Public speaking incident

[Anonymous]

For my job, I often have to speak in front of large crowds and I have become quite comfortable at it. I recently gave a speech in a conference in front of 400+ people. Personally, I thought that I killed it. I was not nervous, felt super confident and thought it went marvelously. Afterwards, multiple people approached me to tell me how amazing and inspiring the speech was, and how great the delivery was. Not sure it matters, but I'm a 40s woman in a very senior role with my company. The next day at the same conference, and older man (65 - 70?) whom I've never met in my life approached me apropos of nothing and told me something along the following lines: "You shouldn't read your speech. You looked and sounded nervous. In fact, it reminded me of when I saw a kid give a speech in my 11th grade class. It was the same. You looked so uncomfortable up there." I have zero idea who this guy was, except that he was another attendee at the conference. I just walked away and didn't respond.

What the hell what that all about!?

[Anonymous]

For what it’s worth, there’s a bozo in every crowd. How dare he! I bet you were great and he just loves tearing people down. To quote Margaret Atwood: don’t let the bastards grind you down.

I have also been working on my public speaking and presentation, too and I think it’s great that you’re stretching yourself. Be proud and disregard the noise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For what it’s worth, there’s a bozo in every crowd. How dare he! I bet you were great and he just loves tearing people down. To quote Margaret Atwood: don’t let the bastards grind you down.

I have also been working on my public speaking and presentation, too and I think it’s great that you’re stretching yourself. Be proud and disregard the noise.

Agree with this.

[Anonymous]

I think old people have a different perspective.

Don't sweat it. I'm sure you did great.

-54 yr old

[Anonymous]

Tell him your boss and employer loved the presentation but you'd be happy to share his feedback with them. Then ask for his card.

[Anonymous]

Just consider what kind of person you'd have to be - how unkind, socially awkward, inappropriate - to say something like that to a stranger. And then ask yourself if the opinions of such a person are worth your consideration.

F that guy. He sucks.

[Anonymous]

He's old and probably got you confused with another speaker in a dress.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He's old and probably got you confused with another speaker in a dress.

+1. Make a note of his name in case you run across him again.

[Anonymous]

He either confused you with another woman or is negging you.

[Anonymous]

Next time say, “Oh yeah? Well, you’ll be dead soon.”

[Anonymous]

He can go kick some rocks. Seriously who in the right mind would walk up to somebody and criticize their public speaking skills? Only a lunatic.

[Anonymous]

Maybe he sells speaking coaching or something and is just bad at it.

[Anonymous]

This is not a normal thing to approach someone about. I have had a couple men over the years approach me out of nowhere with deeply inappropriate negative comments. It's some sort of sick power play to kick a woman down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is not a normal thing to approach someone about. I have had a couple men over the years approach me out of nowhere with deeply inappropriate negative comments. It's some sort of sick power play to kick a woman down.

+1 This

[Anonymous]

You should watch a video of yourself speaking.