Last night was the final of Britain’s Got Talent and thank goodness the public came to their senses and did not vote Stavros Flatley into the top three – for that would have been an absolute travesty.  Although it would have been interesting to observe her Majesty the Queen watching them perform, I’m sure that even she, with her stoical British upper lip, would have found it difficult not to show her contempt.  Happily, she will not be put in that appalling position.

Personally, I was delighted that Diversity won, knocking Susan Boyle off her perch.  Her behaviour yesterday evening was peculiar to say the least.  While Diversity may not be the royal cup of tea, I feel sure that the Queen will appreciate their palpable talent and who knows, she may secretly really enjoy it.  Remembering how my Mother used to love dance bands, I’m sure that she would have been wowed by Diversity and Flawless for that matter.  As my Mother, if she were still alive, would have been the same age as the Queen, it’s always a possibility that her Majesty will appreciate them too.

For me personally, there were two disappointments.  Firstly, I have to agree with Simon Cowell that Aidan’s routine was nowhere near as good as Friday night’s.  Of course, he had had very little time to plan a new one so was at a real disadvantage.  In the circumstances, it would have probably been better for him to repeat the same performance as the night before.  Secondly, I thought that Shaheen was fantastic and was disappointed that he was not in the final.  Still, at his age, he has plenty of time ahead of him and perhaps he will come back next year.

Now it’s all over, at least for this year, perhaps we can all stop living vicariously and get on with our own lives.

Yes, yes, yes.  I have to admit that I’ve become addicted – addicted to Britain’s Got Talent.  In my favour, I’ve never indulged before, so I do hope that I’ll be let off for good behaviour!  On a more serious note, while there have been some appalling and/or utterly talentless acts, (Simon Cowell and I almost always agree) some of which should definitely not have gone through to the semi-final, let alone the final, there is also some extraordinary talent, especially the dance groups (namely Flawless and Diversity) as well as some outstanding youngsters.

This brings me on to the reason for this blog.  On the last semi-final yesterday evening, Holly Steel, a 10 year old singer, broke down in the middle of singing Edelweiss – not once but twice – and then before the song was over, she gave up.  However, surprisingly, she immediately asked if she could repeat her performance and after the next break, she did so without any hitch.  This shows extraordinary bravery in one so young (ah the resilience of youth) and moved not only the audience but the judges too.  During the first rendition when she broke down, the audience carried on singing in support and there was a magical feeling of love and compassion in the air. 

This reminded me of the first time I cried while speaking in public.  Fortunately, I was able to continue speaking as the tears poured down my face.  I was speaking on behalf of Waggy Tails Dog Rescue and had to deliver some pretty gruesome information which I had only had sight of 10 minutes prior to speaking.  I remember that there was an amazing sense of connection in the room – you could have heard a pin drop – and as I made eye contact with members of the audience, I saw a number of people with tears in their eyes too.  What it taught me was how to really connect with an audience through the demonstration of authentic emotion.

Personally, I didn’t like Holly’s voice that much nor her tears as they were all about her.  Obviously, at her age, she could not possibly understand that her audience has feelings and needs too.  However, in contrast, Aidan Davis, the 12 year old street dancer was exceptional, not only in his ability to dance so brilliantly but also in his obvious confidence.  He lit up the room and touched even more hearts than Holly did as was demonstrated by the fact that he was voted winner of that semi-final by the public.  In my opinion, he’s the one to watch in tonight’s final.

I know that the human race is going through very difficult times at all levels right now - economically, socially and even spiritually.  However, truth is truth and never changes, no matter what dramas are playing out on the world stage. 

Consider this.  If you are in a room which is pitch black and you can see absolutely nothing at all, all you need do is strike one match.  The light created by this one match will be sufficient for you to find the door and leave the room.  However, if you are in a room which is fully lit and there was such a thing as a match which created darkness, the striking of one of these matches in a lit room would have no impact on your vision whatsoever.  Therefore, light is much much more powerful than darkness.  So if you ever find yourself in a dark place in your mind, just visualise striking one match and this simple act will bring you enough clarity to lead you back to the light.

