What Grey’s Anatomy Creator, Shonda Rhimes, Can Teach Us Introverts about Public Speaking
By Lindsey Plewa-Schottland, Associate Director, Graduate Career Management Center
Giving talks to 50 or more graduate students is a regular part of my job as a Career Coach. The difference between giving talks five years ago and now? I’m a lot less petrified. Getting more comfortable with public speaking is something I’ve had to work on, especially as an introvert who prefers to be in the audience then on the stage.
I was recently reading “Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person” by Shonda Rhimes, executive producer of Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal, and self-identified introvert. As she wrote about the fear she faced in giving a commencement speech to the 2014 graduating class at Dartmouth, I identified with the rollercoaster of emotions leading up to the big day, as well as the tactics she used to not only get through it, but to feel confident in the process. Here’s what stood out for me.
1. “Whatever I’m going to say is not for me. It isn’t for the outside world. It doesn’t matter how people react to it or judge it. I’m not talking to anyone but these graduates sitting in front of me. This is just for them.”
This is huge. When I finally decided to reframe the process from “this is all about me” to “this is all about the audience” everything changed. Most times I like to start a workshop by asking the audience what they’re hoping to learn from the session, so I can incorporate that into our time together. They feel heard, while it helps me feel less like a lecturer and more like a facilitator.
2. “Power posing like Wonder Woman is when you stand up like a badass… My online network tells me to power pose like Wonder Woman and reminds me of the actual studies that say that power posing like Wonder Woman for five minutes not only improves self-esteem but even hours later improves how others perceive you.”
There’s a reason Amy Cuddy’s TED talk on power posing has more than 32 million views. It works! Yes, it may sound ridiculous, standing in front of the mirror with your hands on your hips (or whatever stance helps you feel confident), but if it reduces nerves, brings down your stress level and changes your mindset from “this is terrifying” to “this will be fun” it’s at least worth a try, don’t you think?
3. “I might as well say yes to being me. No Athlete Talk. No magic tricks. I just tell the truth.”
In the first month at a new job I was asked to do a workshop on interviewing with little time to prepare. I was given a resentation from a colleague, and I thought, “Perfect, my work is done.” As I went through the slides everything felt off. I wasn’t comfortable and definitely wasn’t confident. After that day I promised to never put myself in that position again. I recently spent about ten hours collaborating with a colleague on a two-part career assessment presentation. A ton of work, but so worth it. Taking the time to create material that is authentic to me, has absolutely added to my comfort level.
Lindsey Plewa-Schottland
Associate Director, Graduate Career Management Center
Lindsey Plewa-Schottland has coached thousands of students on how to successfully navigate a job search for over ten years. She is currently the Associate Director of Career Advising at the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College where she ensures that MBA and MS students' needs are met through effective coaching sessions and innovative programs. She holds an MA and two professional certificates, one in Adult Career Planning and one in Leadership Skills, from NYU.
Giving talks to 50 or more graduate students is a regular part of my job as a Career Coach. The difference between giving talks five years ago and now? I’m a lot less petrified. Getting more comfortable with public speaking is something I’ve had to work on, especially as an introvert who prefers to be in the audience then on the stage.
I was recently reading “Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person” by Shonda Rhimes, executive producer of Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal, and self-identified introvert. As she wrote about the fear she faced in giving a commencement speech to the 2014 graduating class at Dartmouth, I identified with the rollercoaster of emotions leading up to the big day, as well as the tactics she used to not only get through it, but to feel confident in the process. Here’s what stood out for me.
1. “Whatever I’m going to say is not for me. It isn’t for the outside world. It doesn’t matter how people react to it or judge it. I’m not talking to anyone but these graduates sitting in front of me. This is just for them.”
This is huge. When I finally decided to reframe the process from “this is all about me” to “this is all about the audience” everything changed. Most times I like to start a workshop by asking the audience what they’re hoping to learn from the session, so I can incorporate that into our time together. They feel heard, while it helps me feel less like a lecturer and more like a facilitator.
2. “Power posing like Wonder Woman is when you stand up like a badass… My online network tells me to power pose like Wonder Woman and reminds me of the actual studies that say that power posing like Wonder Woman for five minutes not only improves self-esteem but even hours later improves how others perceive you.”
There’s a reason Amy Cuddy’s TED talk on power posing has more than 32 million views. It works! Yes, it may sound ridiculous, standing in front of the mirror with your hands on your hips (or whatever stance helps you feel confident), but if it reduces nerves, brings down your stress level and changes your mindset from “this is terrifying” to “this will be fun” it’s at least worth a try, don’t you think?
3. “I might as well say yes to being me. No Athlete Talk. No magic tricks. I just tell the truth.”
In the first month at a new job I was asked to do a workshop on interviewing with little time to prepare. I was given a resentation from a colleague, and I thought, “Perfect, my work is done.” As I went through the slides everything felt off. I wasn’t comfortable and definitely wasn’t confident. After that day I promised to never put myself in that position again. I recently spent about ten hours collaborating with a colleague on a two-part career assessment presentation. A ton of work, but so worth it. Taking the time to create material that is authentic to me, has absolutely added to my comfort level.
Associate Director, Graduate Career Management Center
Lindsey Plewa-Schottland has coached thousands of students on how to successfully navigate a job search for over ten years. She is currently the Associate Director of Career Advising at the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College where she ensures that MBA and MS students' needs are met through effective coaching sessions and innovative programs. She holds an MA and two professional certificates, one in Adult Career Planning and one in Leadership Skills, from NYU.
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