On Leadership

 

The word leadership could be defined in different ways.  The dictionary simply defines it as ‘being at the head”.  However, for many of us, leadership entails a lot more than heading something.  Indeed, leadership can mean a lot of different things to different people. 

 

This training aims to provide a framework of looking at leadership.  This also aims to equip the student leaders with practical education as to how to lead efficiently and effectively.

 

The Union believes that each of us has potentials of becoming a good leader and that these potentials are yet to be unleashed given the opportunity and proper venue.

 

Leadership Defined

 

Leadership is said to be an art or a process of influencing people so that they will willingly and enthusiastically achieve the goals of the organization.  It is an art because there are no hard and fast rules in leadership.  Leadership employs creativity, flexibility and scientific analysis depending on what the condition calls for.  It is also a process since it is a continuous and dynamic activity.  The more we engage ourselves to committed leadership, the more we give ourselves the opportunity to grow and develop leaders.

 

There are different types of leaders.  The most common leadership employed by student leaders is the bureaucratic type of leadership.  This leadership is confined to bureaucratic processes and administrative work, and is characterized by hierarchy in which the power of a leader depends on the position one stands for.  Another kind of leadership is nominal leadership in which one’s position in the organization or student council is merely for name’s sake.  Some would treat leadership in the student organization and/or student councils as a merely extra-curricular activity to add up to their resume.

 

What kind of leadership then is beneficial and significant?  In our point of view, when we speak of leadership, we are addressing the following fundamental questions:

 

How did we get into leadership?

Who are our constituents and what are their objective interests?

To what direction or goal are we leading them?

How could we mobilize them to reach those goal and direction?

 

The leadership that we speak of is one that is rooted in the objective interests of our constituents who are the students.  It is therefore imperative that the goals of the student council or organization are defined according to the sentiments and the needs of the students.  And one of the most arduous tasks of a student leader is how to propel the students to realize these goals.

 

Contextualizing Leadership

 

No leadership can be of utmost significance other than the one that is responsive to the demands of the objective condition of the Philippine educational system and the Philippine society at large.  It is not enough that we identify the what, where and when of our society.  Our leadership must be critical of addressing the why of our society.  It is advantageous to our constituents to be vigilant at all times.  We must lead the students to get involved and participate on people’s issues and concerns that affects the interests of the marginalized sectors.  Our leadership must be therefore patriotic and democratic.  In this context, the concept of leadership must be therefore more functional and more concrete.

 

Basic Principles in Effective Leadership

 

Having set the correct framework of leadership, our next concern as student leaders is how to lead efficiently and effectively.

 

a.   Collective Leadership

Collective leadership is the type of leadership that we want to cultivate to ensure democratization of decision-making and tasking of work.  To lead collectively is to coordinate the thought and action of those who form the group.  It is to derive the greater return in the accomplishment of the group’s tasks, within the limits of their competence and in the framework of the activities and the interests of our constituents.

 

Concretely, collective leadership must result in unity in all aspects, maximum democratic participation and teamwork.  However, division of labor, initiatives and personal responsibilities and accountability must be observed in the implementation. 

 

The committee-formation is a vital action to ensure collective leadership and to avoid the monopoly of any individual or selective group in the organization.  It promoted unity in the fundamental principles and analysis of problems that are necessary prerequisites for united action.

 

b.    Trust on the strength and capabilities of our constituents and of the masses.

This means firming up of the organization and to give full play on the potentials, initiatives and creativity of the members of the organization.  This principle also teaches us to act according to the objectives, interests and capacity of the masses.

 

c.    Scientific Analysis

Correct leadership is guided by decisions based on the concrete condition.  Scientific analysis ensures that every endeavor undertaken by the organization is realistic and relevant.  The policies and programs should always be based on the actual conditions and events and not dictated by chance or hasty and emotional whims.

 

What Makes a Good Leader?

 

Leadership requires committed and determined leaders.  By committed, we refer to the unwavering stance to uphold the democratic aspirations of the students and the people.  And determined, we refer to the consistency and willingness of a leader to realize by all means the goals set by the council/organization which are in consonance to the said commitment.

