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Part
- I
All of us know that
English is a funny language!!! Let's face it... There is no egg in
eggplant, no ham in hamburger, no pine in pineapple, no French fries in
France. Sweetmeats are not meats, but candies, while sweet breads, which
aren't sweet, are meats. Boxing rings are actually squares. The guinea
pig is neither from Guinea nor a pig. A vegetarian like me eats
vegetables but what does a humanitarian eat? A wise man and a wise guy
are opposites. The stars are out when they are visible and when the
lights are out they are invisible.
Friends, the difference
between mere management and leadership is communication and that art of
communication is the language of leadership. One of the greatest
speakers of the 21st century was so terrified to speak before an
audience that he fainted the first time. The fact that his lips
shuttered and he did not have a college degree made it worse. But by
studying the greatest speakers in the history, Winston Churchill
conquered the difficulties and in effect won the Second World War
through his speeches. I am sure you can do it too. Are you ready to face
it?
Of all methods of
communication available to us, friends, you will agree with me, among
the written word, the spoken word, the picture or a combination of
these, the spoken word is the most powerful method of communication. If
I say to any of my friends in the class "I don't like the way you dress
up, why don't you try wearing something sober and simple", then he will
never forgive me. What the hell does this guy think? But if I wrote to
him, I can always change it. "Dear, I hope you don't mind my guiding as
far as your dressing style..." But, if I said these words in the class,
it's like a bullet from the gun - he's dead.
A public speech is like a
vegetable sandwich. It has three parts. The top layer is the
introduction, the first slice of the bread. In the middle you have the
butter and the cheese and that is your subject matter, and the last one
is your conclusion. Introduction, text and conclusion, simple. But, how
do you go about it? In the first line of your speech you have to attract
your audience and buy them up. Never start a speech with an apology. You
are not taking an insurance policy against failure. If you are bad they
will throw stones at you, if you are good they might applaud you. That's
why I advice people to give applause before the speaker starts because
you do not know what's coming after. Every time I face an audience my
legs tremble like an old washing machine. My hands start sweating. I get
butterflies in my stomach. I feel the end of the world is on my head.
But let me tell you - if this phenomenon is not in you, please consult
the doctor, as there is something wrong with your constitution.
Nervousness, Winston Churchill said, gives you a kick in the back. "A
kick in the back to prepare!!!" Any speaker coming in front of the
audience unprepared is committing the greatest sin on earth. So watch
out! |
