Cognitive Orienting : On public speaking
Back in Nov of 2022, I had a conversation with a very good friend of mine, who has done a lot of public speaking, for many years. I wanted to talk to him in detail about how he has gone about it. I got a lot of useful tips and thoughts from him, and we decided on a plan of action. It has been an interesting journey from then till now. When something is so abstract as getting more speaking opportunities, one often can feel like “I don’t know how to go about it” and most advice can feel a bit hokey and “manifestation” type. As I sit about 18 months away from that conversation and I know that I have actually been speaking more often, to me this has been an exercise in correctly, what I would call, “cognitively orienting” myself.
It often starts with learning to say more “yes”. To define what it meant for me to be more public facing was that I want to speak more often, be in panels, or take workshops. So the first opportunity was with Hasgeek and Nirant, wanting to do a workshop on midjourney back in feb 2023. Normally I would have thought giving a workshop on something that is so early in its lifecycle might not be useful or valuable, but we (Charu and I) ended up doing it anyways. There were several learnings, but I also found some amazing people through that workshop and I’d say it was a success.
Over the next few months, I spoke on some online events, was a part of a panel at BIC (omg that was such a proud of self moment for me), some other panels, and some event talks etc. Through all of this, I also have started learning more and more about what I want my public persona to be. What do I like talking about? Who do I like talking to?
Like a couple months back Charu and I did a session at Lab59 where there were maybe 10-12 attendants, but everyone asked multiple questions within the session. What an energizing and invigorating thing to have such an engaged audience. I’m learning that I like more interactive things, and that I hate doing “OMG I am so cool” type of sessions.
Next month I am invited to give a workshop at the Goethe-Institut and I’m super excited about it. I get to showcase a product a very good friend of mine is building, I get to help people make comics-y stuff. And I am super grateful for all the luck that has happened, that is serving as tailwind for me here. But I also would say that a lot of it comes from saying yes to things. Because this opportunity happened because I took the first workshop back in feb’23, where one of the participants is herself a brilliant artist, and she ended up connecting me to these folks.
So back to the cognitive orienting. What helped?
Saying yes to things
Initially I applied to stuff as well, for speaking etc. (might do it again)
Talking to people about my experiences on these panels, workshops etc.
What I could do better
Having a repository/portfolio sort of space for my past speaking engagements
Actively reaching out to more “less probable” places
Have some talks+workshops prepared
What I have found challenging is how to focus? I have so many different skills and so many different things that I can valuably talk on, and it feels hard to just choose one topic or one format. You know, one does not want to be known as a one trick pony. But also its not bad to be known for something. Its a balance that I am trying to learn as I go.
Thanks for reading! And I’ll see you next month with some more reflections.