Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1505650
PAGE 22 C OM M U N I T Y C O R N E R 1. OBSERVE AND REFLECT Every time you attend a conference session or a webinar, take the time to observe the speaking style and reflect on what you like and don't like. Best practices that almost always float to the top include avoiding filler words like "um," not reading from the slide, telling a story, using inflection, and maintaining good body language. 2. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE Once you know what you like in a speaker (and what you don't want to repeat!), please practice. When More than Words from Women in BICSI "Public Speaking: An Opportunity Worth Taking" By Kim Johnson, Chief Marketing Officer at MHT Technologies and President of the PoE Consortium I started my MBA program, I felt I lacked public speaking skills, but I couldn't avoid presentations! So, I practiced. I began by presenting to myself in front of a mirror and observing my body language. Sometimes I would record my voice and listen for filler words or inappropriate inflections. By the end of my program, I could speak confidently with much less practice. Even today, I put my ego aside, assume I can always do better, and practice. 3. START SMALL, START LOCAL Some of my first speaking opportunities were just after I graduated from my MBA program. I returned to the school to speak about navigating career choices. It was a safe, comfortable environment where I could discuss topics that were my own experience. Presenting at BICSI events has been an incredible opportunity to connect directly with others in the industry, grow my speaking skills, and improve my comfort level with the technical topics I present on. But mainstage BICSI sessions were not where I started! I suggest starting with regional events, webinars, or shorter presentation times. We've all heard the statistic that women wait to apply for jobs until they meet most qualifications, while men apply when they've met just half. I believe this is also the case with speaking opportunities — women tend to hold themselves back. I started public speaking in the ICT industry just four years ago, and it started slowly. Since then, I've held 25 speaking roles at conferences and on podcasts and webinars. And the more I speak publicly, the more I'm asked to speak — it is now part of my personal and professional brand. Based on my own experience, I thought I'd share some tips.