 

A student leader can only be considered of quality when he/she is service oriented.  He/She never loses contact with the students and he/she does not permit power and prestige to be over and above the commitment to serve.  A good leader is one who works along with the students and never above them.  Being ‘above the members’ is a sign that we are losing grasp of the fundamental principle of ‘leading is serving’.

 

In particular, a student leader:

1.     Has confidence in his/her own capacity especially in the collective capacity of the organization.  He/She trusts the students and relies on their collective action at all times;

2.     He/She puts the interests of the organization above personal interests;

3.     He/She strives to relate well with all the members and leaders of the organization without compromising the basic principles of the organization;

4.     Is courageous and unwavering in his/her stand to promote the protection and advancement of the genuine student’s interests;

5.     Trains other members who have the potential to lead;

6.     Accepts criticisms and rectify errors.

 

Method for Effective Leadership

 

1.   Listening - the first skill needed is the ability to listen carefully, picking out both positive aspects and problems and difficulties in the situation.

2.   Observation - the ability to pick up information about the situation; being sensitive to non-verbal cues.

3.   Helpful Questions - sympathetic questioning enable the leader to see through the surface level of a situation.

4.      Encouragement - the leader need to build up the confidence of the group by affirming the positive aspects of the work done by showing appreciation for the commitment given and by helping them recognize the negative aspects by themselves, thinking of alternative ways of doing things.

5.      Synthesizing - the leader needs to be able to summarize the information from the situation and relate it to the other relevant situations.

6.   Mutual Learning - leaders who think they know all the answers are not helpful.  Willingness to learn from the group is important in a learning climate.

7.   Flexibility - every program needs to be adapted to the special needs and circumstances of the people.

8.   Timing - the leader needs a sense of timing when to encourage, when to pose a challenge, and when to

       give support.

9.   Planning - the role of the leader will demand a certain amount of planning.

 

Responsibilities of a Leader

 

The leadership provides the proper guidance to the membership by coming up with policies and programs corresponding to the student’s objective interests and situation.  It should:

1.   Promote the unity of the students in the stand and action;

2.   Protect the students’ interests against all negative forces;

3.   Educate the students to be self-reliant and to trust in their collective strength to attain their democratic aspirations.

4.   Know the condition of the members.

5.   Conduct research and investigation.  All sides of the issue or problem at hand must be studied and discussed to decide on the correct solution.

6.   Immediately disseminate among the members the policies and programs.

7.   Ensure the implementation of its policies and programs.

8.   Devise a sound and effective feedback mechanism for the members’ reaction/responses.

9.   Conduct regular assessments on implementation of its programs and feedback of the members.

 

Bring Out the Leader in You !

 

At this point, we may ask who can be considered student leaders.  Having elected as a student council officer does not make us a leader.  Only when we grasp the fundamental belief of ‘leading is serving’ and commit ourselves to serve the students and the people can we consider ourselves as leaders.  Only when we have earned the trust of our constituents can we consider our leadership functional.  To do this, we must show first that we trust and rely on their collective strength at all times.

 

To become a leader, one need not to search for abstract pre-requisites and pre-conceived ought to be qualities of a leader.  All you need is a vision that clearly mirrors the objective condition of our society and an unwavering stand to promote the protection and advancement of the democratic rights and welfare of the students and the Filipino people.

 

Serve the people and you will surely bring out the leader in you!

 

 

Student Council Orientation & Management

 

The students’ right to participate and to vote in campus elections are not limited to just casting the ballots and be informed of the election results. As elected leaders, we also tend to think that our responsibilities end after we are proclaimed the winners.  Most of the time, running for a post in the student council becomes a venue for some students to seek fame inside the campus -- a stepping stone for their careers, an added list to resumes.  If this consciousness is perpetuated, the student council then becomes similar to the corrupt agencies and organizations in the government. If allowed to breed in such young age, student leaders become no different to the corrupt politicians in our country.

