Being out of your comfort zone

[PestiRed]

I'm reasonably used to public speaking and can usually hold my own (my job is selling), however I've just found out that I'll be speaking next week on a subject that I'm really not familiar with. My co-panellists will be high level guys who are experts in the subject and I am a bit worried that blagging will not be enough to get me through.

 

Any tips on how to deal with questions and particularly jargon that I'm not familiar with whilst not looking like an obvious blagging twat?

[sir roger]

What is the subject ?

 

Research Research Research.

 

Good Luck PR

[Kevin D]

When it's your turn, get a bunch of monkeys, dress them up and make them reenact the Civil War.

[Section_31]

That would be an ecumenical matter.

[Kevin D]

*Frantically googles "ecumenical"*

[TheHowieLama]

Any tips on how to deal with questions and particularly jargon that I'm not familiar with whilst not looking like an obvious blagging twat?

 

Explain that you suffer from Narcolepsy right up front.

[PestiRed]

Subject is the replacement of M&A with partnership within global companies until the market recovers enough for large investment. I can tell them why they should invest in our product suite with a limited/staged CapEx commitment but I'm a little concerned that I'll get a load of questions regarding finance options that, frankly, I won't understand the terminology rather than the actual argument

[PestiRed]

I do like the monkey option though, where can I get them?

 

Would go with ecumenical but FatherTed's dead :-(

[Teflon Don]

Subject is the replacement of M&A with partnership within global companies until the market recovers enough for large investment. I can tell them why they should invest in our product suite with a limited/staged CapEx commitment but I'm a little concerned that I'll get a load of questions regarding finance options that, frankly, I won't understand the terminology rather than the actual argument

 

And you thought the GF was the right place to go to for advice on this?

[Kevin D]

And you thought the GF was the right place to go to for advice on this?

 

I have no idea what he was saying, but I am pretty sure it will scratch Xeres right where he itches.

[PestiRed]

And you thought the GF was the right place to go to for advice on this?

 

You'd be surprised, this really is just the art of being confident in what you're saying. My first best man's speech was far more terrifying. The difference being that I need to cope with questions that I don't understand. Pretty sure that people here have been in this situation before

[Teflon Don]

I need to cope with questions that I don't understand.

 

Well, in that case.....

[Carvalho Diablo]

I was at a party on New Years Eve. I was lead to believe that a load of my mates were gonna be there but it started out with me and a load of fucking snooty cunts who I didn't know, who were right up their own arses.

 

So I just said fuck this, stuck some ACDC on dead loud, got absolutely arseholed and started swearing like fuck.

 

By the end of the night I'd had a great time, the snooty fuckers had fucked off and a load of my mates had turned up.

 

Hope this helps mate.

[zigackly]

I'm reasonably used to public speaking and can usually hold my own (my job is selling), however I've just found out that I'll be speaking next week on a subject that I'm really not familiar with. My co-panellists will be high level guys who are experts in the subject and I am a bit worried that blagging will not be enough to get me through.

 

Any tips on how to deal with questions and particularly jargon that I'm not familiar with whilst not looking like an obvious blagging twat?

 

Take a sickie.

[Pony Princess]

I can't do public speaking. Spaghetti starts pouring out of my pockets. I'm gonna go with Zig and say yeah, pull a sickie.

[melons]

The difference being that I need to cope with questions that I don't understand.

 

You're not very good talking to women either?

[s(k)aturation]

You'd be surprised, this really is just the art of being confident in what you're saying. My first best man's speech was far more terrifying. The difference being that I need to cope with questions that I don't understand. Pretty sure that people here have been in this situation before

 

Panic normally does the trick.

[Ezekiel 25:17]

I rarely have to do public speaking but I'm perfectly fine with it, being the man I am. The only time I'm really out my comfort zone is going on double date with a couple you don't know, it always turns out ok but the though of it, nah, no thanks, happily never do that again, before next week.

[TheBitch]

I rarely have to do public speaking but I'm perfectly fine with it' date=' being the man I am. The only time I'm really out my comfort zone is going on double date with a couple you don't know, it always turns out ok but the though of it, nah, no thanks, happily never do that again, before next week.[/quote']

 

Should have asked Liverpool Lad for tips. He loves shit like that.

[PestiRed]

You're not very good talking to women either?

 

I'm excellent at talking to women, it's the listening bit that I struggle with

[Liverpool lad]

I'm shit with women

[RedinSweden]

I am an "expert" on a panel at an international conference soon. I will be in the same boat. Relying on my sex and wit.

 

I'm fucked.

[PestiRed]

Good luck mate, when I have a complete disaster, I'll try to let you know what to avoid

[Pony Princess]

If you are going to be public speaking to lots of women, stick an aubergine (eggplant for our American chums) down the front of your kecks for added confidence.

[FanchesterCity]

It's usually best to start out explaining what you ARE an expert in, and what you're not - thus setting out your stall for questions later. It usually comes across well when state some areas are simply not your thing.

 

A nice line along the lines of "I'll explain the strategy, but the actual financing is best left to the experts in that area"... something like that?