To ask for your help in getting out of this at work today?

[Itagain]

I think I'm autistic but not diagnosed, so work doesn't know. They want me to present a short 'show and tell' this morning at work about something interesting I've read/seen/done. We do this weekly and a different person gets picked each week. I really struggle with this kind of thing, I'm ok if it's work-related but not when it's personal. I feel really panicky and I can't explain it but I just can't do it.

My manager has emailed me asking me to do it in this morning's meeting. I haven't responded yet. Please does anyone have any suggestions for how to get out of it?

I'm in my notice period as I'm leaving because I realise that this is not the job for me

Sure. Someone wrote that they liked Korean Fried chicken. Someone else saw that and used it to start a conversation with KFC colleague. And then they spoke about other things more easily.

This may sound stupid, ridiculous and funny to you - let them talk naturally but some of us don’t have that, we literally have to learn how conversations work. You’re taught to take the cue from someone else, comment on your surroundings etc but these things don’t work remotely.

I would have stopped doing it btw if my staff had raised any issue but so far no complaints and they like it. I have a disproportionate number of ND ones too who tend to stay. So I must be doing something right, eh?

This may sound stupid, ridiculous and funny to you - let them talk naturally but some of us don’t have that, we literally have to learn how conversations work
It's a neurodiverse thing? In that case, I apologise; I didn't get that from your initial post.

Yes - I have autism and adhd. And there’s lots of us around.

It's not necessarily a waste of time if you are trying to give someone some experience in presenting. Suggesting it's about something non-work related means the person can pick a topic which they are knowledgeable about without the stress of it being work related

For some, it doesn't matter what the topic is, is the having to stand up and speak in front of people.
Proper training should be given on a one to one basis (if it's needed) , it is no help at all forcing someone to do this.

I am NT and despise public speaking. I have to make presentations for my work. I make myself do them for professional reasons. I've had some one to one training which really helped. Other than that, it's like a lot of other things, I've had to learn how to do it.
If I had a diagnosis which made public speaking impossible then I would expect this to be taken into account by occupational health.

The issue of whether show and tell is appropriate for a work place is separate to the anxiety of public speaking in itself, and I would discuss that with my manager, or during an appraisal or something.

I'd just keep refusing to do it. What are they going to do, fire you?

If this show and tell nonsense actually has zero to do with your job and the work you are required to do I would email your boss and say you have told them you don't want to do this, they know the reasons why and if they keep going on about it you about it say you will report them for harassment.

Been dreading this presentation all week, it's tomorrow :(

Sorry that your manager is still asking you to do this @Itagain even after you explained.
Have you prepared anything?
How much longer do you have left in the job before you leave?

@Itagain phone in sick. Seriously....they can't keep harassing you about this.
How long until you leave? Just say "I am leaving soon so stop harassing me about this".

I've saved time tomorrow morning to prepare something, I have 4 weeks left (one of which I'm on holiday for so just 3 working weeks)

@Itagain and after you have left contact them with a letter about exactly this whole experience made you feel and how they should be ashamed of forcing this crap on you.

You're only going to find yourself in the same situation tomorrow morning as you have for the past 2 weeks - just take 30 minutes this evening to pull something basic together & you'll feel better that at least you've started.

Just get a video from
tou tube and show them that or fo a quiz so focus is off you speaking

This is a good idea.

There are so many videos you could find.

For example '10 things wrong in this movie you didn't notice' 'how XYZ biscuits are made' 'How to cook this recipe'.

Then just introduce the video and at the end you divert to other people. For example say 'you've just seen my favourite recipe, now go round the room and everybody say what their favourite recipe is'.

Then by that point the time will have finished and you won't have had to have talked much.

Ok I've prepared something for tomorrow morning. I feel so anxious about it, I've been having some really dark thoughts today as I'm feeling so worried about it and completely trapped. I know I'm over-reacting but I can't help it.

I never react like this to other presentations, it's only when it's something personal or based off of my personal opinion on something. I have two job interviews this week and have no fears about them. I also don't like my colleagues and find them to be quite judgemental of me, so everything I do or say in front of them I put through the filter of what they would all think.

Good luck. Even if you cock it up completely because of nerves, you’ll never have to see them after those 3 weeks. It really doesn’t matter,

Imagine them all sat on the toilet 😀

Thinking of you! Good luck

I hope you coped today @Itagain . They really are bastards making you do this completely pointless bullshit.💐
It's a horrible thing to do to someone who they know won't tell them to fuck off with their ridiculous ideas.

@Itagain how did it go?

I’d pull up a stool chart and explain it 😂

Hope it went ok. You won’t have to do it again. Buy yourself something nice to celebrate surviving primary school.

Genius! And perhaps ask everyone to identify their most recent poo on the chart.

@Newpeep Good idea, I am keeping this for future reference 😂

Hope it went OK OP, please come back and tell us. 💐