Finding my voice, one speech at a time

Do you know when you watch a nice speech or talk and get inspired by that? Did you ever have the feeling of “I would like to do that one day”?

It’s funny how most people don’t even try due to the “reasons” they give to themselves: “I don’t know how to speak in public”, “I’m not that confident” or (super common one) “I don’t have anything to talk about”. Let me tell you a couple of things: speaking in public can be learned, confidence comes with time and experience, and EVERYONE has something to say.

An Unexpected Journey

To be honest, I didn’t think about being a speaker before it happened. I always told myself and others “I’m an engineer and I like that”, but suddenly, everything changed.

Some years ago, I was working in a different company in Spain, and they were sponsoring this conference. As sponsors they had a 30-minute talk to deliver… but there were no volunteers for doing it. So I was approached directly by the communication team (which I had a good relationship with) and told them “Hey, I don’t know how to speak in public, I’m not that confident and I don’t think I have a topic to talk about” (sounds familiar?), and they offered me all the support I needed, so I did it. :)

The Unexpected Gifts of Speaking

It began as a personal challenge, and it became something more. I felt I was even more connected to the tech community and in a totally different way. Many people came to me giving their feedback, sharing their experiences, sharing their stories, telling me they would like to try the approach I was offering them. So, I decided to do it again, and again, and again…

I found purpose in this journey, and after every speech/tutorial/workshop I gave, I realised I’m not ONLY an engineer, or at least I don’t have to be. I’m a communicator, an educator, a mentor, And an engineer.

The Challenge Ahead

Not everything is straightforward in this process of becoming a speaker. Unless you have a mentor, you are going to make some experiments and learn by doing. Here are some “findings” I made during these last years:

• If you feel nervous about presenting to a big audience, try to do it with a co-speaker. Sharing the stage and the responsibility with a friend/colleague that you trust. This will make a huge difference.
• Finding a topic to talk about is not that hard. For sure you use a lot of different tools, frameworks and approaches on a daily basis, so create a workshop; or maybe you and your team overcame a big problem using a personal solution, or maybe you even switched between careers. Pick something you find interesting and go for it.
• Make the talk interesting and even personal. People are there to watch your talk, so make it truly yours!
• Done is better than perfect. Your presentation will not be perfect at the beginning (and not even later), but do not get overwhelmed because “it could be better” at first. You will always have the opportunity to refine and improve it.
• Practicing is a great way to feel how your presentation is, see the gaps and even track the time. Do it for your dog, do it for your partner, do it for whoever you want, but do it.

If speaking at a conference is on your radar, it's time to start submitting those proposals! It's a fantastic way to boost your professional network, elevate your personal brand, and effectively showcase your significant accomplishments.