As I am living and working from home, we decided that the best way to tackle the refurbishment would be one room at a time.  The office cum 2^nd bedroom was our first target.  This necessitated me clearing out the entire room, furniture included, most of which I disposed of via Dorset Reclaim.  It was strange to see the room stripped bare for the first time in 20 years.  It was looking pretty tired and shabby and, although I had disposed of the old furniture, it now brought to light the room’s many defects.  During this process, the parallel internal work is going on – the layers are being stripped back and the defects uncovered.  Like weeds, these defects must be plucked out.  Of course a refurbishment creates mess, dust and disorder and for a short while, my environment will look worse before it looks much better.  So too is my internal state stirred up and in disarray.

So the aim is to choose freedom in every moment.

Clutter clearing is a golden opportunity to get rid of everything which no longer serves a purpose, is just gathering dust or taking up space.  This allows new things to enter your life as the universe abhors a vacuum.  By the same token, if all your rooms, cupboards and drawers are full to the brim, there is no room for anything new to come in.  You may also find that you feel cluttered in your mind.  If you understand that your outer world is a reflection of your inner world, you can see which areas of your life need tidying up.

About 6 weeks after my Father died, I decided that I wanted my flat to be modernised and refurbished.  In fact, I had wanted this for a long time but, for various reasons, kept putting it off.  His death was the signal that massive change was occurring in my life and therefore the timing seemed most opportune.  As the weather was so cold this last winter, I decided that May would probably be the best time for the refurbishment work to commence.  However, in the meantime, I began, slowly but surely, to clear out cupboards and throw away all sorts of unwanted items.  At the same time, I visualised myself getting rid of unwanted old thoughts and ideas which also no longer served me.  As I took things gently working at my own pace, I found this process cathartic.   

It’s interesting to notice how you feel around certain of your possessions compared with others.  Sometimes they may have sentimental value and it can be difficult to let go of them.  Many things you come across will have been forgotten and it’s said that if you haven’t used something in a year, unless it’s an item which only gets used once in a blue moon, you should dispose of it.  Rather than throwing things away which can still be used by someone else, please remember the many charities which can sell your stuff and help others in need.

I believe that the key to the clutter-clearing process is to really want to do it.  Don’t force yourself, go slowly, take your time, go with your gut feeling and in this way, you will make all the right decisions.

The three finalists, Duncan, Kay Kay and Irene were sent on a mission to Malawi.  Their task was to deliver an inspiring talk on “Why Children’s Rights Matter” using their African experience.  Duncan’s theme was education, Kay Kay’s was access to clean water and Irene’s was access to medical care.

Duncan’s final speech had excellent content which was thought-provoking, inspiring, colourful and easy to comprehend.  It was also meaty, clever and extremely mature.  He talked about whether education was a right or a privilege and asked: “Where do we slice the line of luxury and who slices it?” A novel question indeed.  His delivery encompassed all those ingredients necessary to connect with an audience.  The pace was measured and there was excellent use of emphasis and pause.  In addition, he made use of light and shade; he was passionate, confident and created emotion.  There was even some appropriate humour.  In short, he really cared.  In my opinion, Duncan pulled out all the stops and delivered an absolute masterpiece of which an accomplished speaker much older than he would have been proud.  To hear his final speech go to:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/speaker/speakers/duncan/.

Kay Kay definitely has presence on stage due mainly to his stature, confidence and, when he uses it, his smile.  There were some interesting turns of phrase such as “I can buy a bottle of water at a flick of a coin” and “children are humanity’s greatest asset and greatest vulnerability”.  At one point, he very confidently ad libbed in a light-hearted way in response to an audience’s reaction and then quickly went back to the serious message he was delivering.  However, on the negative side, I found that the content was nowhere near as meaty as Duncan’s and that Kay Kay’s arrogant, haughty side was present which I found off-putting. In fact, I am sorry to say that Kay Kay’s arrogance got the better of him in this speech which seemed to be much more about him and his high opinion of himself, rather than a desire to get the message across about how clean water is an absolute right which all children must have.  I found his talk provocative rather than thought-provoking.  He has the ability to be an excellent speaker as well as loads of charm and just needs to keep his arrogance at bay.  This was made very clear to him throughout The Speaker.  As I liked Kay Kay right from the beginning of the series, I must admit to having been disappointed at his last speech.  To hear Kay Kay’s final speech go to: http://www.bbc.co.uk/speaker/speakers/kaykay/.

