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Thursday, November 25, 2010

The Art of Public Speaking

The words of William Jennings Bryan easily come to mind, "As long as there are human rights to be defended; as long as there are great interests to be guarded; as long as the welfare of nations is a matter for discussion; so long will public speaking have its place". There will always be a need for public speakers in the world and that truth is one that many people have come to realise and for good reason too. The process of public speaking requires two variables at least and they include the audience and the speaker. "In public speaking, we must appeal either to the prejudices of others, or to the love of truth and justice. If we think merely of displaying our own ability, we shall ruin every cause we undertake" - William Hazzlit.

Any message not tailored to meet the needs of the audience will most likely not be well received. Consider the case of a public speaker who is using graduate students’ vocabulary to address primary school children. You do not need a soothsayer to tell you how it will turn out, the same can be said of a speaker who uses high school vocabulary to address engineers at a technical conference. The minute you begin to think your message, as a speaker, is all about you then your sincerity of purpose is suspect. People want to listen to someone they can relate to and if you fail that test you stand a small chance of getting your message passed across effectively. The bottom line is that you must speak in such a manner as to make your audience participate in your message because it is all about them really. The reason we speak in public is so that the public will hear us and comply with the core of the message we have.  

If you are new to public speaking, there are ways to go about it if you need some guidance. If you are just starting out in business, it is most advisable to find a mentor you trust. This must be someone who is willing to guide you to achieve success in the shortest possible time. Public speaking is an art you must learn if you want to excel at it and with every skill; it can be improved on if you are careful to follow the useful tips that may exist. If you want to learn banking, you will most likely take up employment in the banking sector and make it a duty to learn from and with bankers. The same is applicable when it comes to public speaking, as there are many speakers’ clubs all over the world with a commitment to raising better public speakers. You can join a public speaking club close to you, as you will definitely learn from interacting with others who are more experienced than you are.

The purpose of public speaking might be to educate, inform, motivate, and entertain depending on what the occasion calls for. You can speak professionally and still keep your day job if that is what works best for you. Another option is to run a public speaking business and do it full time though this might require you getting a mentor who will show you the best way to go about it. The most important thing is to do what you are passionate about and what will bring you the fulfilment you require to make life what it is.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Essential Public Speaking Tips

Making a speech can be one of the most difficult things to do in this world and the fear of public speaking is one fear that ranks so high on the list of many people. Public speaking is speaking in a structured and deliberate manner in a bid to inform, educate, entertain, influence and inspire others. This means that there are two variables involved in this equation and they are the speaker and the audience. If the big day is approaching (of making a speech that is) and you sincerely, have no idea of how to go about it this piece will, give you general tips that will help to improve your performance.

One of the things that will help you is to develop a positive mindset about the task itself as if you can win in your mind the other parts will automatically fall in place barring any unforeseen circumstances. Here are some factors that you need to take into consideration for your speech to be the perfect presentation you want it to be.

Microphone - The essence of the microphone is to amplify sound in conjunction with other equipment but sometimes some speakers use microphones and are still barely audible. This is usually due to not knowing how to use a microphone properly. Depending on the type of microphone, you can amplify your voice to the maximum if you know how to position it. As a golden rule make sure you speak directly into the microphone and do not tap the head with your fingers or blow air into it, as you do not want to damage the diaphragm. If the previous speaker used a particular microphone and was audible all over the hall but people could not hear you when it was your turn, then probably you just violated the golden rule of using microphones, which is positioning it too far from your mouth. Also remember that it is not a chewing stick so do not put it in your mouth, as some speakers are prone to do. Having the next speaker wipe off spittle after you have finished using the microphone might just be an embarrassing situation you do not want him or her to experience.

Stage - Depending on the kind of event at which you are supposed to make a speech, there will always be some sort of platform, lectern or dais from which you are expected to deliver your speech. If it is a lectern, choosing whether to leave the lectern and move about is purely a personal decision but my take is that any movement during presentations should add value to the presentation and not take from it. Some speakers prefer to pace around the stage but they stand the risk of giving the audience an impression of being stalkers especially if the movements are not coordinated. On movements on stage, the golden rule is they must add to the presentation.

These are factors in public speaking that usually go unnoticed and the truth is that no matter how prepared you are if you do not utilise them well your presentation will be marred.

Friday, November 12, 2010

The will to live: Do you have it?