 

The student council, therefore, should always strive to stand up for the democratic aspirations of the whole student body it represents.  It should always be armed with the correct orientation of serving the students and the Filipino people.  This then sets the path for students to genuinely champion their rights and to help shape the aspirations of the Filipino people.

 

 

Student Council Leadership

 

The yearly campus elections must be venues wherein students exercise their right to choose who will lead them in pursuing their democratic interests and aspirations.  So instead of inflating their resumes and exchanges tirades against fellow candidates, student council elections should serve as venues for the students to discuss particular problems in their school. From poor facilities, excessive tuition and miscellaneous hikes to exploitative administration policies, these issues should reflect the present conditions of the students. The platforms and speeches, therefore, should be concentrated on providing solutions to these problems.

 

As a legitimate governing body, a student council is the only student organization that receives a majority vote from the students. It goes through a legitimate process of choosing student representatives through popular elections.  Student representation through the student council is therefore highly regarded and recognized by the academe and society in general as the voice of the students.

 

The student council is an effective vehicle in upholding and representing the democratic interests and welfare of the students.  The student council serves as the center of student organizations and individuals to consult with regarding problems that beset them.  In order to inform and to encourage participation and action of students on their problems in schools, the council plays an effective role in propagating political issues and educating students of their democratic rights.  It also plays an important role in upholding the democratic interests and rights of the Filipino people.

 

Student councils have been known to lead thousands of students to pursue student demands from school and street protests against school administration and government agencies that extol these exploitative policies on them.  They have been also known as effective training grounds for student leaders as well as leaders in other fields. Many former student leaders from student councils have also figured in leading different sectors in society in espousing more meaningful changes in society. Mr. Edgar Jopson, former NUSP National President, has served as a trade union organizer after his term in the Union. Cherrith Dayrit-Garcia, former chairperson of St. Scholastica’s College Student Council, has scoured the rural area and organized peasants for their rights and welfare. Ferdinand Gaite, former student council officer from the Lyceum of the Philippines, currently heads the organization of government employees nationwide.

 

The Functions of the Student Council

 

The student council is an important venue in raising the consciousness of students and in forwarding their rights and interests.  Student council leaders should be accountable to the students who have voted for them in the belief that they can further their rights and welfare.  However, their failure to address the problems of the students is also a failure to grasp the real nature and function of student leadership that is serving the students and the Filipino people.

 

As the highest governing body in campus, the student council should uphold and pursue the democratic aspirations of the broad masses of students they represent.  This means effectively leading the students in their struggle against continued repression and commercialization in education.  The student council also serves as the venue for students to link arms with the teachers, employees and other sectors within the campuses in their campaigns against exploitative administration practices and policies.

 

The student council should have its own constitution that outlines the rights and welfare of the students.  This constitution should be free from intervention and manipulation of school administrations as it should serve the interests of the students.  Officers should be bound to, but not fully restricted to, the responsibilities outlined in the constitution.  Along with this, the student council should annually provide plans and execute its own program of action. 

 

The student council should provide venues to discuss political and social issues through symposia, fora, lectures, seminars, teach-ins, and other creative forms.  In this way, students become aware of their conditions in schools and are exposed to student organizations that can provide different points of view on issues affecting students.  This should also be the venue to hear grievances of students and to unite them through resolutions, policies and programs.

 

The council should create desks and committees to systematize the action on specific concerns. This should  help in raising the awareness of students on issues and encourage them to act on these.  These committees and desks are tasked to research information pertaining to these issues and to propagate such information and issues in pamphlets, newsletters and other propaganda materials to aid students in learning of the issues.

 

It should be decisive in spearheading/forming alliances to unite the broad number of students to take a stand in student and national issues and to actively participate in student politics.  It should lead in consultations and conferences with school administration so that it can forward the demands of the students.

 

If campus politics fail, student leaders are challenged to lead their constituents to take their demands outside campuses.  The student council should lead in the democratic exercise of free expression. Students should link arms with fellow youth and students from different schools, communities and workplaces to understand their specific and shared experiences.

