Babita's Blog: It’s about how we say it

Growing up in HTA Kolkata was special in many ways.

One of which was to listen to the stories of the legendary Mr. Subhas Ghoshal. The ones that inspired me most were about his oratory power, holding his audience spellbound with words. I have also witnessed some very good speakers and presenters in my seventeen years in the industry.

And not all of them are from creative or planning.

A good presentation, which includes both audio visual aids as well as what we speak, has the power to sell ideas, influence, change perceptions. That’s what all leaders do.

Yet somehow, we, and I speak of Account Management in particular, seem to be relegating this more and more to other disciplines. Happy with just a “pre-mumble” at most times, before we push our chairs back in the conference room and whip out our pads. A mere lip service to the hat we are wearing.

Leading or managing a business means being someone people look forward to engaging with. It’s the 101 of Relationships. Our words create an impact even if it is the top and the tail of a meeting or a session.

And it is not about what we say alone. The magic is in how we say it.

A mundane recap or introductory spiel hardly allows for any drama. Our first words are the ones that set the tone for the meeting. An anecdote. An example. Even a question that provokes a response.

Sometimes a picture alone speaks a thousand words and can make a regular recap “pre-mumble” a great preamble for the session.

The slides or any visual aids play a big role in complementing the effect. The operative word is “complementing” and not duplicating.

The voice. The tonality. The eye contact. The connect. Basics of our graduation or business schools. Are we honestly paying enough attention to this? Just a few hours off to groom the young team members in finding and expressing their voice will prep them for this role.

Personal experience. No art or slide can replace this. Good speakers dot their podium moments with such experiences.

Find more opportunities to talk. Lead presentations. Make proactive ones.

Be active in the digital world. It is a great test of response to how we write, tweet, present. In real time.

These are just some top of the mind thoughts. There’s so much more that make us confident and assertive when we stand up to speak. Passion fires people up. And sometimes, if it is too tamed, it may make us lose good people in the industry in the long run.

The fact is, it is always the person who has the power to compel and engage that drives and owns the relationship and the business.

Most importantly, ensures that we are heard. Especially when it matters the most.

The views expressed are the author's independent views as an ad professional and do not reflect the organisation's viewpoint.