Call me KIA, my name is Yow Kia. This is the usual way I introduce myself. It is not the car-maker KIA, but the human-being KIA.
I am a Malaysian Chinese, who was Chinese-educated since young up to high school. During my high school, I had undying passion in playing trumpet and I was actively involved in all sorts of band activities in Malaysia. When I was 16 years old, I was selected to lead my school band as a president and drum major for almost 3 years. I have to let you all know that I was not a social-able person during that time. Being a club leader was not an easy task and I was forced to be social-able. That was the starting point for me to learn networking and understand the importance of networking. In order to build my band name, I had to build rapport with other school band leaders so that they would help to promote my band. In order to improve my band music standard, I had to build relationship with good music players and tutors so that I could get help from them. In order to inspire my band members, I had to be a role model to practise my trumpet everyday. I always told my members, smart practice makes perfect. Throughout this whole process, I was trained to be a better leader. I really appreciate the opportunity given to me to be the leader of the band.
In year 2000, I came to Singapore to pursue my studies in Nanyang Technological University for my Mechatronics degree. I had a worry during that time as my English was not so good. Can you imagine a guy who studied Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry in Chinese going to pursue his studies in a University which is using English as the major language? As what you see from my past experience, you must be thinking that I would search for an opportunity to be a leader. Frankly speaking, I had no courage to do that. The very first barrier for me was my communication skills in English. I could not express myself well in English. Whenever I saw someone speaking confidently on a stage, I could only dream that I were him. As years passed, I had got used to the life of just being a normal person. My mindset had labeled myself as a bad communicator.
After I graduated from university, my new chapter of life has begun. I worked as an application Engineer in a well-known Japanese MNC. Working as a technical support person, I had to deal with customers very often. This again, reminded me that communication skills are indeed very important. By chance, I was invited to a Toastmasters Club where I believed I could improve my communication skills. However, it took me weeks to decide whether to join the Toastmasters Club. By telling myself that I can’t think too much, just go ahead and execute whatever plan that can improve my communication skills, I finally signed up as a Toastmasters Club Member. I really worried too much with the questions start with “What if”. What if I couldn’t deliver my speech well? What if people laughed at my speech? Joining the Toastmasters Club for one year and 5 months, I had discovered one formula that pushes me to achieve whatever that I had fear to do, I always procrastinated to do. That formula is to tell myself always “IT CAN BE DONE!” Taking the first step is so important that it differentiates DOERS and DREAMERS. Of course, to get the correct mindset to be engraved in my mind was not a one-day two-day job. Bear in mind that, I am still not a professional in communication arena, I am still a learner. What I see myself is, I have gained a lot of improvement throughout these years by trying different things, different methods. I gained all the effective methods from the activities that I participated, from the books that I read, from the people that I met, from the tools that I used. To start this website is actually to share with you all, whatever things that I use to improve my communication skills. I want you all to witness the journey of mine to possess excellent communication skills. At the same time, I need your help to assist me along the way.
By the way, do you mind if I show you some achievements that I have made in my communication arena? I am not trying to show off myself but just to show you a proof that whatever steps that I have taken, they turned out to be something good.
The first achievement that I got was 2nd runner up in Humorous Speech Contest in District 80 Division Z Area Z2 (Singapore) in year 2006. That was my first speech competition in my whole life. The second achievement that I got was 1st runner up in The International Speech Contest in District 80 Division Z Area Z2 (Singapore) in year 2007. There was a little bit of improvement. Even though these achievements are nothing compared with those District/ World Champions, but they really mean a lot to me.
I am now working as a Sales Engineer in a Japanese MNC. Here, again, I find that communication skills are extremely important whether in face-to-face communication, email communication or phone communication. I notice that most of the time, many people tend to not communicating effectively through email and they end up with tons of miscommunication and misunderstanding. To avoid the misunderstanding, we really need to brush up our language use.
Ok, I shall stop here now as I have been talking too much about myself. Last but not least, I am just a normal man. I have never expected myself to be so motivated nowadays. The only thing that I always remind myself is - “IT CAN BE DONE!”
Best regards,
KIA
(Eng Yow Kia)
President of The Frontier Toastmasters Club
Sales Engineer of a Japanese MNC
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