 

The council should also serve as a link of the students to reach other marginalized sectors in society such as teachers, workers, peasants, urban poor, women, indigenous people etc.  Student councils should provide programs for students to integrate with the marginalized people by visiting workers in factories, urban poor communities, peasants in rural areas, etc.

 

Methods in Council Management

 

Student leaders and officers of councils must know how to effectively lead and serve the students with the simplest methods and styles needed in council management.

 

1.      Maintaining leadership

The student council must hold true to its orientation of providing genuine service to the students.  This then must be embodied from the leadership down to student organizations and individuals that directly participate in student council governance.  Student leadership, therefore, is not only manifested by issuing orders but in concretely carrying out the responsibility in effectively leading the whole student body in their struggle for student rights and welfare.

 

The leadership in the council must provide guidance to all the members to be able to unite them in the council’s plans, programs and other decisions of the councils.  Council members, on the other hand, should exercise their right to take part in discussions, to pose inquiry and criticisms, to present suggestions to colleagues and to participate in decision-making.  The rights of student council leaders goes hand in hand with the responsibility of raising their own level of consciousness and practical knowledge, to be responsible for all statements they have issued, and to uphold the integrity of the student council.

 

In order to unite the members, the student council should adopt a committee system that embodies the dynamics of collective leadership and decision-making. It is the best guard against monopoly of individuals or selective groups in the distribution of tasks and formulation of policies and decisions. The student council should at least have these working committees: education, finance, campaign and publicity, rights and welfare, among others. In order to have an effective committee system each member should have definite tasks and grasp of the adopted program of action for a given time frame, so that  each one would be guided by the overall thrust of the student council.

 

2.   Develop expertise in technical work.

Student council work, more often than not, involves workloads of writing and other technical works such as staffing, filing of papers, providing written materials and proper handling of meetings. Arousing interests of students will require us to print position papers, statements and newsletters. In organizational work, we need venues for meetings, assemblies and means of communication. Also,  finance work should also be considered for it is essential in fulfilling the technical and logistical requirements of these lines of work.

 

a.      Data gathering

Systematizing technical aspects of work includes efficient data-gathering for reportage, program evaluation, assessment, summing-up and program planning. It includes ensuring timely communication between members and officers; between central and colleges or departmental councils; between the student council (SC) and the student organizations; and between the SC and national student alliances such as the National Union of Students of the Philippines.

 

The worth of technical work should not be underestimated. Neglecting the technical aspect of SC work creates snags in the process of task implementation.  When these snags persist, inefficiency is wrought which can frustrate particular plans or even entire programs of actions.  Do not be content with devising short-term program for procuring technical needs; rather, fulfillment of technical requirements should be seen as an integral part of a long-range and self-sustaining plan.  Due to the importance of this line work, council officers should be equipped with these knowledge.

           

b.      Staffing

Staffing involves filling and keeping filled the positions in the student council.  This can be done by identifying resource requirements, identifying available members, recruiting, selecting and training. The student council however cannot do all the work alone. Volunteers must be invited and recruited  to encourage involvement of the students in governance, while systematizing the workload of the student council. 

 

Strengths and weaknesses of SC members must be identified to place them in an appropriate position suited for her/him. It is the aim of an organization to place people in positions where they can maximize their personal strengths and overcome their weaknesses by getting experience or training in those skills in which they need improvement.

 

Knowing the organization’s human resources also gives direction to recruitment and training activities.

                       

c.      Proper handling of meetings

Meetings are the most commonly used method in communication.  It is the venue for sharing information and ideas, decision-making and planning, etc.

 

Meetings, whether they be regular or non-periodic, should be conducted with ample prior preparation.  Agenda should come in forms of crucial problems to be analyzed or resolved.  Participant in the meeting should be provided beforehand a notice on the agenda, the needed position papers, reports, relevant data and the time and place of the meeting.  In this way, participants can prepare their positions on issues or problems to be presented.

 

It is the task of the presiding officer to be time conscious.  Approximate the time allotment for each item on the agenda and avoid concentrating on one item while sacrificing time and quality of discussion on other matters.  Sum up essential points agreed upon after the discussion of each item.

