On Sun, 30 Mar 2008 22:35:53 +0200, Gail Shaw wrote:

> "Jim Henderson" <nos### [at] nospamcom> wrote in message
> news:47efe6e0$1@news.povray.org...
>>
>> Congrats!  Sounds like a good step forward - and don't worry about
>> speaking at conferences and whatnot - get a copresenter the first few
>> times.  That really helps a lot.
> 
> Hehe. Probably the first few times I will be the co-presenter. At least,
> I hope so...

I should have said "with an experienced presenter" - that makes a 
difference as well. :-)

Jim

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"andrel" <a_l### [at] hotmailcom> wrote in message
news:47E### [at] hotmailcom...

> What is the problem in speaking at conferences? Done that a lot, never
> really had a problem with it. Sure, a bit of stage fright just before
> the session, but that is normal, I guess. Definitely nothing to be
> scared about years in advance as a great (possibly virtual) monster
> looming at the horizon.

Just nerves. I haven't done public speaking since high school days. Plus the
people in the audience will be knowledgable about the field (unlike public
speaking) and some may know more than I do.
I'm not scared or anything. More a bit intimidated.

Depending how things go, first one might be late this year

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Gail Shaw wrote:
> "andrel" <a_l### [at] hotmailcom> wrote in message
> news:47E### [at] hotmailcom...
> 
>> What is the problem in speaking at conferences? Done that a lot, never
>> really had a problem with it. Sure, a bit of stage fright just before
>> the session, but that is normal, I guess. Definitely nothing to be
>> scared about years in advance as a great (possibly virtual) monster
>> looming at the horizon.
> 
> Just nerves. I haven't done public speaking since high school days. Plus the
> people in the audience will be knowledgable about the field (unlike public
> speaking) and some may know more than I do.
> I'm not scared or anything. More a bit intimidated.
>
There is a simple rule: when you are up there, you know more about the 
subject than anybody in the audience. Otherwise you wouldn't be there. 
Simple as that.
Even if someone gives you a hard time, people will comfort you later. 
Because that is not the objective. Anyone who does that looses respect 
from the community.

> Depending how things go, first one might be late this year
> 
Good, and remember, rehearse with someone before you go. People seem to 
think they can do without. Possibly if you are natural gifted. After 20 
times. Rehearsals are also good for streamlining your slides, not too 
little, not too much. But you knew that ;)

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On Mon, 31 Mar 2008 21:10:23 +0200, andrel <a_l### [at] hotmailcom>
wrote:

>
>Good, and remember, rehearse with someone before you go.

But not up to the last minute, go down to the dojo and get thrown
around a bit beforehand :)
Seriously don't over rehearse, it takes the edge off. Have you ever
spoken in public? My advice is to have a few written notes to keep you
on track and speak to someone in the audience, preferably a colleague
in the know. 
But then once I throw the "speaking in public switch" I have in my
head, I'm another person (the one advantage of having multiple
personality disorder). :-)
-- 

Regards
     Stephen

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Stephen wrote:
> On Mon, 31 Mar 2008 21:10:23 +0200, andrel <a_l### [at] hotmailcom>
> wrote:
> 
>> Good, and remember, rehearse with someone before you go.
> 
> But not up to the last minute, go down to the dojo and get thrown
> around a bit beforehand :)
I'd say once, a week beforehand and if you have to change a lot and you 
have not much experience possibly one more time.
> Seriously don't over rehearse, it takes the edge off. Have you ever
> spoken in public? My advice is to have a few written notes to keep you
> on track and speak to someone in the audience, preferably a colleague
> in the know. 
My advice would be to find out what you're best way is. I don't use 
notes at all (I used to have them, but in practice I never looked at 
them, so why bother?). My slides should provide all the guidance I need. 
Most people have indeed short notes, some have key sentences on paper, 
and some don't feel comfortable if they don't have the entire thing in 
front of them. If you don't read them aloud but have them in case you 
loose track that is OK.
> But then once I throw the "speaking in public switch" I have in my
> head, I'm another person (the one advantage of having multiple
> personality disorder). :-)
yeah, something like that. One shy and quit one for daily use, a 
talkative one for public occasions and an evil one for p.o-t to name a few.

