Say it right

At a banking event he was invited to speak at Shah Rukh Khan learnt from the MC that the first segment of the evening was to include his interaction with the CEO The actor asked his assistant to pull out a tome of quotations and quips which he skimmed through for a while before he took the stageAfter sharing an anecdote to establish the trustworthiness of the bank and the man at its helm Khan switched to his characteristic wit and said he liked the CEOs suit But when I asked him for his tailors number he said they wouldnt be of much use to me Khan said When I asked why he said A bankers suit doesnt have pockets He always has his hands in someone elses And with that he brought the house downRoshan Abbas left and Siddharth BanerjeeThe incident opens chapter two of the book Speechless Bloomsbury by Roshan Abbas and Siddharth Banerjee which speaks of the importance of homework that even the most charismatic speakers do before a public appearance The book is the culmination of their decades of experience as leading orators Abbass radio television and stage experience as an actor host and presenter has won him seven national awards while Banerjee who is also Abbass schoolmate is an awardwinning global marketer and soughtafter industry speakerTwo years ago Siddharth and I conducted a workshop on public speaking in Jaipur which was wellreceived Thats when he suggested we give structure to what we have learnt over the years in the form of a book shares Abbas Banerjee feels there is a genuine need for people to learn the art of communicating effectively to prepare for presentations hold attention and highlight what they want to through key messages And we strongly feel that this is a skill that each one of us should developMini MathurPeppered with anecdotes and practical tips the book takes the reader through the process from preparation to ending on a high note in an interesting format For each chapter under the Logic section which offers a grounding in communicating effectively so you are not speechless or fumbling for words there is a corresponding chapter in the Magic section to take your public speaking skills from good to great so your listeners are left speechlessThe book also includes detailed interviews with celebrities like Harsha Bhogle Mandira Bedi Mini Mathur Gaurav Kapoor and Cyrus Sahukar where they share what they have learnt as wellknown public speakers Public speaking is no longer a domain of emcees or hosts People are making presentations every day its become important even for students So the book couldnt be better timed says Mathur television host who shares in her interview that she never wings it for an eventHarsha BhogleHeres how the authors envision the process of delivering an effective speech talk or presentation Before a cracker of an opening sentence they write comes the preparation And for that they suggest the speaker ought to know who the audience is to find a common ground and be culturally sensitive what the objective is where he is speaking the occasion and the venue and when the part of the day The next part of the preparation pertains to the actual content mastery over which is irreplaceable For finetuning the content the book lays down the principle of writereducerepeatAlong with the right body language the authors feel that listening to the audience to keep it engaged is important An aware speaker for example knows which of his arguments are landing They advise the speaker to steer clear of jargon and bombastic words and instead use simple but evocative languageAn impactful ending is as important as a great beginning and to do that the book suggests leaving the audience with something they value an exciting idea a strong challenge a provocative thoughtstarter or a way to improve their livesPeople we look up to have all honed their gift of effective communication says Abbas underlining the idea that though it comes naturally to some mastering public speaking is a continuous process and anyone can embark on the journey Banerjee agrees Everyone wants at least one standing ovation in lifeHarshas mantras Always have a backup story ready if you feel like people are getting bored In my case I always keep a Tendulkar or a Dravid story at hand Each slide of my presentation has just a line anyone else could be the speaker if all your text is on the slide All the good speakers I know of are immensely fluent in the language they choose to communicate in Doesnt matter who youre speaking to you shouldnt talk down to them Treat people with respect the warmth must come throughProtips to avoid onstage debacle Use numbered cue cards and not sheets of papers which rustle and distract the audience Be conscious of the use of clicheacutes and filler words when you speak Stay out of the troika of religion sex and politics unless the topic demands it Do not end your talk with Any questions Keep it interactive throughout or deliver an impactful signoff after the QnA When met with criticism avoid sarcasm or counteraccusationsCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates