I love to speak. In fact, I feel more comfortable in front of a microphone than at a networking event. So, when my friend and colleague Kristen Pressner suggested I give a TEDx talk, I was like, sure, no problem. Pressner’s talk, where she introduced the “flip it to test it” method for handling unconscious bias was a perfect example of how a talk should be. This, I thought, will be easy.
Boy, was I wrong. Giving a TEDx talk is hard. For a 7-minute talk, I worked harder than on any other speech I’ve ever given. But, I’m so glad I did it because what I learned was invaluable.
Mentors come from unexpected places
My modus operandi is to write an outline and speak with the outline. That allows me to adjust my talk for time and audience reaction. For TEDx Basel, we were to have it memorized–word perfect, and no notes allowed. In fact, the guidance the coaches gave us was to have it memorized to “Happy Birthday” standard. That is, you should know your speech to the same level that you know the Happy Birthday to You song.
To keep reading, click here: What I Learned When I Gave a TEDx Talk
Awesome talk and you did pretty well.