#111 - Teach the Geek to Speak: Public Speaking for Technical Professionals - Neil Thompson

“The people who are the communicators are the ones visible within companies. Just being technically proficient is not enough. You have to be an advocate for yourself." Neil Thompson is the founder of Teach the Geek and a public speaking coach. In this episode, Neil explained the importance of public speaking for technical professionals. Neil shared tips and advice on we can start and improve our public speaking skills. We also discussed some common challenges when speaking publicly and tips on how to overcome them. Towards the end, Neil shared more tips on storytelling, presenting data, doing virtual presentation, and presenting at large events. Listen out for: Career Journey - [00:06:43] Importance of Public Speaking - [00:10:25] Tips to Start Public Speaking - [00:11:52] Challenge 1: Lack of Confidence - [00:14:44] Challenge 2: Lack of Expertise - [00:16:27] Challenge 3: Language Barrier - [00:17:59] Challenge 4: Past Trauma - [00:19:36] Filler Words - [00:20:52] Maintaining Eye Contacts - [00:22:36] Recording Video - [00:24:28] Body Language - [00:25:33] Getting Feedback - [00:26:44] Storytelling - [00:27:52] Presenting Data - [00:29:22] Managing Presentation Time - [00:30:33] Virtual Presentation - [00:31:48] Conference and Big Events - [00:32:37] Practising and Opportunities - [00:34:06] 3 Tech Lead Wisdom - [00:36:32] _____ Neil Thompson’s Bio After one too many failed presentations, Neil Thompson, an engineer, knew he had to improve. He did so, and now he works with technical professionals like himself to improve their communication skills. He hosts the Teach the Geek podcast, interviewing technical professionals about their public speaking journeys. He is also author of the book, Teach the Geek to Speak: a No-fluff Public Speaking Guide for STEM Professionals. Follow Neil: LinkedIn – https://linkedin.com/in/neilithompson Podcast – podcast.teachthegeek.com Youtube – youtube.teachthegeek.com Website – teachthegeek.com Our Sponsors Mental well-being is a silent pandemic. According to the WHO, depression and anxiety cost the global economy over USD 1 trillion every year. It’s time to make a difference! Learn how to enhance your lives through a master class on mental wellness. Visit founderswellbeing.com/masterclass and enter TLJ20 for a 20% discount. The iSAQB® Software Architecture Gathering is the international conference highlight for all those working on solution structures in IT projects: primarily software architects, developers, professionals in quality assurance, and also system analysts. The conference takes place online from November 14 to 17, 2022, and we have a 15% discount code for you: TLJ_MP_15. DevTernity 2022 (devternity.com) is the top international software development conference with an emphasis on coding, architecture, and tech leadership skills. The lineup is truly stellar and features many legends of software development like Robert "Uncle Bob" Martin, Kent Beck, and many others! The conference takes place online, and we have the 10% discount code for you: AWSM_TLJ. Like this episode? Follow @techleadjournal on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Pledge your support by becoming a patron. For episode show notes, visit techleadjournal.dev/episodes/111.