What if the most powerful tool you have isn’t your résumé, your network, or your technical skills? What if it’s simply how well you communicate—and how intentionally you listen?

In this episode, host Umer Farooque sits down with Rohail Hasan Siddiqui, founder of Master Orator and corporate communication coach. They dive into the art of public speaking, the ethics of communication, and why being a great speaker is about authenticity and listening, not just performance.

Rohail shares his journey from a fifth-grade poetry competition to founding a business that helps CEOs, professionals, and fresh graduates communicate confidently. His mission: bridging the gap in Pakistan where talent is abundant, but opportunities are filtered by language.

Key topics covered:

• Turning fear into fuel for public speaking

• Why everyone needs strong communication skills

• The four-part career framework: skill, pay, enjoyment, and purpose

• How to use storytelling as a strategy in interviews and presentations

• The importance of active listening and likability in building rapport

• Why eloquence without competence can be dangerous

Whether you're a student about to enter a job interview, a professional struggling to articulate your value, or a leader who wants to inspire, this episode is for you. Communication is the skill that unlocks every other skill.

⏱ CHAPTERS

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: Finding Comfort on the Stage
• 00:00:42 The Corporate Family Legacy and Choosing a Different Path
• 00:02:43 The Four-Part Career Framework: Finding Your True Calling
• 00:04:02 Addressing Pakistan's Communication Gap: The English Barrier
• 00:05:28 Master Orator: Training Professional Communication Skills
• 00:06:51 Why Everyone Needs Communication Skills—Not Just Salespeople
• 00:07:12 The Presentation Principle: Why Communication is Like Fine Dining
• 00:09:29 Advice for the 18-Year-Old: Embrace the Stage and Make Mistakes
• 00:11:08 The Karachi Cow vs. Punjab Cow: Building Immunity Through Exposure
• 00:14:32 The Power of Storytelling: Keeping Attention in a Distracted World
• 00:15:22 The STAR Method: A Framework for Compelling Stories
• 00:19:37 Learning from Comedy: The Art of Delivering the Unexpected
• 00:20:27 Implementing the Framework: From Theory to Practice
• 00:23:35 Podcast Midpoint: Omar's Message to Viewers
• 00:24:23 One Small Shift: Intellectual Humility for Better Speaking
• 00:26:08 The 'But' Exercise: Disagreeing Without Being Disagreeable
• 00:30:10 The Crap Sandwich: Why 'And' is Better Than 'But'
• 00:32:13 Authenticity vs. Manipulation: The Ethics of Likability
• 00:34:56 Becoming More Likable: Validation and Insecurity
• 00:38:51 Active Listening: Beyond Nodding and Smiling
• 00:41:56 Body Language Essentials: Eyes, Eyebrows, and Phones
• 00:45:09 The Eyebrow Secret: Showing Emotion Through Facial Expressions
• 00:47:57 Acing Job Interviews: Storytelling for Fresh Graduates
• 00:51:41 Conquering Interview Nerves: You're Not Alone
• 00:53:27 Preparation Over Personality: The Underrated Interview Strategy
• 00:55:30 Ethical Manipulation: The Magic and Responsibility of Eloquence
• 01:00:48 Closing Thoughts: The Privilege and Pressure of Being Gifted

Follow Rohail:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/master.orator/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohail-hasan

Follow Umer & The Path We Choose:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/umerfarooquee/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mumerfarooque/
TPWC Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepathwechoosee/
Website: https://thepathwechoose.com/

The Path We Choose explores real conversations about identity, growth, purpose, and the choices that shape who we become. Subscribe for more long-form conversations and behind-the-scenes content.