Which of these topic ideas would be best for a presentation at work?
January 22, 2012 10:17 AM
I have to do a 5-minute presentation to my colleagues at an upcoming work retreat, no visuals allowed. We can talk about anything we want. I have several ideas but can't settle on one.
Which of these ideas do you think would be most interesting and/or appropriate?
- Building a relationship with my father (my parents divorced when I was young and last year I made contact with him for the 1st time since the divorce). It's been pretty exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. I can do this but worry that it might be too personal or make people uncomfortable? My colleagues and I are all friends (in the process of getting to know each other) but I'm still not sure if this would be appropriate or not.
- Living with a mild-to-moderate hearing loss (I've worn hearing aids since I was 6). I haven't been as upfront about this with my colleagues as I'd like to, and I can't get more upfront about it than presenting it, and everyone would know once and for all.
- Using the Mental Bank System for goal setting (in a nutshell, you "pay" yourself "mental" money each time you take action on a specific goal, with the ultimate end-goal of earning a large sum of "mental" money). It's something I'm trying out this year. This is the least personal, of course, so people won't get to know much about me, but at least they would leave with something they might want to try in their lives.
- Talk about my mom's family. I feel like I haven't shared much info about my family with my colleagues beyond random mention here and there, and it would be nice for them to get to know me a bit more.
- How I first got into web design and my early web experiences. We are a web development company so this might interest some of my colleagues.
So I'm confused as to which one to pick. Pretend that presentations on all of the above topics are offered at the same time at a conference, which one would you go to? Why?
Thanks for any input!
Which of these ideas do you think would be most interesting and/or appropriate?
- Building a relationship with my father (my parents divorced when I was young and last year I made contact with him for the 1st time since the divorce). It's been pretty exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. I can do this but worry that it might be too personal or make people uncomfortable? My colleagues and I are all friends (in the process of getting to know each other) but I'm still not sure if this would be appropriate or not.
- Living with a mild-to-moderate hearing loss (I've worn hearing aids since I was 6). I haven't been as upfront about this with my colleagues as I'd like to, and I can't get more upfront about it than presenting it, and everyone would know once and for all.
- Using the Mental Bank System for goal setting (in a nutshell, you "pay" yourself "mental" money each time you take action on a specific goal, with the ultimate end-goal of earning a large sum of "mental" money). It's something I'm trying out this year. This is the least personal, of course, so people won't get to know much about me, but at least they would leave with something they might want to try in their lives.
- Talk about my mom's family. I feel like I haven't shared much info about my family with my colleagues beyond random mention here and there, and it would be nice for them to get to know me a bit more.
- How I first got into web design and my early web experiences. We are a web development company so this might interest some of my colleagues.
So I'm confused as to which one to pick. Pretend that presentations on all of the above topics are offered at the same time at a conference, which one would you go to? Why?
Thanks for any input!
I would definitely avoid the family stuff -- just seems way, way too personal. Might dredge up emotions for people in your audience. And no matter how well you might present such material I know I would actually be totally miserable during those five minutes due to my own personal shit.
Personally I think presenting your hearing loss would be a great thing to to do - it's educational, and personal, and possibly inspirational.
However...what is the motivation for your bosses for assigning this project? You say you can talk about anything you want. But is it for bonding? Is it for honing your presentation skills? Knowing what they're most interested in can help us advise you better.
posted by BlahLaLa at 10:24 AM on January 22, 2012
Personally I think presenting your hearing loss would be a great thing to to do - it's educational, and personal, and possibly inspirational.
However...what is the motivation for your bosses for assigning this project? You say you can talk about anything you want. But is it for bonding? Is it for honing your presentation skills? Knowing what they're most interested in can help us advise you better.
posted by BlahLaLa at 10:24 AM on January 22, 2012
@BlahLaLa - Yeah, I was worried about dredging up emotions for others if I presented family stuff. Their motivations for having us do these talks was 1) for us to practice our speaking skills; 2) giving us each a chance to teach and learn 3) help us get to know each other better
posted by starpoint at 10:27 AM on January 22, 2012
posted by starpoint at 10:27 AM on January 22, 2012
either of the ones jayder mentioned. also, if you have not presented before, you are going to be astounded at how quickly 5 minutes passes. you'll have time for brief remarks on about 1/2 of an idea. 5 min is nothing.
posted by facetious at 10:33 AM on January 22, 2012
posted by facetious at 10:33 AM on January 22, 2012
The hearing loss one is the most strategic; it's personal but not, and the most interesting. Do that one.
posted by DarlingBri at 10:34 AM on January 22, 2012
posted by DarlingBri at 10:34 AM on January 22, 2012
I would choose the presentation "How I solved the challenges of hearing loss".
What life hacks do you use?
posted by cda at 10:37 AM on January 22, 2012
What life hacks do you use?
posted by cda at 10:37 AM on January 22, 2012
I agree that the family relationship topics are too personal for this setting. The two impersonal ones (web dev and mental money) seem fine, but in this instance I'd vote for hearing loss.