Irene comes across as very personable and caring and had an excellent story to tell.  Arguably, hers had the most potential for tugging at our heart strings with the story of the 13-year old girl who was HIV positive.  There was just one phrase which I thought was memorable: “survival becomes a probability instead of a lottery.”  As for Irene’s delivery, I must be up front and say that I was never a fan of hers.  She is not powerful enough for my liking, nor does she use enough emphasis or demonstrate enough passion to move an audience.  I was definitely not moved and was rather disappointed that she was in the final in the first place.  I would have liked Jordan.  To hear Irene’s final speech, go to:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/speaker/speakers/irene/.

The speeches over, it was time for the judges to reveal who would be nominated The Speaker.  I sat on the edge of my armchair hoping upon hope that the judges would make the right decision.  Thank goodness they did – Duncan was the winner.  In the end, he was head and shoulders above the other two and therefore the rightful owner of the title, The Speaker.

In this blog, there are some public speaking tips for you so do read on. 

The theme for the semi-final was Inspiration and their mentors this week were the three judges, John Amaechi, an ex basketball star turned motivational speaker, Jo Brand, the well-known stand-up comedienne and Jeremy Stockwell, a RADA coach and performance expert.  Jeremy said that “inspiration is the fuel that lifts your words and connects you with your audience” which is a wonderful description of what it’s truly all about.  Duncan, Irene, Jordan, Maria and Kay Kay were the only 5 contestants left and by the end of this episode, a further two would be eliminated.

Their task was to choose a subject which inspired them and as usual, they had just one hour to prepare before practising their speech in front of a test audience who, unbeknown to the contestants, was also going to evaluate them.  The range of subjects included table cricket (a disability sport), a younger sister as a role model, the word opportunity, music and Christmas.  When choosing a subject to inspire an audience, it’s very important to consider whether the subject will appeal to a wide-ranging audience or not.  If not, you may experience an up-hill struggle.

Unfortunately, we did not get to hear very much of the speeches themselves, so it is difficult for me to make any comment, except to say that Duncan said not once but twice “do you know what I mean?”  This is a phrase which is detestable, in my opinion, and is one of those meaningless phrases which is over utilised.  Beware, such phrases lower the tone of the speaker and add nothing to the message. 

The final challenge was to deliver their speech to an audience in City Hall, while simultaneously being transmitted to screens set up in major city centres throughout the U.K.  Being able to inspire an audience sitting in front of you is one thing but being able to inspire an invisible audience is in another league altogether.  It’s difficult for me to assess whether the contestants achieved this or not. 

Kay Kay and Irene automatically went through to the final while Duncan, Maria and Jordan were in the bottom three this week – the first time which Duncan had experienced this.  They then had to deliver a speech in front of the judges on how the contest had inspired them.  Duncan was selected to join the other two in the final.

For more information in public speaking tips, training and coaching, please call on 01202 743961.

There are more public speaking tips within this blog.

This episode was the last one before the semi-final. Alastair Campbell, a government adviser, experienced political speech writer and previously Director of Communications for Tony Blair, was assigned the role of mentor to the last 6 in the competition: Haroon, Maria, Jordan, Duncan, Irene and Kay Kay.  His task was to educate them in the art of persuasion and prepare them to step into the political arena.

Alastair said that the art of persuasion is all about the ownership of every word, the speaker and speech coming together, pace, tone, light and shade, the strength of the argument and confidence.  Ultimately, the art of persuasion is about convincing people to change the way they think, change the way they vote or change the way they act.  (This repetition is frequently used in political speeches and is a powerful way of really getting a message across.)

The speakers’ task was to speak for or against a hot local issue, having spent some time interviewing Egham residents in the high street.  Subjects included building a swimming complex, recycling versus incineration, building on the greenbelt, increasing CCTV, tourism and the expansion of Heathrow airport.  They had just one hour to construct their argument and deliver it for the first time in front of a barrister who cross-examined them afterwards to test their arguments.

Then they were tasked with delivering their speech in front of Egham residents who voted for the person they felt was the most persuasive speaker.

