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Photo: S. Gopakumar

Art of communication Dave Eager: It is important to be yourself and ask questions if you are not clear about something”

Small wonder then, from being a biology teacher Dave went on to become a disc-jockey at a club belonging to Sir Jimmy Saville (perhaps the first DJ and presenter of ‘Top of the Pops’), and then a television and radio presenter of innumerable television and BBC Radio One programmes. His work as public relations expert led him to work with Margaret Thatcher, singers Elton John and David Bowie and some of the big names in pop music in the Seventies. In addition to being president for nearly three decades of Animals in Distress, an animal shelter based in London, Dave has also found time to conduct media coaching sessions in various parts of the world.

Dave, who has made Kerala his second home after his first visit in 1996, spent nearly seven hours with participants at a communication workshop in the city. It was organised by city-based Angloscape, a communication skill development venture.

Despite the long session Dave is anything but tired. Talking about his coaching sessions he says: “The culture barrier is there. But once that’s overcome, the participants are an eager lot. I believe in coaching, not training people. It is important to be yourself and ask questions if you are not clear about something.”

It was while undergoing training to be a teacher that the performer in Dave surfaced with the music band ‘Dave Eager and the Beavers.’ A supporter of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom, he hoped to involve himself with “something that would have an impact on community.”

His association with party members led to his being asked to design a course for public communicators. That course soon took him all over the globe. Innovative in his methods, he recalls with a hearty laugh how he arranged for a popular football song of that time to be played for the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to waltz to at a function. It made headlines and also showed the fun side of the Iron Lady.

“Unlike common perception, she was always careful and considerate. There was also no changing her mind. This is what earned her the nickname ‘Iron Lady.’ People gave her their votes as they trusted her to do what she said. She was one of the last few true statespeople,” the true fan says.

Dave observes that it is tough for a woman politician to prove her success and is all praise for Union Minister Renuka Chowdury whom he met in New Delhi.

Speaking of another politician he greatly admires he says: “You see, I don’t wear a watch because I don’t have a fixed programme when I work. Defence Minister A. K. Antony, who was then the Chief Minister of Kerala, was a guest at a function where I mentioned this to the audience. He suddenly walked up to me and said ‘Watch illa, parupaadi illa! Neither of us are a servant of time, but of people.’ That is so true.”

He is drawn to Kerala as he feels Malayalis are spiritually motivated in everything they do. “Something that is fast diminishing in the West where spirituality, finance are all separated into categories. Everything is family oriented here, which is important. Tradition gives you grounding,” he says.

The former DJ says he like all kinds of music including trance and Bollywood.

His involvement with Animals in Distress started during his days on radio when he was asked to sponsor a walk to raise funds for dogs. “Why not each person sponsor a dog for a walk?” he asked. The response generated the initiative that is now a farm for animals that need looking after. As a public relations expert, what’s the best piece of advice he has ever given? “Think before you open your mouth to say something,” he says with a grin.

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