Have ever thought that you might present at a conference one day? Are you still waiting for “the right thing to talk about”? There are a number of reasons people avoid public speaking in cyber security.

Technical Nature of the Field

Cybersecurity is highly technical and complex. You may worry that you won’t be able to simplify the content effectively. You should always give brief introductions to new acronyms or topics to ensure that the audience of differing experiences can all follow to some extent.

The ability to explain a complex subject in a manner that a mixed audience can understand develops your own understanding on the topic. Think of how this skill transfers into the workplace like in incident management. An incident war room is yet another mixed audience that you need to all bring onto the same page with their technical understanding.

Imposter Syndrome

Many professionals, especially in highly specialised fields like cybersecurity, suffer from imposter syndrome. They might feel they aren’t truly experts and worry about being exposed as a fraud, even if they are highly knowledgeable. The information shared in cybersecurity presentations can have significant implications. This high-stakes environment can add pressure, making presenters worry about getting every detail right, which can be daunting.

The important thing to remember is that whatever your specialisation there are many more people in our field without that specialisation. Presenting an introduction to a topic on something that you yourself may feel is mundane can often be a sign that you are experienced on the topic. The field of cyber security is growing at an incredible rate with new people always joining the ranks who absolutely love introduction topic presentations.

Lack of Presentation Experience

Cybersecurity professionals often spend more time behind screens than in front of audiences. The lack of experience with public speaking can naturally lead to anxiety and a lack of confidence.

Participate in groups like Toastmasters to practise public speaking in a supportive environment. These groups offer a safe space to improve your skills and build confidence. Not all Toastmasters clubs are equal, be sure to look around and find a nice one.

Practice Regularly: Like any other skill, public speaking improves with practice. Rehearse your presentations multiple times and seek opportunities to speak in smaller, less formal settings to build your confidence.

Seek Feedback: Constructive feedback from peers can help you improve and gain confidence. Knowing what works and what doesn’t allows you to fine-tune your approach. Giving actionable and constructive feedback is a skill that you will also gain at Toastmasters..

Simplify Your Message: Focus on conveying your core message in a clear and concise manner. Avoid overloading your audience with technical details; instead, use analogies and examples to make your points relatable.

Finally come along to SecTalks. It’s a welcoming atmosphere where anyone can present on cybersecurity topics. Last month we had a lightning talks night where we had ten different speakers each only speaking for 5 minutes each. https://www.sectalks.org/

Public speaking skills can go a long way in incident management when you are herding cats. Even tabletop exercises can transform from a boring checkbox to an exciting and fun experience with some public speaking experience.