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IMPORTANT NOTE: THIS newsletter is published online on the “reincarnated” version of my Self-Development (SD) Nuggets blog. I continue to put finishing touches to the content. If you encounter ANY bad/dead links, and you can spare the time, email it to me via tayo at tksola dot com. Thanks in advance
No. 150: 4 Tips on Successful Public Speaking…from Muhammad Ali!
Muhammad Ali gave us his gift of beautiful and entertaining boxing. However, I believe an even greater gift he gave us was his unique brand of eloquent & impact-FULL public speaking. Ali remains one of the most widely quoted celebrities to ever grace this planet.
I doubt many will disagree with that sentiment.
Ali, in his prime, was an extremely proficient public speaker…
His many famous one-liners (e.g. “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee”) earned him incomparable fame worldwide.
Certain insightful experts have however rightly pointed out Communication researchers have often missed the opportunity to examine Ali’s public speaking performances, to distil useful lessons others can learn from them.
I agree.
One of my greatest passions is analyzing successes by authentic achievers. That is persons confirmed to have done it without cutting corners.
Muhammad Ali happens to be one of such persons. And he made it look so easy!
That’s why I want to be like him when I “grow up” :-))
This probably explains why many who admire and celebrate him, do not know that Ali actually spent a series of years barred from boxing. So, he could not box to earn a living.
Documented records indicate that he came close to financial ruin while pursuing the historic case he eventually won as a Conscientious Objector (CO), after he was accused of dodging the draft to the US Army.
Ali thus became – and remains – the most high profile CO from the military draft in the history of the United States.
He obtained this status, under the law, when the courts ruled that his objection to military service on moral or religious grounds was legitimate.
What I find most noteworthy however, is that Ali used his famed doggedness, and adaptability, to survive financially, during the period of the ban.
For instance, during the years of his ban from boxing (for refusing to fight in the Vietnam war), he went across the U.S. giving speeches at various venues – including university campuses – on race, racism, inequality, non-violent civil disobedience etc.
In other words, he wisely used his celebrity status to attract invitations to speak his mind, and challenge the status quo.
We can all learn from that.
Aside from your core skills or expertise, can you think of any other abilities you can fall back on, in the event that you are temporarily unable to do what you do best?
Sometimes, this can prove to be “life saving”. For Ali, his speaking ability “saved” him!
Do you have a skill, or ability you can fall back on in the same way, should the need to do so arise?
If no, I suggest you start working at it NOW…: honing your public speaking skills might not be a bad idea…to start with…:-))
And that brings me to the message for this issue of my newsletter.
My study of Ali’s story, so far (there’s so much exciting stuff written about this great man!), has revealed potentially useful lessons I believe experts-who-speak can learn from Muhammad Ali’s public speaking exploits.
1. He Always Knew His Subject(s) Well Enough to Impress, & Be Remembered
Both in the ring and out of it, whenever he was speaking, Ali never had to pause to think or refer to notes. He knew what he needed to say, how to say it, and when to say it!
It’s why most of us remember his rhetoric so well.
We have no evidence of it, but Ali must have devoted some quality time to thinking up and planning his delivery.
His passion added fuel to his drive, because he truly believed what he was saying in the boxing ring (e.g. “I am the greatest”).
Outside the ring, Ali did his research and spoke truths based on facts. Here’s an example no one could argue with back then:
“I buy a lot of bullets, at least 3 bombers a year, and pay the salary of fifty thousand fighting men with the money they take from me after my fights”.
Wow, what a wonderfully VISUAL speaker. He used picture words right there. Ali wasn’t “just a boxer”. He was an educator!
In other words, there was MORE to him than just his boxing.
Google “Muhammad Ali videos” and watch him speak. The words basically poured out of him. He had a message to deliver on each topic – boxing, racism, equality, non-violence etc.
If you can be that way, no audience will forget what you tell them!
2. He Believed He Was Good Enough
This is one big grouse I have with formal schooling. Especially in one’s formative years.
There is this requirement for everyone to be like everyone else, to avoid being called a wet blanket or anti-social.
