By Gabriel B Nongsiej
I always believed that my first debate would be a disaster. When I found out that I had been selected to represent my class, I almost fainted. For me, speaking in front of a crowd of people has always been a nightmare. What if I made a mistake? What if no one listened to me? I was so sure that I was going to embarrass myself. I was so scared that I did not sleep properly for a week. I went through every available book on the topic. I even went on the internet and searched for whatever material I could find. But I still felt that little doubt, that insecurity and that lack of self-confidence. To be honest, I was over-reacting. There was nothing to be scared about. I had studied the material well and I was thoroughly prepared. And once I got on that platform, my self-confidence grew, mainly because I realized my opponent was not so well-trained in speaking in English. Needless to say, I did pretty well for a first-time debater.
But I realized some important things through that experience. Firstly, I was suffering very badly from a lack of self-confidence. Secondly, I realized that I have never had actual training in communication skills. But most importantly, all the knowledge in the world cannot help me if I cannot explain myself. Communication skills are a highly priced set of skills that companies look for in their employees. Students face huge pressure and competition during their final semesters. The job hunt starts at this time and it is not something that is as easy as having a good academic record. It is interesting to note that, in most company placement drives or job applications, 75% of the selection process is based partly or completely on the candidate’s communication skills. Even the remaining 25% can go completely wrong if the candidate does not have good communication skills. I have known students who have an average of 50% in their academic record but they have still managed to get into good companies. But I also know of a certain university topper who has failed to clear even the first round of the placement drive for almost eight companies.
Students in Shillong are proficient in English when compared to students from other parts of the country. It is somewhat expected though. We spend more time listening to western music than we do studying books. We watch a lot of Hollywood movies but very few of us know what channel the news is on. We know every episode of English serials and all the background stories but none of us are really interested in real-life events. After all this, it is expected that we know English better than any other subject. But English has always been a tricky master. Every other subject has a theory part and a practical part. Each part can be judged and examined to see how the student handles that subject. But as far as I can see, school boards do not think that English requires a practical paper.
Public speaking or oration is not a simple thing to do. Knowing the right language is just a small part of it. And Shillong students nowadays have the various stylized accents that make their English seem so cool and westernized. Sadly, language and communication are very different things. Take for example, a candidate trying for a job in a big company. Well, to get there, the first step is usually a selection process. The first step is the aptitude test, which usually involves mental aptitude (IQ) instead of aptitude in a particular subject. The questions usually include logic, mathematics and English. Now, a little secret is that, the biggest mistakes made by candidates are in the English section. Vocabulary and grammar, style and spelling, synonyms and antonyms, similes, metaphors, analogy, comprehension, alliteration, personification, onomatopoeia — the list goes on. Even the best can make mistakes here. And believe it or not, students from Shillong are not even close to good, even if they come from the best schools. But that is just the first obstacle.
The next rounds usually include the debate and group discussion. Now, I know from experience that Shillong youths can really talk a lot. Fashion, celebrities, music, sports and gossip are the usual topics. But when you’re applying for a job, no one is really interested in who is dating whom. Serious topics on world politics, economics and culture are given to the candidates. These topics are chosen to test your knowledge on current affairs but they also serve another purpose. Your management skills, your leadership qualities, your confrontation technique and your analytical logic are all being monitored to see if you are really what the company wants.
But probably the hardest round is the interview. There is no one to help you here. You cannot get ideas from someone else. The interviewer will ask a question and he will judge how you handle it. Usually, they are not really interested in your answer but they do want to see how you make them understand your point of view. It is also common that they dispute your answer to see what you would do if you get angry. Through all of this, they are also watching your body language and your self-confidence. I may not be qualified to judge but if we put the candidate in an interview, I guarantee that he will not be as polished as he thinks. He will stammer and stutter when asked a question on a serious topic but he will not say anything productive or relevant. He may have a lot of knowledge on the topic but all that knowledge disappears because of the seriousness of the discussion. The interview will make him so nervous that he will start to panic. First, he will start fidgeting, moving his hands and rubbing his fingers and touching his hair. Then the sweating will start, followed by the stomach cramps that people get in stressful times. When he finally leaves the room, he will still be unemployed but now he will also have no confidence left in his abilities to get a job. Later, he will remember all that happened and he will wonder why he could not do better when he had all the answers in his head. This is something that I know from experience and it is something that I have seen happen many to my friends and colleagues.
The truth is people are not trained to deal with confrontation or public scrutiny, especially students from our State. We have grown up in a society that places a lot of importance on age and experience; a little too much in my opinion. It is against our tradition to question an elder person’s views. It is considered rude to speak when older people are speaking. And my all time favorite is that you cannot speak because you are “just a kid”. Well, all is good and fine for preserving our culture but in the business world, life does not work that way. When your career is at stake, you have to do whatever it takes to get on top. If that means that you have to shout at an older person, then you better do it because your boss will fire you if something goes wrong. In the business world, opinions matter and it does not matter who they come from. If the feedback or the suggestion is correct, then nothing else matters. But getting people to listen to you is usually hard; getting them to understand you is close to impossible.
This is where communication skills come in. Training institutes like Avenues offer great opportunities for students to become better at handling public relation situations. And it is always best that these things are started at an early age. Most people will probably think that you need to be exceptional at English to be a good speaker. However, the best speaker that I have seen could barely even write his name in English. But whatever he said actually made sense, which is not something you can say about all of the people who talk in perfect English.
In my personal experience, I have found that communication skills have greatly increased my value in the employment market. Since my first debate, I have grown as a speaker and as a listener. Taking part in these literary competitions has given me an outlet to speak my differences instead of resorting to violence and fights. My confidence in myself and my knowledge has also increased, giving me encouragement that I am able to compete on the international stage. I have also improved my organizational skills, thereby proving that I am good at working with a team and that I am capable in management and leadership. Believe it or not, I changed from a very shy and quiet child into a strong, opinionated and confident individual just because of my communication skills. And it is these communication skills that will help me to make a name for myself in the business world.
As the saying goes, “The pen is mightier than the sword.” It is worth noticing that humans resort to violence only when they cannot find the words to express their emotions. Therefore, I strongly suggest to the Education Minister and his Department to seriously consider the idea of including communication skills as a part of the curriculum for the secondary and the higher secondary levels. Let this new course be a part of the language development of the students. As a form of practical examination, debates, extempore speeches, group discussions and guest lectures can be arranged to give them a more rounded education. These are the skills that every student from the State should have, because it is not only important that we speak good English but that whatever we say and do, has to have a big and a good impact, on the people around us and on the whole world.
(The writer is member of the group Youth2moro)