“At Speakers’ Corner… and the Wisdom of When NOT to Speak”
It was a quiet morning in #Singapore.
I was walking through a shaded stretch in the city – trees swaying gently above, glass towers reflecting the sky, and the familiar buzz of a city in motion.
And then I saw it.
A simple wooden signboard: “Speakers’ Corner.”
I stopped.
Not because I had something to say –
But because something about that sign spoke to me.
You see, I’ve always been someone who loves conversations.
At speaking and at #facilitation, words are my currency.
But that sign reminded me of something deeper:
“Just because you can speak doesn’t mean you always should.”
Sometimes, not speaking creates more space for truth to emerge.
Here are 5 reminders I carry with me as a facilitator – lessons from the world around us:
- Every moment is a mirror.
A board on the roadside. A pause in the room. A story someone shares casually.
Everything reflects something – if you’re present enough to notice. - Speaking is a choice, not a default.
Facilitation is not performance.
It’s presence. It’s knowing when to hold back so the group can move forward. - Use silence as a tool, not a gap.
The most profound realisations often follow a question left hanging…
Silence is where #clarity settles in. - Stories are bridges, not spotlights.
A good story doesn’t just entertain. It connects. It stirs. It invites.
Facilitators use stories to unlock emotions – not to occupy the room. - Metaphors speak to the soul.
From rivers to mountains, metaphors create meaning that logic can’t.
They help participants see things they weren’t even looking for.
We often think the magic lies in our voice. But more often, it lies in our presence.
Not just presence in the room, but presence to what’s around us.
Even a roadside sign can offer a profound reminder – if you’re willing to read beyond the words.
That day, I walked past Speakers’ Corner not with a speech, but with a reminder:
Our job is not to speak the loudest.
It’s to listen the deepest !!
And to know when the room is ready to speak back.
What’s the last simple thing you noticed around you… that left you thinking ??