Shri Narendra Modi, the current prime minister of India, is an inspiring orator, quite possibly the best I have seen in many years, perhaps equal or better than U.S. president Barack Obama.
What makes Shri Narendra Modi such an amazing speaker? What can we learn from his inspiring public speaking?
Here are five key points that we can takeaway form Shri Modi ji's speeches:
1. Simple and Easy-to-understand Message
During the speech, Shri Modi ji conveys three to four main messages in a very simple manner. Even the most layman person can understand what he is trying to say. He shares examples for each of his message to further illustrate what he is trying to accomplish. For instance, in today's speech at Madison Square Garden, he talked about what makes India the only nation in the world with three key qualities, creating programs to make India clean and especially Ganga river, providing basic necessities for India's poor people including a home and toilet, and creating economic prosperity for Indians at large.
2. Humor and Heart-warming Story
There is always an entertaining story or two during his speech that makes the audience laugh. Again, in today's speech at Madison Square Garden, he shared a story about when he was visiting Taiwan many years ago, and how one of the gentleman asked him a question with a lot of hesitation on whether "India is still a country that chases snakes and has snake charmers." His response to the Taiwanese... "India has gotten much lower. India has more people now who are chasing the mouse" :-) (of course, he is talking about the computer mouse, and all the technology professionals who use the mouse daily)
3. Connecting with India's Past Leaders
There is never a speech where Modi ji doesn't make a connection with India's past leaders. His favorite leader is none other than Mahatma Gandhi ji. He shares many of the qualities of Mahatma Gandhi on how he moved the masses of people to join in the freedom and independence movement. In today's speech, he talked about how in the year 1915, Gandhi ji returned to India for good, and gave up his law practice and material life, and began his full-time occupation as a freedom fighter. He aroused the Indian American crowd to join him in Ahmedabad, India in January 2015, on the one-hundred year anniversary of Gandhi's return to India.
4. Humility and Story of his Life
Shri Modi ji always portrays himself as a "Chota aadmi" or a "small (simple) man". He talks about he used to be a "Chaiwala" at a train station (someone who sells tea - a very menial job), and how he has become what he is today from that humble beginning. He shares his story as a way to inspire people that anything is possible if you set your mind to it. And he also shares his story as a reminder of his simple roots that he can never forget, of all the hardships and life's challenges that are always ingrained. In today's speech, he said that "I like to do small things on a big scale." For instance, making sure everyone in India has a toilet.
5. Engagement with Audience
How does a speaker engage with over 20,000 people in attendance, let alone over 400,000 people? Modi ji has this uncanny ability to change the tone and pitch of his voice, smile, show his raw emotions and enthusiasm, take a pause, and even change the pace of his speech to keep the audience engaged. He poses many thought-provoking questions, and gets the audience to respond with a loud Yea or Nay. He also brings to his speech a few catchy phrases, and cajoles the audience to repeat it with him. By the third or fourth time he shares this phrase, the audience is already engaged, or rather hypnotized, and begins to say it out loud. For instance in today's speech, he talked about how he understands the frustrations people have when they apply for an Indian visa, all the red tape, and the treatment given when they arrive in India, especially at the airport. He connected with the audience on this topic. Later, when he stated that he will simplify everything, kill old laws that don't help, and create an experience that everyone will be proud of, the audience was in rapture.
Shri Narendra Modi is a great public speaker, possibly the greatest India has seen in a very long time. Perhaps the biggest trait of his speeches though is that he comes across as someone who is very believable, someone who will follow through and deliver on the promises, and someone who has no self-interest but only the interest of the people of India. Professionals and Leaders have a lot to learn from Shri Narendra Modi, India's prime minister.
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