Anyone like public speaking?

[Exterous]

I have a notable part in a presentation to ~400 people that will also be recorded for posterity. I can do it and it will probably go well but I hate it. Ugh

 

[purbeast0]

Make sure to post youtube link afterwards so we can make fun of you.

 

[Scarpozzi]

I hate it because I never know where to look.

When I was in grad school, I had to do a bunch of presentations and it never bothered me standing up in front of smallish classes. Once the audience gets to be 40-50+...I don't do so well.

 

[Exterous]

Make sure to post youtube link afterwards so we can make fun of you.

No thanks. A good chunk of my team will be attending to help with the Q&A section so there will be enough of that from them if I screw anything up or pass out or something

I hate it because I never know where to look.

When I was in grad school, I had to do a bunch of presentations and it never bothered me standing up in front of smallish classes. Once the audience gets to be 40-50+...I don't do so well.

I think that will be a bit easier since its all remote. So I'll just state at my little camera the whole time

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

I fucking hate it. Complete introvert, etc...


The problem is my career kept advancing - and as it keeps advancing the more it has required doing things like leading meetings, performing status calls with clients, performing training sessions, etc....

Now I just went full blown into sales demonstrations.



There is zero doubt in my mind that a big part of the reason for advancement the high pay is because having the public speaking and presentation skills is more rare than people realize.

 

[Iron Woode]

I have a notable part in a presentation to ~400 people that will also be recorded for posterity. I can do it and it will probably go well but I hate it. Ugh

a couple shots of the good stuff should make it easier.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

I have a notable part in a presentation to ~400 people that will also be recorded for posterity. I can do it and it will probably go well but I hate it. Ugh

No real advice, I’ve done presentations for 50-100 people a few times but they were brief.
Doesn’t really bother me.
I can give basic tips:
Avoid “Um’s & Ah’s” they are needless filler words or as a trainer said “when you say Um you sound Dumb”. This is actually a lot of practice to stop doing.
Speak slower than you normally would. I found my perfect speed was uncomfortably slower than I expected. This took practice but it wasn’t that difficult to do.
I found those dumb books and saying about start with a joke doesn’t work if it is not you. Stick with what is you.
If you are a guy who tells joke good or bad fine start with a joke. Don’t try to be someone you are not.
If it is a timed thing like x material needs to be covered in y minutes but not less that z minutes. This sounds dumb but it works, practice a bit so you know the mid point, have someone facing you time it, use some sort of hand signal to speed up or slow down. Any gaps at the end could be for questions.

 

[ponyo]

I think Elon Musk is better public speaker than me. If you ever watch Elon speak, you would know he sucks at public speaking which is why I love him more. I suck at public speaking and hate it. Glad I don't have to do that anymore.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

I think Elon Musk is better public speaker than me. If you ever watch Elon speak, you would know he sucks at public speaking which is why I love him more. I suck at public speaking and hate it. Glad I don't have to do that anymore.

Hah - yeah, watched his battery day stuff yesterday. He's horrible at it.

Really part of it is just recording yourself and playing it back so you can identify the flaws.


For Elon, just get an "Ummmm" counter and he probably hits 500+ in one speech. When you realize you say "um" way too much, go into speeches telling yourself not to say "um". Having a little bit of silence between words isn't a bad thing but we naturally think even 1 second of not talking amounts to embarrassing awkwardness.

 

[ultimatebob]

I think Elon Musk is better public speaker than me. If you ever watch Elon speak, you would know he sucks at public speaking which is why I love him more. I suck at public speaking and hate it. Glad I don't have to do that anymore.

I guess that it's tough to speak confidently when everything that comes out of your mouth is a gross exaggeration and most people know that by now

 

[Scarpozzi]

I fucking hate it. Complete introvert, etc...


The problem is my career kept advancing - and as it keeps advancing the more it has required doing things like leading meetings, performing status calls with clients, performing training sessions, etc....

Now I just went full blown into sales demonstrations.



There is zero doubt in my mind that a big part of the reason for advancement the high pay is because having the public speaking and presentation skills is more rare than people realize.

I'm an extrovert and I hate it. Last time I stood in front of 300 people to speak at a conference, I struggled. That was even after taking a Xanax that morning (2nd time in my life to take it and it did help a little, but only so I didn't care as much about bombing....lol)

 

[brianmanahan]

i've done it for a few hundred people and i don't mind it too much

but my memory is crap so i usually have to write some bullet points down

 

[repoman0]

I can be pretty good at it if I practice. I gave a 45 minute talk at the end of an all day interview for my current job and it went really well.