 

Use persuasive approaches instead of an imposing or highly emotional posture.  Avoid going into the traditional type of discussion which is characterized by intrigue, name-calling and threats.  We should respect the opinion of others and we should unite with our colleagues who have contrary views.

 

When discussion has been exhausted while the situation warrants immediate decision, controversy may be resolved by encouraging the minority members to unite the majority.  But if there is no need for crisis decision, the committee may resort to consultation with other officers or more time could be devoted to further research and discussion.

 

Tips on Handling Meetings

 

Before the meeting:

·         Plan the meeting carefully: who, what, when, where, why

·         Prepare agenda and send it out in advance

·         Reports, documents and other preparations required from the members must be prepared beforehand

During the meeting:

·         Start on time

·         Make an expectation check and level off with the members by stating the objectives of the meeting

·         Review, revise, rearrange the agenda if necessary

·         Set clear time limits.  Thoroughly discuss top priority items first, then the next priority items first, then the next priority item, and so on

At the end of the meeting:

·         Review resolutions, plans and tasks

·         Set date, place tentative agenda for the next meeting

·         Close the meeting positively

After the meeting:

·         Prepare the minutes of the meeting

·          Follow up action items

 

d.      Regular planning/programming

Planning/Programming involves selecting objectives and the actions to achieve them.  It reflects the orientation and tasks of the student council at a particular period or condition.

 

Regular planning is necessary for student council to work effectively.  It serves as a guide to student council to perform its tasks and responsibilities.

 

Steps in Planning and Programming

1.     Analyze the issue/topic to be discussed and the conditions of the student council and its members.

2.   Set up the main and secondary objectives.

3.     Design activities/projects to achieve the objectives.

4.     Tasking, depending on the capabilities of student council and its members.

5.     Phasing/Scheduling and realistic target setting.

6.     Documentation.

 

e.      Assessment/Summing Up

Assessment is the process of analyzing the implementation of a particular plan.  Through assessments, the organization can discover the results and reasons why it has achieved, exceeded or failed.

 

Assessment will help the student council to identify the current level of the organization, the problems and weaknesses of the implementation and to draw a better solution.

Steps in Conducting Assessment

1.      Gather and collate all pertinent data on the program.

2.      Analyze the gathered data.

a.            Review the plan, particularly the targets set.

b.            Compare with actual results.

c.            Identify the positive and negative results.

3.      Formulate resolutions

4.         Document and distribute the assessment

 

 

Patnubay sa Pagsasalita

 

“Sa pamamagitan ng mahusay na pagsasalita, mapapalapit tayo sa estudyante at mamamayan.”

 

Ang kahusayan sa pagsasalita ay maituturing na isa sa mahahalagang kasanayan na maaaring matutunan at matamo ng isang tao. Sa pamamagitan nito, mahusay tayong makapagbibigay ng impormasyon, makakapagtalastasan, magmulat at magbigay ng mga pag-aaral o magbigay-aliw sa tagapakinig.  Gayundin, magagamit natin ito sa paghikayat at pagkumbinse sa ating tagapakinig.

 

Ang kahusayan sa pagsasalita ay isang kasanayan na mapapaunlad lamang natin sa tuluy-tuloy na pagsasanay. Layunin ng pagsasanay na ito ang makapagbigay ng ‘tips’ o payo para sa mahusay na pagsasalita. Gayundin, nais nating bigyang diin ang kahalagahan ng paglilinang ng ating kasanayan sa pagsasalita sa konteksto ng pagmulat, pag-organisa at pagpapakilos ng masang estudyante para sa pagsulong ng ating karapatan at kagalingan. Mahalaga na sa praktika natin malinang ang kasayanang ito dahil dito natin direktang makikita kung gaano ka-epektibo ang ating pagsasalita.

 

Alamin ang Layunin

 

Sa anumang gawain na ating ginagampanan, napakahalagang mailatag natin ang ating mga layunin nang sa gayon ay malinaw nating makikita ang ating mga naging kahinaan at kalakasan.  Sa pagsasalita sa publiko, napakahalagang malaman natin ang ating layunin ng sa gayon ay maiaangkop natin ito sa okasyon, oras at pangangailangan.

