Liar Liar Pants on Fire
I have to come clean. Speaking at APIWorld this past week wasn’t actually my first talk acceptance. I had a talk accepted a few years ago, but the conference itself was ultimately cancelled due to the lack of sponsors. But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to being a slight bit relieved at the time. I was prepared to deliver the best talk I could regardless of the circumstance but I battled so…
In a recent interview, the speaker candidly admitted that their recent talk acceptance at APIWorld was not their first acceptance. A few years prior, they had another talk accepted, but the conference was cancelled due to a lack of sponsors. During that time, the speaker endured a significant struggle with belonging and the fear of speaking on stage.
However, two days ago, they finally took the stage after years of speaking at and hosting company meetups. This time, their focus was not on belonging or feeling worthy, but on sharing the project they had built and its impact on deploying AI into production. The project demonstrated a correlation between two previously complementary approaches, which they believe many people overlook.
The speaker shared three key lessons learned from delivering their first talk:
1. It's possible to create innovative and authentic talks without merely following trends. The primary goal of conferences is to bring together curious minds, discuss the current state of affairs, and use past experiences to inform future strategies. It's more valuable to speak about what genuinely excites you and aligns with industry greats, rather than forcing a connection that doesn't exist.
2. The gap between awareness and adoption remains significant. While technology moves rapidly, the benefits don't always trickle down to everyone equally. Some individuals need guidance on how to begin, while others seek the latest advancements. By sharing fresh perspectives on established concepts, such as the impact of Large Language Models (LLMs) on APIs, the speaker aims to bridge this gap.
3. Injecting wit into presentations can enhance the learning experience. Wit allows speakers to connect with their audience, making the content more enjoyable and memorable. Amidst the weighty topics and technical discussions, a touch of humor can help attendees relax, absorb the information, and have a positive experience.
Written by urgent.news from Dev.to's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