It can be good for controlling people – which benefits teachers and school administrators. But it can often kill the creative and spontaneous instincts of those exposed to it.
And this is why so many people leave formal school with a fear of being different.
The result is that even when they see things they know better about, that they can add useful value to, they shy away, for fear of being criticized or looking different.
Ali had no problems with being different.
Many others of his kind had already been drafted. He knew that.
And it goes without saying that some of them would have wondered what his problem was.
But that did not bother him. Instead, when it came to finding an alternative vocation, he settled on public speaking. And his self-belief enabled him do so well that he became sought after.
If you want to succeed in impacting audiences you address, BELIEVE you are good enough.
In fact, believe you are the best!
That’s what Ali did, and he kept saying it (while also working HARD towards it).
Below: A screen shot of Muhammad Ali’s quote that I posted on my wall yesterday, in which he said:
“To be a great champion you must believe you are the best. If you’re not, pretend you are.” – Mohammed Ali
3. He Was Not Afraid
The fear of public speaking is common among adults across the world (ever noticed kids rarely harbor such fears?). Like others before you, that fear can be overcome, with effort.
Experts out here need to stop hiding behind the excuse of being “too busy” to make out time to speak, or write. I do both, and it does not keep me from competently serving my wide variety of clients!
If you think you’re too busy, to add speaking/writing to what you do, what you need is better self-management. I can help you with that, email tayo at tksola dot com.
4. He Did Not Expect (or Wait For) Someone Else to Do it
Now, apart from fear, I’ve found some experts believe others should do the speaking. They actually think speaking should not concern them.
As a result, their interest in developing their public speaking skills is low.
Ali did not do that. He did not decide to leave the speaking to Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam. Or to Malcom X and Martin Luther King Jr.
He did not think or say “I’m a boxer, not a speaker”.
Ali was smart enough to understand that his public speaking could be used, simultaneously, as a powerful promotional strategy, and a subtle psychological weapon against his opponents.
He also knew his fame gave him a unique advantage to reach larger audiences, with his message about race and equality, better than the other activists.
In developed societies, one can find practicing professionals offering speaking services in their various fields.
Even within the same field, experts brand themselves by identifying a market niche they want to serve as speakers.
So in addition to providing their expert services, these savvy individuals also offer learning solutions (talks, seminars, workshops) and products (books, videos, audios etc) for a fee!
By so doing, they make themselves more complete solution providers.
They do not assume some other persons will do the speaking. Rather, they step up and offer themselves…and get paid sometimes MORE than they earn for doing what they are expert at!
More experts in this part of the world (Africa) CAN – and should – adopt a similar strategy.
I use it, and it helps me achieve multiple benefits.
Apart from getting paid to speak, I also get to market my products/services to many people at the same time – achieving name recognition/credibility!
Final Words: Ali Chose to Be a Public Speaker, & The World Was The Better for It!
Because Ali chose to speak, people got educated about history, race, equality, non-violent civil disobedience, human rights etc.
Not just that, we also got entertained with poems, and memorable one-liners such as those in the screen shot below:
Source: http://www.muhammad-ali-boxing.org.uk/witty-quotes-by-muhammad-ali.htm
That last quote – on the benefit of hindsight – was quite prophetic, wasn’t it? Today’s boxing is nothing compared to Ali’s era.
What a speaker he was: truly INSPIRED!
Next Steps You Can Take : Get Help from a Seasoned Expert
Learn how to improve your public speaking, by getting help support from a seasoned mentor.
Burt Dubin is an accomplished speaker, and veteran mentor of some of the world’s highest paid speakers. He works with experts who want to be speakers, and with speakers who want to be masters.
With regards to today’s theme, Burt can help YOU use Public Speaking to show clients that there’s MORE to you than what you’re expert at!
For instance, apart from his renowned Speaking Success System used by experts across 5 continents, Burt distills key lessons from his studies of some the world’s greatest speakers.
He periodically shares his findings in his newsletter broadcasts.
Click here to signup and get more time tested wisdom to boost your speaking success.
Don’t plan to do it later. Do it now. Your speaking success could depend on it. Good luck!
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Have a great week :-))
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