You Can Walk the Walk
and Talk the Talk Too

Many people who know me know that I am very social and I can converse easily with just about anyone at a party, but when it comes to a panel discussion in front of a bunch of people I’ve never met, my nerves always get the better of me. Why is that? Maybe it’s the fact that I have no control over what questions will arise? Maybe I’m in fear that the other people on the panel will just be smarter and better at talking than me? Maybe during Q&A, I’ll get some questions I won’t be able to answer. Yes, all these things could happen.

I was recently asked to be part of a fireside chat around design leadership with an emphasis on DEI perspective. I was invited to come to one of the biggest organizations in tech to discuss ways to push and nurture creativity with their creative strategists from all around the world. Needless to say, imposter syndrome set in immediately. “What do I have to offer?” And then the excuses: “I don’t have time for this. I still have to work.” “Look, I’m a designer not a Ted Talk speaker”. But then I asked. “Why not?” And that "why not" moment pushed all those ugly thoughts away. So I rolled up my sleeves, met with the moderator, and decided to treat this like a design project as a way to push myself to embrace all of it. And guess what, it was worth it. Here are some of my takeaways:

• 1. 1. Know your audience—especially their age and the culture of where they work. I realized that a lot of these people were younger or have only worked for the company for about a year, so mentioning my history and how long I’ve been in the industry was a quick way to gain their respect and interest.

      

  2. 2. Get an idea from the moderator on what questions will be asked (but expect questions you are not prepared for) and get there early for small talk. Do a bit of homework, enough to develop a strong opinion on the subjects but also mentally prepare yourself to get stumped. Saying, “Hmm. Not sure.” or “I don’t know.” is ok.

      

  3. 3. Use humor when possible. Humor connects us instantly. People warm up and are more open to receive because you are no longer threatening.

• • 4. It’s ok to correct yourself mid-stream. There’s no way to practice for this but I think its important to say “I meant X instead of Y” when you catch yourself. Always be truthful! Always.

• • 5. Focus on the one or two people in the room that are leaning into your talk and forget the rest of them! I caught a person on their phone earlier but later noticed she had put it down and responded when I prompted a question.

• • 6. Engage your audience if possible. Ask a question! But don’t depend on the answer to prove your point.

• • 7. On a panel discussion, make connections between yourself and the other people on the panel. Good improv practices like “Yes and” help build that rapport.

Not only did the panel discussion go better than expected, I made genuine connections with the moderator and attendees. We had the most questions at the entire event, and people came up to us after to talk and share their stories. One person said, “When you said this, I wrote that down.” Hearing that made me feel like I did my job: I was able to give sound and even inspirational advice I didn’t realize I had to offer. So next time you are asked to speak to an audience, go for it. Everyone has something valuable to offer. Mic drop!