Trainer in “Speak up for Sports”, Karen Smythe is in Mauritius to deliver training sessions based on communication.

? Karen, what exactly is your visit about?

I am here to give a series of workshops, organized by Change Act, to try and give athletes the life-skills need to be able to speak in public.

? Is it your first visit to Mauritius?

No, it is my tenth. I first came here in 1995 as Vice-president of the Junior Chamber International and have been coming back since to deliver training mainly in the hospitality area.

? What do you exactly specialize in?

Communication and Emergenetics.

? Sorry?!

(laughter) Emergenetics is a field which deals with thinking and behavioural profiling. We analyse how people think and behave and help them work together.

? How do you do that in practical terms?

We first carry out a profiling exercise of all the staff members of a particular organization prior to the training. We then divide them into groups based on their profile results and work with them on how to communicate better with those who are different to them in terms of thinking and behaviour.

We also help on various group projects, constructing a perfect team, taking into account all the attributes. When staff members are new to the team, this exercise also helps them bond with the rest of the team. We also provide training in leadership and time management.

? Because you go from the premise that people who think differently behave differently and manage their time differently?

Exactly. And there is no perfect way and nothing wrong with the different ways people think and organize their time. It is just that everyone of us needs to know how to work with people who are different to us.

? So, people who are similar in thinking and behaviour work together better?

Absolutely.

? What happens when people have a different thinking and/or behaviour? Do they ever reach a compromise?

That is what we train them to do. And once that compromise you are talking about has been reached, there is better understanding between staff members. They improve their communication and the way they work together.

? The Speak up for Sports seems a different training altogether. Is it new?

No, I have been training people face-to-face for the last six years. What is new is that there is now an online version.

? Is the training now done online?

Now people have a choice. They can choose face-to-face, online or a combination of both.

? Is the online programme more popular?

People tend to do the online programme and for additional help, they opt for face-to-face group or individual training. We work around their time and our time is quite flexible.

? You have presumably been working on this kind of training in Australia. What constitutes your target audience?

Athletes of all types: boxing, athletics, swimming, orienteering, rugby etc.

? And do the people you train represent Australia on an international level or they perform on the local scene.

Both. The information is the same. The skills required are the same whether people perform nationally or internationally.

? And what are you hoping to achieve in Mauritius?

Let people know that the programme is available and work with different organizations and sports people to help them achieve the targets. It is a programme which has been highly successful in Australia. Athletes need to build up their confidence and know to speak in public. We will help them do that.

? Why do you think it is essential for our athletes to know how to speak in public?

All athletes have to be all-rounders. They have to be able to give coherent answers. They should be able to represent themselves and their country professionally.

? Do you honestly think that building confidence and being able to give coherent answers can be achieved in a couple of workshops? Surely, it is a linguistic problem which will take time to solve.

I agree. But at least after the workshop, athletes will be able to say more than ‘yes’ or ‘no’. They would know how to behave and realize how much their behaviour is linked to sponsorship and advancement. It is amazing to see the transformation between the beginning and the end of the course. Some of our clients come in with no linguistic skills at all and they leave being able to make a 5-minute presentation in front of an audience.

? And can confidence be built in a few hours?

It is a 20-hour course. And I can assure you that people do come out a lot better.

? You do realize that as far as sports are concerned, we are not exactly a reference. So, few of our athletes will ever have to stand up on an international podium and speak.

This course is not just for those who stand on an international podium. It is also for athletes to be able to represent themselves, look for sponsorship and build confidence.

Interview by Touria PRAYAG