Leading the way

M. MELLY MAITREYI

What has designing of paper planes got to do with designing one's life? Are dreams different from goals, if so, in what way? Can a person have a number of goals in life? How does one realise one's goal?

These were the questions for which students could find answers at the end of an interactive workshop on "Leadership Skills" organised in Visakhapatnam recently as part of The Hindu's Newspaper in Education Programme for the captains and vice- captains from various schools. It not only impressed upon 65 students, the importance of good communication skills and public speaking, but also the need to identify their goals and the necessity to chart out a course and a systematic plan to accomplish them.

While dealing with the theme "Lead your way", Mr. K. V. Ratnam, an expert of the Junior Chamber organisation in leadership development, conducted an interesting exercise to drive home the theme that it was in the hands of the participants themselves to achieve the goals they had set.

The participants were amused when he asked them to make paper planes and fly them. When only a few could fly high and far, they were asked to analyse the factors. "Just as better design and the right technique determined the successful flight of the paper planes, it is merely not enough to identify and set goals but one should work towards them with commitment and competence and as per a systematic plan", he told the children.

Developing competence by improving knowledge and skills in whatever field one has chosen and with commitment, one could achieve the goal. Goals should be SMART - specific, measurable, adjustable, reachable and with a timeframe. Once the goal is set, the individual should start working towards it, Mr. Ratnam said and advised them to write down their goals and read them daily so that it would motivate them.

Mr. G. Anantharam, principal of VIPS College, speaking on communication skills, underlined them as the vital force of leadership. "Clarity of thought, succinct delivery of the message and ensuring that the message had been correctly understood are the pre-requisites of good communication. The body language and the ability to listen would also contribute to effective communication," he said and brought out various aspects needed to become a good communicator through interesting assignments to participants.

Prof. A. Prasanna Kumar, former Rector of Andhra University, who demonstrated the basic tenets of communication and public speaking, said that leadership in a wider concept meant having a will, a vision and certain values. He summed up saying, "Communication is who says what to whom with what effect."

He urged the students to cultivate the habit of reading books as they were a gateway to enormous knowledge and man's greatest friends.

He gave tips on public speaking and said that it was important for a speaker to build a rapport with the audience, avoiding cliches, maintaining right modulation when making a point and careful preparation before delivering a speech. "Civility, humility and brevity are the traits of a good speaker."

Mr. T. A. Venkateswaran, Regional Manager of The Hindu, presided. Dr. G. Prabhakar, NIE Coordinator, participated.

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