 

May iba’t ibang tipo ang pagsasalita ayon sa layunin:

a.   Pagpukaw o ahitasyon.  Kadalasan itong ginagawa sa panahon ng mga aksyong masa katulad ng piket, welga, rali o boykot.  Ang ating pagsasalita ay nakatuon sa kagyat na pagkuha ng atensyon ng tagapakinig at pagpukaw ng kanilang interes sa sangkot na isyung pinag-uusapan.  Ito ay karaniwang isinasagawa lamang sa loob ng lima hanggang sampung minuto, o depende sa kakayahan nating isustine ang mga tagapakinig.

b.   Pagbibigay ng impormasyon.  Sa tipong ito, kailangang maayos nating maibigay ang wasto at tumpak na impormasyon.  Maaari ring nangangailangan ng mas mahabang panahon ayon sa tipo ng impormasyong maibabahagi.

c.      Pagpapaliwanag o pagbibigay ng edukasyon.  Ang pagsasalitang ito ay nangangailangan ng puspsusang paghahanda.  Layunin ng pagsasalitang ito na maglinaw ng mahahalagang isyu o topiko.  Maaaring mangangailangan ito ng mas mahabang panahon sa pagpapaliwanag.  Susi sa pagpapahusay ng pagsasalita ay ang paghahanda ng balangkas.

d.      Kampanyang eleksyon o konseho.  Ito ay ginagawa lamang sa isang takdang panahon.  Sa ganitong tipo ng pagsasalita sa publiko, ang binibigyang diin natin ay pagpapakilala sa ating sarili at pagpapahayag ng ating dapat na hangaring pagsilbihan ang interes ng mga estudyante.  Ito ay hindi dapat humigit sa limang minuto.  Sa ganitong tipo, hangarin natin na maabot ang hindi bumaba sa 75% ng populasyon ng buong eskwelahan. 

e.   Pagbibigay ng ‘inspirational talk’.  May mga pagkakataong naaanyayahan tayo sa mga pagtitipon kung saan ang pangunahing layunin ay makapagbigay ng inspirasyon tayo sa iba’t ibang larangan ng gawain.  Maaaring pormal o di pormal ang ating magiging presentasyon.  Ito ay pangunahing nakabatay sa oryentasyon o katangian ng mga tagapakinig, uri ng okasyon o layunin ng tipong dadaluhan.

 

Sino ang mga Tagapakinig

 

Mahalagang alamin at kilalanin natin sng ating mga tagapakinig ng sa gayon, ay malaman natin kung anong  porma o antas ng pagsasalita ang gagawin.

 

Ano ang mga dapat alamin sa ating tagapakinig? Mahalagang malaman natin kung ano ang pangkalahatang oryentasyon ng tagapakinig.  Sila ba ay mga konserbatibo, liberal o may inisyal na kaalaman sa paksang pag-uusapan?  Saang sektor sila nanggaling - estudyante, kabataan sa komunidad, empleyado, magsasaka o kaya’y manggagawa?

 

Upang maging epektibo ang ating pagpapahayag ng mensahe o pagsasalita, napakahalaga na gagap natin ang lengwahe ng ating tagapakinig.  Pag sinabing lengwahe o wika ng tagapakinig, ang tinutukoy natin ay ang paggamit ng lengwahe na angkop sa kanilang katayuan o kamulatan, o kaya’y pamamaraan sa pagsasalita upang kayo’y magkaintindihan.  Ibig sabihin pa, gumagamit lamang tayo ng termino na naiintindihan natin at nang ating tagapakinig.  Walang saysay ang ating pagsisikap na pagandahin ang ating presentasyon kung ito ay hindi naman nauunawaan ng ating tagapakinig.  Palagi nating tandaan na sa bawat pagsasalita natin, ito ay may kaukulang layunin na nais nating abutin.

