By: Tony Gomez May 21, 2024
To be frank, I always had the impression that I was a great public speaker. I had plenty of opportunities to present in front of audiences, including a time when I introduced the Vice Chairman of a Fortune 500 company to over 100 interns. That being said, my CAP experience not only opened my eyes to areas of improvement but also gave me the opportunity to further strengthen my skills and gain confidence as a public speaker.
Throughout the semester, I received feedback from CAP Faculty Leader Dr. Messerli regarding my presentational speaking. A moment that stands out is the CAP Panel Presentation Day April 15th. On this day, I felt well prepared to effectively deliver my portion of the presentation. Once I finished, I received positive feedback from my teammates, the guest panelists, and my colleagues. They were all impressed with my ability to succinctly share our research. Early the next morning I met with Dr. Messerli and eagerly awaited her feedback. Once I heard her response, I was heartbroken. I was told that not only was I speaking too quickly. Although this was minor feedback, I did not receive it well. This moment forced me to ask myself why it is that I speak so quickly. When thinking even further about the feedback, I started to wonder… is this hinting toward a larger struggle? I then realized how I have the tendency to rush through tasks. As a first year in the Global MBA program, I viewed CAP as another task to quickly check off my to-do list. In short, I found a deeper struggle to appreciate the opportunity of the present moment.
I approached the upcoming visit to Germany to present to our Industry Partners at SoundCloud as an opportunity for needed change. A moment of the program that was particularly helpful was a visit to the Topography of Terror museum. I typically do not enjoy museums and am inclined to speed through the exhibits. During this visit, however, I had to pause. I walked into the museum and saw photographs of children. I slowly stepped closer to the exhibit and read through the meaning of the photographs. Sadly, they described a program that permitted Nazis to commit medical crimes against children with disabilities and illnesses. Difficult moments like this make me appreciate life and embrace each moment as an opportunity for growth. I decided to internalize this insight for my upcoming presentation.
May 14th was an important day as it gave me a chance to practice one more time in front of my classmates and Dr. Messerli prior to the final presentation with SoundCloud. My teammates and I met around 7:30 am to practice. I felt confident I would effectively address Dr. Messerli’s prior feedback. When I finally gave my portion of the presentation during the class practice run later in the day, I felt like I accomplished that goal. To my surprise, however, Dr. Messerli gave me the exact same constructive feedback- I was speaking too quickly. I left the room unsure as to whether my presentation skills were ever going to improve.
So how did I get through this? I leaned into one of Microsoft’s core cultural attributes: having a growth mindset. At Microsoft, the company “…fundamentally believe[s]… that everyone can grow and develop… [and] we need to be willing to lean into uncertainty, take risks, and move quickly when we make mistakes, recognizing failure happens along the way to mastery.” I wanted to embrace this mindset in preparation for my summer internship at Microsoft and so I changed my attitude. I did something that had been difficult for me throughout the entire semester: I proactively sought out feedback. I went to Dr. Messerli and asked for clarification in terms of her feedback. I also talked with Student Academic Assistant (SAA) Sophie Titlebaum and requested examples of compelling public speakers.
Soon May 15th arrived – the day we presented to the SoundCloud leadership team. I was growing nervous and ended up practicing again with my classmate Denisha. After all of this focused preparation, I was finally ready. When it was my turn, I stepped forward into the spotlight and began my part. And you know what? I felt a difference. I was slower than before and much more effective. Even I was impressed in terms of the pauses that I utilized to create space for the audience to absorb the content. Then the moment of truth came. I saw Dr. Messerli in the hallway and awaited her perspectives on my presentation delivery. When I received the news that she was very pleased, I was relieved, overjoyed, and fully confident in my public speaking abilities.
Overall, I was surprised to see the amount of growth I had from the beginning of CAP until now. I improved my public speaking skills and grew in confidence. CAP taught me valuable lessons that I want to hold onto in my life. I learned that there’s value in slowing down one’s day-to-day mindset in order to stay more present and appreciative. I have also grown to seek out feedback so that I can become a more effective public speaker and leader. I plan to sustain and foster this confidence throughout my summer internship at Microsoft. CAP may at first seem like just a class, but for me, it was an opportunity to enter into a new season of life with confidence and a better version of myself.
