ARE YOU AFRAID TO SPEAK IN PUBLIC?

Manoj Vasudevan, the world champion of public speaking, reveals how you too can overcome the fear of the mic.

As I sit down to interview Manoj Vasudevan, he moves the small vase that's on the table between us to one side. Smiling, he rests his hands on the table before leaning forward just a bit. I notice the subtle non-verbal cues only because I'd read up a bit on techniques of communication before I set off to meet the world champion of public speaking.The reason he moved the vase to one side was to ensure there is no obstruction to the channel of communication and to have direct eye contact with the audience - in this case me. Hands on the table was a cue to show he had nothing to conceal, while leaning forward indicated that he was interested in what I had to ask. Manoj smiles when I mention the non-verbal cues. 'The gestures were unintentional,' he says. 'I'm genuinely looking forward to sharing my experiences with you.'Fresh from winning the title of World Champion of Public Speaking in Las Vegas (popularly known as the Olympics of oration), beating some 35,000 aspirants from 142 countries, Manoj, an entrepreneur and professional speaker, was in Dubai on an invitation from a local chapter of Toastmasters International, of which he is a member in Singapore. 'My mission now is to share my views on the art - and importance - of public speaking. It's one of the most important skills you can cultivate to advance your career, improve your life and make you a winner,' he says.The 44-year-old Singapore resident knows it only too well.An engineer by profession, he was working in a software company when, after receiving regular annual increments and promotions, one year he failed to get any. 'I asked my boss why I was denied a promotion and he told me plainly that I lacked the skills to take me to the next level,' says Manoj, who hails from the southern Indian state of Kerala.Believing it was academic qualifications he lacked, Manoj enrolled for an MBA at Imperial College, London. 'But two years and $50,000 later, I realised I hadn't improved myself a great deal. So I decided to do some research and study the ways and habits of successful people.'That study would be a game changer for him. Manoj spent two years extensively studying achievers and academic toppers. He found that while academic success was important to an extent in landing a job, 'what mattered largely at the workplace was not individual contribution but the ability to lead a team and have the ability to influence decisions regarding ideas,' says Manoj. 'I met people who had ideas for products that could be worth millions of dollars, but they lacked the ability to communicate their ideas to initiate a sale or convert their ideas into a product.'After detailed interviews with them, the software engineer coalesced his findings into a set of core skills crucial for success.'I found that there are five core skills we need to possess to get ahead in our career and life - the ability to connect with people, to communicate, to network, to lead, and to influence and sell our ideas.'Manoj, who has a slight stammer, did some introspection and found that he lacked some of these core skills. 'I knew I had to hone them to get ahead,' he says.That was in 2004. He and his wife, Sindhu Sreebhavam, had just started a family but that didn't stop him from taking a life-changing decision - he quit his job to concentrate on improving his soft skills. He would also set up a consultancy firm to help others like him who needed to grow.'Looking back, what I had at that time was what I now call a 'growth mindset'; I was stuck and needed to do something to grow,' says Manoj, a self-confessed introvert.Quitting his job also meant he was now forced to network and connect with people 'because I needed to make my new venture, a consultation company, a success. I also wanted to learn perhaps the most important skill - public speaking.'Manoj admits that initially, even the thought of speaking in public would leave him speechless with fear, what's known as glossophobia. 'I was terrified I'd make a fool of myself on stage,' he says. For several months, he accompanied a friend of his, a Toastmaster, to the club's weekly meetings before gathering courage one day to sign up as a member. He would study videos of leaders speaking in public - 'Obama was one of my favourites' - political press conferences, Ted talks and motivational speakers in action. He took note of the ways that speakers handled sensitive subjects and dodged controversial questions. 'It took me eight months to gather my wits and present my first speech at a Toastmasters meeting,' he says. 'A simple but important lesson I learnt in public speaking is to always be prepared before stepping up to speak. Be clear what you want to say and be aware of the audience you are going to be speaking to.'Manoj, who has authored a bestseller, Mastering Leadership the Mousetrap Way, developed a rule of thumb about clarity. 'I made it a point to tell people what I know in such a way that they don't have to ask me to repeat. If I had to repeat myself, it means I wasn't clear the first time,' he says.Another tip he offers glossophobics is 'to grab all opportunities to speak in public'.Sales conferences, team events, office get-togethers - Manoj suggests grabbing any opportunity to speak in public. 'I used to take on the role of an emcee at family parties. I learnt stand-up comedy and was one of 25 top comedians at the 2012 International Comedy Festival in Singapore.' Manoj has addressed gatherings 'from around 20 people to more than 20,000', the latter when he hosted a 2015 event in Singapore where Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was chief guest. From there to participating in the Toastmasters World Championship of Public Speaking, was just a few podiums away.The first time Manoj vied for the championship was in 2015, and he placed third with a speech titled 'We can fix it'. Keen to talk his way to the title, Manoj spent a year polishing his speech script and finetuning his delivery technique. Then on August 26 last year, before an audience of around 2,500, Manoj delivered the winning speech titled 'Pull less, bend more' on a lesson he learnt about rekindling the romance in his marriage. 'Winning the title was surely a highlight of my life,' says the CEO of Thought Expressions, an organisation that 'helps individuals become world-class speakers'. Getting over glossophobia has changed his life enormously, he says, adding that his mission now is to help others do the same. To that end, he offers free online lessons, including a program called 'Nervous to fabulous', that helps people overcome nervousness, and tailor-made programmes for people who may have specific issues related to public speaking. 'My grand mission is to help 20 million people by 2020. I think it is doable,' he says.? Smile genuinely.? Don't hide your hands behind your back or keep them folded across your chest. The first indicates you have something to hide while the second is a defensive pose and could be seen as threatening.? Be willing to listen. If you ask a question, wait for the person to reply. It shows you value their opinion and are willing to listen to them. Provide them with thinking space to formulate their answer and reply to you before asking the next question.? In a party situation, speak less and listen more. You won't believe the number of friends you can make just by being a patient listener. But if there's someone who is a bore, find an escape route at the earliest.? Ask open-ended questions. For instance, instead of asking 'How was your weekend?' ask 'what did you do this weekend?'? Don't think your speech or presentation is about yourself. Set aside your ego. People are there to listen to your speech not to judge your looks. However, dress appropriately.? Fact-check your speech before you go up to speak.? Be a messenger and ensure that the message you have is strong and worth the while of the audience. Mahatma Gandhi is an example. He was not a very masterful speaker. But he ensured that the message he had went out loud and clear to the listeners.? Body language is very important. Stand straight but relaxed and be confident. Dress smartly and suitably for the occasion. Smile and attempt to make eye contact with people from all sections of the audience.? Use short sentences and include active words. ? Be clear and use jargon-free language.? There's nothing like getting the audience hooked from the moment you start speaking. Humour and being sincere are instant attention grabbers. But be careful to keep the humour appropriate to the audience.? Don't hesitate to be self- deprecating. It often immediately helps you bond with your audience. ? Avoid a preachy tone. Your speech should be more on the lines of a conversation. Speak as if you are addressing each individual.