Job that I've had for 15 years suddenly involves having to give presentations on topics I don't know about!

[dudsville]

I'm not one for group work, teaching, presenting, etc., and my job has never required it. Suddenly there's a new revolving meeting where we're all assigned topics to present to the group each time. I don't have a clue about most of the topics, mine included, but one or two either look easy or are clearly within the person's wheelhouse at least. It's next week and I woke up feeling so anxious about it. Obviously I can read up on the topic and discuss what i understand about it. It's not an interview so I'm not concerned about getting it right. I suspect it's to get us more involved in strategic thinking, and perhaps it's hidden agenda is to grow some of us up for upcoming leadership roles, which I don't want, I'm only a few years from retirement. I don't know what i want from this thread. It's just thrown me a bit. I'm older, been don't my job for decades, this has made my stomach flip!

Not surprised you are feeling anxious about it I think most people would to be honest . How long have you got to talk for and in front of how many people ?

I think context is important here. If for example you work in business management and they are asking you to present on a new local business initiative, then it’s likely just a way to get knowledge sharing going and the people round the table will have little knowledge, so you just read up about it and let them know what you’ve found out.

If they’ve asked you to present a talk on nuclear physics to nuclear physicists when you work in finance then that is ridiculous.

I have to say I am surprised that in 15yrs you’ve never had to present or be involved in any sort of teaching of other staff. But then it’s very normal in my industry. Team work I don’t think is optional in many jobs either.

You’ve got a week so you’ve got time to prepare.

This is what I would do:

Do some proper research from more than one source.

Make a list of points that you feel you could talk about. Leave out anything you don’t understand.

Start the presentation by saying something like “this is a completely new topic for me, but I’ve been researching it this week, and this is what I’ve learned”.

It’s unreasonable to expect you to be an expert in a completely new topic area in a short amount of time, so it’s totally OK to do a vague overview/introduction. You don’t care about promotion so it doesn’t matter if you don’t do anything particularly impressive. Show willing but don’t stress about it (I know that’s easier said than done!)

What do all the others think about this new departure? I!d want to know what the point of it is, as it’s obviously going to mean you taking time out of doing your actual job to do the research. To clarify, Is this one person giving a talk per week, rather than everyone giving a talk every week?

Thaks everyone, there are some helpful points here, and I appreciate the symptahy too. It's a group of 21, all about equally qualified in our main roles, some roles however are quite niche, so their topic areas are niche and things I imagine they can present reasonably well. Also, most others are involved in teaching/chairing large staff groups so whether they like it or not they are familiar with that aspect of team work. My role has always been smaller.

I suspect this quote from @Plumtreebob fits the remit "If for example you work in business management and they are asking you to present on a new local business initiative, then it’s likely just a way to get knowledge sharing going and the people round the table will have little knowledge, so you just read up about it and let them know what you’ve found out.", and your advice @HeddaGarbled is really helpful., thank you

I don't know what the others think @watcherintherye . I thought of asking one or two but then I would be letting others know about my discomfort and I don't want that out there in their minds on the day. My nerves will be obvious enough and they are mostly a great group of people who will be supportive.

I'm recalling a colleague a decade back who was suddenly in a similar situation. She was 70, putting off retirement for as long as she could, at a similar level in the hierarchy and not looking for promotion. She had my full sympathy.

This made me laugh, "If they’ve asked you to present a talk on nuclear physics to nuclear physicists when you work in finance then that is ridiculous.", it's not as drastic as that, but my role has never been strategic and I'll be presenting to some people who do have that kind of role and will know about this area far better than I will. Partly this is my fault assuming that I will be coasting to retirement in a job I know well, feel competent in and about which I've always had good feedback.

The thought of presenting anything makes me ill so you have my sympathy op. Even if it was a topic I knew inside out, public speaking fills me with horror. I’m always pretty silent in our big meetings, team discussions with my immediate colleagues are fine but I still wouldn’t want to actually present a topic to them.

