-See-Tea (IST) from 13-20 Aug 2018.

To clock a high key and serve only 8 days is a bargain. This, plus no need to spend any nights in camp, is terribly shiok!!! Also I need to thank my pal J for hitching us to and fro camp everyday!


Had been kinda looking forward to the event, partly because work was really mundane and uneventful; and partly because it was like "a week long chalet with talk cock friends", as I described to wifey. I was kinda looking forward to going for tea breaks and relac one corner, blending in with everyone else wearing the same uniform. And since every man is on similar status and share the same entitlements/benefits, there is little or minimal need to bother about politics (being in the good books of your superiors), outlook (so what if my boots are not shined and I'm wearing some overnight stubble?) or behaviour (just honestly use your hands to eat your drumstick without a need to care how carnivorous or etiquette-less you may look).

In camp, nobody gives two hoots about what title you hold at work, how much you earn, or whether you are vertically challenged - the only thing that differentiates is the number of stripes and bars imprinted on your insignia. Yes, one may be 152cm, has poor complexion and suffering from a receding hairline and speaks ah beng English - but as long as the rank insignia on his torso bears a symbol that resembles one or more underwater animals, your neighbourhood hawker centre uncle shall be able to summon the attention and respect of a whole battalion.


On top of the usual admin briefing and conducting of IPPT, the main programme highlights from this IST:
- 3 days of lecture room style refresher training (MY FAV KIND OF TRAINING, for those who know me well); and
- 1 day of shell scrape digging (3 persons to 1 within 100 mins you bet our arms were screaming).

Sample shell scrape (source: google image)

Based on how the activities went, I personally think it's a rather enjoyable high key IST, relatively speaking.

Combat rations? What combat rations? =D

----------------------------------


Some observations I made from this IST:

1) Our soldiers need to be fitter

It has become a worrying trend - men gain weight and become less fit after ORD, and/or after they have kids.


2) You can count on us to be united

Most will know or may have heard that during IST, men adopt a 'slack' attitude. For example, some may chao geng (report sick) while some may appear disinterested during activities. So I was happily surprised when I observed a massive turnout for the most shiong activity of the whole event - the shell scrape digging. Although it was a physically taxing activity, the mood was light and we cracked jokes and some were singing. It was evident all of us would put our best foot forward when the need arises.


3) There are really helpful souls

After completing the digging of our shell scrape, we had to cover it back with soil and level the ground. We were already extremely beat from the digging, so most of us were lacklustre and lethargic during this part of the task. A group of 3-4 men had completed their tasks and instead of heading over to the training shed to rest and hydrate themselves, they went around and offered help!

----------------------------------------

Overall, I appreciated the break away from work. And I will never forget the AWESOME nasi padang from the canteen OMG the assam stingray was freakkkking good. The meat was sooooo succulent and tender!

Look at the size of the stingray! The belacan was very spicy and good too. This plate only cost $4+!

The next day, I returned to eat the assam stingray again, but it was still being prepared =( So I ordered their curry chicken. To my holymoly surprise, the drumstick meat was sooooo fresh and tender! AMAZING!!!

This stall is currently no. 1 on my "Best Nasi Padang" list.

Delivering effective training

Attended a 3-day course at SAA on "Instructor Training".

Tips on delivering effective training:

a)

P EAR for Prepare
E GG   for Engage

b) 4 'R's:

Recap -> Recall -> Reflect -> Retain

------------------------------------------------

Areas of improvement for delivering an effective training:

- Too soothing voice
- Do not fidget with watch!
- Include more ground participation and spaced in between "presenter talking slides"
- Deliberate eye contact; not into voids

---------------------------------------------