Just in case you are wondering what this article is all about, take a minute and think of that time in your life when you felt like throwing in the towel and just walking away from your dreams and everything you had ever hoped for. Permit me now to ask you a personal question, what was it that reassured you that everything was going to be all right? If you can put a finger on it, you have done well by being specific in your analysis but if you cannot, the most important thing is that you took the time to do some retrospection.

Sometimes the will to live is so overpowering that the average person will still shrug off any major disappointments, take a positive outlook on life and say that things can only get better. That folks is the will to live; according to a survey conducted some years ago, Nigerians were reputed to be the happiest people in the world. Without any doubt, it was obvious the compelling reason for that was the never-say-die attitude that many a Nigerian has. With the situation of things in this country, you would expect nearly everyone to be nearing the point of giving up and ending it all but that is not the case. All you need to do to be convinced of this is to look at the people close to you and see what they are going through as it relates to their general attitude to life.
The secret is not far-fetched and is definitely not rocket science. What we who have resolved to forge ahead despite the difficulties and the rough paths that lie ahead of us have in common is what I call the will to live. Everyone needs some perseverance in the equation of their lives as no one was promised a smooth ride in life. No wonder Tai Solarin of blessed memory said, 'May your days be rough'. The man was just being the realist that he really was. The question I pose to you today is what you will do when things do not turn out the way you hope and expect them to. We all will have those times in our lives when the natural and easy thing to do is throw in the towel and give up fighting. You must at this point learn to look inwards and draw from that inner reservoir of strength that is present in everyone irrespective of age, colour or language.

The battle of life is not yet lost so long as we are ready to keep trying. The battle is of course lost when we lose hope, allow the vicissitudes of life to box us in, and dictate to us. If there are people in the world today who moved from zero to hero then you really have no excuse! So what should stop you from revving up that will to live and firing on all cylinders?

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Increase Your Articulation in Speech

One of the challenges that a good number of foreign speakers of the English language will usually face is the ability to excel when it comes to good pronunciation of words. This is so because of the fact that many do not know that it is not just enough to be able to identify correctly the sounds that exist in the words whether they are vowels or consonants, it is also very important to be able to match the correct stress pattern with the word in question. The bottom line is that you may be able to identify correctly the vowel and consonant sounds in a particular word but if you miss the correct stress pattern, you will still end up mispronouncing the word.

There are simple rules involved and if one understands the basics, one will be able to build on that and thus compare favourably with native speakers of the English language. The focus of this is to be able to communicate effectively with members of your audience whose origins you as a speaker may have no control over. There are essentially two major components of diction and they are sounds and stress patterns. If you can fully understand these two components, you would be better armed in the quest for articulate speech.

The sounds in the English Language comprise 49 vowels and consonants in all. There are 25 vowel sounds made up of 12 monothongs, 8 diphthongs and 5 triphthongs. A monothong has just one vowel sound in it while the diphthongs are a combination of two vowel sounds and the triphthongs are a combination of three vowel sounds. All the consonant sounds in the English language vocabulary are 24 in number.
A syllable is a unit of sound that contains one vowel and or at least one consonant. These units of sound are the components that are usually stressed or unstressed in speech. Stressed syllables usually have three major characteristics; they are longer in duration, louder in volume and higher in pitch. There are primary stresses, secondary stresses and tertiary stresses with the last two being most common in polysyllabic words i.e. words with more than three syllables or in some contexts, at least three syllables.

Apart from learning how to articulate sounds and identify correct stress patterns, you must also master the art of speaking clearly and deliberately because it is not just about being audible, you must be understandable for your message to be clear and for you to be able to carry your audience along. You do not want to finish talking for two hours and have someone in the audience ask another person what you just finished talking about, do you.

Using a good pronouncing dictionary might just do the trick and there are lots of them around with the most notable being the Daniel Jones English Pronouncing dictionary. If you can also transcribe words then you are well on your way to increasing how articulate you are from your audience's perception. As with all skills, being more articulate requires practice.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Three Components of Communication you need to master and utilise effectively

Over the years, global research on public speaking and communication made available has posited that there are three components of communication. In other words, for every speech that you make, for every declaration made in the hearing of others and for every announcement that is made in the presence of other people there are three major components and they are Content, Vocal and Non-verbal in that order not necessarily as it relates to importance anyway. The focus of this piece is to look at the three components in detail one after the other and to put forward the most suitable form of communication that will enhance the reception of your message.