Have you discussed whether it’s mandatory or if you can opt out? Sometimes I’ve been surprised at work that it’s okay to say ‘I don’t fancy doing that’, when previously I’ve felt like I have to perform and be perfect and show willing to do anything thrown at me. At my work you can guarantee for anything one person doesn’t want to have a go at there will be someone else dying for the opportunity to put something showy on their development plan.

If you have any subordinates, give it to them to make a spangly presentation with full notes for you to present.

Is it in your job description?

I'd do a quiz, I mean if this is a presentation on strategy to strategists then look at is that your manager wants the strategists to know more about your level of detail so do a fun filled quiz on the detail that you do know about. What do you wish they did know about that would help you to do your job?

Nobody wants another boring presentation so flip it on its head.

Whatever you decide to do, do a timed dry run to a mirror or in front of someone you trust.

Is there a way of interacting which you are comfortable with? It doesn't have to be PowerPoint. As another poster mentioned, it can be a quiz, a sit down talk, a Ted talk in conversation style, you can prep questions for another colleague to interview you on a la Oprah show or read it like a news reader, Or rely on live drawing on white boards and flip charts. Or the laziest version, find a video where someone else presents the topic in the allocated time! Find an angle that works for you and the audience will get on board.

And don't forget the dry run.

I'm the same @Easywhenyouknowit , and I purposely looked for roles all my life that didn't require this. My JD is really vague @MrsMoastyToasty , so they can in theory throw a wide range of things at us, but it's never happened in practice, and my day to day job otherwise is within my skill set.

@Heroicallyl0st , I haven't even considered that, you make a good point. I'll check that out. And I like this idea a lot @AlisonDonut as a back up if it is mandatory.

They won't be around on the day @Grumpyoldpersonwithcats 😂

I woke up with this anxiety and talked it through with my partner, who is very good at this and he offered to help me do just that re the dry run @Blister , your idea of googling for someone else talking on the topic is amazing. I'm going to do a search! Also, like the idea of doing an Oprah.

Thanks for the sympathy again, and this thinking through it has really helped a lot, it's opened up the task to help me find a way for me to be me.

Can you fit your role and knowledge into the topic? If it's strategic can you focus how it impacts your area of work?

I'd as your manager whether you really need to do this or if you could pair up with someone else. You do the research and they do the presenting? You won't be the only one feeling like this. I'd never make anyone present if wasn't essential, which this doesn't sound like it is but someone's new Bright Idea.

You do have my sympathy OP, sorry I should have said that, I too hate public speaking. I think this is a grin and bear it moment safe in the knowledge everyone else will likely feel the same. I wouldn’t take too much of your time doing it as it will likely be a 5 mins and forget it type thing.

I do think a lot of job expectations are changing quite rapidly at the moment and at risk of sounding patronising, my Mum sounds like a similar age to you and is finding the changes in expectations really quite tough. She was listing her various gripes to me on the phone and I thought well yes those sound like normal job requirements for that role to me, but I do have to remind myself working culture has shifted a lot even in the time I’ve been working. I wasn’t surprised to see in the news record numbers of 55+ are opting for retirement.

Thanks@Plumtreebob , and that didn't come across at all patronising. I have been watching the sands shift around me for years, and I can admire what the younger ones bring and recognise that it's a step forward, but without me. I'm sure lots of people my age still want to climb/build/create. I want to garden.

Some others won't like it, but I know this group well, we're comfortable together, we've been together for decades, a good 3/4s will be fine with the task. I participate actively in the group, it's simply this presentation that's got ahold of me.

There are some really helpful ideas here, and I like @BigFatLiar , altering it to fit what i know, that would also give me some sense of control and power back so I don't feel like an ill performing circus side show.

And I agree, @SwedishEdith , this is totally someone's Bright Idea.

And I should say, having had your ideas in the back of my mind as i went about my day job today has helped. I'm still uncomfortable, but the pit in my stomach is easing.

That’s great OP, I wish you the best of luck with it