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I’ve been doing a handful of speaking events lately. The last few I spoke at, I was the youngest person in the room. And at the end of the month, I’ll be giving a presentation to 1000+ people in our company. For presentations like these, our company rarely asks people under the age of 30 to speak. I’m 22… and nervous as hell.
Which is the point of this post. To write what I know about speaking and to learn what other young speakers have dealt with.
Here is what I’ve learned so far:
1) Establish Credibility - The beginning of a presentation should grab the audience’s attention. If you have a baby face like me, you’ll already have their attention because they’ll be thinking, “Who is this kid and why is he here?” You better have an answer to that question and you better answer it early.
2) Don’t Bullshit the Audience - You don’t know everything… don’t act like you do. It’s o.k. to admit what you don’t know.
3) Don’t Reveal Your Age (Err… Sometimes) - Not revealing your age can give you an advantage because some people might think you’re older than you really are. Which is good. I break this rule sometimes because I have a good story to tell and the story follows my next rule…
4) Make Fun Of Yourself - This goes for any speaker, but it’s especially important if you’re young. Making fun of yourself shows humility and it’s a joke that won’t offend anyone. Plus, our generation is different. We might as well make fun of it.
5) Don’t Talk About College - It goes back to the age thing. College makes you look young and inexperienced.
6) Have Really, Really Good (Original) Content - This is a must. If you’re asked to speak, you better have something worthwhile to say. And if you’re younger than everyone else, give them content that YOU create. Don’t recite something you’ve read in a book because, odds are, the audience has already read it. Want great content? Start a blog.
7) Get Off The Stage - Podiums are boring and are a barrier to any chance of conversation. Get off the stage and interact with the audience. It’s hard, and scary, and nerve-wracking because you don’t know what will happen… But that’s also what makes it fun.
Those are a few things I’ve learned… What else can I add to this list?
(Tom Krieglstein is a fantastic speaker that got started at a very early age. He’s passed some of his advice on to me.)
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Comments
03.16.09
I would also add that if you are using PowerPoint, use it as a tool not a crutch. We've all experienced a speaker (or past professor) that read straight from their slides word-for-word. Not only does this bore the hell out of your audience, but in turn, it limits conversation and any chance of spontaneity.
Good luck on your presentation! I'm sure you will do great!
03.16.09
I had to speak at an academic conference last fall, a few hundred people from graduate to terminal degree academics. That podium thing would have been a good thought at the time, didn't think of it. I'll remember it this spring.
I was 21 at the time, pretty young for a presentation like this. I did something I'm still not sure was reasonable, but it did make me feel older. I bought a pair of glasses and wore them, even though I don't wear glasses.
03.16.09
I write for newlycorporate.com and I have a post today that will also shed some light on how best to prepare and execute a presentation....
http://newlycorporate.com/2009/03/16/sail-through-your-next-presentation/
Seth Travis
03.16.09
@Eric - I feel ya about the whole 'death by powerpoint thing.'
@Olivia - Haha - That is hilarious! You rock. Did it work? Did you feel more confident in them? Have you worn them since?
@Seth - I stopped by your post. You'll have to explain that whole 4x6 rule to me. I don't think I've heard it before.
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