Content - Research has it that what you say otherwise referred to as the content of your speech is only 7% of your total communication. The important thing to note here is that it is not what you say alone that matters, how you say it is just as important. While the content is very important, it will be foolhardy for any speaker to concentrate solely on content seeing how it accounts for just 7% of the message. This means there is still 93% to look out for when making your presentation.

Vocal - This component is a reference to your voice. It also involves how you use this voice to project your message, this second aspect of the vocal component of communication deals with vocal variety, which is a statement of how well you vary your voice in speech making. This vocal component accounts for 38% of total communication.

Non-verbal - The third component is non-verbal communication simply because it is not voiced even though it is an essential part of communicating with people. This is what I like to call, what you are not saying audibly though people can perceive it loudly and clearly. Body language is an integral part of non-verbal communication and public speakers need to know how to use body language to add value to their presentation and how to interpret the body language of others especially those in their audience. Research has put the value of this as 55% of total communication.

By way of repetition, the golden rule in presentation is this: It is not what you say but how you say it. This statement and its attendant implementation separate great presenters from average ones.

Finally, the best form of communication is one in which all three components of communication agree completely. If there is a disconnection between these components, it will no doubt affect the veracity of your message, as you will send confusing signals to your audience. What you say must match how you say it and what you are not saying. That is the purest and most reliable form of communicating with people. When what you say aligns with how you say it and also what you are not saying, your believability level, as a public speaker will only increase and this will ultimately enhance your message.

Monday, October 18, 2010

How to Maximise Body Language in Speech Making






According to research carried out over time, non-verbal communication in speech making accounts for about 55% while the content is just 7% with the rest being the vocal component of communication and standing at 38%. This non-verbal component of communication is more often than not referred to as body language. As a public speaker and even in everyday life while interacting with others, your body language will help to influence how they perceive you and it at best be positive for effect. Your gestures, body movements and facial expressions are very important factors that must be thoroughly considered by you if you intend to use body language to aid your presentations skills.

The best kind of communication is one in which what you are saying, otherwise called the content; how you say it, which I would refer to as the vocal component; (your voice and how you use it) and what you are not saying in words, which is the non-verbal component of communication ; agree and are in sync. In other words, what you are saying must match how you say it and what you are not saying. For you to have a complete message, all these three must be in unity. If there is a disconnection between these elements then your message will be affected negatively. Imagine a love-struck man telling his girlfriend of eight years he wants to marry her meanwhile he is wearing a frown on his face with arms crossed. It is therefore important to learn and practise how to use body language effectively to pass across your message. The idea behind this is to align what your body is saying with your words and thus give that stellar presentation you have always wished to have.

As a successful public speaker, you should focus on using positive or open body language in order to enhance the reception of your message by your audience. Common examples of positive body language include open arms, maintaining good eye contact, open torso and widely spaced legs, smiling faces etc, which are time-tested ways of indicating warmth, pleasantness and the state of being approachable. One of the lessons I have learnt in my professional career is that people sometimes buy things on emotions rather than logic. Your ability to connect with your audience emotionally might just as well be very dependent on the language of your body, which is the most perceptible element of communication depending on who is looking and listening. Body language is more encompassing than this but for the purpose of a speaker speaking to an audience some of the examples mentioned above might just as well suffice.

You should avoid negative or closed body language like a plague, as this is sure to detract from your message and reduce your believability level in the eyes of your audience. Examples of this include folded arms, frowns on the face, pointing your finger or waving an object threateningly in the face of your audience.

Body language will forever remain an integral component of communication so you would do well to master it and use it effectively to add value to your presentation. 

Monday, October 11, 2010

The trouble with trust




Life being what it is will always demand sacrifices from us and in truth, making such sacrifices is one of those things that make us retain all the vestiges of humanity in us even when the natural tendency is to be bestial even if for a little while. 

The intriguing thing though is that sometimes we trust too much but the question is what other options are open to us? Must we look upon everyone we meet through the veneer of distrust and hate just because we have chosen to live life as loners who naturally find running away from others enjoyable? Must we choose to see only the evil in others and close our eyes to the good that is in them just because we have had some bitter experiences in the past and do not want our fingers burnt again? These are questions, questions and certainly more questions which beg for answers every day of our lives. 

