By Jack Simms
Getting up on stage and presenting to a crowd of any size takes real courage. Add a complex, technical topic, and the challenge only grows. Speakers constantly juggle the need to make content engaging and clear while dealing with persistent worries: What if the audience zones out? Or worse, what if something goes wrong? These fears hold back many people with valuable insights to share; for some, public speaking is genuinely daunting.
This talk takes on the unique challenges technical speakers face, confronting the fear of public speaking and highlighting that failure isn’t just inevitable—it’s part of the journey to growth. To demonstrate this, the speaker revisits mistakes from their first ACCU talk—a 20-minute presentation that didn’t exactly go to plan—revealing the lessons learned along the way.
They will then re-attempt a 20-minute segment within this 90-minute session. Presenting on a challenging technical topic, they purposely choose to directly trigger their imposter syndrome and fear of speaking. The goal? To show that by embracing mistakes, you can transform self-doubt into a powerful tool for connection and learning.
If you’ve ever had ideas or questions but hesitated, thinking, “Maybe I’ll just keep quiet,” this talk is for you. It’s aimed at anyone who feels anxious about speaking up—whether that’s presenting an idea on stage or simply asking a question. This isn’t a polished public speaking masterclass (they wish!); it’s an honest attempt by someone facing their fears in real time. By openly embracing and exposing their vulnerability, this talk aims to reveal how leaning into imperfection helps unlock the power of community, shared learning, and growth.
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