When giving a talk, many of us can be nervous and we’ll often feel a bit of imposter syndrome. While sharing weaknesses during a talk can be valuable, confidence in what you’re sharing is also important.
A friend of mine recently gave a talk to a small group, and he did an excellent job, but he spent way too much time apologizing for being there.
“I’m not sure what I have to share is valuable”.
“I hope I’m not wasting your time”.
“I really don’t do this very much, so this might be bad”.
While his talk was solid, it would have been far better if he had just left out the self-deprecating comments. All of those statements from him were honest, but they detracted from the content he was trying to share.
Honesty is paramount, but confidence goes a long way as well. Finding the right balance can lead to a very effective presentation.