What happens then when our trust is betrayed by others friends and strangers alike? As passengers, we trust the operators of public transport to provide the services for which we pay them and not for them to make it a habit of stopping halfway through the journey blaming one of many possible reasons, engine-related or not . As citizens of a nation say Nigeria, we trust our elected officials and political office holders to provide us with the so-called dividends of democracy and thus make life better for us. As patients we trust our medical doctors and other medical personnel to provide us with the best health care within the ambit of their professional calling. As spouses and lovers, we trust our partners and significant others to make sure they do all the right things at the right time to sustain our relationships. As students we trust our teachers and lecturers to teach us the right things and to set good examples always.

Trust is one of the fundamental virtues of human life that we just cannot do without and whether or not our trust is kept we just must trust because that is the foundation of corporate existence in the first place. Undoubtedly the best situations are such that trust is not betrayed by the recipient but for that to be so, everyone who is trusted to do something must make sure they give a good account of themselves as far as holding that trust is concerned.

The way I see it, we must always trust in people whether or not we are going to get that trust held in high esteem. It reminds me of the enigma of love and of the possible implications of love that is unrequited. The possibilities are endless if we can all learn to trust one another and if those of us who are seen as worthy of another’s trust do our best to remain true to that trust.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Nigeria at 50: What manner of independence?

We celebrated our fiftieth anniversary of independence some days ago and it was a most remarkable event for many reasons good, bad and ugly (actually this sounds like a cliché and I do not like them!). Anyway if you must know I did not participate in the Independence Day celebrations as my mind was filled with many issues that seemed not to be able to go away and all of them had to do with Nigeria. Trust me I am a patriotic Nigerian but in truth I did not see any reason to celebrate except for the fact that our corporate existence as a nation is still intact.

My first grouse with the Federal Government as represented by President Goodluck Jonathan and his cabinet was the decision to spend about 10 billion naira on the celebrations. Whether it was 10 billion or even 6 billion as recommended by you know who, it was in bad taste. This in a nation where we are still waiting for the time when power supply will be uninterrupted and potable water will be made available and affordable to all. According to statistics available from international organisations, about 70% of people in our nation live on less than 1 dollar a day and we are one of the richest nations in the world in terms of natural resources but at the same time one of the poorest. That is one of the troubling paradoxes that define our corporate existence as a nation!

The bombing issue did not even help matters too as people for whom the bombs were not intended ended up being killed thus sending them to premature graves. Talk of Nigerians hitting out at other Nigerians! Violence in my opinion will never be the solution as long as social (re)engineering is still an option. I hope those concerned are listening and assimilating.

The 75 million naira cake was the most preposterous news item I had heard in recent times. If 75 entrepreneurs like me with sound minds and viable business ideas had been given one million naira each to invest in their business would that not have made better sense and impacted more lives positively. Is national independence all about eating a piece of the national cake (in the literal sense)? In a country where the manufacturing sub-sector of the economy still contributes less than 10% to the GDP of our country do you not think we still have a lot to do in terms of revamping our economy and thus improving the quality of life of her citizens?

Apparently pissed off with the inaction and double standards of the government, a group of people called naija cyber activists hacked into the website of the national assembly and posted a one-page letter on the home page. While reading the letter the only thing that came to my mind was that people were getting pissed off and could not be patient any longer.

Elections are coming next year and these same leaders who have proven to be permanently bereft of ideas will want to remain in office. Are you thinking what I am thinking? God forbid that it should be so!

Young people in the nooks and crannies of this nation must register to vote and make sure they come out to vote when the time comes. Enough of this indolence and nonchalance, the time to get involved is now.

Monday, October 4, 2010

My Tinsel Misadventure

I pride in the fact that I am an actor, writer and public speaker all rolled into one. These three careers are such that I can pursue and excel in them simultaneously without much effort. The amusing thing is that I have been doing lots of writing on this space about my career as a public speaker and of course, the writer in me speaks (writes) always. The point I am trying to make is that I have neglected to write about my career as an actor perhaps as an error of omission. Just in case you do not know, I have some years of acting experience (mostly stage) behind me having acted professionally from 2002 to 2004 with my last role as 'Aafaa' in Soyinka's Madmen and Specialists. This was when Prof. Wole Soyinka clocked 70 and just in case you are wondering, he was there in person at the event. I could say that was the biggest project I was involved in then apart from being on TV. Since 2004, I have been involved in other things besides acting.

Anyway, I will be sharing my experience in my bid to star in Tinsel, MNETs Nigerian soap opera. They held auditions in March this year for Season 3 and had another in the first week of August after the season had started possibly in a bid to get extras. That's acting lingo but I guess it's plain simple enough!

