Public speaking involves a series of exchanges. As the speaker gives out information to the audience, members of the audience show their interest or lack of interest through their feedback. While the process is not really about who dominates or who is submissive, we still should not downplay the role of the speaker in setting […]
Betty was excited that her husband had returned from work. She had a lot to tell him, ranging from the broken kitchen knife to the plumbing problem. Unfortunately, Fred wasn’t in the mood for any of that. He had a tough day and needed to free his mind from everything by watching a game of […]
This article is not necessarily about using time effectively, though this is obvious from the story in Part 1. Our focus here is on the seed. A seed is not supernatural, yet it determines your harvest. It is only what you plant that you reap, not what you are getting ready to plant. It doesn’t […]
Once upon a time, there lived three supernatural beings and their names were Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. Each of them had special powers to control certain aspects of time. For instance, anything that had to do with memories or history was within the domain of Yesterday; Today was the lord of actions and execution of […]
Welcome to your column on public speaking. Last week, we explored the importance of looking within us and bring out the hidden treasures. I shared with you the story of Leslie Calvin “Les” Brown who was born on the floor in an abandoned building and was later labeled educably mentally retarded. Les listened to the […]
There is something very interesting about opinion; people state what is on their mind, but we are left to act it out. If we are called a failure, it is required of us to fail for them to be correct. The fact that they said it does not seal our fate; our action or non-action […]
“You’ve got greatness within you!” These are the words of Les Brown, one of the world’s leading motivational speakers. But before you dismiss this statement as another sugar quoted, empty, and make-people-feel-good speech, you need to read the story of Les. One of my most revered mentors says that the secret of people is in […]
It is essential for us to learn how to gain and sustain the attention of our listeners. This does not only apply to professional speakers; it also applies to anyone who needs to pass across a message to other people. It is not enough to know what to say; how we say it matters a […]
According to Les Brown, “When life knocks you down, make sure you land on your back, because if you can look up, you can get up”. That is what I call a good attitude towards life. Those who are depressed are in a state of hopelessness. Hope is the reason one wakes up in the […]