In the previous episode we understood the significance of knowing the Vyaakarnam (Grammar) of a language, coupled with the knowledge of “Tharka Shaastra” (The expertise of employing the apt words for the apt context) and “Bhimaamsa” (The expertise of explaining the context in a highly thought-provoking way) in delivering a good speech. In today’s episode we shall see some important tips as to how to maintain a good body language while delivering a corporate presentation/speech.
Rama says….
“Namukhe nethrayoschaapi lalaatecha bruvosthathaa!
Anveshwapicha sarveshu doshassamvidhitam kvachit!!”
Rama continues his praise for Hanuman by saying, “Yes. He’s a learned person, and so he talks well.. That’s fine, because this might be seen in many learned scholars elsewhere. But what’s more important is that, the manner in which he talks. His facial expressions were extremely minimal and his eyebrows never shrank. His head was still without any movement. He has spoken with the same beauty of talking for every minute!”
From this point onwards, we’re going to see very important aspects of a good speech, especially for corporate employees who focus on soft skills. We can see the aspects that are extremely important for a person while he/she delivers an address or a corporate presentation.
To begin with, the facial expressions of the person who is presenting the content should be as minimal as possible – In olden days musicians do “Saadagam” (rigorous practice) of music during the early morning hours (also called “Brahma muhurtam”). During this rigorous practice session, it is said that if a person is singing with a pot full of oil on his/her head, not even a single drop of oil should spill out of the pot. In other words, the facial movements should be maintained as minimal as possible and the focus of the presenter should exclusively be on the content of the subject. This is because, if there are too many facial expressions, the focus of the audience would be veered away from the main content of the program and such things are not admissible in a corporate setup. This rule applies for any form of presentation – Be it Music, Oration or a Discourse.
Secondly, the pitch in which the person is talking should be maintained the same from the beginning till the end. For instance, in music, the pitch should be selected according to the capability of the singer’s voice texture. Else if portions of the song goes into a higher or a lower octave, it would be difficult for the singer to reach those high and low points and it sounds awkward during a music concert. Similarly for a speech, the pitch and tone of the presenter should be constant for the entire duration of the presentation and it should not deviate up and down unnecessarily. This might again disturb the focus of the audience on the subject.
So Rama says here that Hanuman is giving an excellent oration only because he has gained mastery over all the above skills.
In the next episode, we shall continue seeing more tips for an effective corporate presentation and there are many more exciting elements to be learnt. Stay tuned!!
The Indian Dharma 