Bn.u - talk basics
How to give a pretty good one & why you should
itinerary
- Why?
- No way, never
- Presentation Tips
- Content Tips
- Ok, fine. Where do I start?
Why talk?
You have a unique perspective
put aside imposter syndrome
preparing a talk quickly teaches you how much you have to learn about your subject
LEARN
teaching is one of the hardest most rewarding things ever
Teach
Where would i use speaking skills?
devs/designers
- Conferences
- Classes
- BN.U
Analyst/account
- Client calls
- Meetings/Presentations
- BN.U
Sales
- Pitches/Presentations
- Conferences
- BN.U
"No way, never"
Ways to beat fear before and during a talk
Why do people get nervous?
(everyone gets nervous)
It depends:
- potential embarassment from failure
- fear of percieved anxiety
Glossophobia
Glossophobia or speech anxiety is the fear of public speaking or of speaking in general.
-Wikipedia (haters gonna hate)
mindset is everything
People want your information & perspective
They can't see how nervous you are.
your thoughts about other people's perceptions of you may be exagerrated
start small
Practice in front of people you trust
Just get used to talking to a group.
Be Prepared
Practice. A lot. Record yourself.
Have a script, but don't read it. (Outlines are good)
Relax & breathe
Confidence is key
(even if it's fake)
If you act like an expert, people believe you are one.
Believe in your abilities.
Focus on your material,
not your audience.
More
Presenting
Context is important
Your audience wants to know where you're coming from.
slide tips
...no.
...still no.
Sample good slide
- Descriptive header
- Bare Minimum Content
- Still provides context
- Readable
More slide tips
-
use a nice typeface
-
Use interesting colors
-
use images
talk organization
Why worry about organization?
- Listener understanding
- Your memory
- Flow
sort concepts using
3 questions
-
What
-
Why
-
How
tools to convey concepts
-
quotes
-
stories
-
personal experiences
quotes
Lend a weight of authority (not just your ideas)
Quotes lend a weight of authority to a talk, and let the audience know these aren't only your ideas
-Dan Gribbin
Stories
More context for your ideas
Keep your audience more engaged
Can prevent monotony
Personal experiences
Relatability
Engagement
behavior
3 things to be
- Authentic
- Enthusiastic
- Consistent
project confidence
- Speak clearly and deliberatly
- Stand up straight
- Look at your audience (or the back wall)
'um' & 'uh'
- Happen when you're trying to think and speak
- Can project ill-preparedness
avoiding filler speak
- Prepare
- Limit distractions
- Relax
- Keep sentences short
Content
Rule no. 1 : Know your audience
"A Good Talk" - relative.
Your content should work for your audience, and vice versa.
audience considerations
-
average expertise level
-
understanding levels
-
interest levels
-
diversity
rule no.2
don't over-scope
Scope guidelines
-
pick # of concepts
-
minute-limit each
-
prioritize them
Scope Guidelines
Encourage further learning, don't cover the entire subject.
If you're rushing, you're trying to do too much.
Rule no. 3
inspire your audience
your passion should show
...and be infectous.
ways to show enthusiasm
-
walk around
-
use gestures
-
speak clearly
-
act (or just be) excited
Rule No. 4
Send off
Give your audience somewhere to go
(A website, a twitter account, a meetup, etc)
Ok, i'm in- where do i start?
Watch Talks
DEV
design
Analytics
Go To Conferences
if you're nervous,
get to a meetup
Last Step
Give a BN.U
Then go speak at a conference.
thx
?s
BN.U - Talks
By Dan Gribbin