On the other hand, if I don't practice I usually suck.

I really, really hate it regardless and have mostly managed to avoid it.

 

[thestrangebrew1]

I did it pretty regularly when I did presentations for public hearings, and at community meetings before covid. I never really minded it, except that it was usually small groups. I think I've only presented to a large group once or twice, wasn't more than 100 though. And they were only for controversial projects the community didn't like.

 

[JM Aggie08]

If it's something I'm passionate about, I love it. Quite melancholy, but loved giving my parents' eulogies for that reason (other than obviously sharing their life's story with everyone).

It's an obligation at work. I get inside my own head, end up doing a good job, but generally like to avoid it since it does not provide any additional value in most contexts.

 

[sdifox]

I do it every three weeks, but is now virtual.

 

[nakedfrog]

a couple shots of the good stuff should make it easier.

Reminded me of this old joke.

A new priest at his first mass was so nervous that he could hardly speak. After mass, he asked the Monsignor how he had done.
The Monsignor replied, "When I am worried about getting nervous on the pulpit, I put a glass of vodka next to the water glass. If I start to get nervous, I take a sip."
The next Sunday, he took the Monsignor's advice. At the beginning of the sermon when he got nervous, he took a drink. He proceeded to talk up a storm. Upon his return to his office after mass, he found the following note on the door:
Sip the vodka; don't gulp.
There are 10 commandments, not 12.
There are 12 disciples, not 10.
Jesus was consecrated, not constipated.
Jacob wagered his donkey; he did not "bet his ass."
We do not refer to Jesus Christ as the late J.C.
The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are not referred to as daddy, junior, and the spook.
David slew Goliath; he did not kick the shit outta him.
When David was hit by a stone and knocked off his donkey, don't say he was stoned off his ass.
We don't refer to the cross as the "Big T."
When Jesus broke the bread at the last supper, he said, "Take this and eat it for it is my body." He did not say "Eat me."
The Virgin Mary is not called "Mary with the cherry."
The recommended grace before a meal is not "Rub-a-dub-dub, thanks for the grub, yeah God."
There will be a taffy pulling contest at St. Peter's, not a Peter pulling contest at St. Taffy's.

 

[GrumpyMan]

I've noticed on the TV that a lot of interviews and what not start with this when a question is asked or a comment is asked for: So....blah blah... I guess that's the new Ummm?

 

[Platypus]

I like it actually, there is always the "oh fuck why did I do this?" moment directly before I speak in front of hundreds of people but about 10 seconds into it I just go on auto-pilot mode and knock it out. There's a big rush from delivering engaging content that people enjoy, especially if they ask good questions afterwords.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

I like it actually, there is always the "oh fuck why did I do this?" moment directly before I speak in front of hundreds of people but about 10 seconds into it I just go on auto-pilot mode and knock it out. There's a big rush from delivering engaging content that people enjoy, especially if they ask good questions afterwords.

You know what I hate about public speaking?

When the speaker says "Good question" after every question.

That wasn't a good question. It was a dumb question that proves you weren't paying attention 50% of the time

 

[Platypus]

You know what I hate about public speaking?

When the speaker says "Good question" after every question.

That wasn't a good question. It was a dumb question that proves you weren't paying attention 50% of the time

The thing I hate much worse are the "this isn't so much of a question as much as a comment to try to prove that I know what I am talking about" folks. Nothing sucks worse than someone who just wants to sound smart but provides nothing of value to the discussion. I generally reply with "was there a question in there, or..?"

 

[Exterous]

I like it actually, there is always the "oh fuck why did I do this?" moment directly before I speak in front of hundreds of people but about 10 seconds into it I just go on auto-pilot mode and knock it out. There's a big rush from delivering engaging content that people enjoy, especially if they ask good questions afterwords.

Yeah once it starts I do well but the lead up usually involves nerves and maybe some sweaty palms

 

[lxskllr]

a couple shots of the good stuff should make it easier.

By "good stuff", you mean LSD, right?

 

[Iron Woode]

By "good stuff", you mean LSD, right?

no. I meant meth. it makes everything better.

 

[Number1]

I have seen a grown man paralyzed in fear because he had to speak in front of an audience. Poor bastard, it must have been traumatizing for him. I don't like public speaking but I do OK.