The Odyssey

“ Be brief; Be sincere; Be seated.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt There is a popular belief that most people rate the fear of public speaking higher than the fear of death. In other words, they would rather die than speak in front of an audience. This does not have to be the case for you. Honestly, I was one of those people but through courage and the recognition that public speaking is inevitable in my field of study and where I want to go in the future, which is entrepreneurship. My personality is generally quiet and reserved. Every time I had to speak, I experienced symptoms of stage fright. Sweaty palms and forehead, racing heart, fast breathing and shaky voice. I remember back in 2013, I had a braai/picnic to celebrate my birthday in one of the beautiful   dams in Pretoria, Roodeplaat dam. I invited a couple of friends including a classmate who knew me for some time before this event. Moments before I was asked to say a few words, my classmate said she had ...

“ The way you move your body is your autobiograph in motion – every physical move you make, subliminally tells everyone in eyeshot the story of your life .” – Leil Lowndes   I am pretty sure you’ve heard of the dictum “First impressions last”, which is why you naturally plan your outfit and make sure you look presentable and appropriate when you are attending an event with great networking opportunities. However, there is one most important thing we often forget – to plan the right conversation in order to enhance our image further.  The charismatic people you see chatting confidently in business meetings or comfortably at social parties were not born that way. How do they do it? “What it boils down to is their more skilful way of dealing with fellow human beings”, Says Leil Lowndes. In her book, How to talk to anyone – 92 little tricks for big success in relationship, Leil Lowndes share many simple and practical tips on how to become a dynamic master con...