 

Sa mga sitwasyong ang ating mga tagapakinig ay mga estudyante, mahalaga na alamin kung saang eskwelahan ang mga ito nanggaling.  Malaking salik ang pag-alam natin sa katangian at oryentasyon ng mga eskwelahang pinanggalingan ng mga ito upang epektibo tayong makapangusap. Gayundin, makakatulong ito upang makaangkop tayo sa uri ng kultura ng ating tagapagkinig. Palagi nating isipin na mas simpleng representasyon, mas mabuti.

 

IBA’T-IBANG PAMAMARAAN SA PAKIKIPAG-USAP

 

            May iba’t-ibang paraan ng pagsasalita ayon sa uri at tipo ng ating tagapagkinig:

·         Sa mga walang pakialam o walang alam sa isyu. Ang kailangang gawin ay ipakita kung paano sila direkta o kongkretong naakpektuhan ng isyu. Gumamit ng mga halimbawa na tunay na nangyari. Iwasan na sumamo (appeal) sa emosyon ng nakikinig kundi sa kanilang pag-iisip (intellect).

·         Sa mga salungat na opinyon. Hayaan mo munang sila magsalita. Idiin mo ang inyong magkasundong punto. Gumamit ng mga makatwirang argumento at huwag arogante ang iyong tono ng pagsasalita at itsura.

·         Sa mga hindi pa kumbinsido o nagdududa. Makinig muna sa kanilang posisyon. Gumamit din ng makatwirang paliwanag at huwag maging mayabang.

·          Para sa mga kumbinsido na. Ang kailangan dito ay kung paano sila pakikilusin. Pwedeng sumamo sa kanilang emosyon para maipakita ang pangangailangan na sila ay dapat kumilos.

 

PAGHAHANDA PARA SA PAKSA

 

Isang susi sa mahusay na pagsasalita ay ang paghahanda para sa paksang tatalakayin. Ang mga sumusunod ay ilan sa mga dapat tandaan sa paghahanda ng paksa:

·         Alamin ang paksa at mga kaugnay na usapin hinggil dito.

·         Ihanda ang balangkas o outline ng daloy ng talakayan.*

·         Tantiyahin at paghandaan ang mga usapin na posibleng itanong sa ating pagtatalakay ng paksa.

·         Gumawa ng pananaliksik at/o interview kung kinakailangan upang mapaganda ang gagawing presentasyon o pagtatalakay.

·         Gumawa ng visual aids para sa mas madulas na presentasyon.

·         Tukuyin ang mga mamahalagang usapin na dapat bigyang diin habang nagsasalita.

·         Maganda ring malaman ang pangkahalatang ekspektasyon ng ating magiging tagapagkinig.

* Ang balangkas ay paghahati-hati sa paksang talakayin ayon sa kahalagahan nito o pagkasunod-sunod ng topiko para sa mas madulas na presentasyon. Ginagawa natin ito para hindi natin makaligtaan ang mga mayor na punto na dapat nating talakayin. Gayundin, malaki ang maitutulong nito upang maunawaan ang ating tagapagkinig ang mensaheng gusto nating iparating.

 

Ilang Gabay sa Panimulang Pagsasalita

 

Normal ang makaramdam tayo ng takot lalo na sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon na magsalita tayo sa publiko.  Karaniwan ng nanginginig ang boses o kaya’y nangangatog ang tuhod.  Gayunpaman, ang mga ito’y kagyat na natatanggal sa proseso ng ating pagsasalita.

 

Sa pagsisimula ng pagsasalita, mag-isip ng pamamaraan kung paano makukuha ang atensyon ng mga nakikinig.  Maaaring simulan ang pagsasalita sa isang tanong o kaya’y magbanggit ng ilang mga siping ‘quotation’ o salaysay. 

 

Iwasang humingi ng paumanhin dahil sa kakulangan sa paghahanda sa paksang tatalakayin.  Ito ay makakabawas sa ating kredibilidad bilang tagapagsalita.  Hangga’t maaari, kailangang maging kapani-paniwala tayo upang makuha natin ang atensyon ng mga tagapakinig.

