In this talk, I've shared some thoughts and experiences I had as a speaker on IT conferences along the years.

1. Hire the top 3% of freelance talent
Improving as a Speaker
Guilherme Motta, Freelance Agile Project Manager @ Toptal

2. Confidential | 2
When you can..
Bring food!

3. Confidential | 3
Never use someone’s image without
permission!!!
https://www.thispersondoesnotexist.com/

4. Confidential | 4
Let’s start with WHY
● Fuel for Learning
● Validate what I was learning
● Share experiences
● Meet new people
● Meet new places
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp0HIF3SfI4

5. Confidential | 5
Let’s start with WHY
● Fuel for Learning
● Validate what I was learning
● Share experiences
● Meet new people
● Meet new places
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp0HIF3SfI4

6. Confidential | 6
Let’s start with WHY
● Fuel for Learning
● Validate what I was learning
● Share experiences
● Meet new people
● Meet new places
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp0HIF3SfI4

7. Confidential | 7
“mmm”
“ãããããã”
“então”
“ai,”
...
“um”
“uh”
“well,”
“so,”
“you know,”
“er,”

8. Confidential | 8
Have a GOAL
“When you don’t know where you are
going, any road will take you there”
● Become a better professional
● On each session/lecture/workshop/talk
my goal is to teach one new thing to
one person in the room
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4N1q4RNi9I

9. Confidential | 9
During talks..
Focus on your goal and forget about
your speaking performance..
Let the feedback determine how well
you did

10. Image

11. Confidential | 11
During talks..
Try to be gender neutral in your speech

12. Confidential | 12
Know your audience!
But before that..

13. Confidential | 13
img
Get to know yourself
(at least when it comes to speaking..)
● Identify your style…
○ Do you like improv?
○ Do you like to have a detailed
plan to follow?
● Solo? Pair?
● Slides are not my priority

14. Confidential | 14
If you are into Improv..
Tools to know your audience and guide
your presentation:
https://kahoot.com/
https://www.mentimeter.com/

15. Confidential | 15
img
Get to know yourself
(at least when it comes to speaking..)
● Identify your style…
○ Do you like improv?
○ Do you like to have a detailed
plan to follow?
● Solo? Pair?
● Slides are not my priority

16. Confidential | 16
img
Get to know yourself
(at least when it comes to speaking..)
● Myer Briggs
○ INTJ
■ Introvert
■ iNtuitive
■ Thinker
■ Judger
https://www.16personalities.com/free-
personality-test

17. Confidential | 17
img
Get to know yourself
(at least when it comes to speaking..)
● Myer Briggs
○ INTJ
■ Introvert
■ iNtuitive
■ Thinker
■ Judger
https://www.16personalities.com/free-
personality-test
UPP: Understanding Personal Potential

18. Confidential | 18
img
Get to know yourself
(at least when it comes to speaking..)
● Myer Briggs
○ INTJ
■ Introvert
■ iNtuitive
■ Thinker
■ Judger
https://www.16personalities.com/free-
personality-test
UPP: Understanding Personal Potential

19. Confidential | 19
img
Get to know yourself
(at least when it comes to speaking..)
● Solo? Pair?

20. Confidential | 20
Be careful!
Cool gifs and images are so distracting
that sometimes the audience engage
with the laughter and forget about the
content!

21. Confidential | 21
During talks..
Use metaphors

22. Confidential | 22
img
Get to know yourself
(at least when it comes to speaking..)
● Solo? Pair?

23. Confidential | 23
img
Get to know yourself
(at least when it comes to speaking..)
● Solo? Pair?

24. Confidential | 24
img
Quality > Quantity
● Find a safe conference/meetup
(place) to train, learn and improve
● 33 talks in one conference - 6 years
● 5 talks in 4 days

25. Confidential | 25
Engage with (IT)
Communities
● Look for opportunities to help
reviewing proposals, organize the
conference, act as volunteer during
the conference, etc.. by giving your
time people will notice your
contributions and may generate you
with future speaking opportunities

26. Confidential | 26
The 5F framework (Norman Cook,
Fatboyslim)
● Food
● Friend
● Fun
● Finance
● First

27. Confidential | 27
The 5F framework (Norman Cook, Fatboyslim)
● Food
● Friend
● Fun
● Finance
● First
Selecting conferences to speak...

28. Confidential | 28
Be (more) open to learn from any source

29. Confidential | 29
Watch carefully how other speakers
present..
Good speakers will help you do more often what you
already do well
Bad speakers will help you to reflect if you are doing
the same

30. Confidential | 30
Ask for feedback, but diversify the
source!
“It’s good” - is not enough..

31. Confidential | 31
Get your own feedback:
(Eat your own dog food)
● Record yourself with video and watch
● Record only your audio and listen to yourself

32. Confidential | 32
If applicable, end your talk with a call to
action..
What will participants take from your
session to their own context..

33. Confidential | 33
What will you take away from this talk?