Wednesday June 16, 2019 – Butterflies check. PowerPoint clicker check. Right as I began my presentation before an audience of over 500, I noticed my speaker notes were missing from the presenter screen before me. Gulp.

Lesson #1: Getting started. Always raise your hand.

“How do I get started?” is a popular question I hear from folks interested in public speaking. Guess what, speaking to two people is public speaking. I made a deliberate effort to volunteer for events that would put me outside of my comfort zone and engage with audiences – small and large. I started by engaging with my company’s campus recruiting team to speak on panels and recruiting trips. I also raised my hand to do public demos for my organization.

With all these public speaking opportunities, I raised my hand, got lucky, and prepared like crazy to ensure I would not commit a career limiting move. I leveraged my network and friends to review, and re-review my material. Lastly, a huge kudos to my wife and our bathroom mirror for my endless practice and prep sessions.

“Play. Back to Wednesday June 16, 2019 – after I realized my speaker notes were not available. I take a deep breath, say a quick prayer, and introduce myself. I then delivered my presentation from memory, trusting my instincts and preparation. At the end of the conference, and the subsequent days after, I received numerous kind emails and notes from my leadership and colleagues about what they learned from me sharing my story on stage.

Key takeaway: Practice not only your presentation, but your delivery. Be ready for curveballs.

charles wartemberg (@cwartemberg)

Lesson #2: The brain is faster than the mouth

While presenting on stage, I often self-reflect. Crazy, right? After a while, I realized that my brain is faster than my mouth. Hence I could present, think, muse, and self-reflect all at the same time. With this realization, I began to slow down my talk track a smidge to appear more relaxed and confident, and to ensure that I was not rushing through my content. Lastly, on a personal note, I slowed down to ensure that my Ghanaian-American accent was landing clearly. 

Key takeaway: Take an extra breath during presentations. What feels like 10 seconds is actually 1 second to your audience.

charles wartemberg (@cwartemberg)

Lesson #3: Presentations are like improv.

“While I wish I were a famous comedian like Chris Rock and Trevor Noah, I have come to realize that public speaking is a form of improv.”

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The material on your slides are props, and the key to unlocking the magic is how you present and engage with the audience. From asking questions to your audience, to telling jokes, to walking the stage and reading the room, presentations are very intimate moments regardless of if your audience is 10 people or 1000 people.

Before all these engagement activities, you need to know your material inside out. Period. Afterwards you need to rehearse your slides (in front of trusted peers, or in front of your mirror). 

Key takeaway: Know your audience, engage with them, and bring your slides to life.

charles wartemberg (@cwartemberg)

Lesson #4: It is a lifelong journey, especially now.

I am early into my public speaking journey, and humbled to have had engagements at Microsoft, The Travel Channel, PBS, University of Chicago, and International Science Foundations. However, I know that this is a lifelong journey with lots of practice, learning, failing, and growth along the way.

As I grow in my speaking journey, I learn from watching tech product keynotes (Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, Google), TED talks), and live interviews by public figures.

Public speaking going forward will be a mix of in person and online via Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Facebook, Instagram Live, and YouTube. While I will miss the ability to read and soak in energy from the crowd, I am optimistic for the future of public speaking. Location and borders are no longer constraints. Excellence in presenting with social distancing will be the new normal, and I’m excited for the innovation this will unleash.

“In sharing what I have learned during my journey, my hope is to help inspire the next generation and to get more voices in the room.”

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Key takeaway: Be a lifelong student, growth mindset is the new normal.

Posted by Charles Wartemberg. October 2020, updated January 2021.