Many engineers I know have great ideas which are stuck in their heads because they are afraid to speak up and share them. I believe being able to speak in public is an essential skill for software engineers, from scrum ceremonies such as demos, to giving talks at meetups and conferences, or even pitching ideas to potential investors.

Key takeaways:
– Do you feel scared when speaking during a demo? Do you avoid asking questions during big company meetings? Do you want to give a talk but find the thought too terrifying? Public speaking is a learned skill, not a magical innate ability!
– How to build up your confidence (Asking a pre-prepared question during a meeting, to small presentations within your organisation then larger ones outside your organisation)
– When preparing presentations the following are vital: your purpose, call for action, and what you made your audience feel (yes, even for a demo – even technical or routine presentations should be designed to inform and entertain)
– Why you should stop using slides (Using slides to impact the audience vs because you’re afraid of forgetting what you wanted to say)
– Improving your speaking skills (vocal projection, vocal variety, eye contact) and asking for feedback