I first met Mohammed Murad around 10+ years ago in Dubai Chapter. I saw this soft spoken handsome Arabic gentleman whom everyone respected and revered but whom not many spoke off freely. May be it was their love for him or may be their reverence towards him. But he had something really mysterious about him.
What followed next was an amazing journey for me to get to know this man as my friend and mentor. And what amazed me were his credentials and his achievements - both of which he never shared or spoke about. Simply because he was humble and reserved about his accomplishments. But what really stood out about him was – he was a true friend to me.
Where the world judged others in terms of their looks or their accomplishments, he would just look at a person’s heart and stand by them – come hell or high water.
Today after so many years, I am releasing a very small script in the form of questions & answers on a person whom I consider a true legend in the Toastmaster circles of the Middle East.
To some he may be the retired Head of Dubai Police (Ambulance Section), to some others he may be the Past International Director of Toastmasters International and to the rest, he may be one of the most influential Toastmaster leaders of our times in the Middle East ….but to me he is a man who has touched the lives of thousands, influenced thousands more with his words and may be tens of thousands more by virtue of his ability to give and serve others
Friends, it is not everyday a person can have access to a Legendary Personality like DTM Mohammed Murad and ask him the questions that we are dying to know the answer to. But given the personality Murad ....Well it is my honor to take his interview and our honor to get to know him.
If you are interested for Murad to receive your comments / suggestion about this interview and get them published in the next upcoming magazine - please email me your comments / view points on theinvisiblestring@yahoo.co.in along with
1) Your name
2) Your designation
3) Company name
4) Cell Number
5) Email address
and I will be glad to forward him all of your comments in one single email and also later on put them in the magazine
The NO HOLDS BARRED interview with DTM Mohammed Murad
Presented by the most controversial & tattooed speaker in the Middle East
Mad Max Machedo.
This interview was taken over a period of one hour and whatever DTM Murad said were written down word for word. It is divided into the following sections.
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ABOUT THE PERSONAL STUFF
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1. What is your full name?
Mohammed Ibrahim Murad
2. What does Murad means?
It means ‘Goal’ or ‘Destination’.
3. What is your date of birth?
10th of July 1965
4. What’s your sun sign?
Cancer
5. Do you believe in reports and characterization of sun signs?
Nope.
6. How many members in your family?
My wife - Zareena Yousuf & my daughters ‘Eman’ which means ‘Faith’ and ‘Amal’ which means ‘Hope’.
7. Are you and your wife opposites of each other or similar to each other?
Total opposites.
8. How do you manage to settle your views & differences?
We understand each other.
9. Is your wife a toastmasters? If not, why not?
No. Because she doesn’t want to be a toastmaster.
10. Your dream car?
Grey Corvette
11. The car you hate?
The 2010 Jeep – looks like a box
12. Your dream vacation?
A place where you have no mobiles, no emails, no computers, no technology – only a cool silent view from a high mountain top overlooking a beautiful still valley
13. Have you ever had a terrible vacation?
No. All of them were unique.
14. Whom do you consider the most ideal man on this planet?
Any man who is at peace and contented with whatever he has been blessed with while at the same time tries to learn and grow from within and help others at the same time.
15. Any man you don’t like?
Someone who is two faced and who thinks he is the best in the world and there is no one above him.
16. Your ideal woman?
Who has the same wit as I have.
17. Woman you cannot tolerate?
Any woman who talks nonsense and does nothing but gossip about the world, complain about everything and praise only themselves.
18. Your favorite speaker?
Leo Buscalia .
19. Your favorite book?
There are so many. But the one that stands out in my mind is ‘Peaks and Valleys’ by Spencer Johnson, MD.
20. Worst speaker you have ever heard?
Too many to name.
21. Could you give an example of someone whom you consider a ‘badspeaker’?
No names, but it was someone who has borrowed material from someone else work and was actually reading it out throughout the 60 minutes presentation.
22. Your favorite leader?
Nelson Mandela
23. Whom do you consider as a ‘bad leader’?
Anyone who is in a leadership role for their own benefit.
24. Your favorite movie?
1980 movie called ‘Fame’ Starring: Irene Cara, Paul McCrane, Barry Miller, Gene Anthony Ray & Directed by Alan Parket
25. Worst movie you ever watched lately?
An Indian movie titled ‘Veer’.
