Featured Speech Project: Like Father, Like Son

This is the 10th CC Speech Project that was delivered by TM Glen Pirote.

TM Glen Pirote

                                            Like Father, Like Son

I would like to request for a show of hands. How many of you   would like that your son will become a toastmaster? Thank you.  How many of you would want that you will be like your father? Thank you. In either way, this speech is for you.

Mr. Toastmaster, fellow toastmasters, distinguished guests, good evening. My name is Glen Pirote, a physical therapist and son of a toastmaster. My father is Ransam Pirote who is present here this evening. He is a Mechanical Engineer and a toastmaster for the last 10 years.  As a father like many of you, he provides me with many things;  good education, financial support , advises, guidance  and many more . With all of these things that he gave, what I treasured most is his persistence that I would become a toastmaster. He did it by patience, example and continued mentoring.

When I was still in my college days, he used to tell me that a degree is not enough to succeed in life, but needs two important skills, communication and leadership. It is easy for me to follow his advice in leadership, being the President of a student council. In communication side, I failed.  During the recognition  program  for our class, I was tasked to deliver the opening remarks  and of course I asked my father to write a speech for me. What are fathers for? But when I  delivered the speech although I was reading it, my feet were  shaking , my whole body was trembling that I was not able to finish my speech. At that time I felt that it was better to die than to continue. Later on, I found out that I am not alone with this feeling because according to a survey, people are more afraid in public speaking than death.

When I started working here in Saudi Arabia, my father asked me to join the Toastmasters. I asked him what is that all about. He said that this is the organization that will help you overcome your fear of public speaking. I made an excuse that I was still busy   when in fact I was not just to avoid his invitation. After a year, my father told me again that this time you need to attend. You don’t need to do anything but to observe. I had observed how he mentored the members of PSME – SA and Friends Toastmasters Club, how he delivered a speech, answered a Table Topics question and conducted an evaluation. Every time I am their guest, people would ask me, when I would join the Toastmasters Club?  When will you be like your father? These questions strike my heart. Am I putting my father into a shameful situation where he could influence and convince many people and yet he could not convince his own son? In fairness to him he never forced me but rather explained to me the benefits. He gave me the chance to observe for almost a year and showed that he is a leader of everybody. One day, I told him, I want to be a member of the Toastmasters. I know that was the greatest present I had given to him but he did not know that it was also the greatest gift I have from him. I was convinced to join Toastmasters because of my father’s patience, example and continued mentoring. Since then I continuously attended our meetings, assumed different functions and of course delivered my speech projects.

Fellow Toastmasters, if you are a father, the greatest contribution that you could give to your son is to encourage him to be a toastmaster. If you are a son, the greatest gift that you could give to your father is to live to his expectation- that of his son being a competent toastmaster. For me, the challenge is great.  I would like that soon after I delivered a speech, people would not say - Like Father, Like Son but rather- Like Son, Like Father.