After the auditions in March, I was called after about two weeks for another audition and this time I had to vie for the role with three other people. The long and short of the whole story is that I got a role in Season 3 of Tinsel. I was supposed to play 'Henry' the bald, well-dressed twenty-something year old man who is in the business of selling clothes. My happiness was without limits understandably. Little did I know I was in for some dose of tough luck!

That was when the long wait started for me as I expected them to call to inform me of when I would be on set. Weeks turned into months and eventually sometime in August I got to know they had deleted the character saying it was no more relevant to the story.

Of course, I was not too happy with the development and thankfully, I had only told a handful of people I would be appearing in Tinsel Season 3 so it was easy for me to 'untell' them. I had really looked forward to being in Tinsel but I guess it was not to be, at least not then. Perhaps I will try again next season but until then I think I will stick with stage and forget about starting a career in Nollywood. Hmm! That is a story for another day.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Speak Right 24/7 with Temiloluwa Awonbiogbon

Do you want others to listen when you speak?
Do you want to improve your communication skills?
Do you have challenges pronouncing words correctly and want to improve?


This training programme as the name implies has been designed to empower you with the requisite skills you need to become an excellent communicator. We will teach you to improve your communication skills using the tools of diction and elocution as a springboard.

This full-scale training session will hold on Saturday, the 30th of October somewhere in Surulere, Lagos.
The venue is 277 Babs Animashaun Road by Bode Thomas Junction, Surulere.
The start time is 11:30am and stop time is 4:30pm.

If you are interested in this training session, pay N5000 only at any Guaranty Trust Bank branch into the following account:

Account Name: Power Talk Services
Account Number: 226940457110

You are sure to get more than your money's worth.

There will be practical sessions and the courses available are as listed below:

Diction and Elocution 101
Diction and Elocution 102


"There can be no better investment than the one you make in yourself. When you invest in yourself you will be able to recognise other viable investments" - Temiloluwa

I really look forward to seeing you there.

Confirm your seat now by paying N5000 only at any GTBank branch nationwide.

Account Name: Power Talk Services
Account Number: 226940457110

See you at the training session!

Monday, September 20, 2010

How to get it right: Posture and Movement in Speech Making

Knowing that even before you start speaking your audience will start to evaluate your ability to deliver the goods on your presentation, there is a need to be conscious of every little detail from the minute you arrive the venue until you make your presentation. It is all about increasing your believability level and your ability to establish a connection with your audience on all fronts. When called to make your presentation, it is preferable to walk smartly to the lectern with your head raised and your shoulders straightened out. This tells the audience that a confident person is about to speak to them and will most likely boost their expectations of you. Having said that it is up to you to justify their level of expectation and even go on to surpass their expectations.

Here are a few tips that will help you to maintain a good posture during that important speech you are preparing to make. They are very simple and easy to follow and should be practiced as many times as possible to attain perfection.

Shoulders Straight - There is no need make your audience begin to feel sorry for you if that is not the objective of your presentation and presentations like that are usually reserved for the theatre if you get my drift. Do not slump as it indicates tiredness on your part, which can easily be transmitted to your audience.

Chest Out - No matter what the subject matter of your speech is, you need to be convincing when making your presentation. Stand with your chest out and look smart with your posture.

Stomach In - This might not work for everyone as we all are physically endowed to varying degrees. Despite this, tuck your stomach in to enhance your appearance before your audience.

Head Up - When your head is down, you easily pass yourself off as one who is dejected. Even if truly you are then you should not let your audience know that that is the case. The standard procedure then would be to raise your head so that you can easily maintain eye contact with your audience.

Stand Erect - Standing erect is the easiest way of passing off as being confident and serious about what you are talking about before an audience. One of the crimes you can easily commit against yourself is to reduce your believability level in the eyes of the audience and this can happen in any way. Do not lean on one leg, as you must learn to put your weight equally on both legs to maintain the stance of confidence.

