WHOSE DESIGN?




Today, I attended a training where I had to fill in for a friend who was supposed to be one of the facilitators. When she first asked me to take her place, I was scared. What do I know that I can teach?

You know that feeling, right? But madam insisted that I had what it takes. Somehow, I agreed, because it involved talking about something I'm passionate about.

I prefer writing to speaking because writing allows me to express myself with ease. However, if I had to speak at this event, I knew I had to leave my comfort zone.

There were two things I did that ensured the success of my session:

First, I reached out to the friend I was filling in for to understand her original idea. If not that she couldn’t make it, she wouldn't have asked me to step in, so I had to ask what she had planned to deliver. That was the original design.

Second, I went to my writing coach to ask for his opinion. As someone I’m accountable to, getting his input felt like getting his blessing.

Armed with both the original design (what my friend intended to deliver) and my coach’s insights, I got to work crafting my script, backed by solid research.

It was the first time I went on stage without a memorized script, so I had to rely on the eloquence of spontaneous speech. It was hard at first, but once I began speaking from a place of passion and connection, everything started to flow.

My delivery wasn’t perfect, but it went far beyond what I believed I was capable of. The calm and deliberate way I explained the concepts even surprised me.

But truly, if I hadn’t taken the time to understand what my friend originally planned to deliver, I’m sure I would’ve done poorly.

Dearest reader, I learned two things from today’s adventure:

1. You must seek the designer’s design to be able to replicate it in your own way, and do it well. So it’s not just about doing; are you doing according to the intended design?


2. It is easier to communicate the things you're passionate about.



@favvy_Okwansđź–¤.

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