A little miracle in a ZOOM screen
As I sit here in a ZOOM screen waiting for my guests to sign on, I am reflecting on my love of public speaking. Yes, I truly love it- I always have. The opportunity to share big ideas and engage with a group on an interesting topic is always one of my favorite ways to spend my time.
But it has taken me a while to admit publicly that I love speaking publicly. Maybe because most people don’t love it. You probably know that public speaking is one of those top fears - right up there with bugs, heights, and scary clowns! It even has a fancy phobia name- Glossophobia! Also I think for some time I have labeled my love of public speaking as prideful or ego-based and carried a bit of shame around that self-narrative. And yes, I fully acknowledge that I am constantly managing my twin little monsters of Command and Self-Assurance in my top 10 Gallup StrengthsFinder report that both tend to push me towards the stage!
However, as I have gotten older and have become more aware of my motivations, I know I understand that it is the possibility of transformation and the connection with others that I truly crave. Chris Anderson, the curator of the famous TEDTalks, has said that a successful talk is like a little miracle, people see the world differently afterward. Oh I resonate with that so deeply-the ability to weave facts and information together in a way that tells a story and leaves the audience thinking in a new way certainly seems magical to me.
Because it can seem almost impossible to teach anyone anything new, right? We all have access to so much information- you can find out any random fact about any obscure subject from anywhere in the world from that powerful little computer you are probably holding in your hand right now. (Yes I found Glossophobia just now in a Google search) So no one can truly tell us something we can’t learn on our own. And that is where the magic of presentation comes in. At it’s best-when the presenter truly connects with the audience- public speaking creates collaboration, conversation and curiosity. It can be the catalyst to truly move us forward and be the spark of a new idea. It can create a little miracle.
Ok! It’s go time! My people are starting to pop up in the ZOOM waiting room and I am off to connect and hopefully create some presentation magic! Lol. Here’s to the love of Public Speaking! Do you love it too?
