Yesterday I had to give a talk at the new institute. It was one of a series of workshops for grant submissions and anyone could attend. I spent the night before flinging together some slides and thought briefly about what I wanted to say. Right as I was starting who should walk in the back of the auditorium but the head of the institute. Normally not one to sweat such things, this really unnerved me and I was a bumbling mess. I should have prepared more as I didn't give enough background to the study to allow the audience to discuss it in detail, so I ended up feeling like a complete goose.
Contrast this with my (unsuccessful - read I"M A TOTAL REJECT) fellowship interview recently. I prepared the talk with notes, something I have NEVER done. I practiced the talk. NEVER done that before either. Worse still, I sat to give the talk, which I will NEVER do again as it's totally daft and not at all my style.
So the point is, have I lost my mojo? If I wing it these days I screw up and if I (over) prepare I muck it up too? So what's the right formula for giving a talk? What do others do? What are the practical strategies to look fabulous whilst speaking and feel great afterwards to?
It's been a funny time because for the past few years none of this matters. Now, though, every presentation is a first impression for a whole new audience and I'd like them to pay to see me again (literally!).
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