I was a guest speaker (more to answer questions which revolve around legal matter than anything else) by a prominent speaker, Azizi Ali last Saturday, the 22nd of May. Let me tell you a bit about Azizi Ali. He is a writer who is also a pilot. I never knew he is a pilot until I attended his seminar. I have written about him a few time in this blog and basically you can say that I consider him as a mentor. For the past 3 years, he mentored me through his book and for the last 6 months, I have private sessions with him (actually more of a teh tarik session where we eat together while talking) which some people will have to pay to get as close as I got to him.
After knowing him, his wife and his staff, the enigma which you always get when you first a man of distinction is not there anymore. That enigma becomes a kind of respect you reserve for those who is unrelenting in trying to accumulate knowledge through every pores of his being. He reads and it can be seen that he is very knowledgeable. Rarely can you catch him not knowing a piece of news. This is amazing for a man who does not watch television (which is something I can't live without). He told me at the seminar in where I first met him and his wife corroborate it when she says she does not watch TV too.
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| At the launch of my book at KL International Book Fair |
So, it was exhilarating when he asked me to be in one of his seminar as a guest speaker. I was told by his team that he does not ask anyone lightly to be a guest speaker. I was told I will be getting a token payment (which is a surprise for me). The seminar sale went very well and the target that he set for his team of selling 40 seats was exceed by another 20 participants.
I managed to answer all the questions that was thrown to me, except for one question on auction, which was helped along by a lawyer who was there for his client. I don't claim to be an expert on auction although I know the basic of it but on all other questions, I aced it and even that particular lawyer keep nodding his head every time I answered correctly. Felt a bit like a schoolboy managing to answer the teacher's questions but it did boost my confidence. And another surprise for me was the fact I was only needed for 30 minutes. My slot was stretched for 10 minutes but Azizi is very particular about time and he cut short a guy who was pestering me to give me a short course on Islamic finance.
Afterward, I did asked Azizi how does he rate my performance. He was satisfied and he even told me that he is going to have the same seminar later in the year and wants me to be there again. I can only say yes. Who doesn't want to be a speaker with a guy whom you know through books and magazines and now ask you to be a part of his team. As I do that, I get to pick his brain? That is a no-brainer....
The only thing is, should I start to hold my own seminar or should I wait first...(thinking more of the latter)
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