A speech of Periyar was published in ‘Viduthalai’ on 06.11.1949. He has advised the next generation youngsters to imbibe leadership qualities before entering public life and leading people towards a mission. According to him more than oratorical skills, it is leadership quality that moulds and shapes a good leader. Shall we see how periyar drives home his point?
Dear cadres, followers, friends and my well-wishers, I decided to confine my speech today to leadership quality, essential for young men and women who are the custodians of the world to come.
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Oratorical Skills:
I wish to stress at the outset that a leader should also be an effective public speaker. Words can create wonderful impact on people. Speech is an excellent medium of communication. People may not like reading but they can patiently listen to us, since listening does not involve any physical strain. To make our views, policies and principles reach the public, oratorical skill is necessary. I urge you all to learn the art of public speaking. In Madras and many other cities there are training centres for this purpose, functioning for many years. In overseas countries academicians undertake this kind of training tasks. They call the centres “debating society”. In our country I reliably learn that such public speech training centres are there even in villages. Make use of trainers and enhance your oratorical skills.
Before beginning your speech make sure the kind of audience suits your topic. Be prepared for an effective delivery. Rehearse mentally before you reach the dais. Bad speakers do not plan to fail; they fail only because they fail to plan. Ornamental speech with big words in a grand style is of no use. Your speech may be in a simple and lucid style but it must be such that it provokes the thought of the listeners.
Avoid misleading speech:
Some people think that by a smart style of speech, facts can be distorted. Making people believe something true as false and false as true is sheer breach of trust. Misguiding people by clever use of vocabulary is an offence in my opinion. A public speaker needs integrity. Thrusting false ideas on people is a sign of dishonesty. A speech should “call a spade, a spade”; I mean stressing only the truth; nothing but truth.
There are many public speakers who deliver lectures merely for their survival. When they are paid well they would sling mud on the rivals of the organisers. If those rivals pay double the amount they would abuse the organisers who paid them earlier. Such public speakers are unabashed sycophants. They shamelessly hurl bouquets or brickbats for a price. Never become one of those hypocrites and flatterers. Be true at all times to your conscience. Don’t speak in public just to earn your bread and butter.
Your oration must be aimed at making people aware of their problems and think of the solutions. Make them realise their deplorable condition in society and draw them from the darkness of ignorance. Your speech should be a powerful device to do it.
Irritating Speeches:
There are many immature speakers who divert themselves from the topic of lecture and begin to blow their own trumpet; talking at length about themselves. Most of the so called discourse exponents belong to this group. They go on beating around the bush with a lot of digressions. They love showing off by self-glorification. Avoid imitating such pseudo intellectuals.
I have heard of some other public speakers who try to be funny and make people laugh at their silly jokes. A healthy sense of humour is always commended but inciting forced laughter of the audience is disgusting. Such people do not bother about policy or principles. They greedily grab a mike and start babbling. Never become a public speaker like those simpletons.
Prefer brevity:
Avoid delivering long lectures. Your speech must be “BIG”; not “LONG”. Do not use baffling words to impress the listeners. See that your speech is relevant to the topic. Never exaggerate. Never be hyperbolic. Be coherent in your speech. Remember – manner is more important than matter. Hence, avoid tedious repetitions and boring emphasis in your public speech. Talent makes a speaker go on and on but wisdom teaches one, when to stop. Always stop before someone signals to stop.
Leadership Virtues:
Some people think that oratorical skill can make them a leader. This is a misconception. That skill alone is not sufficient to attain leadership. A leader can easily become a great public speaker but a great public speaker cannot easily become a leader. Speaking in public is different from leading the public. It is a well-known truth that many effective public speakers in the past could never become powerful leaders.
One who learns to obey his leader can certainly become a leader like him since obedience to our mentors is a great virtue that causes leadership quality with the passing of time. One who does not obey his leader can never make later his people obey him.
A leader should not demand respect; he must be able to command respect. He should avoid obscene words while addressing a gathering which comprises womenfolk. Deep knowledge in literature and grammatical accuracy are also of secondary importance. It is enough if a leader is successful in captivating people by his true interest in their welfare.
Humility and Politeness:
A good leader would be humble and modest while driving home his points. People would not relish a dictatorial tone. A leader should be extremely polite while interacting with people. Arrogant tone should never be there under any circumstance. People should be willing to lend their ears to their leader.
A good leader should be persuasive with the people. He must be able to convince and persuade them quite tactfully because a man convinced against his will, would be of the same opinion still. Tact is an essential virtue.
Leader of a Movement:
A leader who heads a movement, forum or outfit should never behave like an inexperienced casual speaker. He shoulders great responsibilities and hence needs to be fine-tuned in all respects. Influencing and inspiring people is his prime task; not merely impressing them.
A good leader can be compared to a good teacher. Like a teacher, he must be able to guide people properly and make them move on the right direction. Therefore every speech of his must be like a beacon light for the public.
A true leader would never be materialistic and self-centred. Especially, while leading a massive movement he would not crave for posts and positions. Unswerving patience is also an essential leadership quality. Dear friends, recall all that I said here and absorb leadership qualities. If you are already an effective speaker move to the next stage and transform yourself as a leader.
Source: ‘Viduthalai’ dated 06.11.1949
Translated by: M.R. Manohar
