Bill Roehl the Pepper King taken by Mr. Marcos.
Last week’s poll about how many times you attend the Minnesota State Fair every year came out with an unsurprising result that the vast majority of respondents go once or twice a year. What was surprising for me were the number of people who don’t go at all. I thought everyone in Minnesota did. Crazy.
On to this week’s poll. Yesterday I did a presentation on peppers and cooking with them at the Minneapolis Farmers Market. I am not really much into public speaking although I have done it enough that I wasn’t terribly nervous about the whole thing. Thankfully, because I was cooking at the same time I was talking about peppers, I was able to spend my time concentrating on the food instead of looking at those in the audience (no, I’m not going to cut peppers and onions while looking straight ahead). From all accounts the presentation went very well, the food was good and the content was interesting. There were lots of people in the audience and very few got up to leave during it–a win in my book.
So what do you think about public speaking? Is it something you enjoy or not? Do you do it often for pleasure or work? Do you go out of your way to avoid it or is it something you really look forward to doing time and time again? Whatever you have to say about public speaking go ahead and comment on as I’d love to hear your thoughts. After you do that go ahead and vote on the sidebar and then feel free to check out our expired polls in the archive or read through the previous posts about polls here.
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August 29th, 2010 at 8:51 am
I like doing it. I don’t give presentations very often, and I’d say I’m only an okay speaker rather than a good one, but I’m fine speaking in public. I did quite a bit of it in high school, so eventually I grew accustomed to it.
August 29th, 2010 at 9:16 am
Again, great job yesterday! I’m very eager to try to recreate the dish in my own way soon.
Regarding public speaking, I’ve grown used to it over the years by serving on the board of directors for a not-for-profit. I’d travel to various universities and lead workshops on community service, resume writing, and conflict resolution (fun!).
I wouldn’t seek out public speaking opportunities, but if they present themselves, I’ll take it on.
August 29th, 2010 at 10:08 am
I’m comfortable with it. I lead conference calls a LOT at work as well as face-to-face client meetings that I’m leading. I was the president of an organization in college where I was in front of everyone every week too. I’m by no means the most eloquent speaker out there but I can usually string my thoughts together in a way that makes sense and generally doesn’t seem to lose the audience.
August 29th, 2010 at 10:24 am
if i have to, i will. my first line is always, “unaccustomed as i am to public speaking, please bear with me”. my last “engagement” was my brothers eulogy to a packed house. once i got going, the better it got.
bb
August 29th, 2010 at 11:46 am
I don’t mind it. I often have to speak in front of groups for work and I’m good at it and sometimes even like it, if the group isn’t hostile. I see a lot of co-workers who are terrible at it, and it makes me sad. Of course, I was on the speech team in college, so that helps a lot.
August 29th, 2010 at 12:33 pm
I don’t enjoy it, but I guess it depends on the audience. As a teacher, I’m speaking in front of 130-160 students every day, but children are much more accepting of faults than the average adult, so I don’t look at it as public speaking. It’s different, I think.
August 29th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
Love it, do it all the time for work and for some other organizations. I’ve been told I’m good at, particularly on short notice.
August 29th, 2010 at 1:33 pm
You have hit the key to success in this: focus on the material.
Switching the focus from me to the material takes away my anxiety about me.
August 29th, 2010 at 1:33 pm
Love the pix, BTW
August 29th, 2010 at 9:00 pm
I’ve done it a few times and have had favorable reviews. It helps if you know what you are talking about. Thus all you need is a few planned talking points and away you go.
If you don’t know what you are talking about, or why you are talking… well then good luck.
Glad you had some fun Bill.
August 29th, 2010 at 10:48 pm
I get nervous with the occasional technical training I do at work. Considering they are engineers I work with regularly and I’m usually an expert on the subject, that’s kind of irrational. I sometimes over-prepare to compensate.
Good job Saturday Bill – very entertaining. (I thought for sure you would post this picture…)
August 30th, 2010 at 9:46 am
I’m pretty good at talking to myself. I give a damned good hours-long lecture while driving alone across the country. My best ever was a spectacular dissertation on what it would be like to be a cow or a road sign in the middle of nowhere for 24 hours. I think I captured the loneliness, the perserverence, the focus required, and the anticipation.
I haven’t tallied the final cost, but it took me a good 18 years to complete my bachelor’s degree in (drum roll) Speech Communications. It was pretty fitting that 13 years of that was spent avoiding, then returning to college and prepping for, passing my public speaking exam….IN FRENCH. Seriously. Where is that “value of higher education” thread again??
In French especially, but also in English, I have a moderate hangup with self-conscience that interrupts the link between my thoughts and how they come out of my mouth. I think I’m pretty damned funny and articulate in a chat room and behind the safety of a keyboard but when I stand up in front of people, unless I know them all very well, I feel like I sound like a total douche.
As I get older, I care less and less about what people think of me, but it’s still there when I’m giving some sort of speech. That said, like others said, in a business environment, giving trainings and leading meetings etc. isn’t affected probably because I’ve been doing that for so long.
August 30th, 2010 at 10:48 am
No, I work in IT, so therefore I don’t generally like dealing with people, especially in large numbers.
Bill, I do have to give you props on the excellent use of the Slashdot meme for the 3rd option.
August 30th, 2010 at 10:50 am
Kassie, congrats on your 100th comment.
Mr. Marcos, I loved the photo but I was way hungover and the thought of someone looking at my opened mouth was just too much for 8 AM on a Sunday.
Nils, thanks, glad you liked it :-)
August 30th, 2010 at 11:10 am
I am a terrible public speaker. I sweat, get red in the face and shake uncontrollably. It was my worst nightmare in high school and college. No wonder I work from home and have electronic meetings.
August 30th, 2010 at 7:15 pm
I did some speaking in high school (two years of debate/public speaking) and periodically have done some speaking since then: A few presentations at church, several presentations to colleagues about this or that new computer system or piece of software, and a few other occasions.
There are several ways of enjoying giving a speech. Some people, I suspect, enjoy the interaction with a crowd. For me, it’s more about sharing my interests.
One problem with speaking isn’t the being in front of people, it’s the need to spend a lot of time preparing, unless it’s a speech you’ve given over and over.
September 1st, 2010 at 6:53 am
It’s must at work. Planned and spontaneous events. It’s not a favorite activity, just something that must be done.
September 1st, 2010 at 8:46 am
I’m mentally damaged, in that I have almost no sense of stage fright. I’ll go up and talk in front of 10000 people about something I know nothing about; doesn’t really scare me. See? I’m a freak.