Of the small amounts of actual speaking which we saw, I have a few basic comments.  Maria said em, em, quite frequently and I am surprised that by this stage of the competition, this had not been drummed out of her.  Irene delivered her argument too quickly, with no pause and not enough passion for my liking.  Kay Kay, although he has many qualities, including a wonderful sense of humour, could also have benefitted from using more pause. 

Duncan was voted for by Egham and therefore went through to the semi-final automatically.  Jordan, Maria and Haroon were in the bottom three and had to deliver a speech to the judges about one of the three speakers who had gone through to the semi-final.  As a result of this exercise, Haroon was eliminated from the competition.  I concurred with this decision.

For more public speaking tips and information on public speaking training and coaching please call 01202 743961 or go to www.watchoutworld.net.

More public speaking tips:  In this episode, their mentor was Kate Silverton, BBC news reader and the main focus was on the art of storytelling which of course is what the news is all about.  Stories or anecdotes are also an essential ingredient of good public speaking and make a massive difference in getting the message across. 

This time, their warm up exercise was to produce a 30-second news item on the British weather or the art of letter writing, having been given the relevant facts to include.  This proved to be very challenging for most of them, particularly because of the short amount of time.  The majority of them ran out of time and therefore were unable to complete the assignment.

Their ultimate challenge was to present a live news report and interview a member of staff at London Zoo either on the “adopt a penguin scheme” or the “friendly spider programme.”  They only had 45 minutes preparation time.  I have to say that Duncan was absolutely brilliant at it and seemed a complete natural.  On the other hand, unfortunately, dear Jordan, who I am very fond of, made a real mess of it.   It’s interesting to note that the contestants all have very different strengths and perform well in one type of speaking and not another.

Kay Kay, Thomas and Haroon were in the last three who had to perform another task in front of the judges and one was then eliminated.  Kay Kay redeemed himself magnificently, using his charm, his enigmatic smile and some risqué humour.  Thomas started off well and then forgot his words.  He had learnt his talk off by heart and then, when the nerves kicked in, he forgot where he was.  It had been pointed out to him by the coach that it is not advisable to learn a talk off by heart because of the danger of forgetting your words in the event of nerves kicking in, which of course I mentioned in a previous blog. 

As I have said before, I have a real issue with poor pronunciation such as “gonna” and “wanna”.  After all, good pronunciation is also a key element in being an excellent public speaker.  To my horror but not to my surprise, I noticed that even Kate Silverton was afflicted with the gonna, wanna syndrome!  Shame on you BBC.  Unfortunately, I know that it’s not just her – it seems to have permeated all walks of life these days.

So if you want any more public speaking tips or you want some one-to-one coaching in public speaking, please call now on 01202 743961.

Public Speaking Tips:  In this episode, their mentor was Lord Spencer, Princess Diana’s brother and the main challenge was to be a tour guide of his home, Althorp House.  Each of the 8 contestants was assigned a particular room, given 90 minutes preparation time, a file of information and they had to craft a talk of 8 minutes.  They were asked to bring the room to life, give it a story and romance.  This was no mean feat.

The first speaker, Maria, achieved this really well.  She had it all – excellent pace, emphasis, vocabulary, questions, a story and plenty of warmth.  Jordan was more subdued than usual, read a lot from his notes and there were several pregnant pauses.  Duncan was far too familiar with inappropriate language – more like a stand up comedian – perhaps that’s his destiny and yet still he’s very likeable.  Thomas is a rising star, has a commanding voice and is very convincing.  I was disappointed in Kay Kay, as I feel that he has much more talent than he displayed in this particular episode.  There was a lack of energy and confidence in him which resulted in there being less connection with his audience.  He has a beautiful smile and didn’t use it. 

There was a great bit of advice – don’t admit weaknesses or point out your mistakes – which I am always saying.  However, on a negative note, I have to say that one of my pet hates is the word “gonna” for going to.  Lord Spencer said it so many times that if I had been there, I would definitely have picked him up on it!  I’m surprised that the BBC didn’t correct this.  Am I the only person left in England who cares about good diction??

For more information on public speaking, public speaking tips, training courses and one-to-one coaching, please call Vanessa on 01202 743961.