Sigist September 2017 - "Learning in Public" - A presentation skills workshop

I was originally going to call this “Speak for Yourself” but I found an Amazon book of the same title, so instead I went for my second point which was “Learning in Public” (which is what we do when we engage in public speaking)

In this workshop I will provide hints and tips for improving your public speaking. Sharing, based on my experience, what works for me, etc. etc.

I will discuss some conventional wisdom on public speaking, because we have to, it’s a law or something. I will also share a few secrets, and unconventional exercises that I use to prepare. The Q&A sessions will allow attendees to have their most pressing questions answered (at least that’ the plan).

Talk

I also did an an adhoc talk to fill in for a speaker that was unable to attend.

Logistics

Thursday 14th September 2017
11:15 - 13:00
Duration: 1hr 45 mins
Sigist
September 14 2017 Sigist

The Blurb

Title: “Learning in Public” - A workshop to help you improve your presentation skills

This workshop will be presented by Alan Richardson. A Keynote Speaker, Author and Test Consultant.

Glossophobia, the fear of public speaking, usually ranks pretty high on surveys of ‘what people fear’. And for good reason. We’ve all attended conferences where the keynote speakers were seriously injured after being hit by a torrent of rolled up feedback forms, or speakers were left bleeding from a rain of plastic name badges thrown Shuriken-like by the Ninja trained attendees.

You can learn to avoid these outcomes, and when you do, you gain a skill that will win you recognition, improve your job prospects and allow you to travel the world talking to fellow testers.

In this workshop Alan will provide hints and tips for improving your public speaking. Sharing, from experience, what works for him, and discuss some conventional wisdom on public speaking. Alan will also share a few secrets, and unconventional exercises that he uses to prepare. The Q&A sessions will allow attendees to have their most pressing questions answered.

What qualifies Alan to present this? Well, he now gives workshops and keynotes at conferences around the world, but he had to learn how to do that. He is not, and has never been, a natural public speaker.

Alan claims to have bought and read 100’s of books on public speaking. Although a recent audit of his bookcase revealed that he has kept, because he loves the cover, exactly one. He has attended at least 3 public speaking courses (that he can remember), and at each he delivered some of the worst talks he has ever presented. But, he has worked at this for a long time, he has struggled, overcome fears and faced down on-stage disasters, and he has learned. Alan now classifies himself as an adequate public speaker and he can help you become adequate too.

Public speaking is a skill we have to learn in public, but it is a skill, it is learn-able, and it is a skill that you can learn.

Note: this workshop does not involve any embarrassing exercises, group hugs or filming of your presentations on VHS that you can watch when you return home.