'Online public speaking events are actually effective'

Since the start of the pandemic, most of us have had to work within the four walls of our homes. This might have caused our personal development to take a back seat. My saviour during the pandemic was the weekly online public speaking meetings at my public speaking club in Bengaluru.

Contrary to popular belief, online public speaking events are actually effective.

“Why online public speaking? Would it not be wise to wait for a few months until the pandemic subsides?” That is what I asked myself.

In hindsight, I am delighted I went against my initial impulse and followed in the footsteps of people at my public speaking club. As its mission was to empower individuals to become better public speakers & leaders, I was able to practice this in a supportive & positive atmosphere.

“When one door closes, another opens” describes what online public speaking events have been like since the start of the pandemic. When meeting at a physical location was impossible, we opened ourselves to all parts of the country. We were also able to connect with any of the 16,200+ clubs from across the world. As a result, we were able to organise global joint meetings.

How effective is it?

Uttering the sentence “I have a dream” amidst a live audience can be arousing. But imagine doing the same in front of a larger & diverse audience, with the only catch being online meetings.

The above scenario provides a glimpse of the fact that one must make a compromise, of some form, regardless of the outcome chosen.

In the context of online public speaking, I have been able to challenge myself by speaking & engaging a diverse audience with varied needs.

“Roses are red, violets are blue, there is an arranged marriage waiting for you” is a saying that could elicit laughter from an Indian audience, given the popularity of arranged marriages in the country.

On the contrary, the joke might fail to engage a wider & diverse audience, given that people from most countries may not know the popularity of arranged marriages in India.

Instead, the joke can be “Roses are red, violets are blue. You fart like a train, but I love you.” That might spark a widespread chuckle. This level of consideration has made each of us more versatile speakers & leaders.

Wait! I think I know you

Have you bumped into a friend of yours from the past? Regardless of whether the answer is yes or no, the moment shall be surprising, memorable, & unforgettable.

As was the case with our club. A few members from the past joined the club, despite their varied geographical locations.

Two individuals, Ashwin Sasidharan from Kerala & Bidhu Das from Delhi jumped at the chance of rejoining the club. Both were in Bengaluru until they had to move due to circumstances.

Bidhu said “The club reached out to me & said they were going to have meetings over Zoom. I was happy to return to the people who were a part of my initial improvement.”

A proud member of over four years, Deepa Sampath Kumar added “It was a joy to see Bidhu & Ashwin rejoin the club. I coordinated with Ashwin during numerous programmes that I am very proud of.”

While their online presence is not sustainable, it has offered reunions that would not have occurred otherwise.

Explore before you say ‘No’

As a second-generation entrepreneur, I felt the need to possess immense ability in relevance to public speaking & leadership to handle the daily operations, in the similar vein that my mother, a Wealth Manager in Bengaluru, has for the last twenty years. Although it was arduous to lead from the front, public speaking has offered me a chance to fail, recover, & achieve.

With word spreading around that online public speaking may lack potency, I would like to break the myth with something which my mentor & friend Deepa said.

“Try & explore it before you say no.”