During your presentation, you must make sure your movements match the message you are trying to pass across, as there is a whole world of difference between moving with intent and moving aimlessly. Making deliberate movements to emphasise a point is the key point to note here. You must limit your movements such that they only add value to your presentation and not detract from it; this kind of approach is best in very formal settings like conferences, business presentations and the like.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

How to Increase Your Charisma and Confidence

One of the hurdles public speakers will have to climb has to do with raising their confidence level to an acceptable standard. This is more like begging the question really, as no one will be interested in a message you are not convinced of so this makes exhibiting a great measure of confidence of the utmost importance. So the next question is how do you go about increasing your confidence and passing yourself off as believable? Confidence without charisma is like a slice of bread eaten as is, without any supplement say butter or jam. While tasty as an independent food substance, it tastes better when eaten with something else. This same symbiotic relationship exists between charisma and confidence.

A charismatic speaker is a much better option than a dull, uninspiring one any day, this goes to underscore the importance of charisma in speechmaking. It is that ability to attract others and cause them to have confidence in you and your message. Most people buy on emotions rather than logic so if the messenger does not captivate them how can they possibly accept the message.

There are no hard and fast rules to becoming more confident and personally, I do not believe in the fact that you have to stand before a mirror to deliver all your lines to have an idea of how well you fare. What I feel is important is to have someone who is willing to give you honest feedback listen to your for about 2 minutes or so, this person will be your pseudo audience. This will help you to get honest feedback before encountering your real audience. Based on the feedback received you can work on yourself to bring your strengths to bear on your presentation and minimise your weaknesses.

One of the techniques employed by great speakers in a bid to be more charismatic is to develop a likeable personality. It reminds me of what my friend, Damilola Oluwatoyinbo, one of Nigeria's up and coming public speakers once said about charisma in public speaking, "People do not want be reminded of their school teacher or lecturer complete with cane in hand". The idea behind that simple statement was simply to develop a more likeable personality in other words every successful speaker must learn to be more personable if he or she wants to be charismatic and attract people like a magnet.

You can learn and harness virtually every skill; the same applies to charisma and confidence. When you get an opportunity to interact with people you meet on a personal basis, a simple act like stretching out your hand with a smile on your face and introducing yourself might just do the trick. You can practise this simple technique as often as possible and the good part is that it is free. Remember the important thing is to enhance your charisma and confidence.

Confidence and charisma are two attributes of great speakers you want to be associated with and you will do well to have them to add value to your presentations. 

Monday, September 13, 2010

Love song

Come, my beloved!

And I will sing you a love song

Though my voice be not sonorous

As of a choiring angel

Yet will I sing you a love song

As an oasis is to a desert land

As raindrops are to a scorched earth

As knowledge is to a barren mind

As light is to a dark path

As health is to one long ravaged

So, inamorata is your love, to me!

Friday, September 3, 2010

My thoughts on 'The Colloquium'

I was one of the guest speakers at 'The Colloquium', a speakers-for-change conference directed at young people, which held on Friday the 27th of August as a project of the FAITH Initiative (see www.thefaithinitiative.org) to celebrate the annual International Youth Day Conference. I spoke on the theme: 'Violence, Terrorism and Crime: Who can stop the Unholy Trinity?' and this was during the first session as there were three in all.

I hinged my presentation on 'The Neighbour Principle', which was first postulated by Lord Atkin in 1932 in the case of Donoghue and Stevenson. This principle states that, "You must take reasonable care to avoid acts or omissions which you can reasonably foresee would be likely to injure your neighbour". It goes on to define a neighbour as someone so closely and directly affected by your act that you ought reasonably to have him or her in contemplation as being so affected when you are directing your mind to the acts and omissions being called to question. The rationale is that if you consider the effect of your action(s) on the person next to you before you take them and your decisions before you make them, then this world will be a better place for everyone involved.

Worthy of note is that the people behind 'The Faith Initiative' are very young and at the same time wise beyond their years. I make bold to say that our country would be a better place if there were more of them like that in every nook and cranny. Just in case any one of them reads this piece, know this I am proud to be associated with people like them.

Anyway, back to the issue of my presentation I started out by asking a question that required feedback and I think that was able to get their attention at the start. I spoke for about 20 minutes in all but I do not think that was my best presentation ever but it was good enough to pass across the message I needed to and get them inspired in the process, even if I say so myself:-).

Just in case you are wondering how to become a better speaker, the approach would be to start accepting the opportunities that come your way and to give your best at all times. The bottom line is that one gets better with practice.

I enjoyed my time at 'The Colloquium' and I believe we all took time to sow important seeds for the future of our nation. For all those who attended, the time to act is indeed now!

