MJ's little flock

I will be there without knowing anyone else I did not meet at the speakers mixer the night before. I am a formally trained and very experienced public speaker. I've just never done this format before. It is usually me at a podium. I also have not done anything like this in about 4+ years because of changing jobs and Covid. So I am quite nervous.

Any thoughts, hints, reminders, etc. are all appreciated
I'm sure you'll be fine, Bob. It's like riding a bicycle. Once you've learned the tricks of the trade you don't forget ~ not really. It will all come back to you once you start speaking.
 
Yes we have a run through in 2 weeks. Of all the dumb things, I need a new headshot (photo) for the program. I never considered that. I have had one taken in 20 years.

Like this
View attachment 3224483

Maybe without the muss on my face.
Looks just the ticket to me!
 
I have to say it is one of many things I don’t miss in retirement - always being on stage.
And I found mass Zoom even worse than physical stage speaking because of not getting any audience reaction.
Very true. I really dislike zoom presentations. You miss so much.
 
It feels unearned. I would feel much better being called an expert if I was discussing bacteria or viruses.
The other weird thing is when you build reputation for X then people only see the reputation and ask you to speak not Y or Z which are vaguely familiar, but H which is a bajillion miles outside your field and which has experts of its own who'd no doubt give a fantastic talk! Then you try to point at those experts and the answer is no we want you to do it. What the...???
 
I have to say it is one of many things I don’t miss in retirement - always being on stage.
And I found mass Zoom even worse than physical stage speaking because of not getting any audience reaction.
I find it fascinating that experts are required to perform their expertise so often instead of either building it further or applying it.

We need to start a movement of publishing our best talks. People can buy a ticket to watch the talk then we can go out to a nice long dinner in a speed dating format so everyone gets to have a word with the expert.
 
I find it fascinating that experts are required to perform their expertise so often instead of either building it further or applying it.

We need to start a movement of publishing our best talks. People can buy a ticket to watch the talk then we can go out to a nice long dinner in a speed dating format so everyone gets to have a word with the expert.
I love that idea. Unfortunately I was not really in demand for my expertise (except in the broadest sense of experience and situational awareness) so I didn't get to give talks sharing what I knew, I had to respond to situations, explain things to people, take questions live on pretty much anything under the sun, calm people down etc..
All very stressful!
 

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