It's an interesting topic on which you are an authority, of sorts, and that most of your colleagues likely have little experience with. It also serves the dual purpose, as you mentioned, of getting practical information about you out to your colleagues.You can mention that you'll have trouble hearing things in a crowded room, or that they should stand on your left side or that it's helpful if you can see their lips or whatever. It also lets people know that you're comfortable talking about your disability, and may invite further conversation or questions later.
posted by bethnull at 10:41 AM on January 22, 2012
It's an interesting topic on which you are an authority, of sorts, and that most of your colleagues likely have little experience with. It also serves the dual purpose, as you mentioned, of getting practical information about you out to your colleagues.You can mention that you'll have trouble hearing things in a crowded room, or that they should stand on your left side or that it's helpful if you can see their lips or whatever. It also lets people know that you're comfortable talking about your disability, and may invite further conversation or questions later.
posted by bethnull at 10:41 AM on January 22, 2012
Absolutely categorically avoid all family stuff. One of my friends recently had a situation at work where a coworker talked at length about personal stuff during a meeting like the one you're describing and the extent to which that person sounded like a therapy head was apparently overwhelming enough that my friend's boss is now seriously questioning that coworker's sense of discretion and work-appropriateness. It may seem like this is an open call for bonding, but ultimately you can really alienate your boss and your coworkers if you delve into certain topics inside the workplace.
That being said, the Hearing Loss topic is probably the most neutral, interesting, and inspiring. I'd watch some of the TED Talk episodes for inspiration on how to frame your presentation, too.
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 10:42 AM on January 22, 2012
That being said, the Hearing Loss topic is probably the most neutral, interesting, and inspiring. I'd watch some of the TED Talk episodes for inspiration on how to frame your presentation, too.
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 10:42 AM on January 22, 2012
Hearing loss one for me, too. It not only allows you to talk about something personal without the TMI dangers of the other personal topics you mention but will also help raise workplace awareness of an issue that many people will not have been exposed to.
posted by Martha My Dear Prudence at 10:43 AM on January 22, 2012
posted by Martha My Dear Prudence at 10:43 AM on January 22, 2012
Or, what bethnull said, only slower!
posted by Martha My Dear Prudence at 10:44 AM on January 22, 2012
posted by Martha My Dear Prudence at 10:44 AM on January 22, 2012
Another vote for the hearing loss presentation. Alternatively: do you have any really interesting non-work pastimes like skydiving or Big Brother/Big Sister? Those might be good too.
posted by easily confused at 10:47 AM on January 22, 2012
posted by easily confused at 10:47 AM on January 22, 2012
If your how-I-got-into-web-design is atypical or interesting for some reason, I'd consider that one. Otherwise, I'd probably go for either the hearing loss or the mental-bank thing, and I'd decide at least partially based on how good of a presentation I thought I could do on the topic.
posted by box at 10:47 AM on January 22, 2012
posted by box at 10:47 AM on January 22, 2012
Hearing aid thing. It's personal but not too personal, like talking about your mom. It's also potentially useful. Friend of mine lost hearing in one ear. I didn't realize it also meant he couldn't tell direction from sound, which is why screaming "I'm over HERE, goddammit" wasn't working on him.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 10:50 AM on January 22, 2012
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 10:50 AM on January 22, 2012
One way to approach this is to think about the takeaway you want to leave with the audience. Beyond the general "don't talk about personal stuff at work" problems with the family-related topics, people are not going to be inherently interested in those because they won't get anything out of those kinds of presentations (beyond the discomfort, etc. mentioned above).
So when you're deciding among the other ones, think about what the *audience* can get out of the presentation. If you do the web one, for instance, can you bring it around to some insight about how your company might recruit, hire or train based on your experience? That will be more informative than just "story about this part of my life that you have to listen to because the boss said so." For the hearing one, can you bring it around to something about cool adaptive technologies that might interest them? It can still be personal, but it won't be *too* personal, especially with the limited amount of time you have.
I think with any assigned presentation, thinking about what you can give to the audience helps focus the presentation and make it more interesting for people who have to sit through a number of these presentations.
posted by BlooPen at 10:53 AM on January 22, 2012
So when you're deciding among the other ones, think about what the *audience* can get out of the presentation. If you do the web one, for instance, can you bring it around to some insight about how your company might recruit, hire or train based on your experience? That will be more informative than just "story about this part of my life that you have to listen to because the boss said so." For the hearing one, can you bring it around to something about cool adaptive technologies that might interest them? It can still be personal, but it won't be *too* personal, especially with the limited amount of time you have.
I think with any assigned presentation, thinking about what you can give to the audience helps focus the presentation and make it more interesting for people who have to sit through a number of these presentations.
posted by BlooPen at 10:53 AM on January 22, 2012
I think the hearing loss one is most interesting, the web design only if it's something interesting or funny or somehow unusual. I'd avoid anything personal/family, and the mental bank system sounds a bit odd and just strikes me as something that will come off as trying to convert others.
posted by jeather at 11:09 AM on January 22, 2012
posted by jeather at 11:09 AM on January 22, 2012
I would be totally fascinated if someone I knew who wore hearing aids did a presentation on living with hearing loss. It's interesting, your audience will probably learn something, and you can answer any questions people might have (but feel uncomfortable asking) in one fell swoop
posted by MadamM at 2:52 PM on January 22, 2012
posted by MadamM at 2:52 PM on January 22, 2012
5 minutes is a long time to talk. If you talk about hearing and hearing aids, you'll have a ton of content to work with. I'd keep it more factual than personal.
posted by theora55 at 5:46 PM on January 22, 2012
posted by theora55 at 5:46 PM on January 22, 2012
Thanks for all the answers. I think I will go with the hearing loss presentation, then. The only problem is that I'm not exactly sure how to frame it. Maybe 5 facts about my life with a hearing loss?
posted by starpoint at 6:49 PM on January 22, 2012
posted by starpoint at 6:49 PM on January 22, 2012
How about "How to Hack Hearing Loss" or "How to Communicate with Someone with Hearing Loss" or something like that? You just need an in for briefly telling your story and then solling out 5 tips.
posted by DarlingBri at 8:01 PM on January 22, 2012
posted by DarlingBri at 8:01 PM on January 22, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by jayder at 10:23 AM on January 22, 2012