 

Huwag magmadali sa pagsasalita.  Sikaping maging normal at ‘conversational’ ang tono ng pagsasalita ng sa gayon ay maging kampante ang mga nakikinig.  Maging malikhain sa pagsasalita.  Gumamit ng visual aids kung kinakailangan.  Magbigay ng napapanahon at mga popular na mga halimbawa ng maging masigla ang talakayan. Iwasang magbanggit ng anumang argumento na hindi naman natin maayos na maipaliliwanag.  Mas simpleng presentasyon, mas maganda at mas madaling maintindihan.

 

Magkaroon ng pokus sa paksang tinatalakay. Gamitin ang balangkas na inihanda. Maging mapagmatyag tayo sa reaksyon ng mga nakikinig.  Sila ba ay nakikinig pa o nakasusunod sa iyong tinatalakay?

 

Para madaig ang takot at hiya, huwag mag-atubiling gamitin ang mga kamay habang nagsasalita o kaya’y maglakad-lakad sa entablado.  Sa ganitong paraan, nailalabas natin ang mga labis na enerhiya at naililipat ito sa bawat kumpas ng kamay bilang pagdidiin sa mahahalagang punto ng paksang tinatalakay.

 

Pagsasanay sa Malinaw na Pagbigkas

 

Ugaliing magbasa ng malakas ng tatlo hanggang limang talata(paragraph) ng isang libro o dyaryo araw-araw o kaya’y bigkasin ang mga letra ng abakadang mabilis.  Makakatulong din ang tongue-twister bilang pag-exercise ng dila. 

 

Subukung bigkasin ang mga sumusunod na tongue-twister:

 

A twister of twist once twisted a twist

And the twist that he twisted was three twisted twists.

If the twist of the three twisted twists did untwist,

The twist that untwisted twist would untwist the twist.

 

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepper.

If Peter Piper pick a peck of pickled pepper,

How many peck of pickled pepper

Did Peter Piper pick?

 

Wala nang mabisa pang pagsasanay para sa malinaw na pagbibigkas kesa sa aktwal na pagsasalita.  Bilang lider-estudyante, dapat mapangahas tayo na matuto at kunin ang lahat ng pagkakataon na binibigay sa atin para makapagsalita.

 

Kaayusan sa Pananamit

 

Kapag tayo ay nagsasalita, kailangan ang ating damit at ayos ay hindi malayung-malayo o iba sa ating tagapakinig.  Hindi dapat masyadong makaluma at hindi rin naman kailangang ‘latest fashion’.

 

Ang dahilan nito ay para hindi yung damit natin ang mapansin ng mga tao kundi ang ating sinasabi o ang mensahe na ating gustong ipaabot.  Hindi maaasahan, halimbawa, ng mga nakikinig na ibuhos ang kanilang atensyon sa sinasabi kung ang nagsasalita ay naka-‘plunging-neckline’ o naka-‘walking shorts’.

 

Hindi rin kailangang magara, bago o mamahalin ang ating suot na damit.  Ang mahalaga lang ay ito ay presentable at malinis.

 

Pagtitiwala sa Sarili

 

Paano ba natin binubuo ang tiwala sa sarili?  Una, kailangang meron tayong positibong pagtingin sa anumang gawaing gagampanan.  Gayundin, kailangang interesado tayong matuto.  Walang pantas ng karunungan kesa sariling karanasan.

 

Sa pagsasalita sa publiko, malaking salik din ang ating pagtitiwala sa ating kawastuhan at katotohanan ng ating sinasabi.  Kapag naniniwala tayong tama ang ating binabanggit, walang dahilan para tayo kabahan.  Sa ganitong kalagayan, handa tayong harapin ang anumang katanungan na pwedeng mabanggit sa proseso ng ating pagsasalita.

 

Higit sa lahat, kailangang malinaw sa atin ang konteksto ng pagsasalita.  Walang kabuluhan ang ating kasanayan at kagalingan sa pagsasalita kung ito’y hindi naman mapakikinabangan ng masang estudyante at ng sambayanang Pilipino.