Monday, August 30, 2010

Connecting With your Audience Just Got Easier

The art of public speaking requires at least two variables for there to be a balanced equation and they are the audience and the speaker. The sole reason a speaker speaks in public is so that the audience will listen and possibly take a certain action or make a particular decision depending on what the objective of the presentation is anyway. This means that the reason there are speeches is that there will be audiences that will listen, this makes the issue of a speaker connecting with the audience of the greatest importance. For the most part, it is not what you say but how you say it, in other words, how you say it is just as important as what you say.

Eye Contact - One of the time-tested ways to connect with your audience is to look them in the eye and make eye contact with them. If the eyes were the window to the soul then as a professional speaker you would surely want to master how to pull your audience in using your eyes. Try as much as possible to make eye contact with as many people in your audience as you can as this helps to draw them in thus making them attracted to you and your message. Short and meaningful glances will do but remember keep them short, as you do not want them to think you are a potential stalker. The inability to make eye contact with the people you engage even in everyday conversation suggests you are hiding something from them and so are not to be trusted.

Good Posture - There is no substitute for a good posture as far as public speaking is concerned. You must always make it a habit to stand erect and tall with your shoulders straight and squarely set and your chest out. Also, remember to tuck your stomach in and hold your head up. The ideal thing is to always look smart and this is best achieved when your posture speaks well of you. Anything less than this passes you off as tired and spent which are public speaking synonyms for dull and uninspiring. You might consider practicing standing straight and asking your friends for feedback.

Deliberate Movement - As much as possible, limit your movements such that it adds value to your message and not takes away from it. When movements are purposeless and uncoordinated, they could end up distracting the audience who will be trying to follow your movements all around the stage instead of concentrating on the message. As much as possible let your movements match your message, in other words use movements to emphasise your points.

Appropriate Dressing - The rule of thumb for appropriate dressing is to answer the question of what kind of event at which you are supposed to speak. You cannot possibly wear a suit when everyone else is going to be dressed in tracksuit bottoms and body hugs. If you are going to make a business presentation at a company and they have company colours you may consider dressing in like colours, as this will help them to see you as one of them. Your best bet if you are confused would be to ask the event organisers to know the dress code and the kind of event it is.

Who says connecting with your audience must be difficult?

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Towards a Great Speech: Demystifying Ethos, Pathos and Logos

Have you ever wondered what the key components of every great speech are? Perhaps you are wondering what features of speeches might exist that you do not already know about. The ancient Greeks were the first people to bring out a classification that has come to be universally accepted. According to them, there are three major elements of any speech and they are Ethos, Pathos and Logos not necessarily in any order of importance. These three are the major vehicles of persuasion, which Aristotle wrote about eons ago.
Here is a concise treatment of the three major features of every speech which some have rightly dubbed the pillars of public speaking explained in as simple terms as possible.

Ethos - This is a direct reference to the ethical content of your speech. It also has to do with the character or credibility of the speaker in other words, how well the audience is likely to believe the speaker. If the speaker has a reputation of competence built over a period of time the audience will most likely warm up to them but for someone who is not seen as competent enough you just can be sure of the level of acceptance they will have to deal with. For example, you would most likely be more willing to listen to a finance expert talk to you on personal finance that a football coach.

Pathos - Depending on the aim of your presentation there is always an emotional content involved that could be used to effect. How much passion is your speech able to stir up in the hearts and minds of your listeners? The words of Carl W. Buechner, "They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel" easily come to mind. Here is a veiled reference to the importance of emotional content in speech. The power of emotions and feelings cannot be over-emphasised in human life, as people will most likely respond positively if they feel good about your message.

Logos - This is how well your speech appeals to the logic or the intellect of your audience. It is essentially an appeal based on logic or reasoning in other words how convincing your argument is with the help of supporting evidence. Here you may need to use data, detailed analysis and rational arguments to support your presentation. In fact, the word logic is closely related to the Greek word logos. Essentially your audience will want to know if what you are saying to them makes a lot of sense or if it is just some beautifully packaged gibberish.

The perfect speech is that which contains all three types of content and even though there are different schools of thought as to which is the most important of all, it all boils down to the aim of your presentation really. The aim of your presentation will determine largely the vehicle of persuasion you give the highest priority. 