26. Favorite song.
‘Hotel California’ by ‘The Eagles’.
27. Worst song you ever heard?
Me singing in the bathroom.
28. Your favorite actor?
Jack Nicholson especially his performance in the 1992 movie ‘A Few Good Men’
29. Worst actor?
Can’t think of anyone specific.
30. Your favorite actress?
Meryl Streep’s performance in the 2006 movie ‘The Devil Wears Prada’
31. Worst actress?
Can’t think of anyone specific.
32. Favorite TV show
Britain’s got talent & America’s got talent.
33. Your favorite politician?
Bill Clinton.
34. Worst politician?
George Bush.
35. Favorite business man?
Giorgio Armani
36. Your favorite sport?
Ultimate Fighting Championships and Volley Ball
37. Sport you hate the most?
Hate Golf.
38. Your favorite brand of watch?
Tough one – I love all since I am a collector
39. Brand of watch you hate?
There are many but I don’t particularly like Jacob & Co.
40. Your favorite speech?
The speeches by Winston Churchill
41. Most boring speeches?
The ones delivered by George Bush.
42. What do you work as currently?
Managing Director for ‘Canseeq’ – A Fashion House & ‘Fausteen’ – An event management company.
43. How many businesses do you run?
3; Canseeq – For Fashion; Fausteen - for events; Eman – A Beauty, Spa and Saloon
44. Have you had any business that you closed down?
Had one - A computer trading company named ‘Computab’
45. Your favorite color?
Grey
46. Worst color?
White
47. What time do you get up every day?
Around 8 to 8:30am
48. Do you exercise every day?
Every alternate day I do cardio + weights.
49. What is your favorite cuisine?
Kentucky Fried Chicken
50. What kind of food you dislike?
Dislike small portions of expensive overpriced food.
51. Do you drink? Smoke?
No. Never have and never will.
52. Did you ever save someone’s life?
Many times since I was working in the Ambulance department.
53. Has anyone come and thanked you for saving their life?
Not that I remembered and I didn’t think it was required to be thanked.
54. Do you believe in giving money to the poor?
Yes, very much.
55. Your favorite charity?
A Local Charity called Bait Al Kheir (House of Goodness)
56. How are you so slim & toned?
It’s a combination of workouts and lifestyle.
57. What do you think of tattoos?
I think they are unnecessary.
58. What do you think of piercings?
I think they are unnecessary.
59. Would you ever want to become a TV personality?
No, I am not interested in fame.
60. If Obama gave you an opportunity to work in his team as an International Director, would you grab it?
No.
61. Why not?
I don’t like politics.
62. If Speilberg gave you an opportunity to act in movie as the lead hero for Indian Jones, the Middle east crusade along with Harrison Ford, would you grab it?
No.
63. Why not?
I am not an actor.
64. What is your opinion about children being permitted to use the internet so freely?
You cannot have children access the internet unsupervised.
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ABOUT TOASTMASTERS & COMMUNICATION
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65. A Toastmaster you admire?
There are too many to mention.
66. Toastmaster you don’t admire?
There are too many I don’t admire but learn to accept them as people who are different.
67. Favorite world champion Toastmaster?
The 1995 World Champion of Public Speaking - Mark Brown for being the person he is.
68. How many years have you been a Toastmaster?
14 years.
69. When did you become the International Director?
2007 - 2009
70. What were your achievements as an International Director?
I was given the opportunity to serve and contribute to the organization I loved and belonged to.
71. Do you have a mentor? How many?
Officially I don’t have. But as and when the need does arise, I have many people who guide me.
72. Do you have a mentee? How many?
There are many who approach me on a regular basis when the need does arise.
73. What is the longest time you have taken to prepare for a speech?
A whole week.
74. What is the shortest time you have taken to prepare for a speech?
1 hour.
75. What is the longest speech you have delivered?
A 75 minute after dinner speech.
76. What is the highest you have placed in a Toastmaster speech contest?
2nd in the Humorous Contest for the District Level
77. When?
Very long ago.
78. What is the biggest crowd you have faced as a professional speaker?
2000 people.
79. How many media / TV / magazines have you appeared?
Lots over the years.
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ABOUT THE CONTROVERSIAL STUFF
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80. Have you ever been in an accident?
Yes.
81. Was it seriously?
Yes, sort of.
