Greg Serandos

In conversation with Greg Serandos (Co-Founder African Academy of Artificial Intelligence)

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregoryserandos/

Co-Founder African Academy of Artificial Intelligence

https://www.aaai.africa/

The main points from our conversation:

Focus on Your Audience: Remember, it's not about you; it's about providing value to your audience.
Simplify Your Slides: Use fewer words and more visuals. People remember pictures better than text.
Adaptability is Key: Be prepared for unexpected disruptions like sound issues or projector failures.
Develop a Pre-Speech Routine: Techniques like breathing can help manage nerves, and arriving early helps settle in.
Embrace Your Style: Don't copy others; find what works best for you in terms of content and presentation style.
Start Small to Build Confidence: New speakers should take on free or low-paying gigs to gain experience, refine their skills, and build their reputation over time.

About my conversation with Greg:

The Africa Tech Authors & Speakers Forum is dedicated to empowering African professionals to share their insights and experiences through impactful writing and compelling public speaking. Recently, Johan Steyn had the opportunity to sit down with Greg Serandos, co-founder of the African Academy for Artificial Intelligence and a seasoned lecturer at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), to discuss his journey in spreading awareness about AI across various platforms.

Background and Experience

Greg Serandos has been based in South Africa for over eight years, following stints in Silicon Valley. He has been deeply involved in promoting AI as a tool that can significantly improve lives across Africa. However, he also acknowledges the risks associated with its adoption. His work spans lecturing at business schools like GIBS and Henley Business School, as well as speaking at numerous conferences focused on Global Business Services, customer experience, marketing, finance, and CFO conferences among others.

Serandos highlights that his audiences vary greatly in size—from small groups of 10-20 students at business schools to large crowds of up to 2,000 attendees at e-commerce events. This diversity has honed his ability to adapt content according to different levels of AI maturity or adoption within various industries.

Preparing for Speaking Events

When preparing for talks, Serandos emphasises simplicity and visual appeal in slide design. He reviews his slides briefly before going on stage if necessary. This approach helps him stay focused without getting lost during presentations.

For new topics or decks requiring significant changes, he stresses that there's no one-size-fits-all approach regarding slide count; what matters most is ensuring each slide tells part of your story effectively while keeping it concise—ideally using fewer words than you might think necessary.

Overcoming Challenges During Presentations

Serandos shares practical advice on handling unexpected disruptions such as projector failures or sound issues during presentations:

Arrive Early: Getting familiar with the setup beforehand can help manage nerves.
Adaptability: Be prepared for technical glitches by having backup plans like using your phone if slides aren’t visible.
Focus on Value Delivery: Remember that your message matters more than any technical hiccup; focus on delivering value rather than personal performance anxiety.

He also notes that dealing with audience interruptions requires tact—acknowledge questions respectfully but manage time effectively by suggesting follow-ups post-presentation if needed.

Key Takeaways

Audience Focus: Prioritize delivering value rather than personal performance anxiety.
Slide Design: Use visually appealing slides with minimal text; people remember pictures better than words.
Adaptability: Be ready for unexpected disruptions like sound issues or projector failures.
Pre-Speech Routine: Techniques like breathing exercises can help manage nerves; arriving early helps settle into the environment.
Embracing Your Style: Don’t copy others; find what works best for you in terms of content delivery style.

Summary and Call to Action

In conclusion, effective public speaking involves not just conveying information but connecting meaningfully with your audience while navigating potential challenges gracefully:
Focus primarily on providing value rather than impressing yourself upon others.
Keep slides simple yet impactful through visuals rather than text-heavy content.
Develop strategies for managing nerves such as breathing techniques or arriving early at venues.
Adapt quickly when faced with unexpected disruptions during presentations (e.g., sound issues).
Cultivate a unique presentation style tailored specifically towards engaging diverse audiences effectively.