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Nigeria my country: The Vampires in Us Revealed

Movies are sometimes a reflection of our reality and at other times, they are simply a representation of man's ability to think out of the box and explore his creative genius without any prescribed limits in sight. Instructional as they may be in their use, some of them are simply vehicles of sensual entertainment. Someone like me does not qualify to be called the average movie freak anyway, having just seen the nineties classic movie, Titanic some weeks ago. Anyway, we have learnt from movies that vampires are sub-human creatures that like to feed on blood and cannot stay under the direct heat of the sun's rays. How true this is is only an excursion into the minds of the perceptive and adventurous.

For the most part, some who watch movies find it very difficult to draw the line between reality and fiction. What is certainly not fiction in modern day Nigeria is that the vampires have come to stay and they are among us or how else do you explain the fact that lawmakers in Nigeria get more pay than the President of the United States of America whose democracy we claim to ape does. I really do not want to bore you with the actual figures, as they are at best sickening and unconscionable and come under various appellations. This is a country where 100 million other Nigerians live on less than one dollar a day. Only God knows when those in power will listen to the voice of reasoning that says the cost of maintaining this executive apparatus called government is on the high side to the detriment of the person on the street. These are the same legislators who surely must have what it takes to win us some much-needed gold medals in boxing at the next Olympics going by their not so honourable display in the recent past at a time they were supposed to be making laws on our behalf. This is a classic example of vampires on rampage!

For a situation in which federal ministers, whose innumerable personal assistants and special advisers have their own assistants and advisers either assisting or advising, is that not an over bloated form of government. The question that we should all be asking is what the results that the average person on the streets can point to are. The way forward is that the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) should rework all salaries of government officials and public office holders with a view to probably cut them by about 70%. If we are able to pull this off, the resources there from can then be expended for the general good. Just before you cry yourselves hoarse, even the blind man can see that we are in dire need of drastic measures and critical situations require the bravest of men and women.

Bus drivers and their conductors find it convenient to hike fares even up to about 200% when the heavens release their pent up fury blaming it on traffic jams and fuel. This they do with all glee informing all those who cannot pay to take a hike and allow those who can afford it to board. The next time you are at a bus stop waiting for a bus with many other people, you just might have a taste of this unpalatable offering of theirs. That is the vampire in them coming to the fore.
The electoral reforms we earnestly desire are still a dream as stories abound of votes not being the deciding factor as to who is returned as the winner in an election. The direct beneficiaries of this unusual state are the vampires who will stop at nothing to make sure the situation remains unchanged. Positive electoral reforms are the ammunition we need to kill the electoral vampires among us and we all are the warriors that must don the garb of war and make sure our votes count come the 2011 elections.

Governors are not in any way left out, as all that the observant mind needs to do is assess overall performance in their states and see those who are not performing, as they should. They prefer to fly out of the country to spend our money on wanton pleasures under the guise of seeking foreign investors. Undoubtedly, whether or not those trips have borne fruit remains a matter requiring urgent attention. For a good number of them, success in government equates to spending two terms in office whether deserved or undeserved. Talk of vampires dressed in civilian attires!

As the independence celebrations draw near the vampires in us must spend billions of naira to celebrate when there are schoolchildren who still receive lessons under trees perhaps in a bid to be closer to nature and there are undergraduates in our tertiary institutions who still endure the worst of the pillow fights between the government and their teachers. They must celebrate when there are still millions of people with no access to adequate health care, there is the monstrous beast of erratic power supply to contend with, and there is the unmistakeable stench of corruption in every facet of the Nigerian life. Those are the vampires at work.

Unfortunately, the movies do not prescribe a lasting solution to the proliferation of vampires so we must all look in our realities and work to make sure we build the Nigeria of our dreams. One sure way to start is if we can all learn to be empathetic in all situations. If our leaders were not so far removed from the harsh realities of our everyday lives then we would probably have better governance at the federal, state and local government levels and thus rid ourselves of titular vampires. If we the people all learnt to put ourselves in the shoes of the other person whom we refer to as our neighbour, we would most likely have a better place to live in. The only option open to us is to join hands and sound the death knell to all the vampires among us.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Renewed

Walking slowly along the road of life
With my battered spirit tagging along,
All of my strength had gone like wisps of smoke
As I struggled with life’s blows and troubles
Without any doubt I had lost all hope.

Suddenly I heard a voice call to me
Let me have your broken spirit for keeps
Your battered and old self for a new one
And your wretched heart for one made brand new.
I turned to him who called and saw his face.

With the exchange complete and finalised
I stand refreshed, revamped and revitalised
With all the strength I can muster and call,
I shout at the top of my voice like mad.
I am energised and have been renewed.





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