Hacking Speaker Idol

Last week at the annual PASS Summit I served as emcee for the Speaker Idol contest. I was a last-minute addition to the program, stepping in for Denny Cherry (blog | @mrdenny) who was not able to attend. As a result, this was the first time I would attend all four Speaker Idol sessions. In fact, before last week, I had never attended even one full Speaker Idol session.

In the first preliminary round I found myself on stage when the first presenter finished. I thought it was weird for me to just stand there while the judges took turns being judgy and/or coachy. So I did what any other host would do: I sat down. On the table was pen and paper. I decided to take notes on the judge’s feedback. I had no idea what I would do with it, other than using it against the judges at some point in time. By the end of the first preliminary round, I had decided that I would use the notes to write a blog post. This blog post. You’re welcome.

The following is a list of items that were discussed the most during the entire event last week. These are the items that stood out the most, sometimes good, sometimes bad. I want this post to help future contestants. I also want this post to help future speakers, anywhere, on any topic. Think of this as a follow-up to my post last week, On Speaking.

Here is the list, mostly in order from most important to not-as-important-but-still-very-important.

Have Readable Text

This was mentioned time and again by all the judges. If you put words on a slide and the audience can’t read them then you are doing it wrong. The words aren’t helping. They are only serving as a distraction. If people need to focus on trying to read then they are not listening to the words you are speaking. And, if they aren’t listening, and they can’t read, then all you’ve done is waste their time.

Readable text isn’t just about font size (for a decent guide on font sizes, go here, and leave comments below if you have other methods to suggest). It also has to do with color choice and backgrounds. Years ago there was a template where the designer choice(!) was blue text on a blue background (I won’t say what company, but here’s a hint of who loves blue-on-blue). The latest craze today is light-grey text on a white background, and smaller fonts. It’s unreadable to anyone over the age of 30.

If you put a word on a slide, make sure the audience can read it.

Connect with the Audience

Connecting with the audience was mentioned often by all judges. There were several ways to make a good connection (besides having readable text): tell a story, hand movements, speak to the entire room, have good energy, ask questions, and even the use of some humor. When I reviewed the feedback I matched all of those terms together as ways to connect with the audience.

I believe that all presentations need to start with a narrative. That’s the story you are going to tell, even if the story is “Hi, today we are going to talk about SQL Server Audit”. You start by writing a narrative, which could be a simple outline, a blog post, or a book chapter. It’s up to you. For help on writing a narrative, I point you to this book: The Jelly Effect: How to Make Your Communication Stick.

I cannot recommend that book enough. It is a must-read for anyone that has ever stood in front of a room.

The other things, the hand movements, speaking to the whole room, etc. are things that come with practice. I find it easiest to get this done by wandering the front of the room, but it really depends on the space. One way I relax everyone (including myself) is to ask a simple question before I get started. I will ask “how much time before we get started?” There is always someone that will have the answer. I then reply “Great, now you’re in charge of the clock, let me know when I have ten minutes left, thanks”. Anything that helps connect you with even one person in the audience is a good thing and can help you with your energy levels.

One word about humor: don’t try to be a comedian. Unless it’s open mic night and you are at the Comedy Cellar. Otherwise, keep the funny to a minimum. I find that observational humor works best for nearly every speaking venue (including church sermons). It is also something most people are comfortable trying and can help to calm your nerves. Just stay within yourself, and don’t try to be like someone else (especially not like Don Rickles).

Show, Don’t Tell

There were a handful of feedback items that I placed into this category. They include mentions of having a good demo, clear screenshots, minimizing whitespace, and good transitions. Oh, and a couple of mentions for Zoomit as needed.

There is a common piece of advice given to every speaker: “Tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them.” I change the middle “tell them” to “show them”. One way to show the audience something is through the use of images and screenshots. Therefore, it is important that your image be clear, at the correct aspect ratio, and proper attribution is given when needed. (BTW, you can’t just take an image from a Google search and attach a URL and think you are free from paying for the use of the image).

Another way to “show them” is to perform a demonstration. If you decide to perform a demo, you need to make certain your demo works and that it is readable. If you decide to remote to a VM to show some code and we can’t see your screen, you have failed in your preparation for the session.

Tech Checks

Technical issues happen all the time, to everyone. An audience will give leeway to a speaker if there is a tech fail outside their control. For things in your control such as getting slides to show on the screen, microphone checks, being able to see a demo or a video, all of those fails will be seen as your fails. Because they are.

When you get to the podium, keep your phone away from any of the AV equipment in the room. You don’t want to be responsible for interference with the sound quality of the presentation. Some speakers like to put their phone right next to their laptop and that is usually an OK thing, but be aware that it could cause issues. That’s why it is important to do a mic check. I like to wander around the room, so I know to check if there are areas where the microphone will produce feedback.

Another item mention here is the ability to recover from issues. When demos go wrong, move along. If you are having tech issues, ask for help, and then work around the issue. Don’t let it interrupt your energy and interaction with the audience.

Repeat the Question

This is a common gaffe by many speakers, including experienced ones. Repeating the question is important and serves two purposes. First, it allows everyone in the room to hear the question that was asked. Second, it gives you the opportunity to make certain you have understood the question.

Tangent to repeating the question is saying the number of raised hands. If you ask for a show of hands, you need to repeat the number of hands raised. You do this for anyone that can’t see the entire room (and if the session is recorded, this is an absolute must). Speaker Idol doesn’t have Q&A at the end of the talk, as it is more of a lightning talk. Saying the number of raised hands is a good way to let the judges know that you are likely to be a speaker that knows to repeat the question.

Everything else

The judges provided a lot of feedback. I have nine pages of notes from them. The above four categories are primary areas of focus for any future Speaker Idol contestant. But there are other things you will want to consider as well. Additional items mentioned more than once during the week included:

• Good Pacing
• Calm Voice
• Stay on time

A five-minute talk is not a lot of time, so there is a tendency to rush your words when speaking. Resist that urge. Have good pace with your words, but also adjust the pace as needed. Keep your voice calm, especially when you are having issues with things like demos. And stay on time. It’s OK to go over by a few seconds, but a few minutes is not acceptable.

Other items mentioned during the week that I want to include would be the use of acronyms (avoid TLAs in titles, and make sure you define them the first time you use them), don’t sway when on stage, and focus on your one message (and repeat your message often), and use short links whenever possible.

I would also add here that when you are on stage, you own the room. No one else. You give control to others, but it is always yours to take back. Many speakers get anxious when thinking about things like difficult questions, or general rudeness. Keep in mind that the room is yours. There is a general social structure in play here, and the majority of the crowd is there to help see that it remain intact.

Summary

I’m not saying that if you do these things you will win Speaker Idol in 2018. But if you are able to incorporate this feedback into your presentations then you are going to become known as a capable speaker. I’ve often talked about how hard skills have a cap, and soft skills don’t. Being able to communicate effectively is going to help set your career apart from others.

Pay attention to the list above. Notice how the overall emphasis is on the audience and not the speaker. Every item listed above are items that the speaker should be doing for the audience. You are there to serve them, not the other way around. As I mentioned in my post On Speaking, you should look to help others before you help yourself.

Lastly, I want to thank Denny for the opportunity to participate in this wonderful event. I enjoyed my time on stage and I look forward to seeing Denny resume his duties next year.