I’m writing this article from the airport.
It’s 8 PM and I’m flying back home from a work meeting a friend invited me to. He’s a startup founder who asked for my help in pitching his product to one of the country’s most powerful cabinet ministers.
It was one of the most important meetings of his life, and when he asked me to help him pitch, I was shocked. I haven’t the slightest clue of the technicalities his startup is involved in.
“Why me?” I asked.
“You’re so good at public speaking. For this meeting, I need the most talented communicator I know.”
How could I not accept after such an endearing endorsement?
The meeting went well. We extended a 30-minute conversation to two hours, and have our calendars booked for a follow-up meeting next week. At this stage, this is the best we could have hoped for.
But this article isn’t about that.
This article is about how communication is a skill you need to work on, not something you’re born with. Delivering the right message at the right time is an art.