The Secret to Charismatic Public Speaking
Also, learn to cook a steak and broccoli noodle bowl.
I've been pretty heads down with my life and work recently, and I'm gearing up for business travel soon. I'm speaking at MozCon in Seattle on July 13. If you're attending, please say hi!
My talk will be on audience personas, a concept I thought I invented but apparently didn't. This is what happens when you create content without Googling it first. 😂
Anyway, instead of working on my presentation (which, of course, is still not done) I have spent the past week ruminating and reflecting on my favorite conference sessions that I've attended in person.
Here's what some of my favorite talks have in common:
The speaker uses the stage (if they can): They don't stand still behind the podium. They don't fidget side to side in one place. They stand next to the screen, pointing out key imagery. They shift positions when advancing slides. They walk across the stage if it emphasizes a point they're making. I realize this doesn't work for every stage setup. Some stages are smaller with huge screens and if that's the case, it's definitely awkward to move around.
The slides are additive, not required, for understanding: One idea per slide. Or at least, one idea per bullet point that the speaker reveals as they expound on their broader idea. The result is that you, the attendee, get the value from what the speaker is saying, while referencing the slides to enhance your understanding.
The speaker sounds excited: They don't need to be funny. They don't need flawless delivery. There's nothing wrong with stuttering over something, or accidentally skipping a point and needing to go back to it. The charisma comes from the speaker actually being interested — not enamored — in the concepts they're explaining.
I know there are more elements to great presentations, but those are the top three that I personally care most about. Those are informing my presentation. Which. Yes. Is still not done. 😓
🥧 Petits Fours Tens
I consumed very little meaningful content over the past month, and I caught up on some of it this week. This is more than the usual four pieces of interesting content. It's a long weekend anyway, so enjoy!
🔸 Victoria’s Secret Misses the Mark by Pursuing Inclusivity as a Tactic, Not a Culture: "Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty was launched in 2004. I’m going to say that again: 2004. Aerie launched its brand in 2014 with a mission around body positivity and showing models who looked like their customers. It’s 2022, and this ad by Victoria’s Secret looks like a poor attempt to copy the homework of someone who has already aced the assignment."
🔹 They, Then and Now: "Asking for pronouns has become a social standard. Who is it serving? Everyone asks me for my pronouns. To me, what that means is ‘I see that you’re a man. And I see that you’re dressed in a woman’s costume. And I would like to know whether or not you want me to participate in the fantasy you’re having,’ ” they said. “I don’t think my answer should fundamentally change anything about how we’re interacting right now. And the fact that you’re so desperate to know is weird.”"
🔸 The Locus of Entertainment... Or why I might give my daughter an iPad: "Technology is a multiplier of your natural tendencies. If you can retain your ability to bias towards self-generated entertainment, then a computer becomes an excellent tool."
🔹 An antitrust tech law that's actually reasonable: I love Google's tools, and I have no doubt that you do too. But they also have a bunch of other tools that aren't really that great. You just use them because they're in the SERP. Like Google's speed test (it's not nearly as good as Speedtest.net, but it does the job and you can run the test without leaving Google.com). Or Google Flights (which is really just a copy and paste of airlines' entire websites — again, without your having to leave Google.com). It makes for a pretty cool user experience, but it's bad for every other business that isn't Google. Rand Fishkin writes about the American Innovation and Choice Online Act, which addresses this issue. IMO, it's the most underrated marketing blog post this summer.
🔸 White women and activism: "The majority of U.S. white women are fundamentally unequipped to do effective community activism, and everyone knows it but them... the majority of white people in the U.S. were taught how to join clubs, not build community." (Helluva thread. For a completely different perspective altogether, I'd encourage you to read it with an open mind.)
🔹 What kind of company do you want to build? "It is low-status and vaguely shameful to say that you just want to be the cool kid on campus, the winner in the arena. So most people never admit it, even to themselves. They talk and think as if just doing the thing is what matters to them. But their behavior—my behavior—often indicates the opposite."
🔸 The hypocrisy of abortion as a corporate perk: In September 2021: Shar Dubey, CEO of Match Group (operator of Match, Tinder, Hinge, OK Cupid) spoke out against Texas's regressive abortion laws, promising to set up a fund for Texas-based employees who need to seek care outside of the state. But earlier that year, Match Group also donated $137,000 to the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) which played a key role in the recent Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade. And Match is far from being the only hypocrite.
🔹 Can high-signal-to-noise be your company's mission? In Jay Acunzo's Unthinkable podcast, my dear friend Stew Fortier talks about his path to entrepreneurship and the mission of Foster, a writing community that seeks to increase the signal of the internet. What's more, for Stew, his co-founder Dan Hunt, and their team, inclusiveness is core to their mission — inherent to increasing signal means they must find, include and support diverse voices.
🔸 How morale and safety improved in one LA neighborhood in less than 2 weeks: A new taco stand opened. Taco stands not only provide delicious food, but they also give reasons for people to gather, ultimately improving the safety of a given area.
🔹 A rant about lawns in America: I never thought of lawns as a way for feudal lords to show off their estate. I thought they were just... lawns. This essay kinda blew my mind.
📚 Book I started to read: The Body Keeps the Score
Last week, I asked my Twitter friends about the last piece of content they consumed that made them see the world differently. The most popular answer was @o0Aditi0o's recommendation to read Bessel Van Der Kolk's "The Body Keeps the Score." So I swooped up a Kindle copy and started reading it last night
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🍜 Steak and Broccoli Noodle Bowl
Serves 2
8 oz sirloin steak, cubed
Couple shakes Maggi sauce
Splash of soy sauce
1 garlic clove, smashed
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Heavy pinch of pepper
Broccoli
10 oz ramen noodles
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 tablespoon Maggi sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
Marinate steak: add the few shakes of Maggi sauce and soy sauce, garlic, lemon juice, and heavy pinch of pepper to cubed or sliced steak. Let sit for 20-30 minutes.
In a wok: Saute broccoli with salt and pepper until almost tender crisp, probably 3-4 minutes. Add steak. Cook until almost done, about 2 minutes on each side.
Meanwhile, in a sauce pan: Cook ramen noodles according to instructions, probably 2 minutes.
In the wok: Add butter, Maggi sauce, oyster sauce, and fish sauce and stir. Add the noodles and toss until combined.
Serve.
(I know this was not the proper way to list out ingredients, but honestly, I don't find instructions like, "Maggi sauce, divided" helpful because I don't portion it out into two tiny separate cups. I just grab the bottle as needed.)