82. Tell me more about the accident.
I was 23 and was working with the police. I had a murder criminal in my car. And someone hit the car head along while crossing the road. And my car went and smashed into the wall of a mosque.
83. Have you ever driven over the speed limit?
Yes many times.
84. Have you got caught?
Yes, many times.
85. When you became the International Director, you being from a different culture and religion – especially given the stereotype image by the media at large – didn’t that prove to be a challenge for you to overcome?
Yes, it was a challenge but only for a few people only.
86. How did you overcome it?
By simple, sincere, honest and heart-felt communication.
87. No organization or group is perfect. So what are the current drawbacks / challenges that Toastmasters has as an organization is facing?
1) Rapid growth and how to control and sustain it while giving the maximum benefit to all the members.
2) Adaption to the next generations thinking – how to connect to the new generation and involve them even more.
3) Being able to look around and have a global perspective.
88. Do you ever see it possible for any individual from a different religion, race or culture say for example an Indian Hindu or Arab Muslim becoming the International President of TMI or do you still feel it will take time for such differences to be accepted by people at large?
No, I don’t think it is impossible. In fact the actual culture of Toastmasters has allowed this process to happen easily because Toastmasters focuses on talent and skills of individuals fairly rather than focus on differences in cultures & traditions of others.
89. Have you had a controversial moment in toastmasters or disagreements in Toastmasters?
Yes. Many.
90. Would you like to give an example?
Had a lot of people come and tell me – How could you actually be a leader with your background, religion or country of origin. There are also many times I have had differences of opinions with my own team members.
91. Have you ever had a moment in toastmasters where you were in a leadership role and had to remove toastmasters from the organization or reprimand a toastmaster any reason?
Yes. I have. When I was the District Governor I took the decision to have non-performing members (whom I knew) step down because they were affecting the overall health of the district.
92. Have you ever been in a physical fight or anyone threaten you in Toastmasters, Personally or Professionally?
No. Never.
93. Have you ever had a moment in life where you have regretted doing something in TMI?
Yes. One could be not taking full advantage of the learning experience of the TM process – as what could be benefitted from being a leader in TM. I didn’t know I could learn by giving others.
94. What is the difference between the judging systems of the Middle East versus the Judging system in the International Convention?
Different Divisions / Districts have a different perspective as to what connects with them and what does not. It is a learning process of knowing what to do to adapt to all kinds of judges / people / districts.
95. Have you ever bombed as a speaker?
Yes. A few times.
96. If you have to choose between doing what is popular with toastmasters versus what you believe is the right thing to do – what would you do?
I would always do the right thing.
97. Do you speak for a fee?
Yes.
98. What is the highest you have been paid as a professional speaker?
No comments.
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ABOUT THE CONCLUDING PARTS
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99. Do you see anyone from the Middle East become a world Champion of Public Speaking?
There is nothing impossible because possibilities are endless.
100. What would he / she from the Middle East need to win the WCPS?
They would need to be open mind, need to be a voracious reader and be able to be mentored by many people.
101. What is the most important speaking engagement you have received as a professional speaker? Was it in front of VIP’s? Big Politicians? Businessmen?
The most important speaking engagement I ever had was the one where I spoke to a group of 1000 young children at an Indian School. And even today I still have teachers coming and telling me that my few words were able to make a difference in the lives of those young children. That to me was the greatest and most important speaking engagement I ever had.
102. What is the most important award you have received from TMI?
Being awarded the World’s Number District from Toastmasters International – The Presidential Distinguished District in the 1st year of becoming a District.
103. What is the most important non-toastmaster award you have received from a NON-TMI organization?
A Medal of Honor from the Commander of Dubai Police
104. What is your current dream?
To stop working and get into training and speaking full time.
105. How do you wish to be remembered as?
The one who made a difference.
106. What do you think of my questions?
Very thought provoking.
107. What is your opinion about me?
You have potential but you have to realize it if in order to be successful.
108. Do you see it happening?
That is in your hands.
It’s been a pleasure communicating.
Machedo L. A.
Part-time Professional Speaker, Trainer & Handwriting Analyst
Cell +971-50-631-85-19
Blackberry - 20666739
Facebook - Loy Anthony Machedo
Chat - loymachedo@yahoo.com / loymachedo@hotmail.com
Blog - http://machedomax.blogspot.com
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