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On Mon, 31 Mar 2008 23:36:59 +0100, Stephen wrote:

> On Mon, 31 Mar 2008 21:10:23 +0200, andrel <a_l### [at] hotmailcom>
> wrote:
> 
> 
>>Good, and remember, rehearse with someone before you go.
> 
> But not up to the last minute, go down to the dojo and get thrown around
> a bit beforehand :)
> Seriously don't over rehearse, it takes the edge off. Have you ever
> spoken in public? My advice is to have a few written notes to keep you
> on track and speak to someone in the audience, preferably a colleague in
> the know.
> But then once I throw the "speaking in public switch" I have in my head,
> I'm another person (the one advantage of having multiple personality
> disorder). :-)

I find that rehearsing tends to make my presentations sound over-prepared 
- I tend to just wing it (which surprises a lot of people who've heard me 
present).  I think it comes from being very comfortable with the topic 
being presented - if you're good enough with it that you can talk about 
it off-the-cuff, that seems to make for the best presentations.

Jim

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Jim Henderson wrote:
> I find that rehearsing tends to make my presentations sound over-prepared 

Rehearsing *different presentations* works well, tho. Simply practice 
speaking in general, and the edge comes off. You already know how to 
talk. This isn't any different.

And remember, deep down, nobody really cares. :-)

-- 
   Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
     "That's pretty. Where's that?"
          "It's the Age of Channelwood."
     "We should go there on vacation some time."

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On Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:59:43 -0700, Darren New wrote:

> Jim Henderson wrote:
>> I find that rehearsing tends to make my presentations sound
>> over-prepared
> 
> Rehearsing *different presentations* works well, tho. Simply practice
> speaking in general, and the edge comes off. You already know how to
> talk. This isn't any different.

Yes, this is most true.  The thing that has been suggested to me a few 
times is to go over ideas for what you want to say - sometimes that helps 
with organization of your thoughts, even if it's not in "presentation 
order".  I sometimes will do this as I'm driving somewhere (but I do this 
not only for presentations but even for phone conversations where the 
topic might lead to disagreements - I do like to be prepared with counter-
points).

> And remember, deep down, nobody really cares. :-)

And this is also true. :-)

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"Stephen" <mcavoysAT@aolDOTcom> wrote in message
news:b8p2v31vevtl13jsv24k9cglphk63evd27@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 31 Mar 2008 21:10:23 +0200, andrel <a_l### [at] hotmailcom>
> wrote:
>
> >
> >Good, and remember, rehearse with someone before you go.
>
> But not up to the last minute, go down to the dojo and get thrown
> around a bit beforehand :)

Hehe

> Seriously don't over rehearse, it takes the edge off. Have you ever
> spoken in public? My advice is to have a few written notes to keep you
> on track and speak to someone in the audience, preferably a colleague
> in the know.

I did public speaking back in highschool, but that was 15 years of so ago
I've done ad-hoc presentations to colleagues in recent months. They haven't
gone too badly, but then they're a captive audience.
Biggest thing I've notices is that I start waffling, then run out of things
to say mid sentence. Probably cause I don't have notes, am using other
people's slide shows and have not gone over what I'm going to say.

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On Tue, 1 Apr 2008 19:01:46 +0200, "Gail Shaw" <initialsurname@sentech
sa dot com> wrote:



I bet people think I was joking. Unless you are the one who throws
everyone else about :) Even non contact sports involve some tripping
:)



>I did public speaking back in highschool, but that was 15 years of so ago
>I've done ad-hoc presentations to colleagues in recent months. They haven't
>gone too badly, but then they're a captive audience.
>Biggest thing I've notices is that I start waffling, then run out of things
>to say mid sentence. Probably cause I don't have notes, am using other
>people's slide shows and have not gone over what I'm going to say.
>
The fact that you have spoken to people and you're not screaming at
the thought makes it easier. My rule is if I don't know something I
try to stop myself from waffling and a good ploy is to say something
like. "I can't answer you just now but I will take a note of it and
get back to you" Then if possible write it up on a whiteboard.
Panache! Respect! Sister! :) If I do waffle I do it in my broadest
Scots accent so no one can understand me. I got that idea in Croatia
from a project manager who spoke so broadly when he got excited no one
could understand him. I had to translate :) 
-- 

Regards
     Stephen

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